Last summer ..2007.. a few of us living in or near Grand Marais decided to try starting a paddling club in the area.  We posted on our local news@boreal and ran a press release in the local paper.. With that and a bit of word of mouth we had a group of 12 show up for the a meeting to see what the interest was. This meeting was held at Neptune's CyberCafe.  We ended up having 2 kayakers from Thunder Bay stop-in by chance, who were on there way paddling around the lake. 

On our first club paddle we had about 8 paddlers.. On the next one we had 14.  The group size ranged from 4 up to the maximum group of 19 one time. 

Visitor's to Grand Marais are always welcome to check out a club paddle if they have their own gear.. The special kayak rental deal offered by Superior Coastal Sports is for members who are truely interested in and have learned how to rescue themselves in the event of a capsize.  Obviously club members will do what they can to assist others in the club, but it is important to understand that the club.. any of it's members and certainly staff or owners of Superior Coastal Sports are not obligated, hired or under contract to ensure anyones safety. Club members and visitors should be willing and capable of taking care of themselves at all times. In other words the club rental offer is not for the happen by visitor unless Superior Coastal Staff is convinced they are experienced in safe kayaking .. and do not need to be watched and taken care of should they capsize in the cold water of Lake Superior.

We were going to call the club.. Neptune's Paddling Club but decided it would be better that the club be independant from Superior Coastal Sports/Neptune's CyberCafe.  We came to arrive on East Bay Beach Paddling Club to give some local paddler use to this underutilized beach on East Bay in the hopes of getting a group to regularly enjoy paddles, bonfires, barbeques and generally meeting new paddlers and that club concept of experienced paddlers sharing what they've learned with beginners.  For those who don't have their own gear... Superior Coastal  Sports offers a special evening club rental deal to those who have taken part in a club sponsored kayak capsize rescues and other safe kayaking topics clinic.. 17 people came to the last one.