The Sea Hunter III, operated by the Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Company, now offers evening cruises on Lake Superior, in addition to day trips to Isle Royale. The ship departs from Voyageurs Marina under sunny skies at 7:00 p.m. and cruises past Hat Point in Grand Portage Bay, past the ancient Witch Tree, to the rocky palisades of the Susie Islands. As the ship makes its way along the craggy shoreline, the sun sinks below the horizon and the moon makes its appearance.
The Sea Hunter III is the latest addition to the Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Company. Don Szczech of the transportation line, Captain Tim Hall, Mike Ryden, Mark Beckwith and Larry John Spry made the trip to Freeport, New York in the spring of 2011 to pick up the ship that replaced the Wenonah.
Szczech said the Sea Hunter III can carry 72 passengers, but added, “That would be a bit cozy.”
It normally carries fewer passengers, but also hauls kayaks and gear for Isle Royale visitors. Szczech said the trip to Isle Royale now takes only 1½ hours. The Sea Hunter III has a shallower draft than the Wenonah, enabling it to maneuver more easily and enter shallower areas than the Wenonah.
The Sea Hunter III is 65-feet long and 16-feet wide. It has 1300 horse power, giving it a cruising speed of 20 miles per hour and a top speed of 30 miles per hour. It was built in 1985 and its previous service was on the North Atlantic where it served as a diving boat on the Andrea Doria.
On the evening cruise on Saturday, August 13, there were about 25 people. All enjoyed the trip from Voyageurs Marina, around Grand Portage Bay, past the Witch Tree and the Lloyd Hendrickson homestead, to the rocky outcroppings and rugged palisades of the Susie Islands, to the Pigeon River and back.
This is a trip not to be missed— and there are only a few more opportunities to sail before the season ends on Labor Day. The evening cruise is offered on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets are $25. For reservations, call the Grand Portage Lodge at (218) 475-2441.
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