The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is part of the National Park system. It was designated by John F Kennedy after he took a plane ride over the islands and saw many sailboats out and about. (He was an avid sailor himself) Funny thing is, the sailboats were a prop! The folks who wanted President Kennedy to fall in love with the area told everyone to get in their boats and raise their sails so that the president would see what a great place it was to sail!
In truth, sailing is not all that dependable during the best months to be on the water. There is generally little wind during July and August and you will often see sailboats "motor-sailing" to get to where they need to go.
Paddling in the islands started with the native people, continued with the French fur traders, and now via a more Inuit design the tradition continues via kayakers.
If you have never kayaked before it may be hard to see the point. A motor is faster. But there is something to be said for taking your time. Kayaking forces us to be time rich. It exercises our muscles and frees our minds. But don't take my word for it, you have to give it a try.
Some great things about paddling within the Apostles:
-All islands are within kayaking distance for most paddlers. If you have 3 days you can get out to the futrthest islands, or just paddle out and back to one of the closer ones in a day.
-Sandy beaches
-Relatively warm water (compared to the north shore of Lake Superior)
-Hiking trails on most islands
-Most areas are designated Wilderness.
-Interesting cultural history with interpretive rangers on several of the islands.
I've kayaked all over north America and can honestly say that the Apostle Islands are one of the best areas to paddle.
If you like going it alone you can rent from us. If you want to learn more about the area and have the safety of an experienced guide along you can do an overnight trip with us. (And be a bit pampered in the process) No matter what be sure to contact us if you have any questions about visiting the Apostle Islands area.