Summer 2014 Coast&Kayak Magazine

COAST&KAYAK
Magazine
The magazine of Pacific coast adventures and recreation
Volume 24, Issue 2
SUMMER 2014
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Getting you there

From the Arctic to Baja,
were guiding the way
to adventure destinations
www.coastandkayak.com
COAST&KAYAK MAGAZINE
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SUMMER 2014
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SUMMER 2014
Inside
Introducing...
This issues cover
by Neil Havers
Mark Perrin looked like he was having so
much fun in this photo, we just couldnt
resist sharing it. Some forms of recreation are
about having arrived, being at a place to
enjoy that place, but kayaking is all about the
journey and there is more than one way to
get there, including being suspended in the
air off a cargo freighter. Neil Havers did the
artwork and design for this issues Get West
advertisement, and so had a different reason
than most to tag along on a journey aboard
the Uchuck III. For more on his trip, as well as
Marks, see page 40.
Vignettes from an Arctic refuge
print subscriptions
Chuck Graham has contributed several articles to

Coast&Kayak over the years, and when he approached
us with the idea for exploring the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge we were willing to put kayaks aside for a
change to present a refreshingly different look at where
paddling adventures can take you. Bring bug spray.
Baja: Three perspectives
$5
16
Occasionally things collide in a surprisingly convenient

way, and so when three people affiliated in vastly
different ways with Coast&Kayak Magazine all shared
their Baja adventures, rather than just pick one article
we thought wed present a potpourri of impressions and
images.
Were now offering one full year

of Coast&Kayak Magazine
(3 issues) delivered to your home
for just $5.
Why? Were reducing and
eventually eliminating free
distribution copies over the
next few years in favour of
subscription and sponsored
copies.
That means free copies will
become much harder to find.
Crossings
32
Alex Matthews diverts from his usual Skillset format
to chat with Graham and Russell Henry to get their
expertise into whats involved in planning and
executing long crossings. The Henry brothers should
know their recent journey involved many overnight
adventures in their paddle from South America to
Florida.
First Word4
News6
Trip Planning40
Plan your West Coast adventure44-45
The Gulf Islands46
Plan your Gulf Islands adventure 47

Day Trips48
Plan your Desolation/Discovery trip 49
Planning and Safety 50
Gearing Up 52
SUMMER 2014
But we still want to be accessible.

So were slashing our cost in the
hopes youll meet us half way.
Youll still be able to read us
online free, of course. But theres
value in the print medium. And
for now, its about the price of a
latte a year.
So how to take advantage? Go to
and click on the $5 logo.
Price valid for Internet purchases only.
The First Word
Did life just pass me by?

Summer 2014

Volume 24, Number 2

PM No. 41687515
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Wild Coast Publishing

PO Box 24, Stn A
Nanaimo, B.C., Canada, V9R 5K4
A great thing about running a kayaking magazine is all the opportunities that go with
it. For instance, I have the chance to travel the world to the best kayaking places the
globe has to offer...
Wait a minute. Thats not happening. In fact, this winter had me nary within the seat
of a kayak at all. Not even from the back deck of the boat/office, and heck, it cant be
any easier than that. Im already on the water.
Theres a funny thing about life. The little things get in the way.
I cant blame the weather, though I have to admit its tough
to be motivated to fight my way into a drysuit and set out on
a blustery grey day with temperatures hovering near freezing.
But what really kept me off the water was a series of small
circumstantial blips that combined to knock the socks off my
off-season kayaking plans.
For instance, Coast&Kayak launched a fancy new Gear Guide
this spring (I hope youll browse it, its available free online at
coastandkayak.com). It was produced using some technology that failed miserably. The
production was meant to flow automatically, but it didnt. The thing ended up being built
almost entirely manually, and so a month disappeared due to a technological glitch.
Plus there was (and still is, at the moment) the swim grid repair. Thats where
the kayaks get launched, and a spate of late spring rain kept the fittings off and the
renovations in an in-progress stage for weeks and the kayaks under a layer of work
materials. The whole thing was unusable for the entire spring. A small detail, I know, but
these things add up. Its hard to kayak if you cant launch.
This winter I had hoped to do more kayaking in Baja, but a lack of kayak rental
locations kept me mostly off the water there as well. Oh, some cheap sit-on-tops could
be had for a couple of hours for a ridiculous price at the major tourism centres I would
sooner avoid. In the end I was able to borrow the personal surf kayak from the owner
of Todos Santos Eco Adventures (thanks Bryan and Sergio!), but overall it was like
Ireland all over again: heading to a great kayaking location only to find no way to get out
on the water. Not like BC at all, where good locations have a place to rent boats. We are
blessed that way.
I think Ive got it figured out for next year though. The Gear Guide will be automated
by then, the swim grid will be repaired, Ill take my own kayak down on my next Baja
trip and it will never, ever be rainy and cold again. All problems solved. Look out, world,
here I come.
- John Kimantas
editor@coastandkayak.com
Ph: 1-866-984-6437 Fax: 1-866-654-1937

Email: kayak@coastandkayak.com
Website: www.coastandkayak.com
Physical address: Aboard the Rainy Day,
Somewhere on the Pacific Ocean
The worlds only magazine published from aboard a boat
(that we know of, anyway).
2013. Copyright is retained on all material (text, photos and graphics) in this magazine.
No reproduction is allowed of any material in any form, print or electronic, for any purpose,
except with the permission of Wild Coast Publishing.
Some elements in maps in this magazine are reproduced with
the permission of Natural Resources Canada 2010, courtesy
of the Atlas of Canada. Also, our thanks to Geobase for some
elements that may appear on Coast&Kayak maps.
Coast&Kayak Magazine is dedicated to making self-propelled

coastal exploration fun and accessible. Safety and travel
information is provided to augment pre-existing safety and
knowledge. A safety course and proper equipment are advised
before any exploration on water. See a list of paddling instruction
locations at www.coastandkayak.com
Coast&Kayak Magazines
new skipper, a rescued
stray named Yoshi, gets
his first kayaking lesson.
Hes a natural!
SUMMER 2014
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SUMMER 2014
News
NZ conquered, now Vancouver Island
If you read just one blog post this year,
make sure its the post The Journey Ends
by Tara Mulvany as she looks back on her
efforts to circumnavigate all three New
Zealand islands.
On Dec. 16, 2013, she set off from
Anakiwa in the Marlbrough Sounds to
circumnavigate the North Island, arriving
at Makara Beach on March 31.
From her final post: Memories of
barefoot days, where money means
nothing, but life means everything.
Days where a full moon is a measure of
progress, and there is never a schedule,
decisions simply determined by the wind
and the sea. I will miss so much about this
rich, simple way of life.
In late May 2012, she and another
kayaker paddled away from Milford
Sound and headed north up the west
coast of the South Island. Three months
later they parted ways and she continued
on the journey alone, completing the
circumnavigation on Oct. 22, 2012.
I perfected the art of living like a
hobo. I slept in car parks, in ditches and
under bushes, she writes. More than
A selfie is the only option when youre

kayaking for months alone.
once, I washed my hair in the basin of

some public toilets, and gave myself a
haircut with my pocket knife. I did my
laundry by hand, after all, whats the point
of a washing machine when you only have
two sets of clothes one to wear, the
other to wash.
She completed the trip to come back
to no home, no job and no immediate
plan, but that didnt last. In an odd chain
of events, Jaime Sharp (on the cover of
our Winter 2012 issue) has been staying
with Lyn Hancock (author of one of this
issues Baja segments). Jaime invited Tara
to circumnavigate Vancouver Island, and
so as of press time she was on her way

to Vancouver Island to start yet another
adventure.
You can follow Tara and read her
Journey Ends blog post as well as the rest
of her entries at www.tarasjourneys.com.
The longest crossing ever?
A person seemingly unlikely to become
a world-renowned hero, Aleksander Doba,
a 67-year-old Polish man, became one
nonetheless. Olek set off in October
2013 from Lisbon, Portugal to kayak
across the Atlantic and arrived in New
Smyrna Beach, Florida, on April 20.
It wasnt an uneventful journey. His
hope was to complete the trip non-stop,
at one point refusing assistance from a
perplexed crew on a commercial tanker
that responded to his accidental SOS call.
Hampered by bad weather just short
of his goal of Florida he eventually opted
for a five-week break in Bermuda to fix his
rudder, which ended his attempt to make
the crossing non-stop. Even so, the 6,500mile journey is being hailed as the longest
open-water kayak crossing ever.
His first trans-Atlantic expedition was
in 2011 from Senegal, Africa, to Brazil.
Your Kayak Adventure Begins Here

