sea kayak

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Featured Trip: Michipicoten Island

Pronounced: Mish-i-pe-cotton.  The floating “Mystic Isle” is aptly named since depending on the clarity of the atmosphere- the island does in fact look like it is floating.  Some days it appears very close, other days far away and sometimes you can’t even see it at all.  It can appear as one island or three and occasionally looks like it has amazingly tall cliffs.

We haven’t offered this trip in a few years since we have had difficulty getting a boat shuttle out to the island.  We’ve got that sorted out for this year now but have to limit the number of participants due to boat constraints.

This trip is a good one to do as a guided trip since there are a few more logistics involved with getting out to the island and not everyone wants to do the 14km crossing.  Here are a few reasons why this is one of my favourite trips to do on Lake Superior:

  • Every beach you land on is different than the last
  • Amazing geology
  • there are 2 lighthouses (one has the only flying buttress on Lake Superior)
  • the cool history- abandoned fishing villages and the legend of the cursed copper mines
  • tons of caribou, beaver and other wildlife
  • shipwrecks and more.
  • It has everything all wrapped up into one island package

It’s located about 60km (40miles) off the shore from our base at Michipicoten.  If you were to paddle out to it, you would travel west along the Superior Highlands coast until about Floating Heart Bay and make a diagonal crossing over to the East End Lighthouse.

Guided trip details: Dates are Sunday July 17th to Sunday July 24th.

Skill Level is set at intermediate since this is a very remote trip with no quick evacuation strategy.  Participants need to be self-sufficient and having some experience wilderness camping will make your trip that much more pleasant.

Itinerary- arrive at NSA by 2pm Sunday for on-water training, stroke review, rescue review.  BBQ dinner at our Rock Island Lodge.  Monday morning boat shuttle will take the group out to the island for 6 fantastic days of sea kayaking around Michipicoten Island.  The following Sunday the boat will pick up the group and head back to NSA.

Pricing- $1695 includes all taxes, meals, shuttles, full guiding.  Sea kayaks and tents additional.

More information on this trip…

Davieaux Island LighthouseEast End LightQuebec Harbour
Caribou

For more images on Michipicoten Island- visit the gallery.

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The Bail-Out Kit

Ideally you won’t be in the water without your kayak but if the circumstances arise that cause you to be separated from your boat- you’ll be happy that you thought to prepare a Bail-Out Kit in advance.

Things to consider: It should be attached to your deck for easy removal or be worn on you or your PFD (inside your cockpit would be fine if the likelihood of capsize is small),  it should be able to float on its own, not be too large and obtrusive yet still have the important items inside.

What to put in it:

  • Foam to keep it afloat if it isn’t in a floatable container.
  • Identification, important phone numbers, money, credit card
  • Survival blanket
  • Small first aid kit
  • Signal mirror
  • Flares
  • Flashlight
  • Matches
  • Power bars
  • VHF radio/SPOT satellite messenger, EPIRB etc (if not already on your person)
  • Anything else that makes sense to you i.e. fishing tackle if you know how to use it; a knife and whistle if they aren’t already located on your PFD.

Container selections

*Further reading: “Sea Kayaker’s Savvy Paddler” by Doug Alderson. McGraw Hill Publishing.

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Check out what’s new for 2009

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: Sea Kayak Lake Superior

*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… Relaxing on Lake Superior's Shore

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…Cascade Falls, Pukaskwa National Park