Just Another Day In Paradise ............

There are some days that are just .... Well, sublime!  

The Friday Paddle group headed off to Penguin Island this week, and although we were few in number, we had a great paddle.  With a moderate to fresh offshore breeze, the sea conditions were flat. The temperature reached 33 degrees C and the water must have been 20 degrees C.  

Summer is here already.

    Photo courtesy of Graeme Guerney: Geoff off Bird Island.

    Photo courtesy of Graeme Guerney:Magnificent rock formations.

    Photo courtesy of Graeme Guerney: Graham Place heading to the Garden Island bridge

    Photo courtesy of Graeme Guerney: John at Penguin Island.

We paddled along the coast to Point Peron and through the rock garden, which at low tide was quite benign, but very enjoyable.

A good push into the wind and sea to Penguin Island saw us stopping for a munchies break at the south end of the Island.  

The wind had eases somewhat and the paddle back to our starting point was very relaxed.

There are some of our group that roll at the end of each Friday paddle and on this occasion all four of us spent time practising.  Now, Graham Place is the only one of us who's roll could be described as bomb proof, but the rest of us are "reasonable" and keep practising.  One day it will get easier, won't it?

Thanks go to Graeme Gurney for his photographs, and of course he doesn't feature as he was taking the pictures. Also, for his weekly trip reports that he sends via email. They are always well written, entertaining and eagerly awaited by all on Friday evenings. Should he have ever had any doubt as to how much his work is appreciated, the report didn't appear last week (processing error) and everyone was phoning and emailing to find out why. I had to search through all my trash and folders thinking I'd misplaced the report.  Well done, you've got a job for life....... Shame there's no salary with it!

"I can't believe it isn't butter.......... or rather summer".

Back in Fremantle, and we've had a week of winter weather; rain and strong winds. However,  the weather forecast for Friday was looking good, so instead of heading to the upper reaches of the Swan River with our normal Friday paddle group, Graham and I headed for Woodman Point and out into the ocean towards Carnac Island. 

We were joined by Lance and Alan, friends of Graham's, to make it a quartet. 

 We really couldn't believe our luck, such perfect weather at this time of the year, was it really winter? The sun was shining, there was a light easterly breeze helping us towards Carnac Island, and there was no boat traffic.  We had Cockburn Sound to ourselves.

Searching For Sea Lions At Carnac Island

Graham, Lance & Alan

Cormorants Watching Us, Carnac Island


                                                                                                                                                                                                             

From Carnac we continued south to Garden Island, in perfect conditions for a lunch stop.

Garden Island on a winter's day, it was as if we had the island to ourselves.

A flat calm greeted us after lunch as we paddled back to Woodman Point and our biggest problem was whether we were using enough sun screen ........ A perfect winter's day paddle.

Trip Log ( The boring technical stuff) and Chart of Clayoquot Sound.

For Your Information: MacKenzie Beach is in the bottom right hand corner; Cow Bay is in the top left hand corner.

Day 1: Saturday, 13th July 203.

Start Point: MacKenzie Bay, Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Participants: Geoff Palmer, Gillian Palmer, Marty Thedroff.
Guide: Bill Rickson.

Weather: Light winds throughout day, overcast developing to sunshine. Sea calm to slight.

Route: MacKenzie Bay across Templar Channel to Wickininnish Island, across Father Charles Channel to Moser Pt., Vargas Island for lunch stop.

East to West through rock gardens of the La Croix Group to Ahous Beach.

Distance: 7.5 nm,  (13.9 kms)



Day 2: Sunday, 14th July 2013.

Route: Ahous Beach, Vargas Island, around bay to Blunden Island and return.

Weather: Light winds and calm sea to start, increasing to 18 to 20 knots and 2 metres swell off Northern point of Blunden Island, decreasing in Ahous Bay. Sunshine all day.

Distance: 6.6 nm, (12.2 kms)

Day 3: Monday, 15th July 2013.

Route: Ahous Beach to Hobbs Island and across Brabant Channel to Lawrence and Bartlett Islands for lunch.
Tibbs Island across Russell Channel to Garrard Group, Flores Island, west along coast line to Cow Bay.

