It’s been a while since we’ve talked about “the ferry.” It’s no secret that our family has been riding the Madeline Island Ferry for many many years now. Of course, Nancy remembers riding the original Nichevo which you had to back off of! I personally remember riding on the Nichevo II as a child, but to this day I have a soft spot for the Island Queen. The Queen has this little deck off of their passenger cabin that can only seat about 5-6 people comfortably. My sister and I would always race up there – to “our spot.” I still to this very day, love sitting there. It’s as if we have our own private balcony for that 25 minute ride.

Today is one of those days that I’d really rather be riding the Ferry. From Bayfield the lake looks like a field of diamonds with all of those sparkles. It’s virtually impossible to capture those diamonds in a photo, but trust me, they’re there. I see this lake everyday, yet days like today make me feel so very fortunate that I live here. It makes me want to be a “visitor” again. I want to go down and hop on the next Ferry scheduled. I would start by staying on the main deck of the boat. I would lean over the edge to see the bow of the boat breaking through the calm waters – creating its beautiful wake. If I’m lucky enough to be riding on the Island Queen, I would run up to “our spot” and sit and enjoy the cold (and it is cold at this time of year) wind on my face. From the boat you can see  a few of the Apostle Islands: Basswood Island, Long Island, Ashland and more. Look at a map and try to identify which is which.

So, yes, the Ferry is for many simply a mode of transportation – a way of getting from the mainland to Madeline Island, and back. No matter how many times I ride those boats though, it’s more than that for me. It’s a short and sweet adventure. It’s 25 minutes where I can just sit and enjoy the view! Which is something we all could do a bit more of.

• Meyers Beach Hiking Trail – As a part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, this trail offers a good workout hiking trail that takes you up above the Lake Superior sea caves and gives you fabulous views of some of the Apostle Islands.
• Visit the Orchards & Berry Farms – During the summer months you can pick your own cherries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, juneberries, blackberries – just about any berry you can think of! Or, if you prefer, you can visit the stand to pick up a bag or basket of fresh fruit already picked for you, along with jars of jams, jellies and fresh preserves.
• Swimming! – There is nothing quite like the sensation of swimming through the clean, crisp, beautiful waters of Lake Superior. Lake Superior offers beautiful sandy beaches for all swimmers including youngsters who love to play in the sand with delicate white sand for the best of sand castle building. And what could be better than a Lake Superior sandy beach to relax on after an invigorating swim.
• Explore the Arts – Bayfield’s many art galleries and studios invite visitors to see first hand the quality work created by local painters, potters, woodworkers, weavers and metalsmiths and more. Noted as one of the best 100 artist towns in the U.S., the numerous studios and galleries have something for everyone’s taste.

Of course this is only a sampling of things you can do in Bayfield at no (or next to no) cost! One of our favorite pastimes is finding a quiet little corner somewhere – indoor or out – where one can curl up with a good book, listen to the sounds of the world around them and simply relax!

Each package is priced and booked separately.

Pinehurst Inn & Dreamcatcher Sailing Package

Enjoy a two night Bayfield stay with all Pinehurst Inn amenities plus the Dreamcatcher Afternoon Sail for two people -  a perfect way to get a sense of the Apostle Islands. This 2 hour + outing will give a great taste of sailing.  Boat leaves from Bayfield or Cornucopia.  Throw in a complimentary bottle of wine compliments of Pinehurst Inn and you’ve got a package!

• two nights lodging (including full breakfast
• Dreamcatcher Afternoon Sail for 2 people
• Complimentary bottle of wine
• All other Pinehurst Inn amenities

Rates range from $374 – $584 (includes everything except room and sales tax). Call 877-499-7651 or book online.

Pinehurst Inn & Living Adventure Kayaking Package

This two night package offers lodging in combination with the Living Adventures full day Sea Caves Trip for 2 (includes lunch).  Explore the Mainland Sea Caves with views of a number of the Apostle Islands. Enjoy your complimentary bottle of wine at the end of your day. This package includes:

• Two nights lodging (including full breakfast
• Living Adventures Sea Caves Trip for 2 (includes lunch)
• Complimentary wine
• All other Pinehurst Inn amenities

Rates range from $447 – $637 (includes everything except room and sales tax for lodging). Call 877-499-7951 or book online. This package will end the first week in September.

