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PADDLING THE PACIFIC COAST FALL 2007WaveLengthMAGAZINEPM 40010049WARM WATER PADDLINGHawaii • Florida • CaliforniaWinter Comfort • Kayak Fishing • Kayak Review • Great Gifts • Rescue SkillsF R E EAT SELECT OUTLETSOR BY SUBSCRIPTIONwww.wavelengthmagazine.com

6 Editorial22 Secrets to Winter Comfortby Neil Schulman24 Great Bear RainforestFrom the Rainforestby Dan Lewis26 Mothership Meandering Returnsby Alan Wilson28 Kayaking the Inner Vancouverby Hans Tammemagi32 Sea Kayaking UK - Nigel Dennis ExplorerKayak Reviewby Alex Matthews34 How To Paint Your Kayakby Nick Jones37 The “Bow Tip Out” Assisted RescueSkillsetby Alex Matthews38 Winter Pool Session: The Rat Swim and Bow Rescueby Adam Bolonsky42 Greenland Rope Gymnasticsby John Gamba45 Transporting Your KayakGetting Startedby Alex Matthews46 Peak UK Adventurer Paddling JacketGear Lockerby Alex Matthews47 Great Gifts48 Lazy SushiPaddle Mealsby Hilary Masson49 Book Reviewsby Diana Mumford51 WaveLength Bookstore53 Coastal News57 Events57 The Marketplace61 Loafer’s Logby Ron MumfordREGULAR CONTRIBUTORSAdam Bolonsky is a kayak fishingguide and fitness expert, based nearGloucester, Massachusetts.You can read Adam’s lively blog atpaddlingtravelers.blogspot.comDan Lewis and Bonny Glambeckoperate Rainforest Kayak Adventuresin Clayoquot Sound.1-877-422-WILDwww.rainforestkayak.comAlex Matthews is WaveLength’sgear reviewer and writes our paddlingskills columns. He has authored and coauthoredseveral kayaking skills booksand has been involved in the designand development of kayaks.matthewsalex@hotmail.comHilary Masson, our Paddle Mealscontributor, is a guide and part ownerof Baja Kayak Adventure Tours Ltd.www.bajakayakadventures.comBryan Nichols is a marine biologistand science writer from VancouverIsland who is currently working ona PhD and a tan in Tampa. He’dprobably get done quicker if hewasn’t trying to kayak around all ofFlorida’s Gulf Coast barrier islands.Neil Schulman’s writing and photographyhave appeared in numerousmagazines and publications. He alsodoes environmental work in Portland,Oregon.Alan Wilson, co-founder ofWaveLength Magazine, is happilyretired on Gabriola Island, gardeningand paddling whenever he gets theopportunity.© Mark Hobson photo© Wade Norton photoFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 5

WaveLengthMAGAZINEeditorialFall 2007 Volume 17, Number 4PM No. 40010049Editor – Diana MumfordDiana@WaveLengthMagazine.comPublisher – Ron MumfordRMumford@PacificEdgePublishing.comCopy Editing – Jenni GehlbachMarketing – Ben MumfordBen@PacificEdgePublishing.comWebmaster – Paul RudykWriting not otherwise credited is by WL staff.Cover – Mark Ezell, owner of Hook 1 Kayak Fishing Gear,with a 20 lb. Halibut caught off of Dana Point, CA.Photo byPaul Lebowitz of http://www.outdoorscribe.comSAFE PADDLING is an individual responsibility. Werecommend that inexperienced paddlers seek expertinstruction, advice about local conditions, have all therequired gear and know how to use it. The publishers of thismagazine and its contributors are not responsible for howthe information in these pages is used by others.WAVELENGTH is an independent magazine available freeat hundreds of print distribution sites (paddling shops,outdoor stores, fitness clubs, marinas, events, etc.), andglobally on the web. Also available by subscription.Articles, photos, events, news are all welcome.SUBSCRIBE$18 FOR 1 YEAR – 4 ISSUES$30 FOR 2 YEARS – 8 ISSUESUS$ FOR USA / CDN$ FOR CANADATO SUBSCRIBE: 1-800-668-8806 orwww.WaveLengthMagazine.comADVERTISING RATES AND WRITERS GUIDELINESAVAILABLE AT WWW.WAVELENGTHMAGAZINE.COMISSUE IN PRINT DEADLINEWinter January Nov 30Spring April Feb 28Summer July May 31Fall October Aug 31In this issue we bring you a mix of articles, loosely connected to the theme: “thingsfor paddlers to do in the fall and winter.” We begin with a visit to two localesin Hawaii and stories of surf skiing and snorkeling in the warm waters aroundthe islands to tempt those who are contemplating an escape from northern winterweather. Or you might try kayak fishing for halibut in southern California or paddlingFlorida’s barrier islands.If you live where it’s cold in the winter and you’re going nowhere far from home,we have some great reasons for getting your paddle in the water on a sunny day, andsome tips for staying comfortable even if the temperature is low. If you generallypaddle in the wilderness, you might try some urban paddling in the next few months.We focus on Vancouver, BC in this issue, but the Summer 2007 issue included articlesabout paddling in Victoria and Seattle. What a perfect mini-holiday—paddle by dayand warm up with coffee or a brandy in a hotel with an ocean view as you explore anew city.Cold, outdoor excursions just not feeling like fun to you? Then this is the perfectseason to take some rolling classes, or practise rescue skills in a pool. We offer twostrategies to try out in this issue, so that when the warm weather returns, your confidencelevel will be raised a notch, in time for spring and summer paddling.Winter is also a good time to evaluate your gear, do some maintenance and makesure everything is in good repair—the step-by-step process for sprucing up a scratchedor tired finish on your fiberglass boat might be just what you’re looking for.We’re not advocates of starting the Christmas thing in October, but as this is ourlast issue of the year, we have included some ideas for gift giving in the Great Giftsfeature. I’ve also chosen some good gift books to review in this issue. Check out theWaveLength Book Store if you’re looking for ideas too.There’s lots more inside this issue of WaveLength to keep your dreams alive, evenif you’re not on the water as often as you’d like. Happy reading!Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:Pacific Edge Publishing Ltd.1773 El Verano Drive, Gabriola IslandBritish Columbia, Canada V0R 1X6Ph: 1-800-668-8806 • Fax: 1-800-956-8299Email: info@WaveLengthMagazine.comWebsite: www.WaveLengthMagazine.com© 2007. Copyright is retained on all material (text, photosand graphics) in this magazine. No reproduction isallowed of any material in any form, print or electronic, forany purpose, except with the permission ofPacific Edge Publishing Ltd.Printed on recycled ancient rainforest-free paper.6 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

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Loving the Wavesby Alex ModzelewskiNobody gets more intimate withthe ocean than a kayaker. Aboat’s gunwale separates a sailorfrom the element, swimmers can’tsee past the next wave; only a kayakerskims a thin plane where water and airtouch. On top of the wave with a bowsuspended in midair one moment, takingwhite spray into face and blue waterinto cockpit the next second, we belongto both worlds. Touch, smell and taste ofthe water merge with a view of the oceanextending for miles. That’s what gives usintimacy with the Big Water.Am I getting a bit too romantic? Notat all! Perhaps because the water is sowarm, and waves run long and sweet,there is something erotic in riding thewaves in Hawaii. In fact, I think of theocean as “Her.” Around Kailua Beachshe is usually kind, warm and playful. Herample blue body gently embraces visitorscoming from a different world and playswith them. A timid or laidback personcan have a pleasant summer fling, onethat brings a smile when remembered.The strong-headed suitors, who makea sacrifice of hard training, may get theprivilege of a dance, but she will choosethe tempo. Arrogance and disrespect willbe punished swiftly and severely.My favorite place to start a kayakingadventure is Kailua Beach. First, I knowof no other beach in America that hasmore beautiful, powdery, golden sand.A reef moderates waves rushing atthe shore and gives beginners a kindlybreak. If you feel you can take on theopen ocean—a twenty-minute paddlewill guide you past Bird Rock where thefull force of the open water is yours toexperience. It’s worth mentioning thatthe bay has a built in safety mechanism—prevailingwinds drive towardsthe beach, except for infrequent dayswhen a southern Kona wind blows. Ineffect, an unfortunate or clumsy kayakerwill eventually wash out on the beach tobe reunited with his kayak. Happened tome more than once... By the same token,on Kona days, beware, once outside theisland’s shadow, the wind picks up in adramatic way and may blow a kayakerout into the blue desert.I started my ocean kayaking career ina sturdy, wide hipped craft that I boughtsecond hand from a rental place. I wouldrecommend the same for all who aspireto making the ocean their playground. Itcarried me faithfully for at least a yearwhile I was building stamina, paddlingskills and audacity to try a surfski. Iwatched with envy Polynesian Gods andGoddesses zipping past me in their long,skinny crafts, effortlessly propelling themselvesthrough the waves as though somemagic force did all the work for them. Iwanted to be just like them! That’s whenI met Bob Twogood.Bob was a national kayaking championin his younger years, and runs a kayakoutfitting place in Kailua. His is not theonly establishment that rents kayaks intown, but he does have the distinctionof being the most versatile. A two-hourtrip to Molokua Islands with a picnic onthe beach? Very well, he will rent you akayak, paddles and everything you need,including a guide if you feel intimidated.You think there is a kayak racer in you?That’s even better; he will put you on asurfski and teach you how to paddle properly.Actually, one of the easiest ways toget into surfski racing is to sign up for hisracing camp. The details can be found athis website (www.twogoodkayaks.com).You can learn how to ride a surfski onyour own, but with instruction it will takeonly a fraction of the time. The balanceof time will be yours—to race, surf thewaves or explore the shore.Bob gave me a ride home after one ofour kayak club outings, and I confessedmy ambition: I wanted to take part in thegreat race from the island of Molokai toOahu. Thirty-two nautical miles acrossthe Molokai Channel. For the landlockedboy who paddled lakes and streams, thatwas an idea so full of arrogance that Iwould not even dream it unless I’d had adouble rum before bedtime. Bob lookedat me, shrugged his shoulders and said,“You can do it if you paddle from Kailua8 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

Beach to Rabbit Island and back everyother day, for the next year.” That’s a sixteen-mileround trip, I calculated quickly.I can do it! In fact, I’ve done it already.But, not every other day, I had to admitto myself. To this day, I am not sure ifBob had an ulterior motive in sayingwhat he said, perhaps selling me a newracing kayak, for example. No matter. Iam grateful for his advice and encouragement;it changed my life. I owe him.Come with me, we will do our RabbitIsland run together, as I did it somany times. We better start early; I don’twant to be on the water after 10 o’clock.It is not really hot, and the breeze andsplashing water keeps body temperaturecomfortable; it’s sun that I’m concernedabout. I have already had a skin cancerremoved, why ask for more?My bright yellow kayak is over eighteenfeet long and weighs only twentytwopounds. Thanks to a carbon fiber inlay,it’s much lighter and stiffer than myfirst boat. I put it gently into the water,hop into the cockpit and plunge a paddle.The boat accelerates from a standingstart as we cross white surf and I directthe bow due east. The strokes adjust tothe rhythm of waves, the wind settles onmy left cheek and I reach a joyful sensationof belonging. The body turns automaticallywith the paddle, the bow slapshappily on waves, that’s when I feel trulyspiritual.Flat Island stays on the right sideand the course takes us outside the reef,where waves are bigger. Two volcanicisles named Molokua (twin islands in Hawaiian),pale yellow sand of WaimanaloBeach, steep range of Koolau Mountainscreate landmarks so distinct and beautifulthat it’s easy to ignore tension and painslowly building up in shoulder muscles. Alighthouse of Mokapu’u comes into clearview and soon it’s time to turn back. Thereturn trip will be easier with the wind atmy back, and the kayak accelerating foran exhilarating surfing run whenever anice wave happens.It always pays to keep alert. Last yearI was paddling the same route in January(when whales frequent the area) andkeeping my eyes glued to the open ocean,when suddenly something big and blackappeared in my peripheral vision. Yup,that was a whale, perhaps a hundredyards away, between me and WaimanaloBeach.So, how can you have this unique experience?If you are like most other visitorsto Hawaii, you book your Waikikihotel, rent a car, get lost in the city andarrive on Kailua Beach around lunchtime—angry, hungry and generally notin a condition for a romantic adventurewith Miss Ocean.Nothing is wrong with Waikiki andbig hotels—if your interest lies in goodfood, swimming, getting a bit of sun anda nice siesta in an air-conditioned room.But the adventurous types who seek excitementand a bit of rough play in theocean will do better with a vacation rentalwhere the action is, in Kailua.Let your fingers talk to a keyboard,Google something along the line of“Hawaiian beach vacation Kailua” andyou will get a nice, clean accommodationclose to the beach that will make it possibleto start your ocean romance early,hide from the noon time sun and do itagain in the afternoon. On top of it, youwill pay much less than a hotel charges.Kailua itself is a pleasant town withall the services you might need—banks, stores, hospital, post office, restaurants,cinemas... what else one might need?At the same time it is a small town filledwith relaxed people and easy traffic. Itcan easily be reached from HonoluluAirport on Highway H3 (twenty minutes,and the highway is practically nevercongested) and from Honolulu city byPali Highway (twenty minutes when trafficis light but it can be much longer duringrush hours).A very special feature of Kailua is theprominent presence of athletically mindedpeople. You will see more people bikingor running than walking, and thosewho do walk, carry swimming goggles,paddles and other instruments of exercise.My daughter claims that Kailuaholds the highest proportion of well-builtmen in America, perhaps in the world. Itis a good place for people watching.About the kayak race I mentioned—Istill train for it. I started the racing seasonwith Kanaka Ikaika, a local surfski/outrigger racing club, and thoughtthat I was doing reasonably well until theever-longer runs took me to the startingpoint at the Makai Pier. The sixteen-milecourse did not look particularly threateninguntil we turned around Mokapu’uPoint into Molokai Channel. Windspicked up suddenly and sets of big wavesfocused my attention on the special challengesof navigating the channel. Yes, Ihave completed this race although theparty was already on when I discreetlypulled in. I’ve decided that I might needa bit more training before attempting theBig One again. Or maybe I need a newracing kayak; will have to talk to Bob. FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 9

Maui, Molokai and Sea Turtlesby Barb RoyMaui and Molokai had been onmy list of places to visit for along time—the paddling anddiving opportunities and the possibilityof seeing sea turtles intrigued me. Itwas early November when I boarded myflight, leaving behind the start of anothercold Canadian winter for Maui’s sunny,fragrant, tropical paradise.For a better understanding of theisland’s diversity, I joined a group fromMaui Eco-Adventures, for a hike/kayakadventure package. In the company vanwe headed over winding, mountainousroads to the Nakalele coastline, Maui’snorthernmost point, and the youngestlava flow on the island’s western side.During the three-mile hike, our guide ledus along the coastline on an easy walkingpath just above turbulent, azure water.The black lava wasn’t barren, harshor desolate, as I had expected; instead itwas filled with patches of green foliageand colorful wild flowers. Our journeycame to a pause at the cliff ’s edge, whereseawater blowholes erupted with geyserforce.Later we met Mick McAffe and PaulAnka from Kapalua Dive Company forthe kayak/snorkel portion of the touralong the Kapalua coastline. Mick gave ashort safety talk, then led us down to thebeach where we launched the kayaks (siton-tops,easy for even novices to operate).He explained that it was possible wewould encounter turtles or dolphins, butwarned not to touch them while snorkelingbecause they are protected by federaland state regulations. “Let them come toyou. Don’t ride or chase them. Just havepatience and they often come over to youbecause they are curious.”The water was calm and the sunhigh as we paddled along the coast to aprotected cove, with Paul and I bringingup the rear. Paul explained that theturtle population was slowly making acomeback. “Since they take ten to fiftyyears to reach sexual maturity, averagingaround twenty-five years, the protectionstatus has helped. We have noticedtheir numbers increasing over the yearsbecause the encounters and sightings areincreasing.”A sudden splash between our boats interruptedour conversation, followed bythe bobbing head of a green sea turtle.Another larger head popped up next toit. I almost jumped in, but the group hadalready entered the cove ahead and Paulassured me we would see more there.Sure enough, there were several turtles atthe surface watching the kayaks pass by.Mick tied the boats together and passedout snorkeling gear. When not in thewater observing the graceful turtles, ourgroup joined some local kids who wereclimbing a rocky overhang and divinginto the water.In the evening I attended a culturaldinner show of Hawaiian cuisine at theOld Lahaina Luau. The dancers performedancient songs and dances whiletelling celebrated stories of their past.My next adventure was with 5 StarScuba for a shore dive at Black Rock,where green turtles are seen on a regularbasis. Joshua Bischoff was my underwaterguide. Since this was a regular divesite for Josh, he was very familiar withthe turtles and told me how to tell malesfrom females. “The males have long,thick tails, while the females have short,stubby ones. Until they are mature, it’shard to tell them apart. I usually see at10 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

