What the heck’s a water trail? Wherever there is public water access, there is potential for a water trail. The creation of the Hiawatha and dozens of other water trails across North America is a response to the surge in the popularity of kayaking. “Trespassing and an increase of preventable accidents have accompanied the growth of sea kayaking,” says the Hiawatha trail’s Sam Crowley. “Water trails guide paddlers to public land and promote safe paddling.” But paddlers aren’t the only ones reaping the benefits. Local businesses receive added revenue, private lands are used responsibly, and most important, the coastal environment is protected from exploitation.
North America’s top water trails Pacific Northwest
Washington Water Trails Association:
administers several water trails in the Seattle-Puget Sound area, including the Cascadia Marine Trail.
www.wwta.org
British Columbia Marine Trail Association:
works to promote responsible sea kayaking along the B.C. coastline, from Vancouver to Prince Rupert.
www.members.tripod.com/~jralittle/bcmta
Great Lakes
Lake Superior Water Trail follows the Minnesota coastline of western Lake Superior.
www.lswta.org
Keweenaw Water Trail: consists of the Keweenaw Peninsula and waterway.
www.keweenaw.org/watertrail
Hiawatha Water Trail: provides access to over 190 km of Michigan’s
Lake Superior shore at Grand Marais, Munising, Marquette and Big Bay.
www.downwindsports.com
Great Lakes Heritage Coast: part of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ Living Legacy program, stretches east from the Minnesota–Ontario border on Lake Superior to Port Severn, Georgian Bay.
www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/glhc
Thousand Islands Water Trail: publishes a guidebook detailing nine pad- dling routes around the Lake Ontario–St. Lawrence River junction.
www.paddle1000.com
Atlantic
Maine Island Trail Association: administers 520 kilometres of Maine’s Atlantic seaboard.
www.mita.org
Nova Scotia Water Trail: paddlers in Canada’s Maritimes organized a coastal trail stretching from Lunenburg to Halifax.
www.mahonebaykayaks.com
Gourmet Salmon on Toast
1 can wild Pacific salmon 2 tbsp mayonaise 1 tsp pepper 1 roma tomato 2 tbsp feta cheese 1 tbsp olive oil 4 slices fresh multi-grain baguette
1 copy of Adventure Kayak*
The Hiawatha Water Trail, proposed in 1995, is the brainchild of Marquette outfitter Bill Thompson. The idea took off from the outset, and soon a group of like-minded kayakers had gained the support of local government, businesses and private landowners, and began developing brochures and signage. The number of volunteers grew. The group sought state and federal grants to fund the development of campsites, and has taken an active role in the management of Grand Island National Recreation Area and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The Hiawatha organization acts to promote the interests of paddlers in both protected areas.
Crowley feels that by exposing a greater number of people to the coast and increasing public awareness of sensitive shoreline features, the trail will inspire more people to stand up for the coast’s preservation.
For thousands of years prior to urbanization and private land development, there was an informal, paddler-organized water trail of native Ojibwa campsites around the entire shoreline of Lake Superior. Today, people like Sam Crowley are recreating the old trail piece-by-piece, and introducing a new generation of paddlers to the area in the process. So far, three water trails dot the American side of Superior: Michigan’s Hiawatha and Keweenaw trails, and Minnesota’s Lake Superior Water Trail. The Canadian equivalent is the Great Lakes Heritage Coast, essentially a government-operated water trail following the north shores of Lake Superior and Huron. Add a couple more to the south shore, and increase paddler involvement in the Heritage Coast initiative, and a modern incarnation of the traditional trail will be complete, extending over 4,000 kilometres around Lake Superior.
*available at fine newsstands or subscribe online at
www.adventurekayakmag.com
ADVENTUREkayakmag.com 9
Drain salmon. In small bowl combine salmon, mayo and pep- per. Toast bread. Slice tomatoes. Spread salmon on toast. Top with tomatoes. Crumble feta cheese over tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil. Place on plate and serve.
Enjoy with a fresh copy of AdventureKayak.
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