Fall/Winter 2013 Coast&Kayak Magazine

7/22/2019 Fall/Winter 2013 Coast&Kayak Magazine

1/68FALL/WINTER 2013 COAST&KAYAK MAGAZINE 1

Join us in Crete, Fiji,Costa Rica and Antarctica

World destinationsFALL/WINTER 2013FREE at select outlets andonline or by subscription

Volume 23, Issue 3

www.coastandkayak.com

PM41687515

MagazineThe magazine of Pacic coast adventures and recreation


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2 COAST&KAYAK MAGAZINE FALL/WINTER 2013

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FALL/WINTER 2013 COAST&KAYAK MAGAZINE 3

Paddling in Fiji 8

This issues cover by Andrew Leary

How to stay upright 42

Penguins, history and ice 20

Its not often we can show a historic

European location on the cover of

Coast&Kayak Magazine, which was a big part

of the decision to feature Andrew Learys

image of Loutro, Crete, in this issue. Andrew

is a guide and instructor with Northwest

Passages, and an associate of Dana

Paskiewicz, who contributed this issues look

at Crete in a presentation featuring Pacic

Northwest sta photography. Andrew has

worked professionally in the outdoors since

2005, with tasks involving everything from

a guiding wilderness experience for urban

youth in Chicago, to ski patrol and avalanche

mitigation in Utah, to working for collegiate

outdoor programs. He is the lead climbing

guide for Northwest Passage and also guides

their Greek tours.

First Word .......................................................................4

News..................................................................................6

Monkeying around in Costa Rica...................16

Planning and safety .............................................. 28

Wildlife/Ecology ......................................................30

North Vancouver Island ...................................... 33

Broken Group/Barkley Sound ......................... 34

Sunshine Coast ........................................................36

Day Trips: Desolation/Discovery ...................38

Day Trips: The Gulf Islands ................................. 40

Skillset .......................................................................... .. 42

Gearing up: winter warmth .............................. 44

Inside

Stepping out of the Zodiac onto the beach at Salisbury

Plain on South Georgia Island was like stepping out

onto a bustling boulevard in a big city, except all the

pedestrians were king penguins, as Mark Klein found

on his and wife Nikki Rekmans journey through

Antarctica.

Alex Matthews adds ve ways to help your stability in

a kayak. And a few of the suggestions on the list may

surprise you.

Kayaker and photographer Bob Kandiko takes to the

tropical paradise of Fiji in this photo essay covering the

Yasawa Islands, a chain ideal for exploration on, over

and under the water.
http://www.h2opaddles.com/


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Fall/Winter 2013 Volume 23, Number 3

PM No. 41687515

A product of:

Wild Coast Publishing

PO Box 24, Stn ANanaimo, B.C., Canada, V9R 5K4

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Physical address: Aboard the Rainy Day,Somewhere on the Pacic Ocean

The worlds only magazine published from aboard a boat(that we know of, anyway).

2013. Copyright is retained on all material (text, photos and graphics) in this magazine.

No reproduction is allowed of any material in any form, print or electronic, for any purpose,

except with the permission of Wild Coast Publishing.

Some elements in maps in this magazine are reproduced withthe permission of Natural Resources Canada 2010, courtesyof the Atlas of Canada. Also, our thanks to Geobase for some

elements that may appear on Coast&Kayak maps.

SUBSCRIBEBeginning this year Coast&Kayak Magazine will only

be printing three issues. Subscribers will have thenumber of copies extended where applicable toreceive the number paid for at time of purchase.

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Other dates yet tobeset .

I celebrated a milestone recently: my 50th. To mark it, Leanne and I took off on ashort cycling tour through the Gulf Islands. Say what you will about age being only anumber, you cant ignore things like stiff backs from sleeping pads and the reducedgusto when climbing yet another hill. These arent things you had to put up with in your

30s, for those who still remember those years.I like to point out to anyone who will listen that in end-of-life interviews, the majorityof oldtimers will point to their 50s as the best decade. And

why not? Youre still young enough to do everything a youngerperson can, even if slightly slower, but with the wisdom,experience, relative health and hopefully nancial freedom toactually make best use of the chances while you still have them.

I cant help but think my 40s were pretty good to me. WhenI left my 30s, I was alone on a beach north of Brooks Peninsulawith just a bear for company (he ran when he saw me) and twowarm beers I had saved for that day. They werent half as goodas I had hoped. The weather was cold and wet, I was going through my second divorce(yes, second!) and I was in a job I didnt enjoy. Not that I was complaining. I took thatsummer off to kayak around Vancouver Island and my life changed drastically as a result

almost all for the better.So turning 50 with my beautiful partner Leanne on beautiful Galiano Island was a

pleasure indeed. We drank beers (cold ones!) at a funky Galiano bistro. It was a goodtime to look back on some progress in my personal life over that decade, notably vebooks, two atlases and the creation of a small but growing publishing company with myofce on a beautiful old Canoe Cove 36 cabin cruiser. How perfect is that?

Its funny how life could go one way or the other by circumstances completely beyondones control. For instance, back as editor at the Nanaimo Free Press I was short-listedfor a job as city editor at the Vancouver Province. I knew what getting it would mean:a change from Vancouver Island to a big city, a fast pace, a completely different set ofpriorities. The Wild Coast books and Coast&Kayak Magazine would probably never

have happened. I knew I didnt want the job, not deep inside, but I would have takenit anyway for the experience. In other words, I was close to missing out on almosteverything I value today. In a different example, Paul Willcocks hired me out of Ontarioas editor at the Nanaimo Free Press back in 1993, which got me to Vancouver Island

when I really had no right to be here (I mean, a 29-year-old managing editor at a dailynewspaper. What was he thinking?). Everything in my life cascaded from that one mansdubious decision. Had Paul had a different mindset that day and picked someone else Imight still be in southern Ontario somewhere, still never having stepped in a kayak, letalone now cruising the coast in my oating ofce.

So I dont for a moment believe 50 is just a number. Its neither good nor bad, its justpart of life and what you make of it. So heres to the next 50.

- John Kimantas

[email protected]

Thoughts on growing old(er)

COAST&KAYAK MAGAZIN Eis an independent magazineavailable free at hundreds of print distribution sites (paddlingshops, outdoor stores, paddling clubs, marinas, events, etc.),and globally on the web.

Paid subscriptions are available for those who prefer homedelivery.

Articles, photos, events, news are all welcome.

General queries: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected]

Online: www.coastandkayak.comBack issues: Turn the carousel on our back issuespage, click on the issue you want to read.

Coast&Kayak Magazine is dedicated to making self-propelledcoastal exploration fun and accessible. Safety and travel

information is provided to augment pre-existing safety andknowledge. A safety course and proper equipment are advised

before any exploration on water. See a list of paddling instructionlocations at www.coastandkayak.com

Kayakers (look for the dot) head past a

picturesque headland in this photo from

atop Monarch Head, Saturna Island.

Contact Us:

Find Us:

The First Word
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News

First Nations Watchman Program in western Broughton Archipelago to be

there for your safety when visiting our traditional territory.

www.adventuresvillageisland.com &www.aboriginaladventurescanada.com

Phone: 250-287-2955 Email: [email protected]

ADVENTURES VILLAGE ISLANDAll inclusive Sea kayak multi-day adventures with the aboriginal cultural

component & catering to the Avid Kayaker with trip planning, tent platforms,

cabins styled like traditional bighouse, private Indian Reserve island for

booked campsites and the famous Village Island Cultural Tour!

