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For Whom The Old Presque Isle Bell Tolls
The Old Presque Isle Lighthouse was built in 1840 and operated until 1871. It’s one of the oldest surviving lighthouses on the Great Lakes. The park preserves both the old keepers house and the light. When originally restored, the owner used wood from a nearby shipwreck, so the interior features knotted wood with lots of holes. He also used all the doors from the ship to replace interior doors, which gives the keeper’s house a wonderful nautical feel. When I was there, the park volunteer had a small fire burning in the fireplace, which made the house feel even more welcoming. After being rescued from a shipwreck, it would have…
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Port Huron to Home Solo Kayaking Expedition
Yesterday, I finished a 800-mile, 45-day, solo, kayaking expedition. The trip started at Port Huron, Michigan, which is at the southern most point of Lake Huron, and ended in Grand Marais, Minnesota. At Houghton, Michigan, I linked up with my 2009 Grand Marais to Houghton trip, which means that I’ve now paddled the entire American shoreline from the Pigeon River on the Canadian/Minnesota border to Port Huron on the Michigan/Canadian border. I did the trip in three legs. At each leg, I had an easy way out if I wanted to call it good. The first leg ran from Port Huron to St. Ignas. The second leg went for St.…
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Head North to Old Woman: A Lake Superior Kayaking Adventure
This is a guest post from sea kayaker Tim Gallway. It was a cold August morning, and I was heading for Wawa, Ontario to teach at the Greenland Symposium put on by Naturally Superior Adventures (NSA). Or at least I would have if the event hadn’t been cancelled. Due to many last minute cancellations instructors would outnumber students, so the plug was pulled. But I was still going. I was planning on spending the long weekend sleeping on beaches, playing in the surf and rock gardens around Superior Provincial Park with the other instructors that were going to do the same thing I was. One way or another I was…
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North Water Under Deck Bag Review
The North Water Under Deck Bag acts like a glove compartment for your kayak. Once glued into place under the front deck, it hangs down between your knees. It’s perfect for the little items, such as sunscreen and snacks, that you need quick access to during the day. I’ve mounted one in almost every kayak I’ve owned and have used them for over seven years. (Plus, I’m quoted in the Spring 2011 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine singing praise about them. Thanks, David!) It only makes sense that I review it. The Under Deck Bag is exactly what it says it is. It’s a bag that attaches under the deck…
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Manitou River Kayaking Trip Report
If a kayaking trip included one arch, one cave and one waterfall, I’d call it a winner. By that definition, the trip from Sugarloaf Cove to the Manitou River on Lake Superior wins the world championship. During the 11 mile round-trip, you will paddle past three arches that you can kayak through and many others above the waterline. You’ll see two postcard worthy waterfalls, paddle past towering palisades, kayak into caves (one with a waterfall falling down over the entrance) and encounter mansions and old fishing buildings. Rock from Keweenawan lava flows and intrusions makes up the shoreline and the presence of glaciers gone shows itself with gouge marks. A…
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Susie Island Kayaking Trip Report
A great kayak day trip should have interesting landscapes, open-water crossings, nice places for lunch and a chance of surprise. In my book, it should also be remote but easily accessible. On Minnesota’s northshore of Lake Superior, the trip from Grand Portage through the Susie Islands to the Pigeon River includes all those features and more making it the best full-day kayaking trip on Minnesota’s shoreline. Distance: 16 miles Trip Rating: Advanced. Water conditions, especially in late summer or fall, can change quickly creating large waves. Use an experienced kayaking guide if you have doubts. Maps: NOAA Chart #14967, Lake Superior Water Trail Map #4, USGS Pigeon Point and Grand…
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Lightweight Paddling Philosophy
Back in 2004, I wrote an article called Nessmuking: A Return to Simple. In it I argued about the need to emphasize skills over equipment in the lightweight movement, because if you have the skills to survive in the wilderness, you can carry less and travel more simply. The argument continued that enjoyment is increased through simplicity and flexibility achieved through skills. I named the philosophy after Nessmuk, the pen name of George Washington Sears, who wrote for Forest and Stream in the late 1800s. His book, Woodcraft and Camping, which despite being over 100 years old remains relevant to today’s wilderness enthusiast, mixes the practice of bushcraft with a…
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When did you start kayaking?