least several on every dive. The snorkelersand kayakers at the surface also seethem regularly.”I followed Josh into the water andaround a huge, black, rocky cliff, withcamera in hand. Once submerged, weheaded for deeper water. The fish werenot as plentiful as in the cove the previousday, but were colorful nevertheless.I scanned the sandy floor for any signsof partially buried skates or rays. Joshwas ahead checking out a lava formationwhen he noticed a young sea turtle cruiseover to see what I was doing. Obliviousto my new shadow, I continued to driftover the sand until I came across a largemale turtle sleeping under a rocky shelf.The young female turtle moved in frontof me as if diverting my attention. Sheseemed to want to lead me away fromthe larger one, or perhaps she just wantedall the attention. For over twenty minutesshe stayed with us, mainly hoveringin our exhalation bubbles. Making ourway back to shore, we came across fourother turtles near the surface around agroup of snorkelers.A dive and kayak tour with MolokaiFish and Dive was next on my agendathe following day. We saw more residentturtles and enjoyed a healthy, colorfulreef full of fish and invertebrate life.Other marine critters included a spottedeagle ray, a small pod of dolphins and ahuge Pacific manta at the surface.Before my day ended I took my rentalcar out for an exploratory drive to see theisland up close. Winding, mountainous,one-lane coastal roads led me on a seeminglyendless journey past more breathtakingscenery, beautiful wildflowers andindigenous birds.We launched our kayaks from KaunakakaiHarbor the next morning as the sungreeted the day. There were four of usin individual sit-on-tops, including ourguide. We paddled across a shallow bayto the outer perimeter of Molokai’s barrierreef, towards the mangroves at thefar side of the bay. A small powerboatalso accompanied us for support, carryingour lunch and extra water. I couldsee fish, small skates and crabs below inthe clear water. Thinking of the movieCastaway with Tom Hanks, I grabbed upone of the floating coconuts and tossed itinto my boat.“Mangrove forests are not commonin Hawaii,” announced the guide as hepaused in front of the mangroves. “Thesetrees were originally planted to preventshore erosion, but quickly became overgrown.They now serve as a sanctuaryfor fish, birds and insects.”We entered a narrow, tangled tunnelof exposed roots, large enough to paddlethrough. For ease of movement, ourguide had us separate the paddle and usejust one end, like a canoe paddle. Mr. Coconutand I brought up the rear. At firstthe route was easy, but the forest seemedto be swallowing us up, making it harderto paddle. Finally I just used my glovedhands to pull myself along throughsmells of stagnant water and the noisesof resident birds. Rays of light drizzleddown like droplets of rain. After aboutthree kilometres (2 miles) we exited into aclearing, still within the mangroves. Unfortunately,Mr. Coconut had fallen offsomewhere en route.“This is a favorite fishing hole formany old Hawaiians,” explained ourguide. “They have been coming to thedeeper water here and to other secretspots within the mangroves for years.”Before departing Maui I stopped forFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 11

a visit at the Maui Ocean Center at theMa’alaea Harbor Village. Opening in1998, the Center offers over 60 interestingexhibits and a Shark Dive in their750,000 gallon Open Ocean exhibit.Certified divers, fifteen-years-old and up,can swim with over twenty sharks, stingraysand numerous tropical fish foundaround Hawaii.The last exhibit I visited was the greensea turtle display. There I found a tankfull of young, healthy turtles. An aquariumcaregiver explained that these turtlesare part of a hatch-and-release programto enhance the Hawaiian populations.“They were actually named because ofthe color of their body fat. They havebeen protected under the U.S. EndangeredSpecies Act since 1973. As withmost sizable sea creatures, no two turtleshave the exact same markings, makingthem somewhat identifiable for scientistsand researchers. Their life span isestimated to be over 100 years. In theHawaiian Islands we call these gentleair-breathing animals Honu, but they inhabitall of the world’s oceans.”I was glad that I had finally found timefor a visit to Maui and Molokai. It wasan enjoyable escape from the grey winterskies of home, and seeing sea turtles wasa bonus.AccommodationsHayatt Regency Maui – (Lahaina) 808-661-1234,www.maui.hyatt.comThe Old Wailuku Inn At Ulupono – (Wailuku,Maui), 800-305-4899 or 808-244-5897,www.mauiinn.comHotel Molokai – (Kamehameha) 808-553-5347,www.hotelmolokai.comOutrigger Royal Kahana Resort – 800-688-7444or 808-669-5911, www.outrigger.com/hotels orhttp://royal-kahana.comPaddling CompaniesKapalua Dive Company – (Lahaina) 808-385-8065 or 808-669-3448, www.kapaluadive.comKelii’s Kayak Tours – (Lahaina) 888-874-7652 or808-874-7652, www.keliiskayak.comMolokai Fish & Dive – (Kaunakakai) 808-553-5926, www.molokaifishanddive.com (also offersscuba diving and cultural hikes)Adventure & ActivitiesMaui Eco-Adventures (Lahaina) 877-661-7720 or808-661-7720, www.ecomaui.comMaui Ocean Center – (Wailuku) 808-270-7000,Shark Dive Maui – 808-270-7075,www.mauioceancenter.comTRAVEL INFORMATION5 Star Scuba – (6 resort locations on Maui), 808-667-5551, www.5starscuba.comDrums of the Pacific Luau – (Hayatt Resort inMaui), 808-667-4727Old Lahaina Luau – 808-667-1998,www.oldlahainaluau.comMolokai Outdoors – 877-553-4477 or 808-553-4477, (Kayaking, hiking, biking, cultural tours)www.molokai-outdoors.comTrilogy Excursions – 888-225-MAUI or 808-661-4743, www.sailtrilogy.comVisitor & Tourism BureausMaui – 800-398-9698 or 808-871-7947,www.visitmaui.comMolokai Visitors Association – 800-800-6367 or808-553-3673, www.molokai-hawaii.comLanai – 808-565-3240, www.visitlanai.netBooksA Pocket Guide to Hawaii’s Underwater Paradiseby John P. HooverLonely Planet’s Guide to Hawaii or Mauiwww.lonelyplanet.com Taking over from Gabriola Cycle & Kayak’s 18 years in Baja, with the same great guides & trips!Loreto-Sea of Cortez Kayak Tourslow cost, 6,7 & 10 day trips.See our website for dates and itinerariesADVENTURE OUTFITTERSwww.bajakayakadventures.cominfo@bajakayakadventures.comCome paddlewith us inbeautiful Baja12 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

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Shifting SandsPADDLING FLORIDA’S SOUTHWEST BARRIER ISLANDSby Bryan NicholsFlorida’s southwest coast barrier islands are legendamongst beach aficionados and snowbirds. Starting justabove the Ten Thousand Island portion of EvergladesNational Park, the long, skinny islands run north and occasionallywest, finally giving way to large areas of coastal cordgrassabove Tampa Bay. Composed of white sand on the Gulf sideand darker muds on the inside, they are restless islands, movingslowly with the prevailing winds and currents. They canalso change dramatically when a larger storm comes through;hurricanes have carved out new passes or filled in old ones ina day.Each winter, hordes of shivering northerners drive or flysouth to spend days, weeks and even months living on or nearthese islands and their white, sparkling beaches. Many othershave amassed enough money to retire to the region, turningareas that haven’t been protected into expensive collections ofcondominiums, restaurants and shops. This sort of developmentoften tries to stop the barrier island beaches from movingby spending millions each year on erosion control and evenbeach replenishment, continually dredging up sand to replacebeaches that naturally want to move.Why should you consider a trip to this snowbird Mecca?Well, haven’t you always wanted to wear polyester pants up toyour nipples, tight black socks up to your knees, and give in tothat irrepressible urge to complain about the government? Perhapsyou’d love to ogle aged sun worshippers, whose skin hasbecome so wrinkled and leathery they look a bit like swarthyrhinoceroses lying on beach chairs. And if all that’s not enoughto make you drop what you’re doing and plan a trip, there’ssome pretty excellent kayaking as well.What makes these islands interesting to paddlers? Thebeaches are excellent, that’s for sure, and being able to stopfor a break and bask on some of the world’s finest beaches is adefinite plus, particularly if you’re escaping cold drizzle backhome. But despite what the hordes of vacationers might think,there’s more to the barrier islands than their beaches. This subtropicalouting, we’ll look at a dozen reasons why a sea kayakermight want to seek out the islands that protect SouthwesternFlorida from the Gulf of Mexico.CAUTIONSA few words of caution before you reach the beach. SouthwestFlorida is quite benign by many standards of sea kayaking, andthat can lull you into carelessness. The Gulf of Mexico is relativelycalm for a big body of water, and even medium sized surfis rare. It’s also warm and shallow. However, lightning stormsare common, especially in summer, and you’ll find very fewplaces to hide. Summer and fall are also hurricane season, andyou doN O TSouthwestwant tobe on orFloridaeven nearthe waterfor a hurricane.Summerand fallare also thewet season, andthe mosquitoesand noseeums inSouthwest Floridaget so bad they canmake you pray for thesweet obliteration of ahurricane.Less dramatically, theclassic hazards for snowbirdsare sunburn and dehydration.I live down here now,and I wear a hat, sunscreen andlong-sleeved shirt to paddle, evenwhen the air is hot. Another commonhazard is boat traffic—someareas are very busy, and while kayaksare becoming an increasinglycommon sight, there will always beobnoxious or clueless boaters.For those of you who watch toomany nature programs, yes, there aresharks and stingrays. Stingrays might be aproblem when you’re wading—tread carefully.As for sharks, well, you’re much morelikely to encounter dolphins and manatees.Still, I don’t go swimming at sunset, particularlynear channels.Finally, paddling along a beautiful beach, it isnearly impossible to get lost. However, the insidesof the barrier islands can include mazes of mangroveislands, all barely above sea level, all of whichlook remarkably similar. Venturing into them withouta compass and map (or aerial photo) is not wise. AGPS can be quite helpful as well.All right—now that you know what to avoid, what arethe benefits of a kayaking trip to Southwest Florida? Hereare a dozen.B a r r i e r I s l a n d s14 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

BEACH BABY BEACH!Let’s face it—the reason you’re on a barrier island in Floridaisn’t for the rich culture, the charming company or the hautecuisine. You’re here for the beach and the glorious weather.And Gulf Coast beaches are among the best, with soft whitesand that doesn’t get too hot despite all that warm, winter sunshine.The powdery sand is much too fine for me, but peoplelove it, and on larger islands it stretches as far as the eye can see.Kayakers, retirees, spring breakers—everyone can appreciate abeautiful beach, and on busy weeks in busy spots, it might seemthat just about everyone is.SEA OATSSea oats grow on the top of natural beach dunes and helpstabilize the shoreline—at least, they do when they haven’tbeen picked or stomped or paved or condominiumized. Thedunes aren’t especially high on Southwest Florida’s barrier islands,as the Gulf rarely produces big waves. As a matter ofinterest, sea oats are protected, and many developed beacheshave boardwalks to get you over the dunes without damagingthem. If you’re kayaking more remote areas, there won’t beboardwalks, so be sure to take extra care. Sea oats are a goodway to tell that the beach you’re on has at least some healthynatural space left.MANGROVESOn the “other” side of the barrier islands, the inside, youwon’t find beaches. Instead, you’ll likely find mangroves.Larger islands can have extensive mangrove forests that includenumerous small islands with maze-like channels betweenthem. Several places have marked canoe trails that will takeyou through channels so narrow the mangroves cover them,forming a narrow tunnel that makes for a unique paddling experience.As mangroves are not ideal habitat for humans (seeOct/Nov 2002), they’ll be mostly or even completely absentfrom the more developed barrier islands.CANALS & FINGERSDo you like window shopping for expensive waterfrontproperty and/or boats of all shapes and sizes? Have you alwayswanted to visit watery cities like Venice? On the back side ofmany of the barrier islands, branching off the intracoastal waterway,are thousands of man-made canals and fingers of landthat you can cruise in and out of. A quick glance at a chart oraerial photo will reveal these odd inlets and islands, many entirelyartificial and surrounded by seawalls. Their sole purposeis to provide a spot for vacationers and/or wealthy homeownersto put their boats, and a way to get those boats to the Gulf.If you love nature they can be somewhat disconcerting, butthere is some wildlife in the murky water, including manatees,a surprising variety of fishes and even the occasional large bullshark.CHANNELSNatural channels cut through the dune line much more oftenon the Southwest coast, making for a lot more islands than onthe east side of Florida. Typically named passes on the charts,they can be fascinating places to paddle, full of fish and otherwildlife. Some have surprisingly strong currents and you’d bewise to check a tide table if you’re planning on traversing someof the longer or stronger ones. On the Gulf side, currents andwind can combine to create some challenging rips here andthere, though most are mild when compared to other places.Boats are another hazard in the busier channels, particularlythe not-so-natural ones that people have attempted to fix inplace with seawalls.SHELLSOne of the things that keeps people coming back to thebarrier islands is the “shelling,” wherein you wander down thebeach at the high or low tide line, scanning for interesting shellsthat have washed up. They can be plentiful—places like SanibelIsland are known for the remarkable beauty and variety ofshells that appear on their beaches, and if your timing is goodyou’ll find a wide assortment in great shape. On many stretches(especially near Venice Beach) there are also glossy black fossilizedshark’s teeth, remnants of a time when most or all ofFlorida was underwater.FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 15

BIRD NESTSWhile we’re considering eggs on the beach, quite a few ofthe barrier islands include essential seabird nesting areas. Dependingon the season of your visit, this will be obvious, asyou’ll see an awful lot of birds. Some of the central parts of thenarrow islands will also be posted with signs and possibly fencesintended to keep people out of the most critical habitat. Luckilythat won’t stop you from paddling past or spending somequality time on the beach. Paddling the inside of the islands,you’ll see larger birds like pelicans nesting up in the mangrovebranches.SEA TURTLE NESTSThough I’m not covering specific wildlife in this checklist,sea turtles are worth mentioning because of their famous reproductivehabits. Come summertime, the hefty females ofseveral species crawl up on sandy barrier island beaches, digholes and drop their eggs into them. So depending on whenyou’re visiting, you might well be sharing the beach with seaturtles, turtle eggs, or even those adorable little hatchlings thatemerge from the sand and head (hopefully) for the water. Beachhouses in many areas need to block all their lights that face thebeach, so the little turtles don’t get confused and crawl in thewrong direction. As sea turtles are threatened or endangered,volunteers and rangers often search for nests, marking themwith little flags and even fences so people don’t inadvertentlytread on the eggs below.BRIDGESBridges come in all shapes and sizes in the barrier islands.Since the water is shallow everywhere, they aren’t especiallydifficult to build, though they may need to allow sailboats andother tall shipping to get by. Drawbridges are common alongthe intracoastal waterway, and it’s quite fun to watch them inaction from kayak level. In some of the small canals you’ll findbridges so low you’ll have to limbo under them, and if you’repaddling any of the barrier islands near the mouth of TampaBay, you’ll see the impressive Sunshine Skyway Bridge, whichcarries a busy interstate’s worth of traffic up high enough toallow cruise ships to pass below.SEAWALLSAh, the seawall. On rocky coasts, seawalls tend to be fewand far between, so you may not be used to them. In Florida,they can line entire channels and even completely surroundsurprisingly large islands. You generally won’t see them on theGulf side of the barrier islands, where the shifting sands ofthe beaches rule. On the inside though, in built-up areas thathave removed their mangroves, seawalls can be alarminglycommon. Landing or launching off them can be quite tricky,and they can bounce boat wake or wind chop back at you inunsettling ways.GIGANTIC CONDOSIn case you were unaware, Florida does not have mountains.Southwest Florida doesn’t even have hills. On the Southwestcoast, it’s even more dramatic—a metre above sea level is consideredhigh ground in many places. Seriously. However, if youlike looking up at scenery, there are places you won’t be disappointed.Rising high above the water are condominiums andhotels full of retirees and vacationers. They tower above channels,spring up from beaches, and sparkle brightly in the nightsky. One might argue that such cement skylines are no substitutefor the Coast Range, massive volcanoes and steep fjordsthat dazzle Northwest paddlers. A cynic might even argue theyrepresent the opposite of naturally beautiful scenery. In verticallychallenged coastal Florida, they’ll have to do.THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAYBoaters can follow this series of protected bays, lagoons anddredged channels all the way around south Florida. Markedwith official aids to navigation, the ICW is often the “inside”boundary of a barrier island, and on lower tides, when the watercan get too shallow for even a kayak, you may find yourselffollowing parts of it. On busy weekends it can seem like crossinga highway, though narrow turns, manatee speed zones and“no wake” sections often keep boats from being too fast anddangerous. CHANGES16 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

KAYAK withCOMFORTEmerald Palms – The Bahamas Experience Nature in ComfortRENDEZVOUS ISLAND, BC CANADAwww.solstuawest.comTAKE1.indd 110/8/2007 10:59:53 PMKayaking Getaway!LuxuriousWaterfrontLodge, Cabins& Platform Tents• Kayak/Yoga Retreats • Wildlife & Bird Watching• Family & Group Holidays • Clubs • Meetings360-758-2620 | 888-294-2620 | www.willows-inn.comDinners: Wed thru Sun, 5:30-8:30 p.m.FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 17

