Wavelength Kayaking Magazine: Summer 2009

WaveLengthYour complete kayaking and coastal exploration resource

MAGAZINE

PM

416

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Summer 2009FREE at select outlets or by subscription

SSummer 2009Volume 19, Issue 3

Plus:• Current Designs Infinity review• Stern rudder stroke• Kayak fishing

The tao of kayakingBecome one with the paddle:

centered, balanced, aware

East CreekRequiem for one

of Vancouver Island's last pristine valleys

A look at BC destinations off the beaten track

Clook at BC destinations Discover BC

WL_SU09_master.indd 1WL_SU09_master.indd 1 5/27/2009 11:35:41 AM5/27/2009 11:35:41 AM

2 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2009


SUMMER 2009 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 3

10 Requiem for East Creek Conservation by John Kimantas

14 New Vistas Discover BC Various contributors

20 Wind and Wonder Haida Gwaii by Sheila Porteous

28 Into Infi nity Review: Current Designs Infinity by John Kimantas

30 The Tao of Sea Kayaking Health and Fitness by Eric Soares

34 Pelican Primer Wildlife by James Michael Dorsey

10

14

34

Contents

4 Editorial

6 Letters

8 News

24 Paddle Meals by Hilary Masson

26 New Gear

32 Skillset by Alex Matthews

38 Planning & Safety by Michael Pardy

40 Fishing Angles by Dan Armitage

42 Refl ections by Terry Johnson

Regular columns:This month's features:



MAGAZINE

Summer 2009 Volume 19, Number 3 PM No. 41687515

Editor John Kimantas [email protected]

Copy Editing Darrell Bellaart

Writing not otherwise credited is by WL staff .

Cover Photo: Tao at sunset, near Mendocino, CA Michael Powers

SAFE PADDLING is an individual responsibility. We recommend that inexperienced paddlers seek expert instruction and advice about local conditions, have all the required gear and know how to use it. The publishers of this magazine and its contributors are not responsible for how the information in these pages is used by others.

WAVELENGTH is an independent magazine available free at hundreds of print distribution sites (paddling shops, outdoor stores, fi tness clubs, marinas, events, etc.), and globally on the web. Also available by subscription.

Articles, photos, events, news are all welcome.

Download back issues and articles online at www.wavelengthmagazine.com

WaveLength

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© 2009. 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 with the permission of Natural Resources Canada 2008, courtesy of the Atlas of Canada. Also, our thanks to Geobase for some

elements that may appear on Wavelength maps.

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Regular readers of this column will likely see a common theme emerging: how thankful I am to live where I do (Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, BC, for the record). I'll have to add to that I am additionally thankful for the incredible experiences I've been able to enjoy here on the BC coast. Foremost among those was the three summers I spent living by and large out of a kayak. The result was the unusual credential of having kayaked almost all the BC coast.

That isn't to say I know all of it. But I can tell you, I am intimately familiar with the coast through memories that tend not to fade with time (unlike days spent in the offi ce, for instance, for anyone wondering if such trips are worthwhile). I can remember just about every nook and cranny campsite I had to tame, every encounter with a whale, every rocky precipice I had to paddle past. I remember the storms and the cold, plus the wet and the discomfort, but I have to be honest – even those have a fond familiarity that beckons me back, to that world free from economic and international strife to a time when the only concerns were what lay within the next horizon and the shape of the clouds beyond.

This edition, with a focus on BC destinations, has brought a lot back for me. Particularly poignant was a CD sent from friend Michael Luce showing photos from his latest trip to Fiordlands – a destination I fell in love with as soon as I turned the corner off Mathieson Channel and began paddling into Kynoch Inlet.

I often fi nd myself planning trips by setting my mind back a few years and thinking about which areas I would like to have lingered longer. The list is a long one. There are pockets of paradise everywhere. For the past few years I have given a slideshow and talk on my pick for the top 10 kayaking destinations in BC, which is a bit foolish in a way as there is no possible way to rank areas. It's all so subjective. Wind, rain, loud partiers at the last campsite or a pod of killer whales surfacing within paddle-length will all shape your own impression of a trip and by extension the area. But that's a bonus. You cannot predict your own experience, and what you encounter will never be duplicated, by you (sadly sometimes) or anyone else.

So having promoted a "Top Ten" approach to kayaking in BC I'd also like to banish the concept. After all, it's not the destination that makes a trip. It's the journey. That thought is one of the reasons I think Eric Soares' introduction to "little tao" is entirely apt, more so in a magazine advocating destinations. It goes with my philosophy for life: The longer and more diffi cult the journey, the better the rewards you’ll fi nd along the way. (You'll hear that from me a lot, no doubt.) After reading over Eric's tao article, I'm happy to see my approach to being on the water has been very tao-like without even knowing it. But then I always felt a Zen-like connection between myself, my kayak, my paddle and the water. I remember one trip trying to introduce someone to kayaking, and getting the comment mid-trip, "If we had a motor on these things we'd be there already."

I think that entirely sums up the concept of missing the point. Maybe that's because we're so busy trying to get somewhere these days we're missing out on the journey. But when you think about it, the journey is all there really is.

- John Kimantas

The First Word

f f

Rediscovering old ground

Nuchatlitz, Nootka Sound(Vancouver Island)

by John Kimantas

Cert no. SW-COC-002226





Meet the real last fi ord The inside viewLetters

The article in your Spring 2009 Wavelength magazine (The Last Fiord) states that the fi ord just outside Vancouver, Indian Arm, is the southernmost fi ord in North America. I do not think so. The Hood Canal in Washington State is the southernmost as it is a fi ord and not a canal.

It was misnamed by cartographers many years ago when they named it for Capt. Hood. They put CA. Hood, and the people that make the maps thought they meant Hood Canal, not Captain Hood. It is in fact a fi ord.

Rick Chaff ee

We live on Wickaninnish Island off Tofi no (it harbors Tofi no from the open ocean) and have lived here for over 40 years. As you have probably experienced if you come to Clayoquot very often, the beaches are increasingly covered with fi sh farm plastic and waste, the inlets have underwater lights on all night and some have above water spotlights. If a person is camping, you wake up in the night thinking it might be the full moon but it is fi sh farm operations, and in the morning, booming rock music from the many speakers broadcasting on the farms carries over the water, along with the 24/7 generators that feed all this and then the automatic feeders that tumble feed pellets continuously into the pens. It doesn't make for a very natural experience.

Here in Clayoquot there are over 24 fi sh farm licences. I believe about 20 are in operation holding between 10 to 14 or more pens at each site. Each net pen holds from 20,000 to 50,000 salmon. In the Mainstream operations they are all Atlantic salmon, voracious feeders that prey on small fi sh attracted to the pens and lights. They create a proliferation of sea lice that jump on these herring, salmonids, cod and other young fi sh trying to survive in the inlets.

It is strange that people feel that if the salmon river is protected and the inlets aren't, that is adequate for the wild salmon. It's easy to forget how vitally important the rearing grounds of the inlets are for wild fi sh survival. We have approximately 5 million salmon being raised for private profi t, most of it going to Norway, while



on Clayoquot SoundLetters

local people aren't even getting food fi sh anymore, and it is unlikely anyone will eat a farmed fi sh. We wouldn't. Would rather be vegetarian. The pollution of the blood water (the brine solution and CO2 plus other things these fi sh farm companies use to kill the fi sh slowly) – that is, the sludge the fi sh are killed in on the bottom of the barges en route to the processing plant to make them "bleed out" so they are easier to process – is so dangerous that it is prohibited to be dumped near the farms. But it does end up in Tofi no's sewer system where it is mixed with raw sewage to be pumped out into the ocean. This plus the sewage from the farms themselves, which is equivalent to villages of up to 5,000 people, is destroying the marine life in the area. It is known that many seals, killer whales, eagles and bears are starving with no fat on them any more. While Norway profi ts, we are losing. Norway also owns the pulp mill in Port Alberni (Catalyst). What the logging did to the wild salmon stocks, fi sh farms are

fi nishing off. It is a challenge for people to speak

out as the many kayaking companies don't want to discourage people from enjoying the coast. But after a trip to Cape Cook two years ago, and after living on the coast for almost 45 years, having seen it in its incredible beauty and purity, to experience it now it is becoming a nightmare. There are still places to "get away from it all" but these are becoming a rarity. Rather, we need to turn this around and stop it. All the efforts in Clayoquot have been thrown back in people's faces and it keeps eroding until there will be nothing left. Our children and grandchildren will be dumbed down as they will not know what to compare the present to. Likely they will fi nd their own oases and satisfaction, but hopefully it won't have to be in entertainment systems or human games rather than knowing the awe and beauty of the natural world.

