We are going to strap our kayaks to the roof of a ferry, motor over fifty miles out to the largest island in the largest lake in the world and go kayaking. This is not something to be taken lightly, but our “sampler” program is designed for those who are interested in learning to camp out of their kayaks in relatively calm conditions. It is appropriate for adventurous beginners who have had group rescue practice and can paddle up to 10 miles/day in 1-2 ft seas and 10 knots of wind. We offer a number of weekend and day workshops that can help you grow those skills or point you to a coach in your area.
Sea Kayaking Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior
This is a magical place wrapped up in ancient rock, thimbleberries and the unforgiving waters of Lake Superior. This unique island park with its moose and wolves is a popular destination for backpackers, but since it is an island we thought that it would make more sense to explore it by kayak! There will be plenty of time for day hikes, brisk swims, good lake trout fishing, kayaking and listening to the loons. We plan this trip together with you based on weather outlook, park conditions and your own goals and tastes. To ensure your safety and maintain the flexibility of small camps, we limit this trip to only five participants.
Sample Itinerary for 7 Day trip
(includes 2 travel days)
Day 1
Rendezvous in Copper Harbor at 5:00 PM at the Minnetonka Resort for a quick backcountry packing orientation.
Day 2
7 AM rendezvous at Isle Royale Queen dock for the 3.5 hour ride to Rock Harbor. Organize and pack for the short paddle to the first campsite. Go over basic strokes, braces and rescue drills.
Days 3-5
The heart of the trip–you’ll find yourself paddling an average of 4 or 5 hours/day sandwiched with day hikes, fishing, shooting photos, looking for Moose and listening to the music of our largest freshwater sea. For this trip we often use just two camps to use as two separate hubs. We find you spend more time seeing the island, than making and breaking camp this way. You should be prepared for temps between 40- 80…bring a wool hat and a swimsuit. You can count on learning lots of new paddle skills and having a truly spectacular experience on this beginner friendly trip.
Day 6
In the afternoon, we’ll be ferried back to Copper Harbor for a fine meal and a good night’s sleep.
Day 7
Travel day for home or to continue your own adventure in the Keweenaw
Dates for 2024
August 5 – 11
Isle Royale Kayaking Trip Cost Includes:
- One night double occupancy lodging before and one after in Copper Harbor (Single occupancy rates available)
- Round trip ferry fees for both you and your kayak
- Expert instructor guides
- All group gear (tents, kitchen gear, dry bags, safety and camp gear)
- National Park Service permits and daily user fee
- Gourmet backcountry fare
What’s Not Included:
- Travel to and from Copper Harbor
- Kayak rental: If you are going to need a kayak, you should add that as an add-on to your booking, to be sure we have one for you.
- Personal Items: Be sure to review the packing list. It is important that you review this list early on in case you have questions or need to order gear.
- Guide gratuities (5-10% suggested)
- Travel Insurance
Kayaking Equipment
We do not include kayaks on this trip because most paddlers at this level have their own. Your boat should be a touring kayak at least 16 feet long, with front and rear bulkheads. High performance expedition-equipped rentals are available from us with prior reservation: They include PFD, carbon hybrid paddle (Werner Shuna is our standard), sprayskirt and pump. We will transport your rental boat for you. We offer a variety of sizes and models from Current Designs, Wilderness Systems and NDK …with drop skegs and day hatches.
FAQs
Registration
NOTE: If a booking date shows on the calendar below, there is space available but always feel free to call or email with specific questions. If the trip is full and you’d like to be waitlisted, give us a call.
Reservations are held with a deposit of $300. The price below reflects the full amount, including service fees; However, your initial payment will be a $300 deposit (assuming you book 60+ days prior to the course).
The remaining amount due will be automatically charged to your credit card 60 days before the course.
NOTE: You must choose the date of the trip you want before clicking on BOOK NOW. Be sure you are on the right month!
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