Africa’s Kayaksby James Michael DorseyKayaks are one of the most ancient forms of transporton earth. There are references to them in oral historiesdating back almost 4000 years and variations of thewritten name begin to appear in Turkish writings around 800a.d. Between that date and 1700 a.d., similar words for smallboats began to pop up in Russian, Mongol, Hungarian andvarious Slavic languages, proof that this most efficient of boatswas spreading over much of the world.The Aleut and Inuit peoples, or Unagan, as they prefer tobe called, are credited with the invention of kayaks. They werefirst made from driftwood lashed together with animal sinewand covered with tanned seal and sea lion hide. Joints weresealed with boiled seal oil, rendering the boat watertight, andbecause of its natural construction, it bent with the waves.The Unagan called their boats “Iqax” and thought them tobe alive, equal partners on the water and during a hunt. Laterboats were called Baidarkas, and open versions, known as umiaks,were the precursors of today’s “sit-on-tops.”Wouldn’t it be great to know who first watched a log floatby and came up with the idea to hollow one out and ride alongwith it? It would be even more interesting to know who cameup with the idea of building a log out of wood and animalhides—now that is human ingenuity.I have a long held theory that to an animal, a kayak is justanother log floating by, and this allows kayakers to observewildlife in a manner most people never experience. A kayak isthe ideal blending of man with nature.While driftwood and animals skins have for the most partbeen replaced by fiberglass and plastic, the basic design of thekayak remains unchanged. It is a perfect example of the oldadage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”Perhaps it was early sea voyagers who brought these smallboats with them on larger vessels to exotic ports around theworld, or perhaps they were born locally out of necessity.Whatever the reasons for their origins, kayaks or boats similarto what we in the west call kayaks, can be found in the mostremote parts of the world today.In 2006 I wrote two articles for WaveLength about woodenboats on the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia. Morerecently I have watched similar boats operating on the NigerRiver in Mali, West Africa. Either the kayak is the most stableof all ocean-going vessels, or an incredible zeitgeist was at workto introduce such a boat so far away from its origins. Perhapsone day we may even find boats older than those of the Inuit,long buried beneath desert sands, proving that our great desertswere once great oceans, and that the kayak was born andevolved in places other than the far north.In Africa, as in Vietnam, I watched traditional builders layingout hulls of indigenous wood and was surprised to find that theprocess was almost identical in both countries. Multiple scrapswere fitted together in a hodgepodge of mismatched pieces, allheld together with wooden wedges driven perpendicular intoboth pieces across the seam. Most western boat builders wouldcringe at this, but it is an ancient technique that works. I haveinspected hundreds of such craft in both countries and foundthem all to be watertight and water worthy.In Vietnam, I took one of these dugouts for a quick spin ona tributary of the Mekong and found it to be quite tippy, just as18 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

a narrow beamed kayakwould handle. As soonas I stepped out of it, asmall boy no more thanfive hopped in and paddledout into the streammaking me look like anamateur, proof that it isnot necessarily the boatbut the handler thatmakes it water worthy.In Mali, these boatsare called pirogues, andthey are, for the mostpart, about seventeen toeighteen feet long with atapered bow and stern,both of which curveslightly upward. Theyare about two to threefeet in the beam and most have a wooden bench seat. From adistance they resemble an open kayak. While I watched somepeople paddling them with a double ended paddle like we doin the west, they were generally pushed along with a long pole,and some even raised a sail for propulsion when the weatherpermitted it.I only had one opportunity to try out a pirogue, and I foundit responsive and quick. Its owner laughingly told me it had tohandle easily to avoid the hippos frequently found in the NigerRiver. While he said this in jest, I knew the truth of what hewas saying, as hippos are the number one cause of death inAfrica. A responsive boat can mean the difference between lifeand death.The Niger was dotted with individual fishermen in theirpirogues, casting oval nets on the water. The fishermen usuallystand to do this, and the effort of slinging a large net is not aneasy feat in such a narrow boat, proving how stable it must be.Many people were just out on the water for a day’s paddling.I showed one fisherman a photo of myself paddling a kayakoff the coast of southern California. He pointed to it and said,“pirogue,” then asked if I was a fisherman.What makes a kayak or pirogue, or whatever name youmight have for it, unique, is the singular relationship betweenthe handler and the boat. Other forms of transport rely ontechnology and equipment to operate it, while the kayak respondsto the nuances of body movement almost entirely. Morethan driving a car, and more than riding a horse, it is the oneform of transport where person and equipment are one.At a number of places along the Niger River in Mali youcan now rent a pirogue for the day or go out on the river ona guided tour. There are even companies that take a group oftourists out for a day’s paddling on the river. While I have notbeen there yet myself, I have been told that day touring in apirogue is a hot new business on the Gambia River.The thing that strikes me the most when I see these thirdworld crafts is the fact that with all our modern technology, andwith how other forms of transport such as autos and airplaneshave changed in design over the years, the basic form of a kayakremains the most efficient way to move a person throughwater, as it has been for almost 4000 years. FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 19

Fishing (Not Flipping) at La Jollaby Karen EzellLa Jolla in Southern California is agreat place to catch big fish, butyou want to arrive early to get thedawn bite. It’s a little too early for me,leaving the house around 3:00 a.m., drivingfor 40 minutes and launching in thesurf in the dark. So when my husbandgoes there, I always pass and wait for afishing day that starts at a more decenthour. Besides, I usually fish in harborsand bays that have easy launches andlandings. Now, I’m not a sissy by anymeans, I’m just scared of the surf takingmy kayak, turning it before I can stop itand flipping me over. See, I’ve dumpedtwice in the surf while landing my kayakafter fishing and it isn’t fun.Several tournaments are held at LaJolla throughout the year; the SteveMoyer Memorial Kayak Fishing Tournamenttook place on September 8,2007. I’ve gone to La Jolla during fishingtournaments before, but I kick back, relaxand read a good book while everyoneelse is fishing. A few days before the tournamentthis year, our friend Keith askedif Mark (my husband) and I were readyfor the upcoming tournament. I toldhim, “I’m not fishing it. I don’t want toflip my kayak in the surf on the way in.”Keith replied, “Well, Nancy is fishing thetournament, and won’t you be mad ifshe catches a big halibut and you didn’tfish?” Well, game on! Mark and I signedup and we prepared for the tournamentgetting our gear up to speed for the potentialbig fish.It’s a bit windy when we arrive in LaJolla, but that doesn’t deter me. We rigour kayaks and head down to the beachto join approximately 150 other kayakfishermen. I watch the sets and see howthe waves look, even though going outisn’t what scares me, it’s the coming in.I drag my kayak toward the surf, and myhusband, the great guy that he is, givesme a big push to get me going. I paddleout, taking some water over the bow,keeping my strokes strong and hard toget past the incoming waves. We paddleout to the two boats that are supplyinglive bait, and with the ocean choppy, Iapproach one of them. They hold ontome while they fill my bucket with bait.We head off towards the pier and out ofthe reserve (no fishing allowed in the reserve).Once we are out near the pier, I baitmy hook. I have finally learned to baitmy own hook. Mark carries a bait tankwhich is hooked up to a battery and bilgepump, and I used to paddle over to himevery time I needed new bait, but recentlyI have been putting four to five baitfish in my bait bucket and hooking themon myself.The bait is on my hook, down it goesand I’m ready to catch a big fish! Soonthe bait gets nervous and I can feel somethingtugging at it (your bait will get nervouswhen it is being hunted). I reel uptoo slowly and darn, I lose it—I didn’t setthe hook. That was probably the big one!We continue to paddle around, changingbait when needed. I get hooked uptwice, excited at first for the hook-up, butknowing from the fight that it isn’t a bigfish. Both of my hook-ups are short halibut,not legal and not weighable for thetournament.The wind starts picking up and withthe choppy water and swells, we decideto head in. We paddle down and lineup with our landing. We stow our rodsinside the kayaks for their well-being incase we flip. We’re ready to start headingin and I’m nervous. I try to remember tolean back, redistributing my weight moreto the rear and letting the wave go underme, using my rudder and paddle tokeep straight. Mark says we’ll just jumpout at waist high water, grab the back ofour kayaks and guide them in. He saysthe word, and off I jump. This techniqueworks great! I grab the back of my kayakand steer it towards shore. I did it, Ididn’t flip! A day practising in the surfis what I need to get over my anxiety offlipping.So now that I have fished La Jolla andknow I can do it, I’m ready to go backand get that big yellowtail, white seabassor halibut that eluded me.For information about kayak fishing tournamentsalong the Pacific coast:Southern California••••The Plastic Navy Tournament Trail sponsoredby Western Outdoor News. This is a 6 seriesbass tournament. www.plasticnavy.comLa Jolla Kayak Fishing – Steve Moyer MemorialKayak Fishing Tournament. This event is heldin September of each year.www.kayak4fish.comBig Water’s Edge – www.bigwatersedge.comBaytuber’s and kayak tournamentswww.baytubers.comNorthern California• NorCal Kayak Anglers have many tournamentsthroughout the year.www.norcalkayakanglers.comBritish Columbia• Moutcha Bay Tyee Kayak Surfing Derbywww.moutchabay.com/Kayaking_Derby.htmlPacific Northwest• Northwest Kayak Anglerswww.northwestkayakanglers.com20 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

HALIBUT FISHING TIPSTrap-ease Pot PullerTriple Rod Holder /Multi Purpose MountPiranhaMountRod HolderHeight ExtenderSEA-light(for paddlingsafety)PaddlesportsAccessory Kit:( Kayaky Pump,Throw Bag,Whistle, ReusableMesh Bag )•Halibut can be caught tight into theshore or in 100 feet of water.•If you are inshore fishing, look for structureedges that have cobblestone, eelgrass or kelp with sand close by.••When fishing in harbors or bays, lookfor points, drop-offs or areas where thewater flow gets pinched and will concentratethe bait.The best line size to use is 20 lb.AnchorLock•If you are using live bait, you can hookthem through the nose or use a “traprig” which has two hooks. One goesthrough the nose and the other in theback or stomach area.LaketrollerDownriggerLeash with Flex CoilFly RodHolderWatertightFirst Aid Kit••••You can catch halibut with lures. Thebest lures are swim baits or deep divingcrank baits.Use a weight to get your bait or lure onthe bottom or very near to it.A new moon is the best time to fish, followedclosely by a full moon.Always look for a big tide swing. Fishwith the tide retrieving your lure in thedirection the tide is going and also driftingwith the tide.BaitcasterNew Paddle Sport Accessories797 Anchor KitScotty Stabilizer System798 AnchorAccessory KitLifesaverWhistle793 Throw BagSmall Vessel SafetyEquipment Kit( containing CanadianCoast Guardmandatory items )794 Paddle SportsAccessory Kit•If the halibut is close to the legal size of22 inches (California) use a net to landthe fish. Use a gaff if the fish is biggerthan 26 inches.• After catching a legal fish, use a gameclip to secure the fish to your kayak.In 2004, Howard McKim of Ketchikan, Alaska,caught a 183 pound halibut from his kayak.310Drink Holder comeswith Bulkhead /Gunnel Mount311Drink Holder c/wRod Holder andBulkhead /Gunnel MountFor more information on these or any other Scottyproducts - visit your local dealer or visit our website.www.scottypaddlesports.comFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 21

Secrets to Winter Comfortby Neil SchulmanEvery year I do the same thing. I surf the web and seewhat it would cost to escape from winter to some warm,tropical place where I can paddle in shorts. And everyyear the same thing happens: I realize how much it costs to flysouth and rent kayaks. Once I’ve recovered from sticker shock,I plan a trip closer to home for the next summer.But that doesn’t mean that my kayaks sit idly in the garage.I paddle plenty in winter, and it’s a great time to be on thewater. In fact, in some ways it’s better than summer: winteringwaterfowl and bald eagles, solitude, lush waterfalls, and thepowerboats are gone.But winter paddling means some obvious challenges. Thegood news is that there are solutions to most of them. So don’tput your boat away for the season, here are some tricks fromthe vitamin-D challenged.SLOW DOWN, MOSESSince sea conditions are rougher in the winter, I’m far lesslikely to be playing in the surf or looking for wind. I’m morelikely to find the local wetland that’s loaded with winteringbirds and cruise around looking for wildlife. This also meansI’m often paddling closer to home, which makes it easier tomake use of the shorter days. I dust off the big, clunky set ofwaterproof binoculars that I don’t like having on my deck formore adrenaline-soaked paddling, throw the bird book in myday hatch, and take advantage of the great flocks of ducks,geese, egrets, eagles and other critters.DRESS WARM AND PLAY HARDThe dressing warm part is really obvious. But the fact of thematter is that if you can prepare yourself for cold and watertemperatures, you can paddle like you do in summer. The winterafter I bought my drysuit, I found myself playing in the tidaloverfalls of Deception Pass—in December. The drysuit, andsome skilled buddies reduces the risk of a hypothermic swim,and the paddling was just as much fun.SPEND $15 ON A RAIN SLICKERKayakers tend to be gearheads, and we all have a closet fullof high-tech, waterproof/breathable jackets. But winter kayakingis when the cheap, rubber, non-breathable jacket is king.When you stop paddling, Gore-Tex and other breathable fabricslose heat quickly through evaporative cooling. Even a quicksnack stop can chill you to the bone in minutes. So as soon as Iget off the water, I throw a non-breathable rain slicker over mydrysuit, and stop the chill. Of course, it looks far from stylish(the jacket looks like it came with a free box of fish sticks), butI’m dry and warm. And usually, the folks next to me in expensiveparkas aren’t.KEEP YOUR FEET COMFYWet feet are fine in the summer, but in winter they’re a recipefor being cranky, at best. Since you’re always hopping inand out of the water, there are a couple of ways to keep yourfeet warm and dry. One is a drysuit with booties. But if you’renot wearing a drysuit, there are other options. One is a pairof fleece-lined, neoprene mukluks like those made by Chota;another is a pair of old-fashioned rubber knee-waders. Theseallow you to wade and stay warm, but will also fill with waterif you swim, and some cockpits don’t easily accommodate thelarge size of waders. Another option is knee-high, waterproofsocks, also made by a variety of companies, which can be wornunder many kinds of shoes. Take care around barnacles andwhen drying them over a campfire, as I’ve learned the hardway…twice.BUILD A FIRENot like the Jack London book, but when you stop for lunch,build a fire if you’re in a place where it’s both legal and notdamaging to the environment. Beaches below the high-tide lineare generally safe, but make sure that you’re not taking all theavailable wood. Bring a couple of fire starting kits: my favorite isa film canister full of cotton balls soaked in Vaseline, which will22 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

urn in a light drizzle (the cotton balls,not the canister). You’ll feel much morelike an outdoors expert. But if campfiresaren’t your cup of tea, then…BRING A STOVENothing says you have to sit on acold beach on a cold day and eat a coldsandwich. You probably already have acompact backcountry stove in your kitanyway. Bring it on day trips, and cook ahot meal. You’ll have tons more fun aftera nice, hot lunch.LOUNGE IN THE IGLOOOne of the more inventive winterpaddling luxuries is something calledthe beach igloo, made by Valley CanoeProducts. It’s a nylon, lightweight emergencyshelter: the group simply drapesit over their heads and sits on the material.It forms a dome that traps heat inextremely well—you’ll soon be sheddinglayers inside. It also blocks the wind, andgives you a warm place to eat, talk andget out of the elements. They come insizes for larger and smaller groups. Muktukor seal meat not provided.CAMP LIKE A MONGOLIANThe short winter days often mean youdon’t want to lose daylight to driving,which reduces your range for weekendtrips. And of course, camping usuallyisn’t too tempting in winter. Enter thelatest trend in provincial, state and localparks: Yurts. Borrowed from Mongolianancestry, they’re great for winterovernights so you can camp close toyour paddling destination and spend thedaylight paddling. They’re way cheaperthan a motel, often have a place to cook,are heated, and you can often pile a biggroup inside.BE CHEERYAnyone who lives relatively far northknows about the “winter blahs,” sometimescalled seasonal depression. Thedarkness and rain make it easy to getstuck inside for months at a time. Don’tdo it. It’s one of the best paddling times,and in reality, all you need is a few morelayers, a thermos of warm tea and ashove out the door.Neil Schulman lives and paddles in Oregon, whereSir Francis Drake first complained about the winterweather in 1579. GEAR UP FOR THE WORLD’S LARGEST PLAYGROUND.PACIFICA PADDLE SPORTSVANCOUVER ISLAND’S WIDESTSELECTION OF CANOES ANDKAYAKSKAYAK & CANOE RENTAL FLEETWOOD AND FIBREGLASS CANOE& KAYAK REPAIRPACIFICAPADDLE.COM250.361.9365PACIFICA ADVENTURE TOURSDAY & MULTI DAY TRIPSLESSONS & TRAININGCUSTOM PACKAGESKAYAK BUYER’S CLASS250.361.9881OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK575 PEMBROKE STREET(AT GOVERNMENT)VICTORIA, BC V8T 1H3FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 23

from the rainforestPhoto by B.GlambeckGreat Bear Rainforest — A Success Story or Still At Risk?by Dan LewisThe past couple of summers, Bonny and I have managedto slip away for three weeks of sea kayaking inthe Great Bear Rainforest, on BC’s Central Coast. I’dnever paddled on the mainland north of Bella Bella before, andthis year was eager to finally get up there.What we found did not disappoint! The area is vast, andpotential for paddling is huge. We found ourselves visiting FirstNations villages, paddling with humpback whales, and campingwith grizzly bears. We also found that although the area wasrecently declared “protected” by the BC government, there area lot of threats to the integrity of the ecosystem, which stillneed to be resolved.The Great Bear Rainforest has been the focus of much debatefor more than fifteen years. Many people breathed a sighof relief when they heard the news that the Great Bear wasprotected in February of 2006. The announcement was madewith much fanfare by BC’s Premier Gordon Campbell, whowas surrounded by leaders of environmental groups and FirstNations leaders.Yet although the government’s own panel of scientists recommendedthat 70% of the area be set aside in order to achievea low risk to biodiversity—protecting only 40% would leavebiodiversity at high risk—in the end, only 33% of the land-basewas protected. This is a success story?Conservationists have pegged their support for such a lowlevel of protection on the promise to implement EcosystemBased Management, or EBM. The problem is, EBM is beingphased in over a 3-year period. Logging companies are usingthis window to target areas of high timber value, to get thewood out before they are forced to log in a more environmentallysensitive manner.It doesn’t end there, of course. The BC government has developeda new form of protected area, called a ConservancyArea. A 1990 analysis of protected area status in BC concludedthat the only meaningful form of protection in BC was a NationalPark or a Class A Provincial Park. The new ConservancyArea designation has been compared to a “watered-down ClassB Provincial Park.”The new designation allows for future economic developments,possibly including mining, roads to access timber adjacentto protected areas, and tourism facilities such as lodges.Another threat that we learned about on this past trip is theproposed pipelines from Alberta’s Tar Sands project to the BCcoast at Kitimat. The idea is to bring in condensate (a toxic mixof chemicals and petroleum used to dilute crude oil so it willflow through the pipeline) from Russia, pipe it over the RockyMountains and use it to steam the oil from the Tar Sands. Atwinned pipeline would then pipe crude oil from Alberta backover the Rockies for export.Kayakers will have no problem imagining the potentialdamage caused by a major oil spill in such a remote northernlocation, particularly after this summer’s spills in Vancouverand Robson Bight. BC has only one company with clean-upcapabilities, and it is located in Vancouver. If the spill involveda shipment of condensate, the clean-up crew could not evenapproach the site for at least 48 hours, as the stuff is so flam-24 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