Steve LawsonClayoquot Sound



News

Wavelength funds North Coast Trail

IPP targets Kaikash CreekSyntex Energy Resources Ltd. has put

forward an application for an independent power generation project (IPP) at Kaikash Creek. It includes the Crown foreshore and Crown land in the vicinity of Kaikash Creek for a run-of-river power generation facility. Th e area has been a forest recreation campsite and one of the key marine-based campgrounds for whale watching, particularly for kayakers, in Johnstone Strait.

Th e project involves the construction of a power house proposed near the ocean on the east side of the creek, an access road along the penstock/river run plus power lines along the shoreline to connect with the existing grid at Beaver Creek.

Th e BC government's push for IPPs has created a gold-rush-like rash of proposals to generate power on most BC rivers. While being billed as green (renewable) energy, the concept has come under fi re for its environmental, visual and recreational impact. Signifi cant is that many of these waters are fi sh-bearing and host to a variety of users, in many cases including prime grizzly habitat (such as the head of Bute Inlet).

Environmental standards may be relaxed to accommodate these projects. Leaked documents obtained by the Wilderness Committ ee cite removal of the ability of Ministry of Environment offi cials to say no to a project. See www.wildernesscommitt ee.org

Sea otter hunt plannedTh e Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council of

Vancouver Island and Canadian federal Fisheries Department are negotiating a sea ott er hunt tentatively set at one per cent of the population.

Th e sea ott ers re-established themselves off the Vancouver Island aft er being reintroduced in the 1970s. Th ey were extirpated – hunted locally to extinction – in the 1700s, then relocated from Alaska to Checkleset Bay. Th e original colony has now spread along much of the Vancouver Island coast. Th e Nuu-chah-nulth are planning the hunt for ceremonial purposes.

Follow discussions and links on these topics plus others on Wavelength's Forum at www.wavelengthmagazine.com/forum



News

Island record bid to aid GSANick Castro will have his mind focussed

on 17 days, 4 hours and 49 minutes this month. Less time than that is what it will take to unseat the record set by Sean Morley in circumnavigating Vancouver Island by kayak.

Morley set the record in October 2008, and Castro will be looking to supersede it when he sets out from Port Hardy in June and rounds the island anti-clockwise – the same route used by Morley.

A resident of Victoria, BC, Castro wants to keep the record held locally. Earlier in 2008 the solo speed record was set by Joe O'Blenis at 23 days. Beset with poor conditions and even lost hatch covers, O'Blenis plans to regain his speed record with an att empt in September.

To break Morley's record, the paddlers will have to average more than 80 kilometers a day (more than 50 miles).

Besides att empting to break the record, Castro is using his trip to raise awareness about ocean kayaking as a healthy and environmentally sustainable activity. He is also using it to raise money for the Georgia Strait Alliance, a group working to preserve

and manage use of one of the most congested, industrialized and environmentally challenged waterways on the BC coast.

Meanwhile, the GSA has another backer: the Bullitt Foundation, which is off ering a $10,000 donation if the GSA can raise a matching amount.

To qualify for a matching contribution, new members can sign up with a one-time donation of at least $250, or a monthly donation of $21; existing members can make a donation of at least $250 more than the amount they gave in 2008; or existing monthly donors can increase their monthly gift by $21.

Th e GSA must raise the fi rst half ($5,000) by Sept. 15.

For more information:• Follow Castro's journey, including SPOT

map progress, at www.activeseakayaking.ca.• Learn about the Georgia Strait Alliance or

join/donate at www.georgiastrait.org. • Join news updates and an oft en lively

discussion on circumnavigating Vancouver Island on the Wavelength Forum at www.wavelengthmagazine.com/forum



I FOUND MYSELF standing awkwardly in knee-deep water off the beach, hand outheld like some

odd parody of the Statue of Liberty. This offered the best reception I could fi nd for the marine weather forecast, which was still fading in and out in a rhythm oddly akin to the nearby waves. Blame the campsite deep in Klaskish Inlet, one I picked for the location directly across from the East Creek estuary. Poor radio reception was an unexpected side-effect of my location within a clustering of adjacent mountains.

Weather forecasts are a lifeline along this part of northwest Vancouver Island. The next leg of my journey after exploring East Creek was around Brooks Peninsula, the legendary barrier of mountains known for its storms and wind. I was in no hurry to cross it, content to take as long as possible for a weather window, but the typically cryptic Environment Canada weather forecasts had been even more cryptic than usual these past few days, ending with the ominous warning of a coming storm but no details of when.

With arm outheld I was fi nally able to piece the latest forecast together: winds calm tomorrow morning, rising to 10-20 knots in the afternoon, with an approaching southerly storm front expected to hit the next day. It wasn’t a perfect weather window, but one I was going to have to

take. Mornings of calm winds are a rare enough forecast for anywhere on the BC coast in the summer. At Brooks you take such breaks and run with them.

The plan didn’t take long to formulate: a 4 a.m. launch to beat the afternoon winds likely off the most exposed area at Cape Cook. This would get me ideally to a beach campsite on the south end of Brooks Peninsula in the early afternoon, where I could set up to prepare for the onslaught.

My rushed departure meant one unfortunate change of plans. I’d lose a day meant to explore East Creek. When I paddled away the next morning in the pre-dawn black, it was my last visit to this area for many years to come.

That was 2003, when a glimmer of hope remained for the East Creek estuary. At the time it was one of the last remaining unprotected, pristine watersheds on Vancouver Island, a status soon to be lost. LeMare Lake Logging of Port McNeill was granted approval from the province for 480 hectares (1,200 acres) of logging. By building a road they also made it easier for Weyerhaeuser, then-owners of adjacent logging rights, to push through and log farther into the valley.

The logging was protested, but the result was hardly a victory for environmentalists. The Sierra Club led the rally with a Save East Creek campaign. After a short fl urry of activity in 2003, interest died. Internet updates end virtually that year. The Save East Creek website is now gone. Interest evaporated and East Creek was forgotten as a cause.

For Save East Creek campaign organizer Jill Thompson, it was a bitter outcome. She says the value of the creek was never in

raree BC

Conservation

East CreekRequiem for

How one of Vancouver Island's last pristine watersheds was allowed to quietly slip away

The logging was protested but the result

East Creek's estuary.

by John Kimantas



East Creek

Few places on Vancouver Island can match the formidable presence of Brooks Peninsula. Its snow-capped peaks can be seen in the distance to the right. This photo is taken from Side Bay. The peak to the left is Red Stripe Mountain, a previously logged area. The gap beyond Red Stripe is Klaskino Inlet, another possible point of entry via logging road or a good anchorage for the hardy boaters who pass this stretch of coast. The mouth of Klaskish Inlet, this day's destination, is in the distance between the last headland and the snow-capped peaks.

Rainforest at Klaskish Inlet.



Conservation

question – in fact, Thompson says even the government recognized the values of both East Creek and Klaskish River, known for its salmon, elk, wolf and marbled murrelet. But somehow these areas were left outside the borders of Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park when it was created in 1995.

“Nasparti, Power, Battle, East and Klaskish were like a bite taken out of an otherwise continuous protected area, and they had excellent fi sh and wildlife values and recreation, for those hardy enough to get there, but MoF (Ministry of Forests) didn’t think there were enough of you to be worth it,” Thompson says.

The Save East Creek campaign ran into barriers as formidable as the environment. Too remote for an active base and with no nearby home community, there was no way to anchor a protest. And fi nancial backers were equally elusive.

“Big funders thought of it as a lost battle, and had moved their money to the more promising Great Bear Rainforest. We connected with some members of the Quatsino First Nation and learned a bit about their history there, but they were similarly overstretched with other demands on their attention and resources,” Thompson says. “In the end, I think we (Sierra Club and the Ministry of Environment) got a few reserves for marbled murrelet established, but it was massively disappointing. By that time, the BC Government had gutted a bunch of the previous conservation tools, and the MoE had no bargaining power whatsoever – basically they got what the companies agreed they could have.”

