Kayaking Weekend to the Painted Rocks

THE TRIP IS NOW FULL. IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, HAVE YOUR NAME ON THE WAITLIST BECAUSE IF SOMEONE BAILS, THAT’S WHERE I’LL LOOK FOR A REPLACEMENT

KWBT Summer of Love

Love of sea kayaking, that is. Whether the Parks are open or closed, we’re going kayaking! There’s some crown land on the shores of Georgian Bay that’s so beautiful, it’s called the Painted Rocks. We try to get there every year to get our fix of the place, and this is it. Beautiful, beautiful Canadian Shield territory. And this time of year, pretty much bug-free out on that great rock where we camp. Yes!

As per our KWBT custom, the maximum number of participants for this event is twelve.

The difficulty level of the trip varies with the wind and weather. If the weather cooperates, the trip is suitable for everyone right down to the newbie level. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, well, it is Georgian Bay, and we might have to modify our plans.

If this is your first sea kayaking trip, you’ll need some training beforehand, and we can provide that. All of us have received assistance along the way in our kayaking journey, especially early on, so we pass on what we’ve learned. It’s what we do. There’s plenty of lead-time for this event, and we can do some inland lake training between June and August.

There are numerous options for renting sea kayaks, but you won’t want to leave it too late to reserve one. A sea kayak will usually have a rudder or skeg, and for this trip, the length of our boats are typically between 14 and 18 feet. For an average-sized person, 16-17 feet is a good length.

This is a weekend trip. We drive up Friday, either during the day or after work. We’ll car-camp that night at Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park and enjoy a campfire meet and greet. I hope to arrive early enough in the afternoon to paddle around some of those 30,000 Islands. Or maybe just chill on the beach. We have two campsites booked for the night, so we can handle the entire group.

Saturday we pack up and leave the Park and drive to our launch point. We’ll paddle out to the Painted Rocks, set up camp and probably do some kayak training. That evening, since our campsite looks off to the west, we can hope for a typical spectacular Georgian Bay sunset. Sunday morning we pack up, probably paddling a different route than Saturday’s, and return to our vehicles sometime in the mid to late afternoon.

Trip details and an organizing spreadsheet will be sent later by email, which is where we assist people in obtaining gear they might presently lack. No pets on this trip, thanks.

Expenses include $10 to camp Friday night, gas money if someone is driving you up, $11.50 to park each vehicle Friday night, and $10 for parking Saturday night. Your RSVP puts you on the waiting list. I will contact you to discuss experience levels and related info. Then, and after you e-transfer me the $10 camping fee, I change your RSVP to ‘going’. If something comes up and you can’t attend, I'll arrange for a replacement. This event is not ‘first come, first served’ - I wish to balance the mix of experienced and inexperienced sea kayakers.

Your RSVP indicates your agreement with the terms of the Co-Participant Understanding at https://www.meetup.com/KW-Backcountry/messages/boards/thread/52807358

There's always someone to lend a hand on KWBT Meetups, but you are responsible for your own transportation, food, gear, personal safety and COVID risk. You can DM me with any questions through this Meetup app or comment to the group in the comments section below.

Mike