Spring has been taking its sweet time up here on Lake Superior. The last week has been nice and sunny with temperatures just above freezing (highs around 4 degrees). Snow has been slow to melt so we could use something in the 15degree range for a couple of days.
This past Good Friday, a couple of the crew from NSA and friends decided to venture out on to the big lake. There were a bunch of chunky icy bits floating out not far from shore and we were worried that they were going to blow in with the wind so we turned around and headed up river. Here are some shots:
Sorry for the purple hue- shot was taken with the sun behind me.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqb02I-sH3U
Anyone planning on hiking the coastal trail of Pukaskawa National Park this year should be forewarned that the park plans on upgrading 2 major bridges on the trail system. The first one is the White River Suspension Bridge about 8km in. The second is over the Willow River about 14km in. The park anticipates that the repairs won’t be completed until 2010.
So you have 2 options. One is to hire a boat shuttle to take you south of Willow River, hike to the end of the trail and get a boat shuttle back. Two, you can paddle the coast and see it from the water. 🙂
For our visitors from outside of Ontario, please forgive Ontario’s audacity naming this the National Sea Kayak Symposium possibly missing some great stuff happening on our west and east coast. Still, we think it’s great that Rapid and Adventure kayak magazine is going for the gusto!
Receive a 25% discount when you register for Palmer Fest’s new Canoe and Sea Kayak Weekend including CANOE 09, the Canadian Canoe Symposium and NaSKS, the National Sea Kayak Symposium.
CANOE 09 and NaSKS registration includes:
Two days of professional instruction in CANOE 09 or National Sea Kayak Symposium clinics (including kids and women’s clinics)
Two nights camping at Paddler Co-op Boathouse—Friday and Saturday night (see registration fees for this option, limited space, register now)
Saturday night catered BBQ dinner
Sunday morning breakfast
Extensive kayak test paddling/demos from top canoe and sea kayak manufacturers HUGE Exhibitor Alley
Live music—TBA
Best of the Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour
Daycare during on-water clinics
With this 25% discount, early bird registration is only $82.50.CDN
Enter “NATURALLYSUPERIOR” on your registration form as your redeem/coupon code to receive this special member discount.
The paddling season is quite short up here in the north so we have to make the best of it while it lasts. We’ve compiled a list of some of the more local symposiums and kayak festivals that we know of to help you plan your paddling season. Look for you favourite Naturally Superior Adventure’s Staff at the ones listed in italics.
Palmer Fest Sea Kayak & Canoe Weekend: Palmer Rapids, ON. May 8-10. More details…
Paddle Party and Open House: White Squall Paddling Centre, Georgian Bay, ON. May 16-17. More details…
Mountain Equipment Co-op Paddlefest, Toronto,ON. June 13-14. More details…
Inland Sea Symposium: Madison, WI. June 18-21. More details…
North of Superior Kayak Symposium: Thunder Bay. July 3-5. More details…
Door County Sea Kayak Symposium: Madison, WI. July 10-12. More details…
Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium, Grand Marais, MI. July 16-19. More details…
Ladies of the Lake: Hougton, MI. Aug 14-16. More details…
West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium: Port Townsend, WA. Sept 25-27. More details…
Surf Superior Confluence: Wawa, ON. Oct 2-4. More details…
Call to action emails spreading the dire consequences of potential
amendments to the federal Navigable Waters Protection Act have been going
around for awhile now. As paddlers and environmentalists, I think allowing
free reign for development on Canadian rivers and gutting the environmental
assessment process for waterway-related infrastructure are huge concerns.
The worst part that this decision is being made behind closed doors.
A good summary of the nuts and bolts of the proposed changes are available
here: www.waterkeeper.ca/nwpa
If you’re at all concerned, the quick and easy conscience-clearing solution
is to take five minutes and write a simple email to the following
politicians:
National Manager of the Navigable Waters Protection Program, David
Osbaldeston: [email protected]
Here’s what’s different at Naturally Superior Adventures this summer. Of course, most of our popular trips and activities are also running for this paddling season.
