"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.

Legendary Noodle Restaurant, Vancouver.

This restaurant is easy to miss. Situated on Denman Street, near the Comox Street intersection, it has a very small frontage.

We’d been there on a previous trip, but I just couldn’t remember it, that was until we walked through the door and it all came flooding back.  

How on earth could I have forgotten?  The noodles are made on the premises, in fact in front of you, as the kitchen is only a glass screen away, and are “legendary”.

   Noodle Making On The Premises.

Beef brisket soup is my favourite and I had a real dilemma in changing my normal order to the cold noodles and prawns, but they too are now on the list of “must have again”. The soup reminds me of the Japanese Ramen soups, served in a big bowl, it is full of flavour  without having chilli or being overpowered with spices.

The restaurant has a friendly, busy atmosphere and the staff are attentive. Very reasonably priced meals, which make Perth prices look ridiculously expensive. This is a restaurant we will be visiting again, when we're back in Vancouver.

Images Of Clayoquot Sound.

                                                                                                             

  

                    

       

                

 

 

                                                                                

Majestic Ocean Kayaking, Ucluelet, Vancouver Island.

Majestic Ocean Kayaking

Thanks go to Tracy and Ted, the proprietors of Majestic Ocean Kayaking, for their hospitality during our stay in Ukee, at their luxury Bed & Breakfast. The stay in the Emily Carr room is one we will always remember. We really enjoyed the breakfasts every morning, but rarely finished everything, there was just so much.

A big thank you as well on the kayaking side, as they provided first class equipment and an exceptional guide in Bill Rickson for our trip into the Sound. We're looking forward to our next trip with you.

Bed & Breakfast On Inlet At Ucluelet

Sincere thanks go to:

   The Team: Guide Bill, Gilly and Marty.

Guide Bill Rickson, of Majestic Ocean Kayaking, is a professional. He knows the waters of Clayoquot Sound well and took us to some incredible places, one's that we would never have found on our own. Our meals were of a gourmet standard and whilst they were prepared by the staff at MOK, Bill's presentation was first class.  Special mention has to go to his coffee which both Marty and I really appreciated. Our thanks go to Bill for his attention to detail and for guiding us safely, on a fun trip, one that we will remember for years to come.

Marty Thedroff from Saskatchewan, in central Canada, not a well know sea kayaking area.  For someone who only manages to paddle once a year, he is a very capable and reliable paddling companion.  Marty fitted into the team effortlessly, and it was like paddling with an old friend, rather than a new acquaintance. Thanks Marty, I hope we have the chance to paddle with you again, somewhere.

To Gilly for sharing the dream and being a major part of it.  Without whom the trip would not have been as memorable.  Thanks for being there.

Marooned On Salt Spring Island.........

I would like it known that alcohol was not involved .............

I managed to fall over on Salt Spring Island, ending up in the gravel with a few grazes and a very twisted ankle.

I'm marooned on the island. I can't carry any luggage and hopping (literally) on and off ferries, just isn't going to happen.

I was contemplating this dilemma, with leg up, iced and compressed , in the lovely garden of Beverly and Len Brown the owners of the Wisteria B&B, when Nurse Gilly arrives waving a piece of paper.

At first I had trouble working out what the receipt was for, but when I read the merchant name "Salt Spring Air", the Penny dropped.  We were booked on a float plane from the island to the float plane terminal, in Downtown Vancouver, right in the heart of the city.

So, instead of a full day's travel by taxi, bus, two ferries and yet another bus, and probably a final taxi to make the accommodation, we took a thirty minute ride in comfort.

No contest.

What a clever girl.

Ganges Harbour, Salt Spring Island.

Trying To Work Out How To Load The Hockey Bag.

  

Touch Down Vancouver.

Question: How To Travel With A Greenland Paddle ?

Answer:

Purchase a Northern Lights carbon Greenland paddle, which breaks down into three pieces, the maximum length being just over 92 cm.  

It is promoted in the literature as “fitting into your luggage”. That is if you have a "REALLY BIG CASE", it will fit, otherwise it sticks out.

So out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to speak.

The next problem was finding a case big enough.

A chance meeting in a Mountain Designs store, with a lady shopper and her daughter, put me on the right track. She suggested using a wheeled hockey bag – the perfect solution.

Cathy Pacific accepted the case without question, but did insist it was lodged at the "Over Sized" counter after checking in. The advantage of having the paddle contained in the bag is that you don't incur an additional surcharge if it is to travel seperately as sporting goods ie we did have to pay a surcharge with Air New Zealand to get our ski's to Queenstown.

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)