At Split Rock State Park

On my list of things to do this summer was a day trip up to Grand Marais because we love that town!  We enjoy all the little shops, the scenery, and especially eating at some of our favorite little restaurants.  On Saturday we loaded up the van, and decided to throw a kayak and the new paddleboard on top, just in case we felt like using them.  We had a wonderful time in Grand Marais, eating, and walking around.  YaYa bought a bird call (she’s crazy about birds right now) and we found a great book for identifying plants and berries that she has been having a lot of fun using.  We ate delicious food.  I had a great time exploring the art galleries.

In the middle of the afternoon we decided to start driving back home and to stop at Split Rock State Park on our way home.  Of course, there are lots of great state parks to choose from on a trip up the North Shore, but since we had the kayak on top of the van, we chose Split Rock, because there is a beach there that is easy to put a kayak into the water and a beautiful little cove that we have always wanted to kayak at.  The lake was amazingly calm all day.

We arrived at the park and threw half a peanut butter apple banana sandwich at each child.  We had bought the sandwiches in Grand Marais at The Crooked Spoon cafe.  I love those sandwiches so much!  Unfortunately they are only on the kids menu, so I sent Dr. Peds into the restaurant with a kidlet or two (or three or four, actually) to order the sandwich to go for me, and he got an extra for the kids.

I played with the kidlets on the beach, or maybe I should say that I carefully watched them play on the beach, while Dr. Peds took the paddleboard for a spin around the bend over at the base of the lighthouse.  He came back and told me to hop right in the kayak and start paddling that direction.

So I did.  And it was amazing.  It was well worth the price of any kayak. (I’m sorry I complained about getting the kayaks, dear husband).   I love it when Lake Superior is calm enough to kayak on for someone like my who is not an advanced kayaker.  The water is crystal clear and you can gaze down at all sorts of amazing boulders and rock formations at the bottom of the lake.  Kayaking at the base of the lighthouse, which sits on a tall cliff, was wondrous.  The cliff looks so much bigger from the bottom looking up, big enough to make you truly dizzy!  The boulders at the base of it are fascinating, and they extend down into the water, which is deep, so that you feel like your suspended on crystal silk glass with huge rocks towering above you and more descending below you.  On the far side of the cliff are some simple sea caves, which were really neat to see up close from the water.  It’s obviously NOT a place you want to be in with a kayak if there were any sort of waves or wind, but on a perfectly calm night, it was astounding to gaze up at the scenery and then see the beautiful historic lighthouse glimmering in the setting sun above everything.

When I got back I took care of a messy diaper, and calmed a girl who was sure she was getting eaten alive by mosquitos, while Dr. Peds and The Banana paddled around on the board with Mr. SP right next to them in the kayak all by himself.  He’s quite the kayaker, that boy.  We stayed until the last drop of sunlight was gone and then drove back home.