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Paddling the mainland sea caves – a feast for the senses
Paddling the mainland sea caves near Meyers Beach is one of the joys of summer. Come along with Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore board member Neil Howk on his recent adventure. When you’re ready to paddle the sea caves yourself, start with a list of authorized outfitters on the National Park Service website. You can also watch our Sense of Adventure video program, Paddling the Apostle Islands. Then, when you’re ready to go, check out our real-time wave conditions report from the Wave Watch buoy near the sea caves.
I realized recently that it’s been about three years since I kayaked in the park and almost that long since I paddled through the mainland sea caves. I checked the weather forecast and went online to book a full day trip with Trek and Trail last week.
Conditions were perfect…calm winds and temperatures in the 80s. Guides Abby and Elsa safely shepherded our group of eight paddlers on the seven mile round trip from Meyers Beach past the mainland sea caves to Lunch Beach and back. The lunch stop featured a delectable spread including sandwiches, crostini, and chocolate chip cookies from Coco’s bakery in Washburn, but this was just a small part of the feast for all the senses provided by this six-hour sea cave adventure.
Lunch Beach – Neil Howk photos – Click to enlarge
The views were spectacular. Our bright yellow kayaks floated smoothly across the lake under a clear blue sky. Hanging gardens of emerald foliage clung to brick red sandstone cliffs crowned with a forest of the deepest summer green. We felt the rough sandstone walls as we used our hands to push through some of the narrowest passageways in the caves. Wading in the shallow water we could feel the corrugations of ripple marks on the sandy lake bottom.
Paddling the mainland sea caves – Neil Howk photos – Click to enlarge
We reveled in both the surprisingly warm lake water and the refreshingly cool runoff dripping from the top of the cliffs. Occasional whiffs of tropical-scented sunscreen or musty spray skirts only highlighted the prevailing smell of clean fresh air. But of all the sensual stimulation provided by this immersion in the resource, perhaps my favorite is the organic sound of water flowing against rock.
Sounds of the sea caves
The gurgling of waves splashing in the recesses of the caves makes me think of digestive juices sloshing in the belly of some tremendous beast. That alone made the trip worthwhile.
Neil Howk began working as a park ranger/interpreter for the National Park Service in 1978. He worked at a number of different parks over the years and served as the assistant chief of interpretation at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore from 1993-2016. He now serves as a board member of Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
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