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SUMMER 2014
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News
No cause, no charity, just paddling
Theyre calling themselves the Catfish,
and in a world of causes to add credibility
to ventures, these guys are just winging it.
The retired group of paddlers left
Willows Beach in Victoria on May 8 with
a goal of the Inside Passage to Alaska and
back over the next three months.
They are Alan Campbell, David
Maxwell and Rob Zacharias. Their aim is
Juneau Alaska by day 71, on July 17, 2014.
The name Catfish Kayak Group
comes from a 1980s kayaking gang of
which the these paddlers were a part.
Re-supplying en route is planned at
Campbell River, Shearwater, Prince Rupert
and Ketchikan. In preparation, David has
produced and dried 53 meals from 11
different homemade recipes.
Says Alan: Kayaking the Inside
Passage means being integrated into the
living/breathing energy of the coast long
enough so that we begin to see ourselves
and our world in new and different ways,
not a bad thing in your 60s.
The paddle to Alaska is un-sponsored
and is not a fundraiser. The men are,
however, members of The South Island
Sea Kayaking Association (SISKA) and

supporters of the BC Marine Trails
Network Association (see page 40).
You can track their GPS
coordinates and follow them at http://
paddlingfanatics.jimdo.com/
2014 events get early start
Summer brings an assortment of
kayaking events, with most in the early
summer, so plan soon. Here on the Pacific
coast, were excited to have the return of
the Pacific Paddling Symposium May 30June 1 at Lester B. Pearson United World
College in Victoria, BC.
Sessions include everything from
wilderness first aid to surf skiing, plus
hosted evening happy hours.
Registration is very limited. Visit
www.pacificpaddlingsymposium.ca.
You can find more events on the
calendar at www.coastandkayak.com.
Our favourite event listing so far
this year is the Explore North Coast
Kayak Social Thingy, April 24-27 in
Trinidad, California and environs. Huh?
The organizers explain: it includes
hosted paddles in coastal Humboldt
and Del Norte counties in Northern
California for a wide range of skills from

flatwater to rock gardens to surf. Visit
explorenorthcoast.net.
Raise a toast at happy hour
The hosts of the Saturday night happy
hour at the Pacific Paddling Symposium
are Dave Pinel and Caroline Fisher of West
Coast Expeditions, which will be a great
opportunity to toast their recent success as
winner of a Green Tourism Gold award.
The multi-coloured award is earned
through the Green Tourism certification
program, making West Coast Expeditions
the first sea kayak tour company in Canada
to attain the gold standard, and one of
only 14 businesses in Canada to receive
the gold honour. It involved a rigorous
third-party assessment with 145 evaluation
criteria and a review by a senior assessor
from the UK. Cheers to Dave and Carol.
Two new publications online
Coast&Kayak Magazine has quietly
unveiled two new publications available
online only: the 2014 Gear Guide and the
2014 Adventure Tour Guide. Both can be
viewed in a variety of formats including
mobile device apps. Read them online at
SUMMER 2014
Adventure Destinations
ACK PADDLE on the left and forward paddle on the right, barked Alaskan
guide Carl Donohue as four of us rafted down the Canning River in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge in northern Alaska.
Now, all forward!
We were in the midst of a two-week, 260-kilometre rafting trip through the heart
of the refuge, weaving our way through the mighty North Slope of the Brooks Range,
paddling northward amongst 1,800-metre peaks on our way to the vast coastal plain
and eventually the frigid Arctic Ocean. Our navigation meant weaving through a maze
of gravel bars and massive ice packs six feet thick melted just enough to allow us safe
passage through braiding channels that resembled veins running down a forearm.
Negotiating around giant ice packs on the Upper Marsh Fork

below the North Slope of the Brooks Range.
8
SUMMER 2014
by Chuck Graham
Vignettes
from an Arctic refuge
SUMMER 2014
Gearing up the raft on the Upper Marsh Fork.
We descended into a deep gorge of limestone that caused

a swirling eddy when a stout Dall sheep ram emerged high on
a precipice overlooking our Class III rapids on the Canning.
Nimble as a ballerina, the Dall rested on a narrow ledge as we
paddled past. When we reached flat water I jumped from the raft,
backtracked toward the gorge and flanked the cotton-coloured
sheep. The terrain was steep and uneven across the river rock,
then spongy tundra before ascending the backside of the gorge. A
stiff wind howled, and soon the ram and I stared at each other
the largest sheep species in North America just 10 metres away. It
10
SUMMER 2014
didnt flinch, just stood and idly stretched. It then moved upriver
to an awaiting ewe bedded down on a tundra-covered knoll.
As well as Dall sheep, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a
haven for grizzly, polar and black bear, moose, wolf, musk oxen,
wolverine, Arctic fox and about 130,000 caribou. Its also prime
habitat for migratory birds from Arctic terns to sandhill cranes.
Legions of shorebirds nest on the breezy expanse of the coastal
plain.
Located in Northeastern Alaska, it consists of more than 7.7
million roadless hectares (19 million acres), the largest refuge
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Fiji
in the country and the last five percent of Northeastern Alaska
currently off limits to oil drilling. The refuge has been protected
since 1960, but the allure of oil remains a constant threat.
We were dropped off via bush plane with more than 180 kgs
(400 pounds) of gear along the Upper Marsh Fork River. From
there we converged with and paddled the Canning and Staines
Rivers, bouncing off dense gravel bars and eroding river banks until
we were clear of the Brooks Range. Nothing but flat coastal plain
unfolded before us until we reached the opaque blue Arctic Ocean.
The daunting Brooks Range peaks at over 2,700 metres. This
northernmost extension of the Rocky Mountains marks the
Continental Divide, with north-flowing rivers emptying into the
Arctic Ocean and south-flowing rivers joining the mighty Yukon
River. The rugged mountains of the Brooks Range are incised by
deep river valleys to create a range of elevations that support a
variety of low tundra vegetation. Poplar trees survive in rare groves
on the north side and spruce on the south.
During the summer, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, and golden
eagles build nests on craggy cliffs. Harlequin and long-tailed ducks
and red-breasted mergansers are seen on swift-flowing rivers.
On several occasions Arctic terns hovered above us and divebombed, sometimes hitting us on top of the head, with one divers
beak nearly piercing a hole in my raft.
We also came across caribou standing in the middle of the rivers
and on ice packs to evade pesky swarms of mosquitoes.
They cant take the mosquitoes, said Donohue. Well see
most of the caribou out on the coastal plain because its breezy out
there and it keeps the bugs down.
Rafting the Canning River with

the Brooks Range in the background.
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SUMMER 2014
11
12
SUMMER 2014
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Fiji
A Dall sheep; setting up camp in
the mosquitoes; windy and cold
but bug-free on the Canning
River.
SUMMER 2014
13
A caribou and her calves trot along the edge
of the Staines River near the Arctic Ocean.
I sympathized with the shaggy

herbivores. The hum of thick clouds of
mosquitoes was a constant irritant. We all
had our strategies for getting in and out
of our tents to minimize invasion. When I
paddled in shorts and we came ashore, the
mosquitoes covered my legs. I wiped them
off with my hand, transforming them into
a black slime.
Donohue said if you compared the
biomass of mosquitoes and the 130,000
caribou on the refuge, the biomass of
the mosquitoes outweighed that of the
caribou. A mind-boggling thought as
I gagged on another mosquito while
stumbling out of the raft.
With two of us paddling pack rafts and
the other two in the main raft, it was time
to explore channels braiding off the main
river. After rerouting on several channels, I
took one to the right that carried me to the
far east side of the river valley. It took me
three hours to work my way back to the
main channel and my group.
My attention was briefly diverted by
a bull moose with a huge rack in a grove
of willows on a broad gravel bar. I slowly
drifted up to the steep gravel bank and
crawled out of my raft for a photograph,
but as soon as I peeked over the edge
the moose had already vanished into the
willows.
14
Eventually I found my way back to

the main channel and an elbow-shaped
bluff for a convenient vantage point. I
scrambled out of my pack raft into kneehigh muck. The mosquitoes immediately
covered me. I held my breath and scanned
with my binoculars to locate my crew
about a mile upriver.
We found a deep swimming hole
and maneuvered around a pair of feisty
glaucous gulls to jump off a 10-metre
cliff into the frigid blue water. As cold as
the water was, I was instantly rejuvenated.
It was a momentary relief from the
mosquitoes, and I was ready to paddle on
into an evening which never arrives during
the Alaskan summers.
The sun never dips below the horizon,
so eventually I began eating breakfast
at 1 p.m., lunch at 6 p.m. and dinner
at midnight. Afterwards I would hike
throughout the night. The mornings were
spent sleeping, but it got tougher to do
that once we left the morning shade of the
mountains behind us.
Come winter polar bears hunt seals and
give birth in snow dens here.
You missed a polar bear by four
days, said a scruffy U.S. Fish and Wildlife
biologist stationed on the coastal plain
for two months to monitor nesting birds.
Theres a caribou carcass three miles up
SUMMER 2014
the Staines that it was feeding on.

