2026 marked the second year NEWP has hosted a Pictured Rocks paddle trip, and it was another successful adventure.
Six members made the trek up to Bay Furnace Campground in Christmas, MI (near Munising) on Friday afternoon. The weather was fair and skies were full of smoke (from the Canada and Minnesota wildfires). Josiah’s wife Angie was attending the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium near Grand Marais, so we had the pleasure to have Josiah join us for a Friday afternoon paddle. He informed us that the air quality has improved greatly from the prior couple of days, but definitely not clear skies (cough, cough!).
All 7 of us immediately unloaded our boats and headed out on a paddle along the shoreline north of the campground. 
The wind was mild and the waves less than a foot. We all suited up in appropriate cold-water gear and were promptly rewarded with hot weather! After the 7.5-mile sweaty paddle, we returned to our campsites to setup camp and enjoy dinner.
Saturday’s weather was windy and gusty with choppy water conditions, so we unanimously voted to activate Plan-B and set off to view several of the waterfalls in the Munising area. After lunch in town and a few more waterfalls and a hike along the top of the cliffs, we returned to the campsites for a group meal of BBQ pulled pork, baked beans and corn-on-the-cob, cooked over a pristinely maintained wood fire.
Sunday brought us calm winds and waves and noticeably less smoke in the air. We set off for an early start from Miners Beach to view the cliffs and caves. The early departure was partially decided due to the high number of guided tour groups expected on this fine day, after several days of smoke, wind, and waves. Our expectations were met as we paddled past MANY groups of tandem kayak groups. The other groups did not interfere with our enjoyment of the Pictured Rocks, waterfalls, and sea caves that exist between Miners Beach and Chapel Beach.
Upon reaching Chapel Beach, about an 8-mile paddle, we were ready for a break and lunch. During lunch, we were rewarded with a group of hardy fools, I mean young folks, jumping from the high cliff into the cold Lake Superior water! 
We returned to Miners Beach for a total distance approaching 16 miles, a new personal record for some of our paddlers.
Monday morning provided nice weather again, but our group of weary paddlers were happy to pack up and head home with new memories to be recalled at the upcoming group paddles. (Go ahead… ask us about it!)
Looks like a great trip!