Island proves temperamentalThe blog entry on June 12 reads:I'm leaving Stories Beach, just east

of Port Hardy in about two hours time,around 4 p.m. Feeling good. Conditionscalm, both wind and seas, nothing majorhappening, everything gently in my favour,

at least through Friday, then a couple ofmore honest, variable days around Tono,though still relatively calm.

The blog entry on June 21 reads:Show is over I just bailed in Ucluelet

around 1 p.m. too cold early on in thetrip. You cant stop and be changing orputting the tent up every time just to eatand drink. Also headwinds for rst sevendays then when I did get a 40 knot NW Igot too chilled, paddling in Lifa underwearand a light shell, so I couldnt stop to eatand drink, as I was only just warm enoughin the boat well, not really warm enough.After a while I got so cold I could hardlyhold onto my paddle and had to campearly to stave off hypothermia, wastinghalf a day of ne downwind runs. Myfault for not having a dry suit, but whowould have thought a NW would be socold? Runs were fantastic, belting along

at over 22 kph a couple of times. Blistersand wounds under the blisters killing meand headwind forecast for next three dayswasnt spelling breaking the record, so Ibailed. Too hard of a gig to carry on justfor the sake of carrying on.

Its proof you should neverunderestimate how tough the conditionsare going to be in attempting to set a speedrecord paddling around Vancouver Island.

Jerome Trurans time to beat was 15

days, 11 hours and 47 minutes, set byColin Angus in 2011.

On day ten Jerome bowed out inUcluelet. He was attempting an unassistedrecord that is, no outside help for theduration of the trip.

For more information aboutother island record attempts, visitCoast&Kayaks circumnavigation recordpage at www.coastandkayak.com/islandrace.html.

LiamM

cNeilphoto

Jerome Truran on the

beach at Wya Point near

Ucluelet shortly before

calling it quits
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News

More trails now onlineThe North Shore has recently been

added to the Nova Scotia Coastal WaterTrail website with 62 launch sites forpaddlers and an introduction to paddlingthat region of the coast.

This new coastal section is along the

Northumberland Strait from the NewBrunswick border to the Canso Causeway.The eld work was done last summer.Each site description has land and seadirections, a GPS reading, photos, nearbyservices and possible nearby waterwaysto explore. This water trail section joinsothers already on line in Cape Breton andalong the South Shore.

This is a Canoe Kayak Nova Scotiaproject funded by the Nova ScotiaDepartment of Health and Wellness.u www.trails.gov.ns.ca

Red tape delays journeyPlans by a pair of young Victoria, BC

men to kayak 6,500 km from the mouthof the Amazon to Florida has hit its rstmajor hurdle before even entering thewater: red tape.

As of mid July the pair were still

awaiting the arrival of their kayaks. Therst indication of trouble was having topay import fees of about $3,000. Andthe last indication was the shipping agentmissed the connection on the boat, causinga further three-week delay.

As you can imagine this is unbelievablyfrustrating and dejecting, Russell andGraham Henry wrote on their blog.u www.henrykayak.com

Symposium marked for Chile

Kayakers looking to add aninternational element to their trainingmay be interested in a new symposium inChile. It takes place Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 atValdivia on the north edge of Patagoniaand features coaches Roger Schumannand many others in courses from rolling torescues and more.uwww.skps.cl

Kayakers land at Arisaig

Beach, part of the Nova

Scotia Water Trail.
http://www.trails.gov.ns.ca/http://www.trails.gov.ns.ca/http://www.watersdancing.com/http://www.automarine.ca/http://www.blacklinemarine.com/


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by kayakFiji

ExploringWorld Destinations by Bob Kandiko



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THE SOUND OF RAINDROPS on the tent stops.I unzip the y to release the stiing heat and gaze upat countless stars twinkling in the darkest of skies.

My toes curl into the damp sand as my skin tingles with therefreshing breeze rustling the palm fronds overhead. To theeast, lightning illuminates towering cumulonimbus clouds.

In the channel just offshore, lights from drift divers streakupwards from the depths. Microscopic plankton ash theirbioluminescence as gentle waves lap onto the beach. I am lostin the moment.

Baja, Thailand, Panama and the Bahamas are places thatconjure up visions of aquamarine waters, swaying palm treesand brilliant sunshine. These locations are the epitome forexotic tropical sea kayaking destinations. Add Fiji to that list.

Part of Melanesia in the South Pacics western fringe, thecountry of Fiji contains 322 islands, of which only about 110are inhabited. The islands were avoided by early sailors due to

their reputation for cannibalism. Today Fiji attracts internationaltourists who come for world-class diving, surng, kiteboardingand beaches.

Fiji offers many options for sea kayaking, but the ultimatepoint-to-point tour is a trip through the Yasawa Islands. TheYasawas are a chain of 16 large volcanic islands and dozens

of smaller islands that stretch 50 miles on the western side ofthe large island of Viti Levu. This leeward location, oppositethe trade winds, results in a drier climate that gives the Yasawasthe nickname the desert islands. Captain William Bligh sailedthrough them just prior to his infamous mutiny. The Blue Lagoonmovie and one of The Survivortelevision series were lmedhere. The Yasawas contain many exclusive resorts, but they arealso home to many backpacker lodges that operate in a similarfashion to international hostels. These lodges, often operated bylocal villages, allow visitors an opportunity to experience trueFijian culture.

Fiji

An isolated beach along the western shore

of Naviti Island.



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World Destinations

Inset: Karen Neubauer approaches

Wayasewa Island with rocky Vatuvula

Peak rising more than 1,100 feet.



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Fiji



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World Destinations

Looking north over the grassy top of

Wayasewa Island, reached by hiking

trail. Right: Wayalailai Resort from

Vatuvula Peak on Waysewa Island, and

from the resort looking up.



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The 16 Yasawa Islands feature jagged ridges of volcanic rock. Below the lush tropical greenery, crescent coral sand beaches offerrespite from the rocky headlands. On most days cumulus clouds cling to the higher elevations and cast contrasting shadows over thedeep valleys. Sounds of life drift across the water from villages as shermen launch skiffs and children frolic in the shallows. Ancienttrails lead steeply through terraced plots of crops then emerge in wind-swept grasslands offering tantalizing views over the arc ofislands. From a rocky promontory, we gaze almost straight down onto our resort nestled above the beach like a scene from the movieSouth Pacic.

The islands

Fiji
http://www.neckykayaks.com/coast


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A kaleidoscope of colour saturates our eyes aswe oat over the vibrant coral reef. Multitudes ofsh dart around the polyps as they search for tinymorsels of food. Anemones, starsh and clams inrich colours feed on the abundant plankton. Anoccasional turtle or ray passes by on the current,while small sharks patrol the deep drop-offs.Suspended in a uid universe of life, we are

strangers to this world.

he diving

World Destinations



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BULA. So begins a uniquemoment of our trip to the

Yasawas. The word is said with anemotion and infectious warmthby the Fijians as they welcome

you to their village. Bulais not just a greeting, but an

expression of the celebration oflife. Akin to the serenity foundin the Namaste greeting of

the Sherpas of Nepal, the FijianBula captures the essence of

a joyful spirit, love of life andinvitation to others to share in

this optimistic attitude. From theopening serenade upon landing

on their island to the scrumptiousbuffet dinners on the open decks,

the Fijian spirit leaves a lastingmemory of goodwill.

