We made it to the Michipicoten River! Paddling from Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa is a world class journey that features some great conservation areas, beautiful scenery, and friendly people. Thank you to everyone who donated, followed along, shared, and helped promote a healthier Lake Superior. Connecting the places I know and love on the Lake is something I’ll always cherish, but it was extra special that I got to share the experience with others. Paddling with my Dad was an experience we will always share together. Interviewing, discussing, and learning from all of the dynamic people I met along…

With heavy mileage under our belt and a sizeable beach break, we decided to take a wind day. This proved a wise decision, as the wind howled all day, pounding the shore with overhead waves. We played cribbage, roamed the beaches admiring rocks, climbed the rocky outcrops, swam when it got hot, and napped when we were tired. The roar of water racing up the beach and rattle of rocks sliding down it was constant. We didn’t see anyone else pass by all day. In the afternoon I plunged into a book “The Marrow Thieves”. We ate spicy vegetable pad…

Day 8 was spent following the coastal trail and we chatted with many hikers along the way. We were surprised to hear from people that travelled from all over the country. We also talked with one group we knew from the Sault. The geology was spectacular, but we also enjoyed the fun of paddling in a building swell. When we were hidden from the swell we were able to enjoy the still waters between islands. The gap was so narrow at times, you might think that you were on a river. Some parts had current or seiches that helped us…

The pictographs are one of the most obvious links to history along the coast. Although it is one of the most frequently visited parts of the park, it is still a ceremonial and sacred place. We observed tourists clambering, shouting, and laughing on the water’s edge, while others sat quietly and left offerings on the higher ledges. I let my dad interpret what the red ochre pictographs might mean. He wondered how old they were. I explained the importance of Mishepeshu and oral histories. We talked a bit about traditional medicines, we sat in silence, I left my miigwetch for…

It seems everything on Lake Superior is on a massive scale. Granite slabs line the bottom and shoreline. Veins of basalt are a couple metres wide. Surprisingly, the softer basalt is completely eroded away in places leaving deep cracks in the shoreline. Perfect to slide in with a kayak or canoe, they offer a hidden view of the lake. Many times we found logs 25 metres away from water rounded and smooth as though they were in a tumbler. Likewise, my favourite rock formations were smoothed and curved in plastic ways I couldn’t imagine. Although I had been there before,…

Turning the corner opened my eyes to stark shores I’d never seen before. Even the ones I had seen before, either on surfboard or on foot, took on a new character. Tiny coves and inlets were hidden at odd angles. Light winds allowed us to peer towards the deep blue depths to see volcanic remnants reaching toward the surface. Without the sun’s intense glare, we were able to weave through some of the tighter areas where even kayaks’ shallow drafts would get caught. Stories of boats floundering along these shores started to make more sense. Sometimes we would skirt wide…

Day 3 began in the early hours of the morning as tent pegs were pulled from the sand and flys flapped in the gusts. Gary slid the kayaks higher as the waves lapped up the beach. When the sun did arise, it was hidden by the clouds. Although it was one of those days you don’t feel like getting out of your sleeping bag or tent, we all started getting breakfast ready around 6:30. We checked the weather and picked out waypoints in the distance. With the winds up and waves growing we checked in with each other about the…

Joanie and Gary joined my Dad and I to make the 12 km crossing to Parisienne Island. Although the waters were fairly calm, we needed to keep an eye on our compasses and GPS as the island was obscured in the hazy horizon. Along the way we could hear the chugging of a lake freighter that soon came into sight as the island began to take shape. With something to aim at we made quick time getting to the island, paddling over far out shoals and turquoise waters. After a much needed break on the beach, we explored the…

Leaving the Soo today marked my first long paddling trip and it felt like a whirlwind. Had I packed enough? What would others expect of me? Would I be able to update well on social media? Somehow I managed to turn around from writing my last exam a week ago to being on the water with 300 km of the world’s biggest lake ahead of me. Once underway, steady even strokes pulled me away and I began to notice details of the St Mary’s River that reminded me of past paddles and stories. I peered deep into the clear depths…