mable that a spark plug in an outboard motor could ignite thewhole mess.The Gitga’at First Nations of nearby Hartley Bay don’t feela lot of confidence in the abilities of big vessels with state-ofthe-artnavigation technology to safely maneuver through theirterritorial waters—places we’ve given such names as “SquallyChannel.” After all, it was the Gitga’at who came to the rescuein winter of 2006 when the BC Ferry (the Queen of the North)ran into Gil Island and sank.The question is not if there will be a spill, but when andhow big. Spills are part of the business of shipping oil. In theevent of such a spill, the big question will be one of jurisdiction.Who is responsible for clean up? The builders of the pipelinessay their responsibility ends where the pipeline ends—at Kitimat.The provincial government will say it is on the ocean, andthus federal jurisdiction. The feds will say it is in BC, and thusa provincial issue. And taxpayers will be left chasing after anoil tanker from goodness knows where, flying who knows whatflag, and owned by a holding company registered offshore.One thing we do know is that the BC government is unwillingto pay to get the diesel fuel out of the sunken Queenof the North, preferring to leave it to slowly leak out in dribsand drabs until rust takes over and releases whatever is left ina major leakage event. The Gitga’at are not impressed by thisand feel their traditional seafood gathering sites are at risk ofcontamination.This past summer, just as we were rounding a point at thesouth end of Whale Channel, a mound of bubbles erupted onthe surface, about 50 feet behind us. Right then a huge humpbackwhale floated to the surface, its mouth gaping open, dozensof silver fish spilling past its yellowish baleen. I often thinkof that whale, and the many other humpbacks and orcas wholive in Whale Channel, and wonder where they will go if theirsummer home becomes the site of a major oil spill.No doubt the February 2006 announcement about protectingthe Great Bear Rainforest was a good first step. But there isa lot more that needs to be done before the incredible biodiversityis truly protected from industrial development.For more information on logging in the Great Bear Rainforest,check out: www.canadianrainforests.org. For more info onkeeping the BC coastline oil-free, check out: www.notankers.ca.FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 25

Mothership Meandering Returnsby Alan WilsonWell, it’s happened. We’ve acquireda new mothership, andthe “twins” (our Necky Gannets)are now resting comfortably onher deck, awaiting adventures to come.Mothership meandering has returned toour lives.It wasn’t supposed to happen so quickly,but a boat that was first owned manyyears ago by Laurie’s parents suddenlybecame available and we just couldn’tsay no. Emotional factors shouldn’t dominateimportant decisions, but let’s faceit, they often do.The vast majority of my boating experience(other than paddling) has beenunder sail, and I’d been leaning towardsus eventually getting a sailing mothership,but our new vessel will do verynicely. She’s a fuel efficient, 32 foot diesel-poweredfiberglass cruiser, capable ofrunning on bio-diesel and of transportingus and our kayaks safely to exploreisolated locales up and down the coast.Tsehum Lady (see-um), as she iscalled, was named by Laurie’s parentsfor their moorage in Tsehum Harbournear Sidney, BC, an area of large intertidalflats. “Tsehum” is believed to be thenative name for “always clay place,” asource of diatomaceous earth they usedin cleansing animal skins.This sudden shift for us back to boatingall came about because of an eveningpaddle last summer. Under a glorioussunset, Laurie and I, along with my then86-year-old father, paddled into TaylorBay at the north end of Gabriola, innocentof what was about to transpire. Lauriepointed to a lone boat lying at anchor,saying it was similar to her parents’ oldboat. As we paddled closer she called outexcitedly, “Hey, that’s Tsehum Lady!”We paddled over and spoke to theowner, who turned out to be the secondowner since Laurie’s father, who hadoriginally imported her from Denmark in1976. As we paddled away, Laurie tossedoff the fateful words... “If you ever thinkof selling, you might give us a call.”Well, he did. And within a couple ofweeks, there we were, surging along inthe boat past Entrance Island Lighthouseon our way to Silva Bay, near our homeat the south end of Gabriola. Thanks toour friends Ron and Diana Mumford,who were off in August, loafing about ontheir boat Loafer II, we had temporarydock space for a few weeks. This was abig help, letting us juggle our time, splitbetween a burgeoning garden, Laurie’swork duties, and an array of fix-it itemson the boat.As cottage gardeners (read cucumberscoming out of our ears and zucchinisthe size of paddles) we had to wait tillthe pantry was full and the winter gardenplanted before we could go cruising.Fortunately, Tsehum Lady is a hardyboat with an enclosed wheelhouse and agood cabin heater, allowing comfortableoff-season gunkholing while most boatsremain tied to the dock till spring.And our home waters, within theprotection of the contiguous chain ofGulf Islands from Gabriola to Saturna,are ideal for winter mothershipping.Here are ample anchorages, placid watersto paddle and a plethora of overwinteringseabirds to photograph.Take a look at a map of the these Islandsand adjacent San Juan Islands tosee the area to be explored, much of itwith beautiful forested shores, shelteredanchorages, secure docks, year roundservices for visitors, good restaurants andsmall communities replete with talentedartists. Yet in the off-season it often feelslike we have these waters to ourselves.We’ve often wondered why most boatersabandon this area over the winter.Yes, it can be wet and sometimes stormy,but not often frigid. And on calm days it’spure bliss to be alone among the wildlifewithout another person in sight. (Maybewe should keep that our little secret.)So a new era of mothership paddlinghas opened for us, and a new career begunfor Tsehum Lady in her fourth decade.We hope to take her on lengthytrips up the coast in future summers andregale you with our paddling discoveries,hither and yon. Until then, happy winterpaddling!PS: The return of “Mothership Meandering” is sponsoredby Silva Bay Resort and Marina, where ourboat is tied up between trips. Silva Bay is a beautifulspot, right on the edge of open Georgia Strait, protectedby the Flat Top Islands (and just a hop fromVancouver). When conditions on the Strait are inclement,you can slip through Gabriola Pass to enjoythe more protected inner waterway created by theGulf Islands, leading south to the US San Juan Islands.The Bay sports three marinas, regularly scheduledfloat plane service, two fuel docks, a good pubrestaurant, liquor store, showers, laundromat, motel,campsite, and a small but well stocked general storewith internet access—it’s a great winter destinationfor both paddlers and boaters. 26 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

Paddle the Flat TopsSilva BayGABRIOLA ISLAND, BC PAGE’S RESORT & MARINASilva Bay — Gabriola IslandFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 27FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 27

Kayaking the Inner Vancouverby Hans TammemagiIhad heard that False Creek, whichcurves like an intestine into the abdomenof Vancouver, offers unmatchedviews of one of North America’s mostvibrant cities. So, as a newcomer to thewest coast, one sun-washed day I foundmyself in a kayak pushing off from adock on Granville Island to see for myself.Looking north, the vista was full of highrisetowers of glass and concrete soaringskyward like rapiers with the sun glintingfrom their polished sides. To the left, twobridges arched high overhead spanningthe waterway, their enormous concreteand steel footings like giant elephant’slegs. And all around our kayaks, whichseemed small and insignificant, boatsbustled about in every direction.“This is urban kayaking,” explainedJeff, our Ecomarine Kayak guide in quietunderstatement, “it’s a bit different fromwilderness touring.” But I was excited, forpaddling in a thrumming cityscape has itsown charm and character.Jeff planned two loops like a figure ofeight: in the morning we would paddleeast and circle False Creek, and in the afternoon,after lunch on Granville Island,we would venture west into English Bay.We started amongst a forest of swayingmasts. Every inch of dock was crammedas we paddled under the smooth hulls ofuntold millions of dollars of sailboats,cabin cruisers and catamarans, many visitingfrom other locales such as Portland,Monterey and the Cayman Islands. Ahand-lettered sign nailed to a piling offered“Fresh Fish For Sale.”In the main channel, the breeze waslight and sunlight sparkled on the water.Snow-capped mountains peeked frombehind the city skyline. Paddling waseasy and wonderfully relaxing, but wehad to be alert, as everywhere we lookedmarine traffic was cruising, maneuveringand docking. Tiny ferries—Aquabuses—raced here and there like bathtub toys.We paddled east down the busy mainchannel, passing the Ocean Cementplant—the last of many industrial sitesthat formerly lined False Creek. Soon wereached Monks Bar and Restaurant andzig-zagged through crustacean-encrustedpilings under the cool shade of its deck.Jeff explained that for over a millennium,natives of the Squamish Nation campednear here, living off the rich abundanceof the sea.Next we passed the dusty constructionsite where the 2010 Olympic Villageis rising, and reached the eastern end ofthe Creek, marked by the golf-ball-likegeodesic dome of Science World. Jeffexplained that when this waterway wasdiscovered in 1859 by Captain GeorgeRichards during a hydrographic surveyby the Royal Navy, it was named FalseCreek because it dead-ended. At thattime the Creek stretched further inland,but was partly filled in during the early1900s to make yards for the CanadianNorthern Pacific Railway.We turned around and paddled westwardalong the north shore, past BCPlace Stadium and the soaring, crowdedskyline of trendy Yaletown, where constructioncranes mingle with skyscrapers.The selection of this area by the CPRas the terminus for its transcontinentalrailway in 1884 was a momentous decisionthat was to build Vancouver into amajor metropolis. But it was a rocky start,as the False Creek area soon became anugly industrial centre. In the shadow ofthe cement plant’s looming silos, Jeff describedhow by the end of World WarTwo, False Creek was lined with smokebelchingmills and had become a filthyditch littered with sewage, industrialwaste and log booms.Around 1970, an amazing revitalizationbegan. The sprawling CPR landswere turned over to the city, contaminatedsediments were dredged and Expo86 was successfully held on the shores ofFalse Creek. Best of all, a seawall wasbuilt, allowing all Vancouverites access tothe water and providing a delightful trailaround Stanley Park, False Creek and onto the University of British Columbia.Vancouver was transformed into one ofthe prettiest cities in the world, and oneof the best to live in. And here we were,drinking it all in at water level!Two dragon boats laboured past, thepaddlers sweating to the beat of a drum.In addition to power and sail boats, wesaw canoes, kayaks and sculls, testimony28 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

NANAIMOAN AMAZING KAYAKINGDESTINATIONNanaimo’s spectacular harbour is enticingto explore by kayak… whether you are paddling todinner, wildlife watching, taking in the stunning sceneryor discovering the rich heritage of the area. Nanaimo…it’s amazing what you can do here in a kayak!1 800 663 7337www.kayak.tourismnanaimo.comFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 29

“Unexpectedly, a tugboat churned around the corner pulling anenormous barge laden with gravel for the cement plant, leaving usrocking in its wake.”that False Creek has become an immenselypopular recreational waterway.Nearing a group of houseboats, thesmooth head of a seal popped out of thewater and inspected me with large, endearingeyes.As the sun reached its zenith, we returnedto Granville Island and meanderedamongst funky cafes, restaurantsand craft shops; at the market we chosecheeses, olives and panini for lunch. Nowone of the most vibrant areas of Vancouver,a rusty rail line along a cobblestonedalley and a welding shop stuckincongruously between a coffee bar andan art shop are reminders of the island’sindustrial past.Refreshed, we paddled westward passingunder the immense Burrard andGranville bridges. Bobbing at water levelI felt a smug satisfaction at being removedfrom the fume-spewing rat racethat roared overhead.Unexpectedly, a tugboat churnedaround the corner pulling an enormousbarge laden with gravel for the cementplant, leaving us rocking in its wake.As English Bay opened up before us,the mood changed. Now we were in openocean with a brisk wind and large waves,• Life preserver signalingemergency strobe.• Waterproof and corrosionresistant. Slim, lightweight.• Comes with velcro strap.Operates more than eighthours on 2 AA alkaline orlithium batteries.#048807 Sale $32 99• Also includes electroniccompass, barometricaltimeter and automaticpressure trend recording• Turn-by-turn routingcapability.• Waterproof, ruggedhousing• Considered the mainstayamong serious outdoorenthusiasts#602371 Reg. $549 99Sale $449 99• World’s first 5W VHFhandheld marine transceiverthat floats• Rugged waterproof body• Easy to use, easy to hold• Optional speaker-microphone,HM-165• Li-Ion battery and chargedstandard• Optional battery case forusing with alkaline cells#004163 Reg: $229 99Sale $174 99AdvancedFrame KayakRubber handle• A hybrid of a foldingframe kayak andinflatable kayak• Aluminum ribs bow & stern• Stern skeg allows for trackabilityBungee decklacingDurable fabric coverAE1012 #000535 Store SpecialD-ring tiedownAdjustableback support• Durable 3-layer construction helps resist punctures• Plenty of on-board storage for extended trips• Includes carrying Duffel Bag, folding seat, Repair KitTracking 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 thekayak easily rolls up and fits into#640329 Reg: $399 99 Sale $299 99with pump and paddles $329 9930 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

some with whitecaps. We paddled carefully,mindful of larger waves and wakesfrom passing boats. Farther out, about adozen ocean-going freighters lay at anchorlike abandoned waifs, waiting fortheir turn at the wharf.Following the south shore we soonreached the Maritime Museum. Aftera brief stop, we continued to KitsilanoBeach with its swimming pools and pier.We turned north. As Jeff led us acrossopen water toward Second Beach inStanley Park, there was an uncomfortablefeeling of exposure. In the distance,a lone red kayak rode the crests and disappearedin the troughs.Arriving at Stanley Park, we followedthe famous seawall. We waved to passingcyclists, walkers and roller-bladers,admired the informal artwork of balancingrocks and were awed by the power ofthe winter storm which left thousands oftrees uprooted.We turned around at Siwash Rock,which by native legend is a brave youngchief cast into stone by the gods becauseof his love for his wife. Jeff explained thatwe could not go past Lions Gate Bridge,as unpowered boats are not allowed inBurrard Inlet.With a flood tide and the wind at ourbacks, we lolly-gagged along, admiringthe beaches along the north shore andtheir backdrop of soaring condominiums.Nearing our dock, an elegant cruiseroozing of money motored down the middleof the channel. Waving back to thecaptain, I thought that I wouldn’t tradeplaces with him for anything. Get Kayaking with Skegs...Nordkapp LVChatham 17CurrituckGulfstreamLimited Edition Greenland PaddlesEllesmereSince 1980Granville IslandEnglish BayJerichoTry and Buy604-689-7575ecomarine.comIf You GoFor Rentals, Tours, Lessons: EcomarineOcean Kayak Centre. www.ecomarine.comWhere to Launch: Ecomarine on GranvilleIsland or at Vanier Park.Accommodation: Granville Island Hotelwww.granvilleislandhotel.comEvents: Ocean Kayak Marathon in July with 5and 10 km courses. www.ecomarine.com/adventure/ev_marathon.htmlJericho Ocean Man: swimming, running andpaddling race in August. www.oceanman.caFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 31

kayak reviewby Alex MatthewsSea Kayaking UK - Nigel Dennis ExplorerSince its introduction in 1993, theExplorer has been used extensivelyon a great number of ambitiousexpeditions and is considered in manycircles to be a classic design.The Explorer is an attractive kayakwith a traditional British look. Both theupswept bow and stern come to fineends, and a simple but useful deck layoutfollows the “form follows function”design adage: there are no bells andwhistles, and no extraneous features thatserve no purpose. It’s no secret that thebuild quality of Explorers has been inconsistentat times, but our sample boatwas neatly constructed and exhibited noquality control issues. Nigel Dennis favorsa somewhat “old school” laminateconstruction, employing chop strand matrather than cloth materials. The result isa relatively heavy, resin-rich layup that isstiff but potentially brittle. Chop strandmat laminates, however, are easy to repair,as damage from impacts tends to bemore localized, rather than spread over abigger surface. Weight for our “StandardFiberglass Layup” test boat was a manageable58 pounds.Length is 17 feet 8 inches, and beam isa narrow 21.5 inches. The hull has a distinctlyhard chine, and the cross-sectionalshape of the boat is quite boxy, resultingin very good initial stability for such anarrow craft. The boat’s internal volumeis divided by three bulkheads, and sealedby three round rubber hatches. The dayhatch is a proprietary unit, while themain fore and aft compartments aresealed by 10 inch Kajak Sport hatches.The bulkiest item in my kit is a syntheticsleeping bag, and I found that it packedinto the bow fairly well, but that thestern was too low to easily angle the bagthrough the small round hatch opening.While the smallopenings makeloading more challenging,the hatcheswere absolutelybone-dry even afterplaying in surfor rolling manytimes. I hate leakyhatches and so wasvery pleased withthe absolute dryness of thissystem. Whether it’s worthtrading off on ease of accessin favor of a smallerbut totally watertight hatchis a personal choice for eachpaddler to consider. Sincethe Explorer is a mid-volume sized kayak,there isn’t a ton of space below deck,but careful packing, employing more ofa backpacker’s philosophy, yields enoughroom for extended trips.Several skeg setups are available. Ourtest boat had a slider adjustment systemlocated on the paddler’s left, and whilethe skeg blade was very floppy side-toside,it did deploy smoothly and workedfine.The keyhole cockpit makes getting inand out easy, but still provides a large surfacearea for thigh contact with the deck.Overall fit is very good and a secure gripwith the legs is easily achieved. The seat isa small contoured fiberglassunit that some liked, whileothers complained that itwas uncomfortable and tooshort to provide leg support(a foam seat is also offeredas an option). There wastotal agreementon the back-band:everyone hatedit as it providedvery poor supportand consistentlypinched flesh betweenthe seatand the band’slower edge. Fortunately,there aremany excellent after-market back-bandsavailable. Due to the low back deck andangled coaming, leaning back in theExplorer is very comfortable. This combinedwith the excellent fit, makes rollingthe boat remarkably easy.32 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