The people
http://www.valleyseakayaks.com/


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Solitude can be found on small islands such as

Honeymoon Island.

World Destinations



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Fiji



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The paddles slice through crystalclear water as we slide over the mosaicof brilliant colored coral fans. Thesecurity of the lagoon is now behind usas we crest over the foam left by wavesurges coming from the deeper seas.

Four miles ahead lies a Bali Haistyle of island with its distinctivevolcanic form rising above the cobalt

blue water. Gentle swells and a followingwind make for an effortless crossingallowing us to relax and absorb all thesensations. The warmth of the breeze,the textures of the waves, the soundsof seabirds and the ashy reections ofsunlight all envelop our senses.

A brief rain shower refreshes us withits cooling moisture. Rounding a cliffheadland we sneak through the reef toslide onto a perfect arc of beach nestledbelow swaying palms just as a rainbow

lls our horizon.

The kayaking

Fiji

About the author:Bob Kandiko has beenpaddling with his wife,Karen Neubauer, fromtheir beach home onBellingham Bay for 30years. As school teachersthey have ample vacation

time to plan and enjoy adventures whetherin kayaks or by hiking or climbing inwilderness ranges. Bobs photos can beviewed in six books published on Blurb,includingSea Kayaking Alaska, whichprovided the basis for a photo feature inthe Winter 2011 issue of Coast&Kayak, aswell as Paddling Paradise: Sea Kayaking in theTropics.

www.blurb.com

Paddling for the pot of gold at the end

of a Fijian rainbow.


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Monkeyingaroundin costa rica

OUR LANDINGwas cut short, the nal approach tothe airstrip interrupted somehow. The pilot looped backaround Drake Bay while apologizing to us, the only two

passengers in the 12-seater plane, but we didnt mind. It gave usan unexpected second chance for a birds eye view of the CostaRican shoreline.

Clearly, Costa Ricas southwest Pacic coast is a locationmade for exploration. Clear skies allowed us a view most of theway from the San Jose airport southward, showing a coastlinepeppered lightly with communities but mostly just endless sandbeaches backed by jungle. At Drake Bay a few dozen homes and

resorts hugged the nearby hillsides, but behind them the rainforestdisappeared into the shallow mountains of Corcovado NationalPark.

We descended a second time and in a few minutes we weretrudging along the dirt and grass runway to the airport terminal,a shack of an ofce with a verandah serving as a waiting area. Wefound a spot in the shade out of the blistering heat and waitedfor a pre-booked taxi that was destined never to come. Eventuallya local arrived in a pickup truck to take us to our lodge, a triprequiring drives across various riverbeds. Bridges are a luxury thathave yet to extend this far, we found.

World Destinations by John Kimantas



21/68


Luxury wasnt our motive for picking Drake Bay. Quite theopposite. The new highway that extends down the west coastof Costa Rica ends at Sierpe, from which most visitors and evenresidents must travel by boat to reach Drake Bay. The improvedhighway is helping transform the countrys west coast into a stripmall of tourist destinations nowhere near the extent of MexicosYucatan Peninsula yet, but the writing is on the wall as rentedcars race along the coastline. Drake Bay, meanwhile, is one of thefew places left in Costa Rica still off the main roadmap. It is thenorthern gateway to Corcovado National Park, the jewel of theCosta Rican national park system and one of the worlds most

densely populated wildlife reserves. Our host, Ben Miltner, basesthe Costa Rican side of his Gulf Islands Kayaking operation outof Drake Bay, giving us access to possibly the only breglass seakayak eet in the country. Plastic sit-on-tops may abound, butour old cold-water paddling habits die hard and we were happy tohave the pick of a rainbow of well-loved Nimbus models.

Ben was scheduled to arrive a few days after us, which gave usa chance to explore the land side of the country rst. We werehappy to nd a hiking trail extending from Drake Bay along outerOsa Peninsula to the Corcovado park border. A scattering of eco-lodges and resorts line the shore, but otherwise it was our dream

Costa Rica

Our guide Ben Miltner of Gulf

Islands Kayaking takes a shortcut

through some rocks; inset: a white-

faced capuchin takes a closer look

at our Nimbus kayak during a lunch

break.



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trail of easily traversed jungle headlands

joining a seemingly endless selection ofpristine sand beaches. Somehow six- andseven-hour hikes became a natural part ofour daily plan to search out new and betterbeaches.

My hope was to see at least one monkeythis trip, but I neednt have worried. Tenminutes into our rst hike we encountereda tribe of white-faced capuchins, thecurious but often cranky critters thatpopulate the coast here and can regularlybe seen clambering the nearby trees.

They topped the population of rainforestmammals to be seen, but it wasnt longbefore we could add to the list anteaters,spider monkeys, agoutis (giant guineapigs), and in one case a herd of wild boar not an encounter to be taken lightly, ifthe eeing locals were any indication.

Plus there were the birds so manyvarieties in so many colours. The mostmajestic were the scarlet macaws. Eachafternoon a group would feed at beachsidetrees, their mid-afternoon feast of nuts,

ours of colour. Comical toucans made

World Destinations

Above: Leanne Chetcuti passes jungle on a choppy day o Drake Bay; below: Ben Miltner

leads an exploration through a meandering jungle river.


23/68


the world seem like a childs cartoon. Andwhen a ock of mysterious bright greenbirds turned out to be parrots, it was awarm feeling to know there are places inthe world where they still thrive outsidecages in healthy numbers.

When Ben arrived we were happy tokick off his kayaking season. He wasthe perfect host for a kayak outing, an

experienced raconteur who managed topoint out elements we may have otherwisemissed. Key among them was a slothfamily with a baby wrapped around themothers belly. The pair nestled in the treesjust above eye level along a river bank aperfect hiding spot from everything butkayakers. We continued upstream till therapids got the better of us. Above us aspider monkey swung over the river fromtree to tree. Below us an alligator skimmedthe surface, as wary of us as we were of it.

Or so I liked to think.

On a later kayak trip we set oursights farther from Drake Bay towardsCorcovado park. The perfect lunchspot was in front of a large rock ringthat created a breakwater for a surf-freelanding. More capuchins joined us as wesat on the beach, curious to explore ourkayaks, with one bold fellow going sofar as to look inside our cockpit while

another lifted our life vest in search of amisplaced sandwich. (A short video ofthis has been posted on Youtube checkfor Monkeys on kayaks from posterjk222100). Kayaking with monkeys wasa rst for us. Vancouver Island seemed along way away.

With hundreds of miles of relativelybenign shore, Costa Rica looked invitingfor an extended tour along the coast. Butwhile long renowned for being a friendlycountry, tourist bulletins are increasingly

dire about the risk of travelling here,

particularly with regard to sleeping on thebeach. Its the curse of the tropics thatdrug trafcking, theft, violent crimes andpoaching all seem on the increase. But onOsa Peninsula, at least, we found a worldof peace.