Back by popular demand:
*Northern Islands Sea Kayak Adventure: July 9-26. This is a great trip to have guided due to the logistics and required boat shuttles. Get the details…
*Michipicoten Island: July 26-Aug 2. We haven’t run this one in a few years due to logistics so if you were thinking about going…This might be your year. Get the details…
*The Big One: July 5-23. This trip starts a week later than last year. If you missed out, now is your big chance. Get the details…
*Wilderness First Aid: May 27-31. We only run this course every three years and this year is the year. (Kind of like the Olympics but different.) Get the details…
Tweeked for this year:
*Women’s Active Weekend Retreat: July 9-12. This was such a success last year that we had to include an extra day. Get the details…
*Photograph Denison Falls: Aug 2-7. It’s not a photography course but a trip with a focus on photography. Get the details…
*Algoma Multisport Adventure: Aug 21-27. We’ve adjusted the length and now we start this trip in Sault Ste Marie. Get the details…
Every three years, Sea Kayaker Magazine invites subscribers and online readers to vote for their favourite paddling products. It is truly the will of the people, as the readers have no limitations or guidelines in naming their best choice. Voting for this triennial award took place earlier this year and a record number or submissions were received by the magazine.
Naturally Superior Adventures (www.naturallysuperior.com) based on Lake Superior, is very honoured to receive two Sea Kayaker Magazine’s Reader’s Choice awards:
Best Tour Operator ~ Canada
Best Sea Kayak School ~ Canada
We were surprised and honoured to be acknowledged by Sea Kayaker readers as among the best in North America,” said David Wells, company Director. “We’ve been working for more than a decade as a dedicated group of sea kayak paddling instructors and guides who love paddling and Lake Superior.”
Naturally Superior’s premier sea kayak tour is the “Big One”, a seven week paddle following Canada’s Lake Superior’s coast from Pigeon River in the west to Sault Ste. Marie in the east. The annual trip is divided into seven one–week sections and the Canadian side is a spectacular wilderness coastline of Parks and Conservation Reserves.
Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake. It’s an inland sea, fresh clear and clean, without tides or salt. In addition to recognizing Naturally Superior Adventures, Sea Kayaker Magazine Readers Choice also recognized Living Adventures www.livingadventure.comlocated on Lake Superior near Bayfield as the Best Tour Operator for Midwest USA.
Sea Kayaker Magazine will publish the Reader’s Choice Awards in the December 2008 issue. As triennial awards, the current distinctions are valid through 2011.
Every year we sell off our entire fleet of boats and gear to make way for new stuff for next year. It is a great opportunity for folks to buy a kayak or canoe and still have enough time left in the season to try it out.
Some of our kayak fleet includes; Boreal Designs’ Fjiord, Necky Looksha IV and Narpa, Current Designs’ Alaho and Squall, Seaward’s Chilco, Quest and Navigator. We also have some tandem boats for sale’ Seaward’s Southwind and Passat plus a few plastic ones as well.
If you are in the market for a canoe, we’ve got boats from Nova Craft (16 and 17 foot Royalex), Wennonah and Evergreen.
You can also pick up accessories for your new-found boat- paddles, spray skirts, throw bags, paddlefloats, and pumps.
You can find all the items, short description and the prices here.
The traditional refers to the paddling, not the symposium. August 21-24, 2008, we are hosting our 3rd annual Traditional Paddling Symposium also referred to as the Greenland Style Paddling Symposium. There will be workshops devoted to Greenland style paddling for women, novice, intermediates as well as rolling and building your own paddle.
Friday will be a day of tours around Michipicoten Bay, Saturday will consist of workshops and there will also be a concert Saturday night. Sunday we’ll have our Lake Superior Goes Greenland Paddling Competition where the “competition” is merely a formality, as paddling, hunting and portaging make sure this activity is more fun than work.
Not a Greenland Paddler? We can supply you with the use of a handmade wooden paddle to get you started.
Hopefully you’ve registered to participate. If not call the office to see if there is still availability. 1-800-203-9092.