Weather: Light wind and sea conditions, increased to 10 knots and 1 metre sea in Russell Channel. Sunshine at beginning and end of day, overcast early afternoon.

Distance: 8.6 nm, (15.9 kms)

Day 4: Tuesday, 16th July 2013.

Route: Around Cow Bay to Siwash Cove and return.

Weather: Light winds and slight sea. Sunshine all day.

Distance: 5.2 nm  ( 9.6 kms)

Day 5: Wednesday, 17th July 2013.

Route: Cow Bay east to Whitesand Cove for lunch.  North into Millar Channel to Yates Point, across channel to Vancouver Island, under Catface Range, then south to Monks Island and across Calmus Passage to Dick & Jane's Beach, Vargus Island.

Weather: Started with moderate headwind and sea on point at Cow Bay, decreasing to under 10 knots. Over cast all day.

Distance: 9.0 nm,  (16.6 kms).


Day 6: Thursday, 18th July 2013.

Route: Dick & Jane's along Calmus Passage east, north and then east coast of Vargus Island to Rassier Point. South across Father Charles Channel to Stubbs Island for lunch.
East to south of Tofino and MacKenzie Beach.

Weather: Over cast all day. WInds light sea calm to slight.

Distance: 8.8 nm, (16.3 kms)


Total Distance: 45.7 nm,  (84.5 kms)

Day 6: Rolling Home, Slowly.......

Around The Camp Fire At Dick & Jane's
Guide Bill, Marty and Gilly

Camping On The Beach Among The Tree Trunks

It's still. The cloud is low on the mountains. The water is oily, flat and motionless. Even the wind refuses to blow. The only movement, two eagles soaring high over the Sound. Everything is grey, including our spirits.

Today is our last day, the last day of a wonderful adventure, with great people and fantastic scenery.

As we paddle east down Calmus Passage, our paddle strokes are heavy and slow, we savour the moment, and take in the scene before us.

This part of the Sound is different, it's calmer, there are the mountains and the rainforest, but they appear to be very close.  Unlike the sea areas we have been paddling, this is more like a lake scene.  The land is so close, you feel as if you can reach out and touch it.

The tide is with us, speeding our progress towards the final beach.  Marty is possessed, his  technique has been improving all week and today he's "Rocket Man", no one can catch him, what ever he had the breakfast, I need some ........

At Elbow Bank we enter the Maurus Channel, the tide is well and truly under us now, but we keep close to Vargas Island. The on coming boat traffic is also on this side of the channel, keeping well away from the mid channel bank, as we approach Rassier Point several high speed whale watching vessels are on us, so Bill's caution was well founded.

Down towards Stubbs Island, we cross Father Charles Channel for the final time.  The tide is ebbing quickly but the cross wind is pushing us east.  We all keep up into the wind and reach the point without problems.

Our last lunch is on the South side of the island and we can feel the end approaching. As we are packing up lunch,  Bill compliments us on our strength, we have paddled each day of the trip, he indicates other groups have needed a "beach day" to recover. I'm not sure if he thought three old timers wouldn't be up to it, but it appears we can hold our heads high.

We dawdled towards MacKenzie Beach arriving at the appointed hour, to be greeted by Tracy and Ted, the owners of Majestic Ocean Kayaking.

                     The Team: Marty, Gilly, Geoff and Guide Bill.,,,,

It is over, six fantastic days, but years of memories.

Day 5: Cow Bay To Dick & Jane's Beach (Heading Home).

Breakfast

Gilly Heading For Whitesand Cove

The homeward journey starts today, we have reached as far west as we are going, the weather must have realised, as it is overcast and there is a little more wind than we'd experienced this trip.

We know it is going to be a long day, from Cow Bay on Flores Island to Dick & Jane's Bay on Vargas Island.  It starts with a head wind and lumpy sea, as soon as we round the point and head east. "This is going to be fun" I thought, as we head into the conditions, the prospect of a 5 or 6 kms slog, is going to be hard work.  Fortunately, both the sea and wind ease after a while and the paddle to White Sands Beach is a very pleasant one.