May the grid move slowly on its waytoward Drake Bay.

John Kimantas is editor of Coast&Kayak

Magazine and author of seven publications

including the BC Coast Explorer and Wild

Coast series.

Costa Rica

Above: a moody evening in the jungles looking towards Corcovado National Park.. Right: A

scarlett macaw has his afternoon snack, part of a world so colourful that the bright macawcan actually appear well camouaged within the tree cover. This is an exception.


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Exploring the coastline by foot is easy along the Osa

Peninsula thanks to a trail that skirts the peninsula to link

secluded beaches like this one at Rio Claro

Costa Rica



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Costa Rica

Opposite page, top: a Costan

Rican sunset, but you have to be

quick watching them sunsets

are fast near the equator. Far left:

preparing for a launch from Drake

Bay. Left: historic architecture in

downtown San Jose, the capital

of Costa Rica and the home of the

main airport for reaching points

farther aeld. Above: one of themany roads that cars must cross

through water near Drake Bay.

Right: paddling is one way to enjoy

Costa Rica, while luxury cruise

yachts are another.


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World Destinations

Happy just to see monkeys, the

trip oered more than expected

when a band of white-faced

capuchins decided to give theNimbus kayaks a good solid

inspection.


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Costa Rica


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30 COAST&KAYAK MAGAZINE FALL/WINTER 2013The three pillars of an Antarctic odyssey

STEPPING OUT of the Zodiac onto the beach at SalisburyPlain on South Georgia Island was like stepping out ontoa bustling boulevard in a big city. Here, though, all the

pedestrians were king penguins busy going about their businesswith hardly a moments thought to the wonder-struck humansdisembarking onto the beach.

It was an interesting turn of the tables. Being accustomed to

causing a dramatic response when approaching wildlife, it wasastonishing to nd thisdegree of disinterest. Somepenguins seemed curiousand approached us, whilean equal number seemedmistrustful and walked away,but most just went abouttheir business. And therewerent just penguins on thebeach, but penguins as faras the eye could see some250,000 of them. Fur sealssat here and there, barkingto protect their own littlebackyards, while nearbyhuge glaciers owed out ofdistant mountains. It wasunbelievable, surreal andwonderful.

Salisbury Plain wasdenitely the highlight ofthis Antarctic journey, but itwas also just one of manyincredible places and experiences on a trip

that started at the end of the world, orin this case Fin Del Mundo, in Ushuaia,Argentina, the southernmost city in theworld. At 68 degrees south of the equator,Ushuaia is as far south as Inuvik is north,and a wonderful place to be in October,in the southern hemispheres spring aswe prepared for a paddling expeditionand cruise to the Falklands Islands, SouthGeorgia and the Antarctic peninsula withOne Ocean Expeditions.

We left Ushuaia on the Russian research

vesselAkademik Ioffe, a ship designedfor polar acoustic research. We thensailed east up Beagle Channel, namedfor Charles Darwins ship. By morning Iwas experiencing real ocean swell, and anumber of my shipmates were none toocomfortable. Sea sickness bags appearedeverywhere, strategically stuffed behindpictures in hallways and cleverly wedged

behind railings, just in case, and meals were increasingly poorlyattended. Luckily I was not too severely affected.

Sea days are a feature of almost any trip to Antarctica, whichboasts no cities and no runways capable of handling commercialair trafc, so to visit there you usually travel by ship. TheSouthern Ocean can be one of the roughest in the world. Thesea surrounding the Antarctic continent circles the globe without

being interrupted by a continent, so winds blow and wavescontinue to build forvast distances over muchof the year. In the daysof sail it was commonfor westward attemptsaround Cape Hornthrough Drake Passageto takes months tackinginto wind and waveswithout progress.

For me, thisexperience of the seawas itself a fascinatingpart of the trip. Ive readThe Cruel SeaandMobyDick and many of theHornblower stories, butId never been aboard aship in rough water andIve never had to getmy sea legs. On ourtrip the bow deck wasclosed a number of times

with waves crashing over the front of the

ship and spray hitting the windows of thebridge on deck 6. One of my favouritespots was outside on the lower aft deck,which would one moment seem to be atthe bottom of a valley of waves, and wouldthen rise up on the crest of a swell, wherethe wave-washed ocean would be visibleto the horizon, only to sink back downto be surrounded again by mountainouswaves. This was a poignant experience, thisexhibition of the power of the sea.

Our rst port of call was Stanley, the

capital of the Falkland Islands. I found itparticularly interesting for its history of theArgentine invasion, but we also happenedto arrive there on the sombre occasionof the funeral of Sir Rex Hunt, who hadbeen the governor of the Falklands duringthe war. Apart from the military presencerelated to that event, there were interestingmuseums and memorials. A number of

icePenguins, history and

World Destinations by Mark Klein

Richard Dubois photo

Mark Klein photo


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Antarctica

A pair of king penguins appear

aptly regal against the backdrop of

South Georgia Island mountains.

Left: an example of trac

congestion, Salisbury Plain style,

and author Mark Klein paddles

withAkademik Iofe visible behind.

NikkiRekmanphoto



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Antarctica



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local beaches were still closed due to minesthat were laid during the conict.

Our next destination, after two moredays of open ocean, was South GeorgiaIsland, and our rst chance to get in thekayaks. South Georgia is teeming with lifeand our rst paddle into the bay at Elsehul

was busy with fur seals and elephant sealsand a few nesting rockhopper penguins.The next day was our visit to SalisburyPlain and the last outpost of civilizationthat we would see for many days, the oldwhaling center of Grytviken.

Grytviken was the largest whaling townin the Southern Ocean, and it is tough tooverstate the importance of whaling in theearly 1900s. Whereas now we drill for oil,in the late 19th and early 20th centuriesthe streetlights and chandeliers in Londonand Paris burned whale oil, and whalingin the Southern Ocean was an enormousindustry. We saw rusting old whalingstations in a number of the bays on SouthGeorgia, but at Grytviken we could walkamongst the old equipment, the mealplant, rotating oven, meat cookery andoil storage tanks to really get a feeling forwhat it must have been like in its heyday.

Also in Grytviken we visited the graveof Sir Ernest Shackleton, best known forhis incredible 1,500km feat of navigationfrom Antarctica to South Georgia in

an eight-metre lifeboat called theJamesCaird, and then a hike, with almost nogear, across the snow-capped mountainsof the island to the whaling station atStromness. His original mission was tocross Antarctica from the Weddell Sea tothe Ross Sea via the South Pole, but hisshipEndurancebecame trapped in the ice

in the Weddell Sea and was crushed. Heand his crew overwintered in the ice on theWeddell Sea, and were about to spend theirsecond winter on Elephant Island whenShackleton returned. Remarkably the entirecrew survived the venture.

Finally we sailed for Antarctica, andif the Falklands were about historyand South Georgia was about wildlife,then Antarctica was about ice. There isso much ice on Antarctica that if it allmelted, global sea levels would rise by sixmetres. Mid-continent in some places theice is 1,200 metres thick and the continentis huge at 14 million square kilometres,almost twice the size of Australia and notmuch smaller than South America. Butthose are statistics. From the water every

level surface has a glacier on it, and in thewater, well, theres ice and icebergs andgrowlers everywhere.