Afloat, the Explorer is very reassuringand easy to paddle for such a narrowbeam. It tracks well and holds a goodtouring pace comfortably. It will also turnquite sharply, but needs to be edged aggressivelybefore it will carve a tight turn.Secondary stability is very good and theboat rolls up onto edge very nicely, makingit fun to maneuver. The Explorer isalso very good in wind, feeling neutraland holding a course well. I also had anopportunity to play in some two to threefoot waves and I thoroughly enjoyed theboat’s great fit and solid handling. Thebow does a good job of staying at thesurface and doesn’t deflect easily or divewhen surfing waves.In my mind though, the Explorerisn’t really the all-out “play-machine”sea kayak that it’s often represented tobe. For that there’s the shorter NigelDennis Romany, Valley Pintail, NeckyChatham 16, or Mariner Coaster, butwhen it comes to covering miles and stillhaving fun along the way, the Exploreris awfully good. Above all else it seemsto have wonderful poise in just about allsituations and impresses perhaps morewith its distinct lack of faults or handlingquirks, rather than with any one specificperformance attribute. It’s a terrific boatthat helps a paddler confront challengingconditions, and feel confident doingso—it’s a classic!Length: 17 ft. 8 in.Width: 21.5 in.Weight: 58 lbs. (measured)Volumes per compartment: Front - 58 litres,Middle - 39 litres, Rear - 60 litresStandard Fiberglass Layup: $3,495 Cdn,$2,999 USElite Pro Layup: $3,895 CdnSea Kayaking UK Ltd.Newry Beach RoadHolyhead, AngleseyLL65 1YD, United KingdomTelephone: +(44) 1407 762425 or 765550(Office hours 9 am – 5 pm GMT)www.seakayakinguk.com/A big Thank You to Don at Comox Valley Kayaksfor the loan of our test kayak. Comox Valley Kayakshas two locations to serve you and are VancouverIsland’s source for Nigel Dennis sea kayaks andmore. www.comoxvalleykayaks.com or call 1-888-545-5595. FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 33

STEP 2: SAND / FILE-OUT GOUGESBefore filling the gouges with putty, sand out (and if necessary, file or grind out)all gouges to ensure that no loose pieces of gel-coat remain.How To Paint Your Kayakby Nick JonesAs a 40th birthday present for myself, I recently purchaseda used Seaward Navigator that was part of theMEC rental fleet in Toronto. The boat was in goodshape structurally but had a lot of scratches and a couple ofdeep gouges in its hull. As a fun project, I researched what optionsexisted to refinish the hull of my new kayak.One option was to get a kayak shop to gel-coat the bottom ofthe boat. This would have cost between $500 and $1000.Another option I discovered was to patch the gouges andpaint the bottom of the kayak using marine paint (the stuffthe hulls of boats are painted with). The friendly staff at WestMarine (www.westmarine.com) walked me through the variouspaint options, and based upon their advice, I selected a marinepolyurethane paint called “Brightside” by Interlux (www.yachtpaint.com). The West Marine team also helped me selecta 2-part putty called Marine Tex (www.marinetex.com) to fillthe gouges. I researched online how to prepare the hull andhow to apply the putty and paint.STEP 1: WASH KAYAK AND REMOVE HARDWAREScrub the area of the boat that is to be painted with soap and water and then letdry. This will help remove contaminants on the kayak’s surface.STEP 3: CLEAN GOUGESOnce all gouges have been sanded/filed out, clean the gouges with acetone toensure that they are clean of all contaminants (oils, dirt, etc.).STEP 4: PUTTY GOUGESFollow the Marine Tex instructions and mix the putty with the hardener on a mixingboard or piece of cardboard (in my case, an old tissue box).Apply the putty to the gouges and flatten out the putty as smoothly as possible(you can use a wetted spatula to do this). Remove as much excess putty as possiblebecause this is easier than sanding it flat later on.Let the putty cure for 18 – 24 hours. (I let the putty on my boat cure for 48 hoursto ensure that it was completely dry and set.)Remove all screws, fittings, rudders, rub strips, etc. from the hull (or other area)that you are going to paint. Store these parts in a bag or box so that nothing getslost.34 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

STEP 5: SAND AND CLEAN SURFACEOnce the putty is fully cured, sand the entire area of the kayak that is to bepainted. Sanding ensures that the area to be painted is rough and will give thepaint something to grip on to. Use 50-grit sandpaper to smooth out any lumpyareas of hardened putty and then 100-grit on the entire area. Although this canbe done by hand, using a basic random-orbit or sheet sander will save lots oftime. (I went to Canadian Tire and picked up a basic sander for $15.)When the entire area has been sanded, dust it off and then thoroughly wipedown the entire area to be painted with acetone. Acetone will remove any dust,oils and other contaminants that might affect the paint being applied. Be sure towear latex or rubber gloves so that your skin does not come in contact with theacetone. Also make sure that you are working in a well-ventilated area to helpavoid breathing in acetone fumes.Your Mothership Repair SpecialistsNOTE: Once you have wiped down the boat do not touch it again with your barehands as this will leave skin oils on the surface to be painted.STEP 6: TAPE AND PAINT SURFACEIf you are only painting one area of the boat (in my case, the hull), apply maskingtape to protect the adjacent areas. Shake the paint can thoroughly to ensurethat the paint is well mixed. Open the paint can, pour the amount of paint thatyou will need in a container and then close the can to ensure that the remainingpaint does not dry out.Using a 2 – 3 inch feather tip paintbrush, apply the paint to the kayak’s surfacein even, smooth strokes. Ensure that the paint is evenly distributed and that thewet paint surface is smooth. Remove the masking tape while the paint is still wetto ensure that you can wipe away any paint that has slipped through a crack inthe tape.FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 35

Although one coat is probably sufficient, a secondcoat will ensure a more durable layer of paint onyour kayak. Let the first coat dry for at least 24 hoursbefore applying the second coat. Then gently sandthe entire paint area with 100-grit sandpaper toensure that the second coat has a good surface onwhich to grip. Apply masking tape again and painton a second coat of paint. Remember to remove themasking tape while the paint is still wet.STEP 7: RE-INSTALL HARDWARE AND WAXOnce the second coat of paint is dry, you can re-installthe hardware that you originally removed.The last step is to wash the entire kayak again withsoap and water and then to apply and buff on agood quality marine wax to protect the entire surfaceof the kayak.AND THE RESULT?Admittedly, there was a part of mehoping for a factory-quality, new gel-coatfinish as a result of my efforts.Was this the case? No, you can stillsee some of the deeper scratches in thehull and the painted surface is not mirrorsmooth as gel-coat from a factorymold would be.However, the hull of mykayak looked a lot better thanit had just a couple of daysbefore (see the photo—it’s actuallyshiny and quite smoothagain). My kayak will alsomore easily slide through thewater with this new finish onits hull. And I have fixed severaldeep gouges and protectedthe hull with a durable finish.Not a bad result for about12 hours work and $100 inmaterials and equipment. Nick Jones is the SKABC Webmaster.36 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

skillsetThe “Bow Tip Out” Assisted Rescueby Alex MatthewsThe bow tip-out rescue is quick, dependable, and can be performedreliably in all but really rough conditions. It also has the great advantageof emptying most of the water from a capsized kayak before theswimmer re-enters it.This rescue depends on the capsized kayak having appropriate floatationfore and aft—waterproof compartments sealed by bulkheads at both the bowand stern are best, but float bags that are securely held in place also work.The rescuer approaches the bow of the capsized kayak, positioning him/herself perpendicular to the boat in a T formation. Don’t be overly concernedabout achieving the perfect position, as the rescue will work from almost anyangle. Focus instead on getting a good grip on the capsized boat’s bow.To secure a good grip on the bow, commit your weight onto the capsizedboat. Even upside down, a kayak has plenty of floatation and will easily supportyou. With one hand on the keel, reach across your body with the otherand grip the bow’s grab-handle—this will put you in a great position to pullthe boat up onto your deck.Direct the swimmer to his stern (we’re assuming the swimmer is a man forthis discussion) and have him press down on it by getting his chest up ontothe keel. This will raise the bow of the inverted kayak, at which point youshould decisively yank it across your spray deck. Once the bow is elevated,water inside will flow down toward the stern bulkhead, and drain out. It is notnecessary to lift the bow above your deck—simply getting it to rest across yourspray-deck will empty most of the water.Next, rotate the kayak upright, taking care that if it has a rudder it doesn’tcontact the swimmer. You can now pull the swimmer’s kayak in parallel toyour own boat and stabilize it for reentry. Commit fully to bracing the swimmer’skayak by leaning your body weight aggressively onto the other boat. Agood strategy is to have your armpit above the foredeck’s centerline. Maintaina grip on the boat’s perimeter lines rather than the cockpit rim as this willgreatly reduce the risk of getting kicked in the hands when the swimmer reenters.One of the challenges in any rescue is managing paddles. Up to this point,the swimmer should keep his paddle in-hand, but for re-entry it’s easier tohave both hands free. The swimmer’s paddle can now be stashed under adeck line, or passed to the rescuer. When performing a rescue I generally keepmy paddle in my lap, were I can pin it under my forearms, or I tuck it undermy arm or a deck-line. I also love using a paddle leash in situations where Iam likely to want both hands free (taking photos, fishing, doing rescues...).Maintaining contact with his boat, the swimmer now moves to the side ofhis kayak, to a point just behind the cockpit. With a good grip on the cockpitrim and a powerful kick of the legs, the swimmer hauls himself up onto hiskayak’s stern deck. Staying chest down and low to the deck, the swimmerplaces a hand over onto the rescuer’s boat to help keep the kayaks together.With his head toward the stern, the swimmer lifts his legs into the cockpit, andthen slides in while twisting into a sitting position. Staying low throughout thismaneuver maximizes stability.Once the swimmer is back aboard, maintain a grip on his boat until hisspray-deck is on and you are confident that you are both ready to proceed andhave a clear plan of action.TipIf conditions are really rough and a bow tip-out is proving too difficult, don’t waste time strugglingwith the bow. Instead, simply get alongside the capsized boat, grab it, and flip it upright.Then stabilize the boat for re-entry and pump the water out once the swimmer is back in. This issometimes called the “parallel park and pump” or “PPP.” It isn’t the prettiest rescue, but in trulychallenging conditions it is often best. Remember, all rescues should clearly focus on outcome(getting the swimmer to safety) and not on any one particular technique or strategy. FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 37

Winter Pool Session: The Rat Swim and Bow Rescueby Adam BolonskyOf the many rescues most of us practice on a regularbasis, perhaps none is better known than the T rescue.In that well-known move, immediately a paddlercapsizes, he or she pops the sprayskirt, wet exits, thrashes to thesurface and, with the assistance of a second paddler, emptiesthe flooded kayak for re-entry. The intermediate steps are liftingthe bow before positioning the swimmer’s boat and crawlingback into the cockpit by way of a stirrup, scoop or cowboy-up.There’s a fair amount of drifting and muscling involvedmeanwhile. And, in theory, once the paddler has scrambledback into the cockpit and snugged the sprayskirt down, offthe group goes. There’s nothing left to do now but reassemblethe confidence a group needs to paddle in a pod weakened bya capsize recovery—a phenomenon known as capsize virus,when one capsize in a group tends to cause more.One problem with this widely-practised rescue, at least fromthe perspective of paddling in rougher water or higher winds,is the element of complexity. First, one has to wet exit, placingin the water from head to toe a paddler who now needs helpgetting back into his boat; second, the swimmer has to separatehimself from his most significant source of flotation, the kayakitself; third, the swimmer has to muscle the capsized kayak intoT position while waves break or winds blow swimmer, boat,and rescuer offshore, ashore or downcoast.Here’s an alternative to practise this winter in the pool. Afteryou capsize and discover or decide you can’t roll, don’t wet exitthe boat. Rather, stay in the boat, rat swim to the surface, andtread water while you await a bow rescue or decide to attemptanother roll.In short, by practicing the rat swim (a well-known whitewaterpaddling move) you not only breathe while you remainwithin your cockpit, but also keep your skirt secure while youset up for a fast and dirty bow rescue.38 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

HERE ARE THE KEYS TO THE MOVE.First, ask yourself which is your onside, or the side on whichyou feel more coordinated. If you are like most, your onside islikely your right. This is the side you want to capsize towards.In most cases, righties should practise by capsizing to starboard,lefties to port.Next with your sprayskirt secure and a friend standing by inthe shallow end to reassure you, capsize towards your onside.Once you’re underwater, take a three-four-count as youtwist in the cockpit so that you lie in the water face down, chestparallel to the water’s surface. Your pfd’s buoyancy will help.Counting will help you relax—key to the move.Once you’ve relaxed, allow your body to go limp within thecockpit. Specifically, allow your hips to go limp. To ensure thatyour hips and thighs are as relaxed as possible, let your feet fallfrom the footpegs and allow knees to fall in against each otherwithin the cockpit. You want to become a rag-doll, essential forthe crux of the move.Now twist within the cockpit, as if trying to kneel on thesidewall of the cockpit (starboard wall for righties, port for lefties).You’ll find this position places you chest down, backside up,placing your torso parallel to the water’s surface. Take a coupleof relaxed dogpaddle strokes and, presto, you’ll be able to raiseyour head to the surface. Once you’re up there you can break,and even swim several yards with the boat, all without poppingthe sprayskirt.Portable PerformanceContinue to dogpaddle, as if gathering big soft piles of laundryin towards your torso.Wow! Look! The combination of dog paddle, body positionand pfd flotation will hold your head on the surface. One morestroke and…here comes a companion for a fast and easy bowrescue. Your sprayskirt is still secure. You can lift yourself fromyour friend’s bow or stern, and there you will be, sitting in astill dry boat.Seaker15-minute setupinnovakayak.comFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 39

Nonetheless, take a calm breath or two while you float. Ifno one’s close enough yet for a rescue, relax, allow your torsoto sink below the surface, and dog paddle up for a breath oncemore.As you float and drop, float and drop in a sequence similarto the widely-taught swimmer’s survival float, consider your options.Shall you position the paddle for a roll? Is anyone closeenough for a bow rescue? Or is it truly time now to wet-exit andbegin the rather laborious T rescue you had hoped to avoid?Chances are, waiting for that fast and dirty bow rescue will bethe better choice.TIPS AND POINTERSShould the rat swim and the endless supplies of breaths it provides continueto elude, here are some pointers.1. If, once upside down, you become confused about what to do, imaginethat your kayak is see-through. Then (this is meant to be humorous)imagine that you’ve pulled your pants down and that you want to moonthe paddlers around you (hey, humor helps you relax). To moon yourpals, of course, you need to turn over in the cockpit if you want tolift your rear end skyward. If you can’t picture yourself mooning yourfriends, rear end gleefully glistening on the surface, you haven’t turnedover within the cockpit.2. If the above fails, try the following: don’t force your head to the surface;rather, dog paddle calmly and slowly. The less you thrash, the moreyour pfd’s buoyancy will help raise your head to the surface. Dog paddlingwith small, fast strokes will also help you swim around with theboat.3. Once your head breaks the surface, change the dog paddle to a modifiedbreaststroke: make with your hands a series of heart-shaped patternsjust below your sternum. The increased lift will make it easier totread water and take a breath or two.4. Finally, should all else fail, check to make sure that your hips are loosewithin the cockpit so that the kayak capsizes fully upside down on top ofyou. The position is impossible unless you release all leg, hip, and buttcontact within the boat.Come paddlewith us!For more tours, check outwww.albernioutpost.com1 866 760 001140 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

So really: Why a rat swim and not the wet-exit-and-T-rescue?For starters, you avoid flooding your kayak which otherwisewill require emptying by way of more time-consuming T orH rescues.Second, if you rat swim, you remain within your boat,sprayskirt secure and three-quarters towards where you wantto be at the end of a rescue anyhow.Third, and most important, learning to rat swim will changeyour frame of reference psychologically. Whereas capsizesonce may have meant no longer paddling and no longer beinga paddler, now capsizes simply mean bracing the kayaka little differently than you have before. You don’t leave theboat. You become a paddler using hands rather than paddleto create recovery strokes. Moreover, with the rescue alreadythree-quarters done, all you need to do is continue acting likea paddler as you await a bow, stern, or paddle with which toright yourself.Give the rat swim a try this winter down at the local pool.Do so and you’ll find yourself that much more confident andrelaxed when you’re wilderness paddling next season. “We know our stuff”getting you out there since 1981A Proud “on water” Delta Kayaks dealer1824 STORE STREET VICTORIA, BC. PH 250.381.4233 • TOLL FREE 1 800 909 4233WWW.OCEANRIVER.COM FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 41

