Jaymie Depew, communications and special project assistant, Alger County Chamber of Commerce/Greater Munising Bay Partnership for Commerce Development, Munising Downtown Development Authority and Munising Visitors Bureau

Apostle Islands Cruises and Apostle Islands Kayaking of Bayfield, Wisconsin are the newest members of the Alger County Chamber of Commerce.

Home to the highest concentration of lighthouses in North America, 21 islands with sandstone cliffs and sea caves and 12 miles of shoreline make up the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Scattered along Lake Superior, the “Apostles” have been carved out by the big lake over thousands of years, creating the scenic features today that are best viewed by boat or kayak.

Operating out of Bayfield daily from late May to mid-October, Apostle Islands Cruises is authorized by the National Park Service and U.S. Department of the Interior as a park concessioner. The company offers narrated sightseeing cruises and charter trips to the islands and offshore locations throughout the national lakeshore.

The Grand Tour, a 3-hour cruise that brings passengers 55 miles along the lakeshore, is the most popular excursion. Onboard, passengers will see the historic Raspberry and Devils Island lighthouses, standing rocks, amazing sea caves, and marine wildlife.

A new addition to the Bayfield area this year is Apostle Islands Kayaking – the only boat-assisted kayaking adventure in the national lakeshore. The company will offer daily ½-day escapades from June 3 through early October.

With Apostle Islands Kayaking, paddlers first board a kayak-launching boat and bask in the beautiful sights before being placed in the water in tandem sea kayaks near some of the best parts of the park. From there, kayakers explore roughly five miles of sea caves, cliffs, rock formations, and hidden beaches of the Apostle Islands. The boat, which is equipped with bathrooms, sits offshore throughout the entire kayaking tour. After the paddling portion of the trip is over, which lasts about two hours, kayakers board the boat and head back to Bayfield.

For more information about Apostle Island Cruises and Apostle Islands Kayaking, visit www.apostleisland.com. For information on how to become a member of the Alger County Chamber of Commerce, visit www.algercountychamber.com or call the Munising office at 906-387-2138.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jaymie Depew is the communications and special project assistant for the Alger County Chamber of Commerce/Greater Munising Bay Partnership for Commerce Development, Munising Downtown Development Authority and Munising Visitors Bureau.