Manitou Island – one of the 21 islands comprising northern Wisconsin’s
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore – has been temporarily closed to the
public due to black bear activity. A resident bear has been acting in an
increasingly worrisome fashion in recent days, displaying behavior that is
either overly-aggressive, or overly-friendly.

“We don’t enjoy closing places to our visitors,” said Apostle Islands
National Lakeshore superintendent Bob Krumenaker, “especially since we had
just re-opened the fish camp to public tours again this summer. This bear
has gotten too bold for comfort, though. Until we can learn more about this
bear, we decided it was best to give it some space.”

In recent days, a volunteer staying at the Manitou Island Fish Camp was
backed into an outhouse by a bear, only to have the bear lie down in front
of the outhouse door, preventing the volunteer from opening it. Visitors
have also been reporting close encounters with the bear, and it may have
gotten some human food on one occasion.

NPS staff will monitor the bear, and will attempt to deter it from staying
in areas frequented by people. As soon as it appears the bear will stay
away from visitor use areas, the island will be reopened. In the past the
NPS trapped problem bears and moved them to the mainland. That practice has
been rejected in recent years because it either failed (bears often
returned to the island) or because it simply made a problem bear someone
else’s problem.

Manitou Island is home to an historic fish camp, two miles of hiking
trails, and a solitary campsite. It is not considered a heavily visited
site, typically drawing 2,000 to 3,000 visitor days per year.

-NPS-

Effective June 19, 2008, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has re-opened the
Mainland Trail, which begins at Meyers Beach on the park’s mainland unit.

The trail had been closed since June 9th due to bear activity.

In the days leading up to June 9th, a mother black bear and her two cubs had been
frequenting the Meyers Beach parking lot, and had been feeding on a deer carcass

adjacent to the trail. The mother had a natural possessiveness relative to the carcass,
and was guarding it against visitors hiking on the trail. To prevent any unfortunate
encounters, the National Park Service closed the popular hiking trail to
give the mother and her cubs some space.

Following some patrols earlier in the week, the NPS has determined that the bears
have moved on.

As always, visitors should be aware of their surroundings, and should do
everything they can to avoid attracting bears to human food sources.

NPS

The National Park Service has initiated a major restoration project involving the
historic dock at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore’s Hokenson Brothers Fishery.

Located just to the west of the public harbor at Little Sand Bay, the historic
Hokenson Brothers Fishery is part of a complex representing one of the most
intact family-operated commercial fishing and packing operations on Lake
Superior. Built in 1927, the dock was the first structure built within the complex.

The Hokenson brothers, Eskel, Roy, and Leo constructed the dock and made
repairs and modifications due to changing lake and weather conditions
until the late 1950’s.

Over time, major features of the dock deteriorated to the point of ill-repair.

Recently, the park received funding through the National Park Service
Repair/ Rehabilitation program. Park facility management staff built replicas
of the old dock cribs (20 feet by 12 feet by 8 feet high) during the past winter.

The cribs are huge boxes made out of logs thatare the foundation of the dock,
holding it in place. They are filled with rip-rap (large stone) that anchors the
wooden structures. Framing, decking and hardware will be installed over
the cribs.

A contract was recently awarded to S.E.R. Inc. for the demolition of the old
cribs and the installation of the new. The park plans to reuse the rip-rap from
the old cribbing. Ken Dobson, President of S.E.R. noted: “We need to place the
new cribs right away after demolition, or we will lose the old rip-rap in the sand.”

Hokenson Brothers Fishery is important not only because it represents
Great Lakes commercial fishing during the first half of the twentieth century,
but also for its  interpretive value to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

It provides visitors with an easily accessible opportunity to learn about an
important aspect of the region’s social and economic development.

On-site construction has recently begun and will continue into the first
half of the summer.
-NPS Release

The 2008 Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore will be held the evening of Sunday, August 3 at Big Top Chautauqua.

The BTC show that night is Wild Woods & Waters.

All Friends Members are invited for the short business meeting and a social/get acquainted/with good things to eat gathering that will begin at 6:00 in the T Bar.

To obtain Group Rate Reserved Seating for the 7;30 show, call the BTC Office at 888-244-8368 and tell them you are a Member of the Friends.

Please make your reservations before July 28.

Hope to see you there!

Your editor really has no idea how well this idea of joining interest groups on a blog is going to fly with Friends Members.

But there comes a point where one needs to find out how real his notion of reality is.

Mark Twain might have said:  “without trying you are failing.”

He didn’t, but he and I tend to get confused about just who is who.

Lew Miller

To add your name to the Preservation of Cultural & Natural Heritage Interest Group simply click on the headline above, then enter any comment you would like in the white box at the end of this post.

When finished, click on “submit comment.”

To add your name to the Kayakers & Campers Interest Group simply simply click on the headline above, then enter any comment you would like in the white box at the end of this post.

When finished, click on “submit comment.”

To add your name to the Boaters Special Interest Group simply simply click on the headline above, then enter any comment you would like in the white box at the end of this post.

When finished, click on “submit comment.”

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia

Park Superintendent Bob Krumenaker informed the Friends Board about this fish virus, and the Parks efforts to deal with it, in our last meeting.

Since then an announcement has been made that the four units of the National Park System on Lake Superior (Isle Royale National Park, Apostle Islands and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshores, and Grand Portage National Monument) and the Grand Portage Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa have approved a plan to protect park and tribal fishery resources from viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS.

Friends Members can learn more about VHS and what is being done to deal with it by following the link below.

http://www.nps.gov/apis/parkmgmt/vhs.htm

Update – Bear Boxes Matching Project

In the last newsletter we mentioned that kayakers and wilderness campers have a special interest in bear boxes being located at National Lakeshore campgrounds.

The total cost of a bear box (including installation) is $1,000.00

The link to the blog below explains why kayak clubs have been busy raising money for bear boxes.

http://gitcheegumeeguy.blogspot.com/2007/07/bear-box-on-every-island.html

Update – Boulder Removal Selected As Matching Project

Removing boulders at the Devils Island South Landing and at Outer Island to improve access for boaters at those locations was selected as a matching project at the last Board meeting.

Removing boulders at both locations is estimated to cost $9,000 and the Friends will match Designated Donations from boaters.

We are still working on how we will spread the word on this project.

Expect more details in the next newsletter.

Legacy Projects Discussion

Discussions will begin on two Legacy Projects at the April Board meeting, one on Sand Island and another on Raspberry Island.

These deliberations require a huge amount of Board time and considerable assistance from Park Service staff.

We will keep all Friends “in the loop!”

In an effort to keep Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Members scattered all over the country updated on things happening in and about the Park we bring you our new blog.

By its nature it will be an irregular communication.

When we have news concerning the Lakeshore, or the Friends relationship with the Lakeshore – you will receive it.

But the neat thing about a blog is the opportunity it offers for you to share your reactions to what the Friends are doing, or should consider doing, within the Park.

Of course you may share other things as well.

Things like what the Park means to you, a telling of your favorite activity within the Park, links we should add to this blog and our web site, a favorite photo.

Welcome to the Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Blog!