The first time I visited Rossport, Ontario, I was on a cross-country road trip with my two-year-old son. We camped at Rainbow Falls Provincial Park—Rossport Campground, right on the shores of Lake Superior. The water was a vivid turquoise, icy cold, and stretched further than my eyes could reach. Along the shoreline, pebbly sand gave way to the wind-sculpted outcrops of rock that made up the Canadian Shield. This was my first visit to one of the Great Lakes.
From the beach, I could see the Rossport Archipelago, the largest archipelago on Lake Superior, in the distance. As an avid paddler, I longed to explore these islands in a kayak. At the time, my son was too young to accompany me in a sea kayak, even on a guided tour. I added that adventure to the “when he’s older” list and continued our road trip toward the East Coast.
Fast-forward five years, and we are back in Ontario at Rainbow Falls Provincial Park—Rossport Campground. On this trip, the north shore of Lake Superior was our final destination. My son and I had returned to explore the region that had caught my eye and interest years ago.
I stood on the same beach, looking at moody Lake Superior and the distant islands. I contacted Such A Nice Day (S.A.N.D.) Adventures inquiring about a kayak tour of the islands with my now seven-year-old son. Because of his age and the weather, we decided a half-day trip might suit us best. It was a go!
Half-Day Paddle in the Rossport Archipelago
On the day of our tour, we headed to the S.A.N.D. Adventures headquarters. They operate out of a little bed and breakfast on Nicol Island, across a short bridge in Rossport. We were greeted by our guide, Sydney, who was preparing our tandem kayak near the shore. After we met the other guests and geared up, we pushed off into the lake.
Healey Island
It was a cloudy, windy day, so we decided to stay inside the islands. Here, the water would be calmer and protected from the wind. We paddled towards Healy Island, hugging closely to its western shore and beneath spectacular cliffs covered in orange lichen. Pine trees had found footholds on tiny shelves of soil within the rock, enough for them to grow tall and hover over the water.
After about an hour of paddling, Syndey took us around to the south side of the island to a backcountry campsite. Here, we stopped for a snack and to explore the island a little bit. My son loved roaming on the great slabs of rock that lead into the water, finding tadpoles and other creatures in rock pools. We spent a few minutes snacking and throwing rocks into the water, as all kids love to do, and we headed back out.
Quarry Island
From there, we backtracked along the south shore of Healey Island and headed towards Quarry Island. Our guide explained that a quarry was built on the island in the early 1900s to harvest from a sandstone deposit. The stone was used for construction projects in Thunder Bay, including the prominent courthouse. That building still stands prominently in Thunder Bay but is now the Courthouse Hotel.
You can hike up to a lookout on Quarry Island, though we decided to skip it due to the iffy weather that day. The trail leads from the beach through a storybook forest, winding up the hill to a scenic viewpoint. At the Rossport Lookout, hikers are rewarded with a wide-open vista of Lake Superior, the Rossport Islands and the town of Rossport on the shore. You’ll find the trailhead on the southeast side of Quarry Island. Look for a picnic table in the small bay – the trail starts there and takes about 45 minutes to get to the top.
Read more about the hiking and history of Quarry Island.
Whiskey and Nicol Islands
We kept to the inside of Quarry and Whiskey Islands, protected from the now-building choppiness of moody Lake Superior. Our guide Sydney told us to keep our eyes and ears open for falcons, as a pair of peregrine falcons often nest in this area. Then, we saw them perched high on a tree on Whiskey Island. The birds took flight high above us, letting out a few eerie shrieks to let us know they were aware of our presence. Not wanting to disturb the birds, we took a few photos and carried on along the west shore of Nicol Island.
Heading back to headquarters, we followed the shoreline of Nicol Island, which is dotted with several cottages built high on the cliffs. I love kayaking past homes like these and can’t help but imagine what life would be like with this scenery outside my windows. Paddling by, I imagined the daily sunsets in the west and how the sun must send a sea of sparkles along the water in the late afternoon. I also imagined the wind, waves, and wild weather residents must experience every winter here.
We reached a massive steel culvert that took us under the land bridge to Nicol Island so we could make the trip a complete loop. After a short portage over a little beach, we floated the kayaks back to the S.A.N.D. Adventures launching point. The group returned the gear, said our goodbyes and were on our way to find something warm to drink in the quaint Village of Rossport.
Rossport Archipelago, I’ll be back.
I love exploring nature on the water. A kayak allows you to get close to the water and feel the motion of the lake in your body. It is quiet. On calm days, only the paddle dipping into the water makes a sound, accompanied by nearby bird songs or the distant honks and quacks of geese or ducks. When the weather is rough, the wind howls in your ears and sprays water into your face. And even then, despite the discomfort of wind and wetness, I feel deeply connected to nature. It brings peace and rejuvenation at the same time.
The Rossport Archipelago is remarkably beautiful and is one of many world-renowned paddle destinations on Lake Superior. This was just a taste of what can be discovered here. Rest assured, I’ll be back to discover the rest.
