Kayaking the chain of lakes

June 13, 2007

Don Weeks bought the Camelot Inn near Elk Rapids a little over five years ago. A former newspaper editor and legislative advisor (son of political columnist George Weeks), he came into the local tourism scene during a downswing in the economy. While business has been pretty good compared to some of his colleagues, Weeks knows that being creative is necessary for survival.
In 2005 he created the “Paddle The Chain Kayak Voyage,” that uses his Camelot Inn as a base camp for a kayaking adventure through Northern Michigan’s Chain of Lakes system. Made up of the 12 navigable lakes (there are two more lakes in the Chain) and 11 connecting rivers, the Paddle the Chain is four days on the water and covers 36 miles.
“We make it all-inclusive by taking care of everything, including providing the kayaks,” said Weeks. “We arranged for meals, overnight accommodations, delivering your luggage to the B&B. We pick up the kayaks at the end of the day and bring them back to you the next morning.”
Weeks, an avid kayaker himself, came up with the package in 2005 believing that people are looking for unique upscale packages to pamper the guests.
“Packages are based on couples and include ordering whatever you want for dinner at the Rowe Inn, Lulu’s, Riverwalk Grill and Perl’s while staying at the House on the Hill B&B in Ellsworth and the Grand Victorian in Bellaire,” said Weeks. “We structure this as a leisurely trip, but it is definitely not for the beginning kayaker. Last year we had three-generations trip with 80-year old grandparents, their son and daughter-in-law and their granddaughter.”

OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS
Weeks said that all participants get a “I Paddled The Chain” shirt and a nice map of the region made by cartographer Mark Stone of Elk Rapids. His Paddle The Chain package is growing in popularity and bookings have been strong despite a challenged tourism economy. He sees the region growing in popularity for outdoor enthusiasts who are looking for unique adventures.
Lois Goldstein and John Heiam, avid paddlers and outdoor enthusiasts, agree with Weeks on both accounts.
“Don’s package is definitely for the experienced paddlers; those that have done it have raved about it,” said Heiam, who along with his wife Lois, have been active members of the Cherry Capital Paddle America Club. “For the novice or beginning paddlers, this type of trip might be a little too much. The local paddle club has produced a guidebook that offers several day trip or afternoon excursions.”
Lois Goldstein, who helped to edit the guidebook, says that she and John moved here from Chicago for the outdoor recreational activities. The former Chicago schoolteachers retired here five years ago and usually paddle five times a week.
“I think a lot of people take what we have here for granted,” said Goldstein. “When we were looking around at places to retire to this was the only place that had numerous public access points. So many other states known for their outdoor recreation charge for accessing the water, so we really are lucky up here.”

EASY TO MANEUVER
Goldstein and Heiam were given a canoe as a wedding gift 35 years ago and quickly took to paddling. They see the growth in kayaking in recent years as a result of its easiness to learn and maneuverability.
“From a sexist standpoint, I think women like kayaking versus canoeing because they can do it by themselves. Husbands in canoes tend to be bossy and think they know it all,” laughs Goldstein. “Kayaking allows spouses to be in their own kayak and go at their own pace and not have someone telling them what to do. They are also a lot easier to maneuver and are lighter and easier to handle than canoes. The natural paddling motion when kayaking is self-correcting, making them easy to steer.”
Goldstein and her husband prefer both kayaking and canoeing.
“Kayaks have their limitations,” said Goldstein. “First of all, space is limited, so you can’t bring a lot of stuff along. Also, you pretty much have to stay in the same position. In a canoe I can sit, kneel, change positions and move around. So we do both.”
The couples have been active with others in the region offering paddling excursions on area lakes and rivers. Through the Cherry Capital Paddle America Club, they have cleaned several rivers and lakes in the region.
“We really are silent stewards of the lakes and rivers,” said Heiam. “We have cleaning bees in the spring and by getting the rivers clean it helps to keep them clean during the course of summer.”

ETIQUETTE
Heiam believes that etiquette on the waterways is extremely important.
“A lot of these rivers are sacred trout streams and we encourage paddlers to be courtesy and when they spot someone fly fishing they gather group together and make one pass at the same time and that they also ask the person fishing what side they would like them to pass,” said Heiam.
The couple encourages first-time kayakers to do their homework.
“There are a lot of resources out there, from local outfitters to information online,” said Goldstein. “I just came across a wonderful resource online that is perfect for someone interested in paddling. It is an easy read and helps with proper kayak and canoe selection to all sorts of pointers. One important thing on rivers and streams is to have a saw. All these sort of things are in this guide.”
The guide is offered by the American Canoe Association and may be found at
americancanoe.org/PDF/BeginnersGuide.pdf
“In talking with paddlers around the country and on our discussion boards, we found that the novice paddler is often overwhelmed with what they need to know for a safe paddling experience,” says Bill Reynolds, president of PaddleDogNation.com, “so we worked with a team of paddling experts and instructional designers to create ‘The Beginner’s Guide.’ It uses plain language and answers most of the questions new paddlers have. It is a quick read, too. Someone can read it in less than an hour.”
Goldstein and Heiam also encourage experienced and those interested in paddling to visit the Cherry Capital Paddle America Club site at ccpac.org where several group outings are planned and links to other resources.