We're looking into tripping there too. We want to eventually go all the way around the lake. Not in one year though. It's my girl friend's dream trip. She's a kayaker. 
Just kidding 

This Sept we visited Caribou Outfitters near Goulais River and Naturally Superior near Wawa. Both were very helpful with info. NS even let us test paddle some British style kayaks on the big lake. Man that was fun. Reminded me of white water paddling. Totally different than paddling on big inland lakes. Looking for kayaks is very different than canoe shopping. It's such a personal fit. You really need to test a lot of boats, with & without weight.
It can be done with a canoe too. But I'm finding the British style kayaks to be tons of fun in big water. I'll cc:mail you to a friend that did some canoeing on LS.
ST Linked me to another site with a trip report. There's several out there. But it's a serious lake to paddle, needs respect. Neither outfitter started leading their trips before July, and stopped by the end of August. Before or after, expect long delays while you wait out the weather.

Anyone interested should google "Herb Pohl".

If your in the UP??? and headed south, go by Riverside Kayak Connection near Detroit in Wyandotte, MI. Best selection of British style kayaks I found.

Jose's a paddling buddy of mine. Never tripped with him, but we always enjoyed sharing our tales. Here's a link to his report. Very nice photos too.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Yup ST, I have had a $1750 deposit with Scott for a Superior Expedition for close to 8 months now. He still hasn't started. I'm a little peeved and thought about canceling the order but my better sense has prevailed. So far no trip has been disrupted from lack of the boat but I will expect it by spring when I plan to employ it perhaps on Georgian bay. To be fair I informed him when I placed the order I wouldn't really need the boat until the fall and failed to continually be a squeaky wheel. So no boat yet......Oh well, no bigey I guess.

I picked up a book on sea kayaking Superior and Michigan and the potential looks very promising.......especially if the Expedition is the boat I think it will be. Patience grasshopper...........

Thinking about a double paddle..........

solotripper wrote on Nov 24^th, 2011 at 7:50pm:


My thoughts exactly ST. Things could get dicey on the big lake and the option of a double paddle could mean the difference.

Yes, it has a unique set up which allows the rudder to lift when it comes in contact with the bottom. That would be handy down here in Florida. If I do set out on Lake Superior I will consider a dry suit. I have always been a "what's the worst that can happen" sort of guy and try and plan accordingly. I might stay alive long enough to be plucked from the water with a dry suit  . The only question is if I will sweat to death instead. When we paddled a short stretch (1.5 mile on the outside) of the big lake on Isle Royale this summer I was amazed at just how cool the air temp was. Perhaps the dry suit would be just the ticket. Anyway, it was quite awesome scenery and I am hopeful the Expedition will fit the bill and build in some margin for safety (I felt very vulnerable in my Magic on the outside).

Quote:


First year the park opened, a buddy and I decided to backpack the shoreline from N-S.
Great trail and I could see the paddling possibilities. Lots of places to camp/protection from elements.
Sadly 1/2 way down I fell violently ill. I was in my late 20's then and couldn't figure out why I was having such severe abdominal/kidney area pain.
It would come and go but the episodes became closer together and we decided to backtrack what we knew rather than forge ahead.
Turns out I was passing a kidney stone
Got home and went to doctor who advised it was just about thru me.
Ended up passing a stone the size of a small Navy Bean.
First and last time, thank God.
I think that would make a great first trip before tackling longer more exposed one's.

Quote:


I can't speak to LS but the year I was there, I was very disappointed in the fishing in the rivers, small inland lakes.
I had my pack spinning rod and some Mepps type lures. I saw water, I stopped and fished it.
Zero/zilch
After awhile I noticed a complete lack of minnows/crayfish, nothing for the big ones to eat?
I couldn't understand it.
One night we camped on a cove and saw a nice sailboat anchored there.
Soon a small Zodiac pulled up and the teenage guy at the tiller asked if we wanted to join him and his family for dinner on the boat. He said it wouldn't be fancy, just fresh caught salmon/smoked on board, homemade bread and cold Molson beer
Back then we were eating freeze dried.
We piled in and headed out to the boat.
I thought these Canadians are awful trusting bringing two strange men out to a private boat crewed by a husband/wife/teen son and daughter.
We climbed on board and found the skipper was a mountain of a man, think Grizzly Adams.
He and his wife were both teachers and were in a program were you work for 4 years and bank a percentage of you salary. The 5th year you get off to do what you wanted without losing your job/seniority.
He was a biologist and also taught outdoor wilderness skills. His wife was a home economics teacher.
In the 4 years prior THEY built and outfitted that 40 foot sailboat and were on the first leg of the shakedown cruise, heading for the Caribbean.
During our dinner conversation he enlightened us to why there was no fish in the streams/lakes.
Back then ACID RAIN was a big problem. The PH was so acidic the water was basically sterile.
I think that's been cleared up but I'm not sure.
He did say that before the acid rain, those streams were good for what they call " COASTERS", which are basically Brook Trout that spend their lives in LS and head upstream to spawn?
Were talking 5 lb plus fish or bigger.
Hopefully they've made a comeback?