Greenland Rope Gymnasticsby John GambaFor me, learning something newis always a solitary experience. Idislike being watched, especiallywhen doing something which could leadto embarrassment. However, today I amdetermined to shun my paranoia andshut out my surroundings, like I do whenI’m about to swing a golf club.Setting up for the roll, I prepare myself,mentally going through the stepsnecessary to be completely committedto the maneuver. After rocking back andforth in indecision, I tuck my head andhesitantly roll forward. Before I knowit, I am upside down and trying to workthough the next steps—without success.The first half of this roll, having gone accordingto plan, has left me holding onto try to get upright before bailing. Timepasses as I continue to search for somemagic counter-balance move that hadeluded my lower body, which I blame formy un-righted state. I am, however, notcold, out of breath or disoriented, nor iswater flooding into my nostrils, causingme to panic.Calm and self aware, I am slung upsidedown between a pair of GreenlandRopes in a gymnastic apparatus at theWest Coast Sea Kayaking Symposiumin Port Townsend. In full view of theobserving public, I awkwardly bail out,butt first in a bump to a mat eight inchesbelow, with one leg still slung to the ropesabove (so much for unwarranted paranoia).Later, Dubside may have somesuggestions for me, and I trust that atsome point I will master the basic Qajaasarneqmove (Greenlandic for “likerolling a kayak”).“The rope gymnastics are usefulfor practising and exercising inall seasons of the year. These techniquesare excellent exercise forworking and strengthening yourmuscles and tendons. If you wantto be an excellent kayak roller andstrong paddler, you should practiserope gymnastics. Practising ropegymnastics will make your bodystrong and flexible.”Maligiaq Padilla, GreenlandNational Kayaking ChampionRope Gymnastics are officially knownas Allunaariaqattaarneq, translated:“games performed using harpoon line.”They are a collection of Inuit maneuverswith origins going back hundredsof years, developed by the Inuit peoplesof North America and East and WestGreenland. The oversight of the sport isnow handled by the Greenland KayakingAssociation or Kayaks Club—QaannatKattuffiat—and the sport is partof the Greenland National KayakingChampionships held there every year.Unlike European gymnastics that arebased on rigid high and uneven bars,these “games” are performed independentlyon low and high ropes. Two lowropes are suspended roughly waist high,and high ropes are generally within anarm’s reach. High ropes require strengthand endurance to perform maneuvers;low ropes are the easier to learn, witha varying level of difficulty. Learningthe ropes helps to build strength in thetorso, legs and arms, and to improve balance,flexibility and timing. Over time, itwill help condition the mind and bodybeyond strength or endurance, in wayspaddlers need, bringing a composuremany of us find through Yoga.Most children in Greenland firstlearn rope gymnastics before ever rollinga kayak in the ice-cold water. It is fun,challenging, competitive, yet reasonablysafe, which is why it is taught so early tochildren.My friend Dubside, whom manyknow as a world-renowned rolling expertwilling to share the skills of rolling toanyone, competitors and beginners alike,is bringing the sport of Greenland RopeGymnastics to many people. When Iasked why he has gone through the greatdifficulty of mastering and demonstrating42 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

this sport around the world, he replied,“I want to expose people to the cultureof the Inuit and the natives of Greenland,by sharing their kayaking and ropegymnastics skills. The benefit of thesesports to adult kayakers and children isespecially great. I would like one day tosee groups coming from Greenland todemonstrate this sport here in NorthAmerica, including those children whomaster and compete in this sport.”Dubside, who started learning theropes around 2000, emphasizes thatit has made him a better kayaker, especiallyin performing the over thirtydifferent Greenlandic rolls in competitions.At symposiums and workshopsaround the world, his rope gymnasticdemonstrations draw large crowds,which include many children eager andunabashed at trying the rolls in public.I am constantly surprised at howyoung children can knock off many ofthe low rope maneuvers with relativelylittle instruction or help. Though he hasput his own mark on the sport, having recentlyacquired a state-of-the-art collapsiblealuminum apparatus, Dubside givescredit to the founders of the sport and totheir heritage. He teaches the Greenlandicnames for all the rope and kayak rollmaneuvers.After competing in the GreenlandKayaking Championships in 2004,Dubside accomplished many “firsts,”including being possibly the first non-Greenlander to compete expertly in theropes competition. In 2006, he achievedone of the sport’s highest scores overall,and his agent, Tom Sharp, earned a goldmedal in the senior’s competition. Theyhave produced an instructional DVDof the low rope maneuvers: Qajaasarneq.The DVD provides a comprehensive introductionto setting up the ropes, and isan easy to follow, narrated guide througheach of the low rope maneuvers. Eachexercise consists of a specified positionfrom which you must bring yourselfcompletely around the ropes and returnto the starting position. With highand low ropes combined, there are atotal of seventy-four different moves,all with Greenlandic names and pointvalues based on the degree of difficulty.You don’t need a modular frame, acouple of trees or a wooden swing setwill do.I started with some of the low ropemaneuvers, achievable with the detailedguidance in Dubside’s DVD. Thefirst time I spun completely around,without muscling through, felt veryempowering, just like my first effortlesskayak roll. The skill is not in brute force,but rather based on body position, flexingat the right time, and mostly, committingoneself to the whole maneuver. It is easyto see why Greenlanders have preservedFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 43

Adventure TourismPrograms5-month certificate or 2-year diplomathese skills, and now practice this sportto compete and to prepare for kayaking.I feel like a kid doing this sport, and knowthat it will help me with many of the advancedGreenland rolls. If I can do it,how about you?If you visit www.Dubside.net you willfind help in setting up ropes, and detailson his instructional video, which is availablethrough many outlets in Canadaand the US.Throughout the next paddling season,Dubside will be demonstrating rope gymnasticsin at least seven paddle-sport venuesin Canada and the US, and teachingworkshops in the Pacific Northwest, theBC Lower Mainland and on VancouverIsland. He will be touring with his newportable rope gymnastics frame. Thismodular apparatus was designed by TomGamba and Surrey Fluid Power Ltd. engineerJerry Leung with the assistance ofTom Sharp and Dubside.I believe that anyone who wants to improvehis or her advanced kayaking skillsshould consider Greenland Rope Gymnastics.Giving it a try will bring greatsatisfaction and conditioning for kayaking,gymnastics, swimming and a host ofother sports. Besides, it’s good play!BCU InstructionVisit our stores in Portland,Bend and Hood River, ORKAYAK & CANOEsalesrentals888 571.4545shop.aldercreek.comThose who have helped preserve andexpand the sport include:Qaannat Kattuffiat - www.qajaqusa.org/QK/QK.htmlQajaq USA - www.qajaqusa.org/QUSA/qusa.phpManasse Mathaeussen - Greenlandic kayakingskills were in serious danger of being lostforever. In fact many of the techniques werelost but to this one man—the dean of Greenlandkayaking.John Heath - www.seakayakermag.com/2000/june2000/JuneHeath3.htmMaligiaq Padilla - www.qajaqusa.org/Technique/ropegymnasticsartwork.htmGreg Stamer - www.qajaqusa.org/QUSA/bio_greg.htmlDubside - www.dubside.netCulture Greenland - www.culture.gl• • • • •Ropes diagrams - www.qajaqusa.org/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=36639 44 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

getting startedby Alex MatthewsTransporting Your KayakUntil you’ve done it often, transporting kayaks can be stressful.More specifically, it’s the job of securely tying boats tothe roof of a vehicle that intimidates many. This concernis well justified because most serious damage to kayaks is incurredduring transportation, not while paddling. But with the right setup,car-topping a kayak is both safe and easy.Most important, and often dismissed, is the need for a strong,solidly attached set of roof racks. Unfortunately, factory-installedracks are seldom ideal. After-market racks from manufacturers likeYakima or Thule are the ultimate solution for hauling kayaks. Theyhave racks to fit virtually any vehicle, as well as unique systems suchas kayak rollers and cradles that do a great job of protecting yourboat and make loading and tying kayaks easier.If you are using simple bar racks, it’s a good idea to pad the rackswith foam to save your kayak some scratches and wear. It’s also importantto avoid contact between your kayak and your car’s roofwhile traveling. Because a boat will invariably move during transit(no matter how tightly it’s tied), if it’s in contact with your car, the resultcan be serious abrasion to the vehicle’s paint job. Likewise, whentransporting several fiberglass kayaks, avoid direct contact betweenboats to prevent damage to gelcoat.Although loading a kayak onto the roof of a vehicle can be accomplishedby one strong person, it is much easier with two people—oneat each end.To tie your boat down, ropes work well enough, but cam strapsare quicker and far more reliable for most folks. Regardless of whichyou use, securely tying a boat onto your roof racks is pretty easy. Aslong as you don’t strap it down at its widest point, but have a strapon each side of the cockpit, the tapered shape of a kayak will preventthe boat from sliding forward or backward. Don’t be afraid toaggressively tighten straps when securing plastic boats. The chancesof hurting them are slim. With fiberglass or thermoformed kayaks, amuch more delicate touch is needed. An added piece of insurance isto tie a bowline or stern line to your kayak, although you don’t wantto tie them too tightly, as that will bend your boat along its length.The final touch is to securely stow any excess strap or rope ends toavoid excessive wind noise when driving.Something to keep in mind is that a kayak left upright on your vehicleovernight can collect a surprising amount of rainwater, makingit much heavier, and it will be best to drain the boat before drivingoff. Be careful when unloading boats containing water—not onlyare they very heavy, but you may also get soaked wrestling them offthe roof.On a final note, expect your tie job to loosen after driving for awhile, especially on rough, backcountry roads or in wet conditions.Losing a kayak off the roof of your car is no laughing matter andcan end in disaster, so take the time to pull over to double check thatyour kayak is secure. FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 45

gear lockerby Alex MatthewsPeak UK AdventurerPaddling JacketPaddleALASKA!YourPersonalSeaKayakMothershipHelp us celebrate our10 th Anniversarywww.homeshore.cominfo@homeshore.com1.800.287.7063(01)360. 738.2239While Peak UK is very well establishedin its native UnitedKingdom, it’s less well knownin North America. All that is about tochange, however, as Peak establishes adistribution base in Utah, and paddlershere become more aware of the brand.The Adventurer is a full-feature, pulloverjacket designed for sea kayakers.It has an integrated hood and a 2-partcollar system; the interior collar is softneoprene. It can be left open to providesome ventilation, or cinched tight viaVelcro, creating a seal at the neck. Theouter collar has a zip closure and a comfymicro fleece lining. The jacket’s hood adjustseasily to provide a good fit and unobstructedperipheral vision. When notin use, the hood can be rolled into thecollar. While it’s a nice idea, I found thecollar overly bulky with the hood stowed,and preferred to leave it out.Latex gaskets at the cuffs provide a waterproofseal at the wrists, and neopreneover-cuffs protect the latex. The waist is awide neoprene band that can be cinchedtight, and incorporates a “double tunnel.”This consists of a second layer offabric at the waist within the jacket, sothat a sprayskirt can be sandwiched betweenthe jacket’s inner and outer layersfor a good seal against water entry.The Adventurer is made from a waterproof-breathablefabric called X4MRand all seams are taped. The fabric isquite heavy so while the jacket promisesto be very durable, it’s also fairly bulkywhen stowed. The cut is good, favoringa lean fit; some may find sizing a touchon the small side. The arms of the garment,in particular, felt a little snug atthe elbows (and I’m skinny). The heavierfabric reinforcements at the elbows maycontribute to the slight constriction, althoughwhen paddling I never felt mymovements to be restricted in any way.A large zippered mesh pocket adornsthe front of the jacket (although it is coveredby a PFD) and reflective stripes runthe length of the arms.With the neck tightly cinched, theAdventurer is remarkably dry. I couldeven roll repeatedly with very little watergetting past the collar. Obviously it isn’tas waterproof as adry top with a latexneck, and should youswim, the only thingthat will keep youdry is a full-on drysuit,but the Adventurerprovides moreventing options andbetter comfort atthe neck than theseother garments.Because of the latex gaskets at thewrists and the double tunnel, this jacketisn’t the easiest to quickly don or take off.It’s also warm. For these reasons it’s bestsuited to colder days, or when conditionscause continual splashing. The Adventureris an excellent winter and shoulderseason jacket, when you can comfortablywear it all day long without overheating,but having said that, it’s also great backupto have in your hatch anytime thatconditions get stormy and cold.Peak UK AdventurerColors: RedSizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL.Factory Price: $355 USPeak UK USA2240 S 2100 ESLC, UTTel: 801-649-6148Fax: 801-649-4853Web: www.peakuk.com 46 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

great giftsScotty 793 Throw BagBright orange nylon and polyester self-draining bag, with adjustable strap and 3Mreflective safety band. Includes 50’ x 9/32” / 660 lb. test (15m x 7mm / 300 kg test),braided MFP polypropylene floating rope. Please visit scotty.comKokatat’s Ronin ProKokatat’s Ronin Pro (Type V) rescue vest has a trimmed-down profile and unique internal harness,which envelopes the paddler’s torso for a comfortable secure fit, full spinal protection and improvedside protection. The user friendly front-entry design, with quick release chest harness, stretch meshsleeve for small tow tether, two pockets, and reflective accents make the Ronin Pro a greatchoice for ocean paddlers. Made with GAIATM PVC-free foam. Transport Canada approved.Sizes: S/M, L/XL, XXL. Colors: Mango, Red. MSRP: $209 US. Get “Into the Water” withKokatat Watersports Wear, an independent manufacturer committed to growing the sportsince 1971! For more information please contact Customer Service at 800.225.9749 ore-mail kokatat@kokatat.com. Visit us at www.kokatat.comNimbus PaddlesNimbus Paddles offers Internet direct sales. Contact us on Quadra Island at www.nimbuspaddles.com and info@nimbuspaddles.com.Seconds Sale on the following Graphite paddles (while supplies last):KISKA blade – 0.71 kg (25 oz.) most popular lighter, stiffer paddle.QUADRA Blade – mid sized blade similar to Kiska.Available in your choice of length and graphite or fibreglass shaft. $240 Cdn per paddle.Add a special carrying bag for $45.Brooks Panama SprayskirtThe Panama will keep you cool on the warmest day, thanks to its 3-ply, waterproof,breathable fabric construction. It has a handy zippered deck pocket and D rings forclipping on your must-haves for convenience. Now you have no reason to paddlewithout a sprayskirt! The Panama is available in five cockpit sizes, so there is probablyone that will fit your boat. MSRP $149 CDN.www.brookspaddlegear.comRoll-Aid Safety BackUPThe BackUP is both a righting aid and a compact self-inflating re-entry aid. If your roll fails,avoid the dangers and hassles of a wet-exit by pulling the handle of your BackUP. It willimmediately inflate and hold your hand near the surface of the water so you can do a soloEskimo Rescue. Each BackUP includes a CO2 cartridge, an owner’s manual, and two strapsfor attachment to your kayak. $169.www.roll-aid.com. 604-224-4010. info@roll-aid.comICOM IC-M72WHEN RELIABILITY COUNTS!With 6 watts of power, a large capacity Lithium-Ion battery pack, and the highest waterproof rating of any handheldVHF radio, the ICOM IC-M72 is no slouch when it comes to marine communication. Combined with a smallergonomic design and ICOM’s reputation for quality and reliability, the ICOM IC-M72 is the perfect life-savingaccessory for any paddler. A selection of ICOM radios is available at Western Canoeing & Kayaking in Abbotsford,BC. Tel: (604) 853-9320 TF: 1-866-644-8111 or on the web: www.westerncanoekayak.comFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 47

paddle mealsLazy Sushiby Hilary MassonSushi is a really easy and healthy one-dish meal for anyday of your kayak trip. Pressed sushi is made in speciallydesigned wooden molds called oshizushi-bako, “pressedsushi box.” This is the oldest type of sushi, originating from themethod used to preserve fish in rice with vinegar. Pressed sushiboxes are made of three parts: a base, a surrounding box and atop for pressing. Here is an adapted version of this traditionalstyle that you can make without the special wooden mold. Thisstyle of sushi is useful for traveling because of its compact sizeand durability. Usually cooked rather than raw fish is used.Smoked salmon or pickled herring is easy to transport, andkeeps very well. Try finding a local variety of smoked salmonin a vacuum package. Canned salmon or tuna works well too.The kayak friendly way is to use whatever dish you have inyour camp kitchen gear—anything from a frying pan, bakingpan, Tupperware container, or even a Frisbee turned upsidedown. This dish will become your mold by lining it with plasticwrap. The only other supplies needed are one pot for cookingthe rice, a cutting board and a knife.• • • • •Cook sushi rice, let cool, then add 2 tablespoons rice vinegar,which is a key ingredient in sushi. This could be done the nightbefore and the prepared rice stored in a zip-lock bag if you aremaking pressed sushi for lunch.Chop toppings such as cucumber, peppers, avocado, mangoor strawberry. Anything goes—it’s all about adding colorful layers.Try basil, sun-dried tomatoes and cream cheese as toppingsfor lox, with capers as garnish.With your mold lined with plastic wrap, add chopped veggiesor fruit. Cover the whole pan, and build layers similar tomaking lasagna. Try adding a layer of wasabi–mayo beforeevenly distributing the fish.Wet your hands to prevent the rice from sticking. Then presson a thin layer of rice approximately 3/4 inch (2 cm) thickcovering the pan. Next add a nori layer, which travels well inits protective package. The last layer is another application ofrice.Cover the top with plastic wrap, then firmly and evenly presswith your hands. Grab your water bottle and use it like a rollingpin to squish the sushi into the mold. The goal is to compressthe air spaces in the rice so that it does not crumble.If you’re planning to eat sushi on the first day of your kayaktrip, try making it the night before and carrying the finishedsushi in your hatch while you enjoy your time kayaking. Thegreat thing about this method is how easily it travels, withoutcompromising the presentation or taste.When you are ready to eat your pressed sushi, flip the moldover onto a cutting board—the veggie layer becomes the top.Carefully remove the plastic wrap, and cut the sushi into bitesize pieces. Wet your knife before making each cut to preventthe rice from sticking.Try garnishing with herbs, edible flowers, berries, green onionor capers. Remember to bring the ready-to-use wasabi in atube, pickled ginger in a jar, and a small container of soya sauce.Pressed sushi makes a great alternative meal that is quick, easy,and beautiful—especially after a full day of paddling!Paddle Meals Tip: Try using a Frisbee as a pie saver orlid for a homemade or store-bought pie. It helps protectthe pie for a few days in the kayak. Eat and then enjoy agame of Frisbee on the beach!Hilary Masson is a guide and part-owner of Baja Kayak Adventure Tours Ltd.www.bajakayakadventures.com 48 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