A haven for kayakers exploring north Brooks Peninsula and Side Bay, as well as a few adventurous boaters, the headwaters at Klaskino Inlet captured the attention of BC activist Ingmar Lee. His plan was a reconnaissance of the forests of East Creek and the ancient Klaskish village of Tsowanachs at the mouth of Klaskino. With the blessing of the Quatsino First Nation he searched for culturally modifi ed trees – evidence of the traditional use by First Nations

Kayaking East Creek.



possibly long ago. “By counting the rings in the

calluses that grow across the barkstrip, or planksplit wounds, we can get an idea of when people last lived in these forests and how far and wide they traveled through them. So little is known about this village, and there is a lot to learn from the amazing story that is written in these CMTs,” Lee says.

An unexpected fi nd was what appeared to be an ancient trail near the East Creek estuary. “I’m certain that it’s a human made path because it runs so directly along the easiest route over the lie of the land. The trail has been well maintained by animal traffi c judging by the purple piles and all the tracks, since the last human passage, perhaps 200 years ago,” Lee says. It appears to have once connected East Creek to Tsowanachs, with culturally modifi ed trees liberally dotting the trail’s length. The pair measured one ancient red cedar at a 14-foot diameter, making it the eighth largest cedar on the planet. A hollow, burned-out center large enough for 10

people provided shelter for Lee during a blasting storm.

While surrounded by such history, evidence of more modern use is never far away. “Dreadfully, at times we can hear snippets of the rumble and roar of big logging on its way here at the moment,” Lee wrote during his stay.

A trip to Brooks Peninsula is never easy; getting there involves long miles on land well past the end of the asphalt then more travel on water. You can approach from the south via Fair Harbour in Kyuquot Sound or from the north via convoluted logging

roads that lead to either Side Bay or Klaskino Inlet. Five years after my fi rst visit I fi nally found the time to return, and entered via Side Bay. Snow almost barred our entry as we crossed the pass from Port Alice. A few days earlier and the route wouldn’t have yet been plowed for the spring. We launched with the thermometer barely above the freezing mark – the price to pay for an early April visit. But we gained the advantage of the unusual sight

of snow on the Brooks Peninsula peaks. Thankfully after a portage up the

shallows at the mouth of East Creek (we didn’t time our arrival well for the necessary high tide), we found the lower valley largely undisturbed. East Creek can be paddled for about a mile, offering a rare look into the interior of Brooks Peninsula – so long as you don’t look up to the valley-top logging.

For Thompson, it’s a bitter contrast.“It deserves better,” she says.

Visit Lee's website at ingmarlee.com and his fi lm on East Creek at cathedralgrove.eu

East Creek

Brooks Peninsula in April.



at Klemtu when heading up British Columbia's Inside Passage. But they don't. The pleasure boats cruising this route to Alaska invariably continue north through Princess Royal Passage. Those who do turn right, and head up Mathieson Channel, will soon fi nd themselves in the exceptional Fiordlands Conservancy – an area well worth a few days for boaters and kayakers alike. Every year Washington State-based brothers Michael and James (Jamz) Luce explore a new remote region of the BC coast, or rediscover an old one. This past year they explored the Fiordland region for 10 days with friends Mike and Elaine McRory.

The Fiordlands Conservancy protects Kynoch and Mussel Inlets, two glacially created fi ords characterized by sheer granite cliff s dropping more than a kilometer at points into the ocean. It's not a place to visit lightly. Accessible areas suitable for camping are few and far between, while some of those, such as the estuaries, are prime grizzly habitat. Watch also for strong diurnal winds.

at cruturCoStaredan

Thchplasuc

Discover BC

New VistasWavelength looks at some of BC's least visited but most enticing kayak destinations, starting with little-known Fiordlands

If only people turned right



Fiordland

Fiordland is rich in waterfalls, such as the one at Lessum Creek near the entrance of Kynoch Inlet, as well as McAlpin and Lisette Falls in Mussel Inlet. The latter earned its name from Capt. George Vancouver's ill-fated trip in 1793 when paralytic shellfi sh poisoning claimed the life of shipmate John Carter. Nearby Carter Bay commemorates the 24-year-old seaman. The scene below shows typical conditions for the region – cliff s, water and fog.

If you go:The only community in this region is Klemtu. BC Ferries (www.bcferries.com) stops here, making it an ideal launch point. The Kitasoo First Nation also off ers rentals, accommodation and cultural tours, including a cabin in Kynoch Inlet. Visit www.klemtutourism.com. For park info, visit www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks.

Elaine McRory photo

Michael Luce photoWest Kynoch Inlet.

Morning fog near Mathieson Point, Pooley Island

Lessum Creek.

James 'Jamz' Luce photo



For years most of Vancouver Island's north coast was off limits to just about all but the most hardy paddlers. After all, the closest community is Port Hardy, and from there you must cross windy Goletas Channel, potentially dangerous Tatnall Reefs then the reef-infested and potentially rough waters towards Cape Sutil, the northernmost point on Vancouver Island.

Once you arrive you'll fi nd something you probably didn't expect: miles of sand beaches comparable to tropical destinations, and most often with no other soul in sight. In idyllic paddling conditions it is paradise. For this reason it has grown as one of BC's most desirable veteran kayaking destinations.

The fan base can widen now the North Coast Trail is complete. The land trail opened in May 2008, and off ers the chance for foot access to many previous inaccessible portions of the Vancouver Island coast. But don't for a moment think the area will lose its charm now foot traffi c is possible. The trail is remote and in parts extremely diffi cult. Expect it to be among the more elite hikes, comparable to the more famous West Coast Trail but without many trail improvements. What you will fi nd is 58 kilometers of

sometimes easy beach walking, sometimes grinding headland scaling and one lengthy meandering stretch of mostly boardwalk across boggy overland near Shushartie Bay. Either way, by paddle or by foot, it is an experience not to be missed.

FopaChtow

Onto pa

Thoff Buanfam

b h lk

Discover BC

Beyond paddles

There's a new wayto enjoy north

Vancouver Island. And it's beyond belief.



North Coast Trail

If you go:The North Coast Trail is a continuation of the established Cape Scott Trail. From Nissen Bight it continues 43 km along the top of Vancouver Island to Shushartie Bay, where a water taxi is needed to return to Port Hardy. A shuttle service to the trailhead at San Josef is available; see northernvancouverislandtrailssociety.com for details. Wavelength Magazine's parent company, Wild Coast Publishing, has produced a map detailing the trail. Visit www.wavelengthmagazine.com. See www.wildcoastmagazine.com North Coast Trail pages for detailed trail information.

Leanne Chetcuti tackles a tough portion of trail, aided by ropes placed at the most diffi cult stretches of the North Coast Trail – which are many.

Imagine the West Coast Trail 20 years ago before today's many bridges and ladders were built. The North Coast Trail evokes that earlier era of pristine but rough trail. Kudos to Leanne of Team Wavelength who fi nished the NCT just days after the opening last May, making her the fi rst female on record to complete the hike. The overall inaugural hike is chronicled at www.wildcoastmagazine.com

Photos by John Kimantas



Discover BC

UMMER 2009

Just off Kyuquot Sound on Vancouver Island is a magical little cluster of islands called the Mission Group. It may well be the perfect kayaking destination, with sandy beaches, sea arches, a rich native history plus a sense of wildness magnifi ed by the proximity to the wild and mythical Brooks Peninsula. Prime sea otter viewing.

If you go:You can launch from Fair Harbour in Kyuquot Sound or at Artlish River. A water taxi from Fair Harbour is the easy way to the archipelago, as is the MV Uchuck from Gold River. Accommodation is available at Sea Otter Lodge (see the ad page 43) while West Coast Expeditions hosts tours from a base camp on Spring Island in the Mission Group (see the ad page 46). Air Nootka provides the region's plane service.

photos courtesy Dave Pinel, West Coast Expeditions. See www.westcoastexpeditions.com

A worthwhile Mission

Photo by Fran Solar





Discover BC

THE WINDS were blasting over the diminutive island at fi fty-plus knots. The tents looked like soggy clumps of paper huddled in the grass; and me, I was standing

with my head cocked to one side, with raindrops pelting my face, wondering what I was doing here. After spending the fi rst two nights of the trip on the aptly named Refuge Island holed up in a rustic cabin, the thought of kayaking down the West Coast of Graham Island seemed barely plausible.

The plan to spend two weeks here was conjured up by a well-traveled group of Vancouver Island paddlers. I had been sucked in by the romantic notion of unspoiled shorelines, endless beaches and the adventure of a lifetime. (I never stopped to consider why this ‘spectacular destination’ was still relatively untouched.) Graham is the largest of the Queen Charlotte Islands, or Haida Gwaii in the more traditional name. Being unfamiliar with rainy expeditions that lasted longer than one week, I was truly beginning to panic. I wanted to go home. Fortunately, I was too ashamed (and afraid) to turn my kayak around, head back to Old Masset and beg the wise village elders to take care of me for a few weeks while my friends continued on.

