kayaksinthesoo-blog

[kayaksinthesoo-blog]

Places to kayak

Hey guys! I made a google map showing some of the lakes in and around the Sault just to give you an idea of where you could go. You can find the link to that here. Of the lakes that I listed on the map my favourites for kayaking are; Trout Lake, Heyden Lake, Lake Superior, and the Goulais River. Trout Lake is a good lake for kayaking because it’s fairly large so you can go for a good kayak trip. But it is also not as isolating as a massive lake like Lake Superior is. On Trout Lake you can see the other shore when you’re on the lake, the water is relatively calm, and there are houses and camps along the shores if you need help. For directions from the Sault to Trout Lake click here. Heyden Lake is similar to Trout lake, it is a decent size and has calm water. The main difference is that Heyden Lake is easier to get to if you don’t know the Sault and surrounding area very well. Also you can park on the shoulder of the road on certain parts of Highway 556 and put your kayak in the water right there. For directions from the Sault to Heyden Lake click here. Out of all four of these spots the Goulais River is my favourite to kayaking in. I’m probably a bit biased because I live on the Goulais River but regardless it is a great spot. You can kayak for miles in either direction matter where you put your kayak in the water. The current is fairly strong in one direction but it isn’t too strong that you can’t paddle against it. If you kayak west down the Goulais River you will eventually get to Lake Superior. I have never kayaked farther than ten feet from the shore in Lake Superior. The water can be really rough and I wouldn’t recommend kayaking there if you are a beginner. For directions to Goulais River click here. I hope that you guys enjoy kayaking in these spots!

-Emily

[kayaksinthesoo-blog]

Safety advice, tips & tricks, & what to wear

Before you go out kayaking you should know the basics of kayak safety. You always have to be aware of the weather where you are and how it could change. Dressing for the weather is critical, you may wear a bathing suit and a long sleeve shirt in the middle of June but you wouldn’t in October. Investing in a wet suit can help keep you insulated and warm in the colder months and protect you if you do tip over your kayak. Be aware of the wind and water currents that could make it difficult or impossible to return to shore. Never go out kayaking when you’ve been drinking or using drugs. ALWAYS wear a life jacket when you’re kayaking, and never go out kayaking without telling someone where you are going and how long you will be gone. Don’t forget to pack water and snacks, this is important for if you get lost, stranded, or are out longer than you expected to be. Never go over the weight limit of your kayak and don’t go out without knowing how to properly paddle or the basic water safety. For more information check out this website, it’s where I found a lot of this information. Another site with a lot of information for beginners is this. When you’re going kayaking what you wear will depend on where you are, the water temperature, and the time of year. I found a great website that tells you more in-depth what to wear but I will summarize the main points. Dress for the water temperature, so if its warm you can wear beach clothes and a long sleeve shirt to block out the sun. Always layer in thin clothing in the colder months, the first layers should always wick the moisture away. Then you should have a layer of insulation and an outer layer to shield you from the elements. Your shoes need to be warm, flexible, and comfortable. When the water and/or the air is cold you should wear a wet or dry suit and light gloves. The best options for gloves are polypropylene, wool, mitts, or neoprene. I hope that these suggestions and websites are helpful for you guys!

-Emily

[kayaksinthesoo-blog]

Kayaking supply stores & guides

When considering getting into kayaking the best choice is to borrow or rent a kayak before you buy one. I suggest this because kayaks can be a bit expensive and you don’t want to invest into something like that and then not like it or not have time to use it. If you don’t know anyone to borrow a kayak from you can get a rental from Caribou Expeditions in Goulais River. They also offer tours and lessons on kayaking for beginners and more advanced multi-day tours for more experienced kayakers. You can find more information on what they offer on their website, or in person at 1021 Goulais Mission Road. On the other hand, if you’re just looking for kayaking friendly bathing suits or moisture wicking clothing, Sport Chek in the Station Mall is my favourite place to go. Sport Chek has the best variety in style, colour, and coverage for bathing suits of any store in the Sault that I have found. They even sell rash guards for surfing that work well to block out the sun while you’re kayaking without keeping you damp. For more information you can check out their website, or check out what they have in store at 293 Bay street, #61. In regards to buying a kayak, there are three stores in the Sault that I will list that sell kayaks, paddles, and some other accessories. They are Atmosphere, which is a store attached to Sport Chek in the Station Mall, you can check out their website here. The second store is Canadian Tire, the store is located at 200 McNabb street in the Sault, you can find their website here. The last store that I am going to recommend to buy a kayak at is the Trading Post. The address is 1332 Great Northern Road in the Sault, and you can find their website here. I hope these stores help you guys dive right into kayaking!

-Emily

[kayaksinthesoo-blog]

Hey guys! I thought I’d start off my blog with an explanation of why I’m starting it and why I called it Kayaking in the Soo. I chose this title to show exactly what my blog is going to be about, which is kayaking in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario. It is also a relatively short title, which I wanted because of the platform I chose to start my blog on. But it is still searchable because of the words ‘kayaking’ and ‘Soo’. These are buzz words for someone searching for information about kayaking in the Soo. This way my blog will appear to people looking for this specific topic. I chose kayaking as my topic because it is my favourite outdoor activity. Kayaking is an activity that almost anyone can do, it’s an easy way to exercise without feeling like you’re exercising. I think that if more people in my community had access to or knew about the kayak equipment suppliers and the guided tours, that are available that there would be an increase in kayaking in the area. It doesn’t help that there aren’t a lot of kayak supply store in the Sault. I’ve lived in Goulais River my entire life and I only found out that there is a kayak touring business down the road from my house while researching for this blog. There is a serious lack of advertising for and supplies for kayaking in the Sault if you don’t know where to look. I think that this blog will be able to provide information about where you can buy or rent kayaks, paddles, rope, a whistle, a water proof bag, etc. I also hope to provide safety advice to novice kayakers, and tips and trick to make kayaking more enjoyable for them. Another important consideration for kayaking is what to wear, which will change slightly based on the time of year you go and the location that you will be kayaking in. I will also tell some of my favourite places to kayak and all the places in and surrounding the Sault that you can kayak. As far as I have found there aren’t a lot of websites or blogs available to inform the people of Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding areas of this information, so I hope that my blog will. If there is anything that you guys feel like my blog hasn’t covered or is lacking on, please feel free to message me with positive suggestions!

Thanks!

-Emily