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PADDLING THE PACIFIC COAST SUMMER 2007
WaveLength
MAGAZINE
PADDLING PLACES
PM 40010049
Alasaka • BC • Washington • Oregon • California • Maritimes
Kayak Fishing • Gear Review • Skills • News & Events
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2 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 3

ALASKA
PAGES 10-15
BRITSH COLUMBIA
PAGES 16-33
ATLANTIC PROVINCES
PAGES 40-42
WASHINGTON AND OREGON
PAGES 34-37
CALIFORNIA
PAGES 38-39
CONTENTS
10 ALASKA—Kayaks and Clams
After a week of exploring the
49th state via planes, trains and
automobiles, I was in awe of
and feeling a bit intimidated by
Alaska’s sheer size.
by Dan Armitage
36 Nude Beaches, Wind and Men Wearing Fur
In a trip down the Columbia,
you can choose your kayaking
environment.
by Neil Schulman
32 Paddling on a Mirror
“So let’s kayak around the
Bowron Lakes instead,” suggested
my son Patrick when a
six-day backpacking trip had
to be cancelled.
by Aileen Stalker
38 A Paddler’s Secret
While I am always looking forward
to the next exotic locale
in which to dip my paddle, I
am mindful of the fact that I
live near a kayaker’s dream.
by James Michael Dorsey
34 Kayaking in Seattle Harbor
Kayaking — and surfing — in
Seattle harbor convinced me
that urban kayaking has its
own charm and is every bit as
rewarding.
by Hans Tammemagi
40 Great Sea Kayaking Picks in Atlantic Canada
With close to 30,000 kilometres
of shoreline outlining the
four Atlantic Provinces, the
best way to explore it is in the
seat of an ocean kayak.
by Keith and Heather Nicol
4 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

6 Editorial
8 Your Thoughts
14 Kayakers and Shorebirds Vie for Beach
by Julie Speegle and Michael Goldstein
16 Classic Clayoquot
From the Rainforest
by Dan Lewis
18 Prairie Paddlers
by Michelle Wiebe
20 So Many Memories
Drift Time
by Alan Wilson
22 Sandy Island Marine Park
by Andrew Malcolm
24 Paddle Nanaimo: Day Trips
by John Kimantas
27 Out the Door and Turn Left
by Jenni Gehlbach
30 Urban Paddling: Victoria, BC
by Andrew Nolan
44 Everything-in-the-Kayak-Hatch Curry
Paddle Meals
by Hilary Masson
46 Food Essentials for Lazy Kayakers
by Bryan Nichols
50 Getting In and Out of a Kayak
Getting Started
by Alex Matthews
52 Sleeping Easy
Gear Locker
by Alex Matthews
54 Trolling for Salmon
Kayak Fishing
by Adam Belonsky
56 Coastal News
61 Events
63 WaveLength Bookstore
65 Book Reviews
by Diana Mumford
66 The Marketplace
70 In Conclusion
44
14
30
24
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS
Adam Bolonsky is a kayak fishing
guide and fitness expert, based near
Gloucester, Massachusetts.
You can read Adam’s lively blog at
paddlingtravelers.blogspot.com
Dan Lewis and Bonny Glambeck
operate Rainforest Kayak Adventures
in Clayoquot Sound.
1-877-422-WILD
www.rainforestkayak.com
Alex Matthews is WaveLength’s
gear reviewer and writes our paddling
skills columns. He has authored and coauthored
several kayaking skills books
and has been involved in the design
and development of kayaks.
matthewsalex@hotmail.com
Hilary Masson, our Paddle
Meals contributor, is a guide
and part owner of Baja Kayak
Adventure Tours Ltd.
www.bajakayakadventures.com
Neil Schulman’s writing and
photography have appeared in
numerous magazines and publications.
He also does environmental
work in Portland, Oregon.
Alan Wilson, founder of
WaveLength Magazine, is happily
retired on Gabriola Island, gardening
and paddling whenever he gets the
opportunity.
Bryan Nichols is a marine biologist
and science writer from Vancouver
Island who is currently working on
a PhD and a tan in Tampa. He’d
probably get done quicker if he
wasn’t trying to kayak around all of
Florida’s Gulf Coast barrier islands.
© Mark Hobson photo
© Wade Norton photo
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 5

editorial
WaveLength
MAGAZINE
Summer 2007 Volume 17, Number 3
PM No. 40010049
Editor – Diana Mumford
Diana@WaveLengthMagazine.com
Publisher – Ron Mumford
Rmumford@PacificEdgePublishing.com
Copy Editing – Jenni Gehlbach
Marketing – Ben Mumford
Ben@PacificEdgePublishng.com
Webmaster – Paul Rudyk
Writing not otherwise credited is by WL staff.
Cover – Harriman Fiord, Prince William Sound, Alaska.
Pictured are Cascade Glacier (left) and Barry Glacier
(right). Photo by Chugach National Forest and the Alaska
Region Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
SAFE PADDLING is an individual responsibility. We
recommend that inexperienced paddlers seek expert
instruction, 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, fitness clubs, marinas, events, etc.), and
globally on the web. Also available by subscription.
Articles, photos, events, news are all welcome.
SUBSCRIBE
$18 FOR 1 YEAR – 4 ISSUES
$30 FOR 2 YEARS – 8 ISSUES
US$ FOR USA / CDN$ FOR CANADA
TO SUBSCRIBE: 1-800-668-8806 or
www.WaveLengthMagazine.com
ADVERTISING RATES AND WRITERS GUIDELINES
AVAILABLE AT WWW.WAVELENGTHMAGAZINE.COM
ISSUE IN PRINT DEADLINE
Winter January Nov 30
Spring April Feb 28
Summer July May 31
Fall October Aug 31
Published by
Pacific Edge Publishing Ltd.
1773 El Verano Drive, Gabriola Island
British Columbia, Canada V0R 1X6
Ph: 1-800-668-8806 • Fax: 1-800-956-8299
Email: info@WaveLengthMagazine.com
Website: www.WaveLengthMagazine.com
© 2007. 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
Pacific Edge Publishing Ltd.
“An embarrassment of riches” is the phrase that came to mind as we were putting this
issue together—what an amazing variety of paddling places is represented in these
pages. We begin in Alaska, move down the BC coast, hopping from Clayoquot and
Barkley Sounds on the west coast of Vancouver Island to Georgia Strait and the east
coast of the island, into the Gulf Islands and Victoria, and then over to the Bowron
Lakes for some fresh water paddling. Then it’s south to Seattle, Oregon and California,
before heading east to the Canadian Maritimes. It’s enough to make your head
spin trying to decide where best to spend hard earned paddling time, and I know that
this is just a tiny sampling of the places waiting to be experienced. Whether you’re
inspired to trek off for a soulful wilderness adventure, or only have time for a day trip
on urban waters close to home, you are almost sure to come back rejuvenated and
relaxed, having been touched by the wonders of the natural world.
Speaking of the natural world, do you find yourself, as I do, feeling increasingly
disturbed, depressed and even panicked by the bad news that finds its way into news
reports or your Inbox on a daily basis? People seem to be finally waking up and
understanding that the decades-old warnings by environmental scientists have been
ignored, and that the consequences of societal inaction is going to have a huge impact
on life all over this planet. On our morning beach walks—a daily ritual for Wave-
Length workers—I sometimes find myself striding along, head down, staring at the
ground in front of my feet, thinking about the problem of the moment in my little
life. And I have to remind myself to lift my chin, lengthen my gaze and pay attention
to what is going on around me. The California poppies are in full blazing glory on the
bank to my left, kingfishers are chattering overhead, crashing into the water and rising
again with their breakfast in their beaks, totally ignored by dozens of herons who
stand motionless, waiting for their unlucky breakfast to swim into range. I am a symbol
of what is wrong with the world—we are all so wrapped up in our own concerns
that we can’t see what is happening in plain view. A cliché, I know, but no less true.
And so I use my position on this editorial pulpit to urge you to take action whenever
and however you can, so that all our small efforts accumulate to bring sane change
to our crazy world. Write letters, send money to watchdog organizations, holiday
close to home, eat local food, hang your clothes out to dry, turn all things electric off.
But also, put your boat in the water and enjoy life so that you continue to have the
energy and spirit to fight for unspoiled paddling places and what we all hold dear and
ultimately depend upon—the natural, interconnected world.
Diana
Printed on partially recycled ancient rainforest-free paper.
6 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

kayak to kayak communication
VHF radios | cellphone cases | whistles | PFDs | mec.ca
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 7

your thoughts
MIKE SIMPSON REMEMBERED
I would like to commend Dave Pinel for his heartfelt tribute
to Mike Simpson. I was extremely fortunate to have had
the opportunity to paddle with Mike to the Brooks Peninsula
last summer. He was exactly how Dave described: dedicated,
enthusiastic, supportive, energetic and so much fun to paddle
with. Mike truly was an inspiration.
Sheena Grindlay
THANK YOU!
I just downloaded the Spring 2007 issue of WaveLength, and
felt compelled to write and thank you so much for publishing it,
and making it so accessible. I look forward to every issue, and
find them packed with the most helpful information about paddling.
I’m a 58-year old kayaker who came late to her passion
for kayaking, but the stories you print are often inspirational,
and keep me motivated and keen on improving my skills. Once
again, thank you so very much.
Pam Mayhew
SKILLS FOR A NEW WORLD
Alan, I really enjoyed your “Skills for a New World” in the
spring edition of Wavelength Magazine but—
For all of your preaching about the need for a low impact
ethic to apply to all realms of our life, to which I subscribe,
there are a few facets of your article that I would like to address.
Reality and idealism are not easy bedfellows.
Your boats are, obviously of fibre glass/Kevlar and a polymer
gel construction—all products of the Alberta Tar sands
or other oil producing regions. Would you go back to a cotton
canvas/wood frame boat? Your clothing is oil based nylon/
polypropylene cloth as, probably, is your tent, sleeping bag and
accessories. Back to cotton clothing? Instead of burning wood
from the beach on the campfire, you are, apparently, encouraging
the burning of non-renewable white gas or LPG products.
“Low impact camping?”
Please look through ALL pages of the magazine and you
will see the degree to which we are all dependent on the petrochemical
industry for our “low impact” recreation—especially
the group flying to Tasmania for their kayaking adventure.
I have no answers, I am as guilty as the next “low impact”
kayaker in my use of non-renewable resources, but please remember
“those of us who live in glass houses, should not throw
stones.”
Geoff Russell
Editor’s Note: The Tasmanian paddlers featured in the Spring issue live
in Australia.
FEWER STROKES, FASTER BOATS
I read the article in the spring issue of WaveLength Magazine
and was surprised by some of your ideas. I agree that
varying your cadence on long trips can help to reduce mental
fatigue because paddling for extended periods can be monotonous
and any method of adding variety to your journey can increase
energy levels and overall enjoyment. Moreover, the ability
to paddle efficiently at different cadence levels is important
for your development as a kayaker. There are situations where
paddling at a low cadence (high gear) is necessary, for example
into a stiff headwind. Likewise, the ability to kayak at a high
cadence (low gear) is essential when sprinting against a fast current
to pass through a tidal narrows. However, humans have
anatomical and physiological limitations which affect all aspects
of movement including cadence. As far as I know, “paddling
faster with fewer strokes” can only be achieved in three ways:
developing a more efficient stroke, a more powerful stroke, or
a combination of the two, so the idea that “Gliding...increases
speed” seems suspect. As a kayak glides, it decelerates and loses
kinetic energy. It then takes more work to accelerate the boat
back up to its initial speed. Less power is needed to maintain a
constant velocity than to average the same speed by accelerating
(during a stroke) and then decelerating (while gliding) between
strokes. There is a non linear relationship between speed
and power such that there is a diminishing return of speed as
you apply more power, thus trying to paddle too quickly over
long distances will be inefficient. Therefore, kayaking for long
periods of time, you can emphasize efficiency over speed by using
a lower cadence, a lower stroke angle and a lower average
power output. Taking “micro rests” (gliding) will increase your
endurance in as much as your average power output will be
lower, and hence so will your speed; but this could be achieved
more effectively by simply paddling continuously with slightly
less stroke power. However, there are a few exceptions where
gliding will add to efficiency and endurance: kayaking at very
low power outputs (speeds), say below 2 km/h, while lowering
your paddle onto the deck to rest your muscles between strokes.
Also, when gliding with strong currents, paddling will offer less
advantage.
A kayak does not “glide on its own buoyancy,” nor does
“buoyancy help sustain forward motion,” nor does buoyancy
“increase speed, efficiency and endurance.” In the context of
kayaking, buoyancy is defined as an UPWARD force equal in
magnitude but opposite in direction to the weight of the water
displaced by the kayak. The key point here is that buoyancy
is an upward force, and thus in no way can it add to forward
propulsion. The only way to increase speed is to increase stroke
power or reduce hull drag. Efficiency is increased by improving
paddling form and coordination. Endurance is increased
by high repetition, long duration nonstop paddling training,
emphasizing efficiency.
As for “allowing your kayak to do more of the work,” a kayak
does not do work! A kayak does not produce power, which
is the rate at which work is done. A kayak only produces drag
which acts directly opposite to the power you produce when
you paddle.
Finally, increasing your “gearing” while paddling is not a
function of “putting more oomph (torso rotation) into each
stroke.” One can paddle at an equal speed with a lower cadence
(a higher stroke force) using a longer paddle. I hope this
information sheds light on the subject of stroke cadence and its
relationship to strength, speed, endurance and their combination—power.
Ian Smith
Editor’s Note: Because of space limitations, Ian’s letter was substantially
edited for length. I trust we have retained his key points.
8 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 9

ALASKA
by Dan Armitage
I
actually ducked at the sound, sinking low in the cockpit,
my PFD thrust up to cheek level as I waited for the impact
of what sounded like a cross between a stunt kite on steroids
and a comet to crash into the water nearby.
Instead, a jet-black eagle streaked into my peripheral view,
swooped low at the water and with the sound of a wildly luffing
sail, rose again with a small, silver fish in its talons to a lofty
perch atop a massive Sitka spruce.
I recalled recent advice from my host, Nelda Osgood: “You
can usually hear the wildlife around here before you actually
see it. So it pays to paddle quietly and keep your ears AND
your eyes open.” From the tap-tap-tapping of a sea otter attempting
to open a clam while doing the backstroke, to the wet
exhalation of a breaching orca, the wild menagerie found in
the woods and waters of Kachemak Bay, Alaska can be both
seen and heard.
After a week of exploring the 49th state via planes, trains
and automobiles, I was in awe of and feeling a bit intimidated
by Alaska’s sheer size. But when I boarded a kayak and took a
short paddle onto the waters of Tutka Bay on the southwest
coast of the Kenai Peninsula, a few strokes nudged me out of
the small, rocky bay and my travel funk, giving me a view of
distant alpine glaciers and my first close encounter with our
nation’s noble symbol.
As often happens when I settle into a cockpit, my low-to-thewater
vantage point and slow, manual-powered pace put everything
back into perspective and I began to appreciate sights,
sounds and smells both near and far.
KAYAK HAVEN
It seems this vantage point is a popular one among both
residents and visitors to the Kenai Peninsula. After arriving
in Homer and taking the five-minute cab drive to the narrow
peninsula known as “The Spit,” the first thing I noticed was
the sheer quantity of kayaks. Everywhere I looked the colorful
craft were lashed to cars, trucks and campers, secured on the
decks and cabin tops of watercraft, stacked on the municipal
boat docks, and shelved adjacent to shops. The spit, a 5-milelong
sand and gravel geologic feature, the remains of a glacial
moraine, averages a mere 1⁄4 mile wide and is the hub of the
waterfront activity in the busy commercial fishing community.
After settling into my room at Land’s End Resort, a popular
accommodation on the bitter end of the spit, I glanced out the
10 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

Kayaks and Clams
window to catch a guy stroking down the surf-line in a
well-worn kayak making a beeline for a distant stretch
of sand dotted with colorful tents. Looking the other
way, I watched as a boat cleared the point and headed
due north, a brace of slender tandem kayaks lashed to
the deck. I wanted to be among the neoprene-clad passengers
who gathered on the foredeck, eagerly pointing
ahead and anticipating the paddling to come. Just a few
miles across Kachemak Bay are the kayaking grounds
where people from all over the world come to explore
places like China Poot Bay, Halibut Cove, Sadie Cove
and Seldovia Bay on the coast of the Kenai.
SPIT STROLLING
As my own adventure on the “Far Side” wouldn’t
begin until the following day, I used every hour of summer
sunlight, which is saying a lot at that latitude, to
walk around town. I strolled down the northeast side
of Homer Spit Road to take in the Homer Boat Harbor,
quaff a refreshing Anchor Steam Ale at the Salty
Dawg, and ended up at one of the most popular places
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 11

on the spit, the aptly named “Fishing
Hole.” A small, man-made inlet fed by
the considerable Cook Inlet tide, the
Fishing Hole is a magnet for anglers and
several species of salmon, which are released
there by the thousands as juvenile
smolts, and return as adults at regular
intervals throughout the season. I met
some campers who were just setting up
at the Homer Spit Campground. Turned
out they were “Spit Rats,” which is what
they call the regulars at the beachfront,
some working part-time on the commercial
fish boats docked across the road or
in the shops, galleries and eateries that
line both sides of Homer Spit Road.
The next morning I hiked down to
Mako’s (rhymes with “tacos”) Water
Taxi and boarded the very boat I had
envied the day before and rode it to my
ultimate destination: Tutka Bay Wilderness
Lodge. The nine-mile crossing of
Kachemak Bay went fast, thanks to the
scenery and Capt Mako’s local knowledge,
which he shares with anyone smart
enough to join him in the pilothouse during
the half-hour boat ride.
TUTKA BAY BY LAND AND WATER
Mako deftly brought the boat alongside
the dock, where I was greeted by
owners Jon and Nelda Osgood and
shown to my room, inside a lovely two
story A-frame with magnificent views of
the bay and surrounding mountains.
I spent four days at Tutka Bay, joined
by wildlife photographer Steve Bly who
was also on assignment and “working” as
hard as I was. We took advantage of every
activity we had time for, from hiking the
trails leading from the lodge, to hooking
monster halibut on the Winter King—the
cleanest, neatest, best-equipped charter
fishing boat I’ve ever stepped aboard, and
I’ve boarded more than a few. Capt. Rex
Murphy picked us up and dropped us off
right at the lodge’s dock, and in between
we battled more halibut than we cared to
keep, although some of the large specimens
made it back to the lodge—and
eventually Ohio—under ice.
My most memorable day at Tutka Bay,
however, was spent a little lower to the
water and under my own power. I joined
resident kayak instructor, tour leader and
naturalist Theresa Paganini on a day trip
that included an activity that I’ve wanted
Kayak to Rendezvous Island...
to experience since I was a child—digging
for clams.
CLAMMING SAFARI
We had to time the clamming safari
just right to arrive at the beach at low
tide. Luckily, good lows were occurring
during the mornings of my stay, and it
was “game on.” The equipment for taking
the hard-shelled littleneck and butter
clams we were after couldn’t have been
simpler: a clam rake and a bucket. The
technique turned out to be equally easy:
using the rake you dig a shallow trench in
the gravel just above and perpendicular
to the waterline. Working your way up
and down the watery, muddy cleft, which
may extend 10 yards or so up the beach,
you rake and re-rake the rocks, digging
down a foot or so at most, looking for
Experience Nature in Comfort...
www.solstuawest.com
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CAN-
7.125 x 3.indd 1 5/14/2007 5:40:24 PM
12 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

the rounded, lighter colored shells of the
clams. The bi-valves may be as small as a
nickel or as large as your palm, but only
those at least an inch in diameter are legal
to keep and the best are the diameter
of a golf ball and nearly as fat.
It took us less than an hour to harvest
several dozen each, after which we
carefully refilled the trenches and left
the beach looking like it did when we arrived—albeit
minus some clams.
The balance of the day was spent paddling
through the bay, accompanied by
several shy sea otters and overseen by a
pair of eagles, admiring the flora and the
fauna ashore and in the surrounding waters
that make the Kenai such a fascinating
place to explore by water. We tarried
a bit over lunch, using rock formations
as free-form seating, as we stretched and
relaxed muscles, and Theresa pointed
out the steam coming off one of three
semi-active volcanoes that loomed over
the horizon before us.
With the afternoon breeze building
and in our faces for much of the return
trip, the paddle back to the lodge forced
me to dig deep both physically and figuratively
when crossing Tutka Bay. A hot
tub never felt so good as the one I submerged
myself in within ten minutes of
our arrival back at the lodge.
That evening we ate the steamed
clams over pasta spiced with fresh herbs
and drenched in a wine sauce. We were
entertained by an eagle—perhaps the
same one that had startled me earlier on
the water—as it flew back and forth from
its perch atop a nearby spruce.
Late that night, after the wind had
died, I walked the beach. Using my ears,
as Nelda had instructed, I stopped before
turning back to my room. Sure enough, I
heard the gusty “pooosh...” that signaled
the exhalation of a fellow mammal—a
porpoise or a whale—not too distant, out
on the water where I still yearned to be.
For More Information
Alaska Travel Industry Association: 800-862-5275;
travelalaska.com
Homer Visitors Center: 907-235-7740;
homeralaska.org
Land’s End Resort: 800-478-0400;
lands-end-resort.com
Tutka Bay Wilderness Lodge: 800-606-3909;
tutkabaylodge.com
Mako’s Water Taxi and Kayak Rental:
907-235-9055; makoswatertaxi.com
Winter King Charter Fishing: 907-235-9113;
winterking.com
ERA Airlines; 800-866-8394: flyera.com
Grant Aviation: 888-flygrant; flygrant.com
Alaska Kayak School and Rentals: 907-235-2090
Alaskakayakschool.com
True North Kayak Adventures: 907-235-0708;
truenorthkayak.com
The Kachemak Bay Kayak Festival (May 24-June 3):
kachemakkayakfestival.com
Paddle
ALASKA!
YourPersonal
SeaKayakMothership
Help us celebrate our
10 th Anniversary
www.homeshore.com
info@homeshore.com
1.800.287.7063(01)
360. 738.2239
Tutka Bay Wilderness Lodge
Jon and Nelda Osgood built the Tutka Bay Wilderness Lodge
and operated it for 23 years before turning over the management
to their daughter Christy Johnson and her husband
Eric. The property is located on the tip of an isthmus off the
southeast shore of the Kenai Peninsula, nine miles south of
Homer across Kachemak Bay. A fleet of Easy Rider tandem
kayaks is maintained on site. Overnight guests are invited to
bring their own kayaks, which can accompany them on the
ferry trip across Kachemak Bay. For more information, visit
tutkabaylodge.com or call 800/606-3909.
Getting to Homer and the Kenai
You can drive to Homer, car-topping kayaks for the 225 mile, five-hour trip from Anchorage, or fly to
Homer Airport, via two commuter airlines, Era and Grant, that charge about $100 each way for the 90-minute
flight from Anchorage. More than a half dozen businesses rent kayaks in Homer, with rates averaging
a little more than $100 per day that includes the ferry ride across Kachemak Bay to the prime paddling
grounds and back. Shorter rental times and rates are also available. Kayakers often launch at the Barge
Basin near the end of the spit to see the local sights by water or to make the bay crossing on their own
(experienced paddlers only).
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 13

