APOSTLE ISLANDS KAYAKS - MADELINE ISLAND

APOSTLE  ISLANDS KAYAKS Photos: Madeline Island Sunsets

WE HAVE SNOW!


Welcome to Apostle Islands Kayaks! We are located on beautiful Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on Lake Superior is one of the most popular kayaking destinations in the world. Please make yourself at home on our website, and telephone or email if you have any questions 
Best wishes, and we hope to see you soon.

 
 
THE 2009 SCHEDULE - KAYAKING OPTIONS: 

1. KAYAK AT JONI'S BEACH, DOWNTOWN LA POINTE:

Anytime during the day. Kayak at our location 250 yards to the right of the ferry landing (Joni's Beach) and paddle to Grant's Point and/or Long Island (weather permitting). 

Single, double and triple kayaks: 3-4 hours, $27 per person (except children - see below).  N.B. RESERVATIONS MUST BE CANCELLED AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED KAYAKING.

2. KAYAK AT BIG BAY - 10.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. From our location in downtown La Pointe, drive 7 miles to the Town Park on Big Bay. Kayak across Big Bay to the State Park and explore the caves and cliffs (weather permitting) and/or kayak in the Lagoon. 3 - 4 hours; single and double kayaks. Instruction included. Please be at our location by 9.45 or 1.45 or make arrangements to meet at the Town Park parking lot.    

Single and double kayaks: 3-4 hours, $37 per person (except children - see below)  N.B. RESERVATIONS MUST BE CANCELLED AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED KAYAKING.

3. KAYAK TO OTHER ISLANDS (FOR EXPERIENCED KAYAKERS)*

  • Single Kayaks: 8 hours, $37; 1 night, $54; 2 nights, $81; extra nights, $25
  • Double Kayak (when available): 8 hours, $59; 1 night, $93; 2 nights, $142; extra nights, $45

*Required additional instruction/preparation, $10 per person. Transportation to Big Bay, $10; to the Northeast End, $20, one or two kayaks each way. N.B. RESERVATIONS MUST BE CANCELLED AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED KAYAKING.

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  • NO WATER SAFETY/RESCUE COURSE IS REQUIRED FOR SIT-ON-TOP KAYAKS!
  • CHILDREN 9 and under CAN RIDE FREE WITH TWO ADULTS IN DOUBLE AND TRIPLE KAYAKS.  Children 10, 11, 12 are half price AND CAN PADDLE WITH ONE ADULT.

 

INFORMATION ON THE AREA

Visit the Madeline Island Information Station In Bayfield just up the street from the Madeline Island Ferry.
Then take the ferry to Madeline Island. When you get here, walk a few blocks from the ferry landing in "downtown" La Pointe (250 yards to be exact!) and you will find Apostle Islands Kayaks across the street from Joni's Beach. Rent a kayak and experience the peace and quiet of nature on the water! Find a place to stay on Madeline or camp at Big Bay State Park, telephone 715 747-6425 www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/bigbay or Big Bay Town Park (no reservations).

Madeline itself has a great deal to offer kayakers, whether beginners or experienced. You can kayak from Joni's Beach - 4 hours for $27! And Long Island, which is almost nothing but sand, is only three miles away (about a mile of open water). The Lagoon at Big Bay Town Park is perfect for observing the tranquility of nature, and Big Bay, with its sandy beach, rocks and caves, is simply exciting.
Your safety is, of course, our main concern, and we will certainly brief you on the weather (a rather important factor). And don't forget, if you don't like waves, that when the wind is blowing on one side of the island, you can go to the other side!
Click below for a detailed map of Big Bay. 

KAYAKS AND EQUIPMENT:

BIC Scapa and Bilbao single kayaks and Cobra Tourer kayaks.  

BIC double kayaks will hold 2 adults and 1 or 2 children (depending on size).

BIC triple kayaks will hold 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 or even 3 smaller children.

BIC Ouassou kayaks are also available at Joni's Beach. They are best for short distances and waves. Kids love the Ouassou!  Take a Ouassou or two with you in your boat when you visit other islands!

