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Travel group leads tours on kayak adventures

By Scott Richardson
srichardson@ pantagraph.com

CHICAGO -- Don't let the word "sea" in "sea kayaking" fool you. You don't need saltwater to float these boats.

Northwest Passage, the adventure/travel group based in the Chicago area, offers sea kayaking trips on the Great Lakes. Destinations include Door County, Wis., on Green Bay of Lake Michigan and the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior.

Northwest Passage also offers trips closer to home to places like the Rock River in northern Illinois and the Wisconsin River across the border to the north. Basic sea kayaking is held on the Chicago lakefront.

If you want the real deal complete with saltwater, Northwest Passage hosts sea kayaking adventures to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. A trip to Honduras combines kayaking with snorkeling.

Instructor Ryan Allen, 31, and regular client Tom Lunde, 39, of Palatine, think sea kayaks are overtaking canoes in popularity.

"It's a way to get some exercise in the natural environment, a way to be challenged," Allen said. "One thing about sea kayaking is that it offers great access to remote camping spots. You can paddle to places where no one can walk to, like remote beaches on a cliff's edge."

"It's an excellent core and upper-body workout," added Lunde, who uses kayaking as a cross-training exercise for his primary sport, road cycling. "I like how they look, how they feel. It's a lot of fun relying on a paddle rather than an engine."

Lunde isn't bothered one bit that there's no saltwater in the Midwest. He's taken the Apostle Island trip three times.

"Believe me, Lake Superior is a very sea-like destination," he said.

"It feels like an ocean," agreed Allen, who added that freshwater doesn't necessarily mean tame water.

"It (sea kayaking) is a way to be humbled by what Mother Nature has to offer," he said. "Sometimes, we like to go out into rough waters on Lake Michigan and get trashed. There's not a kayaker out there who hasn't been frustrated to the point of wondering what they're doing out there."

Allen warned such extreme sport is not for people new to kayaking. But even if kayakers use care and watch weather reports to avoid rough water, unexpected storms can appear out of nowhere.

"After they paddle awhile, they usually have some hairy stories of their own," Allen said.

The outdoors was a passion for Allen by the time he entered the University of Oregon to major in geography. He loved rock climbing. He still leads Northwest Passage trips to scale heights. He also has visited the North Pole. But he's been hooked on kayaking since he took a Kayaking 101 class as part of the university's outdoor pursuits program in the mid-1990s.

Lunde was self-taught by reading magazines and books on the subject.

"It's not a hard thing to learn," he said.

He learned more the first time he booked a Northwest Passage trip. Before the group headed out, instructors took guests through the basics, including how to safely enter and exit the craft.

The company provides kayaks that are shorter, wider and more stable than narrow kayaks designed for speed. But just in case, clients are taught how do to a "wet exit" when the inevitable happens and a kayak overturns. Winter classes at indoor pools are held on Sunday afternoons to teach more sophisticated maneuvers. For example with an Eskimo roll, a kayaker can right the boat immediately in the event of a flip.

Northwest Passage is proud the company has never logged an injury or needed to call for a rescue for one of its kayakers, Allen said.

"Our number one priority is safety. We're going to be conservative. We are going to live to wimp out. ...The number one (safety) technique is prevention," he said.

Safety gear includes a life vest, which is always worn on the water.

"There are sad stories every year about people who aren't wearing their PFDs (personal floatation devices) and wind up in big trouble," Allen said.

Kayakers on the Great Lakes also learn to wear wet suits or dry suits to fend off cold water and hypothermia, he said. Lake Michigan warms enough to shun the suits later in the season, but they're necessary all the time farther to the north on Lake Superior.

Optional gear includes a hand-operated bilge pump and a tow belt to allow a companion to pull your kayak if you are injured and can't paddle.

Being able to swim isn't mandatory, but it is recommended. At the very least, people should be comfortable floating in the water while their life vest keeps them afloat until help arrives, Allen said.

Lunde feels confident he won't be injured -- most of the time. Kayaking on the busy Chicago River is sometimes an exception.

"The only thing that worries me is contact with power boats. Occasionally, there are drunks in boats. But, I feel safe in kayaks. It's a safe vessel. It's a lot safer than a bike," he said.

Kayaks can be used on short day trips like the ones Northwest clients use to paddle around scenic Door County before they return to a campsite where the outfitter supplies everything they need but sleeping bags. Kayaks also can be used for longer trips where kayakers carry their gear and island hop for several days between the Apostle Islands. Guests paddle from seven- to 12 miles a day in about six hours. Time is provided to explore the islands, which are deemed a national lakeshore.

"It's just a neat place to paddle," Allen said. "It feels remote. There are sandstone caves to check out. The water is very clean, cool and refreshing."

Each trip consists of about seven to 16 people representing all age groups.

"We've had people in their 70s do the Crete trip. I would say 40s and 50s are pretty common," Allen said.

"People who try kayaking think it's a whole lot of fun. People who try it wish they'd tried it earlier in their lives. There are people in their 50s who are excited about being beginning kayakers."

If you go

• Apostle Islands: 21 islands in Lake Superior and a 12-mile stretch along Wisconsin's northern coast are included in the Apostle Islands National Lake Shore. Included are lighthouses, caves, beaches and rock formations. The trip includes five days and four nights. Price is $650 including kayaking, equipment, wetsuits, camping fees and meals.

• Lower Wisconsin River: Two days and two nights take kayakers along a stretch of the river that features wildlife, including eagles, sandhill cranes and deer. Cost is $295 including guides, camping equipment, kayaking and all meals.

• Door County, Wis.: Based at the Peninsula State Park, the excursion includes two days and two nights. Cost is $355 including guides, kayaking, camping gear and fees and meals.

• Sea kayaking in Crete: Spend eight days kayaking and seven nights in family-owned inns. Cost is $2,695. Add $475 for single occupancy. Airfare is not included.

• More information: Visit www.nwpassage.com or phone (847) 256-4409.

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Take a look

Whether designed for one person or two or big water or small, kayaks come in several sizes to match the challenge. (For the Pantagraph/NORTHWEST PASSAGE)

A kayaker negotiates a tight space while exploring the Apostle Islands from top to bottom.

While island hopping between Apostle Islands, guests paddle from seven- to 12 miles a day in about six hours.

Kayakers represent all ages.

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