Kayakers and Shorebirds Vie for Beach
Research was conducted on kayaker
and camper interaction with Black Oystercatchers
to determine nest disturbance.
The shorebirds’ reactions to a
number of activities at varying distances
to the nesting site, such as floating by the
site on kayak, walking on the beach, and
camping near nests were observed.
A study in Kenai Fjords National Park
showed that the Black Oystercatcher acby
Julie Speegle and Michael Goldstein
Kayaking in the fiords of Prince
William Sound, Alaska, is arguably
as good as it gets. Calm
seas, sheltered from the stormy Gulf of
Alaska, make the Sound one of the best,
and most beautiful, sea-kayaking destinations
in the world.
Located in the heart of the Chugach
National Forest, the Sound sports some
of the most diverse wildlife habitat along
the northern Pacific Coast. Tourists and
kayakers flocked to Whittier, Alaska, the
gateway to the western Sound, when
a train tunnel was modified to allow
ground vehicular access to the town in
2000. That influx resulted in a dramatic
increase in Sound recreation. More
visitors, especially kayakers, may lead
to decreased reproductive rates for an
important shorebird—the Black Oystercatcher.
REASON FOR CONCERN
Because of its small numbers (8,000
–11,000 range-wide) and its susceptibility
to human-caused disturbances,
shorebird conservation plans from Oregon,
north through British Columbia
and into Alaska designate the bird as a
“species of high concern.” It is also on
Audubon Alaska’s Watchlist and is one
of nine U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Focal
Species.
The Black Oystercatcher is a harmed
species from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil
spill. And, although considered to be recovered
from the disaster, oil residue is
Photos courtesy of Chugach National Forest and the Alaska Region Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
still found in and around nests. The birds
are an intertidal zone management indicator
species for the Chugach National
Forest. If the Black Oystercatcher population
decreases, it’s an indication that
other shorebirds may decrease as well.
RECREATION AND NESTS
There is renewed concern that increased
recreation, the so-called “people-spill,”
could cause habitat loss or
breeding disturbance for Black Oystercatchers.
About 65-percent of the birds
nest along Alaska’s coastlines. The primary
nesting season is between May 15
and July 15—which is also a prime time
for kayaking.
One of the hottest spots in Prince
William Sound for kayakers and Black
Oystercatchers alike is Harriman Fiord.
The fiord has the highest density of the
shorebird than any mainland area scientists
have studied. Here, the likelihood of
kayaker-Black Oystercatcher interaction
approaches 100%.
THE RESEARCH
The U.S. Forest Service is collaborating
with other agencies and organizations
to identify challenges Black Oystercatchers
face, and to seek solutions.
Over the past three years, scientists
completed a comprehensive Black Oystercatcher
productivity study along Alaska
and British Columbia shorelines. Late
this spring the Forest Service, along with
other agencies, will deploy satellite and
conventional radios on the birds at six
sites from Prince William Sound, Alaska,
to Puget Sound, Washington. This
research will determine interseasonal
movements and the linkage between
breeding and wintering areas. Conservation
measures at highly populated sites
could become critical for development
plans, or in the event of a disaster such
as an oil spill.
14 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

tually had a high tolerance for lengthy
human activity before it left or abandoned
its nest. Scientists determined that
paddling by nest sites hardly disturbed
the shorebirds, while setting up camp
near nests could cause significant disturbance.
WHAT KAYAKERS CAN DO TO HELP
Kayakers can play a huge role in the
conservation of this species if they are
concerned, educated and careful. Paddlers
setting up camp on beaches may
be unaware that they are disrupting the
Black Oystercatchers’ pair bonding, nest
activity, and parenting. Because the eggs
are cryptic colored and look like rocks,
it is easy to walk right over them without
even noticing. People may also leave
behind smells which attract avian and
terrestrial predators that will rob nearby
nests.
Based on the findings, researchers developed
some key recommendations for
kayakers.
GIVE NEST SITES A WIDE BERTH
Kayakers should first scout beaches
from the water to see if any Black Oystercatchers
are present. If they are, continue
scouting from offshore until a suitable
Oystercatcher-free area of beach is
found, and put ashore. Next, scout along
the beach by foot, searching for nests and
being careful not to step on any eggs. If
a nest is found, move further down the
shore and repeat the scouting process.
LEAVE NO TRACE
Shoreline creatures with an appetite
for eggs and chicks include mink, marten,
river otter, wolverine, bears, eagles,
gulls and ravens. Human smells attract
predators to nest sites. Use bear proof
containers to store food. Human and
food waste should be carried out or eliminated
below the high-tide line. Leaving
your human smells at a campsite might
cause a predator to encounter a nest they
wouldn’t have otherwise come into contact
with.
RESOURCES
For more information on Prince William Sound and
kayaking, go to: www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach/glacier/
kayak/index.html.
Black Oystercatcher Research and Management in
Prince William Sound: www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach/
pages_district/glacier/GRDWildlifeWeb/grd_bloy.
html
Be Bear Aware website: www.centerforwildlifeinformation.org/BeBearAware/bebearaware.html.
Leave No Trace: www.LNT.org/
Fits like your favorite
pair of jeans.
NEW FOR 2007
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you never want to get out of it.
That’s Eliza, the new women’s kayak from Necky.
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in control. And its balance of maneuverability and
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Or just plain leave them behind.
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hdc_004 wavelength.indd 1
12/15/06 11:32:55 AM
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 15

Classic Clayoquot
from the rainforest
by Dan Lewis
There are days when the blue
skies spread from Tofino northward
over emerald islands and
rounded humps of rainforest, rolling
back as far as the eye can see, to the
snow-capped rocky peaks on the backbone
of Vancouver Island. Those are the
days when it is hard to do anything except
head off paddling. I call those days
“Classic Clayoquot.”
Clayoquot Sound is located on the
west coast of Vancouver Island, just
north of Barkley Sound. There are five
sounds in total on the west coast of the
Island, and each one is quite different.
Clayoquot is characterized by long fjordlike
inlets, with fairly major river valleys
at the head of each one.
These inlets are protected from the
open Pacific by three major islands:
Meares, Vargas, and Flores. The outer
shores of Vargas and Flores feature
long white sand beaches, with combers
from across the Pacific rolling in on their
shores.
Vargas Island is quite flat; the coastal
plains on the outer edges of Flores and
Meares Island sweep up in dramatic
curves to heights of three thousand feet.
These mountains are blanketed in ancient
rainforests of cedar, hemlock and
spruce.
Walking into this forest can be quite a
chore, especially for the uninitiated. Fortunately
there are a number of trails and
boardwalks which provide easier access.
Strolling along the forest floor at the
feet of these giant trees, one feels a sense
of awe at their sheer size. The massive
base of the red cedar tapers quickly and
spirals heavenward, while the massive
girth of the Sitka spruce just plows skyward
like a column from the Parthenon.
One is humbled by their age. Red cedars
can live to be two thousand years
old and many are over one thousand.
You can stand at the base of such a tree,
and rest your hand on a living creature
16 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

which grew from a seed which sprouted
five centuries before Columbus came to
America, a seed which dropped from a
tree that was alive in the time of Christ.
Whether you look at these forested
landscapes from a distance, or get right
in on the ground, they are a joy to gaze
upon and the rich air they generate smells
sweet and cool.
This kind of natural habitat is home
to many wild creatures. Black bears roam
the hills eating berries and gather in fall
to feast on the salmon spawning in the
river valleys. Timber wolves cruise the
outer beaches looking for black-tailed
deer, raccoons, mink and other small
mammals.
Grey whales swim right by every
spring, heading north to the Bering Sea
around March, and returning to the Baja
Peninsula around October, usually a bit
further offshore, thus harder to observe.
Every year a number of grey whales
decide to swim no further than Clayoquot
Sound, and spend their summer
here. They plough up the shallow sand
and mud bottoms, squeezing tons of water
and sand through their baleen with
each mouthful, eating the amphipods
that are left behind. Such a mammoth
creature, subsisting on such tiny critters!
Transient orcas arrive unpredictably
pretty much every month of the year, and
swim quietly through the inlets hunting
for seals and other marine mammals.
Humpback whales have made a comeback
with the return of the pilchards, a
greasy fish described in Steinbeck’s Cannery
Row that was harvested heavily back
in the 1930s and 1940s. Few marine
mammal sightings are more spectacular
from a sea kayak—humpbacks will blow
a net of bubbles around a school of small
fish, then swim right up through them
all, exploding through the surface of the
ocean and falling back on their side with
a resounding splash!
Sea otters have made a comeback as
well. They like to dive and feed voraciously
on clams and urchins. Kayakers
may spot them floating on their backs
amongst kelp patches, using a rock to
smash open the delicacies that compose
their diet.
The original inhabitants of this region
are the Nuu-chah-nulth tribes, many
of whose names end with the sound
“aht,” which means “people of.” The
word Clayoquot comes from the local
indigenous word Tla-o-qui-aht, which
means “people who are different, or have
changed.”
The Nuu-chah-nulth people are an
ocean-going people. They travel by boat,
traditionally huge cedar dugouts, and
used to move their villages several times
a year by spreading huge cedar planks
across several canoes and piling everything
on top. Seasonal village sites are
now Indian Reserves, which are off limits
to kayakers without permission. Please
respect this.
There is something in Clayoquot for
all levels of paddlers. If you’ve never
paddled before, I would suggest a guided
day trip. It is a bit tricky launching here,
as the tide runs like a river right off the
end of the wharf in downtown Tofino.
Luckily there are a number of outfitters
located on the waterfront who can
guide novices through the swirly waters
to places like the Meares Island Big Trees
Boardwalk. You can even travel in a traditional
dugout canoe with Tla-ook Cultural
Adventures (www.tlaook.com)
Beginners with a bit of training and
experience might want to try launching
at Grice Bay to explore, or paddling up
Lemmen’s Inlet from Tofino.
For intermediate paddlers there is the
trip around Meares Island, or an adventure
up Vargas Island way. Surf training
is needed to land safely on the outer
beaches. Long Beach in the Pacific Rim
National Park south of Tofino is an excellent
place to learn and practice surf
landing and launching skills.
Advanced paddlers may want to kayak
to Hot Springs Cove at the northern
end of Clayoquot Sound. Coming back
down the outside of Flores Island should
only to be attempted when conditions are
ideal.
No doubt Clayoquot Sound is an
amazing place to paddle sea kayaks.
The tough part always comes when it is
time to leave. Maybe that’s why Tofino is
known as “Tuff City.”
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 17

Prairie
Paddlers
by Michelle Wiebe
It’s more than distance that separates
us from our teenage nieces. Jim and
I are outdoors people, thus are considered
weird by the rest of the family.
Kim and Sam are cousins from Saskatchewan
and are city girls, prairie girls.
They’ve never traveled beyond Alberta.
They’ve never been in a plane.
We’re picking the girls up from Victoria
Airport and taking them sea kayaking
for a week. They stroll out of the gate.
Silk flowers gather long hair and hold it
back from their carefully made up faces.
They clutch trendy, plastic looking handbags.
We’re wearing pants with zip off
legs.
Later, our friends Bill, Lynn and their
eleven-year-old daughter Jessica meet
us at Bamfield. From here, our outfitter
takes us by motorboat to our base camp
on an island in the Deer Group. At six
o’clock the hum of continuous travel is
replaced by silence, interspersed with
fish splashes and eagle cries.
“What should I do Auntie?” Sam and
Kim’s handbags are now packed away.
Their hair is windblown—their lipstick
worn off. I look at these beautiful young
strangers.
“Why don’t you collect some firewood?”
Next morning the sun warms my face
as I sip coffee. Our white sand beach is
about 100 yards long. We’re camped on
BAMFIELD
spongy moss under looming trees at the
east end. The west of the beach ends in
a jumble of rocks—the far side exposed
to the swells of Imperial Eagle Channel
and the Pacific beyond. In between is an
enclave of perfectly calm mirrored water.
Let the paddling begin.
Kim and Sam are comfortable around
water after spending many summers in
Saskatchewan lakes. They aced our canoeing
challenge when we took them
on a multiday trip down the Red Deer
River. Now it’s time for an introduction
to sea kayaking.
We head to the water with our wetsuits
on and paddle to the band of kelp.
The girls look at each other and grimace.
Slipping past the green fronds we look
down to the now sandy bottom. The water
is about 20 feet deep, cool and clear.
Paddle left, right, then backwards and
forwards—now for the fun stuff.
“Try to lean your boat so your spray
skirt’s in the water,” Jim calls.
The girls start to brace.
“Hey Sam—you’re doing great. Even
your lifejacket’s getting wet.” She smiles
at me as she slaps the water with her paddle
and leans her boat on edge.
Someone has to be the first to go in, so
I volunteer—cold water and all. Upside
down, I pull the skirt off with my knees
and come up for air. Sam paddles over
and stabilizes my boat. I grab the coaming,
crawl onto the back deck, slide my
feet into the cockpit, flip over and sit.
Kim is next. Paddle by her side, she
looks down and flops herself and her
kayak over. She surfaces seconds later.
“That water tastes disgusting,” she
yells after she spits the salty seawater
from her mouth.
“You ain’t at the lake now,” we call
back, laughing.
Back on shore, Bill, Lynn and Jessica
are ready to leave, and the seven of us
decide to circumnavigate our island. Paddling
the lee shore, everyone is having
an easy time. Rounding the bottom end
of the island, the swells and wind pick
up. Kim and Sam get a little too close
to rocks with breaking waves. My mouth
goes dry as I call for them to come over
to me to look at ... what? All smiles, they
paddle to my side. I point out some trees
then point to the rocks and waves that
they’ve been toying with.
It’s a slow limp up-island in the headwind.
We turn into our little bay haven in
time for a late lunch.
That evening we all walk down to
the end of the beach and watch the sun
disappear into the ocean. Returning to
camp, firelight dances on our circle of
smiling faces. There is no talk of malls
or makeup. The girls listen as Bill, Lynn,
Jim and I compare tales of previous
camping calamities.
“Michelle woke me at two in the
morning to let the mouse into the tent,”
18 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

Jim says straight-faced. Barely heard
above everyone’s laughter, “Then she
woke me at four to let it back out.”
Each morning the tide slips further
down the beach. From my tent, I hear
Jim calling to me. He has a shovel and
a pile of grey muck at his feet. He holds
out his hand filled with a heavy, yet delicately
curving moon snail. The commotion
wakes the camp and soon everyone’s
on the beach.
Thirty minutes later, the moon snail is
safely reburied but the clams are not so
lucky. Shouts of “I got one” are followed
by the clink of shell landing on shell as
our pot fills. Breakfast is postponed while
we squat in the mud and dig with our
hands.
Following our day’s paddle, it’s time to
prepare our meal—clam chowder. Kim
and Sam’s visits to the kitchen are characterized
by furtive whispers and wrinkled
noses as they watch the preparation
of the clams.
The soup is served. The girls look at
each other, and down at their bowl before
gingerly picking up their spoons.
“It was good Auntie,” Kim says as she
collects my dish. “I even had a second
helping.”
Camp life develops its own routine.
The adults cook the meals and the kids
(now unprompted) clean up.
Our days develop their routines too.
We paddle in the mornings. We nose our
kayaks into sea caves, skirt around rocky
headlands and slide our boats onto sandy
shores. We listen for the blows of whales
and snorts of seals. We stare into the
depths and wonder over the abundance
of critters and crustaceans. We’re usually
back in camp by early afternoon.
This afternoon, we put on wetsuits
and go snorkelling in our bay. Deciding
not to swim through kelp, we paddle our
doubles near a small rocky outcrop. The
cool water makes us gasp.
“I’m scared to go under,” Sams says as
she treads water.
We put our snorkels in our mouths
and submerge together. Schools of herring
flit around the kayaks. Sea grass and
kelp intersperse with areas of rock and
urchins. Sun stars and bat stars are scattered
throughout. Sam dives and sneaks
behind and underneath me—and then
grabs my leg. I guess she’s not nervous
anymore.
The morning of our sixth day brings
a negative tide and an early wake up call.
Where we were once snorkelling there’s
a patch of sand. A small pond contains
hundreds of small sculpins. Gently turning
over a sea star, we see a fish poking
out of the sea star’s mouth. Walking
through the slippery seaweed, we’re soon
out among the bright red and purple urchins.
Sam tugs at one of the spikes, “It
doesn’t come off.”
A disc of eggs surrounds a moon snail.
We find bat stars of blue, purple, red and
grey—ranging from loonie to hand size.
Sunflower stars and sea cucumbers look
slimy and deflated.
After our day’s paddle, Bill and Lynn
harvest mussels from our point for supper.
Kim and Sam’s kitchen nose-wrinkling
has ceased.
“I like these even more than the
clams,” Kim says.
That evening we watch the sun set
from a perfectly clear sky. Lines of mountains
fade into the evening and the darkness
creeps towards our fire’s circle.
“If I saw a painting like that, I
wouldn’t buy it,” Sam says. “I’d think the
mountains are just too purple—but look,
they are.”
The last morning, Kim and Sam disappear
into their tent. Ten minutes later
two orange sleeping bags thump onto
the moss. The therm-a-rest bags quickly
follow. They carry their belongings down
to the beach, then turn around to help
with the group gear. A pile is collected on
the sand and we begin to wait.
Easy chatter floats around us. Some
of the group are wandering the rocks.
Some are tossing a frisbee. We all listen
for the hum of the outfitter’s motorboat.
We soon hear it.
Kim strides waist deep into the water
to hang onto the boat. Sam starts shuttling
the gear. Jim and I watch as we help
gather the stuff. The girls are at home
here, even though it’s far from the mall.
The distance between their world and
ours has shrunk.
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 19

