Itasca Kayaker Introduction

October, 2009

It's not just about paddling. It's about getting together and having fun. There are no dues.

The Itasca Kayakers began in 2003 with just a few of us. We paddled only 358 miles that first year. Our second year was different.

The 2004 kayak season which started with us crossing 40' of ice to get to open water in March and ended with us using our boats as sleds to negotiate the 200+' snow covered hillside to launch into the Prairie River on December 18 when the temperature was a +9 and gusts of wind to 21mph. It was outstanding. A group of 53 people (16 women & 37 men) paddled a total of 2001.5 miles in 2004 on 35 different trips covering numerous lakes, including Lake Superior and rivers across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Canada. We averaged 9 miles per trip with an average of 8 boats per trip. The most boats we had at one time was 13.

In 2005, we had 44 paddlers covering 2,943.7 miles of water during our 43 trips. The club paddled a minimum of twice per month from January through December. We conquered the Swan River from Swan Lake to Jacobson, the Prairie River from Lawrence Lake to Grand Rapids, and the Mississippi from the Headwaters to Brainerd. [The intent is to actually paddle the entire Mississippi to New Orleans over the course of 2-3 years.] Our 2005 adventures also included three Wisconsin rivers, Lake Superior, a small pond in Michigan, and of course many of the local lakes. We averaged 6 boats per trip going an average of 13.6 miles per outing. Our club provided water safety support for the 2005 Timberman Triathlon and the Two Harbors Kayak Festival. We also volunteered on two occasions to assist with Habitat for Humanity project homes. However, due to circumstances not in our control, both trips to the Habitat project were canceled at the last minute.

The club kicked off the 2006 season in January and was able to get out every week. The 100th trip since the club's origin was on January 28, 2006. The coldest temperature we paddled in 2006 was on February 18 when the mercury dipped to -17F. Then we managed to get five brave souls out on February 3, 2007 with a temperature at -22F and a windchill of -50F.

As a group (66 paddlers), over 5,321 miles were logged in during 2006 and another 6,285 as of December 15, 2007 involving 99 paddlers. The members of Itasca Kayakers heading to New Orleans have continued on. Their last take-out was roughly 40 miles north of Memphis, TN in September, 2007.

The Mississippi River paddlers (Luke, Andy, Tony, and Jim) finished their trek from the headwaters to the Gulf in 2008. The club continues to log local miles as well, having fun on water and consuming more brats than anyone would like to know. Total accumulated miles paddled by the club as of 12/31/08 -- 22,818!!!

The club continues to be strong in 2009. Currently we've had 83 paddlers on the water with us in 2009 and have paddled a distance equaling that of the equator around the Earth - 25,000 miles (since 2003) over 360 trips.



Jim has written a book, Ka-Ka-Ska-Ska (Headwaters to the Gulf - in a Kayak). It will be available on for purchase by contacting Jim at itascakayakers@hotmail.com and in local book stores or http://www.booksurge.com/, www.Amazon.com, www.Abebooks.com and www.Alibris.com. by mid-October, 2009.


About the book...



“Ka-Ka-Ska-Ska” (“Headwaters to the Gulf” – in a kayak) ISBN 9781439253106

Author, Jim Lewis
2438 Timberline Drive
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
218-326-6922
Email – itascakayakers@hotmail.com
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BACK COVER (text)
How many times have you been trapped at work daydreaming of escaping from the ho-hum doldrums to an adventure of exploring the unknown, casting aside pleas from your mother to be careful and the need to focus on detail instilled by your father?

As we stood on the shore of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, ready to embark on an adventure of a lifetime, it had been only nine days since Luke and Andy entered my office to discuss an idea devised over lunch. “Let’s paddle the entire Mississippi River from the Headwaters to the Gulf, BUT, not all in one trip. We can do one section at a time, as work schedules allow.” In less time than it takes to finish a cup of coffee, the decision is made to go ahead even though not one of us has a clue as to the length of the Mississippi. With little thought to detailed planning, we strike out to conquer the third largest river in the world. The chronological travelogue covers the highlights as we paddle our way through uninhabited wilderness and along the banks of river towns. Well seasoned with a good measure of humor, the narrative blends stories of people, places, and history. Anyone interested in the outdoors and/or travel who enjoys the lighthearted approach will love this book. It goes beyond the ‘how-to’ of paddling and gets into the adventure itself. Ka-Ka-Ska-Ska is truly an inspiration to others to “Just do it!”

The author…





Contact us: itascakayakers@hotmail.com