Early-Season Sea Kayaking on Superior

Hello!

Have you been attending pool sessions all winter, and done some early paddles on the smaller lakes around Madison? Are you eager to get out on the big lakes up north? Well this is your chance to do exactly that. 

This trip will get the summer started right with three days of early season paddling on Lake Superior. Why do I say early season when the trip is scheduled for June? Because Superior stays cool all summer, and June might still have some frosty evenings and mornings.  But don't worry! The plan for this trip is to spend three days paddling in the area around Cornucopia, WI and the Apostle Islands while we spend our evenings at the Lost Creek Adventures bunkhouse on shore. With heat, showers, flush toilets, and a kitchenette only a short walk from the beach we'll be living in the paddler's lap of luxury.

While we will decide our exact plans closer to the trip, this area offers many beautiful venues for sea kayaking.  Siskiwit and Bark Bays offer protected venues where those new to Great Lakes paddling can practice their skills on Superior, and the Meyer's Beach Sea Caves are within comfortable paddling distance from the put-in near the bunkhouse (or very easy distance if we put in at Meyer's Beach).  With a short drive we could also launch from Little Sand Bay and paddle to Sand Island, should conditions allow. In case of adverse conditions on Superior, there are also a number of scenic (and warmer) inland lakes in the area that we could spend some time paddling on.  Our final paddling plans will be determined by participants' skill levels and environmental conditions during the trip. 

Overview

Where: Cornucopia, WI and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

When: June 11-15th

Required Rating: SK1 or higher.  Also, you will need to have paddled with me at some point prior to the start of the trip (but don't worry, we will arrange some trips near Madison earlier in the season to ensure this happens).

Tentative Itinerary: We would drive up from Madison on the 11th, and maybe do some skills/rescue practice in Siskiwit Bay that afternoon if time allows. From the 12th-14th we would spend the days paddling in the area, returning to Cornucopia in the late afternoon each day.  We would then depart Cornucopia for Madison on the morning of the 15th. 

Lodging: Lost Creek Adventures Bunkhouse ($20 per night, which is only $5 more than the nearest campground) located just down the road from the beach. Once the trip roster is confirmed, I will collect the trip deposits and reserve the necessary number of bunks for us.

Food: TBD, but probably bring your own. There is a kitchenette (including a microwave and minifridge) in the bunkhouse, and all the restaurants in Cornucopia probably won't open until the last week of June; beyond that, there are some restaurants we might visit, but they require a 30-40 minute drive to get to. 

Notable Gear:  The water will be cold, so wetsuits/drysuits and neoprene boots will be absolutely required, as will additional thermal layers that are warm  when wet. The club can supply wetsuits.  All other regular equipment (boat, paddle, pfd, sprayskirt, helmet, etc.), which can also be obtained from the club. A gear list will be forthcoming to participants.

Cost: Exact cost TBD, but it will need to cover expenses for lodging and gas. Anticpate approx. $150; any unused funds will be evenly distributed among trip members after trip completion.