The early spring provides a great opportunity for golfers to get out onto their favorite courses and begin their golf season in Bayfield, Wisocnsin. Apostle Highlands Golf Course announced their season is starting on March 31st. An early start? Why not!?

Amazing views of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands provide the backdrop to this golfing experience. Many of our Pinehurst Inn guests have commented on the course, with some indicating the views often were distracting to their game! But they hung in there and came away from the 18-hole, par 72 course with a smile on their face.

Apostle Highlands is also another Travel Green Certified Bayfield business – once again, another example of area businesses recognizing how important their business practices are to the long term sustainability of the region.

The clubhouse also provides wonderful spot to relax after your outing on the course. Beautiful setting, amazing views, good people. Come and enjoy some golfing in Bayfield!

As the storm started yesterday, we received a call from a couple from the Twin Cities looking for a room for a few nights.While I discouraged travel, they were set on making the trip. So since their arrival, they’ve been sitting by a fire watching the storm, enjoying a few saunas, eating at Maggies, and enjoying spa services. They’ve been so happy and relaxed. A great reminder for us about what we are trying to offer here at Pinehurst Inn.

So keep Bayfield and Pinehurst Inn in mind if you’re looking to continue your winter play. With Bayfield Winter Festival happening this weekend, we’ll be offering some fun!

The first weekend in March (Friday, March 2 – Sunday, March 4) offers a unique opportunity to reduce your cabin fever. Bayfield Winter Festival provides a series of activities organized for the benefit of the Bayfield Recreation Center and Mt. Ashwaybay Ski and Recreation Area. Whether a spectator or participant, all activities are designed to have fun and celebrate winter in Bayfield and the Apostle Islands.

Some highlights of the weekend:

• Candlelight Walk on the Brownstone Trail (Friday Evening)
  Join the Bayfield Regional Conservancy at Big Water Cafe & Coffee Roasters at 6:30pm for hot drinks and treats. Around 7:00pm, the group will head over to the Brownstone Trail for a magical walk amongst hundreds of luminary’s set along the popular hiking trail.
• Bayfield’s First Friday
  Downtown Bayfield stores are open late to welcome Winter Festival revelers with demonstrations, door prizes and sales. Take advantage of these special evening hours, 4:00pm – 7:00pm, at 16 business locations.
• Run on Water (Saturday)
  Race to Madeline Island and back on the ice road. Choose your own course (it’s hard to get lost…). All non-motorized methods of transportation are allowed – run, walk, snowshoe, skate, ski, bike, skijor… Awards to the top three finishers in each category. Register at www.midwestevents.com or from 10:00am – 11:00am on Saturday. Race begins at 11:00am. If ice conditions do not permit, the event will be a “Run by the Water” on Bayfield’s Brownstone Trail, and maintain a distance of 4 miles.

• Mt. Ashwabay WinterBASH (Saturday Evening)
  Finish the day in style at Mt. Ashwabay’s WinterBASH from 7:00pm – 11:00pm. This event will include a giant bonfire, South Shore Beer, food, tubing, horse drawn sleigh rides, and multiple bands including The Ringtones and Alpha City with sound by JD BASS inside a heated pole barn. $5 suggested donation/person at the gate. There will also be a cross-country luminary ski from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Ski amid the sparkle of hundreds of candles illuminating the darkened woods at Mt Ashwabay! Visit mtashwabay.org for ski hill information.
• New event! On Sunday you can test your endurance during Mt. Ashwabay’s WinterDASH starting at 1:30pm. This “ultimate winter 5-km run and obstacle course” will require no gear – just guts! Go to www.bayfieldwinterfestival.com to register.

