(989) 550-6651
119 E. Spring St., Port Austin, MI 48467
www.portaustinkayak.com
Port Austin is quickly becoming one of the best places to kayak in the Midwest, so I met up with the man who could show me why. Chris Boyle owns the Port Austin Kayak and Bike Shop, and he rents everything from beginner kayaks to some pretty cool state-of-the art stuff. If you’re into kayaking or want to learn, he’s got everything you need.
Until we hit the water, I didn’t realize just how much fun kayaking could be. The water was clear, calm and unbelievably warm. And the views were spectacular, but according to Chris, we hadn’t seen anything yet. About a half hour into the trip we paddled around a rocky point, and what we saw was unbelievable. It was a huge rock formation called Turnip Rock, and I had no idea this kind of shoreline existed on Lake Huron. Turnip Rock is like a giant upside down triangle with trees growing on top. I’m not even sure how it stays upright.
We pulled into a little bay surrounded by cliffs and some pretty outrageous rock formations and took a few minutes for lunch. Chris lived in the Detroit area and vacationed in Port Austin as a kid. He started kayaking up there as an adult, fell in love with it and moved on up. I have to say that Chris is one of the nicest people you will ever encounter, in or out of a kayak. He made my first time experience a blast. If you’ve got it in ya, get to Port Austin and get in a kayak. Just promise not to turn turnip rock right side up. 🙂