I hiked 30 kilometres across the tundra
to the Arctic Ocean and barrier islands,
following fresh bear tracks on a beach
strewn in driftwood and caribou antlers.
But the bear tracks vanished in the tundra
where the Staines and the Arctic Ocean
converge and instead of seeing one Im
mocked by an Arctic squirrel that heckled
me as it darted in and out of its den. I
continued my way back to our tents and
rafts through a maze of glassy ponds. A
snowy owl sat perched on a wood post,
tundra swans waddled from pond to
pond and Canada geese honked at each
other like cars in a traffic jam.
Back at our camp its our last night on
the coastal plain and although its chilly I
stay out all night. An Arctic fox sprinted
across the tundra with prey in its jaws,
not slowing as it dove into its den. I could
hear the repeated hoarse croaks of Pacific
loons, the most abundant loons in North
America, resonating across tranquil ponds.
Then the low hum of a bush plane grew
louder across the coastal plain, and it was
time to let the air out of our rafts and fly
home.
Chuck Graham leads kayak tours at the
Channel Islands National Park, and is a
freelance writer and photographer in
Fiji
SUMMER 2014
15
Baja
potpourri
1.
Lyn Hancock
Guided Tour
Loreto to La Paz
14 days, 140 nautical miles
2.
Sarah Hauser
Self-guided expedition
Puertecitos to Loreto
27 days, 400 nautical miles
3.
Gerhardt Raven Lepp
Self-guided exploration
Various destinations
16
SUMMER 2014
Baja California
Fiji
San Felipe
Puertecitos
Calamaju
Isla Angel de la Guarda
Punta Remedios
Isla del Tiburon
Isla san Lorenzo
Bahi de los ngeles

Punta San Francisquito
Santa Rosalia
Muleg
Baha Concepcin
Punta Concepcin
Loreto
Isla Danzante
Timbabichi
Punta Mechuda
Isla Carmen
Isla Monserrat
Isla Santa Catalina
Isla San Jose
Isla Espiritu Santo
Isla Cerralvo
La Paz
Cabo San Lucas
Three trips,
three perspectives
on kayaking the
Sea of Cortez
The camp at Calamajue
from a nearby viewpoint.
Photo by Sarah Hauser.
SUMMER 2014
17
ONS AGO, plates pulled away,

volcanoes exploded, minerals
flung skyward the red of iron,
the green of copper, the grey of sulphite,
the white of quartz and now we paddle
through a landscape as colourful as an
artists palette. Rising steeply from the sea
are hills and cliffs sharply layered in bands
of red, orange, amber, green and white.
The faces of jumbled rocks are embedded
with tiny pebbles that shine like jewels.
At Punta San Telmo I set my tent close
to the emerald water on white sand and
encircled on three sides by rocks so red
they seem to be on fire. Clearly etched
into the sand at my door are the tracks of
hermit crabs and coyotes. Black spidery
Sally Lightfoot crabs in moulting mode
scurry over the boulders and hop, jump
and slide into the sea as I wedge my way
past them to the next beach. I may have
company tonight.
The shapes of the rocks are as distinctive
as their colour. Walls of rock funneled with
canyons, riddled with caves and topped by
turrets rise steeply from the sea. At Punta
Ballenas I dare to slide through the narrow
opening of one sea cave but suddenly my
kayak makes a right-hand turn, the walls
close in, my paddle hits the rock and all is
black. I feel the swell driving me forward to
who knows what, perhaps a dead-end wall.
From within I hear the ominous splash of
water. I exit clumsily backward toward the
entrance. It was not graceful.
Baja icebergs they call the sea stacks
that bookend the crescent beaches
blinding spires of rock where birds like
gulls, cormorants and oystercatchers
rest, nest and coat the rocks white with
droppings.
The most surprising landmark is
Timbabichi in the middle of nowhere,
says our guide, Hilary Masson of Baja
Kayak Adventures. It is not a natural
monument at all. Contrary to the
guidebooks, it is not a mission either but a
two-storey colonial-type concrete mansion
called the Pearl Divers House. It was built
in 1906 by a pearl diver who found and
sold several pearls the size of golf balls.
The pearl diver was the grandfather of
Suzanne, the wife of Hilarys friend Manuel,
a merry Mexican diver and fisherman
who delivered a bagful of fresh clams and
crayfish then trucked us to Timbabichi.
Hilary translated the rest of the story. In
18
1959 while Manuel and Suzanne were

still living in the mansion, a hurricane
collapsed the roof. They moved out and
built a modest plywood house nearby. It
may be in the middle of nowhere, but the
surrounding village is now home to 59
people, complete with a huge water tower,
which in the desert is a welcome addition.
It wasnt the whales or the dolphins that
I remember most, nor the long lines of
pelicans skimming the sea in formation, nor
the skitters of fish or schools of eagle rays
and jumping jacks that suddenly erupted
from the water beside our kayaks in their
attempt to escape predators. Instead I was
fascinated by seeing beached and bleached
puffer fish, also called appropriately balloon
fish and porcupine fish. Although they puff
up when agitated, it was their armour of
hard scales that amazed me.
In Baja even the common things are
different. I lay awake some nights from
sunset to sunrise looking through the
mesh of my tent at the moon, the sun and
the stars. One night the moon sprouted
wings, silver bands stretching out on each
side like a dragonfly. I tried to take photos
but they disappeared when I opened the
mesh. An illusion. Looking east to the
sea at sunrise, bands of gold streamed
pathways to my door, the sunlit clouds
fluffy pink meringues.
Lyn Hancock is the author of Theres a Seal in
my Sleeping Bag, Theres a Raccoon in my Parka
and numerous other books, and has boated
the west coast of North America between
California and Alaska in a 16-foot Avon
rubber dinghy. And back when Baja wasnt
even a Mexican state and Cabo San Lucas
was just a fishing village, Lyn planned a film
expedition to round the peninsula by rubber
boat. She now lives in Nanoose Bay.
www.lynhancock.com
SUMMER 2014
A Sally Lightfoot crab and an

uninvited guest visit the camp;
Cactus Camp just south of
Timbabichi; the Pearl Divers
Mansion in Timbabichi; Mary
Mejholm relaxes after a very long
day that began at 4 a.m. and ended
at Punta Mechuda and Arroyo
Verde. The reward was a two-night
stopover.
Part One by Lyn Hancock

Fiji
The middle
of nowhere
A puffer fish,
beached and bleached.
Lyn Hancock finds an

artists palette
in the Baja landscape
SUMMER 2014
19
Mary Mejholm paddles past pink-banded
bluffs near San Avaristo; smooth, red volcanic
rocks at the camp at the end of a white sand
beach at Punta San Telmo.
20
SUMMER 2014
Part One by Lyn Hancock

Fiji
SUMMER 2014
21
AY 24: Leah and I left the Rio

Muleg and started paddling
directly across to Punta
Concepcin, a distance of seven nautical
miles. And why not? It was calm with
a gentle swell a beautiful day. We had
just spent the last three nights in Muleg
waiting out a norte wind and we were
feeling excited to be on the water again so
close to our goal, Loreto.
Mid-crossing with land at least a couple
miles away I looked towards Leahs boat
and saw a big grey fin beside her. I put my
arms up in the air and exclaimed, What is
that! Leah casually looked beside her and
said, I think its a shark.
We had been looking for whale sharks
the whole way, and so far hadnt seen one.
I paddled away while Leah turned around
for a better look. But it was gone, and we
continued on to the point.
Water
& wind
HERE WERE five of us: Leah

Blok, Mikki Bartel, Josh Pelletier,
Nick Gallant and myself. We drove down
in two cars from Canada with kayaks and
gear, ready for an adventure with a launch
from a small town called Puertecitos,
about 60 kilometres south of San Felipe.
We arrived with a strong norte wind
blowing and big, breaking waves. That
was fine; we had to wait for Josh and Leah
to shuttle the cars to where we hoped
to finish in Loreto. So while we waited
we practiced some kayak rescues in the
sheltered bay and enjoyed the natural hot
springs a short walk away. Three and a half
days later Leah and Josh returned and so
on Nov. 9 we left and paddled south.
The coastline of the Baja Peninsula has
big sections with no road access and no
fresh water along the way. So each of us
carried 30 litres of water and whenever we
got to a town we restocked both water and
fresh food to augment our dried supply.
Meanwhile, Josh and Nick were both
always keen to catch our dinner.
Small local and gringo communities or
fish camps along the way were a blessing.
We occasionally camped in them, aided by
the amazingly kind and helpful residents.
Cold beer, fresh bread, leftover Halloween
candy, internet use to check the weather
forecast, water and fishing lures were all
freely given.
We broke the trip down into three legs.
The first leg was Puertecitos to Bahi de
22
The camp at Calamajue.
Paddling toward the sunrise

at Punta Mercenarios.
SUMMER 2014
Part Two by Sarah Hauser

Fiji
Sarah Hauser reflects

on a 27-day day,
400-mile journey down
the Sea of Cortez
A group farewell at Santa Roasalia as Mikki

departs the group.
los ngeles. This leg was 127 nautical

miles and took us seven days. We started
the trip with a sighting of a fin whale, and
a coyote visited us at our first campsite.
Sea turtles were plentiful but they were
shy, so we usually just got a glimpse.
The amazing rock sometimes looked
like Neapolitan ice cream with so many
colours, from cream to chocolate brown.
Nearer to Bahi de los ngeles
are some big islands. Because of the
constriction in the water around them
there are some points that can have strong
currents and choppy waters when windy.
One of these points is Punta Remedios.
As we passed there was a gusty wind
blowing down from the mountains.
Sometimes we had a headwind and
sometimes it was coming from the side.
The water was actually not really choppy
because the fetch was not big enough
to make the water rough close to shore,
but the wind slowed us down. After
punching past a few points we thought we
were done but turning around a corner I
realized that, no, the final headland was
still ahead of us. At this point there were
no mountains and the point was actually
around a long, flat section of land. So
now the wind was more intense and
after paddling hard and with it being late
in the day we decided that we probably
didnt want to battle the wind much more
anyway. It was so gusty it was picking
water up off the ocean and swirling it
around in little tornado-like formations.
So we pulled over for what became our
most uncomfortable camp a boulder
rock ridge along the shore with a lagoon
on the other side. We didnt set up tents;
there was nowhere to put them and they
would just blow away. As I was blowing
up my sleeping pad a gust of wind ripped
it from my grasp and blew it away into the
night. I ran across boulders chasing it with
my flashlight, just barely seeing it flipping
away. Lucky it landed in the lagoon and
Josh wadded out to retrieve it. If it had
landed on the ocean side I guess I would
have had to go for a swim, or just wish it a
fond farewell.
HE SECOND LEG was from

