Wed, Aug 22:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  While eating breakfast this morning I watched another episode of Downton Abbey on my laptop.  So glad our wi-fi gizmo works so well.  Then after a light lunch we headed out for our boat cruise.  And a beautiful day to do this.  A light chop on the water, but going through death’s door we had some big rollers.  We went out to Plum Island and then Pilot Island.  Checked out a couple of ship wrecks we could see from the boat.  Then we landed on Plum Island and checked out the historic Coast Guard station there.  Walked around and took some pictures of wild flowers on the island.  Then we boarded our boat and back to Gils Rock.  What a fun day and we met some nice people.  Burgers for dinner tonight.  78 today and mostly sunny. 

One of the first lake cottages at Gils Rock.

The Washington Island ferries--coming and going.

The Fog Horn House on Plum Island.

The Lighthouse and lighthouse keepers house on Plum Island.  Apparently there is a cable that runs from here to Washington Island and they warn people not to anchor here.

Shore line of Plum Island.

This is a "day marker"

and when it lines up perfectly, it means something to navigation.  I'm not sure what.

Our Captain Jim.

Pilot Island

Pilot Island light.

Pilot Island is taken over with cormorants.  The guano is three feet deep on this island.  They want to get rid of these birds but they are protected.  So apparently they destroy everything.  And the smell is pretty bad.

A view of the shipwreck Grape Shot, which happened pre-Civil War.

This was part of the hull.  They were carrying a load of lumber which was removed.

The boat house at the Coast Guard station.

Me with the boat house in the backgrounnd.

Wild flowers on the island.

More wild flowers.