On the tail end of the storm we set out to tackle Virago Sound, soon to be the most challenging kayaking I had ever done. With the current and swell opposing, the seas were a confusing mix of waves. As I fl oundered across feeling like a kernel of corn in a


tbawGGet(aw

stw

wwnaG

&Wind

Exploration of Queen Charlott e Islands is at fi rst intimidating, then enchanting – once the wind calms down

Wonder

Rennell Sound.

Buck Tombolo.

South end of Gillan Tombolo.

by Sheila Porteous



hot pot, all I can remember is chanting “paddle, paddle, brace! Paddle, paddle, brace!” The drunken fi shermen that were rushing toward their luxury lodges in their 14-foot runabouts yelled over the wind that we were “crazzzy.” That didn’t help. And the trip had just begun.

But eventually the weather did break and the spectacular sights began to emerge. I never understood that a rainforest is really a temperate jungle until I paddled and camped along the shores of Graham. Wandering through the forests I realized that I could dig down with my bare hands for several feet and still not reach hard-packed soil. The vegetation was so abundant that I couldn’t take a single step without crushing a living organism, and I always felt like I was walking on the clouds. The dampness of Haida Gwaii permeated my clothing, my shoes and my heart, yet I never felt cold; quite the opposite. I was left feeling warm, nourished and somehow revived. The more time I spent the more content I became.

The bountiful plant kingdom was matched by the abundance of ocean creatures. Almost every day the majestic humpbacks kept us company throughout our long and sometimes lonely journey. Each night we hiked a bluff to look toward the next day’s destination, and gazed upon distant whales that were setting out toward the horizon. The eagles and ravens clung to the mountainous shores like bees to a hive, crying to each other with their haunting prose. Incidentally, it wasn’t all smooth sailing in the animal world. Black bears posed no trouble. Instead I was beset by the intertidal life. Setting up a tent meant clearing pristine moon snail and top shells off the beach, plus I almost fl ipped my kayak more than once staring at the myriad of colored urchins just under the waves.

I must mention that my paddling partners were some of the most exciting wildlife on the trip. An eclectic mix of

Haida Gwaii

Kelp blown up by the windstorm litters the beach at Refuge Island.



Discover BC

unique individuals, they are imbued with a profusion of wilderness survival skills. From repairing a fl at tire using driftwood for a jack, to building ovens big enough to bake goodies to feed the whole group, to packing enough construction tools to make a handyman proud, they could do it all. Thanks to a cooking competition that began with the fi rst collective meal, my diet and waist-line both expanded more than one could imagine while traveling in the middle of nowhere. One of my fondest memories was gazing at the peaks of the snow-capped Queen Charlotte Mountains while noticing that the stern paddler in our team's canoe was sitting back, sipping hot tea and appreciating the sights while his wife propelled them along.

As the trip neared its end I was able to fi nally appreciate how the Haida people had developed their culture over some 10,000 years along these remote and hostile shores. The fantastic remains of the Haida settlements are scattered throughout the

islands at regular intervals. (Surviving villages have protectors called watchmen who may grant permission to respectfully explore the remaining village sites. Dustin Edgars took us on our own personal tour of Kiutsa, the largest original native settlement in the area.) Throughout our travels we appreciated the wise territorial choices of the preceding native people. We often camped on ancient Haida territories where the beaches were protected from the incoming Pacifi c swells, where the headlands sheltered us from the winds and provided lookouts to scope out the next day’s paddle.

Material sources were infi nite. Our own diets were supplemented with the same abundant seafood the Haida would have consumed. Even with all the hardships of the trip we were well protected and nourished by the very lands that I had feared just a few weeks before.

Kayaking around Graham Island I experienced much more than the rugged


unique individuals they are imbued with islands at regular intervals (Surviving

coastline, crashing surf and unpredictable winds that the West Coast of the Queen Charlottes is infamous for; I was stimulated by a landscape that hums with the perpetual spirit of life. I was honoured to experience the underlying rhythm of this stunning archipelago. Although I have been home for many months, my dreams are still fi lled with vivid yet indescribable sensations from

Pillar Rock dwarfs a kayaker.

Rocky outcrop near blowhole, Naikoon Provincial Park.

Photo by Joanne Nicolson



Haida Gwaii

these intriguing islands. The mountains and surrounding seas resonate with an unseen energy that left me looking for something that I will never be able to see or touch, but I may spend the rest of my days searching for. The essence of Haida Gwaii, or “the Land of the People,” has penetrated my soul and I ache to return to this desperately beautiful haven to search for the ancient

spirits, and myself, once more.

Sheila Porteous is a certifi ed kayak guide with the SKGABC and Level 1 sea kayak

instructor with Paddle Canada. She hopes to use the skills and knowledge she has

gained so far to encourage people to break through their barriers and join the paddling

community. [email protected]

The author paddling in Skidegate Inlet.



Paddle Meals

AT THE SOUTHERN END of Gabriola Island, where the tidal rapids from False Narrows and

Gabriola Pass meet, is a paddling paradise which contains a rich diversity of sea life. Growing up here instilled local seafood harvesting as an important aspect of my life. Whenever I kayak, be it in Baja or in BC, fi shing and shellfi sh harvesting is often a focal point for my kayak expeditions. The meals shared while camping in spectacular locations create memories that last forever, especially if the meal includes fresh seafood which was harvested right at your campsite.

While guiding a paddling trip from my Gabriola Island home to the outer more remote Gulf Islands, I served a meal that was an extravaganza of oysters. On the beach where we camped there was a healthy population of oysters and clams. I had previously checked the Department of Fisheries and Oceans website for any PSP (paralytic shellfi sh poisoning) closures, commonly caused by ‘Red Tide,’ and

confi rmed the area was open to all but butter clams. Contrary to popular belief the summers in the Gulf Islands are mostly open; however, it is very important that you research your paddling destination and determine contamination closure locations and the PSP-outbreak status. It is

also important that you have a valid fi shing license and abide by harvesting regulations.

I recommend bringing an oyster shucker and adding it to your cutlery in your camp kitchen. Both of these recipes are hard to make without one. Cooking the soup over the fi re is great because it’s a one-pot meal, and the oyster appetizer is ideal over the fi re too. If you will be cooking over a fi re then check for summer fi re bans for your paddling destination. Respect the fi re bans. If you can’t have a fi re, try

oysters on the half shell on your barbecue at home, or broiled in the oven.

Hilary Masson is a guide and part owner of Baja Kayak Adventure Tours Ltd. doing

business as Silva Bay Kayak Adventures in the summer in BC.

by Hilary Masson

Outer Island OysterExtravaganza

Oyster on the half shell appetizer and Thai seafood soup





New Gear

Go PVC-free: here's why

MEC

PVC is one type of plastic you don't want in your arsenal of kayaking gear. Dioxins are produced in the production of PVC, and over the lifetime of the product a cocktail of toxic chemicals are released back into the environment. It can't be recycled easily, and if burned or incinerated it releases more dioxins and toxic gases. If landfi lled, it will release additives that can damage groundwater. For good reason more and more manufacturers are advertising PVC-free products. Here are several from the growing selection.

As well as PVC-free, Aquapac adds to the equation that its waterproof belt case is 100% recyclable. For keys, cash, passports and more, the belt case is submersible to 15 feet and comes with a belt or slip it onto your own.

Also look for Aquapac's range of lightweight, fl exible and durable waterproof camera cases. www.aquapac.net.

Th is new super-durable PVC-free map case from the Sealline family of Cascade Designs features a secure roll-down plus hook and loop closure, convenient tie-down tabs, and an adjustable neck strap. Take your pick of small, medium or large. We're happy to report the medium fi ts the BC Recreation Kayaking and Small Boat Atlas quite nicely. (Phew!)

www.cascadedesigns.com

Aquapac Cascade Designs

Transparent drybags are always a bonus – no digging around to ferret out something out of sight in the bott om. MEC's new line is made of non-PVC 0.5mm polyurethane fi lm with radio-frequency welded seams. Th e bott om is 800-denier PU-coated for extra durability. An oval shape helps with packing. But don't fully submerge – for expensive or vulnerable items, look for hard cases with o-rings or padded waterproof cases. www.mec.ca



New Gear

CobraIf you're like the average North American male who goes giddy over

electronics, you'll love the new Cobra MR HH125- 3 Watt Waterproof Handheld VHF. It's one of the smallest, most versatile and most aff ordable yet, with a backlit LCD display and keypad for low-light conditions and built-in NOA A channels and weather alerts. It runs on recyclable A A A batt eries (included), and comes with a DC cigarett e lighter charger for recharging on the go. Or replace with fi ve standard A A A batt eries, meaning continuous use on long trips where recharging isn't possible. www.cobra.com.

