Kayaking Day Trip

The Hurricane River trip is a 9 mile paddle along the Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. This area is called the ‘‘Shipwreck Coast” as over the years many Great Lakes Steamers have met their demise during the Gales of November when the waves building over 200 miles of open lake come crashing ashore. These debris fields are visible to the sea kayaker as you paddle over them. The Au Sable Light House has served as a beacon in the night to mariners on this coast for over 150 years. The Grand Sable Dunes, where loggers in the late 1800’s slid logs down these 300 ft. dunes to the lake to be loaded on ships and transported down to Detroit, Chicago and Milwaukee as these cities were built, serve as a backdrop as you cruise these crystal clear waters. If you are staying at the Twelve Mile Beach Campground, Hurricane River Campground, Woodland Park Campground or in the Grand Marais area this trip is right in your backyard.

We meet at 9:30 AM at the Grand Sable Visitors Center or at the Hurricane River Campground at 10:00 AM as we often have different groups going. At Hurricane River we will give everyone a safety briefing and outfit you with kayak, required equipment, paddle and PFD. Single and tandem sea kayaks are available. We plan to be on the beach and sliding into the water by 10:30. But remember, its summer, you are on vacation, and our clock isn’t wound as tight as when we are on our work schedules the rest of the year, so all times are approximate.

As we depart from Hurricane River we are searching in about 40 feet of water for the Kiowa, a World War I Laker that went down in November of 1929. About 80% of her debris field remains. Paddling along a rocky shoreline we pass over a debris field from the Mary Jarecki, a 200 ft. Steamer that ran aground in a storm in 1883 and the Sitka, another 272 ft Steamer that ran aground on the Au Sable Reef but was scattered 2miles southwest off the Hurricane River. The Gales Staples a 277 ft. wooden steamer lies scattered in 20 feet of water off the Au Sable Point.

Au Sable Point lighthouse was built to help navigate sailors in their dreaded journey, along the eighty miles of dark shoreline that stretch from Grand Island Lighthouse to the famed light on Whitefish Point. An eighty-seven foot brick tower was built on a rise, placing the light about 107 feet above the lake surface. The attached, two-story brick keeper's dwelling was spacious, but also one of the most remote mainland stations in America.

Rounding the Au Sable Point we can paddle into shore to get out and explore the lighthouse. Also, once we have rounded the point and are continuing eastbound the shoreline changes from rocks to sand and this is a great spot to stop for a rest and some lunch. You should bring your own sandwich but we will supply you with bottled water.

We will be stopping in the area of the Log Slide for about 1 hour or so. The boiler from the South Shore , which was disabled in 1912, can be seen in the shifting sands near the Log Slide. Once underway again it’s about a 5 mile paddle back to Grand Marais along the beautiful Grand Sable Dunes. Five square miles of Grand Sable Dunes are perched atop the 300-foot high Grand Sable Banks. Left by enormous glaciers, the Grand Sable Dunes dwarf comprehension. Passing the Sable River mouth we are nearly home.

Once we round the light and breakwall protecting the Grand Marais Harbor we will arrive at the boat launch around 4:00 PM where you can be met by friends and family or we will transport you back to your vehicles.

Of course everything on Lake Superior is weather dependant, so if it’s not a good day we just don’t go. We do have other options on bad days like paddling in the harbor and the Sucker River or going out to Grand Sable Lake.

Itinerary

On all of our Lake Superior Sea Kayak Trips we provide the below listed items:

You should bring:

- Lunch (we provide lunch cooler)
- Water - 2 quarts in seperate containers
- Camera with waterproof case of some type
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Sunglasses - keeper strap if needed
- Extra shirt, jacket, and socks
- Hat with rim or visor
- Swimsuit
- Water shoes (provided if needed)
- Rain Jacket (provided if needed)
- Synthetic undergarments and knit hat in cold weather