Kayakers paddle around Presque Isle at twilight. (Courtesy photo)

MARQUETTE — Like many who call Marquette County home, access to the great outdoors is important to Alexandra Jarvis and Anders Ahlberg.

Their adventurous upbringings, paired with a passion for spending time outdoors, led them to Marquette, and eventually to the start of their new venture — Superior Kayaking Company.

“Marquette is obviously a community that holds recreational activity in high regard,” said Ahlberg. “We love that the area is utilized so extensively for biking, hiking and skiing. Plenty of people also get out on and in the water every summer, but we are sometimes surprised at how infrequently we see other people on the water. It would be great if even more people learned to safely enjoy Lake Superior from beyond the shore.”

Both Jarvis and Ahlberg said it was Northern Michigan University that brought them to the area. The two met during college, and later teamed up to bring guided sea kayak tours around Presque Isle and other locations across the region.

“After I graduated from Northern and started working a regular 9-5, I would daydream about the days when my office was a beach,” said Jarvis. “I never once got tired of looking at Lake Superior.”

While Jarvis said she loves the serenity of paddling and the ability to “get off the beaten path,” Ahlberg said it’s the lake’s variability that draws him to the sport.

The lake’s many moods are what keep it interesting, he said.

“(Lake Superior) has so many faces and it reminds me of how we lack the ability to control nature,” Ahlberg said. “On the mornings when the wind has died and the waves have calmed, I enjoy the silent reflections of trees and rocks on the water. I also enjoy when the waves are crashing into the beach and you can see and feel the power of the lake as you paddle.”

After working with local agencies to mitigate their impact on the local beaches and getting approval from the Marquette City Commission to launch from Presque Isle Park, Jarvis and Ahlberg opened their calendar to reservations beginning Memorial Day weekend.

“The whole process was quite extensive and took a year to complete, but we really care about keeping Marquette pristine,” said Jarvis.

Superior Kayaking Co. has nine tandem kayaks and several single kayaks for guides and odd numbered groups.

“We use tandem kayaks because they are much more stable than a single sea kayak,” said Jarvis. “It also allows us to take families and groups with varying age, fitness and experience levels which is something we really value.”

In addition to one- to three-hour guided tours around Presque Isle, Superior Kayaking Company also offers day trips around Grand Island near Munising, ranging from three to six hours, as well as an overnight option for those wishing to take a more extensive expedition.

“We’re really flexible with scheduling,” said Ahlberg. “Last summer, weather was our only limiting factor of scheduling tours. We look forward to offering the same flexibility and accommodating the schedule of anyone who calls.”

While they have yet to guide their first group this year, both Ahlberg and Jarvis said they believe Superior Kayaking Co. will have a positive impact on the area.

“Marquette is a phenomenal town that gets quite a bit of traffic during the summer months,” said Jarvis. “Whether it’s local residents, families on vacation, prospective NMU students, etc., we think it’s important to provide a safe outlet for people to explore the waters of Lake Superior.”

Reservations can be made by calling Ahlberg at 906-284-2649 or Jarvis at 517-643-1550. For more information, visit www.superiorkayaking.com.