Tyro (Novice) Kayaking Painted Rocks and Bayfield Inlet

This trip will promote confidence and comfort for the tyro or novice kayaker, building on the Intro To Kayak Paddling Skills and Campfire session of May 27th. This trip is specifically for tyro or novice kayakers with preference given to paddlers attending the May 27th event. All paddlers will start on the waitlist and RSVP's will be confirmed closer to the trip date.

I'll welcome y'all to join me in exploring the Painted Rocks of Bayfield Inlet, or just hanging out and enjoying whatever weather Georgian Bay decides to show us.

Painted Rocks is a spectacular place to paddle and camp. Rock benches and flats as far as the eye can see, a wooded interior area, and a beautiful “ocean view”. Camp and enjoy the sounds of breaking waves, sunset view and the open vista of the night sky. Plenty of flat rocks for setting up tents and a large stone firepit.

Trip Plan:
Friday June 9th
The drive from Waterloo to Bayfield Inlet is about 3.5 hours. There's optional car camping at Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park for the night.
http://www.ontarioparks.com/park/sturgeonbay

Saturday June 10th
Have breakfast at camp or The Haven, a nearby diner on Hwy 69, 10 minutes from both the campground, and the Bayfield Inlet put-in. It's a great feed with a self serve bottomless coffee.

The group can meet at The Haven @ 8:00am for breakfast or the Bayfield Inlet public dock at 9:00am to pack kayaks and be on the water by 10:00am.

We'll paddle to Painted Rocks via Alexander Passage, take a short break for lunch along the way. This will be approximately 4 hours of moderately strenuous paddling. Once we reach Painted Rocks, we can set up camp, then enjoy a beach day, practice skills in the water, read a book, take some pics. The group can paddle and explore the coast, which is dotted with challenging shoals and table rocks or choose the serene waterways of the Naiscoot River Middle Channel. In the evening, enjoy an awesome campfire and stargazing too.

Sunday June 11th
After breakfast, we'll return via the south channel of the Naiscoot River to complete the weekend loop. The return paddle is about 3 hours long.

Additional Info:
You may rent a touring poly kayak from White Squall or Swift. Both places are on the way. White Squall has a better selection of kayaks.
http://www.whitesquall.com/index.php/rentals
http://www.swiftoutside.com/#!rentals/c1j5e

There’s free unattended parking available or an attended lot for $8.50 a day.
There's no fee for launching from the public dock, and no fees for camping on Crown land for the weekend.

This trip is rated a moderately strenuous, weekend wilderness trip under the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Association Trip Classification guidelines (http://glska.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/GLSKA_Trip_Guidelines.pdf). Weather on Georgian Bay is a fickle creature. Expect the weather to change. Changes in weather can quickly alter a trip's difficulty...making a paddle awfully simple...or simply awful.

Like all trips with the KW Backcountry Travel Meetup, you're responsible for your own gear, food, transportation and bringing sufficient common sense to ensure your personal safety.