I put together a trilogy of stories covering our 2009 kayaking trip to Georgian Bay, Pictured Rocks and the Apostle Islands. Enjoy.
Part One: Georgian Bay
http://www.cramsailing.com/kayaking/georgianbay09.htm
Part Two: Pictured Rocks
http://www.cramsailing.com/kayaking/picturedrocks09.htm
Part Three: Apostle Islands
http://www.cramsailing.com/kayaking/apostleislands09.htm
enjoyed your post…
…I now have two summers on my kayak and I’ve been to Pictured Rocks (first summer) and Georgian Bay (past summer).
I really liked the Pictured Rocks area. Our group of seven (father/son guide and five “guests”) spent six days in the area. Bears were a problem on Grand Island. The local ranger estimated that there were around 13 of 'em. And on our second day one of them gave my nice new Hilleberg tent a sniff test… and a nice five claw tattoo. Since there was nada inside, she moved off and sniffed/clawed another tent.
On our journey east along the cliffs the waves were pushing three feet (and bumping the limits of my comfort zone). Plenty of chop too.
We glanced over to the cliffs and there were two kayaks… one upright and the other not. What we couldn’t see was that the upended kayak was slamming against the cliff and squishing the owner.
Josh, seventeen at the time and the ‘assistant guide’, shot over to the cliff and discovered that the guy getting squished was already enjoying the early stages of hypothermia.
Josh happens to have very high level kungfu… I mean kayak… skills and he managed to get the numb guy back into his kayak. He pretty much saved the guy from feeding the fish. And if he hadn’t, the wife would have been in the drink next.
This couple had virtually no kayak skills and had absolutely no idea what they were doing. And there were all kinds of folks like them all along that area.
Truly Darwinian:)
BTW, my tent also survived the trip.
Darwin
I’ve seen kayakers in Tadoussac (water is 35 degrees) heading out into the St. Lawrence in shorts and a t-shirt with PFD strapped down. I’ve seen kayakers in jeans and a t-shirt and no apparent kayak skills leaving Miner’s Beach at Pictured Rocks heading for the cliffs. Ditto at the Apostle Islands. I am amazed that more paddlers aren’t hurt or killed. What they don’t know WILL kill them.
I’m glad your tent survived. The bear thing freaks me out a bit. Especially in the Apostle Islands. They are everywhere.
I’m heading back to Georgian bay this year. Can’t seem to get enough.
Georgian Bay
Nice report and photo’s. Have to admit that Georgian Bay is my favorite place to paddle. And those fish and chips are the best!
Andy
Oh Great…
…now I’ll have ta’ go back fer them chips:)