Uncommon Adventures

08/15/2024

Sad that summer is starting to draw to a close? Extend that feeling with our early November Tybee Island Georgia bumpy water trip! Still a couple of spaces left:

Want more experience in rough conditions but without the dread of very icy water? Our answer to that is an adult spring break that won’t break the bank! You’ll get some experience and expand your skills with navigation, tidal currents and surf.

08/11/2024

Did you miss out on our Costa Rica trip? It filled so quickly that we’ve added a second set of dates. Registration is now available for the new dates (April 26 - May 3, 2025). Great opportunity to explore gorgeous Costa Rica!

Costa Rica Anyone? Pura Vida! We are proud to be partnering with Costa Rica Explorer Adventure company for this adventure sport week based out of a comfy Pacific Beach lodge in Dominical. It’s a week filled with your choice of adventures. Choices include: surf lessons, whitewater rafting (or white...

07/25/2024

We have just set dates and confirmed our 2025 Costa Rica Multi-sport trip, Kendra Newman, Renee DuFresne, Libby Morrow Wolf, Jill Lingard, Karna Powell Hutton

Costa Rica Anyone? Pura Vida! We are proud to be partnering with Costa Rica Explorer Adventure company for this adventure sport week based out of a comfy Pacific Beach lodge in Dominical. It’s a week filled with your choice of adventures. Choices include: surf lessons, whitewater rafting (or white...

07/22/2024

A few photos from our personal trip around Isle Royale. It was an amazing trip with varied conditions and lots to be learned during the guide training. Special thanks to Phil Salvador and Jacob Manges for all their hard work. If you’re looking for a special trip, no one knows Isle Royale by kayak like Michael Gray!

07/22/2024

Keep an eye out for these kayaks. Help The Power of Water get them home.

07/10/2024

Copper Harbor is such a neat little town. We really miss having our RV up here this year but hope we can spend more time locally next summer. Thimbleberries are a few weeks away but the bugs seem to be hiding. (Let’s hope they aren’t awaiting us on IR!) Beautiful day as we prepare to go to the island tomorrow on the Queen.
P.S. It’s currently 59F here today. A great place to beat the heat!

07/10/2024

Plane and ferry are the only two ways to get to this secluded Michigan gem.

07/10/2024

And so it begins… On our way to one of my favorite places in the world, Isle Royale. We will be off the grid for a couple of weeks as we explore the grand old Island! Moose, wolves, solitude, gorgeous scenery, serious paddling and, of course, Michael’s delicious backcountry cooking!

07/07/2024

Had a wonderful 4th of July trip out to St. Helena Lighthouse. Amazing place with really interesting grounds and history. Many thanks to our wonderful Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association lighthouse keepers Mark and Michelle! They have spent decades, restoring the lighthouse and it’s transformation is something you need to see! Thanks also to our wonderful group of paddlers, it was great fun to kayak, hike, see the shipwrecks, eat, wash dishes, and watch the fireworks with you all!

07/02/2024

After fielding a call from Jay Hills yesterday and tossing a few lines in the digital waters, we've put together an ACA L3 IDW for October 17-20 this year (Greg Weiss). This course can be taken as an ICE or an update as well. We will offer an L3 Skills assessment on October 16 for those who need that requirement. October waters retain some summer heat here and condition are often present for a higher level course...sometimes too much so, but we have all sorts of launch points and features here to moderate. Link below to book.

This workshop is held in our Northwest Michigan base, giving us access to multiple venues to provide a variety of conditions including moving water. Since food is provided and we’re all based out of the same location with a instructor/student ratio of 1:3, you are assured of a great inclusive expe...

07/01/2024

Just got a call yesterday from a paddler interested in an ACA Level 3 Instructor Development Workshop this fall. Prospecting to see if there is anyone else out there that might be interested in a Level 3 IDW/ICE or update that would be held in Mid October in NW Michigan? I know there are a lot of instructors out there in need of updates or part of this. PM me if you are interested in a quality program when Lake Michigan is still warmish and conditions are likely to be present.

06/29/2024

We have a new crop of instructor candidates this weekend who need "practice students". Anyone in the NW Michigan area who is interested in a free 3 hour kayak lesson including strokes and rescues this Sunday (30th) from 10 am till 1pm, please PM me and we will get you on the list!

06/27/2024

Most common question that I ever get?
"Where is your favorite place in the World to paddle?" Now, I don't like to play favorites, but when pushed, the answer is always the same....Greenland. Not only is it where the kayak (Qajaq) was born, but being there feels like being present at the beginning of the Earth. There is just no place else like it. We are now recruiting a team of 6 qualified paddlers for a two week remote Greenland paddling trip in 2025. This will be the ultimate Greenland paddling experience...
Finalizing our team in the next few months for this late June 2025 experience.
https://www.mi-paddleadventure.com/trip/greenland-2025/

06/23/2024

Solstice is one of my favorite holidays. A meal to do it justice - salad with Nasturtiums from the backyard followed by duck breast and apples with asparagus.