Q
So Many
Memories
P
N
B
H
of how this special place came to be, and
then look at some of the challenges facing
Georgia Strait today and tomorrow,
which should concern us all.
HOW IT CAME TO BE
Georgia Strait is the remarkable inland
sea around which close to three
quarters of all British Columbians live.
Lying on a southeast to northwest orientation,
stretching 135 miles long by
an average of 25 miles across, Georgia
Strait (and adjacent Puget Sound in
Washington State) are sheltered from
the full impact of the Pacific Ocean by
mountains on Vancouver Island and the
Olympic Peninsula.
The strait began to form millions of
years ago when colliding tectonic plates
created the Georgia Depression. When
the last glacial period ended some twelve
thousand years ago, the rising seas fed by
melt-water filled up the Georgia Basin,
and the Gulf and San Juan Islands rose,
rebounding from the glacial weight.
With the rising waters, Georgia Strait
spread itself into all the low points in the
scoured, folded and fissured landforms,
creating myriad inlets, passages and
coves. And life returned to the glacially
devastated coast: plant ecosystems progressed
to stately forests, salmon established
in rivers, human beings traveled
down the coast and developed a rich
salmon/cedar culture which thrived for
thousands of years.
European sailors first visited here
only a little over two hundred years ago,
and settlement was slow, but the area’s
temperate climate and sheltered waters
made development inevitable.
Vancouver, in my 1950s childhood,
was still a small city dominated by the
Hotel Vancouver and very few other
landmark buildings. Growing up with
TV shows about New York, Los Angedrift
time
by Alan Wilson
To write this issue’s column on the
theme of “Paddling Places,” I
started by thinking back through
many of the lovely spots I’ve paddled
over the years: the Gulf Islands, the east
and west coasts of Vancouver Island,
the Sunshine Coast, Desolation Sound,
Discovery Islands—so many places, so
many memories.
So many, in fact that I couldn’t quite
remember which ones I’ve already written
up for the magazine! So I went to the
Back Issues section of the WaveLength
website (www.WaveLengthMagazine.com)
where the stories from past issues are
freely available.
As I browsed these past writings, I
started sketching the route of each trip
on a map, and then added the routes
of those trips about which I haven’t yet
written. This parade of memories—a
sort of paddler’s “Life List”—brought a
smile to my face. I recommend you reflect
on your own paddling or boating
career when you get a chance.
A
C
G/L
F
E
O
M
K
J
I
D
When I finally sat back and looked
at all the lines I’d made, I realized that
I had a virtual outline of the Strait of
Georgia. Sure there were trips to other
areas—Clayoquot Sound, Haida Gwaii,
Baja, and overseas—but the majority of
my paddling and other boating (especially
those of my Mothership Meandering
columns) have occurred in Georgia
Strait. And that convinced me that instead
of choosing any single trip to relate
this time, I should try to write about
Georgia Strait as a whole. After all, for
many paddlers and boaters in British
Columbia, Georgia Strait is where we’ll
spend most of our time.
For more information on specific locales
within Georgia Strait, I invite you
to look online at WaveLength’s Back Issues
as a starting point, at my articles and
those of other writers over the years. To
help, I’m including a key to my articles
there.
For those of you less familiar with the
strait, I’d also like to offer a brief account
20 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

les and Toronto, we seemed to be stuck
out on the fringes of the real world. But
times have changed. Vancouver is now
a world class destination, studded with
towers—a veritable Manhattan of the
west. It regularly ranks among the top
cities in the world.
Is all this development for the best?
Even my own half century is sufficient
hindsight to have some doubt. While a
1970 study by Canada’s federal government
called Georgia Strait “one of the
world’s most spectacularly beautiful and
ecologically rich areas,” today Parks
Canada says that southern Georgia
Strait is “Canada’s most at-risk natural
environment.”
GEORGIA STRAIT ALLIANCE
WHAT’S AT STAKE
An estimated 3000 species of plant
and animal life spend all or part of their
lives in Georgia Strait, among them
about a dozen species of marine mammals
(seals, porpoises, dolphins, killer
whales and sea lions); almost 200 species
of fish; over 100 species of marine birds;
more than 1500 invertebrates; and 500
marine plant species (including about
200 varieties of seaweeds).
These populations are facing serious
threats from air and water pollution, and
a legion of other factors to do with urban
growth and resource exploitation.
Climate change will bring new stresses,
not the least of which is sea level rise.
Georgia Strait is important not only in
a biological sense, but is essential to millions
of people for income, transportation,
recreation and spiritual sustenance.
These waters are important for commercial,
sports and aboriginal fishing. Many
others work these waters in transport,
towing and other forms of marine commerce.
Tourism is the fastest-growing
industry and now probably the most important
one for the region.
In 1990, a group of concerned citizens founded the Save Georgia Strait Alliance and launched an
annual marathon fundraiser, inviting swimmers, rowers, paddlers and sailors to participate in saving
the Strait by crossing from Sechelt to Nanaimo (17 miles). From its early years, the group engaged in
public education, including a symposium on the “State of the Strait,” in addition to its signature marathon
event. Since that time GSA has developed strong programs aimed at finding solutions to leading
environmental threats to Georgia Strait, working collaboratively with other environmental groups and
government agencies to create the conditions for change around the region.
GSA’s ToxicSmart program teaches people how to eliminate toxic products from their homes and gardens
so they can improve their family’s health and protect the Strait from toxic runoff. GSA’s Stewards
of the Strait program gives paddlers and other recreational users practical ways to minimize their
impact on the marine environment. Their award winning Green Boating program helps recreational
boaters to leave a clean wake throughout the strait. Their Salmon Aquaculture program aims to
protect wild salmon from the negative impacts of open netcage fish farming.
GSA remains the only citizen organization devoted exclusively to the marine environment of this whole
region. It’s a respected, fact-based, professional organization, with membership in communities all
around the Strait. Among its members are former government cabinet ministers, senior corporate
executives, professionals, small business people, unions, fishermen, tourism operators, local environmental
groups, and hundreds of individuals who contribute in any way they can, with money or volunteer
help.
As Rafe Mair, a GSA member and former BC Minister of the Environment, has said, “Georgia Strait
Alliance is a tireless advocate for wild salmon and the marine environment and must be supported by
all who love this province.”
To give you some idea of the scope of their work, I suggest you check out www.GeorgiaStrait.org. Here
you’ll find a list of their programs, downloadable publications, and lots of useful links and background
resources. You can reach GSA at gsa@georgiastrait.org or call 250-753-3459 (Nanaimo) or 604-633-
0530 (Vancouver).
The 2010 Winter Olympics will bring
much attention Vancouver’s way. All eyes
will be on the athletes competing on the
snow and ice. But remember, all that
snow and ice will melt into the Strait. So
turn your eyes to the great water on our
doorstep and consider what you can do
to help keep it alive and well.
ALAN’S COLUMNS ON GEORGIA STRAIT
MAP LOCALE BACK ISSUE
A Nanaimo................................ Aug/Sep 2006
Nanaimo................................ Jun/Jul 2006
B Sunshine Coast..................... Apr/May 2005
C Pirate’s Lagoon..................... Oct/Nov 2004
D Saturna Island....................... Feb/Mar 2004
E Genoa Bay to Prevost Is........ Aug/Sep 2003
F Clam Bay, Dionisio Point....... Jun/Jul 2003
G Gabriola Island...................... Feb/Mar 2003
H Howe Sound......................... Dec 2002/Jan 2003
I Fraser River to Indian Arm.... Oct/Nov 2002
J Portland Island...................... Aug/Sep 2002
K James Bay to Cabbage Is..... Oct/Nov 2001
L Gabriola Island...................... Aug/Sep 2000
M Montague Hbr, Horton Bay.... Dec 1999/Jan 2000
N Hidden Basin, Pender Hbr..... Oct/Nov 1999
O Gulf Islands........................... Feb/Mar 1997
P Denman & Hornby Islands.... Oct/Nov 1996
Q Cortes Island......................... Aug/Sep 1996
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 21

Sandy Island
Marine Park
Sandy
Island
Solitude is hard to find on the shorelines of the Comox
Valley. Comox Harbour is almost entirely developed,
Denman Island’s shoreline is leased to oyster farmers,
and the rest of Baynes Sound is lined with houses and highway.
There is a refuge, though.
From Comox, Royston or Union Bay, a small group of trees
is barely visible off the northern tip of Denman Island during
high tide. As the tide rolls out, beaches, mudflats and rocky
shores quickly surface around that pocket of trees, turning its
small, sandy shoreline into a huge expanse of open space—
miles of uninhabited beach accessible only by boat.
At even moderately low tides, those beaches join with Denman
Island as well as a couple of smaller sand-and-shrub islands
to the north, creating my favourite day-trip destination
in the Comox Valley—Sandy Island Marine Park (informally
known as Tree Island).
The Puntledge River, which feeds into Comox Harbour, is
my launch point of choice. Comox Valley Kayaks, the Air Park
in Courtenay, and many other places along the riverside provide
access to the water. From the mouth of the river I follow
the west side of the harbour south along the coast of Vancouver
Island, then cross Baynes Sound to Tree Island. Wind,
waves and currents rarely pose a threat to kayaks in Baynes
Sound, so a more direct route across the open water is also an
option for kayakers. For a canoeist, however, waves can reach
threatening sizes in strong winds.
On my second trip this year, I was turned away by wind and
waves and decided to recruit a paddling partner for another try.
Two days later, we paddled past the Comox Spit to the open
waters in relatively calm weather. Suddenly, half way to Tree
Island, head winds picked up, and two-and-a-half foot waves
came tumbling towards us, submerging the nose of my canoe
by Andrew Malcolm
as it crashed through the crests. We quickly decided to turn
around and paddle with the wind, which was the quickest way
to get us safely back to shore. As the canoe anxiously surfed the
waves rising behind us, we fought to keep ourselves from turning
broadside in the whitecaps.
Sixty exhilarating minutes later, we sat on a marshy beach
near Royston, contemplating that small group of trees beyond
the whitecaps. As I relaxed against a driftwood log and wondered
if the weather would ever let me reach Tree Island again,
I noticed a piece of bark moving a few inches away from my
arm. Looking closer, I realized that was no piece of bark, but
a beetle.
I pulled out my copy
of Insects of the Pacific
Northwest (an incredible
field guide by Peter
and Judy Hagard, and
a must for macro-photographers)
and looked
the little guy up. “Part
of the Ironclad family,”
the book read, “a group
of beetles usually found on forest trees with conks or mushrooms
growing on them (they feed on the fruiting bodies of the
fungus).” But this was no forest, and there were no mushrooms
on this driftwood to eat. Clearly, this beetle was trying to reach
Tree Island as well, most likely floating on a piece of driftwood,
but had beached in Royston on the same waves.
From the Kayak Shop, Tree Island is a little more than 6
miles, but paddlers can make the trip significantly shorter by
launching from Goose Spit in Comox (2.7 miles), which is a
large sand bar/public beach that juts out into the harbour. Another
option is to launch from Union Bay, a Vancouver Island
coast community south of Sandy Island Marine Park. From
there, it’s only 1.5 miles across Baynes Sound to Denman Island,
and less than a mile north to Tree Island along Denman’s
shoreline, which is far more natural than the developed shorelines
of the Comox Valley.
Tree Island’s forest, although small and contained, is somewhat
sunken into the ground, making the forest floor sheltered
from the wind and slightly warmer than the exposed shoreline.
There’s an aged beauty to its mix of arbutus, fir, and cedar.
The floor is scattered with shrubs and younger trees while the
canopy is dense with old giants.
Tree Island’s most beautiful features are best viewed closeup.
Between the forest and the shoreline are stretches of stunted
trees and shrubs and tiny wildflowers, like the Seashore Lupine,
which only grows in these special habitats.
Even the ancient firs in the forest are at their most interesting
up close. As fir trees age, their bark turns to scales, like
the skin of a reptile, or wrinkles into grooves, sometimes looking
like miniature badlands. The trees of Sandy Island Marine
Park are not only beautiful examples of old growth firs,
but have that characteristically tough and weathered skin that
22 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

comes with living at the mercy of ocean
weather.
Such a small section of forest floating
in the middle of the ocean is always at
risk of disturbance, and with a diversity
of rare plants found in very few other
places, its important to make the human
impact as minimal as possible. Accordingly,
the park has sectioned off much of
the woods and shrub-land areas as sensitive
habitat, and asked visitors to stay on
the trails.
For a longer hike, the beaches and
mudflats will provide more terrain than
anyone could fit into one day. One word
of warning, though: be careful with your
tea-mug.
I put mine down to take a picture of
a small, lonely arbutus tree growing on a
thin section of shrub-land almost a mile
across the mudflats from my canoe. By
the time I realized it was no longer in my
hand, I had walked back to my canoe
and that arbutus tree was a spec on the
horizon.
Needless to say, it’s even more important
to watch where you place your canoe
or kayak. The south and west shores
are fairly safe, but park your boat on the
north or east shores at high tide, and by
low tide you’ll find it a mile or two inland
(I imagine trekking a canoe or kayak
across a mile of mudflat is a lot harder
than backtracking for a tea-mug).
Up from the west and south shores
are a few camping spots that are almost
always available, even in the summer,
and a couple of outhouses as well. Sandy
Island Marine Park has a year-round
campfire ban, though. In the peak of the
summer the waters off the south shore
often fill up with other boaters, but the
north and east shores can always guarantee
some peace and solitude.
For my final words, I offer a mustbring
list for Sandy Island Marine Park:
a marine radio to keep updated on those
unpredictable winds, a camera with
macro capabilities, an insect and plant
field guide for the West Coast, a marine
chart (so you know just how far inland
your canoe or kayak will be at low tide),
and a tea-mug that clips to your belt or
backpack so it never gets left behind.
GEAR UP FOR THE WORLD’S LARGEST PLAYGROUND.
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VANCOUVER ISLAND’S WIDEST
SELECTION OF CANOES AND
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& KAYAK REPAIR
PACIFICAPADDLE.COM
250.361.9365
PACIFICA ADVENTURE TOURS
DAY & MULTI DAY TRIPS
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CUSTOM PACKAGES
KAYAK BUYER’S CLASS
250.361.9881
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
575 PEMBROKE STREET
(AT GOVERNMENT)
VICTORIA, BC V8T 1H3
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 23

Paddle Nanaimo
Day Trips
by John Kimantas
About 15 years ago I stood in an office in Guelph,
Ontario, looking at a map of Canada. I was searching
the two ends of the country—for Truro, Nova
Scotia on the Atlantic side and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island
to the west. I was in line for a promotion and could
have landed on either shore.
A few weeks later I was walking along the Nanaimo waterfront
on my way to work at my new office downtown. It
was a picture-perfect morning in Nanaimo Harbour with
sailboats at anchor between Newcastle and Protection Islands
and the snow-capped mainland mountains in the
background. Near the shore a seal was splashing—a sight
completely alien to a worker fresh from metro Toronto.
I felt like I had won the lottery.
It took a few years to finally get the gumption to get out
and kayak, but that’s when I really began to appreciate the
area I now call home.
Nanaimo has to be unique in having a large island in the
harbour, just moments from downtown, protected as a provincial
park. If you launch at the boat ramp next to the Departure
Bay ferry terminal, you can be paddling along the
beautiful bluffs of Newcastle Island in a matter of minutes;
on a nice day you can find any number of secluded beaches
to have a picnic or catch some sun.
A favourite trip this past winter was heading out after
work for a circumnavigation of Newcastle. It takes a little
more than an hour if you paddle steadily, closer to two hours
if you add in its neighbor, Protection Island, to your circuit.
Sometimes you have no choice, unless you want to portage
over the sandbar that forms in the channel between the two
islands at lower tides.
On such winter trips the sun has usually long set by the
time we return, but navigating by moon and city lights is
part of the fun. Yes, catch the right day, and kayaking is a
12-month-a-year sport on Vancouver Island.
The north side of Newcastle Island is my favorite part
of the island. Between Nares and McKay Points, the sandstone
bluffs rise sharply from the water. Old Man and Old
Woman rocks, so named for their place in native mythology,
stare out at the ferries that pass by on their way between
here and Vancouver. Then slightly farther south on the outer
side is Kanaka Bay, a large drying bay with beaches and
a headland perfect for whiling away a sunny afternoon. A
24 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

NANAIMO
AN AMAZING KAYAKING
DESTINATION
Nanaimo’s spectacular harbour
is enticing to explore by kayak… whether
you are paddling to dinner, wildlife watching,
taking in the stunning scenery or discovering
the rich heritage of the area.
Nanaimo… it’s amazing what
you can do here in a kayak!
1 800 663 7337
www.kayak.tourismnanaimo.com
PENNY’S PALAPA
Nanaimo’s floating Mexican patio restaurant.
Easily accessible from water or land.
Enjoy great Mexican cuisine.
Licensed.
250-753-2150
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 25

passenger ferry service and trails make
Newcastle Island accessible even without
a kayak.
Newcastle Island may be the focus for
trips in the harbour, but it’s not the only
place to paddle. Jesse Island, a private
island in Departure Bay, has bold sandstone
cliffs to explore with the bonus of
the only paddle-through sea cave in the
Gulf Islands and great scuba diving. The
main residents are two dogs that watch
over the property, loudly proclaiming
their dominance to anyone who passes
by. Caught unawares, their barks could
send you out of your sprayskirt. It’s hard
to tell if they’re as vicious as they sound,
but it’s probably best left untested. It’s a
shame—the owners have no foreshore
rights, so anyone should have beach access,
but the dogs make that impossible.
If you continue north along the shoreline
past Departure Bay, you round more
headlands and more beaches, like Piper’s
Lagoon with its long gravel beach and
rocky headland protected as a city park,
and Neck Point, a more recent park addition
in Nanaimo. The waters around
both headlands are favourite places for
sea lions to feed. Usually a head or two
will surface at some point during a trip
past here.
Between the two parks is Shack Island,
named for the humble cottages that dot
the island. They sit much as they have
for decades, their presence on the Crown
land due to squatters’ rights, something
that precludes any improvements. If seeing
this picturesque island doesn’t make
you want to pick up a paintbrush and
paint, nothing will.
If you head east out of Departure Bay
(towards the mainland) you’ll reach a
small cluster of rocky islands. These are
all part of Hudson Rock Ecological Reserve,
created to protect a population of
pelagic cormorants that, sadly, has spiraled
in decline. In 1987, 142 nests were
counted; in 2000, just three were found.
It’s a fate shared across the Gulf Islands
and Strait of Georgia. Is it due to human
encroachment? Possibly. Is it from the
resurgence in the number of predatory
bald eagles? Probably. You can pass by
and look for evidence yourself, but you
can’t stop to investigate because access
is by permit only. The other residents of
the islands—mostly nesting murres and
Five Finger Island
sunning seals—don’t need permission.
A little farther afield on an eastbound
trip is Five Finger Island. Much larger
than the nearby Hudson Rocks, it was
named for its appearance as a fisted hand
with each of the five knolls appearing as
a knuckle. Perhaps from some angle it’s
true, though I’ve never seen it. It’s safe
to stop here on the island’s rough beach
to explore the rocks, though have a light
foot. It has its residents too.
On a calm day with lots of time on
your hands, you may want to head even
farther east. Sitting alone out in the Strait
of Georgia between Five Finger Island
and Gabriola Island is Snake Island.
It’s one of those illusionary islands that
never seems to get nearer as you paddle,
right up until the moment you arrive. It
is 3.1 km northeast from McKay Point,
so be sure of your weather before you
start out. Things can get hairy on the
open water in the Strait of Georgia, and
there’s nowhere to hide once you’re out
there.
A beach on the south side of Snake Island
offers a good kayak haul-out. Land
only when it’s well past nesting season.
After that you can stroll the bluffs or marvel
at the wonderfully fretted sandstone
overhangs on the island’s west side.
You can also kayak south from Nanaimo
Harbour, but most paddlers don’t
head in that direction. It will bring you
into Northumberland Channel, a potentially
busy industrial area with log booms
and tugs on the Gabriola Island side of
the channel and a pulp mill (Harmac), a
fuel depot (Canadian Occidental Petroleum),
a ferry terminal (BC Ferries’ Duke
Point terminal for service to Tsawwassen)
and a deep-sea port. But it has its charm.
There are the magnificent cliffs of Gabriola
to enjoy as a backdrop, and if you
arrive here in winter (the beginning of
December is probably best), you’ll likely
see dozens, possibly hundreds, of sea lions
on the log booms outside Harmac.
Head a little farther south and you’re
into fast moving Dodd Narrows and
the world of the inner Gulf Islands. But
that’s a different story.
You can avoid all the industry of Duke
Point by heading down the west side of
Jack Point. Jack Point is a peninsula with
Northumberland Channel to the east
and the Nanaimo River estuary to the
west. The west side is an extensively drying
mudflat, and sure enough some boater
is likely to miss the channel and run
aground here every year. The headland
at the point is a city park (Biggs Point
Park), and the area is as scenic from the
water as it is from the trail that rounds
the headland. There are even pocket
beaches for lunch.
Other day-trip options abound in this
area. Just north of Nanaimo you can
launch from Lantzville or Nanoose to
visit the incredible Ballenas-Winchelsea
archipelago, where wildlife and exotic
wildflowers flourish in the unlikely setting
of sparse windswept rocks.
To the south there is Gabriola and
the De Courcy group, where history and
kayaks collide in the provincial park at
Pirates Cove, infamous for the mysterious
Brother XII’s cult.
And that’s just the start of the kayaking
possibilities from Nanaimo. To tell
about them all, well, I’d have to write a
book about it, wouldn’t I?
John Kimantas is a Nanaimo-based writer and author
of the series of BC kayaking guides The Wild
Coast (Whitecap Books). His experiences include
circumnavigating Vancouver Island and a 92-day
trip up the BC coast’s Inside Passage and back down
the Outside Passage. His list now includes kayaking
every major channel and passage on the BC coast
outside Howe Sound and the Queen Charlottes.
26 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