And now something for the women, with apologies that it isn't a bit more fl ashy or glamorous. But any woman who has sat for several hours in wet pants in a kayak will know glamour isn't always a top priority. Th e NRS Women's Athena Dry Pants are constructed with breathable 70 x 320-denier ripstop HyproTex 2.5 fabric with fully taped seams , latex gaskets at the ankles and 3-mm neoprene band seals at the waist to keep the water out. A handy thigh pocket stores items you need close at hand. www.nrs.com

Any connoisseur of wine knows the taste changes when exposed to oxygen. If not preserved properly, the lifespan can be measure in hours – not good when you're out kayaking for a week. Enter the PlatyPreserve, which can be used to remove oxygen from the container. Th e bad news: there goes your excuse for fi nishing the entire bott le in one sitt ing. www.platy.com

Win a Cobra!

NRS

Platypus



SOMETIMES it takes an extraordinary event to fully appreciate a kayak. And we got one

of those, in spades, during a test of the new Current Designs Infi nity.

We had been playing it rather safe. When we invited this issue's guest reviewers along for an outing, it was under casual conditions in Nanaimo Harbour. A circumnavigation of Newcastle Island provided an introduction to the sporty boat for members of the BC Marine Trails Network Association, a group working towards establishing a paddle trail from Washington State to Alaska.

And so we all gained friendly fi rst impressions of Current Designs’ latest entry into the ever-more-crowded skeg boat category. You might be wondering why another skeg boat if you’re familiar with CD’s legendary Gulfstream, a long-time industry leader among fans of North American-built Brit boats. But the two are quite different. For the Infi nity, Current Designs has lengthened the Gulfstream, knocked out some of the rocker, fl attened the hull bottom, made the beam narrower (22 inches versus the Gulfstream’s 23.75 inches), and generally made it a highly sporty option.

The result, as you might have guessed by the description, is not a beginner’s boat. The Infi nity is a specialty boat that will be at home in surf and rapids as much as it is on fl at water. As we found out. That’s because our ad hoc Team Wavelength (in this case myself, Leanne Chetcuti and Carey

Lockwood) got a chance to take the Infi nity out to Nuchatlitz at the northwest end of Nootka Island. I thought the maelstrom off the reefs that surround Nuchatlitz Provincial Park would provide the rough water test. But the real challenge turned out to be the trip back up Espinosa Inlet. The weather changed from calm to gale force almost instantly, and in minutes we were being propelled by gusting winds above 30 knots. Williwaws (whirlwind squalls) kicked up and we were surfi ng whitecapped wind waves. In the Infi nity it was a surprisingly gentle ride.

The basics: The Infi nity cockpit is designed for a generally larger paddler. Our test group’s smallest female members were not feeling confi dent with their fi t. Those nearer the 6’0” range of the scale found it fi ne. Given the narrowness there is some initial twitchiness but the overall stability is good thanks in part to the fl at hull design. Tracking with the skeg is a breeze. The Infi nity is well-equipped with a day hatch behind the cockpit, an adjustable skeg lever, easily adjusted footrests and rubber

hatch covers that are surprisingly simple to remove and reseal.

The ratingTouring: The Infi nity is billed by CD

as a large expedition sea kayak for British boat design afi cionados. For those out there not used to Brit boats and skegs, be warned the Infi nity's skeg housing divides the stern hatch space (a hazard of any retractable skeg model) which in this case is already split by a day hatch (again, a hazard of the design). Brit boat fans likely won't have a problem; it's the nature of the beast. Others (like me, for instance, who is spoiled by the bottomless pit of the CD arsenal, the old Expedition) might be left head-scratching fi guring out where to put

Review

Into Infinity

Length Beam Depth Cockpit Total storage Weight 17.9' 22" 13.5" 31.75"L x 16.5"W 209 liters 52/48 lbs

Current Designs Infi nity specs

Yellow Point, Vancouver Island

by John Kimantas



the big-ticket items. The upside is the day hatch is great for loads of miscellaneous gear – a feature I grew to appreciate when organizing odds and ends (I got lazy and dumped, a strategy that worked well).

Playing: Being a sports boat, this is what the Infi nity is really all about. It is well designed for rolling, a key feature being a low, fl exible backrest – handy for fans of rolling, but not necessarily a fi t for everyone (one tester found it shy on lower back support for touring). Overall the Infi nity is ideal for fans of surf, rapids, rolling and more technical kayaking.

Stability: Initial stability is good and secondary stability very good. It tracked on or above par for a skeg boat in both broadside and following weather – a defi nite strong point to the design.

The positives: We tested the Kevlar model, and have to vouch for the weight savings on an already light model (48 pounds Kevlar versus 52 pounds fi berglass). The difference is notable when loading. Thoughtful accessories are found throughout the design, such as the easily-accessible locking footrest adjustment levers.

Overall: Buyers should note this is a specialty boat. Thankfully it also looks good on the straightaway and rides comfortably for most larger size ranges, making it an option for casual kayakers who may want to grow into a performance boat. The bottom line is the Infi nity does what it is meant to do; Brit boat fans will no doubt debate the degree to which it succeeds compared to other boats for years to come. So let the debate for the best Brit boat rage on as it fi nally reaches Infi nity.

Current Designs Infi nity

Newcastle Island, Nanaimo Harbour



Health and Fitness by Eric Soares

WE’VE ALL HEARD of the Tao, Chinese for the Way. In the great Tao, the great Way, one

embarks on a lifelong sinuous path which begins with an understanding of one’s self and nature and leads to unity with the cosmos. For those not ready to fl ow with the universe, there is also the little tao, a way of doing things in an effi cient, playful and natural manner. In the little tao, one seeks spontaneous, authentic ways to do things, while being centered, balanced, aware and skilled. Of interest to us is the tao of sea kayaking. Here are a few suggestions to help us unite with the cosmos of the sea.

Understand waterSome kayakers are good at checking the

internet for information on tides, water temperature, swell size, wind direction and speed, and the weather forecast. They ensure that their GPS is working, so they will know where they are when on the water. This is an important aspect of sea kayaking, but its focus is on the water, not in the water. Unlike yachting, an on-water activity, kayaking is in-water. You can literally touch the water at will. And when you paddle in the sea, the water can touch you at any time. It’s essential to understand the sea by standing under the sea, so to speak. This means let the sea envelope you and teach you its secrets. This is the tao of sea kayaking.

Water is a key concept in Taoism. Water always takes the path of least resistance and fl ows around obstacles rather than directly opposes them. It constantly changes, slipping downhill like a stream, or surging in and out like the tides. Since our bodies are mostly water, it is natural for humans to understand water. Yet some people have acquired an aversion to being in water. Here are some exercises to help you be one with water and get more out of sea kayaking with less effort.

Sit and watch the river fl owThe fi rst exercise is relaxed observation.

Simply go to your nearest natural body of water, be it Walden’s pond, a babbling brook, a river, or the sea, and stay by it for a day, just observing it in a casual way. As a sea kayaker, you’ll want to spend a day by the seashore, whether it be the rocky coast of Maine or a sandy beach in the Sea of Cortez. First thing, take in the vastness of

TAOThe

of sea kayakingthe sea. Smell the salt in the air and listen to the crying of the sea birds. Watch a swell from a mile away slowly make its way to your beach and break, then slip back to the sea in the rip current. Contemplate the tide as it completes the massive yin and yang of its cycle. See yourself surfi ng around a sea stack to hide from the wind.

Test the watersThe second activity is child’s play. To

really understand water, stand under the waterfall and feast on the negative ion barrage. Or go to a beach with breaking waves, walk barefoot up and down the beach with your feet barely in the water. You may at fi rst be too conservative and

end up out of the water. Then you get closer to the water, fi nd that you are too slow and a wave hits you. The next thing you know, you are running and skipping and leaping up and down the beach, frolicking in the magic foam. Doesn’t the foam feel good as it twinkles your toes? Before you know it, you’ve gotten hot and need to dive into the water to cool off. Ahh! You experienced the rhythms of the surf fi rst-hand and had a really good time. The tao is so easy. If you can’t do this, have a child show you.