Bahi de los ngeles to Santa Rosalia.
This leg was 153 nautical miles and took
us 10 days. We were still looking for whale
sharks and the locals in Bahi de los
SUMMER 2014
23
ngeles told us that some had been seen
in the bay. As we paddled away we were
keeping our eyes on the water looking
for signs of them. Off in the distance I
saw two whale blows. These turned out
to be two fin whales. Mikki and Leah,
who were paddling away from the rest of
us, were lucky enough to get really close
to these huge animals. Yikes! They are
up to 24 metres long, and weigh over 70
tons. As they passed I saw another blow
ahead. It was a lot smaller and this animal
was showing more of its body when it
surfaced. Then it fluked and it turned out
to be a humpback, looking so small after
seeing the fin whales.
The biggest stress on this section
was the fact that Mikki had a flight
booked with a firm date to be in Santa
Rosalia. North of Santa Rosalia there is
a big volcano mountain called Cerro la
Reforma. Our guide book told us that this
coast was exposed with few landings, and
of course another norte started to blow, so
we spent three days waiting for the wind
to die with Mikki wondering the whole
time if she would miss her flight. There
are no weather forecasts on a VHF like
A pancake breakfast , complete with

Canadian maple syrup, on a layover day at
Bahai Santa Ana.
we have in Canada, so all your forecasting

is now casting. The wind usually calmed
down at night so we decided to leave early
one morning and so did a nerve-wracking
surf launch in the dark. All morning as
we paddled we kept looking behind us
for signs of wind picking up. There was
the odd whitecap and by 11 a.m. I finally
relaxed, thinking that was all the wind we
were going to get. The water was rough,
though, so we had to paddle well off shore
unfortunate as I had paddled here before
and remembered really cool sea caves
and big tall cliffs along the shore. But by
paddling offshore we got a better view of
the mountain and the beautiful hillsides.
By the end of the day the wind did pick
up and we surfed our way down the coast
and found a little campsite just north of
Santa Rosalia to spend our last night with
Mikki.
HE LAST LEG of the trip was

from Santa Rosalia to Loreto. This
leg was 122 nautical miles and took us
seven days. The highway parallels much
of the coast here between Santa Rosalia
and Muleg. We took two days to get to
Muleg and camped up the river there
at a nice drive-in campsite. It was on an
orchard oranges anytime! The wind
came again so we spent two days there
hanging out with some folks who drive
their RVs down from Canada and spend

the winter here.
The last day of the trip started out
beautiful and sunny. We actually wanted a
tailwind, but it took its time developing. As
we got closer to Loreto clouds started to
build and the rain came big heavy drops
of rain. We paddled into Loreto with a
tail wind perfect for surfing, pouring rain
and a huge rainbow behind us. It was an
awesome finish. What a trip!
EAH AND I had paddled separately

from Josh and Nick for the last leg
of the trip. They drove back to Canada
and we got an email from Josh saying he
had some insight on our shark sighting.
They had stopped in Muleg to say hello
to the folks there. They were told that the
local fisherman had seen a great white
shark out in the bay a few times. I looked
up great white shark fins on the internet
and the photo I found certainly looked
like the fin that Leah had right beside her
boat. We will never know for sure, but
perhaps that was the shark that had swam
below us.
Sarah Hauser is a Level 3 sea kayak guide and
guide certified trainer with the SKGABC. She
has worked around Vancouver Island, the
BC Central Coast and Baja Mexico. This is her
first published article.
Mkki and Leah battle gusting headwinds

towards Punta Remedios.
24
SUMMER 2014
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SUMMER 2014
25
Susie Marsh kayaks by an
arch at Isla la Ventana in
Baha de los ngeles.
Gerhardt Lepp
offers insight
into the logistics
of Baja trips
Driven to explore
T
HE ONCOMING CAR was
flashing its lights. I assumed
that this was the usual friendly
warning about a cow on the road ahead.
As I crested the next hill, I saw a transport
truck coming my way in the wrong lane.
Fortunately I found a small pullout
between the road and the cliff.
Driving the Transpeninsular Highway
in Baja can be an adventure, yet every year
thousands brave the road as they drive
south to the warmth, deserts and beaches
of Baja California.
I did a two-month road trip in the
winter of 2013, kayaking Isla Espiritu
Santo, Isla Carmen, Baha Concepcin
and Bahi de los ngeles. Here are some
observations from my trip that could help
in your own Baja explorations.
26
Camping: As I paddled through twometre seas towards Isla Danzante en route

to Isla Carmen, the island looked like a rock
wall that dropped off into deep water. I was
surprised to find good camping beaches
on Danzante which became one of our
favourite islands of the trip. The geology of
Baja is kind to kayakers. The relatively soft
rock has eroded over millions of years to
create beaches and good camping spots in
the most unlikely places. One of the more
popular long paddles in Baja is the trip from
Loreto to La Paz. There are many good
campsites along the way. All of the larger
offshore islands in Baja have good places
to camp.
Water: Water is more of an issue for
kayakers. The usual requirement for three
litres per person per day means carrying
SUMMER 2014
two full 10-litre dromedary bags for a

six-day trip around Isla Espiritu. For a
10-day circumnavigation of Isla Angel de
la Guardia, Antoni Murcia (whose travels
are penned under the name Toni de Baja)
bought a Katadyn Survivor 35 water
desalinator and rigged it up as a footpump
in his cockpit so that he could produce
drinking water as he paddled. Desalinators
are revolutionizing long-distance kayak
travel in Baja for hardcore kayakers. Kayak
tourers in Baja usually rely on an outfitters
panga for supplies.
Wind: A woman I knew died in a
windstorm while kayaking in Baja. She
did a long crossing from Isla Coronado to
Isla Carmen. A strong norte separated her
from her friends and eventually caused her
to capsize. Twelve hours later exhaustion
Part Three by Gerhardt Raven Lepp

Fiji
Gerhardt and Susie Marsh pose with an old

sailer statue on the Malecon in La Paz.
Kissing kayaks at a campsite on Isla Carmen

near Puerto Escondido.
A sea cave large enough for a panga to fit in

on the east side of Isla Carmen.
and hypothermia took its toll on her and

her last radio call was logged by sailers
in Loreto. As a result, kayak guiding
companies are reluctant to rent kayaks for
long trips. Be prepared to produce Paddle
Canada Level 2 or other certification if
you want to rent kayaks for a tour.
I kayak toured Baja in December and
January, two of the windiest months
of the year. A four-day storm in La Paz
was the only serious limitation to our
trip. The wind and sea state was calm
most mornings. We usually made camp
before the afternoon wind got too strong.
Fortunately SailFlow.com provided good
coverage and accurate forecasts for our

trips. There is an 8 a.m. weather report
on 22A, but it is not accessible on most
beaches.
Sailers were very helpful with weather
forecasts. They often received forecasts
and talked to other sailers about wind
and wave conditions. I never resorted to
an all stations call requesting a weather
forecast, but that is a valuable option when
planning a long crossing. We encountered
one- to two-metre seas on several
occasions on long crossings and when
rounding exposed points of land. Our
most exciting day on the water occurred
as we tried to circumnavigate Isla Carmen

and encountered steep three-metre seas on
the exposed north-east side.
Sun and Temperatures: Most
days started with toques and two layers
of fleece but we always stripped down
to shorts as soon as the sun came up.
Weather forecasts in Baja are pleasantly
monotonous: sunny, clear, 25 Celcius
and windy in the afternoon. The heat and
sun are punishing in Baja in the summer
months, though, and starting in March
kayakers scramble to put up a sun tarp as
soon as they reach the beach. In the winter
months, the sun is gentle and warm.
ADVENTURES VILLAGE ISLAND

While visiting our territories
know that we are here
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Accommodation
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We share our ancestral ways

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AdventuresVillageIsland.com
SUMMER 2014
Adventure
27
28
SUMMER 2014
SUMMER 2014
29
Green
Camo
Wildlife: At Ojo de Liebre we took

a panga tour hoping to get up close to a
gray whale. After two hours our hopes
faded as the panga driver headed for
shore. Then a gray whale with a calf
approached the panga and the dance
began. Eventually the mother whale
tucked her nose under the panga and
waited while we reached into the water
and touched her. We have come a long
way since 1858 when Capt. Charles
Scammon in the brig Boston led a whaling
expedition into the lagoon and killed
about 200 breeding whales and reduced
them to 7,000 barrels of oil.
At Bahi de los ngeles we saw a
humpback whale feeding on a school of
fish. We tried to catch a photo of the
turbulence from his bubble net as he
lunged above the surface. Meanwhile,
the blue-footed boobies and brown
pelicans circled and dove over and over
again in their own fishing ritual. In Canal
de Ballenas (Whales Channel) we saw
humpbacks, minke, grays and orcas. Fin,
Desert
Tan Camo
blue and pilot whales are not uncommon.