Heritage single (17'4") and double (16'6") kayaks with hatches for travel to other islands.

PFDs (life vests), paddles and instruction are provided with rentals. Wetsuits are available.

Our safe sit-on-top kayaks are extremely popular. BIC started making kayaks at the same time we opened on Madeline Island in 2004, and our successful partnership has continued. Check out the Ouassou, Bilbao and Scapa singles, the Tobago double and the Kalao triple (www.bicsportkayaks.com), which we rent and sell. We introduced the Heritage Seadart 17 and Seadart double in 2006 for inter-island travel. Both are safe sit-on-tops. Heritage has new models for 2008 (www.heritagekayaks.com). This year are introducing Cobra kayaks' Tourer (www.cobrakayaks.com).

KAYAK SALES:
BIC: Ouassou, $389; Bilbao, $519 (fishing, $719); Trinidad, $699; Tobago, $749; Kalao, $849 (fishing, $1049); Scapa, $719 (ASA, $869); Yakka (folding), $699. NEW! YAKKAIR INFLATABLES (single $799; double $999) AVAILABLE NOW!  See www.bicsportkayaks.com.
COBRA Tourer,$925, Fish N Dive, Triple, Explorer, Eliminator (other models by special order) See www.cobrakayaks.com.
 
WE ALSO HAVE SOME USED KAYAKS FOR SALE! 
 
ACCESSORIES:
Bending Branches and Cannon Paddles; Northwest River Supplies (NRS) equipment; Seattle Sports dry bags; New SweatVac Apostle Islands Kayaks caps, EVO wetsuits and rashguards etc. (Actually, we have everything!)  We also have swimming fins, masks and snorkels.
WHY SIT-ON-TOP KAYAKS?
Sit-on-top kayaks are SAFER kayaks, primarily because a self-rescue in a sit-on-top kayak is easy. The sit-on-top kayaker is able to climb back on the kayak either from the side or from the rear of the kayak, which means that he /she is out of the water quickly. Sit-on-top kayaks are also self-draining. By way of contrast, traditional sit-in kayaks are inherently dangerous: a self-rescue is NOT easy and anyone using a sit-in kayak MUST take a water safety/rescue course and should wear either a wetsuit or drysuit to allow for the extra time is will take him/her to get out of the water. A water pump is also necessary (sit-in kayaks are not self-draining), and even if the kayaker is experienced and can role the kayak, a paddle float is essential. In cold water, ALL kayakers should wear at least a wetsuit in summer and a drysuit at other times.

OUR PURE ARTESIAN WATER IS FREE!  Please bring your own containers, or we have #1 and #7 bottles for sale.  Don't be exploited!  And we don't need more plastic bottles on the island!

LET'S GO KAYAKING!

You can look forward to a great time on Madeline Island!  In the meantime, check out these links: www.madelineisland.com, www.madferry.com, www.bayfield.org, and for information on the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, www.nps.gov/apis

JOIN US IN MEXICO kayaking, diving, snorkeling, swimming and hiking to the hot springs.  Ed will lead small groups tours to the East Cape of Baja in October and November.  Check out our pictures at http://nancys-cabo-pulmo.blogspot.com and http://cabo-pulmo.blogspot.com  - contact us soon!

Thanks for visiting. Again, we look forward to seeing you! 

APOSTLE ISLANDS KAYAKS

690 MAIN STREET, LA POINTE, WI 54850-0498, TELEPHONE 715 747-3636. NOTE EMAIL LINK BELOW.

(Updated 11.10.2009)

 

 

 

It is enough for me to contemplate the mystery of conscious life perpetuating itself through all eternity, to reflect upon the marvelous structure of the universe which we can dimly perceive, and to try humbly to comprehend even an infinitesimal part of the intelligence manifested in nature. - Albert Einstein, column for The New York Times, Nov. 9, 1930 (reprinted in The NYT obituary, April 19, 1955)