Out the Door
and
Turn Left
by Jenni Gehlbach
Between the three of us, we had decades of experience
planning kayaking expeditions in remote and sometimes
dangerous areas. We were experts in interpreting
the charts of obscure places, and in finding kayak crannies in
which to stuff essential sources of comfort or safety in rough
places. And we had spent plenty over the years chartering floatplanes
and water taxis to access wild places in limited vacation
time, but this was going to be different.
For various reasons Nick and I and our friend Jinny had only
six days for a trip, so we decided to explore our Gulf Islands
neighbourhood. We would just exit our Gabriola home, put the
boats in the water and turn left, heading southeast. Jinny and I
longed to paddle our kayaks, but Nick needed the flexibility to
quickly visit spots off our route for his research, so he decided
to take Polly Esther, our gently powered, 12 foot folding plastic
Portabote—the poor man’s mothership. What a delight
it was to start late, chucking lumpy cookware and bulky water
containers into Polly Esther, just packing personal gear and survival
packs into our kayaks. Never was a kayaking expedition’s
launch so laid back.
Leaving False Narrows at low tide, we skirted the clam beds
with dozens of elegant heron fishing in the shallows. A cluster
of masts in Pirates Cove enticingly caught the light, but
we were headed for Blackberry Point on Valdes Island. At the
north end of Valdes, hidden from view, is Coalminers’ Bay (its
name is a bit of a mystery); the easy landing on a tiny shell
beach makes it a perfect picnic spot with fine oyster pickings
and warmish, clear water for swimming. Refreshed by a quick
dip, we paddled past the log booms to visit the spectacular cliffs
of eroded sandstone—a photographer’s dream of sculptured
honeycombing in warm tawny creams. Its variety is amazing,
with large smooth caverns, intricate mazes of tiny hollows,
spherical concretions, protuberances, dramatic erosion-chiseled
friezes and elegant curves. Gulls perch in hollows and
ledges are upholstered with lichens and succulents. A group of
seals slid into the water as we passed.
CHANGES
Sunshine Kayaking
A beautiful 40 min. ferry ride from Vancouver to the Gateway of the Sunshine Coast
Molly’s Lane, Gibsons, BC Tel: 604-886-9760
www.sunshinekayaking.com
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 27

Blackberry Point is a fine campground
on forestry land, maintained
superbly by its users. Plentiful campsites
along the shore are spacious and private,
and there is a beautiful composting toilet
with bags of sweet-smelling wood shavings
in its cedar cabin. Abundant driftwood
provides comfortable camp kitchen
surfaces, and the long beach is open
to the swell of Trincomali Channel and
the glory of sunset. What’s more, when
Jinny and I got there, Nick had already
chosen a perfect site and pitched one of
our tents.
In the morning, cheerful Crazy Pete,
self-styled Mayor of Valdes, appeared
with his friendly dog. He lives nearby,
unofficially keeping an eye on campers.
Chatting exuberantly, he intrigued us
with tales of caves and tunnels that run
deep into the inland cliffs. As we paddled
out, Nick was promising to return and
go exploring with Pete.
Nick was bound for Thetis Island and
agreed to meet us later at Cabin Bay on
Wallace Island. Just short of Porlier Pass,
we headed across Trincomali Channel
toward Reid Island under blue skies,
but an unexpected southeasterly wind
increased our work. Approaching the
Rose Islets, we experienced that familiar
disorientation caused by odd perspective
and misjudged size while adjusting to
the scale of a chart in new territory. We
paddled down the sheltered side of Reid
and the beautiful little rocky islet off its
south end, before heading across the
windy, choppy Cowichan Gap to Hall
Island. We needed a stretch but could
see no good landing, so after rafting for
a rest and snack, we crossed to Mowghli
Island.
So far we had been surprised by the
lack of other kayakers, but as we approached
the Secretary Islands at our
gentle exploratory pace, we were overtaken
by a double and a single going at
a fair clip. No leisurely paddlers these;
they were purposeful, speedy, and seemingly
oblivious to their surroundings, including
us. We continued poking along
the edges of the islands, peering down
for seastars or anything else that
floated into view, and when a pretty
cove caught Jinny’s eye, she went
ashore to explore.
There are kayakers’ campsites
on Wallace at Chivers
Point and several boats
were beached there.
Most of this island is
a marine park, with
only a small area
in Princess Cove
still
privately
owned. Cabin
Bay wasn’t
marked
o n
my chart but was reportedly about half
a nautical mile down, opposite Galiano’s
cliffs. Approaching the spot my heart
sank—it had steep rock sides. Had I navigated
wrongly? But no, when I nosed
into the bay around the rocks, there was
a little sheltered beach between a wooded
hillside and a grassy islet studded with
arbutus. Polly Esther was there with gear
piled nearby. There were two wooden
platforms, perfect for our tents, and picnic
tables, though the huge Park Services
notice board rather spoiled the view. We
decided to use this as base camp for a
couple of days—it was time to sling our
hammock, exchange reports of the day’s
events, and eat our fabulous fish stew.
We woke at dawn to the piercing
whistles of a very hungry young eagle—a
bittersweet experience repeated
each morning. After breakfasting on our
sunny islet, we explored Wallace’s trails,
and the congenial park warden arrived
by boat to collect camping fees. Crossing
the channel to inspect Galiano’s sandstone
cliffs, which unlike Valdes’ cliffs,
turned out to have few erosion patterns,
we were briefly caught among large powerboats
traveling fast in both directions,
churning up enormous wakes, then all
was calm again.
That afternoon, paddling around
Wallace Island, Jinny and I glimpsed an
incongruous bright green lawn through
the trees near the southeast end. Going
ashore to investigate, we found the
lovely old fruit trees and cabins of the
old resort in Conover Cove, now used by
boaters and campers, full of hubbub and
bustle. Continuing around the island,
we coasted on the surge of a following
wind, navigating among oddly craggy
reefs. The glistening water was busy with
yachters buzzing about in their dinghies,
and a couple of muscular young men
tried to look cool and in control as the
wind buffeted their colourful inflatable
kayaks among the sharp rocks.
Back at camp, fruitcake and port were
nicely rounding out our day when several
kayakers poked into the bay, walked
purposefully through our campsite, then
paddled off, barely acknowledging
us. Is there a new generation
of surly kayakers, or does
this area in particular
attract them?
28 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

We wanted to explore Porlier Pass, but the next morning was
cloudy and windy, so we piled into Polly Esther rather than paddling
across Trincomali Channel. The weather cleared at the
pass and we made an easy passage through at slack tide to Dionysio
Point, which is extraordinarily beautiful with grassy, treed
headlands and shallow back-to-back sandy beaches among
sandstone rocks. A family who had hiked in were relaxing in
the sun, and we amusedly watched another pod of dour kayakers
land for a brief inspection, keeping on their skirts and safety
gear while they strode about, before paddling briskly away as
we lazed. Our choppy, wet trip back to camp in the open boat
reminded us how cozy a kayak feels.
Early next morning raccoons foraged along the rocky shoreline,
encouraging their baby with a humming, chittering sound.
It was time to head toward home, so we broke camp, agreeing
to regroup on Valdes. Too lazy to portage between the Secretaries,
we passed among seals south of Mowghli, paddled along
Norway Island, then crossed to land for a swim on the pebble
beach halfway down Reid. After a smooth, sunny crossing to
Shingle Point on Valdes, we landed to stretch in the shade before
paddling to Blackberry Point.
On our last morning, Nick went spelunking with Crazy Pete
while gulls dropped clams and squawked in a brisk northwest
wind. I made a false start, re-landing to fix a dislodged rudder
pedal before heading for Pylades Island, meandering up its
shore past a family of ducks. We paddled through the channel
and up the far side of Ruxton to its turbulent northern point,
though the waters were calm around the pretty beach and islet
(bearing a tent) beyond. Powerboats politely avoided us as we
crossed to De Courcy, but all was serene along its shoreline and
on past Link and Mudge Islands. In the homestretch of False
Narrows, the powerful headwind and tidal outflow gave us one
last challenge before we landed under the maples and unloaded
our gear into the house.
Note: The boat launches at El Verano Drive and Degnen Bay on Gabriola Island
are fine launch points for paddling in this area of the Gulf Islands. There is also a
campground at the south end of De Courcy Island.
Jenni is a semi-retired writer and editor who has lived in BC for 34 years, has
been ocean kayaking for about 25 of them and regrets the 9 she missed.
Paddle the Flat Tops Silva Bay
GABRIOLA ISLAND, BC
PAGE’S RESORT & MARINA
Silva Bay — Gabriola Island
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 29

Urban
Paddling
Victoria, BC
by Andrew Nolan
Everyone has a favourite paddling destination, somewhere
to dream about when stuck at work or in traffic
and trying to get through the week. Luckily, for those of
us who live on or near the coast, there is no shortage of amazing
wilderness paddling opportunities nearby, whether you are
a weekend warrior or multi-day tripper. Sometimes however,
this means that the destinations closest to home are overlooked
and wonderful paddling opportunities are missed. Dedicated
wilderness paddlers may cringe at this next thought, but for
my money, there is nothing better for a quick paddling fix than
launching my boat from the middle of an urban centre and exploring
the city from an entirely different perspective. Whether
for a solitary sunrise paddle before work or a leisurely weekend
cruise, urban paddling offers all the energy of the city, a surprising
amount of wildlife and instant reprieve from the stress
of city life.
Victoria is blessed with ideal urban paddling opportunities,
with everything from tidal currents at the Gorge Rapids, where
paddlers can practise their eddy turns in relative safety, to the
sheltered waters of Portage Inlet and the commotion of the
Inner Harbour. Snaking between dock pilings at low tide to
practise manoeuvring my boat, checking out the many yachts
and ships from around the world that stop over in the harbour,
or grabbing some fish and chips for lunch from the Fisherman’s
Wharf are just some of the many other options that keep me
going back.
A surprising amount of wildlife also calls Victoria’s waters
home. Cleanup efforts have paid off and the ongoing transition
from polluting waterfront industries to office and residential
uses means that wildlife is nicely re-established in the Harbour
and Gorge and is abundant once outside the confines of
the harbour. Sightings are likely to include great blue herons,
curious harbour seals, bald eagles and river otters. Rogue sea
lions have also been known to hang out near the mouth of
the harbour and can usually be found lounging on nearby offshore
rocks. To put it simply, Victoria offers a perfect snapshot
of west coast paddling experiences. It’s no wonder then that a
half-dozen or more kayak rental and tour operations line the
shores of the Inner and Middle Harbours.
Renting is an easy way to get on the water, with operators
such as Ocean River Sports (located on the water at 1824
Store Street, www.oceanriver.com, 1-250-381-4233) offering
two-hour rentals from their Upper Harbour location and Selkirk
Station Bike & Kayak (80 Regatta Landing, www.switchbridgetours.com,
1-866-383-1466). Victoria also boasts the
stunning Gorge Rowing and Paddling Centre (www.gorowandpaddle.org/centres/gorge.php),
a purpose built rowing and
paddling facility located on the Selkirk Waters.
If you want to paddle your own boat, direct access to the
harbour is limited but not impossible. The most central launching
location is from the beach at Songhees Point, in front of
the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort. From downtown Victoria, take
the Johnson Street Bridge (“Blue Bridge”) and, after passing
under the railway bridge, take the first left onto Tyee/Songhees
Road. A few hundred metres down the road you will find a
small beach ideal for launching. It is located a short carry from
the road across a grassy park and is easily located directly below
the very visible totem pole on the point. Parking is available on
nearby streets, just be sure to check the signs for time limits and
restrictions.
When launching, watch for taxiing seaplanes and the small
harbour ferries near the point. With over 100 landings and
takeoffs from the Inner and Middle Harbours every day, and
hundreds of other boats coming and going, Transport Canada
has put a “Traffic Scheme” in place to keep everything in order
in the Inner and Middle Harbours. Generally this means
30 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

that paddlers must stay as close to the shoreline as possible and
are not permitted to cross the Inner or Middle Harbours. The
regulations are available at most kayak rental shops in the area
or can be downloaded (www.tc.gc.ca/pacific/marine/victoriaharbourtrafficscheme.htm).
From Songhees Point you are perfectly positioned for a leisurely
paddle north under the Johnson Street Bridge through
the area known as the Selkirk Waters and along the Gorge. In
the Upper Harbour (north of the Johnson Street Bridge) there
are no traffic scheme restrictions. It is approximately four nautical
miles round trip to the Gorge Narrows, located directly
under the Tillicum Bridge. Be sure to consult your tide tables if
you’re heading any further up the Gorge and into Portage Inlet.
At the Gorge Narrows, ebb (outgoing) tides can run up to eight
knots creating standing waves, swift eddies and whirlpools. It
is the perfect place for learning or practising eddy turns (often
accompanied by practising recovery techniques!) but not a fun
surprise if you are unprepared to navigate strong current.
If you want to avoid the possibility of strong currents altogether
and enjoy the calm waters of Portage Inlet, it is possible
to launch further up the Gorge from the public ramp beside the
Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club (VCKC). VCKC is located at
355 Gorge Road West, a few hundred metres west of Tillicum
Road. Parking is available in their parking lot or on the adjacent
streets. The shallow waters of Portage Inlet are perfect for
beginner paddlers or family outings and since the entire inlet
is designated as a bird sanctuary, it is easy to spend an entire
afternoon exploring all its nooks and crannies while watching
out for birds.
If you are paddling west from Songhees Point, follow the
shoreline towards West Bay making sure you stay north of
small Colvile Island to keep clear of the seaplane taxiway.
Thirsty paddlers may want to take note (and maybe some GPS
coordinates) of the Spinnakers Pub patio located at the head
of Lime Bay half a mile from the put in. It was one of Canada’s
first brew pubs and is a perfect place for a post-paddle
pint. Once across West Bay and well south of Berens Island
you are free of the harbour traffic scheme and it is possible to
cross the harbour and head back along the other side, but local
kayak instructor Ben Garrett recommends continuing on
towards the historic Fisgard Lighthouse on the Fort Rodd Hill
National Historic Site. Built in 1860, it was the first lighthouse
on Canada’s west coast and has been in operation ever since.
The site makes the perfect lunch spot about three and a half
nautical miles from Songhees Point. There is a small fee for
admission to the site, but it is well worth it to enjoy the well
kept grounds, picnic tables, public washrooms and interpretive
displays. Just beyond the lighthouse you will find the entrance
to the Esquimalt Lagoon. If the tides are right it is possible to
sneak into the shallow waters for a great view of Hatley Castle,
which you might recognize from its appearances in the X-Men
movie series.
Fans of the This is The Sea DVDs will be happy to know that
they don’t need to go to Scotland or Wales for some extreme
tidal current action. Enterprise Channel between Trial Island
and the mainland offers amazing opportunities for “park and
play” surfing in a tidal race just minutes from downtown. The
conditions are best during a strong flood tide or when the ebb
tide opposes a westerly wind. Launching is possible from either
side of a small isthmus, located at the east end of McNeill
Bay. Street side parking is plentiful on Beach Road. However, if
you don’t have a bombproof roll, immersion gear and equally
skilled paddling partners to help you out of trouble, I recommend
checking out the action from shore.
Finally, if an overnight getaway is really what you need
and you don’t have time to leave town, nearby Discovery and
Chatham Islands are perfect destinations for intermediate or
more experienced paddlers. Launching is easy from one of two
boat ramps at Cattle Point, which is accessed via Beach Road,
north of Oak Bay in Uplands Park. Although the islands are
only about two nautical miles offshore, strong currents and frequently
choppy conditions can make for a challenging crossing.
Strong navigation and paddling skills are a must, but the effort
is worth it. There is plenty of camping in Discovery Island
Marine Park on the south side of Discovery Island, as well as
lots of wildlife and stunning views across the Strait of Juan de
Fuca to the Olympic Mountains—all making the marine park
the perfect place to camp out and enjoy a summer sunset. For
more information on park facilities and restrictions, visit the
BC Parks website (www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/discover.html).
Andrew Nolan is co-author of the book Paddling through History: Sea Kayak
Vancouver and Victoria, a historical guide to the best urban paddling destinations
in both cities.
getting you out there since 1981
A Proud “on water” Current Designs dealer
1824 STORE STREET VICTORIA, BC. PH 250.381.4233 • TOLL FREE 1 800 909 4233
WWW.OCEANRIVER.COM
“We know our stuff”
Ocean River’s
senior instructor/guide,
Gary Doran.
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 31

Paddling on a Mirror
THE BOWRON LAKE CIRCUIT
by Aileen Stalker
“So let’s kayak around the Bowron Lakes
instead,” suggested my son Patrick when a six-day backpacking
trip had to be cancelled because the trail was closed.
The hike was to have been a last epic Canadian adventure before
he took off to work in Australia for a year. As it turned out,
it was an easy switch, and luckily we had the needed four days
before our departure to make the reservation with Parks BC.
Even luckier, we were able to get reservations for the day we
wanted to start.
The Bowron Lakes have been described as one of the
brightest jewels in British Columbia’s provincial park system.
This rectangular chain of lakes and rivers has long been a top
choice of both local and international paddlers. However, only
fifty people a day are allowed on the route, with some choosing
the west side, and the majority beginning the complete circuit
by starting on the east side. From mid-May to mid-September,
the route is filled with people who have made reservations far in
advance, with only four walk-on places allocated each day for
spontaneous paddlers.
It takes about eight hours on excellent roads to drive the
800 kilometres from Vancouver to Quesnel—the last point to
get provisions since the store at the Bowron Lakes Provincial
Park campsite has only the most basic of supplies. Once in the
campsite we bear proofed our surroundings—a task that we
perfected as we relocated each night. At nine o’clock the next
morning, we joined the other paddlers at the obligatory orientation
meeting. The park employee described the route, the garbage
regulations, location of woodlots, the wild-life precautions
and assistance that either park rangers or remote telephones
could provide us at points throughout the park. Little did we
know at the time that we should have asked more questions!
The sky was blue, there was no wind and the temperature
was perfect. We were keen to get started, but first we had to
weigh all our food and equipment. Each person is allowed sixty
pounds (lifejackets, paddles and safety gear are not weighed)
and no glass containers (e.g. wine bottles) or beer cans are allowed.
Along with our entry tag came orange garbage bags to
bring out any garbage, including discarded food.
The circuit starts with pulling your watercraft up a hill and
along the first of several long portages and short paddles in
the small lakes and marshy rivers. Still, with the hardy wheeled
carts we had rented, this went quickly on the wide, fairly smooth
paths. In rainy weather though, these paths can turn into a
muddy slog. I saw only one husky young man transporting his
canoe in the traditional method on his shoulders—everyone
else was “carting it.”
After the mid-morning start, we had set a modest first day
goal of reaching the beginning of Isaac Lake—the longest of
the lakes on the route. However, conditions were perfect and
neither of us wanted to stop. So on we paddled through Kibbee
and Indianpoint Lakes and to the end of the west arm of Isaac
Lake—a total of 16 km and 6 km of portages. Our campsite
had an open shelter, a ranger cabin and only two other paddlers—both
of whom were in kayaks. As we progressed around
the route, I observed that about half the people were paddling
kayaks—quite a change from only ten years ago when the majority
of people were in canoes.
32 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

