The Beginning

We planned to leave Versailles by 5:00 AM at the latest. Our packing list comprised of kayaks and kayak gear, a tent and sleeping bags, and food for the night. Everything on the list packed well enough, but the difficulty of strapping down the kayaks to the roof should have given us a clue as to how strenuous the kayaks would become later that day. We were, however, roughly successful in keeping our 5:00 AM departure goal, pulling out of the driveway at approximately 6:24 AM.

The Travel

Traveling north went well. We were headed for the largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan. More specifically, the Indiana Sand Dunes National Park, 12 miles southwest of Michigan City, Indiana. Getting a camping permit, however, was not quite as smooth as the trip up. After visiting many destinations all over the park from ranger stations to visitors centers, we finally found the long awaited overnight permit at a lake-view Marathon. Then we proceeded to our campsite.

The Lake

Lake Michigan in late May and early June is far from warm and welcoming. No one is shouting “come on in, the water’s fine!” The water hovers around 40 degrees F and the waves and currents are the strongest out of the year. These culminating factors made for a perfect day of sitting back in a nice heated cabin and watching the waves crash into the dunes. We, however, were in a tent, not a cabin, and were being crashed into by the waves, not watching them crash into other things.

A Short Story of Declining Downward Down the Declining Dunes

Kayaking

If you plan to kayak soon, or ever, do not purchase

a “sit in” kayak for any type of rough water, as the water will fill the kayak, subsequently flipping the kayak and drowning the kayak-er. This is essentially what happened to us when we ventured into the breaks of Lake Michigan the day of our trip. As soon as the waves ran over top of the kayak, the frigid water filled the inside, causing it to flip. After flipping, my immediate reaction was to just walk it back to shore before I realized I couldn’t reach the bottom. The terrifying moments that followed were a learning experience: buy the right gear, don’t venture past your limits, and don’t fight the current – it will tire you out and then you will drown.

Aftermath

After our kayaking expedition, the rest of the trip went smoothly. Good camp, good food from the fire, and a long trip back home.

The End