ook reviewsCanoe Atlas of theLittle NorthBy Jonathan Berger and Thomas TerryThe Boston Mills Press, 2007ISBN 978-1-55046-496-2$95, 144 pphardcover, maps, index, bibliographywww.fireflybooks.comThis annotated collection of 50 topographical maps and canoe routescovers more than 1.3 million square kilometres of land and waterwaysin Manitoba and Ontario, providing detailed information aboutone of the last remaining great wilderness areas of North America.Little North, the area referred to as Le Petit Nord by early fur traders,lies north of Lake Superior, east of Lake Winnipeg and south ofHudson Bay, and encompasses more than twenty major lake and riversystems—a wealth of potential exploration for paddlers. The atlas is alarge, hardcover book, designed to be used at home as an aid to planninga trip, rather than a take-along field guide. Leafing through itspages, you will be amazed at how much water there is in this area, andhow endless are the possibilities for expeditions. Each map (scale of1:427,807) is matched with a page of text outlining routes, portages,rapids, etc., and giving advice about hazards, possible campsites andother useful information. The maps are prefaced by general geological,botanical and cultural information about the area. The Canoe Atlasof the Little North would be a great gift for anyone who has aspirationsto explore this vast and beautiful landscape.Bird Songs:250 North AmericanBirds in Songby Les BelestskyChronicle Books, 2006ISBN 1-932855-41-6$45, 368 pp, index, color illustrationswww.chroniclebooks.comBC Coastal Recreation Kayakingand Small Boat Atlas Seriesby Diana Mumfordby John KimantasWhitecap Books, 2007Volume One: British Columbia’s SouthCoast and East Vancouver IslandISBN 1-55285-864-2, 57 ppVolume Two: British Columbia’s WestVancouver IslandISBN 1-55285-865-0, 51 pp$40 each, color maps and photoslarge format, laminatedwww.whitecap.caPerfect for fueling the fire of wintertimedreams of summertime paddling or cruising, these atlases have founda permanent home on our coffee table (until we’re able to get back onthe water). Large, clear, colorful and full of tidbits of information, themaps comprise a fascinating guide to BC’s coastline. Natural landmarksare noted with icons (e.g., rocks, nesting areas, sea mammalhaul outs) as well as manmade additions to the landscape (e.g., lighthouses,trails, ferry terminals, shipwrecks). The locations of campsites,anchorages, fish farms and other important details are also marked.Short notes call attention to interesting natural and cultural historyand provide cautionary advice. The pages are laminated for “splashproofness”in the field (helps keep them free of coffee stains at home,too). These atlases are the result of years of kayak exploration by JohnKimantas, and are companions to The Wild Coast series of recreationguides which he also authored. Any mariner with an interest in exploringthe coast of BC will find these atlases indispensable for planningthe next trip. (Available in the WaveLength Bookstore. See p. 51)151 Dives in the Protected Waters ofWashington State and British Columbiaby Betty Pratt-JohnsonThe Mountaineers Books, 2007ISBN 978-1-59485-043-1$29.95, 432 pp, b/w photos, maps, indexwww.mountaineersbooks.orgThis very beautiful and useful hardcover book has a place in everybirder’s library, especially those who have not yet perfected the abilityto identify a bird by the sounds it makes. Each of 250 notable birds isfeatured on a full page or two-page spread with color illustration andtext describing physiology and behaviors, with special attention givento the sounds it makes. To the right is an audio device with which youcan easily select any bird, and with a push of a button, listen to itssong or call (batteries are included). The birds are grouped accordingto habitat: Seabirds, Shorebirds and Waterbirds; Forest Birds; WoodlandBirds; and Open-Country Birds, representing about one-third ofNorth American bird species. Most were included because they arecommon and widespread, but there are a few rare and especially interestingbirds as well. Written by a renowned bird biologist, and drawnfrom the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this is an authoritative resource,and will be enjoyed by both active and armchair birders.For those WaveLength readers who loveto paddle and dive or snorkel, here is agreat resource with information aboutthe best dives in the Pacific Northwest.The coasts of Washington and BC are adiver’s paradise because they are largely protected from surf and areteeming with colorful and interesting life. Here there are shipwrecks,artificial reefs and locations where nature provides all you need for anamazing underwater adventure. Betty Pratt-Johnson has spent 33 yearsdiving in these waters and has now updated and expanded the bookthat has long been considered the diving bible for this area (141 Divesin the Protected Waters of Washington State and British Columbia). Along withdescriptions of great dive locations and their suitability for differentskill levels, this guide supplies important safety information, nauticalchart numbers, GPS data, contact information for dive shops, charterboats and resorts, maps and photographs. Also included is useful introductoryinformation about conservation, underwater photographyand night diving.FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 49

Strip Built Canoe: How tobuild a beautiful, lightweightcedar strip canoeBy Randy FolsomBookSurge Publishing, 2007ISBN 1-4196-6078-0$18.99, 158 pp, b/w photoswww.anyonecanprojects.comBeach and CoastalCamping in the Southeastby Johnny MolloyUniversity Press of Florida, 2006ISBN 0-8130-3000-5$18.95, 196 pp, b/w photoswww.upf.comIf you are interested in a winter project that will leave you with a handsome,15.5 foot canoe, suitable for family flatwater outings, this book isa good resource to help you. With step-by-step instructions, diagrams,photos and tables, all the necessary information for even a first-timebuilder is provided. You’ll also need a few commonly available woodworking tools, a garage or other workspace and the building materialsfor a cedar strip boat that the author calls a Town Laker. He describesit as “a beautiful boat with smooth flowing lines and nicely upsweptbow and stern. The sides have a classic look with gentle inward slantingcalled tumblehome.” He says that the only other requirementsare time, patience and determination. Detailed information for everystep of the process is outlined in twelve chapters, drawing from theauthor’s experience with building canoes and kayaks. In this guide hepulls together both traditional and innovative strategies for solving theproblems inherent in a boat building project, making it a comprehensiveand thorough source of information.54559_Salus_BijouxAd 3/2/06 8:15 AM Page 1This guidebook is all about camping on the beach—not written specificallyfor paddlers—and provides information about public parkcampgrounds on the southeast US coastline from Texas, around theGulf of Mexico and up the Atlantic coast to Maryland. Details about43 of the author’s favorite coastal camping spots, gleaned from yearsof outdoors experience, are organized under common subheads: TheBeach/Coast, The Campground, Human and Natural History, WhatTo Do, What’s Nearby, Information. Listed campsites are varied inwhat they offer in terms of landscape and amenities, and includeremote sandy beaches, tropical Florida keys, historic sites and lighthouses.The best places for swimming, harvesting seafood, snorkeling,hiking, etc., are identified as well as nearby tourist attractions andshopping. This would be a great resource to use as a guide for a drivingholiday along the coast, with your kayaks on the roof of the car, ofcourse. Visit the author’s website for stories about paddling in Florida(www.johnnymolloy.com).“We know our stuff”TheSALUSbijouxpint-sized Baby Vest PFDThe Salus Bijoux baby vest offersunprecedented security, safety andcomfort for babies 9 to 25 lbs. Our onepiecefront design will turn your babyface up from a face forward position, whilea 3-piece collar cradles the head whenfloating. Mesh harness and a short frontmean your baby will be comfortablesitting upright, lying down, or whilepositioned in a baby carrier.Ocean River’s Jon LaCroix.getting you out there since 1981A Proud “on water” Necky dealerThe Bijoux, winner of the Canadian Safe BoatingAward (CASBA) for Best New Safety Product.customer service: 1.877.418.9998 • tel: 519.579.3131www.salusmarine.com1824 STORE STREET VICTORIA, BC. PH 250.381.4233 • TOLL FREE 1 800 909 4233WWW.OCEANRIVER.COM50 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

WAVELENGTH BOOKSTOREBC Coastal Recreation Kayakingand Small Boat AtlasesBy John Kimantas57 pages, 11.25” x 14.125”colour, laminated (splashproof)$39.95 each (CDN/US)An essential tool for kayaking BritishColumbia’s coast.BC Coastal Recreation, Kayaking and SmallBoat Atlas, in two volumes, provides splashproofand manageably sized collections of detailedmaps of British Columbia’s shorelines. Numerous land-based features areidentified, among them campsites and launch locations. These colorful booksare ideal for kayakers who want a detailed overview in a format much easier touse than bulky charts. Recreational boaters will also appreciate the convenienceof these maps.Together these two volumes cover every mile of British Columbia’s south coast ina format, and with a degree of detail, not currently available. They augment TheWild Coast series of guidebooks (also by John Kimantas, see p. 52), and includereferences to pages in the guidebooks that provide additional information.Volume 1, South BC Coast and East Vancouver IslandThis volume provides an overview of BritishColumbia’s south coast from Victoria to PortMcNeill, and from Howe Sound to the BroughtonIslands.Volume 2, West Vancouver IslandThis volume provides an overview of WestVancouver Island from Sooke to Port Hardy..Sea KayakBARKLEY & CLAYOQUOT SOUNDSBy Mary Ann Snowden192 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $19.95 CDN/USFor the experienced and novice alike, this comprehensiveguide leads paddlers through the best kayaking waters onthe west coast of Vancouver Island. Twenty trips are outlined,covering prime paddling destinations within Barkleyand Clayoquot sounds, including the Deer Group, the BrokenGroup Islands, and Vargas, Flores and Meares Islands.Sea KayakDESOLATION SOUND AND THE SUNSHINE COASTBy Heather Harbord176 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $19.95 CDN/USThis paddling guide to Desolation Sound and the Strait ofGeorgia provides historical travel information on a part ofthe Inner Passage between Vancouver Island and the BCmainland.Sea KayakAROUND VANCOUVER ISLANDBy Doug Alderson160 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $16.95 CDN/USCovers a full circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. Interestedin a grand expedition, a week of summer touring, or aweekend excursion? Each chapter in this guide book covers asection of the island providing ample information on: pointsof access, interesting sites, safe routes to travel, hazards toavoid, and comfortable campsites.The Broken IslandsPADDLING GUIDESBy Douglas Brunt112 pp, 5.5” x 8.5”, b/w, $19.95 CDN/USThis new edition has been updated with current access andcontact information, and expanded to include maps, charts,graphs, natural and cultural history chapters, and photographsof plants and animals. This is a useful resource that will help toensure a safe and enjoyable trip to The Broken Islands.Kayaking the Broken Group IslandsBy JF Marleau128 pages, 6” x 9”, b/w, $19.95 CDN/usThis paddling guidebook is a complete and up to date field referenceon the Broken Group Islands. It is suitable for all kayakers,from the novice paddler to the experienced kayak guide. Itprovides in-depth information and will enhance your preparation,preparedness as well as your safety, knowledge and enjoymentof kayaking in the Broken Group Islands.Sea KayakTHE GULF ISLANDSBy Mary Ann Snowden160 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $16.95 CDN/USEach of the 23 trips outlined are headed with importantinformation on tides, currents, safety considerations, chartsand launching. Included in each route description is practicalinformation on the different land jurisdictions, parks,campsites, suitable landings and paddling conditions.Sea KayakNOOTKA & KYUQUOT SOUNDSBy Heather Harbord160 pages, 5” x 7”, b/w, $16.95 CDN/USNootka and Kyuquot Sounds are the next step for sea kayakerswho have enjoyed the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast,Desolation Sound and the Broken Islands. The book breaksthe area down into 49 trips. Once out there, wind and weatherwill dictate where you go depending on your skill level.MORE PADDLING RESOURCES AT WWW.PACIFICEDGEPUBLISHING.COM ORDER FORM PAGE 52FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 51

WAVELENGTH BOOKSTOREPADDLING GUIDESThe Wild Coast 1A KAYAKING GUIDE FOR NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER ISLANDBy John Kimantas300 pp, 6” x 9”, colour, $24.95 CDN/USThis is the ultimate guide to kayaking and exploring thestunning west coast of Vancouver Island. Each of the 11chapters describes a distinct area of the island, with attractions,amenities, ecology, Native and European history, placenames, landing sites, campsites, and trivia all included.The Wild Coast 2A KAYAKING GUIDE FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL BC COASTBy John Kimantas344 pp, 6” x 9”, colour, $29.95 CDN/USJourney through the Inside and Outside Passages of BC fromnorth Vancouver Island to the Alaska border. Each chapterexplores a part of BC’s remote coastline and discusses theregion’s Native and European history, geography, weather,ecology, attractions and services. Detailed maps show the majorpoints of interest and the best campsites.The Wild Coast 3A KAYAKING GUIDE FOR BC’s SOUTH COAST ANDEAST VANCOUVER ISLANDBy John Kimantas344 pp, 6” x 9”, colour, $29.95 CDN/USProvides explorers with everything they need to know aboutthe south coast and east Vancouver Island, from Victoria toPort McNeill. This point-by-point guide, designed for kayakers,describes the details, hazards, geography, ecology, history,hikes and attractions of each location.Marine MammalsOF THE PACIFIC NORTHWESTBy Pieter Folkens8 pp, 5.5” x 9” colour pamphlet, $9.95 CDN/USConvenient, concise and waterproof. This three-fold handypocket guide to fifty species of marine mammals features colourillustrations and photos. It also includes a habitat key andidentification tips.A Field GuideTO THE IDENTIFICATION OF PEBBLESENVIRONMENTBy Eileen Van der Flier-Keller2 pp, 37” x 9” colour pamphlet, $7.95 CDN/USHave you ever been walking at the beach and wondered what thatpebble or rock is? This is a full colour, laminated, accordion folded,easy to use guide with over 80 beautiful photographs of pebblesfrom beaches and rivers. Use the photos to identify over 28 differenttypes of rocks and minerals.WAVELENGTH BACK ISSUESBack issues of WaveLength Magazineare available while quantities last. Goto www.WaveLengthMagazine.com tobrowse the content of previous issues.$4.95 each (plus shipping)BOOKS / DVDs / SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORMWAVELENGTH BOOKSTORE TITLES (pages 51-52) QUANTITY PRICE EACH TOTAL____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(CDN/US DOLLARS-INCLUDES_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________WaveLength Magazine Subscription: 1 year (4 issues) $18 2 years (8 issues) $30 GST/SHIPPING)_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________WaveLength Magazine Back Issues: month(s) year(s) $4.95 CDN/USAPPROX. SHIPPING & HANDLING CHARGES (Book/DVDs) CANADA US ALL OTHERS SUBTOTAL _____________1 title $4.00 $7.00 $10.00 SHIPPING & HANDLING _____________2 - 4 titles $7.00 $9.00 $20.00 CANADA (add 6%) _____________5 -10 titles $15.00 $20.00 $35.00 TOTAL _____________Mail to: Pacific Edge Publishing, 1773 El Verano Dr., Gabriola, BC, Canada V0R 1X6 or fax to: 1-800-956-8299 (Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery).Name __________________________________________________Address ________________________________________________City ________________________________ Province/State _________Postal/Zip Code _______________Country ____________________Phone _________________________________________________I authorize Pacific Edge Publishing to charge my VISA MasterCard for payment of the selected titles.Card Number: __________________________ Exp Date: ____ / ____Signature: ______________________________________________Date: __________________________________________________Purchase WaveLength Bookstore’s paddling resources online at: www.PacificEdgePublishing.com and SAVE 10%52 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

