Events

ISK Member Peggy O’Neal will be sharing the stories of two trips last summer – one to Iceland and one to the Faroe Islands.  Both trips had two weeks planned for paddling, both were island destinations in the North Atlantic, and they included many of the same people.  But … the two trips could not have been more different.

Iceland:  A 165 mile journey with fantastic weather.  Magnificent campsites, glacier carved fjords and ridges and valleys.  The arctic fox, the minke whales, the orca that swam through our pod, the puffins, the humpback whale, the glacier capped volcano, the final paddle out in the wind and cold and landing at midnight, and more.

The Faroe Islands:  An archipelago with improbable islands and cliffs jutting out of the North Atlantic sea.  A prime target for every low pressure system from the south, west, or the north with fierce tide races that squeeze between the islands.  Storms bookended our trip, and wind and swells made frequent appearances.  Two weeks camped in a sheep pasture.  Finding the best day trips possible on the eight days we could paddle.  Making our way beneath towering cliffs, often amid swells crashing onto rocks.  Paddling into one stunning cave after another that made us feel very, very small.   Sheep.  Lots of sheep.

And a chance to see a glimpse of two Nordic cultures with many shared values as well friendly rivalries.

About the speaker:  Peggy has been messing around with boats most of her life, primarily sailboats, rowing shells, and kayaks.  She started sea kayaking in 2008 and was a greedy learner.  Despite having avoided camping all of her adult life, as soon as she started kayaking she knew that camping needed to be part of the adventure.  She became an ACA L3 instructor in 2009 and a British Canoeing 4 Star (sea leader) in 2013.  She’s been fortunate to have worked with some terrific coaches and to have paddled in Alaska, the San Juan Islands (WA), San Francisco Bay, Cumberland Island and Tybee (GA), Maine, Nantahala and Ocoee Rivers (NC), the Bay of Fundy, Norway, Scotland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. 

Alex LaLonde, kayaking coach and owner at Body Boat Blade International, will be giving a presentation on kayaking in the great state of Washington. Alex will take you on a journey through some of the amazing paddling areas in Washington from the San Juan Islands National Monument, to Deception Pass, Cattle Pass, and all the way down Olympic Peninsula to Cape Flattery!

Washington’s ocean environments have it all. Kayakers of all skill levels will find what they’re looking for. Alex will explore the types of skills a paddler interested in paddling some of these areas would need. We’re looking forward to exploring our waters with you!

We’ll also talk about some of the trips, venues and courses that his school offers, as well as some of the logistics of getting here. Body Boat Blade is a premier paddlesport school located in Anacortes, WA – the Gateway to the San Juan Islands.

This event is over Zoom. Link is in the events calendar, link below.

ISK Member Tom O’Neal will be providing a 2-day class following ECSI, Emergency Care and Safety Institue format for Wilderness First Aid.
Time: 8:30-5pm
Class size: 12 people
Cost: $175 paid directly to Tom
Location: TBD

One of the core missions of ISK is to provide sea kayaking education to help our current and future members grow in the sport we love. This is a free workshop to help you grow your skills on the water. Spend a day on Bush Lake for a special coaching opportunity!

Car camp with us in Little Sand Bay campground. Join club-led paddles in the Apostle Islands. We’ve got something for everyone. Details about camping, paddles, gear, and skill levels at registration page.

Join us for two glorious nights in Jay Cooke State Park. We’ll have a full day of paddling on the estuary, below the dam and before the mouth of Lake Superior. With shoreline on the MN and WI sides, lots of bays to explore, and sunny, open water, you’re sure to enjoy this trip.

Last year’s group loved the traffic-free paddling on a week day and easy parking at launch sites. Come on Sunday, paddle all day Monday, possible morning paddle on Tuesday before departing.

Want to know more about this trip? See the trip report from last year.

Let’s show some love to our home waters!

Inland Sea Kayakers is dedicated to giving back to our beautiful water ways. This spring we’ll host a day paddle on the Mississippi and clean up as we go. Enjoy a leisurely paddle as we weave along the shoreline, collecting all the flotsam and jetsam we can.