And what can I say about kayaking inAntarctica? It was a meditation, an artshow, a dream come true. Most of all,the ice was stunningly beautiful. Floating,melting ice creates incredible sculpture.

World Destinations

Paddling amid the glaciers, above, with Mark

Klein and wife Nikki Rekman pictured with

the penguins on South Georgia Island.

As it melts its center of gravity shiftsand it rolls to nd a new equilibrium. Icethat melts underwater develops dimples

like an oversized golf ball, while at thewaterline melt is the most rapid and thewave action can cut a deep trench into theside of a berg or growler. Exposed to thesun and warming air, different parts of aniceberg seem to melt at different rates, andsometimes shatter and collapse.

And I could go on and on. The moreI write the more I recall and the moreI notice how I feel changed by havingvisited Antarctica and paddled there. TheOne Ocean crew was fantastic, from

the bartenders to the paddling guides.The food was incredible, even in roughseas. Happy hour in the bar was so muchfun, chatting with shipmates about theadventures of that day, and chilling ourdrinks with 1,000-year-old ice. And thesea birds, petrels and albatross coasting inthe wind-wake of the ship there wereso many remarkable experiences to be

SophieBallaghphoto


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had. If this trip is not on your bucket list,consider adding it, it is certain to be oneof the most remarkable experiences ofyour life.

Mark is a programmer, paddler,

photographer, and motorcycle rider living

in Chilliwack, BC, with his wife Nikki Rekman.

The couple has previously shared theirhoneymoon adventure in the Grand Canyon

in the Spring 2011 issue with the article With

this paddle I thee wed. Nikki, who contributed

photographs for this article, is a paddling

industry rep. Visit www.rekman.ca.

Antarctica

SophieBallaghphoto
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspxhttp://www.paddlewestkayaking.com/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index.aspx


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Cretewhile the morning light climbed overthe limestone cliffs surrounding the bay.Our paddlers were a mixed bunch, fromnewbies to Northwest Passage alumni.Our rst destination was Red Beach. Aswe cruised through the calm sea pasttowering seaside cliffs, the shore revealedseveral dark caverns. We strapped on ourheadlamps and ventured in to explore themassive sea caves.

We paddled through a narrow initialopening by placing our paddles on deckand walking through with our hands. Thecaves grand ballroom was a 20-by-30 footcavity, large enough to hold more than a

dozen kayaks. A quick glance up revealedhundreds of quivering, squeaking bats.The silence was broken by a gentle slap ofwake on the walls of the cave, its hollow

ABREATH of fresh air lledmy lungs as I hopped from thedusty rental van into the Cretan

sunshine. The afternoon sun beamedthrough the shade of palms as I grabbedmy bags and headed into town through thecrooked, painted streets of Matala, Greece.It was October, mid-afternoon, and thetemperature was around 25C. Making myway past trinket shops, tavernas, potteryshops, bakeries and jewelers, I located thehotel Id call home for the next few nights.Just a few minutes walk from the Libyansea, it would serve as the base for a week-long sea kayaking trip Id been assigned to

guide.Kayaks, paddles, PFDs, tow ropes and

bilge pumps lined the courtyard of thehotel, which we affectionately dubbed theoven due to its unforgiving afternoonheat. My co-guides and I reviewed ourmaps, notes and the roster of participantsfor our kayaking adventure set to beginearly the next morning.

Far out from the metropolitan buzz ofHeraklion, Matala lies on the south coastof Crete, sandwiched between loggerhead

turtle breeding grounds and traditionalwhite-washed villages reachable only byboat. It is a melting pot of culture, withorigins dating back to the Roman empireand the Minoan civilization, but stillpeppered with the hippie countercultureof the 1960s when the likes of CatStevens, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchellsought solitude in the seaside caves here.Painted daisies, ancient ruins and ocks ofrenegade sheep dot the countryside.

We hit the water early in the morning.

The sea was still asleep, no waves in sight,

exploring

by kayak

World Destinations by Dana Paskiewicz


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Greece

Top: Overlooking the town of Matala. Above: A remote taverna stop

on the south coast of Crete.

Photos this article courtesy the sta of

Northwest Passage.
http://www.bckayaks.com/


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World Destinations

Kayaking through rock formations on the

Libyan Sea.



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Greece



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World Destinations

The mountainous Crete coastline.



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Greece



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cavity echoing the sounds of the sea.Red Beach is accessible only by hiking

trail or boat. Golden sand, intricaterock carvings and cold drinks awaitedour group at this remote waterfrontparadise. The surf picked up a bit andthe winds shifted eastward, creating a tinywhite-capped surf zone at the landingsite. Sending guides in, we coached thekayakers one at a time, high-ving them asthey completed their rst surf landing.

Rocky, pale limestone cliffs contrasted

with aquamarine waters, tamarisk treesswayed in the light breeze and a cloudlesssky hovered overhead. This was theplace where Zeus had seduced Europa.Transforming himself into a beautiful,gentle white bull, Zeus came to her inanimal form. She decorated him withcrowns of owers, climbed onto his backand sealed her fate. Charging into theocean, he carried her from Phoenicia toCrete (where he was raised), some say justeast of Matala, and cast off his animal

form. There, under the shade of a cypress

tree, he made love to her and promised herthe gift of many sons. Mythology, Minoanculture and the magic of the hippiegeneration are rooted so deeply in thislocation its hard not to daydream.

Armed with a bucket and a shovel,a fellow guide grinned as he scrambleddown from an outcropping of rocks. Hetucked a shovel into his hatch and madean announcement to the group that wereall about to partake in an ancient Minoanritual. Within a half hour, nearly every

paddler was covered head-to-toe in Cretanmud, sprawled out on the beach soakingup the beauty treatment. The cares andtroubles of our everyday lives were nowworlds away.

A few strokes of the paddle brought usback into open water, refreshed for moreadventure. The sea rocked with spits ofwhite foam, an indication the conditionshad changed. Keeping a tight group, wepaddled on past arching seaside cliffs andcaves cloaked in shadows. Conditions

became slop and chop, but as I turned

around I saw all the paddlers were stillsmiling.

Thats just the kind of spirit Creteemits, I thought to myself. It isntnecessarily the beauty, the history, thehospitality or the pristine paddling. It issomething far greater, this Cretan attitude,and as the next few days passed there wasnothing to do but soak it in. The novicepaddlers turned into a group of heartyadventurers, ready to conquer open watercrossings with the paddle equivalent of

the trident of Greek gods. We kayaked,cliff jumped, explored, hiked, snorkelled,celebrated and embraced life.

There is a seaside mural in Matala thatis repainted every year: Today is Life,Tomorrow Never Comes. This was lifeindeed.

Dana Paskiewicz is a Northwest Passage

guide with a passion for the outdoors that

has led her across the United States and

Europe. When shes not guiding, she can

be found kayaking the western U.S., rock

climbing, and backpacking.

World Destinations

The group encased in mud at

Red Beach. Inset: the kayakers

depart a oating taverna at

Sweetwater Beach.


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AS A NOVICE PADDLER,my rst experience in the thicksubstance known as fog was a

bewildering experience. I was a freshlytrained assistant guide as our groupslipped our boats into the thick fogof an early morning. Our vision alongthe shore was reduced to a mere fewmetres. Sounds, mufed by the moisturehanging in the air, took on an eeriequality. Every inhalation of breath lled

my lungs with the dense moisture ofthe Pacic Ocean. With every strokeforward the fog ahead parted, only toclose in behind us.