Swim like an otterSince you are swimming, why not take

the opportunity to body surf? If you feel eager, here’s what you do. From the shore,

phot

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The Tao of Sea Kayaking

wade through the waves, turning sideways as each one hits you. When the wave is big enough that you might get knocked backward, dive under it and let its force pass over you. Walk out until it’s diffi cult to touch bottom and swim around a bit to acclimate. Pay attention to the incoming surf. When a big wave comes and is just ready to break, swim as hard as you can down wave until you feel it engulf you. Then stiffen your body so it resembles a surf board or a dolphin, and effortlessly glide down the wave as long as you can. When the wave spends itself, dive down to the bottom and swim out to sea. Then set up for the next wave. At this stage, you fully understand the sea. You and the sea are one.

It’s time for caveats. If you can’t swim well, don’t go out in any body of water until you become profi cient. Also, don’t swim alone, in case something happens. If the water is really cold, wear a wetsuit. Should body surfi ng appear too much for you, start by swimming in lakes, snorkeling in lagoons in the ocean or take a swim in the municipal pool. There is no need to push yourself.

Surf like there’s no tomorrowYou already have paddling skills, so now

take the lessons learned from body surfi ng and apply them to surf kayaking. Upon arrival at the beach, repeat the fi rst three exercises. Observe the water, waves and wind. Do you like what you see? If not, don’t go out that day. If you do, put on your wetsuit, run along the beach to get your blood moving and test the waters. Do you still feel like getting in? If yes, then swim around a little. Feel good? If affi rmative, body surf a couple of waves. Still feel confi dent? If you are, get in your boat and go surf kayaking. You and the water are synched. Without reservation, go for it 100 per cent. This is the tao of surf kayaking.

Know your mindThe untrained mind plays tricks on us.

Does your mind go blank while paddling? You suddenly realize you have paddled 450 meters without knowing it. This may seem like a good thing if you must paddle 25 miles, but spacing out in zombie mind is not the tao.

How often have you had a conversation in your mind while paddling? If you are in the middle of a long crossing, it seems like a worthwhile way to stave off boredom. But

mental chatter is monkey mind and not the tao.

Zombie mind and monkey mind can occur while sea kayaking: “I was paddling along, thinking about stuff, doo-de-doo, when a wave appeared out of nowhere

and wham.” To avoid zombie and monkey thinking, instruct yourself to be alert for it. When it occurs, identify it, dispel it and instead tell your mind to relax, stay perceptive, and concentrate on what is around you and what you are doing. In short, be mindful. To help your mind stay alert, on your next paddle in the ocean, skirt along the coast just outside the surf a few feet. You will learn to be mindful or wham. When staying mindful becomes natural in the water, you are on the path.

Train your bodyHave you ever gotten exhausted while

kayaking? Has your back hurt? Have your wrists or shoulders given you problems? Do you gasp for breath after going through the surf? If any of these things occur, you may need a workout regimen to help your body relax and excel in the ocean.

We’re not talking about Iron Man training, just having your body do what you want it to do so you don’t get hurt and you move effi ciently. The Taoist art of tai chi is a series of gentle martial exercises that increase chi (energy) fl ow, improve fl exibility and balance, regulate breathing, correct posture and help you move your body in a natural, fl owing motion. If you do tai chi regularly, your health will improve, and your body will function at a high level.

Temper your spiritWhy do you kayak? For most of us, there

are many reasons, some of which we are not aware. Some people want to show off, others need to prove something. For some paddlers it’s a notch on their bucket list. The Taoist goes out in a kayak for the pure enjoyment of messin’ around in a boat.

When your spirit is engaged fully in the activity of sea kayaking, you experience a unique satori (enlightenment). Because you observe water and experience it in many ways, you understand its nature. When everything comes together, your spirit soars through the aquasphere. This is the tao of sea kayaking as I have lived it. But don’t take my word for it; experience it yourself. Your path will differ from mine; that is natural. From what you have read here, take what is useful and leave the rest.

Eric Soares lives in Ashland, Oregon, and paddles the western Pacifi c coastline with his

Tsunami Ranger friends.

Remain calm in the midst of chaos.

Tune into the water, tune in to the tao.

Follow the way, enter new dimensions.

In the midst of the cosmic swirl.

phot

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A STERN RUDDER STROKE is the most powerful means of making small course corrections without

slowing your kayak’s forward momentum too much. While sometimes erroneously perceived as a turning stroke, the stern rudder is really a steering stroke – it’s ideal, for instance, when gliding through a tight gap too narrow for other strokes to be used. The stern rudder will also help you stay on track when paddling in wind and waves. And it’s the key paddle stroke that you’ll use to control your kayak while surfi ng.

There are actually two forms of the stern rudder: the stern pry, and the stern draw. We’ll look at the vastly more powerful stern pry fi rst.

To set up for the stern pry, completely submerge your ruddering blade as far back as is comfortable, with the paddle parallel to the kayak. This will provide your stroke with the most power while minimizing any braking effect. To do this, you’ll need to use some aggressive torso rotation, which means turning your whole upper body towards your ruddering blade. This rotation will keep your hands in front of your body in a powerful position and protect your shoulders from injury. The front hand should be

held comfortably in front of your chest. A little trick to ensure that you’ve achieved the desired position is to drop your paddle – it should fall directly into the water without bouncing off of your kayak fi rst. From this position you can use the power of torso rotation to push away with the backside of your paddle blade to steer your kayak.

From this same setup position, you can also draw water towards your stern with the power face of your blade, which is called the stern draw. However, because the stern pry is so much more powerful than the stern draw, we’ll use the pry the vast majority of the time, and simply alternate sides (right or left) as needed to steer the

desired course.When practicing the stern rudder,

strive to produce minimal drag from your ruddering paddle blade. The blade should be slicing cleanly into the water, and not fl aring out to the side, splashing lots of water, or creating drag. Having said that, in some surfi ng situations (like very steep waves), including a breaking element in the stroke may be desirable. A paddler can choose to intentionally introduce drag by prying out to the side, in a bid to stay higher up the wave’s face, thereby reducing the chances of burying the kayak’s bow in the wave trough.

Also, experiment with combining boat angle with your stern pry. Edging your kayak one way or the other will yield different handling characteristics and provide even more response and fi ne control. Edging away from your stern pry is particularly effective when steering a surfi ng sea kayak. As always, practice on both sides and develop a smooth and effi cient transition from one side to the other – this is a skill that will pay immediate dividends on your next surf ride.

Adapted from “Sea Kayaking:

Rough Waters” by Alex Matthews available at www.Helipress.com.

Skillset By Alex Matthews

To practice on fl at water, build up some speed before planting your stern pry.

Skookumchuck Narrows, BC



Use aggressive torso rotation and a fully submerged blade.

The dropped paddle trick verifi es correct posture.

phot

os by

Roch

elle R

elyea



Wildlife

THE CORNER OF MY EYE catches a blurred streak crashing into the water, and I know my old

friend the brown pelican is fi shing. It is a rare paddling day that I am not

surrounded by these huge coastal seabirds that have become so habituated to man they usually allow my kayak to approach within feet as they bob on the surface between dives.

Those of us who frequent the water have all seen them hurtling their bodies at

Pelican primer

By James Michael Dorsey

impossible speed into the briny blue and have probably asked, “How do they do that without a brain injury or a headache at least?”

Pelicanus occidentalis, commonly known as the brown pelican, is the smallest of eight species of pelicans but among the largest of seabirds. At 42 to 54 inches tall, with a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet, it is second in size only to the great albatross, and yet

Summer plumage.




with its compact stocky body and long beak, it manages to be both dramatic and comical at the same time.

They live 25 to 30 years, reaching their mature feathered plumage at about three years. And while an adult pelican weighs only about 12 pounds, it will consume roughly a third of its body weight daily in small herring-type fi sh.

The brown pelican has a long, twisted neck that has the seventh and ninth vertebrae fused, thus prohibiting it from straightening that long neck. It ends in a 12-inch beak with an expandable pouch, which is the fl eshy lower part of its jaw and the largest pouch of any known bird.

So, about those head-crunching dives: the pelican is a plunge feeder that cruises over the water watching for the silver fl ash of baitfi sh near the surface. It then tucks its wings and legs, diving headfi rst like a kamikaze into the water. The deeper the fi sh the higher the pelican will begin its dive, and has been known to fall from as high as 100 feet. They are unique among sea birds in that they have air sacs in their clavicle and under the skin that absorbs much of the impact of these plunges. Watching a hundred of these birds fi shing at a time is a majestic sight.