coastal newsMOUTCHA BAY FISHING DERBYMoutcha Bay Resort hosted their4th Annual TYEE KAYAK SURFINGDERBY in support of salmon enhancementprograms in Nootka Sound on thewest coast of Vancouver Island in September.The event, held over the LabourDay weekend, was a great success witha record number of participants, andraised over $1,800. This year’s winnerwas Carolyn Zipeto of Bainbridge Island,Washington, with a 29.7 lb Chinooksalmon. The derby record is stillheld by Carl Larson of Quadra Islandwith a 32 lb. Tyee in 2004.Participation in the derby is doublingevery year, with this year seeing participantsfrom Germany, Costa Rica, SouthernCalifornia and all over the PacificNorthwest. There was even a four-leggedrookie by the name of Creep, joining hisowner Jesse Goudreau of Queen CharlotteIslands. Unfortunately, Creep wasnot successful in catching a salmon buthe was definitely intent on learning thetechniques of his sidekick.The event wrapped up with a salmonand oyster BBQ, a seaside fund raisingauction of many items from generoussponsors, and participant awards. Theraffle of the newly released “TRIDENT”fishing kayak, donated and manufacturedby Ocean Kayaks, was won by WayneGrant of Surrey, BC.Moutcha Bay Resort would like toextend a big thanks to all sponsors whoprovided prizes and the many demo kayaksfor participants to try out. For moreinformation on the 2008 derby, visitwww.moutchabay.com.JOHNSTONE STRAIT RECREATION PROJECTHave you paddled Johnstone Straitsometime in the past 5 years?The School of Resource and EnvironmentalManagement of Simon FraserUniversity is currently looking for kayakerswho paddled Johnstone Strait sometimein the past five years. If you have,please visit their web-site at www.kayaking.rem.sfu.cafor their on-line survey. Bysupporting this research your experienceand your opinions will be considered inthe ongoing, community based, JohnstoneStrait Recreation project, which focuseson improving the management ofsea kayaking and camping in JohnstoneStrait. Both the research and the managementproject are sponsored by the BCMinistry of Agriculture and Lands, theMinistry of Tourism, Sports and the Artsand the Integrated Land Managment Bureau.“We know our stuff”Ocean River’ssenior instructor/guide,Gary Doran.getting you out there since 1981A Proud “on water” Current Designs dealer1824 STORE STREET VICTORIA, BC. PH 250.381.4233 • TOLL FREE 1 800 909 4233WWW.OCEANRIVER.COMFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 53

coastal newsDONATIONS NEEDED FOR SQUITTY BAYPROVINCIAL MARINE PARKThe newly established Lasqueti IslandNature Conservancy and the IslandsTrust Fund are working together to raisefunds for a property purchase that willquadruple the size of Squitty Bay ProvincialMarine Park. BC Parks has secureda conditional agreement to purchase abeautiful 38.46 hectare (95 acre) oceanfrontproperty on Lasqueti Island. Thisproperty is a Gulf Island treasure, featuringalmost a kilometre of coastline withsheltered bays and beaches, older forests,a heritage orchard, a salmon-bearingcreek and windswept coastal bluffs. Theproperty is also a fine example of the endangeredCoastal Douglas-fir ecosystem.The community is challenged to raise$250,000 by November 15, 2007. Moreinformation about the Squitty Bay campaignand a donation form can be foundon the Islands Trust Fund’s website atwww.islandstrustfunds.bc.caBC RIVERS ALLIANCEBC that have an interest in the well beingof BC rivers. Current supporters of BCRivers Alliance include: BC Citizens forPublic Power, BC Creek Protection Society,Burke Mountain Naturalists, CanoeKayak BC, Outdoor Recreation Councilof BC, Purcell Alliance for Wilderness,Raincoast Conservation Society, SaveOur Rivers Society, Vancouver IslandWhitewater Paddling Society, WatershedWatch Salmon Society, Western CanadaWilderness Committee, AmericanWhitewater. For more information, contactPetra Drncova, BC Creek ProtectionSociety. petra@drnec.czMARINE MAMMALS ARE WHAT’S ATSTAKEThe Raincoast Conservation Societyhas launched a video ad campaign onYouTube to raise awareness about thedangers of ship traffic to marine mammalsin BC. You can get to the videoclip by going to YouTube and typing in:What’s at Stake – Raincoast or http://youtube.com/watch?v=GqTJ-sKySU42871, cell 250-248-1541 or pager 250-954-4409.From the Sechelt Peninsula: Andy,Malaspina Water Taxi, 604-740-2486,www.malaspinawatertaxi.comFARMED SALMON NOT “ORGANIC” YETCoastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform(CARR) supporters sprang intoaction in September, voicing concernsto the Certified Organic Association ofBritish Columbia (COABC) about theprocess for establishing standards fororganic farmed salmon. The COABCboard postponed a planned vote on thedevelopment of certification standardsfor farmed salmon after hearing concerns,and declared that they will committo a comprehensive and transparentprocess with full provision for stakeholderinvolvement if standards development ispursued.INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FORSEA LICE RESEARCHJEDEDIAH TRANSPORTERSA group of conservation, recreationand public power organizations havebanded together to create the BC RiversAlliance to fight the proliferationof private power projects on BC rivers.The Alliance is concerned about the sustainabilityof run-of-river projects andtheir ecological and societal impacts.The purpose of the Alliance is to unitegroups and organizations working acrossNora Layard, of Skipping StoneBeach B&B on Saltspring Island, and aWaveLength reader, sends this informationabout getting to Jedediah Island. A jeweltucked between Lasqueti and Texada Islands,Jedediah Island is a perfect destinationfor kayakers who want a relaxing,interesting holiday. Kayaking there fromVancouver Island involves a long crossing,so my friends and I decided to finda boat to take us there. After many callsand emails, I finally located the followingboat services:From Schooner Cove on VancouverIsland: Lyle Montgomery, 250-248-Eighteen scientists and researchersrecently sent an open letter to PrimeMinister Stephen Harper and BC PremierGordon Campbell warning thatsea lice from salmon farms are causingthe decline in wild salmon populations inCanada, Norway, Scotland and Ireland.Conservation groups in other jurisdictionsissued similar statements. Researchersare calling for the removal of opennet pens from areas where wild salmonmigrate. The letter states: “There is nowextensive peer-reviewed science that sealice spread from farm to wild salmon andkill juvenile wild salmon. In some cases,sea lice originating from salmon farmsare estimated to have killed up to 95 percent of the wild juvenile salmon that passsalmon farms during their ocean migra-54 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

tions. This is unacceptable for any industry.”Pacific salmon researcher AlexandraMorton has repeatedly called for governmentaction to ensure that salmon farmsin BC do not contaminate wild salmon.COAST VIDEO BLOG – SALMON COASTRESEARCH STATION, PART TWOIn a six minute film (Part Two of athree piece series) on the Salmon CoastResearch Station, independent filmmakerTwyla Roscovich follows upcomingscientists as they conduct experimentsto determine what kind of effect sea licefrom fish farms are having on the wildsalmon fry’s ability to escape from predators.Watch the film to get a glimpse intothe research being done to understandthe workings of the ecosystem and theimpacts open net-cage fish farms are havingon the remote and beautiful BroughtonArchipelago. To view the full seriesgo to: http://callingfromthecoast.com/CRUISE SHIPS SEWAGEfactory directCelebrating 36 Yearswww.easyriderkayaks.comCanoe & Kayak Co.P.O. Box 88108 Seattle, WA 98138425-228-3633kayaks – canoesrowing shellscatamaransoutriggerssail rigscatalog package & video:$20 ppd. (see website)A King County study has recentlyconcluded that the sewage producedby 750,000 cruise ship passengers whovisit Seattle each year could be pipedto the Renton sewage-treatment plantinstead of dumping it at sea. The MetropolitanKing County Council whichcalled for the study last spring, is nowinterested in further discussions withcruise ship operators, the Departmentof Ecology and the Port of Seattle. FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 55

Long Haul Folding Kayaksare built for a lifetime ofpaddling pleasure. Ourwooden frame is functionalart, strong, beautiful and easyto assemble.Long Haul Folding Kayaksare Made in the U.S.A.,Using the finest materials.Our craftsmanship is secondto none and when you checkour prices - you will see thereis no better value than LongHaul.CONTACT:970-856-3662-USA250-724-1294-CANADAwww.longhaulfoldingkayaks.com“This study shows that we can do better for Puget Sound,”said council member Larry Phillips. Cruise ships with highlevel treatment systems are permitted to discharge liquidwaste into Puget Sound; those with less advanced systemsmust dump the waste farther from shore. At present, no citiesin BC utilize land-based waste treatment for cruise ships,despite regular cruise ship traffic on the Inside Passage.NEW ZEALAND COASTBUSTERS 2008The organizers of New Zealand’s Coastbusters Sea KayakSymposium invite you to join them in Milford (Auckland) andSullivans Bay on February 29 to March 2, 2008. Coastbusterspromises to be a great weekend, full of fun, knowledge, demonstrationsand on-the-water adventures. From novice to expertin experience, all can enjoy interaction with New Zealand’sbest sea kayakers and some of the world’s finest, flown in toadd a little extra flavour.Guest Presenters include Sandy Robson and Paul Caffyn.Sandy gave herself a year to get round Australia—solo. Anoutdoor pursuits educator from West Australia, she’s alreadycompleted an amazing amount of the 14,000 km journeysince launching from Queenscliff in January 2007. After 166days, nearing the northernmost tip of the continent, her couragemet its sternest challenge; a crocodile attack on her kayakcaused Sandy to postpone her trip in North Queensland. It’s inPaul Caffyn’s footsteps that Sandy is treading as she attemptsto circumnavigate Australia—a feat Paul pioneered exactly 25years ago. Fresh from his latest expedition along Greenland’sicy, exposed east coast in August, Paul will continue to inspireand inform.For more information, visit www.coastbusters.org.nz or mailqueries to Coastbusters, PO Box 101-257, NSMC, Auckland,New Zealand.NO MORE WHALING IN ICELANDWhale conservationistswere delightedin Augustwhen the governmentof Icelandannounced it wouldnot issue more commercialwhalingquotas. IcelandicFisheries MinisterEinar Guofinnsson said, “I will not issue a new quota until themarket conditions for whale meat improve and permission toexport whale products to Japan is secured. There is no reasonto continue commercial whaling if there is no demand for theproduct.” A year ago, Iceland implemented a return to commercialwhaling, despite an international moratorium on commercialwhaling that has been in place for over twenty years.Fears of high levels of toxicity in North Atlantic whale meathave made Icelanders and Japanese consumers wary. 56 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

eventsOctober 19-21TAKS-Traditional Arctic Kayak SymposiumSan Simeon, CAContact: John Peterson, (805) 649-9620john@shamankayaks.comwww.takscalifornia.comOctober 2026th Annual Sea Trek RegattaSausalito, CAContact: Bob Licht, (415) 332-8494paddle@seatrekkayak.comwww.seatrekkayak.comOctober 2110th Annual Autumn ClassicLake Natoma, Rancho Cordova, CACalifornia Canoe & Kayak, (800) 366-9804marketing@calkayak.comwww.calkayak.comDecember 22nd Annual SRK Deception Pass DashDeception Pass State Park, Bowman Bay, WAContact: Seattle Raft & Kayak, (206) 528-1700dpdash@seattleraftandkayak.comwww.seattleraftandkayak.com/dpd.htmlJanuary 3-6San Diego Boat ShowSan Diego Convention Center, Californiawww.sandiegoboatshow.comJanuary 4-13Northern California BoatshowAlameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasantonwww.ncma.comJanuary 24-February 2Seattle Boat ShowQwest Fieldwww.seattleboatshow.comFebruary 9-23Patagonia Expedition RaceChile, Tierra del Fuego, Patagoniawww.patagoniaexpeditionrace.comFebruary 6-10Vancouver International Boat ShowBC Place Stadiumwww.vancouverboatshow.caMarch 5-9Sacramento Boat ShowSacramento, Californiawww.sacramentoboatshow.comMarch 7-9CanoecopiaMadison, WIContact: Megan Pfeiffer, (608) 223-9300, ext 226meganp@rutabaga.comwww.canoecopia.comthe marketplaceASSOCIATIONSACCOMMODATIONSFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 57

the marketplaceSeaScape ResortCOURSESguide courses 2006in tofino with dan lewis and bonny glambeckassistant guide:april 29-may 7, may 13-21, sept 9-17day guide: may 26-29call toll free 1-877-422-WILD www.rainforestkayak.comFOR SALE - BOATSFOR SALETrojan 42, 1964classic power boat.2 staterooms, twobathrooms. Twin gas,6.5kw generator, full electronics package. Excellent,comfortable, seaworthy, live-aboard/mothership.(604) 376-2208 $35,000FOR SALE25 ft. welded aluminumboat. Full cruisinga c c o m m o d a t i o n ,Volvo diesel, can carrytwo kayaks on roof.Very seaworthy, fast, strong and economical. Greatcommuter boat.(250) 247-8028 $65,000FOR SALE - BUSINESS GEAR HELP WANTEDBELIZE GUIDINGCanada’s #1 adventure travel company specializingin Belize, Central America, is seeking marinebiologist/sea kayak/river guides. December–April.Background in education, biology, natural sciences.Send resume to tim@islandexpeditions.comRead Back Issueswww.WaveLengthMagazine.comSUBSCRIBEto WaveLength MagazineCall: 1-800-668-880658 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

PADDLING PARTNERS 7 days in paradise, weekly Dec–Apr since 1987Ph/Fax: 250-539-2442kayak@gulfislands.com www.seakayak.caBarkley & Clayoquot SoundSHARED COST ADVENTURINGRoom for 2 kayakers plus myself aboard my sailboat(mothership) May to Aug/08 in Great Bear Rain Forestarea on shared cost basis. Will rendezvous for timeyou wish. If interested email aguysailing@yahoo.com for details.TOURS - ALASKATOURS - BRITISH COLUMBIAWhitewater KayakingFALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 59

TOURS - BRITISH COLUMBIATOURS - COSTA RICABAJA - LORETO - SEA OF CORTEZMothership AdventureLuxury Mothership Sea KayakingNatural History, Cultural, Historical ToursExplore B.C.’s remote coastalwilderness from the comfortand safety of 68’ Columbia III.Great Bear Rainforest ~ BroughtonArchipelago ~ Desolation SoundS AdventureOutfitterswww.bajakayakadventures.cominfo@bajakayakadventures.comTOURS - MONTANASilver Moon Kayak Co.Kalispell, MontanaSales • ACA-Certified InstructionGuided Tours • Quality Rentals406.752.3794www.silvermoonkayak.comTOURS - NOVA SCOTIAwww.mothershipadventures.comTOURS - MEXICOTOURS - WASHINGTONDIVER’S DREAM CHARTERSANACORTES • WASHINGTONYour Shuttle to theSan Juans, Gulf Islandsand Sidney ADVERTISE IN THE MARKETPLACEFOR AS LITTLE AS $50 • CALL: 1-800-668-8806Kayaks • Tours • Charters • Wildlifewww.lujacsquest.com 360.202.007660 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007

loafer’s logby Ron MumfordExcerpts from the log of Loafer II, theWaveLength crew’s mothership.July 20079:30 Left Boat Bay on Johnstone Strait and headed west upto Blackney Passage and Blackfish Sound hopingto see some whales. It was flat calm with a low misthanging over the mountains, a perfect day on theStrait. As we listened to the talk on the VHF radiochannel used by local whale watch boats, it becameclear that either we were too early heading north thisyear or the Orca were late in their arrival—the reportedsightings were few and far between. Fortunately,Humpbacks are making a comeback in this area,and this year eight were hanging around. Theirusual haunt is between Stubbs Island and BoldHead on Swanson Island, so that’s where we headed.Chatter on the radio soon confirmed our reasoning,as the whale watchers had spotted a mother and hercalf feeding in Weynton Passage.There is nothing better than drifting quietly in thecurrent listening to the blows of whales in the distance.This year we have been lucky to see not only Orca andHumpbacks but a couple of Minke whales as well.Unlike Orca, Humpback whales spend little timeon the surface, so following their progress can bemore difficult. You may spot them in one locationsurfacing two or three times, then their tail flukeswill signal a deep dive. All will be quiet for 10or 15 minutes, they appear again, far away in atotally different location.Other times they can put on a show, frolicking onthe surface, slapping their pectoral fins or hurtlingtheir bulk out of the water, creating a huge splashin a spectacular breaching performance.FALL 2007 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 61

13:30 It was time to think about where to anchor Loafer forthe night, and we also wanted to put our kayaks in thewater to take advantage of the fine weather and calmseas, so we headed back past Stubbs Island and throughWeynton Passage. The tide had turned against us sowe were bucking a 3 to 4 knot tide as we headed overto the Pearse Islands. The Pearse Islands are part of theCormorant Channel Provincial Marine Park. The parkincludes the eastern portion of the Pearse Islands, thePlumper Islands and several nearby smaller islandsat the junction of Queen Charlotte and JohnstoneStraits.14:00 We dropped the anchor in 30 feet of water, surroundedby a group of eleven islands of varying sizes. To ourstern, our anchorage opened out onto Johnstone Straitwith a beautiful vista down the east coast of VancouverIsland—a great spot to watch cruise ships go by. It’s notthe best anchorage in a southeast wind, but the weatherreports were in our favor.The first thing we noticed was that the water was crystalclear. We could see the anchor chain reach all the wayto the bottom, and the anchor laying in the eel grass.At the head of the bay was a derelict raft, begging tobe explored. Impatiently, we launched our kayaks,donned our spray skirts and clambered in.16:00 The Pearse Islands did not disappoint. Because of theislands’ location—at the junction of Johnstone Strait,Queen Charlotte Strait and Cormorant Channel—the many small passageways that separate themreceive a fair amount of current, so sea life abounds.We paddled through the bull kelp forests along theshoreline, the clear water revealing the sea life below.Cod and greenling swam among the kelp stalkswhile hundreds of large spiny sea urchins nibbled ontheir holdfasts. A mother seal and her pup gazed atus, unperturbed as we glided past. The eleven islandsprovided us with hours of paddling enjoyment; weexplored each passageway, every nook and cranny.For self-sufficient sea kayakers, there is a wellestablishedcampsite on level ground, including acleared path up the rocky shoreline to haul up kayaks.This is a beautiful spot!Tomorrow, up to God’s Pocket. 62 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE FALL 2007