The islands in the Gulf of California
have been described as the poor mans
Galapagos. Despite the fact that it is
desert, there is a surprising amount of
life on the islands. The gulf is one of the
more productive ocean environments in
the world even if it is a pale shadow of
what it used to be. Bahi de los ngeles
is the only place where I have seen four
species of whales from the same spot.
Many of the islands look like a rock
wall devoid of campsites from a distance,
but when you paddle up to them beaches
and campsites suddenly appear. Its a
magical place and I will be going back.
Gerhardt has worked as a park naturalist
turning people onto nature, as a park ranger
involved in alpine rescue in the Rockies and
currently works as a Level 3 kayak guide
on Vancouver Island. He published the
first mountain bike guide book in Canada,
Backcountry Biking in the Canadian Rockies
Or Im 90% Sure There is a Trail Here.
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SUMMER 2014
31
Skillset
Crossings
A look at whats involved in
long open water stretches from the
perspective of two kayakers who
have been there, done that
The launch point for a 120-km crossing from Dog
Island in Anguilla. Inset: the brothers celebrate after
arriving in Tobago, their first Caribbean stop away
from the coast of South America.
32
SUMMER 2014
by Alex Matthews
Fiji
EW UNDERTAKINGS in sea
kayaking are more intimidating
than long crossings. Those
stood out as the major hurdles on the
epic 6,500 km kayak expedition from
Brazil to Florida by Russell and Graham
Henry. Over the course of their trip
they completed thirteen crossings of 50
kilometres or more, as well as several
monster crossings like the 150-km stretch
between the Dominican Republic and
Turks and Caicos, a leg that took 27 hours
of non-stop paddling.
Few paddlers will ever require crossings
of that length, but what starts out as a
potential wall in your trip planning may
not be such a large factor in the end. An
excerpt from a blog entry by the Henry
brothers conveys their evolving spirit:
The crossing to Beach Cay in the Bimini
chain was 100 kms. We left at 1 a.m. and
arrived at 4 the next day. It was the kind
of crossing we didnt even really bat an
eyelash at. From all the previous crossings
under our belt this one seemed just like
another day at the office.
If you are planning your own crossing,
many of the same strategies come into

play whether you are undertaking a modest
one or a gigantic one. Here are elements to
consider.
Do your homework: Before dipping
a blade in the water, have a really good
overview of what to expect from your
route, including local weather patterns,
wind speeds, fetch, tides and currents,
marine traffic (particularly the prospect of
crossing shipping lanes), likely conditions
at your landing site, hours of daylight
available and any possible alternative plans.
A lot of this information can be
obtained from talking to locals and other
people out on the water. Especially in a
strange and new place, the people that
travel those waters every day typically
know best, Graham says. But check those
facts.
We found that everyone wants to help
no matter whether they actually know the
answer or not. The Internet is obviously a
great resource and trip accounts on blogs
are as close as you can get to first-hand
experience.
Assess yourself and your partners:
Honestly establish your paddling abilities
and limitations and those of your
companions. Despite being brothers, the
SUMMER 2014
Henrys didnt naturally paddle at the same

speed: We had to be mindful of that no
big deal, but it was something that we had
to manage to ensure that we stayed close
enough together.
This type of assessment should
continue throughout the trip.
It is key to keep the communication
going throughout the crossing to make
sure everyone involved is in as good a
shape as possible. Its easy to hunker down
and get into your own world but you are
only as strong as your weakest member. In
a big crossing these group dynamic clichs
become incredibly important.
A tragic example of a failure in
communication is one crossing that ended
in a fatality in 2007. It involved crossing
Johnstone Strait on northern Vancouver
Island from Telegraph Cove to Hanson
Island, about four kilometres across
potentially volatile waters, especially when
wind opposes current to create choppy
conditions. That was the case that day,
forcing the lead kayaker to concentrate
wholly on his own situation so that he
wasnt aware of his partners difficulties
until he had completed the crossing. Thirty
minutes after calling a mayday, his partners
body was found nearby.

33
Skillset
Customs difficulties in the Domincan Republic.
Heading off on the longest crossing of

the trip out of Luperon Harbour in the
Dominican Republic aiming for the Turks and
Caicos.
The boats on a very long beach on Ilha de

Marajo in the Amazon river delta.
34
Navigation: GPS is a wonderful tool,

but you should not be wholly dependent
on it: units can be lost, batteries will die
and electronics can fail. Charts and a
compass and the knowledge of how to use
them are important backups.
A major consideration for the Henrys
on their big crossings was when they
were going to land: Often we might
be launching in the middle of the night,
because we absolutely had to be landing in
daylight. Can you imagine after 20 hours of
paddling, trying to land through surf, on a
beach youve never seen in the dark?
Communication: VHF radios allow
communication with other marine traffic,
can summon help in emergencies and
also work really well for communication
between paddlers.
The Henrys also used a Delorme
inReach Satellite communicator to
track GPS coordinates, allowing friends
and family to follow their progress via
MapShare. It can also trigger an SOS and
send and receive text messages.
It was a great way to stay in touch
with our support network back home
we could even text back and forth with
mission control and get updates or advice
in key situations.
You only have control over the
conditions in which you leave: Once
committed, you will have to react and
deal with whatever comes your way. So
dont rush. We waited 10 days to get the
SUMMER 2014
optimal wind forecasts for our crossing

from the Dominican to Turks and Caicos,
Russell says.
Its also worth remembering that one
of the hardest decisions for paddlers is to
turn back. Turning around and retreating
is not easily done. Once launched, we tend
to succumb to tunnel vision and press on
regardless of conditions.
Live out of your cockpit: Everything
that you need should be available without
having to open a hatch.
All your food, water, clothing, all your
essentials should be within easy reach. We
were big fans of stashing pop-top cans
of Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli behind
our seats. Two of those and a can of fruit
cocktail is a great meal.
Big Crossings and sleep: The
Henrys are clear on this: Thats easy its
not going to happen. We played with some
outrigger setups, but it was scary. It might
just happen regardless, Graham says:
Although we thought it was impossible,
Russell did actually fall asleep while
paddling forward.
Nature will also take its course
eventually, no matter your determination.
We chose to outrun sleep but if our
crossings had been any longer (30 hours
plus) it would have truly been a necessity.
Mental: Russells advice: Shut it off.
Lose your mind. Talk. Talk about anything,
and keep paddling.
Final Thoughts: The sea kayaking
community is typically represented by a
very conservative and profoundly riskadverse collection of paddlers. And yet
we sea kayakers also celebrate epic trips
and are inspired by amazing feats of
endurance and courage. There is often
a tension between the desire to play it
safe and to embark on an adventure. The
trick is perhaps to find your own comfort
levels and then to pursue your personal
goals in the most positive ways you can.
As the Henrys have demonstrated, with
preparation, application, and resolve,
amazing feats are entirely possible in small
human-powered craft.
For more information on the Henry
brothers and their expedition visit
www.henrykayak.com. Alex Matthew is
Coast&Kayak Magazines skills guru and
author of Sea Kayaking: Rough Waters (Fox
Chapel Publishing).
Crossings
Fiji
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www.nimbuspaddles.com
A case study in Baja

While far from being the longest crossing Ive done, the route between Isla Coronado
and Isla Carmen in Baja Mexico is one that I have traveled repeatedly while guiding weeklong commercial kayak trips out of Loreto on the Sea of Cortez.
The crossing is only about 10 kilometres, but with novice paddlers capable of only a
two-knot cruising speed, it still represents three hours of open water paddling.
A few cardinal rules established a strong protocol for completing the crossing safely.
Assessment: The crossing took place on the second day of the trip, allowing the
first day of paddling to serve as a tune-up for clients and for guides to assess the group
and figure out who were the stronger, faster paddlers and who would be struggling to
maintain pace.
Tandems: Although we ran single kayaks, we also always included at least one
tandem, which allowed us to pair up weaker paddlers with stronger ones (invariably one
of the guides), thus leveling the overall cruising speed of the group and making it much
easier to keep the group together and still make good headway.
On one occasion, about halfway across, I even transferred a very seasick guest from
her single kayak into the bow of one of our tandems. It allowed the patient to recover
while being chauffeured across and provided an exciting adventure story for the guest
who clambered out of the tandem and into a single to complete the journey.
Departure Time: When the weather in Loreto is in its classic February pattern, you
can almost set your watch by the wind at 11 a.m. calm conditions will give way to very
strong winds that whip up the sea and make travel by small boat hazardous. The winds
then drop overnight and the cycle begins again. The simple rule is: get on the water early,
and be ready to get off by 11 a.m.
So for a three-hour crossing we needed to be on the water paddling by 8 a.m. at the
very latest. Communicating the need for an efficient early start from the group was key.
Getting everyone up a little before dawn, providing a simple and quick breakfast and
prepping for departure with a little more urgency all helped to ensure getting off the
beach within our timeframe. Failure to do so would necessitate reevaluating options and
possibly waiting until the next day to cross.
Communication: A simple but highly effective strategy for managing a group of
kayakers is to have a lead paddler who no one can pass and a sweep paddler who must
always bring up the rear as the last paddler in the group.
For the crossing to Isla Carmen we often left our VHF radios on so that the sweep
and lead guides could easily converse the whole way across. Since it is far easier for the
sweep to see the whole group (the lead has to turn around to do a head count) he or she
is in a better position to direct the lead guide as to pace and to indicate who in the group
might be labouring, straying or requiring a break.
Weather: Baja is a windy place as the locals say: everything depends on the wind.
When the classic 11 a.m. wind pattern is holding, conditions feel predictable. Once that
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SUMMER 2014
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contacts and
information,
Hospitals, Coast
Guard, Weather
and much more.
Available at most fine kayak shops in BC

and on line at www.phkayaking.ca
Crossings by Alex Matthews

Fiji
pattern shifts, you must constantly reassess
and always be ready to get off the water at
a moments notice.
Plan B: By purposely building in a few
more days than were strictly required to
paddle our route, it allowed us to sit out
a day or even two if necessary, awaiting

better weather before tackling the crossing
and completing the rest of the trip.
We could also forego the crossing
altogether (something I did only once) and
choose instead to hug the coast down to
our southern take-out.

