Kayaking Pelican Lake
Last week my husband surprised me with the most amazing early birthday present - an Old Town kayak! He has had his own Old Town fishing kayak for over a year and knew that I was interested in joining. I’m not much of an angler myself, however, I’m happy as a clam just paddling around aimlessly and taking photos.
With social distancing continuing on much longer than anyone could have anticipated, having full access to Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes by way of kayak has made the prospect of summer seem so much more appealing!
Over the long Memorial Day weekend, we packed up the truck and headed about 40mins out of the city for a wonderful afternoon kayaking on Pelican Lake.
There are actually a few different Pelican Lakes drivable from the Twin Cities, and what’s interesting is the one we went to (just outside of St. Michael, MN) actually doesn’t show up on Google’s results unless you really zoom in on the map! However, if you know what you’re looking for, the boat access is actually very easy to find.
On our way to the lake, we drove through varying degrees of rain, but we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. Ever since the start of the Stay at Home order I’ve been working longer hours than usual, so rain or shine I’m heading outside whenever I can!
Pro Tip: It’s usually to your advantage to go adventuring in the rain because that’s usually when most people decide to head home! Just make sure not to be out on the water if there is lightening.. because… duh.
It was only slightly drizzling when we first put our kayaks in the water, but the weather soon cleared, making way for the most perfect conditions! There was next to no wind, which if you’ve ever struggled to paddle any kind of boat in strong winds, you’ll know why that is so amazing! I could stop peddling and stay almost perfectly still. And the reflection on the water was so breathtaking!
The Minnesota DNR and Ducks Unlimited are working together to revitalize Pelican Lake to improve water quality and habitat to better support waterfowl. They have slowly been lowering water levels which are critical to migratory birds who need shallow lakes where they can rest and breed in the spring.
The low water levels are actually perfect for kayaking, allowing you to easily glide over aquatic vegetation and through narrow channels surrounded by reeds where other larger/heavier boats might get stuck. Not to mention, you’re much quieter on a kayak so you’re less likely to scare away all of the wildlife. I saw so many different kinds of birds, a muskrat, and a snapping turtle!
If you have your own kayak (or are planning to get one soon) I very much recommend checking out Pelican Lake for yourself! We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect way to kick off Summer. I think you’re really going to enjoy it!
Until our next adventure,
Karen
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