Archive for the ‘Kayaking’ Category
A Late Summer Update
Some of our kayaks lined up on the East Bay before a recent tour.
Greetings from Grand Marais, where we are into our busiest time of year! If you haven’t made it up here yet, these are just a few of the things you’ve been missing:
First, we’ve been having kayak and stand up paddle board (SUP) demos in the harbor, with great participation from visitors to Grand Marais. SUP rentals have been increasing as people realize that we have boards in stock. Our kayak tours are full most days, so please call ahead to reserve a spot. The same goes for canoe rentals, especially over weekends.
Right now, we have a tour exploring Isle Royale. Our trekkers caught an early morning ferry to the island on Wednesday, and are spending four days and nights paddling around Isle Royale. We hope to post some pictures of the trip when they return.
Last Tuesday, we heard from Ann and Natalie from Oxford House, Manitoba via sat phone. Their trip is progressing nicely and they expect to finish up as early as a week from now. Take few minutes and read their blog at www.hudsonbaybound.com. Their insights into the state of the Minnesota River and reflections of the people they have met are wonderful.
These two young ladies deserve a lot of credit for their adventurous spirit and skill level, and are a credit to their families, Camp Menogyn and St. Olaf. We hope to see them in Grand Marais soon. Keep watching their web site or right here for information on their welcome home party – we hope to have a small reception here and a big event in the Twin Cities where, among other things, they will auction off their canoe as part of a fund raiser for Camp Menogyn (that is, if they are able to part with the canoe!) Meanwhile, check out their site and if you haven’t done so already, send them a couple of dollars to help defray some of their expenses and contribute to the camp.
It has been a wonderfully beautiful summer in the northland, and many visitors are recounting some great canoe trips to us. It’s a great time to get that last canoe trip in (and to explore the local hiking trails and BWCA with a few less bugs) so make plans to come and see us soon!
Kayak Tours Resume This Weekend!
Spring has sprung, and the fishing boats and canoes are starting to fill up our parking lot again. But perhaps the surest sign of all that summer is on its way is our kayak tours. They’ll be starting up again on the big lake (Lake Superior)this weekend – just in time for Memorial Day.
All tours are three hours, and are offered in the morning and afternoon. Your tour includes a wet suit/pfd fitting and rental, some dry land instruction and paddling time out on Lake Superior. It is a great way to familiarize yourself with the nuances of paddling on the big water, while just having relaxing time with friends. We stop for pictures and a little snack and then head on back to the store. Call the store at 218.387.3136 to reserve a tour spot anytime this summer.
TJ Stone went out in a Langford last weekend and caught some beautiful walleye. We're not saying there's a connection between the Langford and the walleye...but it is a very attractive canoe...perhaps the fish can't resist?
Also keep in mind that if you can’t make a kayak tour, we can still set you up with some great paddling opportunities! We have canoe rentals and kayak rentals for inland lakes – including Langford canoes. Langford is the oldest canoe manufacturer in Canada, and is known for making a high quality, high performance canoe that is a dream to paddle. One of the only places you can get them in the Midwest right now is here at Stone Harbor, so be sure to check them out while you’re here.
Finally, it’s a great time to be planning for any kind of tour this summer. Scott is already getting booked up for fly fishing tours, and Frank will be taking groups out rock climbing on the North Shore (when he isn’t guiding kayaks).
If you’re feeling really adventurous, Frank will be leading a 4 day kayak trip to Isle Royale in August. Details will be announced in a separate post, but if you already know you want to do it, give us a call to reserve your space. We’re expecting this tour to fill up quickly, so get your reservation in early.
That is just a start of what we expect to be a great summer. Stay in touch here and on Facebook for more updates, or call with any questions. We hope to see you in the store soon!
Skijoring & Kayaking Fun
It has been another busy week at Stone Harbor. Tuesday was a big day — as you’ll see in the pictures below (click on each photo to view a larger version).
In the afternoon Frank and Sherri brought out six of their sled dogs, and we all went skijoring with the youth ski group from Cook County.
After skijoring, Frank quickly changed gears and headed to the Grand Marais Municipal Pool to instruct another group — this time for a kayak lesson. I was lucky enough to participate in both groups.
Needless to say, we were tired at the end of the day.
Now, we wait in anticipation of the big UP 200 sled dog race being held this weekend in Michigan, where Frank is going to find out how well his dogs have recovered from their troubles at the Beargrease race. Of course, we at Stone Harbor are pulling for Frank because, well… because he is Frank, and we are one of his team’s sponsors. We are also watching our Cook County friends in the race — Odin Jorgeson and Mark Black in the 200 and Neil Rasmussen and Dennis LaBoda in the Midnight Run. We wish all the racers well, but we will watch our local friends a bit more closely.
Keep an eye out for us in the next few weeks. We’ll be in Thunder Bay for the Central Canada Sports Show February 25 – 27, Canoecopia in Madison, WI March 11-13, and Midwest Mountaineering April 15 – 17. We will also be at some of the local races and events as both participants and exhibitors, so come on over and introduce yourselves.
Stone Harbor Guests Share Trip Highlights
Gary Binger and Pam Luer of Minneapolis recently enjoyed a kayak tour with guide Frank Moe, and shared these great pictures with us:
Frank gets Pam settled in her kayak at the start of the tour.
Pam paddles in to shore.
The group takes a rest and enjoys the scenery at the halfway point.
Pam gets a high five from Frank at the end.
After their tour at Stone Harbor, Pam and Gary enjoyed a session with local yoga instructor Sherri Moe (left) - who also happens to be Frank's wife!
“Pam and I are still talking about our trip to Grand Marais and selling Stone Harbor every chance we get (including me showing off my new lighted water bottle [that Jack] hooked me up with!” Gary told us in an email when he sent these pictures. “We can’t wait to come back!”
(Do you have photos from an adventure that you’d like to share with us? Send us a note to let us know!)
Staff Pick: Maelstrom Kayaks
You may have already heard that Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply will be carrying Langford canoes (one of the only places in the US you can get them, due to our relationship with Fall River Trading, their exclusive US distributor) – but did you know that you will also be able to get Maelstrom kayaks here too?
{the Maelstrom Vaåg 174}
These superior-quality kayaks are manufactured in Canada, and available on a very limited basis in the US. In fact, Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply is currently the only place you can find them in the upper Midwest. They are comparable to the best British kayaks on the market, and are renowned for their design, beauty, and performance.
Excited to come check one out? For more information on Maelstrom kayaks, stop in at our store, give us a call at 218.387.3136, or send us an email.
