As our first day on Isle Royale was coming to a close we decided to take others advice and head to Rainbow Cove on the eastern edge of the island to watch the setting sun to the west out over Lake Superior. After hiking 9 miles with heavy packs on our backs, hiking nearly another mile might seem a little too ambitious. Surprisingly, after a little time sitting at camp, the soreness in my legs and back disappeared although the energy level was still low after a long day getting to the island and getting to Feldtmann Lake were we were camping for the night. This was probably the only chance to catch a sunset here so if we didn’t go we would miss the opportunity even though we were actually staying in this area for two nights. The next night clouds were expected to cover the sky with possible rain showers or even a thunderstorm so off to Rainbow Cove we went. Without all that weight resting on our shoulders it actually was a nice hike over beautiful terrain.
Along the way we enjoyed all of the blooming flowers, smell, and scenery of the north country trapped in Lake Superior. At one point during a conversation I turned to look back at my cousin who was walking behind me and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something didn’t seem quite right. Quickly looking back I realized we were being watched by a moose. I kept walking until there was a larger tree between me and this moose which was just standing there watching as we passed by. Now having a little protection, the question was to keep going as we were really too close to this animal or stop and watch and possibly capture a photo or two. Well, given the pictures above and below you can guess what we did. Fortunately this particular moose didn’t seem real interested in defending her area and just continued to watch us while we watched her back and snapped a few photos. While taking in this lucky encounter, another hiker came behind us. He stopped abruptly once he looked up and saw we were stopped, looking at something in the woods. I could tell when he realized what we were looking at by the surprised look on his face from being so close to this large animal. Moose have been know to be quiet aggressive and with their size can cause substantial harm so we didn’t stay too long. Besides, the sun would be nearing the horizon soon. Back to the trail.
Eventually we made our way to Rainbow Cove and collapsed on the beach. What a great spot to just sit and relax, listening to the gentle waves wash up against the pebble filled shoreline as the sun continued it’s trek toward the horizon. After some time had passed and other hikers began to join us on the beach I decided I should try and capture a few photos since I did drag the camera and tripod all the way here. Wanting to just continue sitting and enjoy the surroundings, I knew I would regret it if I didn’t come back with some pictures to remind me of the experience. Picking up the camera I began to try a few different compositions but my energy wasn’t truly up to the task. There are a few shots that show just how beautiful this area is even still. The setting sun was blocked by several clouds so the colors I had hoped to see, and photograph, didn’t materialize like I’d hoped. It was a worthwhile adventure regardless.
As we were just about ready to work our way back, something appeared to be heading our way along the shoreline. As it approached we could tell it was another moose stopping to munch on some leaves while working its way up the beach. Now what do we do? The best thing to do when a moose is near is find a tree to stand next to and keep still. Here we are exposed on the beach. A moose is a much better swimmer than we are and would be able to out run us into the trees a short distance behind. With nowhere to really go we watched as the moose continued closer and closer. It seemed as though the moose didn’t really care about the National Park Service’s rules about how far to stay away from these animals as this one was clearly in violation of it. Finally, as it got uncomfortably close it heading back into the island. Unfortunately it happened to be close to the trail we needed to take back to our campsite. Waiting for about 10 minutes or so we figured it should be safe to head back as this moose should have moved far enough away from the trail. We were in luck!
Getting back on the trail there was no sight or sound of this large creature. Finding our pace towards camp, I walked past a large group of shrubs and immediately saw the moose again. It was facing away from us while continuing to eat until it saw me at the same time. In a moment it was turned towards me and charging. I quickly moved back behind the shrubs I’d passed and the moose stopped. Waiting another 5 minutes, my cousin decided to see if the moose had safely moved on. He slowly moved to the clearing away from these shrubs looking for the moose. It was still there facing the opposite direction eating. Again it turned quickly and charged a second time. Immediately he retreated behind the shrubs once again and the moose stopped just like before. Now I was getting concerned as it was getting dark and our flashlights were back at camp. We intended to be back before dark overtook Isle Royale. Who expected to be trapped by a moose this long? Another 10 minutes passed and we tried again. This time the moose was gone thankfully. I enjoy seeing these moose but not when one is being aggressive as night is approaching. With just a hint of light still in the air we made our way back to camp for the night and crawled into the tent. What an amazing first day on Isle Royale!