Interesting Jim...........I rather doubt I could "roll" the Expedition right side up even with a Yak paddle. Scott Smith the maker of over 100 Sea Winds before he developed the Expedition also uses a single blade bent shaft Zav (which is what I have). I have a Yak Paddle sitting on top my seldom used Kayak which I will try with it (If he ever gets it done ). I guess I will just have to see....

ST the coasters really have my interest. I trolled for some at Isle Royale but picked up some pike. I'm pretty sure I came across a pile of coasters in McCargo cove. There was probably about 15 or 20 fish in 8' of water all between 2 and 4lbs. I guess they could of been lakers but I'm thinking coasters. They were heavy bodied and nice. I was pretty excited but never quit casting the big pike lure. Looking back I should of tried for them but that would of meant turning around.......not usually my style.

I might just have a hard time putting the knife to a 4lb brook trout. Maybe I could catch one smaller, say a 2lber which is still a whopper in my book. They are delicious aren't they...........

I talked to Scott Smith yesterday about my boat............seems like I'm next on the list.........I think I have heard that before . Nice guy, hard to get mad at him. I'll just wait.

I will probably stick to warmer waters initially until I get a feel for what she is capable of but Superior is definitely on the list. I like the park ST suggested as the hiking trail is appealing.

But I might be able to portage after all. Definite improvement on the knee. 12 miles today and yesterday with the bike with no ill effects. Pretty Jazzed about that. Maybe I'm back .

I know you are right. But I like the biking.......outside right!? I will probably do it every day. Only 12 miles......flat ground......not to strenuous.

Stretching is the big non-factor for me after biking. Zero.....nada......zip

Probably time to go back to P90x every day as well. Got busy, got fat again but I feel pretty good. I'm off the road for the winter so back at it. I will be interested to see how the knee does after I stretch it out. I stopped the Yoga last year after getting loose because it felt like it was unstable. I am pleased to find out about keeping the hammys loose will benefit my back. Thanks ST for that tip.

OK........a few minutes stretching will probably help an old guy like me. In a month or two I will know if I can go back to WCP and duke it out.

Hey speaking of duking it out Machida is fighting on the 10th against  Jones. Should be freakin awesome. I love watching Machida. He's my fav. I'll probably miss it. I can't stomach the pay per view pricing and no sports bar in my little town. Rats!

Yea ST.........I think I have worked 2 lifetimes already. My wife complains but I told her that going in that I work a lot. I hate sitting around anyway. (I used to be a lot taller but I'm wearing down )

The 90 hour weeks are the weeks I have shows on the weekends. Get up at 3 A.M........4 hour set up.......talk to to people all day, maybe go to their houses that night.......very long day At least I'm sitting for 2 days.

No wonder I'm tired. Kinda sucks.........just about the time I get good at what I do it will be time to check out. Not Fair!!

While we have a tiff once a year or so I don't think my gal would ever bail. Murder maybe, but divorce is not part of her vocabulary. She convinced me to go to "husband school" (marriage encounter seminar... (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) ) where we had a great time. After that I just kept doing what I had always done but she kept saying how much I had changed

The maddest I had ever seen her was when I told her I was going to Isle Royale for a few weeks and then most of August to WCP. "your not doing that" she said..........I got real quiet (a soft answer turns away wrath) and said "yes I am"................

She was OK in about an hour but said I had to "make it up to her"..........Expensive trips as I had to put in a new covered patio complete with all the goodies. OK fine, you do what you want and I get to do what I want........works for me.

OUCH!! A self fulfilling prophecy............

A buddy of mine got kicked out of his house (divorce/court order) because his wife wanted to re-live her youth. She moved a young stud in fresh out of high school into HIS house with his 3 young daughters.

He was in a bad way for quite a while. Not sure how I would of handled some guy in my house, in my bed, with my woman and I couldn't set foot in the place that I worked my as@ off to pay for. That would be tough.

Mrs. Wally never cares if I leave, never asks where I'm goin' or when I'll return???

Problem?

wally wrote on Dec 13^th, 2011 at 5:18am:


Not as long as the bills get paid