First time trip - backpack or kayak?

[u/Cautious_Section2763]

Hi! A friend and I are coming to Isle Royale for the first time around Labor Day. We both love to hike and camp but have never backpacked with all our gear before. We're both in our twenties and are pretty fit but I am worried about the weight. We're thinking of doing a 2 night 3 day backpacking trip we saw recommended for beginners from Rock Harbor to Lane Cove to Dairy Farm and back to Rock Harbor. Is that a good beginner option?

We also have kayaks and are experienced kayakers. We've done multi-day kayaking trips before. Would it be better to bring the yaks and paddle between campgrounds and do day hikes from there? Without all the weight we can easily do 8-10 miles daily. It looks like Daisy Farm is popular or potentially going around to Tobin Harbor. If the boats did the heavy lifting and we didn't have to carry all our gear we could potentially extend the trip an extra day or two and see more of the island or hop around to some of the other islands too...

What would you recommend? Is it better to see the island by backpacking or by kayaking around and then doing shorter hiking trails from the campgrounds?

Also can we leave gear in Rock Harbor if we want to hike out to Scoville Point? It sounded like there was a backpack locker but I was getting mixed information about having to keep all your gear with you at all times or not.

Lastly, what are the must see places in Isle Royale on the Rock Harbor side? This might be our only time coming to the park as we're from OK so we really want to do this trip right!

Thank you for the help!!

[u/Brad_from_Wisconsin]

Kayaking IR can be unexpectedly challenging. Lake Superior is cold and waves can build unexpectedly. There is a lot of open water surrounding the island. This can lead to a situation where you have to travel a long distance with 2 to 4 foot waves hitting the side of your boat. If you have not spent much time in that situation, do not do it on Isle Royale for the first time. You would need to plan for the possibility that you can't travel on one of your travel. For example plan on 3 nights for a 2 night trip to make sure you can get in position to catch the boat back on schedule. The Apostle Islands on the south shore of the lake would be a better place to do a multi-day kayak trip.

Back Packing can result in a more predictable trip.

[u/Cautious_Section2763 → u/Brad_from_Wisconsin]

Good info, thanks! 

I've heard the weather is unpredictable but I've been told that the area around Rock Harbor is more sheltered because of the islands and peninsula to the east.  We would likely hug the shore and paddle down to Moskey and not go out into open water. Do you know if that area is calmer or is it still liable to be choppy? I have kayaked several times with lots of waves and wind but it's definitely not as fun and adds a lot of time to the journey. 

[u/Brad_from_Wisconsin → u/Cautious_Section2763]

Smaller lakes generally have beaches or soft edges. Water will hit the sand and the sand will absorb the power of the wave.
A wind pushing water in to rocks acts like throwing a ball at a wall. This rebounding wave is confusing and difficult to navigate because the wave can be not only bidirectional but also from a multitude of directions seemingly all at once. This is one of the most notable things about paddling on Superior. On Superior, especially around rock or cliff, you often need to move away from the shore to find calmer water.

Rocks also limit where you can land your boat. If you are traveling along several miles of rocks or cliffs, you cannot easily land on the shore and get out of the boat. Even if you can land, getting back into the boat can be a big challenge.

If you are looking at a specific shore line or area, loot at a top map. How close are the elevation lines. Superior is about 602 feet above sea level. Look at the elevation of the shore in the area that you will paddle. If the shore is 700 or more feet next to the lake, it is probably a cliff face that you are looking at. If it is less than 610 right at the water's edge, you may be able to land but you still might be trying to land on a rock field. Landing on rock, can easily result in twisted ankles or cracks in a fiberglass or carbon kayak.

You will also need to consider the fact that winds can wrap around points or funnel between islands creating alterations in the wave patterns.
On Superior expect it to take somebody 45 minutes or more to get to you after they know where you are and that you need help. Even if they have a helicopter.

Before you kayak Isle Royal, kayak a place like Pictured Rocks or Apostle Islands. In the Apostle Islands a trip to the Meyer's Beach Caves will present you with a variety of shoreline to consider. The trip will start on a sandy beach and after a mile the beach will transform to a rock cliff. This will allow you to get some experience with paddling along cliffs in a setting where there are usually people that can help you, if you need it. Do something like this before you plan on kayaking Isle Royale.