That first evening the four of us talked kayaks and world
events and watched the sunset and a storm approaching. Thunder,
lightning, wild winds and waves had us wondering what
the next day would be like for paddling. One crack of lightning
streaked across the sky, and far along the main arm of Isaac
Lake we saw the explosion and birth of a forest fire.
The next morning, having observed that I was able to paddle
strongly and fairly quickly, my son devised the diabolical plan
of doing the route with a speed that would allow him to attend
one last weekend party back in Vancouver. Aided by the near
perfect weather and paddling conditions, we were able to begin
the first portage at 10:30 on a Monday morning and after 106.4
km of paddling and 10.6 km of portages, to pull out at 11:30
on the following Friday morning. Most people take at least six
days, and some were paddling and camping for a leisurely fourteen
days (the maximum you are allowed to stay on the route).
Our speed didn’t allow us much time in the campsites, but for
me, the paddling was the pleasure, and we were still able to see
wildlife, talk to fellow paddlers from around the world, have a
rest at noon and swim. This is not the case for everyone. One
friend said that several years ago he did the entire route in three
days and complete misery because every day brought endless
torrential rains, wind and grey mist. Others told tales of relentless
waves and wind on every lake.
We saw a lot of wildlife throughout the park. My favourites
were the loons calling in the evenings to their lifetime mates or
playing silly games by luring us off track when we attempted to
get the perfect close-up picture. The mergansers demonstrated
their daredevil nature by scooting down the oft feared and
talked about “Chute” rapids that leave Isaac Lake and take a
sharp L turn into the Isaac River. The human paddlers wisely
avoided this challenge since water levels were very low—one
group was rewarded by seeing a mother moose and her calf
on the portage. On our last day we saw two moose munching
grass in the Bowron River estuary. Only one person reported
seeing a black bear—a credit to the cleanliness maintained in
the camp sites. The grizzlies that live in the central Mowdish
Range are seldom seen (except for the stuffed one located
among park memorabilia in the Bear River Mercantile store at
the entrance to the park).
From our kayaks, we heard several kinds of owls seemingly
alerting wildlife to another forest fire that we watched advance
down a hill to one of the campsites. The sound of the fire
whooshing up a tree and turning it into a 50 metre candle was
impressive, and we waited in vain for a water bomber to arrive.
Later we found out that the park policy is to let fires burn naturally.
I noted with sadness that the pine beetles had eaten their
way through over half the forests surrounding the lakes. The
dead wood will no doubt fuel many more fires.
There were several large waterfalls along the route, but
thankfully there were immense signs warning us to portage.
Ranging from the modest Chute to the large Cariboo Falls (visible
after a twenty minute walk from Unna Lake), they tumble
down steep rocky gorges that were impassable to even the best
of paddlers. The sound of distant tiny waterfalls splashing into
the lakes was always with us, but they were visible only when
we went close to shore.
While paddling on a mirror is a wonderful, relaxing experience,
we found we had to devise entertainment to add variety.
Lanezi Lake offered the chance to view tall rock formations
that are very similar to Mount Rushmore. For over an hour we
discussed what famous Canadians (ranging from Lester Pearson
to Diana Krall) should have their faces carved on those
barren rocks. In camp that evening, we found out that several
other paddlers had been doing exactly the same thing.
There was one part of the trip that did not need any excitement
added. It is a case of saving the worst to last to describe
the fast-flowing, silt filled Cariboo River as the least favourite
part of the trip for most people we spoke to. While the orientation
staff had described in a neutral voice to “watch out for
the sweepers, deadheads, snags and currents, stay in the main
channels” this did not do justice to the experience when you actually
had to navigate it. One woman said she screamed down
the entire 5.2 kilometres—but made it. My son, not so lucky,
dumped when he got caught sideways in the current as he tried
to avoid a large root. Fortunately, he was able to get over to the
side of the river, pump out and we continued on with renewed
admiration for paddlers who choose to paddle in fast rivers and
rapids!
Each of the lakes has its own personality. Isaac Lake was
deep, clear and cold; little Unna Lake a warm, delightful lake
for camping and swimming; and Sandy Lake—well it was sandy
and very shallow. On the final day, it was with some regret
that we paddled across Bowron Lake to return our carts and
get into our car. We agreed that the trip had more than met
the criteria of an epic Canadian adventure. As well, it provided
wonderful memories of a fresh water kayaking experience that
easily rivaled sea kayaking for beauty and excitement.
IF YOU GO
Reservations for the Bowron Lake circuit are available at 1-800-435-5622 (Hello
BC).
Access to the Park is via the Fraser Canyon or through Whistler to Quesnel and
then east to Wells.
Rental of everything needed for paddling (from the cart and kayak to dry bags)
is available from Bowron Lake Lodge, 1-800-519-3399; Beckers, 1-800-808-4761;
Bear River Mercantile, Radio phone H96699 Wells YP.
Aileen Stalker is an urban paddler who is tentatively venturing into wilderness
paddling. She is co-author with her son Andrew of the book Paddling Through
History: Sea Kayak Vancouver and Victoria.
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 33

As a tugboat churned by, tour guide
Greg Whittaker yelled, “Tugs
without loads make huge wakes.
Get ready to surf.” Adrenalin pumping,
paddling furiously, we slid down a series
of immense waves. “Each spring,” Whittaker
later told me, “my friends and I attend
the tug boat races to surf the waves
the tugs make. It’s great!”
Kayaking is usually portrayed as a getaway
to a wilderness archipelago where,
together with a few close companions,
you reconnect with nature. But kayaking—and
surfing—in Seattle harbor
convinced me that urban kayaking has
its own charm and is every bit as rewarding.
My day had started at the Seacrest
Boathouse pier on the south side of Elliott
Bay, a large bite into the Puget
Sound coastline that forms Seattle’s harbor.
Across the bay skyscrapers gleamed
in the sun. Looking out on a constant
thrum of activity, Whittaker, the owner/manager
of Alki Kayak Tours, said,
“There is no mistaking this is a working
harbor—one of the largest on the west
coast.” Tugs towing massive barges were
headed for Alaska via the Inside Passage,
a forest of orange cranes stacked identical
rectangular containers onto ships,
ferries large and small motored determinedly
to their scheduled destinations,
and a gleaming white cruise ship sat like
a giant swan amongst ugly ducklings.
“In 2006, almost 21 million tons of
cargo were moved at this port by over
1300 freighters,” said Whittaker, “and
that doesn’t count tour boats, pleasure
craft and ferries. In spite of the harbor’s
enormous vibrancy, it also has a gentle,
natural side that you can only appreciate
by being on the water.”
With Whittaker in the lead, we set
off to paddle around the bay. The first
short stretch of the south shore is parkland
flanked by the residences of West
Seattle. An eagle soared from a nest on a
tall tree near the shore. We approached a
dingy-green barge anchored to a buoy on
which snoozed an enormous California
sea lion with another alongside, deciding
how to clamber aboard. We paddled
eastward to where the muddy waters of
the Duwamish River enter the bay, flowing
around Harbor Island, the second
largest constructed island in the world.
Whittaker, a former environmental consultant,
explained, “The Port Authority
maintains the island in a protected,
natural state, so it abounds with waterfowl
and wildlife.” The island is a serene
contrast to the surrounding shipyards,
barges, factories and towering cranes.
Paddling past a former creosote factory
site, he described some of the pollution
cleanups that have been conducted. The
remedial work appears successful, for we
saw western grebes with elegant long
necks, two gulls trying to wrest a freshly
caught fish from a cormorant, pigeon
guillemots, Barrow’s goldeneye, Canada
geese, surf scoters and, of course, multitudes
of screeching gulls. “I’ve seen
Dahl’s porpoises and grey whales in the
bay,” added Whittaker. As he spoke, the
sleek, grey head of a harbor seal poked
up and gave us a quick appraisal.
Then we were into the main shipping
channel. A tug lumbered past with
a heavy barge trailing behind. A ship
loaded high with containers steamed by.
A yacht under full sail looked light and
wispy against a ponderous, rusty freighter.
by Hans Tammemagi
KAYAKING IN SEATTLE HARBOR
A stately cabin cruiser floated by. There
was an exhilarating feeling of exposure,
even danger, for, separated from the water
by only a thin layer of fabric, we were
like mere flotsam bobbing in the wake of
powerful behemoths. I felt reassured that
Whittaker was monitoring marine traffic
on his VHF radio (channel 14).
Paddling past a shipyard and then
under the long shadows of giant cranes
lifting containers onto a ship, we reached
the downtown area and stopped momentarily
at the ferry terminal. The
view of Seattle’s skyline had been glorious
from across the bay, but now we were
directly underneath the enormous spires
that seemed to reach forever into the sky.
Whittaker pointed out the Smith Tower,
which was built in 1914 to a height of
42 stories and for decades was the tallest
building west of New York City. Now it
is but a dwarf amongst a forest of bigger
towers, including the patriarch, the 76-
story Columbia Building.
A ferry looking larger than the Titanic
steamed in to dock. With another
approaching, we applied some muscle
and sped past. Above us the waterfront
walkway was alive with promenaders
enjoying the piers, marinas, restaurants
and ship terminals. We paddled past the
Aquarium into the quiet water of a marina
and floated amongst the sleek hulls
of gleaming yachts, some of such gigantic
proportions we could only wonder at
the wealth of their owners.
Then the mood changed as we took a
shortcut under the next pier, entering a
place of cool, pensive gloom where we
turned and twisted through a maze of
dark, barnacle-encrusted pilings. There
was a feeling of claustrophobia as we
34 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

were squeezed between the rising and falling sea and the musky,
low ceiling of the pier.
Suddenly we were back into the sunlight and happy sounds of
the bay. Paddling past the Edgewater Hotel mounted on pilings
over the water, Whittaker pointed up. “That’s the room where
the Beatles stayed in 1964 and fished from the window.”
At a small pebbly beach just north of Pier 70 we pulled the
kayaks ashore and walked to the newly built Olympic Sculpture
Garden, behind which the Space Needle pointed elegantly
heavenward. Wandering amongst modernistic sculptures, we
no doubt looked out of place wearing water shoes and PFDs
and munching on trail mix.
Rested, we tackled the paddle back across the bay. A ferry
powered past. A Coast Guard zodiac flitted here and there with
its crew bedecked in orange safety suits. Soon, we pulled the
kayaks onto the beach back at the starting point.
As the sun dipped low in the sky, we climbed into our kayaks
again and headed out to watch the sunset from Duwamish
Head where Elliott Bay opens up into Puget Sound and the
Olympic Mountains can be seen forming a ragged band of
white across the western horizon. Behind us rush-hour traffic
was inching, fuming across the West Seattle Bridge.
The earlier sunny weather turned skittish and clouds careened
across the sky like bumper cars. In the constantly changing
light, sometimes the kayaks were silhouetted against dark
clouds and other times illuminated in sunny blue patches. For
a while, we were enclosed in gloom while across the bay the
downtown towers were bathed in gold. Then a rainbow formed
a colorful halo over the downtown skyline.
As dusk embraced us and lights began to twinkle in the city,
we turned homeward. “I love the richness of the harbor and
how human activity and nature co-exist,” said Whittaker, “and
there is no better way to enjoy it than by kayak.”
LAUNCH SITES/TOURS
The best launching place is at the Seacrest Boathouse pier
at 1660 Harbor Avenue SW, also the location of Alki Kayak
Tours & Rentals (www.kayakalki.com), free parking, public toilets
and a crab and fish restaurant. If carless, the site can be
reached from the ferry dock via Elliott Bay Water Taxi from
May 1 to September 30.
An alternate launch site is at Terminal 105 on the west side
of the Duwamish Waterway just south of the West Seattle
Bridge. Launching from the downtown waterfront is difficult
because of lack of parking.
ANOTHER URBAN PADDLE
Lake Union and the connecting Lake Washington Ship Canal
and Portage Cut offer a different insight into urban Seattle,
with the calm waters of the lake surrounded by shipyards,
houseboats, yachts, residences, eateries and shops.
Information
Seattle information: www.visitseattle.org
Stay on the waterfront: Edgewater Hotel, 2411 Alaskan Way, Pier 67
www.edgewaterhotel.com
Stay near Lake Union: Hotel Deca, 4507 Brooklyn Avenue NE
www.hoteldeca.com
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 35

Nude Beaches, Wind and Men Wearing Fur
The Lower Columbia River Water Trail
Romany in the Gorge.
by Neil Schulman
Spindrift off the waves blows in my
eyes. The novices in our group
can’t make progress into the rising
wind, and I can only tow one person at
a time, so we pull ashore onto a sandy
beach. A naked man comes out of the
bushes and helps the exhausted guests
out of their boats. Shocked, they look
away—but accept the help. Just another
day on the Lower Columbia River Water
Trail.
The group is part of a five-day trip
down the mighty Columbia from Portland
to near the mouth. The man is
naked because we’d unwittingly landed
at one of the nude beaches that dot the
Columbia. The contrast of paddlers
wearing Gore-Tex and neoprene and a
beachgoer wearing nothing at all is the
funniest thing I’ve seen in my years of
kayaking. But the Columbia River is varied
in both people and paddling.
In a trip down the Columbia, you
can choose your kayaking environment:
steep-sided gorges laced by waterfalls
and defined by wind; big cities with a
double-nonfat-soy-latte a few yards from
the dock, intricate mazes of brackish
marshes, and a river mouth that is more
like the exposed open sea than a river.
But some things will also be chosen
for you. Our group launched on a typical
sunny, hot, summer day, only to have 25
knot winds kick up out of nowhere. For
anyone who knows the Columbia, this
is not a surprise—strong and variable
winds are the norm in some places, but
possible anywhere. That day, the seas on
the Columbia just west of Portland were
bigger than those on the Pacific beaches.
THE GORGE
About 12,000 years ago, ice-age floods
roared down the Columbia, carving
steep cliffs full of waterfalls. The gorge
extends from the damp rainforest just
30 miles east of Portland to about 150
miles into the high desert. It’s big, stunning
and defined by wind, so much so
that expert paddlers use it as a training
ground. But on calm to moderate days,
and if you have the skills, it’s one of the
most fun places I’ve ever paddled. Access
points dot the Washington and Oregon
sides of the river, and windsurfers’
websites help predict the conditions. It’s
a fantastic place to develop and practice
skills, and the scenery is great.
THE URBAN FLOODPLAIN
West of the gorge, the Columbia widens
and passes through a broad floodplain
around Portland and Vancouver,
WA. Here you can paddle in the morning
and browse the world’s largest independent
bookstore in the afternoon. You
can often see Peregrine Falcons nesting
under the city’s bridges. You can also
take your pick of sheltered side channels
and tributaries: the Willamette, Multnomah
Channel, the Lewis and Lake
Rivers, Scappoose Bay. And yes, there
are some nude beaches on the Columbia
both north and east of Portland.
THE REFUGES
After the Columbia passes Portland,
Vancouver and Longview, WA, it enters
some mazelike islands. Most of them
are part of two sprawling wildlife refuges
preserved as wetlands: the Lewis
and Clark and the Julia Butler Hansen
Refuges that straddle the river and many
islands midstream. These low-lying islands
are full of wildlife (especially wintering
bald eagles and waterfowl) and so
many channels that it’s easy to get turned
around. Bring a chart and compass, and
expect the look of the land to change as
the tide rises and falls. And bring your
bird guide.
THE BIG, WIDE, GAPING MAW
Downstream of the refuges, west
of the town of Skamokawa, things get
big. The river widens to more than five
miles across, with currents, winds and
swells that can roll in from the open Pacific.
Waikiki Beach, on the Washington
side of the mouth, is a surf beach with
rebounding waves; the rest of the river
is full of strong currents, swell, lots of
wind and complex interactions where
they meet. The closer to the mouth you
get, the more skills and knowledge you’ll
need—conditions often keep advanced
paddlers ashore. Much of the river’s
36 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

ehavior is unusual, so local knowledge
is best: talk to folks who know the place
well.
FUR AND ROTTEN ELK MEAT
Another draw of the Columbia is its
history. The most famous paddlers are,
of course, the Lewis and Clark Expedition
of 1805-6. The recent Bicentennial
included designation of new National
Park lands commemorating their journey,
and many parts of their route can be
retraced. The expedition endured endless
rain in 19th century gear and often
subsisted on rotten elk meat. If you do
retrace their route, I don’t recommend
that last bit.
THE COLUMBIA RIVER WATER TRAIL:
CONNECTING THE DOTS
For modern paddlers, a new Water
Trail is taking form on the Columbia.
The Lower Columbia River Water Trail
(a program of the Lower Columbia River
Estuary Project) is creating a 140-mile
connection from Bonneville Dam (in the
Columbia Gorge) to the Pacific Ocean.
The river is the trail; most of the work is
in establishing campsites and launch spots,
instilling Leave No Trace principles, and
educating paddlers about the often-challenging
conditions on the Columbia.
But of all my days paddling the Columbia,
my favorite was my first circumnavigation
of an island at the eastern end
of the Gorge. We started out on a sunny
day with an east wind. At lunchtime it
reversed into a dark, howling wind from
the west that had us flying down perfect
waves. Then the wind died, leaving us to
glide smoothly past pictographs painted
on the rocks. Like most on the Columbia,
it was a day full of surprises.
IF YOU GO
Water Trails
Lower Columbia River Water Trail:
www.columbiawatertrail.org and www.lcrep.org
The Lewis and Clark Columbia River Water Trail: A
Guide for Paddlers, Hikers, and Other Explorers by
Keith Hay (Timber Press)
Weather and Sea Conditions
National Weather Service:
www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr
Columbia River Current Predictions: www.co-ops.
nos.noaa.gov/currents07/tab2pc2.html#112
Columbia River Gorge Wind Forecasts:
www.wind-surf.net
Outfitting, Tours, and Instruction
Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe:
www.aldercreek.com
Columbia River Kayaking:
www.columbiariverkayaking.com
Neil Schulman’s office is about a block from the Willamette
River, a tributary of the Columbia, in Portland,
OR. He spends too much time at his desk, but
someday that will change.
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 37

A Paddler’s Secret
by James Michael Dorsey
While I am always looking forward to the next exotic
locale in which to dip my paddle, I am mindful of
the fact that I live near a kayaker’s dream.
Southern California can count on about 330 days of sun
each year and paddling cannot get any better than from my
local put-in point of Marina Del Rey, just minutes from downtown
Los Angeles.
This marina empties into the large bay of Santa Monica,
where, on any given day, one can usually see pods of common
dolphin body surfing right off shore. During the annual gray
whale migration, I have seen as many as a dozen whales a day
making their leisurely way south, hugging the coast, sometimes
right in the surf zone.
For the past several summers, these waters have hosted
humpback and blue whales coming in to feast on the abundant
krill that fills the channel between the mainland and local
islands. And biologists have been monitoring a pod of undersized
orca trying to decide if they are residents or not.
This bay can experience large rolling seas, but a breakwater
of large boulders at the harbor entrance makes for an easy transition
from marina to open ocean for even novice paddlers.
From a mile offshore, the vista is unparalleled. To the north
are the Santa Monica mountains. To the north are the hills
of Hollywood, and on a clear day, you can see the Hollywood
sign from the water. To the south is the beautiful peninsula of
Palos Verdes. This sweeping panorama is crowned by majestic
Mount Baldy, rising above the city with its summit snowcapped
year round.
It is a rare day that I do not have an escort of porpoising
sea lions frolicking around my boat, and if not, I can count on
there being dozens hauling out on the numerous buoys off the
coast used during the offloading of oil from tankers.
For the past five years, a megapod of common dolphin have
frequented these waters, sometimes 2000 to 3000 strong. I have
had them as paddling partners on many occasions, listening to
their squeaks, clicks and groans echoing through the hull of
my boat.
For the more adventurous, there is an open water crossing of
26 miles to Catalina Island. A local group of paddlers known
as the “Rogues,” makes this crossing every month. On a clear
day, this island and the tiny speck of Anacapa Island are both
visible from shore.
Altogether, eight islands dot the waters off Southern California,
and five of them—San Miguel, Santa Roas, Santa Cruz,
Santa Barbara and Anacapa—comprise the Channel Islands
National Park. This park receives the fewest number of visitors
of any park in our national system, making it a kayaker’s
paradise year round.
There is daily boat service to all these islands from both Oxnard
and Santa Barbara harbors. Island Packers runs an efficient
and professional service offering land tours for the day,
guided kayaking trips, and will even rent you a boat and haul
it over for you.
With all of this great paddling available, the best and my
personal favorite spot remains a hidden jewel.
Directly next to the seawall of Marina Del Rey, Ballona
Creek empties into the ocean. This river mouth is protected
from swells by the offshore seawall, making it as calm as a bathtub.
This is the natural entrance to the Ballona Wetlands.
Over thousands of years, the Los Angeles River carried
silt, mud and clay through the basin from the local mountains,
eventually creating this marshy and incredibly fertile area.
The indigenous Garbrielino people lived a good life here for
countless years of prehistory until they were displaced in the
18th century by Spanish settlers. They lived in houses of marsh
reeds, caught fish, and fashioned beautiful jewelry from local
shells. Later, Mexico and then the United States took possession
of the area until in 1822 a Spanish land owner named Jose
Machado was granted the land as Rancho La Ballona.
38 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

