The following was posted by Dave Naudi on the Isle Royale Web Board concerning kayaking.  It has some very valuable information for those who have never kayaked at Isle Royale (posted with his permission):

On Kayaking at Isle Royale
Last June I paddled around all of IR from Rock Harbor going clock wise in 7 days. It's interesting, everything I read talked
about the north shore being less accessible, particularly from Huginnin Cove to Todd Harbor. The south shore was to have
more friendly landing spots. It all depends on the wind direction. The south shore was more challenging, but only because of the winds. Much of the shore line is rock that angles in at about thirty degrees. With any decent wind from a southernly direction,
the shore becomes less friendly. But it is definitely doable. Calmer waters and it's no problem. You get 3 mile stretches here
and there without any type of cove and landing would be tougher in rough conditions. On day two we went from Chippewa
Harbor to Attwood Beach. You get good protection in Malone Bay that has islands out in front of it. You have the option of
paddling around the perimeter of Siskiwit Bay to Point Houghton or going straight across from from Spruce Point or Hay Bay.
We paddled straight across, it's 3 or 4 miles depending on your angle. At the time the winds and waves were casual. It
probably cuts 9 miles off from paddling the entire Siskiwit shore. Attwood Beach is a nice sandy cove with nice camping. The
next day we were stuck there for most of the day. The waves were big and pounding the shore. By mid afternoon they stop
breaking and we paddled to Rainbow Cove. It all depends on the day, but the paddling got interesting around Long Point, The
Head and Rainbow Point. The waves were larger rollers coming from a couple directions but they were breaking a ways off
shore. We had to weave our way through. It was fun but definitely some of the more challenging water of the trip. There are
shelfs of rock underneath and it causes the water to break in different places. But that's the neat thing about paddling, give it
another day and it's totally different. Blake Point is suppose to be a big risk but the day we paddled it, it was completely calm,
ALL THE WAY AROUND. If you don't have it I would get the National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of Isle Royale. It's
topographic, waterproof and tear proof. It's map #240.
The highlights on the section is Rainbow Cove. Do the hike to Feldtmann Lake. We saw 11 moose on that short trek. Coming
around Long Point about a mile east is a small lake right off the shore of Superior. Stop there for a quick break. Lot's of wolf
tracks and the view is beautiful. A thirty foot strip of land separates the 2 bodies of water. Also coming out of Windigo Harbor,
go to the ship wreck in the North Gap, it's marked by buoys. See the picture I had posted a couple weeks ago on this web
board. I hope this helps. Enjoy your trip!

Kayaking Safety
Kayaking is certainly an awesome way to see the island. You can't hike IR for 7 days and see 130 miles of shore line.
Kayaking probably gives you more freedom to actually see the land and scenery before you. Where hiking with 70lbs on your
back, you are more forced to look at the ground in front of you so you don't trip. I know when I went of hiking, my friend and I
both felt like it was a little more work and a little less sight seeing. Don't get me wrong hiking is fantastic! I am not here
slamming hiking. You all know the beauty of hiking, you don't need to hear it from me. I figure I can possibly shed a little light
on the water side of IR. One thing I can't stress enough on paddling is safety. If you really desire to paddle out on Superior for
any duration please be prepared. There are many issues here. Your paddling skills, your clothing, spray skirt, pump, paddle
float, your paddling partner, weather radio, vhf marine radio, flares, whistle, spare paddle, map, knowledge of the island, tow
harness, physical condition and probably most important...good judgment.
    The beauty can be misleading. Your paddling along, the shoreline is rocky and the trees are beautiful. The water is clear and
relatively calm. Ten minutes later a fog starts rolling in. It gets thick real quick. There is no place to land. You have to hug the
shoreline just to see it. If you don't, you risk paddling away from shore for who knows how long. But if you paddle to close,
you risk hitting boulders you can't see just under the water. What can be more dangerous is the reflection waves coming off the
steep rocky shore. Sometimes you need to be 1/2 mile out to be clear of this commotion. You have waves coming in that hit
the shore and the same force rebounds back out. When these waves hit each other, it can get pretty nerving. The waves start to
grow in size. The 38 degree water is now starting to numb your hands. You better keep your composure. Have you paddled in
these conditions before? If not, you better keep a clear head. What if you got tossed over? Can you hit a roll in these
conditions? If I do a wet exit, have I practiced getting back in the boat in these conditions? Have you trained with your partner
on what to do in these situations? Can he/she help you get back in your boat before you get swept into those nasty rocks? Are
you wearing a dry suite? A wet suite? Anything less and you better be out of the water in less than 15 minutes. I wore a dry
suite the entire time. A wet suite is not good enough for that cold of water. If the dry suite is not gore-tex (breathable) than you
will be roasting! You should dress for the water temperature not the air temp. If you are not serious about all of these issues, I
personally would not paddle around IR. You will hit these conditions. If you have the time you can wait it out. But the time may
come when you have no choice. I really don't like risking my life. I don't mean to get dramatic but I want to make sure anyone
who thinks of paddling out on Superior you take it serious. But the rewards are PRICELESS! I wish I could snap pictures
when things get rough. It's funny, when people look at the pictures they may say, "Oh, the water never looks to bad." Well, I
can't take pictures when it gets rough. We had 8 footers on the fifth day. Forty plus mile an hour winds. You see your friend on
top of the wave in front of you and the next second he is gone. He is at the bottom of the wave in the trough. It's something to
paddle with these waves. They come from behind you, pick up the back end and run you into the wave in front of you. It takes
practice like anything. The more you do it, the more comfortable you are. I am not suggesting you need to be prepared for this
but it's just something to think about.

(C)Copyright 2002 Dave Naudi

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Last Edited: May 22, 2002