Once it breaks the surface, it expands the large pouch that can take in as much as three gallons of water and fi sh, acting like a large scoop, and then throws its head back to drain the water out through side slits in the beak. The pelican will swallow the fi sh whole as it has no teeth and always eats immediately after the catch rather than transporting fi sh in its beak. It is common to see gulls trying to pull fi sh from the pelican's pouch, often sitting on its head to do so as the pelican is a most inoffensive animal and allows these scavengers great latitude in stealing its work.

Pelicans often travel in fl ocks consisting of both male and female, and love to fl y in a V formation, taking turns drafting on the wings of the lead bird (think NASCAR). From these formations they strafe the waves in search of food, and it is common to fi nd dozens of them hunting in a small area.

They are not taught to hunt by their parents but learn to do so by trial and error. Immature birds do not fare well due to this

Brown pelicans

lack of experience, and it is believed that almost one third of yearling birds starve to death because of this. As a result they are also great scavengers who haunt docks and fi shing launches looking for handouts – one reason why they often approach my kayak.

Their nesting and breeding habits are the really cool part.

These birds tend to gather in large colonies sometimes called a rookery, and nest very close to each other. The male will pick a nesting area, sometimes on the ground and sometimes in a tree. He will court the female with an elaborate series of head movements, trying to not be so aggressive she is frightened away. The female will take a couple days to make up her mind, (does this sound familiar?) acting coy, but also being aggressive enough to show other male suitors her interest in the original head bobber.

In a large rookery, this mating dance can get quite comical, almost like being on a disco fl oor in the ’70s. Also during this ritual they are known to make a popping sound that is the result of them snapping their jaws.

If she is interested, the male will bring her sticks, branches and twigs (and what female can refuse a free tree branch?) that she will begin to weave together into a nest. Sometimes the nest can get very elaborate, especially those in the trees. It can take

as long as ten days for this job to be completed and the lovebirds then move in.

Once the happy couple has taken up residency, the fi rst of three eggs will appear within three days, with a day between each egg. Both parents will take turns incubating the eggs. Since the pelican has extremely vascularized legs and feet (lots of blood vessels), this keeps the eggs warm until they hatch in about one month.

Winter plumage.



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Wildlife

At birth the chicks are totally helpless and the parents will feed them by regurgitating food onto the fl oor of the nest for them to peck at. At about ten days, they have begun to grow feathers and will also begin to take regurgitated food directly from the parent’s beak at this time. If food is scarce only the strongest chick will be fed to assure its survival and the others will pass away. The chick needs to eat a lot to store body fat because at just 11 weeks he or she

is ready to face the world on its own.Immature birds are known to make a

raspy croaking scream but as adults they are mostly mute except during mating.

So now that you have the basics, it is time for the really unusual facts.

You would think because of its enormous pouch the pelican would also have a large tongue, but in fact it is about the size of a toothpick. Because it has to swallow fi sh whole, a large tongue would

just get in the way. It also uses that long beak to gather oils from glands at the base of its tail to preen and waterproof its feathers. For areas it cannot reach with its beak, the bird has a serrated middle nail on its webbed foot that takes care of this job.

When the pelican gets too hot it will open its pouch and fl utter the sides, causing an air fl ow to evaporate surface moisture. This is a cooling process similar to humans sweating.



Brown pelicans

They are the rare sea bird that actually drinks saltwater. They have no nostrils but instead have glands that reside between the

eyes and beak that allow them to distill the saltwater and pass the brine off in large droplets. Gulls have this same ability.

The only real enemy these birds have is man. During the 1960s DDT almost made them extinct, but fortunately they made a comeback and today their numbers are climbing.

Because they never pass up a free meal I have had them approach me for an occasional anchovy that I often scoop out of the water to feed them, and once I had a very tired youngster make a crash landing on my deck. He got twisted under my deck bungee and took a header into the drink. He was completely embarrassed until I could free his captive webbies.

Observing these unique creatures has taught me a great deal about the interconnection between man, animals and the ocean, and I consider them a paddling partner to be appreciated.

James Michael Dorsey can be reached at [email protected]



I WAS AT a dinner party recently with a number of other kayakers. And as

kayakers are wont, we turned our conversation to paddling. We quickly exhausted the usual topics – the relative merits of various pieces of gear, our latest on-water adventures, and our paddling plans for the summer. More interesting was the conservation that followed. It started when J (who is single) bemoaned the shortage of single paddlers and the challenges she faced when trying to introduce her latest partner to the sport. Apparently things weren’t going well on the water between J and her partner. Soon most of us were sharing our own challenges, misadventures and lessons from paddling with our families, wives, husbands and partners. It was a rich vein for conversation and kept us going for over an hour.

It also got me thinking about the experiences of other friends, family and colleagues. Over the years I have had versions of this conversation with my parents, my wife, my son, friends of the family and others. There is also a growing body of literature about relationships in outdoor sports. It is clearly a sensitive issue, but also an important one that speaks to the pleasures and challenges of kayaking with people emotionally important to us.

I have tried to look for underlying themes in these conversations and support this anecdotal evidence with the technical literature. There are two main challenges that have emerged as consistent issues facing families and couples in outdoor sports.Diff erent Goals and Expectations

One person’s passion is another’s part-time pastime, which can lead to confl ict over time, money and commitment. Many

couples and families want to spend time together recreating; confl ict arises when limited resources have to be allocated. It is easy for one person in a relationship to feel undervalued in the face of a passion. One paddling friend actually describes herself as a kayak widow in the face of her partner’s passion.

Even if all members of the family enjoy paddling,

they often enjoy paddling for different reasons. This point was brought home to me several years ago when my wife and I were planning a multi-day trip on the west coast with our four year old. I was looking forward to a few days on the open coast. My wife was more interested in exploring the local ecosystem. But it was my son who really brought the point home. His priority was to spend time with his family, regardless of our destination. We all wanted to go paddling, but for three distinct reasons.

Reconciling differing goals and expectations is not easy. The fi rst step is actually articulating a set of goals and expectations. The second step is compromise. Not all goals and expectations can be accommodated in a single trip. Often family members and couples will have to create space for another’s passion. But equally, the passionate paddler will have to

Planning and Safety by Michael Pardy

Kayaking and relationships

Kayak outings need not be

a shortcut to divorce court



give up some water time for other priorities or work toward other goals on trips. Learning from a Partner

Many friends expressed their frustration at learning from a more experienced partner. The learners all expressed feelings of vulnerability, which often went unacknowledged by the teacher/partner. The teachers often felt frustrated by the lack of speedy progress of their student/partner. The student-teacher relationship is based on a fundamental inequality that can be incompatible with our social relationships.

Many couples agreed it was better to learn from an independent instructor. If couples insisted on teaching and learning together they offered the following advice.

Teachers, acknowledge that learning takes time, practice and patience. Offer suggestions, not commands. Accept that your partner may not share your passion. Be honest about your own abilities, knowledge and experience.

Learners, accept that your partner may not be the best teacher, regardless of how much ability, knowledge and experience they have. Acknowledge that your partner wants you to succeed so you can enjoy the activity together. Be honest and gentle in your feedback.

I have had to work through many of these issues in my role fi rst as boyfriend,

then husband and now father. My wife occasionally reminds me I am lucky to still be around because early in our relationship I tried to teach her how to whitewater canoe. My tone of voice and style of teaching were better suited to working with male teenagers (with whom I had been teaching for a few years). The situation came to a head after a particularly challenging afternoon, and if we had been paddling a shorter canoe, she would have decapitated me with the paddle! I am happy to report we survived these early experiences and we continue to enjoy our time on the water together as a family.

When asked what skills would have the most impact on their enjoyment of paddling with their partners and families, most folks emphasized the need for better communication. Specifi cally, folks talked about the importance of listening to what is being said (and left unsaid), creating a time out for communication so the pressures of time and risk can be mitigated, and making sure everyone has a chance to talk.

None of this is new information to couples and families. What is perhaps new is its importance in paddling, where many of us turn to get away from the demands of work and family.

Michael Pardy lives in Victoria, where he runs SKILS Ltd. He can be reached at [email protected].