On land, you can orient yourself tothe ground, taking one step after the

other, looking for landmarks. On thewater I found comfort in the closenessof the shoreline as we slowly made ourway along every bend. We were not lostas the shore was reassuringly beside us.

To my consternation, the lead guidepulled his compass from his bag, tooka bearing and headed our group awayfrom shore. Our boats were immediatelyenveloped and all reference to land waslost. In every direction lay an unbroken

wall of white cloud.With no visual clues, my head swam

with thoughts of paddling into oblivion. Iconvinced myself that the lead guide hadlead us into uncharted waters, paddling incircles that would surely end in disaster.

In a surprisingly short time a newshape appeared before us: a tiny offshoreisland. As we paused, the sounds ofkiller whales reached our ears. Momentslater a pod of resident orcas came intoview, their black ns a distinct contrastto the white veil of mist. Several cameto investigate our group, and soon wewere thrilled by animals spy-hopping andswimming directly between and beneathour stationary boats. The sound of echo-

location reverberated off our hulls untilnally the whales swam away into thehaze.

I realized then that fog should not befeared but instead embraced. Paddling infoggy conditions can be a mystical and

Dont fear fog, embrace the challenge

Planning and Safety
http://www.skgabc.com/


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PADDLES

TM

Why Dig When You Can Glide? www.gullwingpaddles.com

challenging experience, adding a newdimension to a journey, and while it doesraise additional safety challenges, thosecan easily be overcome.

Fog is generally encountered in oneof three varieties. Radiation fog is usuallyonly seen in the early morning over lakes

or extremely calm inlets. With the risingsun and the rst stirrings of a breeze, thisfog dissipates quickly.

Advection fog is much more commonand problematic on the coast. Hugemasses of moist air generated during thewarm summer months condense overthe cool offshore ocean waters. Drawntowards shore during the daylight hours,these fog banks can stretch for miles andreduce visibility to a few metres. Unlikeradiation fog, considerable winds canpersist even while the fog is present. Thistype of fog is so common in the summermonths here on the west coast ofVancouver Island August is often jokinglyreferred to as Fogust.

A third less common but hazardoustype is a stratus surge fog. Theseinfrequent summertime events aremarked by a narrow band of stratusclouds moving along the ocean surfacein a south-north direction. A stratussurge brings dramatic and sudden shiftsin wind direction, velocity and visibility.

I have experienced this on only oneoccasion while paddling in the BunsbyIslands on the west coast of VancouverIsland. Within a span of 15 minutes,a calm morning with clear skies wasreduced to zero visibility with 25 knotwinds from the southeast.

A few simple pieces of equipmentand knowledge can make paddling infog possible and enjoyable. A compasscombined with a chart are necessities

when paddling in areas with fog, makingnavigation possible regardless ofvisibility. Many individuals now util izeGPS units, which in addition to a chartand compass can be very useful.

The lack of visibility does raise somepotentially serious safety concerns for

attempting a crossing in fog. Once awayfrom the relative safety of the shoreline,there is a risk of paddling into the pathof another vessel. Crossing shippingchannels must be a calculated decision.Monitor Vessel Trafc Services on yourVHF radio, and consider calling in to askabout oncoming ships. Keep your earsand eyes open for smaller boats and keepyour group in a tight formation.

Leaving the shoreline raises thepotential of getting lost. Learn to trustyour compass. A well-plotted compassbearing will lead you to your destination.Complicating matters is the need tocompensate for the movement of thewater upon which you are travelling. Along crossing in wind and current willhave a substantial effect on your path,but with experience you will learn tocompensate for those factors.

A foggy day should be looked at as anopportunity to challenge your skills andexperience from a new perspective ineven familiar waters. Keep your compass

handy and practice taking bearings duringclear weather. With condence a mistymorning will become a blessing, not acurse.

Liam McNeil is a Level 3 Guide with Class 4

Waters Endorsement, and Executive Director

with the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance (SKGABC).

When not paddling, he can be found

enjoying the rains living in Tono. Visit

www.liammcneil.com

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MORE THAN with any othercreature, my life has becomeintertwined with the gray

whale.When I rst went south into Baja

to see them, it was mostly out ofcuriosity. The great lagoons of Baja arethe southern terminus of the annualmigration of the gray whale fromthe northern waters of Alaska asthey seek water rich in salt content.The above-average salt contenthelps keep their newborn calvesaoat while they learn the ne artof being a whale.

So these are not birth lagoons,as widely believed, but nurseries.Most but not all of the calvesare born along the western coastof the Rim of Fire during themigration from Alaska. With littlenatural instinct the calves must

rely on their mothers to teachthem all necessary survival skills.If the mother dies before the calfis weaned at approximately sevenor eight months, the youngsterwill most likely die as well becausethese animals are not known toadopt orphans.

Kayaking in the lagoon isstrictly regulated as is whalewatching in general, and most ofmy encounters have taken place

in small open boats known as pangas,similar to a Boston Whaler, althoughmore than one occasion has presenteditself while paddling.

Baja has three great nursery lagoons:Scammons in the north at the crook ofthe arm, San Ignacio in the center duewest from the town of the same name,and Magdalena Bay in the south, alongwith many smaller lagoons too numerousto mention. Out of the roughly 20,000whales in this population known as the

Eastern stock, fewer than 3,000 make

the trip all the way south to Baja. The restare strung out all along the eastern Rimof Fire wherever they may nd food,and this has resulted in small year-roundresident pods forming in many places offthe western coast of North America. As aresult, many small communities which inthe past only got to see gray whales duringthe migration can now visit them most ofthe year.

My preference from the beginninghas been San Ignacio for several reasons.

It is part of the massive El Viscaino

biosphere reserve that covers aquarter of Baja and everythingboth alive and inanimate withinits borders is strictly protectedby Mexican law, especially thewhales. Its massive size alonemakes it less densely populatedthan the other two major lagoonsand it is far more strictly regulatedthan either of them, limiting thenumber of boats on the water atany given time. A warden is on thewater at all times empowered tocite anyone harassing an animal.

Even though Mexico is notbound by the American MarineMammal Protection Act, in mostcases it is better followed than Ihave observed in the U.S., withthe whales always given a wideberth and boats prohibited fromapproaching the whales.

Most interesting of all, SanIgnacio Lagoon is perhaps theonly place on earth where wildmammals in their natural habitat

routinely seek out human contact. (Whilecontact with mammals may not be rareoverall, it is usually motivated by food oracclimation, which makes these encountersall the more remarkable for the naturalcuriousity.)

It is certainly a place of magic for me.These are gigantic animals unchangedsince dinosaurs roamed the earth whoare choosing to interacti with modernman. After a decade and a half of suchinteraction I am still at a loss to denitively

explain this interspecies connection.

Why do gray whales seek outhuman contact only in the Baja

lagoons? No one knows.

Curious

Wildlife/Ecology


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behaviour

by James Dorsey

A curious juvenile gray whale moves in for a

closer look. Such encounters are common in

the great lagoons of Baja.



