by John LaneEddy Lines
by John Lane
With the West Virginia floods gone and the back of summers heat broken, it’s time to look forward to autumn. Our instructional classes have finished up with Dan Downes’ Kayak I in July and Jon Blake’s Canoe I in August. Now it’s time to take stock of the boating program, enjoy Gauley season and pray a little hurricane rain comes our way.
Thanks to Paul McPherson for donating a camcorder to the boating program. We now have two and instructors take note, they are available for class use. We also have a TV and VCR for playback.
The Yough Stop has been shedding its shingles like a tree ready for dormant season. Looks like a plan to reshingle that will be in the works soon.
I attended the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Club sea kayak symposium at Gran Marais, Michigan, in late July and the Western Michigan Coastal Kayak Association sea kayak symposium at Camp Pendalouan in Michigan's Lower Peninsula along with a handful of COP boaters over Memorial Day weekend. There are many sea kayak symposia scattered around the calendar from spring to fall and from Georgian Bay to Chicago to Charleston. The symposia are great places for paddlers from beginner level to expert. You’ll meet people from all over and pick up a wealth of skills and knowledge. I highly recommend these to anyone thinking about advancing in this particular sport.
We have changed the kayak rental policy to reflect the fact that Dave Seslar and Sharon Hsu will be the contact people for helping members who wish to rent COP kayaks. They can be contacted at 614-771-1679. Please plan ahead and call them early when you wish to rent one of our touring or whitewater kayaks. Thanks very much to Sharon and Dave for volunteering to do this. A big nod goes to Kevin Gagnon for fixing up the kayak storage space. It’s almost downright pleasurable to load and unload the trailer now!
Mary Fitch, a recreation planner from ODNR and Emily Lewis - COP member, ODNR Division of Watercraft employee and rescue teacher extraordinaire, hosted a meeting in early August. ODNR is taking testimony from various water recreation consumers in an effort to better boating in Ohio. We discussed quite a few issues, including the importance of access points, reasonable regulations and consistent enforcement as well as the need for continuing the excellent rescue for paddlers class that ODNR hosts annually. While we were dreaming, the development of a Lake Erie islands water trail was mentioned as well as the need for primitive campsites on important waterways. This was probably the only meeting with paddling representatives but Mary indicated surveys will be sent out randomly to boat owners. If you receive one, please complete it.
Speaking of input, I’ll be looking for input from trip leaders, school leaders and members with a paddling interest. Most likely we’ll have an open meeting in mid-October to help plan for 2002.
Destination: Boating
by John Lane
Off the northwestern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula lies a small island archipelago called Wilderness State Park. Just a short jaunt west of Mackinac City (a 9 hour jaunt from Columbus!), this spit of sand, stones and pine trees is a nice spot to kick back and hike or paddle. Two campgrounds are found at Big Stone Bay, with easy access to a sandy beach on Lake Michigan. With winds from the E or NE, nice rollers come in here. Sturgeon Bay is the south side of the park. You can put in near Sturgeon Cabin with a 100 yard carry through just a wee tad of muck. Kayaking out to the islands, one sees little in the way of modern intrusions and, save the knowledge that the area was most likely logged out 100 years ago, it’s easy to imagine seeing the same shoreline that LaSalle and Marquette traveled by much earlier in time. Beaches are mixed between cobbles and sand, beach willow and lupines front the mixed coniferous forest. With water levels down, there is little notable distinction between the islands or the breach between Temperance Island and Waugoshance Point. Regardless, the clear water and interesting reef formations make for pleasurable paddling.
A trip from Big Stone Bay to Sturgeon Cabin is about 13 miles. Out and back to the tip from Sturgeon Cabin about eight. This is a fairly remote area although fishermen and other kayakers are frequently seen. If you get blown west across Lake Michigan, Milwaukee or Chicago will find you eventually.
All campsites have electric. Cabins and bunkhouses are available. For information call WSP at 231-436-5381.