The Rancho remained intact for half a
century until Machado’s heirs broke it up,
selling off portions that later became the
city of Venice to the north.
Today it is only a fraction of its original
size due to the incursion of the world’s largest
man made marina, and the ever growing
sprawl of Los Angeles surrounding it, but it
is still a tiny natural paradise just minutes
from local freeways and shopping malls.
Efforts to develop the area have recently
been temporarily halted due to the discovery
of Indian burial sites, ensuring the land
will remain pristine at least for the next several
years while corporate lawyers battle in
court over domain rights.
Possums, skunks and coyotes prowl the
marshes while 15 species of fish and at least
215 different species of birds fill the air.
Great blue herons nest here, and on
any given day, I am likely to see sandpipers,
snowy egrets, wimbrels, three species
of gulls, and if I am early enough, I can
watch night herons before they turn in after
a night of hunting. On rarer occasions,
I have witnessed osprey taking fish from its
waters, and once watched a bald eagle soaring
overhead before making the open water
crossing to the Channel Islands where they
now live.
Hundreds of brown pelicans line the seawall
looking for their next meal, while cormorants
bob along and haul out onto rocks
to dry their wings in the sun, and red tailed
hawks keep station in the trees on lookout
for any tasty rodents that frequent the rock
walls. Kingfishers are a common sight, and
there are occasionally a few geese taking a
break here during their migrations.
There is about three miles of river to
paddle before it peters out in the marshy
swamp. On a good day, I am the only one
on the water. On a bad day, I can hear car
horns from the freeway less than two miles
away.
It is one giant open aviary, and gliding
silently through here in a kayak, I must
constantly remind myself that I am in the
middle of a massive metropolitan area.
After a morning on the open ocean, there
is no better way to wind down a paddle than
in these protected and peaceful waters, full
of nature’s wonders, reminding me that I
live in a paddler’s paradise.
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 39

GREAT Sea Kayaking Picks in Atlantic Canada
by Keith and Heather Nicol
With close to 30,000 kilometres of shoreline outlining
the four Atlantic Provinces, the best way to explore
this part of Canada is in the seat of an ocean kayak.
The following suggestions will point you to just a small portion
of what Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and
Prince Edward Island have to offer the sea kayaker.
“THE GRAVELS,” STEPHENVILLE, NEWFOUNDLAND
We discovered this gem a few years ago and it has since become
our favourite place to show new paddlers. The area is
just a couple of hours from the Newfoundland/Nova Scotia
ferry terminal at Port au Basques, and so is convenient for paddlers
coming over from the mainland. The Stephenville/Port
au Port area is on Newfoundland’s rugged west coast and the
put in for “the Gravels” is along the isthmus leading to the Port
au Port Peninsula. There is a large parking area on the right
and an easy launch off a broad gravel beach. Once on the water,
head in a westerly direction toward the low cliffs of sloping
limestone, which have been carved into intricate hoodoo-like
forms in many places. The crystal clear water is intoxicating
and the shoreline alternates between secret beaches and rugged
headlands. The limestone bedrock was once a part of a
shallow ocean reef and a variety of fossils can be found in
many outcrops. Although the route is just 4 – 5 kilometres (one
way), it is an ideal place to dawdle. Also be sure to hike the
trail that parallels the coastline and pay a visit to the nearby
Aguathuna church, the province’s oldest wooden structure.
There is fine paddling nearby at Sheaves Cove on the Port au
Port Peninsula where you paddle past waterfalls that empty
into the ocean. Visit www.swgc.mun.ca/~knicol and click on
sea kayaking for more information on other places to paddle
in Newfoundland.
LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA
This past summer we spent over a week exploring the
Lunenburg area and were blessed with weather that was ideal
for adventuring with a kayak. Most days brought blue skies
punctuated by billowing cumulus or wispy cirrus clouds with
light winds, and we took full advantage of it. Our favourite sea
kayaking destination in this area was at Blue Rocks, where the
maze of islands seems to be made for kayaks. Some islands are
barely 20 metres long and others are larger and cloaked in fir
and spruce. A deer jumped up as we landed on one island and
we often paddled past blue herons fishing in the shallows. At
low tide, some passages have just enough water to manoeuvre
through, which all but eliminates most other boats. If you are
self guided, be sure to get a chart or topographic map. We
found a GPS especially useful in several places, since the number
of islands and channels can make navigating complicated.
We also joined East Coast Outfitters for a day trip in this area.
Sally Josenhaus ably guided us to her favourite places. After
a gourmet lunch in a perfectly secluded spot on Heckman’s
Island, we were fortunate to see harbour seals near Gimlet
Ledge. As we drifted with the light wind, some seals popped
their heads up just metres from our kayaks.
While in Lunenburg, we also had fun playing in the surf
with our kayaks at nearby Hirtles Beach (bring a wetsuit) and
exploring a series of sea caves, locally called “the Ovens.” Although
it is tempting to paddle into some of the caves, it is best
to view them from outside since even a small swell can become
amplified and toss you against the ragged rocks. The caves have
been carved out of tipping layers of sedimentary rock and it is
impressive to hear the thunderous roar as the waves get compressed
in the caves and pound against their back walls.
40 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 41

We also enjoyed paddling in Lunenburg Harbour, past the
famous schooner, Bluenose II, and in front of the bright red,
waterfront buildings. Evidently in the early days, sailors realized
that red was the best colour for assisting ships in foggy
weather. For more information visit www.eastcoastoutfitters.net
and www.town.lunenburg.ns.ca
HOPEWELL ROCKS, NEW BRUNSWICK
One of the keystone attractions in New Brunswick is the
famous high tide in the Bay of Fundy. And the best place to
experience the huge range of tides is at Cape Hopewell. This
area is known to have some of the highest tides in the world (up
to 16 metres). Normally a huge tidal range is not a bonus when
sea kayaking, since it can mean inconvenient portages across
mud flats and worse. For your first trip you might want to do
what we did last summer—join a tour. Just before high tide we
accompanied Baymount Outdoor Adventures for a two-hour
paddle through amazing arches and past sea stacks and “flower
pot” rocks. These impressive seascapes have been carved into
the conglomerate bedrock over the millennia by tides, waves
and frost. The water was a reddish brown as we pushed off the
beach. Our guide, Richard Faulkner, explained that the constant
churning of the water over the extensive mud flats surrounding
Cape Hopewell produces this brownish water.
Soon we paddled along the cliff faces that make the Hopewell
Rocks world renowned. “These unusual rock formations are
the result of 100 billion tons of water sluicing back and forth
each day. The ‘Flower Pot’ rocks take their name from the sea
stacks that are capped with windswept spruce trees and shrubs,
hence looking like giant flower pots,” said Richard.
On our return paddle, the tide was even higher, so we could
explore some of the passages that were too shallow just an hour
before. However, some care is needed as we discovered when
we blindly paddled up on a submerged rock. The water is so
full of fine mud that you can’t see your paddle blade in the water,
let alone any rocks that lurk below the surface. It’s a wonder
anything can live in this sediment laden environment, but just
as we neared the take-out, Richard pointed out the thousands
of semipalmated plovers as they flew as a synchronized group,
all banking and swooping in unison. They come here in the
summer to dine on small shrimp that live in the mud flats before
they head off for South America in the late summer. The
tides, sea stacks, arches and sea birds—it is all very impressive
and it is no wonder New Brunswick uses Hopewell Rocks as
one of its flagship tourism draws. It is truly one of the marine
wonders of the world. For more information visit www.baymountadventures.com
and www.thehopewellrocks.ca
BRUDENELL RIVER, PEI
Islands make great sea kayaking destinations. For instance,
in Prince Edward Island you are never more than 30 kilometres
from the ocean, and it has 1300 kilometres of coastline.
Although still in its infancy, sea kayaking is growing in PEI and
is an activity that the province is keen to promote.
We found that paddling in PEI is different than in the other
Atlantic Provinces. Paddling here tends to be tamer, with farms
and fields as a backdrop instead of large rugged cliffs, numerous
offshore islands or large tides to contend with. Last summer we
decided to paddle with Outside Expeditions at Brudenell River
Provincial Park. We quickly realized that in PEI the use of the
word “river” often means “drowned river” since we were actually
paddling in an estuary. We paddled past cormorants and
gulls sitting on floats which supported extensive commercial
mussel operations. Terns flitted overhead and our guide, Renee
Montgomery, said we should keep on the lookout for bald
eagles. Our intended destination was a seal haulout around the
next point but our trip was cut short by the forecast of high
winds in the afternoon. So at Renee’s suggestion, we decided
to drive to North Rustico, near Prince Edward Island National
Park, to join Outside Expeditions for an afternoon paddle
down the North Rustico River. Here we saw fishing boats coming
to shore, including one that had caught an 363 kg tuna.
Our guide, Randy Campbell, said that this single tuna might
fetch up to $100,000 and would be shipped half way around
the world to Japan to end up in sushi bars and restaurants. For
more information visit www.gov.pe.ca/visitorsguide/index.
php3 and www.getoutside.com
Keith and Heather Nicol are avid paddlers who live in Corner Brook, NL. Keith
has a popular sea kayaking web site at www.swgc.mun.ca/~knicol. Click on sea
kayaking in Atlantic Canada.
42 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

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SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 43

EVERYTHING
in-the-kayak-hatch-curry
paddle meals
by Hilary Masson
Here is a spontaneous meal we cooked up on a kayaking
and yoga trip. I was carrying a jar of Thai Red
Curry Paste, which always comes in handy, and a can
of coconut milk to make a curry sauce. Left over veggies became
a stir-fry all served on a bed of yams. Then with ripe and
juicy mangos, I made chutney and a mango lassie dessert. It is
amazing the amount of food you can fit in your kayak hatch!
For appetizers with this meal, try papadums. You can find
packaged ones to fry on site, or I’ve seen ready-to-eat papadums
in a long package, like Pringles chips. Another option would be
Masala Peas—they are like wasabi peas, but with an Indian
spice, and the package comes with a zip lock closure.
COCONUT, LIME AND LEMONGRASS CURRY SAUCE
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 stalk of lemongrass, thinly sliced
1 piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly diced
3 lime leaves (similar to bay leaves, do not eat, they’re just for flavour)
1 tbsp. Thai Red Curry Paste
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar or honey
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (from bouillon cubes, or a
tetra pack of chicken or vegetable broth)
1 can coconut milk
1 fresh lime squeezed over top at the end
Stir-fry fresh ingredients with oil in a sauté pan or wok along
with broccoli or any veggies left in your hatch. Add the Thai
Curry Paste, fish sauce, brown sugar or honey, and mix until
blended nicely. Add the chicken or veggie stock and bring to a
boil. Lower the heat and add the coconut milk and simmer for
5 minutes. Remove lime leaves. Season to taste with salt and
pepper or soy sauce.
If you fish from your kayak, try adding your catch of the
day. Before you go out paddling, check on the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans website to see if there is red tide in the
area you will be exploring. If it is safe, then add oysters, clams,
and mussels for a fresh flair.
This curry is great on a bed of yams. Peel and then boil
the yams in one-third salt water and three quarters fresh water,
drain, then mash.
Spinach Naan stores well in the kayak and would be great with
this meal. Or try jasmine rice as the side dish.
Mango chutney enhances any curry. This recipe is an easy
one. I always have vinegar for making salad dressings in my
boat, so this can be adapted and put together on a whim. Try
with papaya, pear or pineapple too.
MANGO CHUTNEY
2 1/2 cups diced mango
1 piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cumin powder
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins
freshly ground black pepper
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil,
reduce heat to low, and simmer until thick, about 10 minutes,
stirring often to keep from sticking. Let cool, then serve.
Here is a smoothie type drink that can accompany this curry
dinner. This Indonesian drink is usually served with spicy
meals, but it can be a great and healthy dessert served in cups.
If you have a hand crank blender, try spinning this up into a
refreshing extra treat.
MANGO LASSIE
4 ripe mangos
1 cup real mango juice
1 cup yogurt
3 tbsp. sugar
Peel the mangos and dice as small as possible. Add the yogurt,
mango juice and sugar then stir together in a big pot or
bowl. Ladle out into cups and drink this fruity and delicious
dessert.
For breakfast the next day, leftover coconut milk can be substituted
for water in your oatmeal, try adding mango and raisins
as well. Oatmeal will never be the same!
Happy Paddling!
Hilary Masson is a guide and part-owner of Baja Kayak Adventure Tours Ltd.
www.bajakayakadventures.com
44 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

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SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 45

allows for more free time in camp. Or maybe mealtime is the
perfect time to make up for interpersonal issues that arise as a
result of double kayaks and group decisions. Either way, social
paddling seems to beget more elaborate meals. Ever gone on a
guided trip? Kayak companies mostly tour the same areas, so
food is a way they can outdo each other. Yum.
This list isn’t about any of that. This is the sort of food you
take alone, or with an equally unpretentious, lazy and/or tasteimpaired
friend or two. You won’t need a lengthy grocery trip,
an armada of kitchen gadgets and a week off work to prepare
these items. You can save your money and your time for the
trip itself.
What happens when convenience wins out over taste? Or
even nutrition? Ask most bachelors or students. Mac & cheese
may not work well while kayak camping (I’ve tried), but there
are plenty of alternatives. The important thing is, these trip
foods are easy, inexpensive and quick, as you’ll want to spend
that extra time poring over charts or traveling a bit further from
the big city.
F O O D E S S E N T I A L S F O R L A Z Y
KAYAKERS
by Bryan Nichols
I
realize this may be culinary blasphemy to some, but I’ve
never believed that food was the primary reason to go on a
kayak trip. Food was more of an obligation—something I
needed to continue paddling and/or living, but not something
that should make or break a trip.
Now don’t get me wrong—I enjoy good food. Meat and potatoes
bore me—I’m much happier with Greek salads, grilled
oysters and chocolate fondues (thank you Kim). I really appreciate
good food—just not enough to bring it along myself
on most trips. I figure this makes me a lazy, unpretentious, occasional
gourmand who is perfectly willing to take awesome
paddling trips with basic foods. In that vein, I have prepared a
checklist of some of my standouts and standbys.
Sure, I’ve had some outstanding meals while kayaking. I
guided after all, and most kayak guiding is three parts cooking
and one part paddling. But during most of my guiding I
was lucky enough to be teamed with people who were more
into cooking than I. Most notably, I ended up guiding for three
winters from a base camp featuring an exceptionally talented
Belizean cook (thank you Amelia). As I gorged on fresh fish,
conch and lobster along with her exceptional sides and desserts,
my own urge to cook evaporated in the tropical heat.
IT’S THE KAYAKING, NOT THE KUISINE
Of course, no matter how wonderful the wildlife or spectacular
the scenery, one eventually needs to eat. What’s more,
dinner for two in the wilderness has terrific romantic potential.
Actually, increasing group size seems to exponentially increase
the value of good food, perhaps because the division of labor
WARNING
This list is not meant to keep you alive on an epic journey to either
pole. It has not been picked over by nutritionists or approved by
government health agencies. Food critics have not written glowing
reviews, and several of the items may rapidly turn toxic in warmer
weather. Also, a wide variety of plants and farm animals (depending
on toppings) may be harmed if this list is followed—do so at their, and
your own, risk.
CHECKLIST: Lazy Kayaker Food Suggestions
leftover pizza
I’m not going to lie—I love pizza. Good pizza is one of the
finest forms of food there is, and leftover pizza makes for a
delicious and filling breakfast, lunch or dinner on the day
you hit the water. On winter trips, I’ve even had it the next
day. A ziplock bag and strategic placement will keep the
pepperoni, artichoke hearts and roasted garlic in place.
chocolate bars (with peanuts)
Best in cooler weather—they don’t remain intact in summer
or the tropics, where you’ll have to rely on energy bars
instead, which are more expensive and less tasty. Still, an
economy pack of peanutty chocolate bars can provide that
sugar/fat/protein fueled oomph you might need to finish a
crossing, lug your gear across a mud flat or just get out of
the sleeping bag on a rainy morning. On more remote trips,
intact chocolate bars can also be used as currency if you
meet other paddlers.
canned herring
I’m aware there’s something ironic about eating canned
fish while floating on the ocean. It certainly speaks to how
poorly we’ve preserved coastal habitat and maintained our
fisheries. Still, even if you are able to get beyond overfished
areas, you might find that the rod, reel, line, knife,
46 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

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SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 47

hooks, scales, blood, guts and grill necessary to catch, clean
and cook fish just doesn’t compare to the ease of popping
open a can of herring fillets in Louisiana hot sauce. They
might only be edible in the great outdoors, but they’re
inexpensive, low on the food chain, and contain quality
protein and omega 3’s (I think). Herring and sardines are
even sustainably fished, winning “best” ratings from both
SeaChoice.org and Seafood Watch.
nuts
Speaking of protein, I could have just put peanut butter
on the list—I’ve seen young vegetarians literally live off the
stuff. However, I don’t like it that much. There are more
tasty nut butters (almond and hazelnut come to mind), but
nuts overall seem to be moving up in the nutritional world
now we’ve realized fats aren’t bad all the time. That’s good,
because nuts are easy. Bring mixed nut medleys in ziplocks
or even canned if you’re worried about preservation—
they’re tasty and energy packed.
fresh fruit
Ah, fresh fruit. It’s fast food, and in season it’s cheap, nutritious
and delicious. Sure, most people don’t backpack with
it because it’s heavy and/or fragile—but savvy paddlers
know the nooks in their boats that will keep apples, grapes,
bananas and oranges intact, especially if you use rigid containers.
In the right season you might try mangos, plums,
cherries and even pineapples. All you need is a knife.
canned peaches
I realize that the variety of fresh fruit available can be limited
and seasonal. On the other hand, there’s nothing quite
as sunshiny as peaches on a dreary winter day in the wilderness.
Fresh peaches never travel well, and canned fruit isn’t
something a backpacker would carry, but on a kayak trip?
Hey—open up a can of sweet, decadent peaches. Yes, there
are other canned fruits, but if you sing that “millions of
peaches, peaches for me” song in the middle of nowhere,
the epicurean and musical bliss will never fail to improve
your mood.
fresh vegetables
OK, stop singing and let’s get back to the fresh stuff. Fresh
veggies travel even better than most fruits and last longer,
too. Things like onions can be tossed into just about any
meal; broccoli and carrots can also be eaten raw as snacks.
Don’t cut or even rinse them first—just wrap and go. In
bear-free camps they will keep remarkably well in hanging
mesh bags.
instant rice meals
You know those bags in the rice section? They’re not exactly
instant, and some require simmering that is beyond the on/
off capability of many ultra lightweight stoves. But you’re
not backpacking. Bring a stove that’ll simmer, toss in some
of those fresh veggies you stuck in the bow, and you’ll have a
cheap, easy and flavorful dinner. I’m fond of the Louisiana
connection—go Cajun. They also make great sides for fresh
seafood if you do catch or collect your own (see “Eat Your
Neighbors,” WaveLength, Jan 2000).
personalized gorp
How long could you survive on the right “trail” mix? Days
for sure, weeks probably and if you’re good, months or
more. There are some interesting varieties ready made, but
it’s often more fun to find a store with a good bulk section
and get creative. With those dried fruits, pretzelish carbs
and nutritious little seeds, gorps keep remarkably well and
provide plenty of calories. I’ve seen especially lazy paddlers
throw in a wide variety of things and have gorp for breakfast,
gorp for lunch...
the deli lunch
Most things on this list are inexpensive—when I have the
time to go kayaking, I usually don’t have much money. If
you have some spending money, take a trip to your local
deli for that first or second lunch. With careful choices and
some minor repacking, you’ll hit that wilderness beach with
such delights as roasted red peppers, jalapeno stuffed olives,
Havarti cheese and crusty French bread to eat it all with.
Lengthy prep time be damned—you can hit the deli on
your way out of town, and eat like royalty in the wild.
waterfront dining
For better or worse, there are an increasing number of paddling
areas where you don’t really even have to pack food
if you don’t want to. As more people get into the sport,
and more waterfront gets developed, a lot of kayakers find
themselves paddling past restaurants, pubs, B&Bs, resorts
or local markets. For those of us who love wilderness, this
trend is a mixed blessing at best, but no matter how you slice
it, packing some money or a credit card is a lot easier than
packing food, utensils and cookware.
Biologist Bryan Nichols has done some of his best kayak trips with food from this
list. Next up is a solo sojourn in the Florida Everglades.
48 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