Bill Preparing Lunch Whitesands Cove

After lunch I expected we would be heading out into the Russell Channel, retracing our steps of a few days ago, but our guide Bill chose a more circuitous route. We head north into the Millar Channel until we reach Yates Point, just before the First Nation's  Ahousat Settlement, which we can just see through the rainforest. The wind is a little stronger now and there is a slight, wind driven, sea running. At this point we head east across the channel to the Vancouver Island shore then south following the coast line and rock garden to Monks Rock.

      Marty Paddling North Towards Yates Point After Lunch

Regrouping we paddle across Calmus Passage, an open water stretch, in good conditions keeping an eye out for fishing boats and pleasure cruisers, to make Vargas Island in calm conditions at Dick & Jayne's Beach.

 
    Heading Towards Dick & Jane's Beach From Vancouver Island

A very famous sea kayaker lives at one end of the beach, John Dowd, he is the person who defined the  "Sea Kayaking" movement, back in the 70's and wrote the first book on the subject, the sport has come a long way since then.  We respect his privacy, camping at the other end of the beach in calm overcast conditions, and indulge in another feast for dinner.  I will post a separate item on the food we enjoyed during the trip, it has raised the bar so high I don't think we will ever be able to reach it.

Day 4: Day Paddle To Siwash Cove, Flores Island.

Heading Across Cow Bay

Approaching Siwash Cove, Flores Island.

Tuesday we decided to paddle up the coast, the weather was still amazing, so we made the most of it. Heading west around the bay, we reached Siwash Cove were a hermit  once lived in a shack set high on a headland.

We had another good surfing session on the way home as the wind had picked up, and I lead the group between two large rocks just off the point on Cow Bay.

A great morning paddle.

Cow Bay is named after the female whales that frequent the area, often with their young.  We saw them circling in the bay from dawn to dusk, in fact their show entertained us in the evenings.  First we saw the spout of water then the whale would appear on the surface, sometimes breaching but not often.

In the afternoon we all walked the Wild Pacific Trail east to Kutcous Point. This trail uses both the beaches and the rainforest and enabled ship wrecked sailors to reach settlements, now a recreational walk it is particularly spectacular.  We were able to view part of the paddle area we'd made the previous day, and it's amazing how different an area looks from the sea and then from the land.

In Search of Grey Whales, close to Siwash Cove. Gill, Marty & Bill.

Day 3: We're Rock Hopping, To Make Flores Island.

Gill and I studied the chart and guide book before dinner, it was certainly possible but it would be weather dependent, making Flores Island, one of my dream destinations was within our reach.

Bill our guide, broached the subject after yet another amazing dinner, this one of marinated salmon, Japanese noodle salad and green beans, followed by chocolate cake. We jumped at the idea, even if we had to do a quick dash across the Russell Channel and miss our lunch stop.

It was settled, we'd try for either White Sand Bay (the closest) or Cow Bay if all went well.
The next morning we followed our track of yesterday but, extended north and crossed the channel to Bartlett Island without difficulty - the weather gods were on our side.

After lunch we rock hopped until we were ready to cross the Russell Channel from the rocky out crop of Tibbs Island. The wind and sea had increased, the sky was overcast and the whole scene was grey, but Bill had faith in us and we pushed on as a group, staying together until we reached the relative safety of the rocks close to Flores Island.

A grey whale surfaced not 50 metres from my kayak, so close I was concerned it would resurface under me, and I'd be swimming. Fortunately, it dived deep and disappeared.

The push up the coast was uneventful until we reached the eastern point of Cow Bay, where the sea was lumpy and we were very close to the rocks.  All went well and finally we landed on Flores Island ..........

Cow Beach, Flores Island.

Our First Night At Cow Bay.

Day 2: A Day Paddle To Blunden Island

Lunch Stop In Cove On Blunden Island

 We paddled around Ahous Bay, passed the river mouth and crossed the small channel to one of the many islands around Blunden Island, eventually stopping at a secluded cove on the N/W side.

The weather was still good with light winds and calm sea, so we settled in for lunch.