06/12/2024

Want to improve your kayaking skills? Looking for surf, pourovers, rock gardening, rough water play, or just general fun in the water? Registration is now open for our Tybee and Baja, Mexico trips. https://www.mi-paddleadventure.com/trips/

06/06/2024

Super excited to announce our partnering with Turning Point Boatworks to bring their magical kayaks, Petrel Play and Petrel to the Great Lakes. We'll have one of each to demo up here in NW Michigan in a few months. Now...what color...? Their Basalt/Innegra Layup is both light and tough as nails.

Turning Point Boat Works was started in 2015 as a creative outlet by its founder, Joey Schott. What it has become is a lifestyle devoted to creativity and building boats for extraordinary people. Each boat crafted is as unique as the owner. Great care is taken to bring the owner's vision to life. W...

06/03/2024

To our local northern Michigan readers. We’re offering two half day programs on June 16 to learn to kayak in the Sleeping Bear Dunes area. Learn the basics to be safe on the water. Looking forward to having you join us! (Fundamentals of Kayaking I and Fundamentals of Kayaking II).

June 1 - June 4 Sleeping Bear Sampler Remix: Learn to Kayak Boot Camp 2024 Uncommon Adventures Street Address: 6721 Grace Rd, Benzonia, MI, United States Enjoy a long weekend at my home on 40 acres of hardwoods along the beautiful Betsie River for a retreat that will teach you safe, effective and ef...

06/03/2024

Kayak Rescues and Rolling. It’s not too late to join us for opportunity to focus on rescue and rolling skills in gorgeous Northern Michigan. Your skills and confidence will be strengthened in a supportive and positive environment.

Although this program runs on the same schedule as our other boot camp weekends, this one is focused on Rescues and Recoveries…whether it be group or self rescues including rolling. That doesn’t mean we won’t get out and do some...Read more

06/02/2024

Looking for an L3 Coastal Kayaking skills course (opportunity for assessment)? We still have a couple spots open for our course starting on June 6. Great opportunity to advance your skills while having a great time. Conditions look good this week!

This 24 hour + course includes the latest ACA course requirements for Level 3 with some additional tools that only 30 plus years of paddling history can provide.

05/29/2024

Calling those working camp waterfronts, liveries or organizations putting people on water in canoes, kayaks or SUP's that need staffing certified in ACA programs: ACA Paddlesports Safety Facilitator or it's next step: Community Paddlesport Leadership...we have some opportunities coming up in SE Michigan L1 skills/PSF combo: June 11/12: https://exploreorigin.com/en/listings/874511-aca-coastal-kayak-l1-skills-and-paddlesport-safety-facilitator

Succeeding CPL course: June 17/18: https://exploreorigin.com/en/listings/874514-aca-community-paddlesport-leader-training-and-assessment

05/28/2024

Learning to rescue heavy sit-on tops with waterfront leaders from the Girl Scouts! Fun times.

05/28/2024

This time of year, we are teaching a lot of ACA PSF and CPL courses. Here are a few pics from fun times with Girl Scout leaders as they try out different watercraft during a recent PSF.

05/25/2024

Anyone in the market for a great used Feathercraft K2? My dear old friend Tom Watson ([email protected]) has one that he would like to see put to good use. Feathercraft made some of the best folding kayaks around, so for anyone looking for a tandem expedition boat that can fly with you, this is a great opportunity...contact at address buried above or seek him out on FB Tom Watson

05/23/2024

Our waters are starting to warm up and it is time to get out to paddle. Would you like to refine your skills, work on your moves or just know how to stay alive out there? We have some space at kayak boot camp:

Great Lakes paddling: mix some open water paddling along bluffs and dunes with some of the finest river in the area. Eagles, osprey, mink, trout and bass are all residents.

05/15/2024

So....next on the subject of favorites. Think of your kayak camping gear in terms of backcountry travel. What's your favorite piece of kit that you wouldn't ever go without...desert island necessity. Mine might be my Black Diamond Mega mid; but maybe my 5 inch serrated lock blade Swiss Army knife.

05/13/2024

Ok, those out there in the Coastal kayak world....what's your favorite stroke and why?

05/05/2024

We have a super fun trip happening this summer, that happens once each summer and gives those with L3 skills wanting to spread their wings a bit to dive into a rare opportunity to do some Rock Gardening and really fun Lake Superior camping. You don't need to do it as a course...you can simply come for the paddle.
Rounding the tip of Keweenaw Peninsula...
We still have some space left...

This is an Intermediate to Advanced trip (L3 – 4) designed for those who want to increase their skills in rough water environs and explore slots, caves and surges through rocky alleys. Keweenaw is said to be one of the...Read more

05/02/2024

Have rowing experience in non technical remote water? Solid fishing background, wilderness first aid? Looking for someone to help guide a high arctic Alaska fishing trip...PM me if you know someone with appropriate background..

04/26/2024

Want a new way to spend July 4? Paddle to an island, stay in a lighthouse and watch the night sky of the Mackinac Bridge....still. have a couple of spaces left on this unique and great value trip that is accessible across skill levels!

Paddle in the Straits of Mackinac out to remote St Helena island to live the life a lighthouse keeper for a few days. Explore by kayak, sleep in the lighthouse and enjoy the glow of the Mackinac bridge on horizon to the East and the sunset to the West. What a unique way to spend the July 4 holiday!