Are you planning a guided kayaking tour on Isle Royale? Learn what conditions apply when doing business with Isle Royale National Park with a guided kayaking Commercial Use Authorization (CUA).
Guided Kayak Tours
Definition of Services Authorized Under This Permit: Guided kayak tour services consists of providing clients tours to destinations within the boundaries of Isle Royale National Park by kayak while always maintaining continuous presence with the visitors/clients throughout their tour.
The holder and employees registered under this Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) will provide Guided Kayaking Tours in accordance with the following conditions:
Isle Royale Specific Guided Kayaking Conditions
Watercraft Season
Watercraft will be allowed to enter park waters during Isle Royale's boating season, generally from 12:00 a.m. on April 15th until 11:59 p.m. on October 31st. Visit the Boating Guide for the most up to date information on boating season open and close dates.
The following area is closed to commercial guided kayaking tours:
West end of Isle Royale between Todd Harbor to the north and Fisherman's home to the south.
When providing guided kayaking tours, the CUA holder (holder), or registered employees of the business, will maintain a continuous presence with clients.
Operators will guide water-based day use tours within Isle Royale National Park, by means of a seaworthy, non-motorized kayak. Specific minimum requirements for kayak vessels utilized are listed in the Guided Kayak Equipment Checklist.
If multiple groups, from the same or different outfitters, are navigating Isle Royale waterways at the same time, these groups must travel as a separate pod, maintaining a recommended distance of 100 yards from each other.
Overnight backcountry use is not authorized solely under this CUA. Overnight backcountry use requires a separate permit.
Holders providing trips that include overnight group camping are limited to a maximum of 80 people per year. This number includes guides.
Guided tours will strive to conduct operations utilizing Leave No Trace outdoor ethics.
Safety and Communications
The holder and associated guides are responsible for reasonably ensuring the safety of their clients at all times.
The holder is responsible for ensuring that all clients and guides are safely equipped and properly clothed for the activity and current/projected weather conditions prior to the trip. This includes, but is not limited to, the equipment listed in the Guided Kayak Equipment Checklist.
It is the responsibility of the holder and associated guides to be aware of small craft advisories and to not launch trips while small craft advisories are in effect. It is also the responsibility of the holder and associated guides to recognize that emergency assistance from the NPS may be delayed or not possible during small craft advisories and gale warnings, for all locations within the park.
All guides must have adequate training. One guide on each trip must have relevant outdoor and maritime channel boating experience along with previous experience kayaking on Lake Superior.
All guides must ensure that all clients are able to understand basic instructions, can sit upright in a kayak, and can remove spray skirt from kayak in the event of a capsize.
A ratio of one (1) guide for every five (5) kayaks, totaling a group of 6, is required. Each guide must stay within 100 yards of the kayaks while on the water.
Guides will maintain a "pod-like behavior" with their clients while traveling within Isle Royale waterways, with the guides always maintaining visual and voice contact with all clients.
Individual safety briefings for the pod of five (5) kayaks will be conducted by each guide prior to the trip covering at a minimum:
Emergency procedures
Weather briefing
Equipment operation to include rudder operations
Minimum distance from guides (100 yards)
Guides will obtain a current, up to date marine weather forecast and ensure that lake conditions are safe for travel before departure on any portion of a trip/tour.
All guides escorting clients will be equipped with a maintained and functioning marine band radio for use in the event of any emergency.
Licenses and Certifications
The holder and guide(s) registered under this permit are required to possess the following:
As stated above, each kayak guide will be "qualified" in one of three ways prior to guiding clients:
Completion of the Isle Royale Kayak Guide Task Book
Completion of the American Canoe Association - Coastal Kayaking Level 2 Essentials of Kayak Touring Trip Leader
The holder must ensure that a member of their staff with current CPR and first aid certifications accompany each charter.
The holder must provide Isle Royale's Commercial Services Manager with a list of employees and their current CPR/first aid certifications including expiration dates. Actual copies of these certifications are not required; however, the holder must maintain their files and provide this documentation if requested by the National Park Service.
If the holder is providing any food/meal services while within Isle Royale park boundaries, the holder and/or guide on board the vessel must have and maintain a food handler certification. Documentation of this training must also be provided for in the list of employee certifications and actual certifications must be provided upon service request.
Reporting Requirements
In addition to the annual CUA report that is required of all CUA holders, the guided kayaking tours CUA has additional reporting requirements.
The CUA holder must submit all the dates and itineraries of each guided kayaking trip planned for the upcoming season two weeks prior to their first trip, or May 1st annually, whichever comes first.
If the CUA holder guides more than ten (10) trips per season, they also must submit a monthly visitor use report that includes number of trips, number of clients, launch point, and number of day trips vs. overnight trips. The report for each month of operation will be due on the 15th day of the following month. The Commercial Services Manager will provide a form for this reporting.