Finally, we had the option of radioing
for a motorboat to come and pick the
guests up, leaving the kayaks behind for
retrieval once the weather had settled.

Instruction directory
Canadas Original
Guide Standards & Certification
ACSKG.ca
Sea Kayak
Association
of BC
TRIPS Multi-day / Single Day

TRAINING Beginner / Advanced
SOCIAL EVENTS With / Without Kayaks
CLUB MEETINGS Greater Vancouver
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Gwaii Haanas National Park

Expeditions, Mothership Tours & Courses
swiftwave.net
SUMMER 2014
West Coast
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Quality skills training.

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Whatcom Association
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Paddling club with day paddles,
multiday trips, meetings, training
37
Not your average

Dont overlook...
$5
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Suits and a tie? Commuting into

the city? No. We kayak instead.
Our place is on the water, its where
we work, live and play, and it
reflects in what we do.
See page 3
The Coast&Kayak Magazine

office. This issue was produced
on board.
All products available at:

Alberni Outpost
Comox Valley Kayaks
Western Canoe and Kayaking
Deep Cove Outdoor Sports
Ocean River Sports
Alder Creek Kayaking
Introducing our guide series for navigating the BC coast

The BC Coast Explorer
The BC Coast Explorer
Volume 1
Volume 2
Covers North and West

Vancouver Island in
unrivalled detail. The
leading resource for
kayakers and coastal
explorers from Port Hardy to
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Covers the South BC coast

including Juan de Fuca, the
Gulf Islands, Howe Sound
and Desolation Sound.
AVAILABLE SOON.
Pre-orders now being taken
for numbered copies.

38
Item #100
SUMMER 2014
Item #101
publishing company...
Our 2014 product lineup is possible
only from this type of setup. It is
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Introducing our new

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kayaking destination.
Plus our trip planning maps...
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We cover all of British Columbias

most popular kayaking destinations in
full colour, double-sided detail in our
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kayakers and travellers you just wont
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North Coast Trail.
Item #682
Shop at retailers in this magazine or order online: coastandkayak.com

SUMMER 2014
Item #104W
Desolation Sound and

Discovery Islands
Marine Trail Mapsheet
Detailed trip planning
resource printed doublesided on waterproof/
tearproof synthetic stock.
The essential piece of a
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Item #105W
39
Trip Planning
Remote
control
T
HERE IS the usual way to

circumnavigate Vancouver
Island, and then there is Ken
Ellison and Mark Perrins way.
The pairs goal is to circumnavigate
the island, but through stretches of just
100 to 200 kilometres each summer.
For the more remote regions,
that can mean a planning hurdle
particularly for the northwest coast
of Vancouver Island. From Nootka
Sound to Kyuquot Sound are miles of
uninhabited shoreline. This pristine
wilderness is home to an array of
wildlife including gray whales, killer
whales, sea lions, sea otters, black bear
and of course bald eagles. A lucky
paddler can see them all in a single
trip.
Some of the more popular
destinations include the Bunsby Group,
historic Yuquot, Nuchatlitz Marine
Provincial Park, Brooks Peninsula and
Rugged Point Provincial Park. The mix
is sheltered inlets and stretches of open
ocean with an abundance of rocky
shoreline, sea caves and sea stacks to
explore.
The question is often how to get
there.
Our biggest expense and logistic
problem is always arranging a shuttle
or water taxi to reunite us with our
vehicle, especially when we only have
one vehicle, says Mark.
The solution evolved into a wet
launch at Rugged Point from the MV
Uchuck III. The trip to this park off
40
the south entrance to Kyuquot Sound

involved stops at fish farms, logging
camps and fishing lodges as the ship went
through its working routine of loading and
unloading freight.
We found it to be a very relaxing way
to travel to our launch site, Mark says.
SUMMER 2014
We arrived at Rugged Point and were wet

launched with only a 100-metre paddle to
our campsite.
The historic 136-foot MV Uchuck III is
operated by Get West Adventure Cruises,
which departs on regularly scheduled
runs from Gold River. Kayakers can load
By Neil Havers
Fiji
Uchuck III solves a

planning hurdle
for pair on
lengthy island
venture
Mark Perrin is
prepared for a
wet launch at
Rugged Point
near Kyuquot.
kayaks and provisions and enjoy a marine

cruise aboard a working marine cargo
vessel. A cargo winch system and a lifting
platform is used to retrieve supplies from
the hold and drop them off on wharves at
the various stops along the way.

SUMMER 2014
41
Trip Planning
Concept Photography top two photos
The Uchuck III under

power and at Yuquot on
Nootka Island; Capt. Gord
Lucas at the helm.
This same system is used for kayak wet

launches. Kayaks are positioned onto the
lifting platform on the ships deck with
the kayaker in position, ready to paddle.
As the paddler hangs onto the cables, the
lift platform is lowered overboard to just
below the oceans surface, allowing the
paddler to simply paddle off on his or her
adventure. These wet launches take place
at select locations along the route close to

key paddling destinations.
Talking to the captain, Ken and Mark
learned that the MV Uchuck III will also
pick up kayakers along her regular weekly
routes.
I have an InReach (a two-way satellite
communicator), so when we knew when

Come and Explore!

See the areas first monumental pole raised in
Gwaii Haanas in over 130 years.
Venez explorer!
Admirez le mt hraldique gant qui a t
hiss Gwaii Haanas, le premier dans la
rgion depuis plus de 130 ans.
42
SUMMER 2014
SUMMER 2014
43
Plan your West Coast adventure
For more information on the Uchuck III,

visit www.getwest.ca. The other working
freight vessel plying the BC coast is the MV
Frances Barkley. See ladyrosemarine.com. Neil
Havers has visited many of the islands and
remote villages on the west and east coast of
Northern Vancouver Island as a kayaker and
photographer.
Connect Experience Refresh
Kyuquot, Bunsby & Brooks Kayak Tours

Sea Kayaking Tours and
Wilderness Retreat
bckayaking.com
+1 (250) 338-2511Vancouver Island
Kyuquot Sound, or 1-800-665-3040
Sho
re
Explore Canadas diverse West Coast

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d E 4 iti
Explore Nootka Sound
bir
s
on
we would arrive in Nootka Sound I sent

an email to Get Wests office and arranged
to be picked up on the Friday afternoon as
the ship was returning to Gold River. We
talked to the captain on our VHF radio
and he told us where and when to be so
they could literally pick us up, Mark says.
This was my favourite kayaking trip
on Vancouver Island. The scenery on the
west coast is fantastic and the experience
with the Uchuck and being able to avoid car
shuttles and all the logistics involved was
great, Ken says.
For Mark, the real highlight was the
actual wet launch and pick-up on the ship.
I am pretty sure most kayakers have
not experienced this and they will talk
about it for quite awhile.
Kayak and gear rentals are also
available.
bcseakayaking.com
1.800.665.3040 or 250.338.2511
Adventure is Our Nature

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44
SUMMER 2014
Plan your West Coast adventure
WHALING STA
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Kayak launch
Gateway to the world-famous Broken Group Islands
Paddle the ancient waters of Barkley Sound,
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Camping available to extend your stay!
Nature
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Adventure
SUMMER 2014
45
The Gulf Islands
By Stephanie Meinke
The little outhouse that did

O
Generally outhouses arent commemorated,

but the BC Marine Trails Network Association
is making an exception for the Musgrave
Point marine trail site. It will be the first
marine trail campsite to receive a sign and
so will be the focal point of a special kayak
flotilla to mark the occasion on June 21.
Above: the truck moving in the privy; the
gang at work on the infrastructure; and
Donald Flook proudly presents his creation.
46
NE DAY in the early 1990s, a

pickup truck drove slowly and
carefully along Isabella Point
Road on Saltspring Island to an old unused
logging spur road near Musgrave Landing.
It was carrying a wooden outhouse
complete with a little round doorknob and
tiny diamond-shaped windows. No doubt
the tall load teetered, in spite of being
secured with multiple ties. It finally had to
stop as the road became too steep, though
fortunately not too far from its goal. Four
men then got out, opened the tailgate and
assessed the situation.
The outhouse had to be carried to its
resting place on a level spot just above a
little beach, about one kilometre south of
Musgrave Landing. And this they did. So
the outhouse has sat, quietly and rarely
visited, hidden within the forest just up
from its little beach.
The relatively lonely vigil of its past,
however, is about to be shattered. On June
21, this humble little BC Marine Trails
outhouse will be the focus a of a huge
flotilla of paddlers.
Heres why:
Sometime around 1986 a paddler
named Donald Flook built an outhouse,
partially out of recycled materials, on his
Saltspring Island property on Isabella
Point Road. He was happy with his
outhouse, but perhaps it didnt get as
much use as he had expected. A few
years later Donald became inspired by the
ideals of the BC Marine Trail Association,
which was started in the early 1990s by
Pete McGee and Chris Ladner. This
association worked for a decade or so to
create a vision of a marine trail along the
BC Coast. When the organization leased
Blackberry Point on Valdes Island and
installed a composting toilet on the site, it
gave Donald an idea. He and some friends
knew of some Crown land parcels on
the southwest side of Saltspring Island
and were hoping to give it some form of
conservation or recreation status. The
plot of land and its beach just south of
Musgrave Point were on one of these
parcels, and it seemed the most fitting
candidate for a BC Marine Trail site. So
why not anchor it for the future with
SUMMER 2014
the installation of an outhouse? Donald