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SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 49

getting started
by Alex Matthews
GETTING IN AND OUT OF A KAYAK—on the beach
With the right plan of action, getting into a kayak is easy in most cases. And yet, for
beginner paddlers, this is precisely the manoeuvre that is most likely to result in an
unplanned dunking. To avoid unwanted swims when getting in or out of a kayak,
the only real rule is “get your butt into the boat quickly.” With your butt in the seat, your center
of gravity will be low and you’ll feel nice and stable. It’s the awkward transition between
standing and sitting where trouble is likely to occur.
The easiest spots to get into and out of your kayak are beaches. On a sandy beach, you can
hop into your boat with the stern resting at the edge of the water, and then just push yourself
out with your hands when you’re ready. This method is particularly well suited to smooth
beaches and plastic kayaks that stand up to rough treatment well. For more delicate boats
made from composite materials like fibreglass, Kevlar® or carbon fibre, it’s much easier on
the boat to get into the kayak while it’s floating. One of the best ways to do this is to use your
paddle as an outrigger for stability.
With your kayak floating in a couple of inches of water parallel to the beach, place your
paddle at ninety degrees to the kayak with the shaft resting on the back of the boat just behind
the cockpit, and the far blade supported on shore. Grasp the paddle shaft and coaming
behind your back, and squat down beside the kayak. Shifting your weight onto the outrigger
for support, slip your legs into the boat and drop your butt into the seat.
The key to this entry is to bend your knees deeply so that you get into a good low squat
beside the boat. Failing to bend your knees won’t get your butt and your center of gravity low,
and will compromise your stability.
This entry is also ideal for awkward or rocky launch sites where footing and balance are
tricky, as the outrigger will greatly increase your stability during the crucial transition from
shore to the seat of your boat.
When it’s time to get back out of your boat again, simply reverse the steps to exit.
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GETTING IN AND OUT OF A KAYAK—from the dock
In a lot of ways, launching your kayak from a dock is really convenient. Docks often provide
great public access to areas that may otherwise be devoid of good launch sites like
beaches. And by launching from a dock, you can keep your feet totally dry getting in and
out of the boat—a big plus, especially on chillier days or in cold water.
When launching from a dock, you’ll need a clear strategy to confidently get into and out
of your boat. Firstly, take the time to evaluate the layout of the dock. The higher the dock,
the more difficult getting in will be, so choose the dock’s lowest point for entering or exiting
your kayak.
To get in, slide your kayak into the water and start by positioning it parallel to the dock. Sit
down on the dock beside the kayak’s seat. Be careful to place your paddle close by, so that it
will be within easy reach once you are in your boat—it’s really disappointing when you forget
to do this and have to get back out of the boat again in order to retrieve your paddle. While
remaining seated with all your weight on the dock, put your feet in the kayak, close to the
centerline of the boat for maximum stability. Once you’re ready to enter the boat, turn your
body towards the bow of the kayak, securing a good grip with both hands on the dock. Shift
your weight onto your feet and lower yourself smoothly but decisively into the seat. Once
seated, maintain a grip on the dock with one hand so that you don’t drift away before you’re
ready, and slide your feet into position below deck. Put your spray deck on if you’re using one,
retrieve your paddle—and presto—you and your dry feet are ready to go kayaking!
To get back out of your boat, simply reverse these steps.
“We know our stuff”
Ocean River’s Jon LaCroix.
getting you out there since 1981
A Proud “on water” Necky dealer
1824 STORE STREET VICTORIA, BC. PH 250.381.4233 • TOLL FREE 1 800 909 4233
WWW.OCEANRIVER.COM
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 51

gear locker
by Alex Matthews
Sleeping Easy
Very little in life is more important than a good
night’s sleep regardless of where you are, and
with the new range of sleeping pads available,
comfort has never been more compact. We try out 2
mats to see which one puts us to sleep first.
ground was never an issue during my 3-season use, I sometimes
did feel that my old back could use a little more pampering and
I missed the extra thickness.
The correct “space versus comfort” ratio is obviously going
to be different for each person, and it’s worth remembering
that Therm-a-Rest have a full range of other mattresses, that
while a little bulkier, offer more “cush for the tush.” The Prolite
4 will definitely appeal to the “fast and light” crowd who want
to shave grams and bulk, but still enjoy the comfort of a fulllength
pad that is warm enough for colder (winter) temperatures.
And of course Therm-a-Rest’s incredible track record
for build quality and longevity means that your Prolite should
endure many years in field.
Therm-a-Rest ProLite 4 ‘Regular’ Sleeping Pad
Weight: 1lb. 8 oz. / 680 g
Thickness: 1.5 in. / 3.8 cm
Length x Width: 70 x 20 in. / 178 x 52 cm R-Value: 3.2
Suggested Retail: $94.95 US / $106 CAN
Cascade Designs
Web: www.cascadedesigns.com
CASCADE DESIGNS THERM-A-REST PROLITE 4 SLEEPING PAD
Some products are so dominant in their market segment that
the manufacturer’s brand name itself becomes synonymous
with the entire product category. Examples include “Skidoo”
for snowmobile, “Kleenex” for facial tissue, or “Zodiac” for inflatable
boat. “Therm-a-Rest” is another brand that has been
so successful both in product design and durability that it’s been
the only real choice in quality compact sleeping pads until very
recently.
The ProLite 4 is the plushest mat in Therm-a-Rest’s “Fast
and Light” series: a line designed for optimal compactness and
light weight. The ProLites use Therm-a-Rest’s familiar “selfinflating”
pad technology wherein open-cell foam is laminated
within an airtight nylon shell. This is truly a time-tested construction
developed by Therm-a-Rest that has proven itself to
be incredibly dependable over many years of continual use. In
order to shave grams and reduce bulk, the foam within the Pro-
Lite 4 is die-cut into a sort of waffle pattern and the mats also
have a mildly tapered cut to further save weight while preserving
cushioning and insulation where it counts most. The mats
are suitable for four-season use and have an R-value (measures
insulation provided) of 3.2.
There are three sizes of pads within the ProLite 4 category:
Large, Regular and Small. All Prolite 4 pads are 1.5" thick. Our
test sample was the “Regular” which measures 20"x72". The
ProLites don’t come with a stuff sack or repair kit, which will
put you back an additional $13 and $8 each at MEC.
The Prolite 4 is impressively compact: about half the size
of my trusty old Therm-a-Rest and therefore truly a pleasure
to pack, but it is also thinner with less cushioning. So while
the pad was certainly comfortable enough, and cold from the
EXPED DOWNMAT 7
Exped is a company based
in Zurich, Switzerland that
produces a range of outdoor
gear. Their wares are distributed
in North America by
Outdoor Research of Seattle, WA. From their tents to their
sleeping bags, Exped typically demonstrates a flair for innovative
design, and their sleeping pads are no exception. Rather
than the Therm-a-Rest style, self-inflating mattress that uses an
open cell foam laminated into a nylon sheath, the Exped pad
is a more traditional air mattress, but with a few important differences.
If you’ve used conventional air mattresses in cooler climes,
you’ll know that they do not insulate well—I’ve frozen my buns
off on frosty nights sleeping on an inflatable mattress. Exped
solves this problem by loading its mattress with goose down.
It’s an elegantly simple solution: the down lofting within the
mattress keeps you warm and yet compresses really well when
the mat is rolled up. Light foam barriers within the mattress
prevent the down from escaping out the valves or migrating between
the baffled chambers, eliminating cold spots. The down
also stays dry because it’s sealed within the airtight and waterproof
mattress. So what about the moisture introduced when
you blow the mattress up by mouth? Well, you don’t blow it up
by mouth—you use a pump. Then what about the extra weight
and bulk of the pump? Enter innovative design solution number
2: the pump is the stuff-sack. The stuff-sack that the mat
comes in is basically a drybag with a roll-top closure and a oneway
valve on the bottom of the bag. This valve plugs onto the
mattress’s valve, and by filling the stuff sack with air and then
52 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

compressing it, you force air into the mattress. While it’s not
the fastest pump in the world, it does work, and is beautifully
compact. With practice, it typically takes about 9 or 10 stuffsack
compressions to fully inflate the mattress, which requires
approximately 3 minutes work. A repair kit is also included.
Inflated, the DownMat 7 is 70" x 20" and a whopping 2.75"
thick. Packed, it measures a compact 13"x 5.5" and weighs just
under 28 ounces. Its R-Value is 5.9 and cold from the ground
was never an issue.
Sleeping comfort is an incredibly personal thing, and while
I’m very happy on the DownMat, I was surprised to hear one
or two people say that they preferred the firmer support offered
by much thinner pads. For me, the DownMat 7, while
pricey, is a winner. It’s only slightly larger when packed than
the Prolite 4 and is almost twice as thick, as well as providing
more insulating value from the cold ground. In fact, it has actually
replaced my Therm-a-Rest to become my sleeping mat of
choice—something that I didn’t think would ever happen, and
ultimately that’s probably the greatest recommendation that I
can give it.
Exped DownMat 7
Weight: 27.9 oz. / 790 g
Thickness: 2.75 in / 7 cm
Length x Width: 70 x 20 in. / 178 x 52 cm R-Value: 5.9
Suggested Retail: $140 US / $160 CAN
Exped is distributed in North America by Outdoor Research (OR)
Web: www.orgear.com
• Life preserver signaling
emergency strobe.
• Waterproof and corrosion
resistant. Slim, lightweight.
• Comes with velcro strap.
Operates more than eight
hours on 2 AA alkaline or
lithium batteries.
#048807 Sale $32 99
• Also includes electronic
compass, barometric
altimeter and automatic
pressure trend recording
• Turn-by-turn routing
capability.
• Waterproof, rugged
housing
• Considered the mainstay
among serious outdoor
enthusiasts
#602371 Reg. $549 99
Sale $449 99
• World’s first 5W VHF
handheld marine transceiver
that floats
• Rugged waterproof body
• Easy to use, easy to hold
• Optional speaker-microphone,
HM-165
• Li-Ion battery and charged
standard
• Optional battery case for
using with alkaline cells
#004163 Reg: $229 99
Sale $174 99
AdvancedFrame Kayak
Rubber handle
• A hybrid of a folding
frame kayak and
inflatable kayak
• Aluminum ribs bow & stern
• Stern skeg allows for trackability
Bungee deck
lacing
Durable fabric cover
AE1012 #000535 Store Special
D-ring tie
down
Adjustable
back support
• Durable 3-layer construction helps resist punctures
• Plenty of on-board storage for extended trips
• Includes carrying Duffel Bag, folding seat, Repair Kit
Tracking fin
• Lightweight & Rugged
• Easy to inflate and deflate, three chamber design for added safety
• The redesigned bow and stern allow easier entry and exit
• Kayaks come with a heavy-duty carry bag that the
kayak easily rolls up and fits into
#640329 Reg: $399 99 Sale $299 99
with pump and paddles $329 99
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 53

kayak fishing
by Adam Bolonsky
TROLLING FOR SALMON
The two chief concerns of sea
kayakers who haven’t fished before
are about landing their fish
and the possibility of capsize. There’s
also deep mythology about kayakers getting
taken on lengthy Nantucket sleigh
rides.
A couple of debunks then. Some
ocean fish are large and strong enough
to tow a kayak fifteen feet or so, or to pull
it sideways, or to yank down a gunwale if
the weather is rough and the fish’s surges
catch the paddler off balance.
But the only Pacific Northwest fish
large enough to tow a kayak any time or
distance are truly enormous species such
as the rarely appearing bluefin tuna (up
to 500 pounds), the far-offshore yellowfin
tuna (up to 200 pounds), and the deepwater
halibut (maximum weight virtually
unlimited). Fishing for these deep water
species requires specialized gear and
such heavy line that if caught by a casual
sea kayak angler will simply snap the
line—and that will be the end of it.
You’ll more likely want to target the
more manageable salmon species in areas
that oceanographers refer to as tidewater,
nearshore and estuarine, which
happen to coincide rather nicely with the
places kayakers like to paddle.
There are lots of different ways
to catch a salmon, including trolling,
mooching, jigging and fly fishing. If you
have the patience and the disposition,
you can also fish with live bait, which requires
catching fish to catch fish.
Let’s focus on trolling, the simplest
and easiest method, and the most natural
for sea kayakers, as it requires forward
movement (read paddling). Trolling
is well-suited for bays, channels and passages
drained and filled by tidal currents,
and areas around points and headlands
aerated by tides and breaking waves.
Seek out the backeddies in tidal flows
and troll the edges of what anglers refer
to as seams—those distinct lines which
form between the roughwater flow of
a tidal current and its backeddy. These
are the places where feed fish congregate
and which therefore attract salmon.
You really only need a few pieces of
basic gear—lures and a rod and reel or
a handline. A net might come in handy
when it’s time to land your catch, or you
may prefer to use a gaff. And if you’re
successful, you’ll need a sharp, thin-bladed
knife with which to clean and cut up
your catch.
To protect your investment in gear,
attach leashes to your rod and paddle—
both hands may be needed to deal with
your catch and you don’t want to watch
your rod disappearing into the depths or
your paddle floating off in the current.
For simplicity, low expense, and ease
of storage, you can’t beat the handline—a
wooden shuttle around which
you wrap a hundred yards or so of dacron
line. There’s nothing mechanical to
break or maintain, and ease of storage is
a big plus. Saltwater fishing rods, on the
other hand, have delicate line guides and
are either difficult to store in a hatch or
need to be broken down into two spindly,
fragile sections that still don’t fit easily
into a hatch.
If you choose to fish with a rod, you
can equip your kayak with a rod holder
or simply jam the butt of the rod into the
front of your pfd when paddling. Mark
your hull or rod with duct tape so you
can measure your catch to check if it’s
legal.
There are any number of lures available
on the market, and fish go after different
lures at different times and places.
Your best bet is to check with the locals
to see what’s hot at the moment.
If you’re after smaller salmon (e.g.,
pinks) you can troll with any of a broad
class of inexpensive metal lures called
spinners. Spinners have a small metal
blade or willowleaf that spins around a
metal shaft when the lure is trolled or retrieved.
Because they are made primarily
for freshwater fishing, they tend to be
rather small and spindly, and they break
easily. But, small lure, small fish—so
spinners can be a good choice for firsttimers.
If you’re feeling bold, you can troll using
a heavier rod or handline with salt
water lures like buzz bombs, spoons or
plugs. These lures aren’t fussy or intricate;
they are heavy, sink fast, and wobble
and flash like distressed baitfish when
they’re trolled. Anglers often use a flasher
or herring dodger with their lures to
enhance the action and help attract the
fish. Note that in Canada and in some
states barbless hooks are required.
Lures can be fished at a wide range of
depths. Although their design variations
are complex, the basic principle is the
longer the spoon, the wider and more
slowly it will wobble, and the deeper
you can fish it. Conversely, the shorter
the spoon, the shallower you fish it, and
54 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

the more lively and dart-like its friskiness.
You can control how deep your lure swims:
paddle faster and the lure rises; paddle
more slowly and the lure sinks. If you’re
not catching anything, try varying your
paddling speed.
The deeper you fish, the more likely you
are to hook a Chinook. Strong as mules
and with deep reserves of stamina, the
large Chinook salmon put up long, stubborn
fights beneath the surface. The shallower
you fish, the more likely you are to
pick up a Coho—at which time all hell will
break loose as the acrobatic Coho begins
aerial, streaky leaps and runs around your
kayak.
Troll from your offside, so that you use
your more coordinated hand to hold the
rod or handline as you twist towards your
offside to land the fish with your weaker,
less coordinated hand. Fishing from your
offside also puts your boat control and balance
under the influence of your stronger
and more coordinated onside leg and hip.
To land the fish, play it until it tires to avoid
having an over excited passenger aboard,
reel it to the gunwale, net or gaff it, or grab
it behind the gill flaps.
Fishing regulations change from year to
year, so make sure you have the current regs
and a license. Although your chances of
getting cited for an illegal catch in remote
waters are slim, regulations are in place
for a reason. Pacific salmon face a treacherous
array of survival challenges caused
by humans: commercial fishing pressure,
pollution, loss of spawning habitat, poor
governmental management, the ongoing
effect of dams and logging operations and
in some areas, problems associated with
fish farms. So though that undersized or
out-of-season fish might look delicious, do
the right thing and put it back.
FOR REGULATIONS
Canada
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish/default_e.htm
California
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/oceansalmon.html
Washington
wdfw.wa.gov/fish/salmon/constraints_to_fishing.htm
Alaska
www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/sf_home.cfm
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 55

coastal news
BIG CHOP, LITTLE CHOP
The Mountain Equipment Co-op’s
BIG CHOP Summer Paddle Series in
Vancouver, BC offers the “Big Chop” 8
– 10 km race course and a 4 – 5 km “Little
Chop” course every second Thursday
all summer long from Vanier Park. This
10 race series offers a challenge to the
experienced racer while providing an encouraging
environment for new racers.
Before each race there is an instructional
session. Registration starts at 6 pm; the
race starts at 7 pm. Racers are invited to
a post-race social featuring free smokies
and great door prizes from sponsors. The
race fee is $8 or $60 for all 10 races. For
more information visit www.bigchop.ca
KAYAK FOR A CURE II
August 12, 2007 will mark Kayak for
a Cure’s first anniversary and second annual
event in Vancouver, BC. With high
hopes and ambitious dreams, the KFAC
team looks forward to raising $25,000 for
The Canadian Cancer Society. Kayak
for a Cure continues its partnership with
Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre for this
charity event. Ecomarine provides Kayak
for a Cure with discounts on all boats
and gear required for its charity paddle.
For more information, visit http://www.
kayakforacure.ca
CANADA SEA KAYAK ADVENTURES
Canada Sea Kayak Adventures is offering
all tours for Canadians at 10% off
(on par with US dollars). Lodge-based
sea kayak tours at God’s Pocket Provincial
Park, and sea kayak tours in Johnstone
Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait,
northern Vancouver Island BC. Baja
also in winter/spring. Since 1993. Tollfree
800-616-1943. www.seakayakadventures.com
GEORGIA STRAIT ALLIANCE RAFFLE
The marine/outdoor tourism industry
is donating some great Aquatic Adventures
in this year’s annual Georgia
Strait Alliance raffle. First prize is Extreme
Interface’s light and sporty 14.5
ft. Photon Sea Kayak, and includes an
Aquabound Flaire paddle, Brooks nylon
sprayskirt, and Coast Guard safety kit.
Second prize is a “Whale of an Adventure
for Two” in Tofino and Hotsprings
Cove, donated by Paddler’s Inn B&B,
InnChanter, and Ocean Outfitters. The
multi-day trip for two includes a kayak
tour, whale watching, and all local travel.
The third prize is a full body Integrity
Waterproof Suit from Mustang Survival.
Tickets will be sold all summer at events
and markets around the Georgia Basin
with all proceeds going to marine conservation.
Tickets are $6 each or 3 for $15.
To purchase, visit www.georgiastrait.org
or call 250-753-3459.
MEC PADDLE EXPO
MEC is holding its first annual Paddle
EXPO in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on
Saturday, July 28, 2007. Paddle EXPO
is a celebration of paddling that aims
to expose as many people as possible
to the enjoyment and safety of paddle
sports. From novice to expert, all paddlers
are welcome. Free on-land and onwater
training, workshops, slide shows,
paddling-related vendors. The EXPO
is a free event (though pre-registration
by presenters is required). Please contact
Suzane Couture or Jodi Isenor for
further information: 902-421-2667 or
902-425-4548. scouture@mec.ca or
jisenor@mec.ca
WEST COAST SEA KAYAK SYMPOSIUM
SEPTEMBER 14–16
The West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium
is a weekend festival with activities
and events for paddlers of all ages and
paddling abilities. The Symposium is located
at beautiful Fort Worden State Park
Conference Center in Port Townsend,
Washington. The themes this year are
women in paddling and families.
There are on-land and on-water
workshops offered Friday, Saturday and
Sunday to help you hone your paddling
strokes, pack your boat, practice rescue
techniques and many other helpful tips.
The industry leading manufacturers,
retailers and outfitters will also have
booths set up for you to check out the
latest gear. There is over 1400 ft of waterfront
packed with kayaks and accessories,
an extensive retail area where you
can pick up some new equipment and
events for the whole family all day and
into the evening.
Friday night features the Reel Paddle
Film Festival with the best in paddlesports
videography from 2006 and 2007, sponsored
by Rapid Media and beverages
56 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

will be sponsored by the Port Townsend
Brewing Company.
Saturday night’s double bill includes
“Vacation from Hell” in Peru to Pacific
Horizons presented by Pacific Northwest
favourite Bryan Smith as well as Wendy
Killoran’s presentation of “’Round the
Rock; A Woman’s Sea Kayak Journey
Around Newfoundland”. In 2006
Wendy successfully circumnavigated
Newfoundland in Canada. Saturday
night is sponsored by Canoe and Kayak
Magazine with beverages once again
being sponsored by the Port Townsend
Brewing Company.
TLC GETAWAYS
The Land Conservancy offers five holiday
rentals—from an island retreat to a
hideaway in the city. These cabins and
cottages are available as vacation venues
for those who enjoy “close to nature”
experiences. All revenue from holiday
rentals goes to TLC’s mission of protecting
special places—wilderness areas, agricultural
lands and historic sites in BC.
Getaway locations: South Winchelsea
Island Cottage; Baldwin House on Deer
Lake, Burnaby; Cowichan River Cabin;
Sooke Cottage; Nimpo Lake Cabin.
Minimum stay: 2 nights. TLC members
receive a 10% discount. For more information,
call 1-888-738-0533 or click on
EcoTourism at www.conservancy.bc.ca
A HAIDA DREAM BECOMES REALITY
The Haida Heritage Centre at
Qay’llnagaay in Skidegate on Haida
Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)
opens in July 2007. This $26 million
centre incorporates the Haida Gwaii
Museum and is located on the coast
at the site of the old Haida village of
Qay’llnagaay or “Sea Lion Town.”
Six monumental cedar totem
Adventure Tourism
Programs
5-month certificate or 2-year diploma
Taking over from Gabriola Cycle & Kayak’s 18 years in Baja, with the same great guides & trips!
ADVENTURE OUTFITTERS
www.bajakayakadventures.com
info@bajakayakadventures.com
Loreto-Sea of Cortez Kayak Tours
low cost, 6,7 & 10 day trips.
See our website for dates and itineraries
Come paddle
with us in
beautiful Baja
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 57

