Guide To Sea Kayaking In Lakes Huron Erie And Ontario

Features 41 trips for sea kayaks in the eastern Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. With trip ratings, mile-by-mile descriptions, and detailed maps, this guidebook is appropriate for paddlers from beginner to expert.

Still regarded as “the bible” for both new and experienced kayakers after more than thirty years in print, Sea Kayaking covers the basics of equipment and technique, including types of paddles and strokes, as well as such essential skills as how to read the weather and the water, how to navigate with and without GPS and how to travel with a group. Drawing on his many years of experience paddling in all climates, John Dowd presents practical advice on dealing with potential hazards (from surf to sea ice to sharks), carrying out rescues and planning for long-distance expeditions. New for this edition are hints about digital technologies for planning and navigating while kayak touring as well as lots of tips for outfitting boats, adapting equipment and finessing fishing technique while kayak angling—whether casting and jigging for fun on a day trip or trolling for dinner on a longer expedition. Also fully updated are the sections on managing risk and the inspiring stories of adventure, including Freya Hoffmeister’s record-breaking circumnavigation of Australia and Japanese paddlers’ increasingly challenging trips around the islands and beyond. As a sport, sea kayaking continues to evolve. Once the sport of a very few long-distance paddlers embarking on international expeditions, then the recreational pursuit of many weekend tourers, sea kayaking is now popular with many day trippers as well. As more and more paddlers take to the water—for the day, the weekend or many months, this classic guide continues to be required reading for those seeking adventure on the open ocean.

When people are searching for direction or meaning in their life, they say that they are looking for “a road to follow.” In the spring of 1994, author Michael Herman was searching for a new road. Dissatisfied with his job and feeling unsuccessful, Michael began what some people considered unthinkable. Under the watchful eyes of a small crowd of friends and onlookers, he embarked on a 127-day solo sea kayak expedition of the Great Lakes. His goal was simple: to raise money and support for the cancer society by kayaking Canada’s biggest lakes. Beginning in Thunder Bay, Ontario, as the ice was melting on Lake Superior, his trip included more than the physical landscape he traversed. Put to the test by open-water crossings, ferocious storms, illness, betrayal, and self doubt, Michael’s journey is nothing less than extraordinary. Part memoir, part adventure, and part love story, No Roads to Follow shares one man’s 3,200-kilometer expedition across the Great Lakes and his journey inward as he learns to define the measure of personal success.

The Complete Sea Kayaker’s Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the full sea kayaking spectrum, bringing a fresh approach and a dynamic voice to the subject. Author of the critically acclaimed Sea Kayaking: A Woman’s Guide, Shelley Johnson covers all the bases for beginning to advanced sea kayakers. It’s all here, from selecting the right kayak and gear to preparing and making an extended tour, mastering the strokes, rolls, and exit techniques; navigating; and much more.

Guides the reader to the most exciting kayaking to be found on the Western Great Lakes. Full descriptions and maps for 49 trips, each carefully rated so that any kayaker can safely and confidently paddle on these inland seas.

Renowned for its recreational paddling opportunities, water quality, cultural heritage and fishing, the Grand River offers paddling trips for both novice and experienced paddlers. Whether you are interested in a two-hour trip or a five-day excursion, this newly updated guide has everything you need. It includes full colour maps displaying access points, portages, and points of interest; details on local sights fishing, accommodation, parking, outfitters, and suppliers; and aerial photos showing portages around dams and coordinates for GPS navigation. With updates by guide Jamie Kent, Paddling the Grand River is now better than ever.