offered his outhouse to this worthy cause,
the Lands Ministry granted the request,
and the deed was done.
A few years later, the BCMTA dissolved
as support waned. The outhouse and site
near Musgrave Point became forgotten
by all but a few paddlers who stopped at
Musgrave for an occasional rest break. The
BCMTA vision itself became forgotten
except by a few diehards, and the
Blackberry Point lease expired and could
not be renewed. The marine trail dream
seemed to be crumbling.
In December 2007, a renewal of
interest occurred and the result was the
formation of a new organization, this
time called the BC Marine Trails Network
Association. It wasnt until the Saltspring
Island Paddlers joined the membership of
the BCMTNA in 2011 that a link to the
outhouse was made. Now, in 2014, the
BCMTNA is ready to install BC Marine
Trails signs on some sites in its growing
trails network. It seemed only appropriate
Musgrave Point should be the first for the
honour.
On June 21 were expecting at least 100
paddlers, hopefully more, to launch from
various launch points on Vancouver Island
and also nearby marine trail campsites to
converge into a grand flotilla as they cross
Sansum Narrows and arrive at the little
Musgrave Point Beach site. A media boat
will be just offshore photographing the
flotilla as it arrives to salute the beach and
its guests. After the boats are all parked,
the sign will be put up with great fanfare,
and a feast of snacks and cake will occur
around the newly constructed marine trail
picnic table.
To participate, go to the BC Marine
Trails website at www.bcmarinetrails.org
and follow the links to News/Gulf Islands
& Musgrave Point Event, and follow the
instructions to register. Registered paddlers
will be eligible for several draw prizes
donated by paddling outfitters during the
celebration.
See you there.
Stephanie Meinke is president of the BC
Marine Trails Network Association.
Plan your Gulf Islands adventure

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SUMMER 2014
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47
Day Trips
Desolation Sound/Discovery Islands
A Desolation diversion
V
which runs adjacent to the park.

The route: Palm Beach is a nice
local beach that ends to the east at the
Eagle River delta, and so runs shallow
throughout. To the southeast is a large
bay with a busy log sort operation and a
community called Stillwater. Just south is
a large undeveloped bluff with walking
trails. Youll pass more bluffs and bays
before reaching Scotch Fir Point. There
you can stop at a good beach and clamber
the rock ledge around the point, or just
cruise the four islands nearby.
Conditions: This stretch will be worst
in a southerly, as winds tend to funnel up
the east side of Texada Island through the
Strait of Georgia. But its a nice quirk of
this area that if conditions are bad west of
Texada theyll usually be better on the east,
so during the good-weather westerlies you 29
will be relatively well protected here.
The distance: A round trip is about 15
kilometres.
Extending the trip: If you cross the
mouth of Jervis Inlet to Nelson Island
youll find a quaint little provincial park,
Musket Island, perfect for a picnic. This
adds another 10 km or so to the days
itinerary.
called Scotch Fir Point. Along the way

are bays, islands and beaches, with the
convoluted shoreline offering a wide range
of subject matter and wildlife in which to
pass a morning or even a full day. Here are
some details.
Where to launch: Residential pockets
dot the shorline south of Powell River,
most having beach accesses, but the
recommended launch is Palm Beach
at Lang Bay. Follow the route to Palm
Beach Regional Park by turning south
off Highway 101 at Lang Bay Road then
turning left onto Palm Beach Road. You
can launch from the park but a shorter
option is at the end of McNair Road,
Camping possible
by permission of
Sliammon First Nation
604-483-9646.
W12418'
W12424'
W12430'
This trip offers a great variety of

shoreline, islands and wildlife.
Inset below left: Palm Beach
Haslam L.
ll R.
Powe
at Lang Bay. Below right: a
Scout
Industrial area
Park
Cranberry L.
Hill
Duck Lakeislet
nearshore rocky Area is used yearProtected
Ship hulk breakwater
POWELL RIVER
round as a sea lion haulout.
W12436
W12442'
ISITORS WHO TRAVEL to

Desolation Sound have probably
marvelled at the scenery in Jervis
Inlet on the ferry crossing from Earls
Cove to Saltery Bay. Somewhat ironic
is the fact that one of the best kayaking
day trips in the area leaves all that
breathtaking mountain scenery behind.
This trip is perfect if you find yourself
with a few hours to spare in advance of
the return ferry back across Jervis Inlet
toward Sechelt on the way home from a
Desolation Sound holiday.
This trip follows the outer northern
entrance to Jervis Inlet. A large and mostly
pristine peninsula ends at a rocky headland
Pacifica Papers pulp mill
HARWOOD I.
101
Harwood Island IR
(Sliammon First Nation)
N4951'
Cape Lazo-Powell River call-in point 25
Willingdon Beach Municipal Campground
Alge
etwe
ies b
Ferr
.com
rries
.bcfe
www
ell R
iver
and
Cou
rten
Pass
WESTVIEW
age
Fuel
Hamill L.
ay
Hammil
Hill
Alan Bank
Rebecca Rk.
BC
Oswald Bank
Cyril Rk.
N4948.25' W12431.61'
Grief Pt.
N4948.20' W12436.22'
Kiddie Pt.
Blubber Bay
N4947.98' W12438.27'
Pocket beaches
Cr.
Lois R.
r.
MAL
A
Van
Residential
nda
Cr.
Priest L.
259
Butteryfly Pt.
Spratt Bay
Imperial
Limestone
Maple Bay
West Coast Fishculture
ASP
INA
STR
N4943.79' W12437.50'
Camp on beach
or south headland
(undeveloped)
Surprise
Mountain
Davis Bay
N4945'
Western Rk.
Scotch Fir Pt.
N4944.45' W12416.11'
Neville Rk.
Pocahontas Bay
270
Comet
Mountain
Private
Whiskey Still Cr. property
489
TEXADA ISLAND
Cranby L.
N4943.40' W12424.76'
Northeast Bay
N4942.47' W12421.39'
Northeast Pt.
N4942'
Mount
Pocahontas
an
.
Cr
OF
by
IT
Evenden Pt.
McRae It.
101
Ideal Cement
RA
101
19A
19
101
Paxton L.
Airport
McRae Cove
Cr
ST
AIT
19
290
Welcome Bay
Thunder Pt.
19
Rumbottle Cr.
N4944.17' W12438.18'
Thunder Bay
Stillwater Bay
Frolander Bay
Raven
Bay
Favada Pt.
Numerous beaches
for possible camping,
but watch for private property
Cokqueneets IR
(Sechelt First Nation)
Kelly Pt.
Black (Albion) Pt.
Scott Rk.
Marble Bluff
Van Anda Cove
Hodgson Pt.
STURT BAY
Brew Bay
Russ Cr.
rt C
Texada Boat Club
Recommended kayaking
Palm Beach
Regional Park
Lang Bay
Residential
Eagle Cove
Cr.
Stu
Crescent Bay
erd
Cr.
Jeff
tall
r.
Myrtle Pt.
Marshall Pt.
MALASPINA STRAIT
Whit
gC
Myrtle Rks.
Conspicuous
quarry
Lan
Ash Grove
Cement
N4948'
ton
Deigh
y Cr.
Domtar
Beach Garden Resort
Kell
Limekiln Bay
Grilse Pt.
Treat Pt.
Myrtle Cr.
ow
en P
rine
LOIS L.
OConnells
Hill
Coast Guard
Vivian I.
GE
OR
GI
Northeast Pt.
Rough beaches
Sand beaches.
Gillies Bay
576
Long Beach
Shelter Point Regional Park
Dick I.
N4939.25' W12428.08'
Mouat Bay
48
SUMMER 2014
N4939
Harwood Pt.
Cr.
Mouat
Plan your Desolation Sound/Discovery Islands adventure

Discover the Power
in your Nature
Kayak Tours, Rentals & Transport

Instruction & Leadership Programs
Maps, Charts & Books
Central waterfront location & launch site
Lund, BC | 604-483-7900 | 888-552-5558

