By Richard E. Silberman MD
Lake Michigan has been the stage for many maritime events, many of which made headlines. Sinkings and races have shared headlines while the Inuit presence on the Great Lakes has gone unnoticed by most people. It is interesting that people at the beaches and along the shores of the lake observe this phenomenon, but most do not appreciate its rich history.
The Inuit People inhabit Greenland and other Arctic lands. Much of their food comes from the sea as little grows in their frigid environment. Some marine life can be captured with spears (now days rifles) from the shore or shallows. Still, the men often must go to sea for days to hunt seal and anything else to feed their families.
This required a boat that was, above all, maneuverable. Moreover, the frame would have to be constructed with bone parts (from walrus and the like) and whatever driftwood they might find and covered with seal skin. Hence, the birth of the QAYAQ, a responsive one-man craft that could be rolled back up without the paddler having to exit the craft. In fact, the Inuit developed over two dozen ways to roll up in case they lost the paddle, or one arm was tangled in a line (also made from seal parts), or they were laying on the back deck at the time and so on.
This design made its way to Europe and then to the United States around the 1950’s, but they were expensive at the time because of the materials used to build them. Then along came plastics which were strong and easy to care for, and the sport of kayaking was born. The modern day cousins of those QAJAQs are designed for big waters such as the oceans and the great lakes.
To be clear, the boats many folks pick up at a local store for about $100 or so are rec or recreational kayaks. They have a different hull shape, do not tolerate waves; and they do not belong on Lake Michigan. Deaths have resulted from such use of these boats.
There are several unofficial “clubs” or groups along the Wisconsin shore. Ours launches off the South Shore Beach area in Milwaukee. Those of us who are L3-L4 certified, and other skilled paddlers, are out there 12 months a year as long as the ice does not block us from launching. We wear dry suits with warming layers underneath. Neck gaskets keep the cold water out. Incidentally, if we decide to practice rolling, we remain aware that however cold the water may be at the surface it will be colder down where our head will go.
We all carry rescue equipment including a spare paddle, a hand pump, whistles, flares or other signaling devices and marine radios (monitoring Channel 16 as required by law) and do a pre-launch weather check. The perimeter line on our decks are always kept lose and used for rescues. 100% of us wear a properly fitted PFD 100% of the time we are afloat.
We have retrieved people who have fallen off boats, and we have towed home power boats that have become disabled. On one occasion, two of us performed a tandem tow to bring in a fellow on a scooter that had run out of fuel. The 18+ knot wind was determined to blow him to Chicago. By time we crawled our way against that wind and arrived back at the launch site, several pieces of fire department equipment were on scene including a dive team which was about to launch their inflatable before we gave the “OK” sign when we began our tow.
Many of the sea kayaks you will see will be constructed of Kevlar or other synthetic materials. Still, many of our paddlers have constructed their own Skin On Frame using nylon or similar material instead of seal skins.
These boats are a joy to roll and easy to carry due to their light weight. I invested in a carbon boat which is significantly lighter than the others (save for skin on frame).
Some of us will be wearing a baggy-looking garment called a Tuilik. It has a hood and the generous “hem” that snugs around the cockpit rim to help keep water out.
Finally, most of us do not use the Euro blade style paddle you see with recreational paddlers. We mostly use a Greenland “stick” which is light, wonderful for rolling and easy on the shoulders. Some of our folks have carved their own paddles.
If you happen to see one (or more) of us ashore, come say hello and have a look at our equipment and learn about the Inuit presence right here on “our “lake.
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Richard E. Silberman, MD, is a cardiologist, Adjunct Professor at UWM and WCTC, an ACA Certified L4 open water coastal sea kayak instructor, professional musician, a black belt in Judo and a fine arts photographer.
Photos provided by author.
Photo at top of page: Qayaq
Other photos:
