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With its terraced cobble beaches, surf-pounded granite headlands and deserted stretches of fine brown sand, sea kayaking the coast of Lake Superior is a soul-satisfying wilderness experience. Where icy water meet the sun-drenched land, the whims of wind and weather are enough to keep even the most experienced paddlers entertained. Although a largely deserted and lonely landscape, the stretch we're paddling – from Terrace Bay more than 100 km to Marathon – is steeped in rich layers of history that only serve to enrich our voyage.
I'm with Naturally Superior Adventures (NSA) on a guided sea kayak trip billed as "Group of Seven Landscapes." Canada's Group of Seven made eight trips to Superior's North Shore between 1921 and 1928, producing hundreds of paintings. Not only did their work during this period result in some of their best known works, it would help the now-famous group of landscape artists develop a unique Canadian style and perspective. Pieces like Lawren Harris' North Shore and Arthur Lismer's Sombre Isle of Pic project a voice that continues to resonate.
I'm in a double kayak with Otto Bedard, assistant to lead guide Jennifer Upton. Jen and fellow guests, Harald Simon and Carol Loveridge, are in single kayaks. Otto is in the stern of the double, cheerfully doing the bulk of the paddling while I photograph our group of slender craft sliding along the sculpted coast.
Our trip corresponds with a resurgence of interest in the Group of Seven and their time in Algoma and the North Shore of Superior. Prior to our adventure, Jen Upton and NSA put together a Reference Guide to the Group of Seven on the North Shore.
