St. Joseph Island is a Canadian island located in the North Channel of Lake Huron, near Sault Ste. Marie. At 325 km² (125 mi²), it’s the 6th largest lake island in the world, and the 3rd largest in Canada (after Manitoulin Island and île René-Levasseur). If you’re looking for an interesting, yet accessible, destination away from the crowds—this is it. You can read the account of our own paddling trip here.
Given its scenic waters and historic appeal, paddling around St. Joseph Island can be a great adventure for intermediate-level paddlers. A complete loop is about 100 km (62 statute miles), and takes between 3-5 days by sea kayak—depending on weather, fitness and motivation. Much of the route is sheltered and large crossings can be avoided; still, paddlers may encounter 1 m (3′) waves and 40 km/h (25 mph) winds and should be comfortable in such conditions. While waterfront development is common along a good portion of the Island, much of the shoreline is uninhabited. And the best part is, you’ll get to paddle in the wake of ancient travelers, pretty much by yourself.
In 1622, the explorer Étienne Brûlé became the first European to discover St. Joseph Island, known at the time as Anipich or “place of the hardwood trees”. Brûlé could not have known that this unassuming island would play a critical role in supporting the fur trade and defending imperial interests in the New World for centuries to follow. To consolidate the distant reaches of their empire, the British built a fort on the southern tip of St. Joseph Island, a strategic peninsula overlooking the trade route. Completed in 1796, the fort was known as a remote and lonely outpost. Yet despite its isolation, the Fort’s historical role is undeniable: the opening battle of the War of 1812—a successful campaign to seize the American fort on nearby Mackinac Island—was launched from here. American troops later burned Fort St. Joseph to the ground in retaliation for that initial attack.
Today’s paddlers can still hear echoes of this colourful past as they glide through the scenic and sheltered waters around St. Joseph Island. The ruins of Fort St. Joseph are open to visitors and directly accessible from the water. In contrast to its military history, peaceful settlements, farming, and vacation homes are now the way of life on this quaint island. Hardwood trees continue to be abundant, and vast forests support a vibrant maple syrup industry. Those fascinated by the technology of shipping can observe behemoth Lake Freighters in their natural habitat, steaming to and from Lake Superior. And along the Island’s northern shoreline lies the Canadian Shield – a rugged landscape of barren rock and windswept pine immortalized in the art of the famous Group of Seven.
To add to the area’s charm, camping is possible on a dozen wild, uninhabited islands, many with secluded beaches of sand or stone. As you sit by the crackling campfire, fireflies dancing skyward under the watchful gaze of a million stars, you may find yourself not ever wanting to go home.
Click on the “Guide” tab at the top of this page to learn about our innovative guide, packed with information for your own adventure here. Under the “Gallery” tab you’ll see more photos of this beautiful island. The “Circumnavigators” tab reveals a list of those who report having boated completely around St. Joseph Island.
GET THE GUIDE HERE!
Additional Information on St. Joseph Island (External Links):
Our detailed guide—the world’s first and only—to paddling around St. Joseph Island is available now! Based on years of experience and meticulous research, this guide will save you hours of frustration sifting through incomplete, outdated and questionable sources. In fact, it’s packed with insider information only available to those with local knowledge of the area!
We use a unique one-sheet format that focuses on the critical information you need to plan and run your own trip. Condensed into the front and back of a single 8.5″ x 11″ sheet for ultimate portability, key information will always be at your finger tips. This includes knowledge on routes, weather and environmental conditions, as well as an inventory of local hazards and strategies to avoid or deal with them. The guide also includes a detailed overview map listing potential camp sites, boat launches, grocery and hardware stores, hospitals and attractions—in short, just about all the beta you need to make your own trip around the Island a success.
Check out what our guide contains—nowhere else can you get this much detail so accessibly.
Every aspect of this guide has been designed to optimize your enjoyment, safety and success in completing this trip. As always, our destination Quick Guides are printed on special adventure “paper”, so they are:
- Waterproof
- Lightweight
- Tear resistant
- Detailed
- Easy to fold
- Pen and pencil compatible
- Ultra portable
- Intuitive
- Concise
- Recyclable
In addition to these great features, we will automatically include a second identical copy of this guide, free of charge. You could keep it as a backup below deck, or with another member of your party. This redundancy is unique to AdventureProof, because we want your trip to be successful. All of this is yours for only $14.95 CAD (plus tax). As part of our introductory pricing, we’ll even include free shipping within Canada!
AdventureProof yourself by ordering this clever and intuitive guide today!
GET THE GUIDE HERE!
Welcome to the Log of the Circumnavigators! This is a list of adventurers who have completed a loop around St. Joseph Island by boat. (Entries are as reported by the participants and have not been independently verified).
If you’ve completed a full circumnavigation yourself, fill in the form at the bottom of this page—we’ll then add your name to this select list!
DATE(S)
NAME(S)
BOAT TYPE(S)
COMMENTS
June 7-10, 2012
Roland Hanel, Sara O’Neill
Sea Kayak
Amazing chorus of frogs at Stribling Point!
June 30-July 3, 2004
Eric Pannike, Roland Hanel
Sailboat
Remote feeling among the many uninhabited islands
Summer 1998 or 1999
Eric Pannike, Roland Hanel, Julia Hanel, Michelle Wolfe Miscio
Motorboat
Saw a half submerged power boat adrift after striking a reef
Fill out this form to be included in the Log of the Circumnavigators for St. Joseph Island!