Gull Lake Memories: A Kayaking Adventure

Gull Lake Memories – A kayaking adventure is a 2021 Book Award Medalist in the FAPA President’s Book Awards which recognizes book publishing excellence and creativity in design, content, and production. Gull Lake Memories was awarded a Bronze Medal in the Sports, Recreation and Fitness category.

Boundary Waters canoe trips are legendary in Northern Minnesota. My family and I reminisce about past canoe trips and anticipate new ones. These trips are packed with adventure. We also reflect on the beauty of the lakes closer to home. Our family’s cabins are 2 1/2 hours north of Minneapolis, in the Brainerd Lakes area. Brainerd and its lake life is less isolated than trekking and paddling in those far northern waters, yet it too is full of adventure. These days the idea of a “Boundary Waters” trip on Gull Lake is more my speed. I’m ready for a canoe trip where I can pull up to a dock at the end of the day and settle into a comfortable bed. A beautiful room in one of Gull Lake’s historic resorts sounds like a sweet alternative to portaging across animal trails while balancing a canoe on my shoulders, then setting up camp and zipping into a sleeping bag. This idea became reality as my cousins and I talked by the lake one beautiful summer day in July. As with any great idea, once you get started, sparks fly. My cousin Michelle suggested that a comprehensive, unbiased review of the lake’s main resorts would be the perfect pairing for this revised version of a “Boundary Waters” trip.