Subscribe to Blog via Email Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address Subscribe A guest post by Lee Gilbert of A Whole Bunch of Ing’s. Lee is the expedition leader for the Paddle to Retirement Expedition. “When did you start kayaking?” is a icebreaker, an epilogue of our paddling to that very moment. Whether it be sitting on a beach next to a roaring fire, in a pub being introduced to new paddling partners, or socializing at a symposium; this is the simple nexus that drawls so many different people together. And here’s mine. I grew up in…
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Kayaking Lake Superior’s Tettegouche State Park
For one of the best day-long kayaking trips on Minnesota’s north shore of Lake Superior, North America’s largest inland sea, visit Tettegouche State Park. The trip begins on the Baptism River, heads out along the open coast of Superior, and brings you up against 200-foot tall palisades and through sea caves. Because of the limited landings, rebounding waves, and cold water, I recommend this trip for experienced sea kayakers only. If you lack experience consider hiring a guide or booking a trip through an experienced sea kayaking company, such as North Shore Expedition’s Tettegouche Kayaking Trip. The Kayaking Route Enter Tettegouche State Park and park near the bridge. You’ll need…
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Winter Kayaking
“There is no bad weather, only the wrong gear.” -Minnesota Proverb Winter shorelines feature ice formations, ice caves, and the air is crystal clear which allows you to see for miles. On a blue-sky winter day, I feel there’s no other place I’d rather be than on the water paddling. With the proper gear and precautions, winter needn’t be a reason to stay off the water. Luckily, for me I live on the north shore of Lake Superior, and its shores remain ice-free for most of the winter. Some winters, we have only a few weeks of ice, and during some, we have months of ice. If you have open…
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IKEA Tote Bags for Kayakers
IKEA tote bags revolutionized (if revolution is simply change) the way I carry gear to and from my kayak. In the past, I’d grab a couple or three dry bags, carry them up the beach to the tent, drop, and repeat, but since my trip to Norway last year, where I discovered IKEA tote bags being used by the folks we kayaked with, I’ve been using these lightweight and compact bags to store my gear, carry my gear from the car to the beach, and to carry from the kayak to camp. At IKEA stores, they cost $0.59, but without a nearby IKEA, Amazon Subscribe to Blog via Email Enter…
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Down the Mississippi
In August 2004, two friends started a trip down the Mississippi River. They planned on paddling 560 miles in 15 days, and one of them - me - made it. The other quit early. In this personal essay, I explore the meaning of friendship and how expeditions can ruin them.
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How Much Food Should I Pack
Dear PaddlingLight, As I canoe more, leaving the river of home and enter the BWCA, I must portage. I do not want to carry needless weight. So, I am planning a 6 day trip with lots of portaging, some are 340 rods, some only 8. However, as a soloist, I have determined to double portage, thus a 340-rod portage is really 1020 rods. So it is like this, I get by on minimal food on a timber trek. Although I climb serious hills, I am not carrying a 60-pound pack or a canoe. I am assuming the physical exertion even on a small mile trip is demanding. I am wondering…
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Much Ado About Nothing or Very Little at Least – Gear Lists
Every philosophy, even those grounded in skills, like Nessmuking, must evaluate the gear that they utilize. Even Nessmuk produced a core list, evaluated gear, and added up the weights. For most philosophies, this is where you are left. As stated before the Nessmuking philosophy doesn’t start and end with the discussing of the merits of this and that gear, but as with every pursuit that requires equipment, the right gear can make wilderness travel easier. The following gear list has been tried and tested using the lightweight Nessmuking philosophy on over 1200 miles of paddling and hiking trips in a multitude of locations, including the Black Hills, the Smoky Mountains,…