Gourmet Lunch

 During lunch we realised the wind was increasing and shortly it was up to about 15 to 18 knots.

We decided to sit it out for an hour to see if it would decrease.

Of course it didn't, so we set out through the narrow entrance into some largish swells. It was a bit bumpy at the headland but the Telkwa handled the conditions well and I had some great surfing down waves. By the time we reached the lee of the island, the wind was lighter and the swell had eased, but we still had fun surfing across Ahous Bay to our camp site.

Camping at Ahous Beach, Vargas Island.

 On the afternoon of the first day we paddled along the South shore of Vargas Island, to be precise, we paddled through a huge rock garden called the La Croix Group, about 5 Kms in length.

There was plenty of Kelp and Sea Weed, but also Sea Otters and a Grey Whale were sighted.

Ahous Beach Camp Site

                                       

Wolf Checking Us Out, Only 30 Metres From Our Camp.

                                       

                                        Sea Kayaks Above The High Tide Line.

                                         Looking Along Ahous Beach.

                                         Watching Grey Whales In The Bay, An Evening Pastime.

Living The Dream On Clayoquot Sound.

                                    MacKenzie Beach, Tofino, British Columbia, Canada.

We're loaded with food and water, plus personal effects and are raring to launch.
Weather is overcast but the forecast is for light winds and sunshine ...............
It looks as if it's going to be a great trip.

The team members are Marty from Central Canada, Bill our guide and Gilly.
We're a small group but this has many advantages as we can travel faster and be more flexible as to where we go.

Afloat at last, the sun is honouring us with it's rays and the sea is calm, what more could we ask for?
In the back ground is Lone Cone Mountain at 730 metres, we are heading out towards Wickaninnish Island and then on to Vargas Island for our first camp site on the beach at Ahous Bay.


Life really doesn't get much better than this.

Moore River: A Winter's Paddle.

Group Raft Up At Start Of Paddle



Gisela's Briefing

Winter is the time of the year for river paddles and the Moore River is a favourite.

Thanks go to Gisela for leading the paddle and for the accommodation on Saturday night. We had a tasty dinner of casserole beef, washed down with red wine and awesome homemade Gluhwein – just what’s needed for a winter’s night!

  The weather was cloudy, a tad windy and overcast, but not raining which made for a good day. Everyone was on time and some were even waiting on the river bank before we arrived.

With high water levels it was a delight to paddle to the river mouth, particularly at this time of the year, we had the river to ourselves, sharing it with the wild life: two pink and grey galahs, perched on a branch in the river; a Goss hawk circled high above us; a flock of water fowl, probably ducks, took fright as we approached.

As we paddled we could smell the paddocks, not the cut grass of summer, but the damp, wet odour of winter.

The sea was pumping at the river mouth and waves were almost overflowing the sand bar.  How long it will be before the bank is broken is anyone’s guess, but probably not long.  With the breach the river level will drop, so we were very lucky to enjoy a winter’s day of good paddling.

The wind increased for the return, making the exposed area’s hard work, but in general it was just a pleasant day on the river

Friday, 7th June 2013 Rotto Paddle

Graham launching at Port Beach at the start of the trip.

The surf was breaking just off the shore which made for a nasty moment if your timing was not spot on.

Paddling to Rotto had been an ambition for over a year, but I'd envisaged only a one way trip in a day, overnighting and returning the following day. However, the chance arose to do the return in the same day, the weather was good, so Graham and I went for it . 36.5 kms return in 6.5 hours, maybe not a speed record but a huge personal achievement.

Sea was "interesting" with 3 metre rollers out of the SW and a 1.5 metre swell out of the north........
Wind was light at the start and finish, but came up to 15+ knots as we approached the island, which pushed us to the south and meant a hard paddle to reach the point.

Passed the bulk carrier Ajax at anchor both ways, amazing how large these ships look close up !!

Landed on the Island at the Eastern end, Phillip Point and had some lunch.

The return trip was slow with a following wind and sea, as my shoulder was hurting, but we made it  back safely.

Great achievement, and thanks to Graham for the company.