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Every moment of my rst encounterwith a grey whale so long ago is indeliblyimprinted in my mind, as much a part ofme as breathing.

It was early morning under a clearblue cloudless sky, with water so calmyou could skip a stone forever. It was the

kind of day one remembers solely for itsbeauty and serenity. We had just cut ourengines and were allowing the lazy tideto carry us into the main channel whenthe water parted about 30 metres to ourstarboard and a giant head revealed itselflike an island being born. There was noblow as this was a large female giving us alook-over before deciding whether or notto approach us, and apparently we seemedbenign enough for her as the island slowlybegan to move in our direction. She wasjust under the surface and her bulk partedthe water like the wake of a slow-motiontorpedo. She was snorkeling, holding herblow, an action usually employed whena whale does not wish to be seen, but inthis case perhaps it was just her way ofshowing she came in peace.

It is difcult to put into words what itfeels like to have a 40-tonne wild animal

approach, especially when instinct tellsyou danger is approaching. She glidedsilently up to our boat like a massivelocomotive coming into the station gently, slowly, and at the nal momentthat great head rose up and I foundmyself staring into a gleaming brown eye

the size of my st. It was deep brownwith the longest lashes imaginable, and inthe center an iris black as coal reectedmy own image back as if I was staring atmyself in a tiny crystal ball. I was in hernative habitat, with no bars, no restraints,just a tiny boat and a monstrous animallled with curiosity. My mind raced withall manner of theories about what wasgoing on behind that eye and I felt anintelligence trying at the same time tofathom the strange creature that hadentered her realm. There was a puremoment of visual communicationbefore she slid back down and laid herbarnacle-encrusted rostrum as casually asif on a pillow across our gunwhales. Shewas as docile as a house cat, resting herenormous head on my boat. After stayingfor several minutes she gently slid backbelow the surface and was gone, a watery

spirit whose presence was so surreal asto make me ask myself if this had reallyhappened.

Even though it was exactly the type ofencounter I had prayed for and had spentso much time and money to achieve, therewas no way to prepare for the emotional

impact of such an interaction. I freelyadmit to tears and have found out sincethat most people have cried during theirrst similar encounter.

Over the years that same experience,identical in every way, has re-enacted itselfcountless times, and I have never growntired or complacent with it.

We humans have an inbred need toanthropromorphasize, that is, to assignhuman traits to animals, and I am as guiltyas anyone in this case. But in the immensetime I have spent upon the water in closeproximity to whales I have been able tonot only witness similarities to us thatdefy description but to see behavioursand actions that only long-term study canexplain.

You can follow James Dorsey at

www.jamesdorsey.com

Wildlife/Ecology
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Plan your trip: North Vancouver Island

BC Ferries port; Gateway to Northern and CentralBC Coast destinations. Sales, Rentals, Lessons, Trip

planning. 8625 Shipley Street (across from the PostOce) Port Hardy.Phone: 250-949-7392or cell 250 -230-8318Email: [email protected]: www.odysseykayaking.com

Odyssey Kayaking

KAYAKERS WILL recognizeTelegraph Cove as the gatewayto Robson Bight and possibly

the best killer whale viewing in Canada.There isnt much competition for launchlocations; coastal access points are fewand far between in this region as the mainhighway skirts inland to avoid mountainsbetween Sayward and Port McNeill. Theonly other ocean access between them

is Naka Creek, accessible by loggingroad farther east of Robson Bight, thekiller whale reserve that is central to thisregions role as a killer whale destination.

A lot has changed in recent years atTelegraph Cove. Parking and launchinghas evolved into a cottage industry here,so dont expect to simply slip into thewater unnoticed. Telegraph Cove is alsoa popular shing base, and so caters toboaters with a new marina and a housingdevelopment that is unfortunately out of

scale with the rustic nature of the originalpioneer community still in evidence.

Telegraph Cove was named in 1912 forits role as home for a linesmans station forthe coastal telegraph line. A lumber milland salmon saltery followed in the 1920s,with the town becoming the base for arelay station in the Second World War.

As with many of the coastalcommunities of the era, most buildingssimply fronted a boardwalk lining theshore rather than risk muddy roads to

link homes and shops. (Another North

Boardwalk memoriesVancouver Island example is WinterHarbour on the north entrance toQuatsino Inlet, a somewhat more remotedestination.) The boardwalk and many

of the historic houses remain alongthe coves south shore, and so make aninteresting diversion when visiting theregion.

by James DorseyTrip planning: North Vancouver Island Telegraph Cove

PhotoCourtesyTourismV

ancouverIslan

d/ChrisCheadle.com
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Plan your trip: West Vancouver Island

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zeballosexpeditions.com

[email protected]

Paddle with sea otters!Kayak transportbetween Zeballosand Nootka Island,Nuchatlitz Parkand Friendly Cove.Kayak rentals.

CEDARS INN rooms &restaurant in a historicZeballos lodge. Goodfood, friendly service.

1-800-889-7644

[email protected]

A friendly seaside retreat. Enjoy the west coast incomfort. Ideal lodging for kayakers who can launchinto Barkley Sound. Or relax and enjoy old growthcedars, bald eagles and sea lions.

Hundreds of islands to explore on the west coastof Vancouver Island. Barkley Sound, Pacic RimNational Park, and Clayoquot Sound. Ourprofessionally guided tours include transportation,gourmet meals, and superior quality equipment.

www.oceankayaking.com1183 Helen Road, Uclueletwww.majesticoceanbb.ca

On the edgeat Bamfield

Trip Planning: Barkley Sound Bamfeld

Bameld sits nestled in a protected

harbour at the southeast entrance to

Barkley Sound. The boardwalk village

of West Bameld is pictured here

across the inlet.
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WITH TRIPS to the Broken Group Islands throwninto chaos this year due to the closing of the traditionalToquaht Bay launch site, people looking for alternatives

may want to consider the tiny west coast community of Bameld.Bameld is nestled alongside a pair of protected inlets on the

southwest entrance to Barkley Sound. It is a key access point forshermen and recreational boaters to the Deer Group, a linear

archipelago split from the Broken Group Islands by ImperialEagle Channel. While entailing a more exposed crossing, Bameldis still less than 15 km to the outer Broken Group Islands, on parwith the distance from Toquaht Bay.

Even if you dont go that far, the nearby Deer Group hasnumerous campsites and beaches for exploring the various islandsrich in caves and wildlife. One of the biggest hurdles is reachingBameld. The access is along the Bameld Main logging road,which wends its way through Vancouver Island southwest fromPort Alberni. It is wide and well-maintained, but high in loggingtrafc with good odds of a at tire from the sharp gravel. Plan ontwo hours to complete the 90 kilometres from Port Alberni.

Bameld is a full-service community, although some keylocations such as the store, restaurant and gas station may havelimited hours. Planning enough gas for the return drive is probablya good idea, as is stocking up on snacks and essentials.

Bameld itself is one of the old boardwalk communities ofBC, split in two by Bameld Inlet. Bameld West requires a boator water taxi to reach, and makes an interesting aside to a trip tothis region to visit the bistro, general store or Bradys Beach, abeautiful outer beach with an iconic rock pillar.

The main employer in Bameld is the Bameld Marine

Sciences Centre, an interesting old building set on the pointoverlooking the entrance to Bameld and Grappler Inlets. Itwas originally the station for the eastern end of the trans-Pacictelegraph cable from 1901 to 1959.

