If there is one thing you can say about Wisconsin, it is remote. The Turtle-Flambeau Flowage in upstate Wisconsin blissfully meets this description. After loading the car and disembarking, the number of people fishing on our paddle to the campsite was a testament to the waterway’s beauty. We were, however, fortunate to have most of our stay free from clamor of campers and the buzz of motorboats. The focus of our stakeout on the flowage was silence and scenery.
The Flowage
The Chippewa and Flambeau Improvement Company built a dam on the Flambeau River just downstream from the Turtle River in 1926. A result of their efforts is what we know today as the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, a body of water combining 16 natural lakes. This huge expanse of water created a unique ecosystem where fish and birds of prey thrive. This area, because of its size and seeming remoteness, is sometimes referred to as “Boundary Waters lite.” Amanda and I would not compare these two areas as they are very different in terms of wildlife and terrain.
The Stakeout
Most significant to us was where we set camp. This week we habitually set up camp tuck away on an island (see Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness post). This time we opted for an island in the quiet area of the lake. A place where Rigby can run and sniff and frolic carefree. From our stakeout spot, we spied on many Loons and Bald Eagles. Bald Eagles screeched from above while the Loon’s wild call echoed off the abundant pine and oak lining the lakeshore. Our campsite, nestled amongst small islands on the edge of a grassy bog. All of this managed by the state of Wisconsin.
Probably the best part of this adventure was the trip to and from the boat ramp. As our paddles caressed the flat water, our canoe slinked along a water highway cut out amongst tall grasses. With a lack of trees, the bald eagles were set on the outskirts of this area. Like the rest of the Flowage, the water here is murky. Aside from a few small outboard boats carrying fishers to and fro on the first day, this area was quiet. We crept along watery fields of grasses soaking in sun and silence.
