13th Annual South Bass Island Kayak Rendezvous (Lake Erie)

Going Paddling
#1

Dear Friends and Paddlers,

Happy Holidays everyone! Greetings from your Jolly South Bass Island Kayak Rendezvous Kayak Elf!

I know everyone is tied up in the hustle and bustle of the season, but it’s time to be a little selfish. It’s time to think of warm summer breezes, lush green islands, time spent in a hip hugging cockpit, and it’s time to get off your butts and make your camping reservations for the 13th annual South Bass Island Kayak Rendezvous (SBIKR), June 9-11, 2017!!! Get your sites early and as usual we’ll pack the park!

The ODNR campsite portal is open and you can make your reservations by clicking on:

http://ohiostateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/south-bass-island-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=OH&parkId=960101#sr

I also have a special announcement. This year’s Pot Luck speaker will be Michael Gray, owner and founder of Uncommon Adventures. Michael Gray founded Uncommon Adventures in 1984. With nearly 30 years in the business, Michael is one of the most experienced instructors and guides in the country. He’s led trips all over the world including Alaska, New Zealand, Greenland, Iceland and Central America. He is an ACA Level 3 Coastal Kayak Instructor Trainer and a Level 4 instructor. He also holds certifications in Canoe and SUP instruction. As part of the 2017 SBIKR, Michael will be offering a level 3 ACA coastal kayaker instructor course.

Click http://www.sbikayakrendezvous.com/amenities.html for more info, timeline and registration information. The course will include a day of level 3 assessment (June 9) and then three days of ACA IDW instruction, Sat, June 10-Mon., June 12).

Of particular note is Michael’s reputation as a phenomenal backcountry cook. His guests often say they don’t eat as well at home as they do on Uncommon Adventures trips. Michael’s cooking presentations/demonstrations are among the most popular sessions at the country’s leading kayak symposiums, and his articles appear in major kayak publications, websites, and his cookbook! Michael will be our keynote presenter at this year’s pot luck dinner. His presentation is entitled Seal Soup and Other Deserts.

For more information and a full list of activities, visit. http://www.sbikayakrendezvous.com/

Eric Slough,
SBIKR organizer

#2

The 13th Annual South Bass Island Kayak Rendezvous (June 9-11) is a little over a month away and I am excited to send out this update. Many thanks to the ACA for their sponsorship help with this year’s event. Lots to cover, so please read down the list!

It’s become a rendezvous tradition to create a unique and Lake Erie Island centric logo for our event. I’m excited to release the logo and begin taking t-shirt/sweat shirt orders. I will have limited extras on the Island.
T-Shirts/Logo: One of the most iconic sentinels amongst the Lake Erie Islands is the venerable Perry’s Victory Monument on South Bass Island, home to the SBIKR. Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial was established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, during the War of 1812, and to celebrate the long-lasting peace among Great Britain, Canada and the U.S. The Memorial, a Doric column, rising 352 feet over Lake Erie is situated 5 miles from the longest undefended border in the world.

In these turbulent times, I always can find peace from the seat of my kayak. I think it’s fitting this year that we honor the idea of peace with this year’s design! To see this year’s t-shirt ($10) and sweatshirt ($20) options, pricing and to order, visit: http://www.sbikayakrendezvous.com/T-Shirts.html. Shirts will be available at the Friday pot luck or site #109.

SBIKR Raffle: In some sad news, the SBIKR and the SE Michigan community lost a great boater and even better human this winter, Jerry Glotfelty. Jerry has attended the SBIKR many times over the years and when I got the news that he passed, I was shocked. At the Friday night (June 9) pot luck we’ve started a tradition of hosting a raffle and raising some money for Great Lakes causes. Riverside Kayak in Wyandotte, MI has started a fund in Jerry’s name with the Wyandotte community foundation. The fund will support kayak/educational opportunities, something near and dear to his heart. If you have any items you’d like to donate to our raffle, please email me, emanohtol@yahoo.com. 100% of the money we raise will go to Jerry’s fund.

ACA Instructor Class: There are still a few seats in the Level 3, ACA coastal kayak IDW instructor course. June 9 is the assessment day, followed by three days of top quality education provided by internationally known instructor Michael Gray from Uncommon Adventures. For a full timeline and how to register visit: http://www.sbikayakrendezvous.com/amenities.html
ACA Instructor Class II: For those interested in taking the Level 3 Class at the SBIKR, to complete your certification, Riverside Kayak in Wyandotte Michigan will be hosting a Level 3 ICE (Instructor Candidate Exam) class needed to complete your certification. The class will be held Aug. 5-6. And can be found at http://riversidekayak.com/classes.html. Tentative plans are for the class to be held at Lake Erie Metropark, just south of Detroit.

Pot Luck/Speaker: This year’s pot luck speaker is Michael Gray, owner and founder of Uncommon Adventures. I’d also like to thank the ACA for their sponsorship support in helping bring Michael to SBI. Michael has adventured from the seat of a kayak all across the globe and his keynote topic will be: Seal Soup and other tales from a lifetime of adventure. I’m so excited for this visit! We start to gather at the SBI State Park shelter house at 6 p.m. Eat at 7 p.m. and Speaker at 8 p.m. Bring something to pass and I will make sure we have a few grills if you require flame!

Looking forward to another great year of paddling, socializing, eating, paddling and eating some more!
Eric Slough
SBIKR paddle geek.