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32.83%
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Half an hour to a
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Transport
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passengers,
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Thats the percentage of the

first 445 responses to our 2014
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they plan to take a guided
kayaking tour in the next year.
Meet them. Join our destination
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Kayaking and Cultural
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www.talaysay.com / 1.800.605.4643
.
Journey into ancient lands;

paddle our majestic waterways
SUMMER 2014
Book now for your Multi-day Custom

Kayak Trips. Private Campsites, Ancient
Aboriginal Villages with Giant Forests and
Rock Paintings. Sechelt (shshlh) Nation
Story Telling, Drumming and Singing.
49
Planning and Safety
HE DAY BEGAN in bright

sunshine the type of warm
weather which invites one
to slather on the sunscreen and head
outdoors. August is filled with such days,
and we started our weekend at a popular
kayaking destination with expectations of
sun and warmth.
Reaching our campsite in the midafternoon, our group watched as
approaching rain clouds darkened the
horizon. The winds rose as we set up our
tents and before long plans turned from
lounging on the beach to huddling under a
tarp drinking hot chocolate.
In the distance we watched another
group battle the winds making their way
slowly towards us. The rain and wind
made for miserable paddling conditions,
and as they drew near we noticed one
kayak was being towed. The group reached
shore visibly chilled after the long paddle.
Avoiding
Summer
One woman was far worse off; she had to
be lifted from the kayak by her friends and
stumbled with every step.
We soon learned the group had left for
a day trip from their camp that morning.
They planned to return in the afternoon
so had left their equipment and spare
clothing at camp to minimize the weight
of the kayaks. With the sunny morning
weather, all had dressed expecting a warm
day on the water.
After lunch one woman capsized near
shore. She quickly re-entered her boat
but was left with six inches of water in

her cockpit. Over the next few hours
as they paddled back to camp, her wet
clothing coupled with the rising winds and
rain chilled her. When they were still 45
minutes from camp she was no longer able
to keep up and needed a tow. By the time
they reached shore she was in the early
stages of hypothermia.
The female members of my group
hastened to assist, helping out of her wet
paddling gear and lending her a set of
warm, dry clothing. She was wrapped in
A cool, calm, overcast morning is perfect for a paddle if you can stay warm.
A long-sleeve base and additional layers as needed ending with a jacket
will keep the chills at bay until the day warms up.
50
SUMMER 2014
By Liam McNeil
Chills
a sleeping bag with a hot water bottle for

added warmth. It was an hour before she
regained her composure.
We tend to under-dress during the
summer months. Most of us simply slip
on a T-shirt and head out on the water.
Foul weather or an unexpected capsize is
the least of our worries.
Even in warm summer temperatures,
though, the ocean remains a frigid
environment. Wet clothing coupled
with a brisk wind will quickly reduce an
if you were on land, such as a long sleeve

shirt. It is easy to roll up the sleeves if
you get hot, and warm enough for most
conditions. A light paddling jacket can act
as a wind break. All your clothing should
be wool or synthetic, never cotton. Always
pack a second set of clothing in a dry
place.
It is vital to have equipment to handle
the occasions when we do get cold. An
easily accessible dry bag in your cockpit
should include a few basic items. When
you start to get cold, quickly don a hat,
gloves and an additional layer to stop
heat loss. A high-energy snack such as a
chocolate bar with nuts and caramel will
instantly boost your metabolism.
The joy of summer paddling is the
reason most of us kayak. On a glass-calm
summer morning it is easy to forget the
dangers, but a few simple measures can
keep you safe and warm on the water.
individuals ability to function.

The two extremes of summer clothing
range from a wetsuit or dry suit to
shorts and a T-shirt. Wetsuits and dry
suits are effective against the cold, but
on a calm summer day they can cause
heat exhaustion, chaffing and general
discomfort. Shorts and T-shirts are
comfortable during ideal conditions, but
offer little thermal protection. Finding a
balance is important.
Try to dress warmer than you would
After thirteen years of guiding, Liam McNeil

is still looks forward to another season. He is
a Level 4 Guide, Guide Trainer, and Executive
Director of SKGABC.
Easy Loading Kayak Rack Systems

Largest Selection / Shipped Everywhere
Ocean paddling
skills development
BCU & ACA Coaching & Assessment
www.kayakkraft.com
New location: 3325 Oak Street, Victoria

www.allseasonsautoracks.com
Victoria 250 383-2100
Kelowna 250 762-2110
Toll Free 1-800-667-1032
SUMMER 2014
51
Gearing Up
Dressing for the summer chills
A typical day of summer paddling

in BC and the Pacific Northwest goes
something like this: You start the day
early, not long after dawn, to get the best
paddling weather of the day cool, to be
sure, but its dead calm and so a perfect
time to be on the water.
As the day warms into mid-morning,
the sun becomes an issue. You dont want
to burn, so long sleeves are probably
a good idea. You also want to put on
the miles now, before the wind rises, so
youre risking overheating if you keep
the morning layers on. During the midmorning break you change into something
lighter.
By later afternoon youre hoping to
finish the final miles before the high
afternoon winds. Its hot now, and still
sunny, so you have to change again into
something lighter still.
But oh no! clouds roll in and you
still have an hour till you reach camp
perhaps more if the wind has turned
against you. Its choppy now, so youre
getting wet, and with no sun your warm
afternoon layer isnt sufficient. You dig
deep into your bag of trail mix and hunker
down to get the job done. But do you
change again? You probably should.
The easy solution, of course, is layering.
Lisa Kinkaid at Kokatat offers this:
I think the best advice is to make sure
you wear the proper insulation/baselayer
so when you get hot or sweat the base
layer wicks the moisture away so it can
dry quickly and dont wear cotton. Then
have proper outer layers on hand for when
the weather changes.
But what layers? Here are a few ideas.
Waters Dancing
u Kokatat
Kokatat is offering two new jackets for 2014. For paddlers,

jackets are great for morning warmth, protection from
splashing water and for cutting down penetrating wind.
They can also be removed on the water and stowed for
later use when conditions cool again. The Tropos Light
Drift is a fully seam sealed, quarter zip paddling jacket
designed for paddlers looking for light weight. The Drift
is made with Kokatats breathable waterproof fabric and
has a soft pile lined collar, adjustable coated lycra splash
cuffs and bungee draw cord waist. The left sleeve features
a zippered, self-draining pocket with key lanyard for
stowing small gear. The Drift will be offered in azul and
cherry for men and eggplant and pumpkin for women.
The Tropos Otter is another fully seam sealed, quarter zip,

lightweight paddling jacket with a stow-able hood made
with Kokatats Tropos waterproof breathable fabrics in
high-wear areas and lighter Tropos Light fabric in the back
and underarms for enhanced breathability. The jacket has
a soft pile lined collar, adjustable coated lycra splash cuffs
and bungee draw cord waist. The left sleeve features a
zippered, self-draining pocket with key lanyard for stowing
small gear. The Otter will be offered in pumpkin and abyss
for men and apple and crimson for women.
Dont overlook head gear! A baseball cap just

doesnt provide the necessary sun and exposure
protection. New from Kokatat is the quick-drying,
100% nylon supplex Convertible Cap. It provides
UPF30+ protection and a multitude of sun protection
options with its removable neck cape. The lightweight
cape keeps sun off the neck and ears and can be
snapped around the front of the face for complete sun
protection (or for the fun of paddling blindfolded!). It
also has multiple venting options with venting panels
in the neck cape and the sides of the hat.
www.watersdancing.com
- Stitch and Glue Boat Kits since 1955

- CNC cut Quicklock Connector System
- Top Quality Components and Manual
- Available in Canada and USA
The worlds most famous folding kayak. Period!
Our boats are designed to travel by air, land, and sea!

In Canada:
1-866-323-3525
www.automarine.ca
6316 106st Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6H 2V3
52
SUMMER 2014
SINCE 1907
Gearing Up
u Level Six
For base layers, fleece is always warm and comfy.
Level Sixs Hot Fuzz fleece top is designed to be
worn under paddling gear with a crew neck for
comfort under a paddling jacket when battened
down to keep out sea spray. Flat stitches prevent
chafing and the cut is trimmed for easy layering
and free movement. Plus its ideal for after your
day of paddling around the expedition campsite.
Its made of 50% nylon, 44 % polyester and
6% spandex with a highly breathable four-way
stretch anti-pill fleece. The high-pile finish on the
inside is designed to wick away moisture from
your skin plus it has an antibacterial finish.
ee
u Crewsaver
Crewsaver is a company that has made its name in the
United Kingdom outfitting the sailing crowd, particularly
competitive racers. Consequently this gear wont be found
in many North American outfitters clothing racks, but that
doesnt mean they couldnt be ideal for paddlers. Take the
Toki long sleeve top for ladies. It is a lightweight, quickdrying thermal base layer. Paddlers will particularly like
the seamless underarrms for unrestricted movement and
comfort. The polypropylene material is breathable and fastdrying with flatlocked seams to prevent chaffing. It could be
coupled with the Toki leggings for ladies and topped with a
Zephyr ladies drysuit for full protection.
TM
PADDLE S
ea
l
W er
el In
c q
o uI
m rI
e! es
A full range of Phase 2 clothing by Crewsaver is also

available for men, of course, including PFDs, longjohns,
shorts, boots, gloves, balaclavas, neck gaiters and more.
But we thought wed start by introducing the Polypro top.
The name is short for the polypropylene material, which
is light, durable and fast-wicking. As with the
ladies, it features seamless underarms and
flatlocked seams to prevent chaffing. But
personally, were hoping for a free sample
of the Phase2 trapeze harness, which would
be the absolute finishing touch to our
paddling wardrobe.
Why Dig When You Can Glide?
Visit us at: www.gullwingpaddles.com or follow us on:
SUMMER 2014
53
The largest Tandem kayak selection for Outfitters.

More than 10 models of tandem kayaks ranging from recreational use to full touring
sea kayaks in rotomolded plastic, thermoformed ABS and composite.
Manufacturers of :
Distributors of :
Contact: Mark Hall 250 739 2830

54
SUMMER 2014

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