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by Dan ArmitageFishing Angles

LAST SPRING, boating made national news due to an anchoring mishap involving several

professional athletes, three of whom lost their lives. As soon as I heard the anglers were fi shing a sunken wreck in the Gulf of Mexico, I had a handle on what had happened. Having fi shed offshore wrecks myself, I know that you need to anchor the boat to remain over the structure and the fi sh the wreck attracts. I also know how dangerous that can be when waves or wind or current – or all three – kick up and start dashing an anchored boat around. Unless you have a way of quickly releasing that anchor line, the conditions can quickly conspire to swamp the boat, using the force of the unforgiving tether against those of the sea. I suspect that the anchor line on the ill-fated boat in question was made tight to a cleat on the bow, and before that line could be loosed – by untying the knot, slipping the noose or cutting it outright – the damage had been done and the boat had swamped.

Those same forces come into play aboard any boat that is linked to the water’s bottom via an anchor, and few craft are as vulnerable to the consequences as a kayak. Anglers considering using an anchor to stop or slow their kayak’s passage must weigh their options – and each situation – carefully.

Anchors are powerful tools for anglers, allowing their boats to remain in position within catching range of the fi sh being sought. The bottom-hugging devices are also dangerous in current, a condition that kayakers frequently – and intentionally – surround themselves with. Avoiding immersion in our favorite element is a matter of knowing when and where an anchor is appropriate and when it is not. It is always risky to anchor in current, and the consequences of a lightweight boat coming to a dead stop when an anchor suddenly catches can be quick and dangerous.

The most important part of a kayak’s ground tackle, as anchoring gear is known in boating circles, is found on the boat end of the rig. You must be able to quickly release the anchor line, or rode, if you fi nd yourself in a situation that risks swamping your craft. Several styles of quick-release jam cleats are available and popular with paddlers, devices that are mounted on the gunwale that use the line’s own tension to keep it snug without having to tie off with a knot or use a loop. A quick fl ick will loose the line and free the kayak from anchor. Some kayakers place a colorful fl oat on the end of the line to allow them to spot it and retrieve the anchor rig once they gain more control over the situation.

On the positive side, it doesn’t take much weight to slow or stop the progress of a boat as sleek and light as a kayak. Anchors designed for paddle-powered craft are much smaller than those intended for traditional boats, and weight is only one factor in an anchor’s design. Anchors use weight, shape or a combination of both to achieve their task. Grapnel anchors are relatively light in

weight but their claw-like arms grab and hold subsurface structure such as rock and wood to tether their craft in place. Compact mushroom anchors rely on weight more than shape, and are best used on mud or sand or structure-free bottoms. Between those two extremes are anchors of various shapes and designs, many home made.A do-it-yourself anchor

One favorite do-it-yourself anchor among kayak anglers is made of short lengths of 3/8-inch-diameter chain attached to the end of a line using a snap or carabiner. Having a few foot-long lengths of a dozen links or so allows the angler to quickly attach only as much weight as is needed to anchor or slow the drift of a kayak. A benefi t of the chain is that its shape is such that it rarely hangs up on rocks or other structure, making it a favorite among fi shermen in current who want to slow their drift to a pace that allows them to work an area with casts without stopping altogether.

Another issue is the anchor point on the kayak itself. Many kayak anglers prefer the anchor line to be snug to the boat’s stern, so that the wind or current is at the angler’s back, making for easier casting and a unobstructed view “downstream.” A kayak’s shape dictates that the safest anchor in terms of stability is off the bow or stern, but in cases when the wind and current are moderate, you can vary the anchor point along the length of the kayak to better position yourself with regard to your target.

Anchors or stakes can be used to keep the kayak in place

while fi shing, even if the angler is not aboard.

Staying put a simple do-it-yourself

project with a littlerope and chain



Kayak anchors

Grapnel, for gripping, and chain for gliding are two extremes in kayak anchor designs.

That’s why many fi shing kayaks are fi tted with trolley systems down one side of their boat, either home-made or available as aftermarket accessories or options from some manufacturers. These clothesline-type rigs allow infi nite adjustment of that anchor or pivot point from the comfort of the cockpit, yet maintain the all-important quick-release safety feature.

A fi nal anchoring device, the stake, is popular with anglers who get out and wade, using their kayaks simply to get to and from the fi shing grounds before exiting the craft to pursue their quarry on foot. Just remember to keep a close eye on the wind, current and tide when walking away from a staked-out kayak; an oversight could leave you up that creek without paddle or a boat.

Dan Armitage is a boating, fi shing and travel writer based in the Midwest. He is a licensed (USCG Master) captain, hosts a syndicated radio show and presents kayaking fi shing seminars at boat shows.



“COME ON – put in on,” prods Rebecca, my 14-year-old stepdaughter.

She prances around to show me that wearing a lifejacket upside down like a diaper is not embarrassing or un-cool at all.

“Just do it! It’s so fun.” With complete abandon, she does a little jig on the rock, and then leaps into the lake with a splash.

“Dia-per-BOB, dia-per-BOB,” chant Rebecca and her sister Victoria, trying to coax me to stick my legs into the armholes of my zipped-up life jacket, wiggle it up past my butt and bob around in the lake with them.

We were on a one-week paddling vacation along the outskirts of Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario. Denis, my husband, his two girls Victoria, age 12 and Rebecca, and our dog Tanzer were on this adventure we had talked about for years. Now, we were fi nally doing it.

We had stopped early today. This cute little island we checked out for a mid-morning blueberry-picking break proved too nice to leave. Now it looked like “diaper bobbing” was going to be the afternoon entertainment. I fi nally gave up my dignity and donned the diaper, struck a pose on the rock, and to the sound of applause, jumped in.

We had seven portages planned for our second day moving along the northwest side of Killarney. We were coming up to our third portage when Rebecca, my paddling partner for the day asked, “Can I carry the canoe?”

“Wow! Sure you can!” We got out and unloaded. I showed Rebecca the easiest way to pick up a canoe.

“Stand in front of me there, Beck, and help me roll it up. Do it together ... ready ... keep the bow on the ground ... up ... that’s it.” We stood holding the canoe over our heads. I told her to let go and move up to get under the yoke. Gingerly I lowered the canoe to rest on her narrow shoulders. Rebecca lifted the bow off the ground

and stood a moment balancing the canoe. Dad went nuts with the camera snapping pictures.

Rebecca gamely headed down the trail with me behind in case she needed to take a break. A slippery root almost spelled disaster, but she strained, paused, rebalanced the canoe and continued on for the entire 280 metres. I helped her take the canoe off and we high-fi ved each other. Her fl ushed face broke into a wide grin of accomplishment. I grinned with accomplishment as well. That high fi ve was a little moment that we could call our own.

Near the end of the day I heard Tanzer splash into the water just ahead of me, though she is not a water dog. I came round the corner with the canoe on my shoulders and there, not six feet from me, were two otters rising so far out of the water that they looked like little totem poles.

They began to “psht” at me – a wet noise of air forced out of their nostrils. Tanzer stood frozen on shore. I kept still with the canoe not wanting to scare them off. They fl ared their nostrils, twitched their whiskers and pulsed up and down in the water.

“Psht,” I said back to them, and they looked at me with renewed interest. Finally, I heard a noise behind me.

“Look at the otters!” I whispered.“Oh!” Vicky gasped. I put the canoe

down and the otters moved away slightly. I could see two more otters – an adult with three young. The adult was sitting on a log next to the shore eating a piece of fi sh. Her sharp teeth gleamed as she fi ercely chewed with an open mouth, and we could hear the wet smacking sounds. She slipped into the water and all four of them glided farther away. The young ones peeked back at us once, and then began to playfully roll over each other.

We watched together in silence, and then, “That was so cool!” Rebecca said.

Back home the girls and I gathered around the kitchen table with the full Killarney map spread out.

“Who can draw our route on the map?” I challenged. Rebecca picked up the highlighter and began to retrace our trip.

“And this portage is where we hid under the boat from the lightning ... and ... this is the campsite Vicky got busted with her candy-stash in the tent. And this is the beach we had the water races ... ”

Looking back we could see the distance we covered, paddling and portaging completely by our own power; carrying everything we needed to live. The challenges of the portages and headwinds are like the challenges faced by a blended family. Both require some work, but the rewards are always worth it. We caught eyes, united in our appreciation of ourselves – and maybe a little closer now than when we left.

Terry Johnson is already planning her next paddling adventure. Visit her at

www.terrylynnjohnson.com

Refl ections By Terry Johnson

Mixing it up in Killarney

Diaper bobbing, an activity combining relaxation with a complete loss of dignity.

Writing refl ecting the spirit of paddling

Canoe trip proves the perfect outing for blended family



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explore canada’s coastal

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explorez les parcs nationaux

côtiers du canada


Documents

Wavelength Kayaking Magazine: Summer 2009