By Mike Koehler
The view of Elkhart Lake from the shoreline is impressive. However, by venturing onto the lake with a kayak or paddle board you and your family will obtain a unique and more intimate view of Elkhart Lake, its shoreline and various bays, its resorts, and the surrounding rural landscape.
Atop a paddle board, you will clearly see beneath the surface of the lake, its fish and vegetation, and gain a new appreciation for Elkhart Lake’s legendary crystal-clear water. For the less sure-footed, kayaking provides the same experience plus the ability to glide across the water at a comfortable pace. Whether venturing onto the lake via paddle board or kayak, when the summer sun makes you toasty consider dipping into the lake to create your own private swim area. If doing so, it is best to stay close to the shoreline and inside the Slow-No-Wake buoys which surround the perimeter of the lake.
The best times to kayak or paddle board Elkhart Lake in the summer are daily before 10 a.m. or after 7:30 p.m. as “Slow-No-Wake” regulations apply or Sundays (the second Sunday of June – the second Sunday of September) as motor driven boats are prohibited.
If you don’t have your own paddle board or kayak, no fear, rentals are available through Elkhart Lake Watersports or Osthoff Resort Recreation Rentals.