Kayaks can be launched from a boat ramp adjacent to themunicipal Centennial Park Campground, an RV-oriented facility.Modest fees apply. Other options for reaching Barkley Sound andthe Broken Group Islands remain Ucluelet, Toquaht Bay at thetemporary launch site or in luxury via theMV Frances BarkleyfromPort Alberni (see the ad below).

Bradys Beach

Aguilar Pt.

General store

GrapplerInlet

BamfeldInlet

Burlo I.

Post oce

Fisheries dock

Pub/motel

Bistro

Cafe/store/tire repair

9Centennial

Park Campground

MarineSciencesCentre

Pacic Rim Nationa Park Reserve(Parking for Keeha Beach trail)

To Kiix?in Villageand FortressNational Historic Site

Rance I.

Barkley Sound
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Plan your trip: The Sunshine Coast

Kayak the inlets!

ATWEST COAST

WILDERNESS LODGE

604.883.3667 | 1.877.988.3838 | WWW.WCWL.COM

Where wilderness adventure happens!

Kayak rentals Guided kayak tours Zodiac tours

Sechelt Inlet | Jervis InletZodiac supported day trips into Hotham Sound

Find your way.

Yourroadmapto thewaterwaysof the BritishColumbiacoast.

coastandkayak.com/orderonline

THE SUNSHINE COAST

TRAIL may give the wrongimpression by name alone, as

very little actually follows the coast.Instead it leads from Sarah Point onthe tip of Desolation Sound primarilyoverland, often following mountain ridgelines before ending at Saltery Bay on thenorth shore of Jervis Inlet, a 180-km hikefor the few who complete the entire trail.

Most tackle smaller portions, with a

dozen access points allowing a range of day trips to six-day hikes.Should anyone wish to complete the entire route, it is one of thefew that can be done without a tent thanks to the creation of hutsplaced a days hike apart along the trail.

The rst hut to be built was in 2009 at Fairview Bay, thelocation that will be of most interest to kayakers. Fairview Bay is afairly strategic location for anyone paddling lower Jervis Inlet, with

key attractions in the region being FreilFalls in Hotham Sound, SkookumchuckRapids or more distant Princess LouisaInlet. Fairview Bay would be ideal forkayakers arriving late in the day froma launch at Saltery Bay. It is also areasonable days paddle from Powell Riveror Pender Harbour.

The Fairview Bay hut is anacknowledged part of the BC MarineTrails system, which is still in development

in this area. The hut is a semi-open style and features a shelteredground-level area suitable for cooking or relaxing and an enclosedattic accessible by a ladder for sleeping. It is communal, so expectto share if others are visiting as well. The beach is not ideal forkayak launching and landing, but will sufce just be watchful ofslippery rocks.

www.sunshinecoast-trail.com/fairviewbay.html

Where trail meets water

Fairview Bay

Skookumchuck

HothamSound

Jervis Inlet

Saltery Bay

Freil Falls

Nelson I.

Trip Planning: Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast Trail

Morning

breaks in Jervis

Inlet near

Fairview Bay.
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http://www.talaysay.com/


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Day Trips: Desolation Sound/Discovery Islands


Discovering


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Heriot Bay


the Discovery Isles

Trips to Desolation Sound need not be

epic in scope. Heriot Bay offers a quick,

easy and rewarding way to spend a day.


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Day Trips: Desolation Sound/Discovery Islands

ANATURAL INCLINATION is to start a trip to theDesolation Sound region from Lund or Okeover ArmProvincial Park, both on the BC mainland. And why

not? Those are closer to Desolation Sound Provincial Park. Analternative is Quadra Island, reached by ferry from CampbellRiver on Vancouver Island. Quadra is worth considering if youare interested in exploring the land as well as the water. The islandoffers a good mix of accommodation options, parks, hiking trailsand services peppered with the colourful quasi-bohemian islandsubculture.

The ferry arrives on the islands west shore at Quathiaski Cove.But a great area to explore is out of Heriot Bay on the islandseast side. It is a reasonable start for an exploration of the region

to points such as Cortes Island, Desolation Sound and SurgeNarrows. For those who have less time or inclination to wander,Heriot Bay has a lot to offer as a simple day-trip outing. The bestlaunch is from Rebecca Spit Provincial Park, though the beachadjacent to the government dock at Heriot Bay is an option as well.Rebecca Spit offers the advantage of a sprawling beach, ample freeparking and a boat ramp. Camping is available immediately adjacent

Exploring the

rugged outer

shores of

Breton Islands,

and in the insetheading for the

pretty inner

beach of the

south Breton

Island.
http://www.nimbuskayaks.com/


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Heriot Bay

Plan your trip: Desolation Sound/Discovery Islands

Deluxe beachront house by the whar.Two-bedroom luxury cottage, oor-to-ceiling windows, living room with gasfreplace, ull kitchen, two bathrooms

including jetted tub, wrap around deck, bbq.

www.capemudgeresort.bc.ca1-800-665-7745

Drive in, paddle out

at the We Wai Kai Campground in theDrew Harbour Indian Reserve.

The obvious quick destinations areOpen Bay and the Breton Islands. OpenBay is north of Rebecca Spit and hasseveral ngers, with the best beach fora picnic being the westernmost. Breton

Islands are to the immediate east and arealigned north-south. Both of the twomain islands are privately owned but areunoccupied and undeveloped except for afew rustic camping spots on the southernisland; the owner doesnt seem to mindsharing. The sites can be found off asheltered cove protecting the west-facingbeach. Distances are short, with thecrossing from Rebecca Spit to Open Baylittle more than ve kilometres.

As anywhere, wind can be a factor, withthe additional element of possible effectsfrom the inows or outows from Bute orToba inlets. Open Bay derives its name forits exposure to southeasterlies, so it wouldmake a potentially nasty destination if asoutherly blows up during your tour.

An option includes exploring up the

Quadra shoreline possibly as far as SurgeNarrows, which is growing in fame for itssurng waves. Kayakers could also head toRead Island and explore the shore of thenamesake provincial park or continue pastto western Cortes Island. Marina Island

has a good beach for a lunch destination ifyou can manage the 30-plus km day.

Ferry service from Campbell Riveris hourly and makes a quick 20-minutecrossing. Campbell River is located about150 kilometres north of Nanaimo.

Rebecca SpitProvincial Park

QuathiaskiCove

9

CampbellRiver

Reid IslandProvincial Park

Marina I.

Cortes Island

Heriot Bay

Open Bay

Main LakesProvincial Park

Surge NarrowsProvincial Park

HathayimProvincial Park

Sutil

Cha

nnel

Breton Is.
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Day Trips: The Gulf Islands


A peaceful evening looking into

the heart of Ladysmith Harbour.


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Ladysmith Harbour



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Day Trips: The Gulf Islands

LADYSMITH HARBOURis bestknown to kayakers as home to theVancouver Island Paddlefest, the

last of which took place in 2011. Thoughthe paddlefest has folded, the harbouritself remains a remarkably active kayakinghotspot, with dozens of sea kayakersexploring the nearby islands on any givensummer day.

On some leve

Documents

Fall/Winter 2013 Coast&Kayak Magazine