Visit our stores in Portland,
Bend and Hood River, OR
factory direct
BCU Instruction
KAYAK & CANOE
888 571.4545
shop.aldercreek.com
Celebrating 36 Years
www.easyriderkayaks.com
Canoe & Kayak Co.
P.O. Box 88108 Seattle, WA 98138
425-228-3633
sales
rentals
kayaks – canoes
rowing shells
catamarans
outriggers
sail rigs
catalog package & video:
$20 ppd. (see website)
poles stand in front of the Haida longhouses,
which span the length of the
beach and are connected by interior
walkways and atrium space. The centre is
intended to showcase the unique art and
history of the Haida people, celebrating
a living culture dating back some 12,000
years. Features include the museum, a
gift shop, canoe house, carving shed, performing
house, artisans’ workshops and
a restaurant. Briefings and orientation
on Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve
also take place at the centre. The Haida
Heritage Centre enables the Haida to
preserve and share their past and present
with their children, their communities
and visitors from around the world.
www.haidaheritagecentre.com
OUTSTANDING CONSERVATION AWARD
FOR ALEX MORTON
The BC Wildlife Federation chose
Alexandra Morton of Echo Bay as the
recipient of the Barsby Award, the Federation’s
top conservation award given
annually to a BC resident as “The Conservationist
of the Year.” The Federation
chose Morton as the recipient of this
year’s award because of her impressive
achievements as author and researcher,
and also for her perseverance in the face
of opposition from industry and government.
When she began publishing her
findings about the effects of sea lice on
immature salmon, she was dismissed as
an activist opposed to the benefits of fish
farms. Nevertheless, she persisted in her
research, discovering lethal infestation
rates on juvenile pink and coho as they
migrated past fish farms in the area. It
is largely because of her public exposure
of the sea lice problem that the BC
Wildlife Federation now opposes open
net pen fish farming.
CALLING FROM THE COAST VIDEO BLOG:
ARE THE WILD SALMON GOING DOWN?
This episode of filmmaker Twyla’s
video blog contains important, timely
footage of what is now happening in
the Broughton Archipelago. The sea
lice have returned and now over 80%
of the juvenile wild salmon have lethal
loads of lice by the time they pass all the
farms. In this episode we get an overview
of developments in her research project
from April to the end of May, 2007.
58 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 59

We learn about how the fish migrate
through the Broughton and how infection
happens, what it is like in a nearby
area without farm salmon, and how
SLICE affects marine environment.
To watch the video go to: www.callingfromthecoast.com
ARCTIC YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
This summer, thirty-six young people
from across the Arctic will run the remote
and rugged whitewater of the Horton
River—considered the “crown jewel”
of Canadian waterways—on a fourteen
day, 320 kilometre journey to the Arctic
Ocean, led by Outward Bound Canada.
The trips will focus on helping youth
build self-confidence by learning teamwork
and communication skills, technical
canoeing, camping and hiking skills,
and values of compassion, integrity and
responsibility. Arctic Youth Leadership
Expeditions are made possible through
the generous support of partners such
as: Norterra Group of Companies, The
ATCO Group, Chevron, Michael R.
Shaw Outdoor Leadership Foundation,
Inuvialuit Oilfield Services (Schlumberger),
and the Ministry of Municipal and
Community Affairs (MACA – GNWT).
For more information, contact Peter
Trainor at 867-777-7064 or write to
ayl@idc.inuvialuit.com. www.arcticyouthleadership.ca
Aquatic Adventures!
Summer Raffle
Chances are 1 in 3600 (total tickets for sale) to win a grand prize.
BC Gaming Licence #227
Know your limit, play within it.
Problem Gambling Help Line 1-888-795-6111 19+ to play!
www.bcresponsiblegambling.ca
60 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

events
July 6-8
9th Annual Howe Sound Outrigger Race
Gibsons, BC
www.clippercanoes.com
July 7-14
Yoga and Sea Kayaking Workshop
T’ai Li Lodge, Cortes Island, BC
www.yoga-nature.ca
July 14–15
Fishing Derby and Paddle Outing
Santa Margarita Regional Park, CA.
www.kayakandcanoeguidebooks.com
August 7–13
Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2007
Salt Lake City, Utah
www.outdoorretailer.com/or/1702/index.jsp
August 12
Kayak for a Cure II
English Bay, Vancouver, BC.
www.kayakforacure.ca
August 18
Gore Canyon Whitewater Festival
Raft & Kayak Extreme, Kremmling, CO.
www.rapidpulse.com/events.htm
August 18-19
Canadian Canoe Polo Nationals
Come watch the action of recreational and elite competitors
at Central Park Pool in Burnaby.
www.vancouvercanoepolo.ca
August 24–26
1st Annual Lower Columbia
Kayak Roundup and BCU Week
Wahkiakum County, WA.
www.columbiariverkayaking.com
August 25–26
3rd Annual Port of Toledo Wooden Boat Show
Port Dock One, Toledo, OR.
www.portoftoledo.org
September 1–2
Tyee Kayak Surfing Derby
Moutcha Bay, BC.
www.moutchabay.com/Kayaking_Derby.htm
September 14–16
West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium
Port Townsend, WA.
www.wcsks.org
September 22-23
6th Annual Canada West Paddle Surf Festival
Cox Bay, Tofino, BC
www.surfkayak.org/kayakfestival.html
October 20–26
Annual Sea Trek Regatta
Sausalito, CA
www.seatrekkayak.com
October 21
10th Annual Autumn Classic
Lake Natoma, Rancho Cordova, CA
www.calkayak.com
December 2
2nd Annual SRK Deception Pass Dash
Deception Pass State Park, Bowman Bay, WA
www.seattleraftandkayak.com/dpd.html
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SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 61

62 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

WAVELENGTH BOOKSTORE
The Broken Islands
NEW RELEASES
Kayak Fishing
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE
By Captain Scott Null and Joel McBride
144 pages, 9” x 9”, colour, $24.95 CDN/US
Kayak fishing is one of the fastest growing sports in
North America, and The Ultimate Guide to Kayak
Fishing is the most comprehensive book on the
sport. Scott Null and Joel McBride draw on their vast experience in both kayaking
and fishing to give the new kayak angler a solid foundation of skills and concepts
that will allow a safe and comfortable entry into the sport.
Desolation Sound
A HISTORY
By Heather Harbord
256 pages, 6” x 9”, b/w, $24.95 CDN/US
In Desolation Sound, author Heather Harbord details
that remarkable past and brings those ghosts back to
unforgettable life. It is a captivating book full of great
characters, heroic deeds, humorous anecdotes and wellresearched
fact. It fills a crucial hole in the history of
the BC coast.
Camp Cooking
THE BLACK FEATHER GUUIDE
By Mark Scriver, Wendy Grater and
Joanna Baker
208 pages, 9” x 8”, colour, $24.95 CDN/US
Learn how to successfully plan and prepare meals
for camping trips of all kinds! Includes over 60 recipes.
In Camp Cooking: The Black Feather Guide, the authors share their extensive
knowledge, favorite recipes and proven methods so that you too can make
your “on trip” meals successful.
PADDLING GUIDES
By Douglas Brunt
112 pp, 5.5” x 8.5”, b/w, $19.95 CDN/US
This new edition has been updated with current access and
contact information, and expanded to include maps, charts,
graphs, natural and cultural history chapters, and photographs
of plants and animals. This is a useful resource that will help to
ensure a safe and enjoyable trip to The Broken Islands.
Kayaking the Broken Group Islands
By JF Marleau
128 pages, 6” x 9”, b/w, $19.95 CDN/us
This paddling guidebook is a complete and up to date field reference
on the Broken Group Islands. It is suitable for all kayakers,
from the novice paddler to the experienced kayak guide. It
provides in-depth information and will enhance your preparation,
preparedness as well as your safety, knowledge and enjoyment
of kayaking in the Broken Group Islands.
Sea Kayak
BARKLEY & CLAYOQUOT SOUNDS
By Mary Ann Snowden
192 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $19.95 CDN/US
For the experienced and novice alike, this comprehensive
guide leads paddlers through the best kayaking waters on
the west coast of Vancouver Island. Twenty trips are outlined,
covering prime paddling destinations within Barkley
and Clayoquot sounds, including the Deer Group, the Broken
Group Islands, and Vargas, Flores and Meares islands.
Sea Kayak
DESOLATION SOUND AND THE SUNSHINE COAST
By Heather Harbord
176 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $19.95 CDN/US
This paddling guide to Desolation Sound and the Strait of
Georgia provides historical travel information on a part of
the Inner Passage between Vancouver Island and the BC
mainland.
Sea Kayak
AROUND VANCOUVER ISLAND
By Doug Alderson
160 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $16.95 CDN/US
Covers a full circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. Interested
in a grand expedition, a week of summer touring, or a
weekend excursion? Each chapter in this guide book covers a
section of the island providing ample information on: points
of access, interesting sites, safe routes to travel, hazards to
avoid, and comfortable campsites.
Sea Kayak
THE GULF ISLANDS
By Mary Ann Snowden
160 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $16.95 CDN/US
Each of the 23 trips outlined are headed with important
information on tides, currents, safety considerations, charts
and launching. Included in each route description is practical
information on the different land jurisdictions, parks,
campsites, suitable landings and paddling conditions.
Sea Kayak
NOOTKA & KYUQUOT SOUNDS
By Heather Harbord
160 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $16.95 CDN/US
Nootka and Kyuquot Sounds are the next step for sea kayakers
who have enjoyed the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast,
Desolation Sound and the Broken Islands. The book breaks
the area down into 49 trips. Once out there, wind and weather
will dictate where you go depending on your skill level.
MORE PADDLING RESOURCES AT WWW.PACIFICEDGEPUBLISHING.COM ORDER FORM PAGE 64
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 63

WAVELENGTH BOOKSTORE
PADDLING GUIDES
The Wild Coast 1
A KAYAKING GUIDE FOR NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER ISLAND
By John Kimantas
300 pp, 6” x 9”, colour, $24.95 CDN/US
This is the ultimate guide to kayaking and exploring the
stunning west coast of Vancouver Island. Each of the 11
chapters describes a distinct area of the island, with attractions,
amenities, ecology, Native and European history, place
names, landing sites, campsites, and trivia all included.
The Wild Coast 2
A KAYAKING GUIDE FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL BC COAST
By John Kimantas
344 pp, 6” x 9”, colour, $29.95 CDN/US
Journey through the Inside and Outside Passages of BC from
north Vancouver Island to the Alaska border. Each chapter
explores a part of BC’s remote coastline and discusses the
region’s Native and European history, geography, weather,
ecology, attractions and services. Detailed maps show the major
points of interest and the best campsites.
The Wild Coast 3
A KAYAKING GUIDE FOR BC’s SOUTH COAST AND
EAST VANCOUVER ISLAND
By John Kimantas
344 pp, 6” x 9”, colour, $29.95 CDN/US
Provides explorers with everything they need to know about
the south coast and east Vancouver Island, from Victoria to
Port McNeill. This point-by-point guide, designed for kayakers,
describes the details, hazards, geography, ecology, history,
hikes and attractions of each location.
Marine Mammals
OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ENVIRONMENT
By Pieter Folkens
8 pp, 5.5” x 9” colour pamphlet, $9.95 CDN/US
Convenient, concise and waterproof. This three-fold handy
pocket guide to fifty species of marine mammals features colour
illustrations and photos. It also includes a habitat key and
identification tips.
A Field Guide
TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF PEBBLES
By Eileen Van der Flier-Keller
2 pp, 37” x 9” colour pamphlet, $7.95 CDN/US
Have you ever been walking at the beach and wondered what that
pebble or rock is? This is a full colour, laminated, accordion folded,
easy to use guide with over 80 beautiful photographs of pebbles
from beaches and rivers. Use the photos to identify over 28 different
types of rocks and minerals.
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64 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

ook reviews
by Diana Mumford
A Paddler’s Guide
to Quetico and Beyond
by Kevin Callan
The Boston Mills Press, 2007
$24.95, 192 pp, colour photos and maps
bibliography, index
ISBN 978-1-55046-500-6
www.bostonmillspress.com
www.fireflybooks.com
Kevin Callan’s list of accomplishments—author
of books and magazine articles, recipient of awards, speaker at paddling
events, producer of the River Rat films, and teacher of environmental
science—pretty well guarantees the value of this latest title in
his guidebook series. In his usual entertaining style, Callan outlines
eleven of the best paddling and hiking routes in Quetico Provincial
Park—Ontario’s “Canoe Country”—and five more just outside the
park boundaries. He includes stories about his adventures (or misadventures),
need-to-know details, a map, and a chart with quick access
facts (length, number of portages, longest portage, difficulty level,
access, pertinent maps). Colour photos document some of the more
amusing moments of his trips. Various skill levels and trip lengths
make this guide useful for anyone planning an excursion to Quetico.
Canoe and Kayak Routes of Northwest
Oregon including Southwest
Washington, Third Edition
by Philip N. Jones
The Mountaineers Books, 2007
$16.95 US, 240 pp, b/w photos and maps, index
ISBN 978-1-59485-032-5
www.mountaineersbooks.org
This is an updated guide to 74 flatwater paddling
routes from the Columbia River in Washington and Oregon to coastal
and inland areas south of Eugene (first published in 1982 as Canoe
Routes: Northwest Oregon). The trips range in difficulty and are rated on
a three level scale. Excellent hand drawn maps accompany the description
of each trip, showing start and end points and significant
landmarks in between. Many of the routes can be completed in a day
or combined for a multi-day trip. The guide also includes valuable
information about canoes and kayaks, paddles and paddling, clothing,
safety equipment, maps and charts, currents and tides, paddling
ethics, fees, and transporting and shuttling boats. The author has explored
this area for 30 years, and he shares his knowledge of all the
little details that can make or break a paddling trip.
Camp Cooking: The Black Feather
Guide, Eating Well in the Wild
by Mark Scriver, Wendy Grater, Joanna Baker
Heliconia Press, 2007
$19.95 US / $24.96 CAN
216 pp, colour photos
ISBN 978-1-896980-31-7
www.helipress.com
The first half of this guide to camp cooking is devoted to equipment,
skills, planning and packing, and then come the recipes (breakfast,
lunch, snacks, soups, dinners, desserts, baked treats). It is a thorough
guide for novice campers, and provides tips and suggestions specific to
hikers and paddlers. With years of wilderness guiding experience to
draw on, the authors present lots of practical advice as well as tried
and true recipes.
Desolation Sound: A History
by Heather Harbord
Harbour Publishing, 2007
$24.95, 260 pp, b/w photos and maps,
bibliography, index
ISBN 978-1-55017-407-6
www.harbourpublishing.com
Captain George Vancouver sailed into a body
of water about 160 kilometres (100 miles) up the
coast from present day Vancouver, BC, on a dark and rainy day in
June 1792. He found it to be a dreary place, and named it Desolation
Sound. Despite its name, this area with its warm waters, myriad
islands and anchorages, and abundant wildlife, has been a favourite
destination for boaters of all ilk for many years. Still only accessible by
water, much of the area is now designated as a marine park. Desolation
Sound has also been home for a variety of people from the Sliammon
First Nation to more recent inhabitants, including hand loggers,
homesteaders, recluses and back-to-the-land communes. In this volume,
Heather Harbord documents the stories of people who visited
and lived here before and after George Vancouver’s historic voyage.
It is full of ambitious and self-reliant characters, who chose to be in
a place remote from populated centres, who revelled in the beauty
and abundance of its natural resources. Anyone who visits Desolation
Sound today will be fascinated to read this account of the people who
have paddled and rowed these waters.
Kayak Fishing: The Ultimate Guide
By Captain Scott Null and Joel McBride
The Heliconia Press, 2007
$19.95 US / $24.95 CAN, 132 pp, colour
photos, glossary
ISBN 978-1-896980-28-7
www.helipress.com
Kayaks have been adopted by anglers as a
strategy for accessing shallow and marshy waters in places like Texas
and Florida, and there is increasing interest in kayak fishing elsewhere,
making it one of the fastest growing sports in North America. Kayaks
specifically designed for fishing, complete with rod holders and fish
finders, are now available. This guide outlines essential information
for kayak fishing, starting with the basics (kinds of kayaks, PFDs, gear,
paddling strokes and safety skills) before moving on to fishing techniques
(bait and lure fishing, fly fishing, landing a fish, freshwater and
saltwater fishing). Numerous colour photos illustrate the text and help
to explain skills like paddling strokes and re-entering a boat after a
capsize.
This Is The Sea 3
Cackle TV Productions, 2007
$29.95
www.cackletv.com
This DVD features over two hours of exciting
footage of kayakers Paul Caffyn, Andrew
McAuley, Cheri Perry, Freya Hoffmeister and
Justine Curgenven paddling in such far flung corners of the globe
as Antarctica, New Zealand, Faroe Islands, Scotland and Wales. Interviews
with legendary adventurers and images of sea kayaking in
extreme conditions make for great entertainment for paddlers of all
abilities and interests. $1.50 from every DVD sold will go to the late
Andrew McAuley’s family.
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 65

the marketplace
ACCOMMODATIONS
ASSOCIATIONS
SeaScape Resort
COURSES
FOR SALE - BOATS
FOR SALE
Trojan 42, 1964
classic power boat.
2 staterooms, two
bathrooms. Twin gas,
6.5kw generator, full electronics package. Excellent,
comfortable, seaworthy, live-aboard/mothership.
(604) 812-7230 $49,900
66 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

KEVLAR SEAWARD VISION
GREAT DEAL on near-new
KEVLAR sea kayak (Seaward
‘Vision’), hardly used: $3500
obo (over $5000 new).
Comes with deck-mounted
Ritchie compass and new fibreglass paddle. Check
www.SeawardKayaks.com for specs. ALSO selling hardly
used ‘Spirit Sail’ kayak sail with removable base: $200
firm (half price). Will sell separately.
Call 250-244-1663 or email rickydmc@shaw.ca.
FOR SALE - BUSINESS
FOR SALE – Anvil Cove Charters
Kayak mothership business based in
Queen Charlotte Islands / Haida Gwaii.
Contact us for more information, anvilcove@qcislands.net
250-559-8207 www.queencharlottekayaking.com
FOR SALE
Kayak rental fleet for sale. Seaward singles (Chilcos,
Navigators, HV Tyees) and doubles (Southwinds, Passats
and Passat G3s) with equipment. Well maintained.
Great shape. 1-800-665-3483
GEAR
TOURS - ALASKA
TOURS - BAHAMAS
TOURS - BRITISH COLUMBIA
Whitewater Kayaking
Want to Advertise?
Call: 1-800-668-8806
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 67

the marketplace
M
othership Adventure
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Luxury Mothership Sea Kayaking
Natural History, Cultural, Historical Tours
Explore B.C.’s remote coastal
wilderness from the comfort
and safety of 68’ Columbia III.
Great Bear Rainforest ~ Broughton
Archipelago ~ Desolation Sound
www.mothershipadventures.com
68 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

TOURS - MEXICO
BAJA - LORETO - SEA OF CORTEZ
TOURS - OREGON
Adventure
Outfitters
www.bajakayakadventures.com
info@bajakayakadventures.com
TOURS - WASHINGTON
DIVER’S DREAM CHARTERS
ANACORTES • WASHINGTON
Your Shuttle to the
San Juans, Gulf Islands
and Sidney
TOURS - MONTANA
Silver Moon Kayak Co.
Kalispell, Montana
Sales • ACA-Certified Instruction
Guided Tours • Quality Rentals
TOURS - COSTA RICA
7 days in paradise, weekly Dec–Apr since 1987
Ph/Fax: 250-539-2442
kayak@gulfislands.com www.seakayak.ca
406.752.3794
www.silvermoonkayak.com
TOURS - NOVA SCOTIA
SUBSCRIBE
to WaveLength Magazine
Call: 1-800-668-8806
Kayaks • Tours • Charters • Wildlife
www.lujacsquest.com 360.202.0076
SUMMER 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 69

in conclusion
Kayaking with Icebergs near Keels, Newfoundland
Photo by Brian Newhook
Conception Bay South, NL, Canada
70 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007

in conclusion
Kayaking with Icebergs near Keels, Newfoundland
Photo by Brian Newhook
Conception Bay South, NL, Canada
70 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE SUMMER 2007