Yes, we do like to have fun up here in Northern Wisconsin! Enjoy this Winter_Festival_Flyer offering more detailed info. And if you’re still needing lodging, Pinehurst Inn still has a few rooms open!

Of course, next weekend the Birkebeiner ski race near Hayward, WI. While we are a bit of a hike away, if you’re not looking for participate, we have plenty of skiing and snowshoe trails up in our neck of the woods. There is more snow in the forecast and the temps are looking quite comfortable.

The sun is out today, and it’s actually quite difficult to be inside writing this blog post, when I’d much rather be outside enjoying the beauty of this winter day. So, we’re going to keep it short this time. We look so forward to seeing many of you as our late blossoming winter continues.

That said, what is there to do? There are many different winter events worth checking out in Bayfield – such as the Blue Moon Ball, Apostle Islands Sled Dog Races, Bayfield Winter Festival and more! Beyond that though, check out our local shops. There are quite a few open year round and you’ll have the time and opportunity to chat with the owners. Better yet, if you’re staying at Pinehurst Inn, let us set up a catered meal for you or enjoy a wine tasting from Bayfield Wine & Spirits. Oh, yes – and there’s Enso Wellness Center and Day Spa ready to schedule your massage or facial. Ahhhhh.

I guess one of the harder things about the busier season here is that we don’t have the time that we would like to contribute to each and every visitor. We’d love to see you up here over the next couple of months.

Here’s to a happy and prosperous new year to you all!

Pinehurst Inn offers packages that set the stage for adventure and our Pinehurst and Wolfsong Dog Sledding Adventure is the perfect example.

Wolfsong Dog Adventures in Mushing has operated out of Bayfield, WI since 1997. Over that time, John and Mary Thiel have built a class operation – the greatest dogs, fantastic guides, great knowledge of the area … and they’re good people. Thanks to the location by Lake Superior, our winters typically provide great snow from December through March. The trips vary in length but are consistent with great training, ability to actively participate or simply ride along.

The Pinehurst/Wolfsong Package offers the following:

• Two (2) nights lodging in available room of choice
• The Wolfsong Morning Adventure Dog Sledding Run for two (2) people
• All Pinehurst Inn amenities including sauna, common areas with fireplaces and more.

Weekend package rates range from $697 – $817 depending on room booked. Weekday package rates range from $612 – $732. Does not include sales tax and room tax on lodging.

Book online (exact pricing shows when room & package selected) or call 877-499-7651. We are happy to customize this to your needs as able.

Looking for a shorter adventure – check out the Wolfsong Afternoon Run. Call for pricing and more details.

Enjoy this feedback from our guests:

• “This was such a kick! The dogs were fantastic and the guide superb. We’re coming back again with our kids!”
• “I was nervous about being able to keep up with the dogs, but this was totally doable. I loved the dogs and it was so lovely on the trails.”

Just one more way to embrace winter while enjoying Pinehurst Inn and Bayfield.

With adventure comes risks. Sadly one of the most common destinations for kayakers, the Mainland Seacaves, has also been the site of a number of deaths. In both cases hypothermia and being ill prepared were a part of the picture. Waves at the mainland sea caves can be particularly dangerous because of the bowl-like rock cliffs that reflect and amplify waves. Two large waves can combine to form an extremely large wave.The National Park Service and Bayfield area are working to minimize these dangers.

With support from Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and the Friend of Apostle Islands, kayakers now can check wave heights online before visiting the mainland sea caves at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Using a smart phone or the Web, kayakers can check the live conditions report at www.seacaveswatch.org. The website lists the wave height for the previous six hours in 30-minute increments. The site also displays water temperature and photos of the waves at the sea caves, and it relays wind speed and direction recorded at Devil’s Island.

“We hope kayakers will use this system to make good decisions before venturing out onto the lake,” said Bob Krumenaker, superintendent of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. “We hope it will save lives.”

The rule many of us follow on Lake Superior is this: “The Lake is the Boss.” We love this grand body of water but we also recognize how dangerous it can be at times. We appreciate efforts such as this one to make the decision making just a bit easier.