Coast&Kayak Magazine Summer 2012

SUMMER 2012
FREE at select outlets and

online or by subscription
Volume 22, Issue 2
We search out the white water
and the calm in Surge Narrows
www.coastandkayak.com
Riding the Surge
P
M

4
1
6
8
7
5
1
5
Following the footsteps of the
famed Nuu-chah-nulth leader on
a journey down Nootka Island
On Maquinnas trail
Magazine
The magazine of coastal adventure and recreation
2 COAST&KAYAK MAgAzine SUMMER 2012
SUMMER 2012 COAST&KAYAK MAgAzine 3
Paddling through postcards 10
8
32
44
Serenity or Surge 18
In the footsteps of Maquinna 14
Author Lyn Hancock revisits Norway above
the Arctic Circle 50 years later but this time
without the ski instructor crush.
Many are drawn to Surge Narrows for the dramatic white water
and chance to ride the waves. Other prefer it for the meandering
channels and idyllic islands. You decide which is right for you.
First Word ....................................................................... 4
News .................................................................................. 7
Under the Golden Gate by Alex Matthews . 8
Instruction directory ................................................ 9
Destinations:
North Gulf Islands ................................................ 24
South Gulf Islands ................................................ 25
Barkley Sound/Broken Group ...................... 26
Kyuquot Sound ..................................................... 28
Haida Gwaii .............................................................. 29
Yukon Wild ............................................................... 30
Various destinations ........................................... 32
Close Encounter by James Dorsey ................. 34
Kayak fshing by Peter Marshall ........................ 36
New Gear ..................................................................... 38
Books and maps ...................................................... 40
SKGABC column by Liam NcNeil ..................... 42
Skillset by Alex Matthews .................................... 44
Books and DVDs ...................................................... 46
Inside
History echoes along the shores of Nootka
Island, a place perfect to explore by both
land and by kayak. In this issue we look at the
Nootka Trail from both perspectives.

Summer 2012 Volume 22, Number 2
PM No. 41687515
A product of:
Wild Coast Publishing
PO Box 24, Stn A
Nanaimo, B.C., Canada, V9R 5K4
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 Pacifc Ocean
2012. 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.
Advertising rates and submission guidelines
available at www.coastandkayak.com
subscribe
$20 for 1 year 4 issues
$35 for 2 years 8 issues
While Coast&Kayak Magazine is made available
free, subscriptions ensure the magazine is delivered
to your home and that you will never miss an issue.
To subscribe, visit
www.coastandkayak.com/Subscribe.html
or call 1-866-984-6437.
ISSUE ADDEADLINE DISTRIBUTION
Fall2012 July2 Aug.1
Winter2012 Oct.1 Nov.6
2013scheduletobedetermined
One of the mysteries of late is the demise of various paddlefests, notably this year
the Vancouver Island Paddlefest, a May tradition that in many ways heralded the start
of the kayaking season here on the island. Prior to that the West Coast Sea Kayak
Symposium folded in 2010. There have been other casualties.
It refects in some ways the overall growth, or lack of growth to be more precise,
in paddlesports in the last six or seven years. If it wasnt for standup paddleboards
many paddlesports retailers would be truly hurting. Not many
places could survive selling fbreglass kayaks alone.
A topic on the West Coast Paddler forum asks the question,
where have all the sea kayakers gone? The answers vary, with
several saying the decline in interest is a good thing it keeps
the coast private. But one good answer states: Weve done it to
ourselves... Now you need a drysuit, a self-built wood kayak or
the ability to choose a suitable kayak from a myriad of choice,
and the ability to do a dozen different rolls.
That seems to be a problem with paddlefests. The number
of skeg boats being tested, the amount of head-to-foot Gore-tex as standard-issue
paddlewear and the number of Greenland rollers showing off in the water would
scare off most tire-kickers who stopped by to see what all this kayaking was about.
The message is this is an elitist activity and the general public doesnt belong.
One of the problems retailers have faced is the growing number of non-kayak
outlets stocking plastic rec kayaks: Costco, Canadian Tire, West Marine its a long
and growing list. Superfcially this should be good for kayaking. On the same West
Coast Paddler thread a paddlesport industry pro offers some insight.
Over the years I have sold lots of sea kayaks to people who started in rec boats.
Rec boats seed the market. But lots of people fgure theyre going to give this
kayaking thing a try. But unsure if they are actually going to like it, they make the
smallest investment possible (Costco Pelican)... The old Pelicans, however, with no
keel, often frustrate people because they cant paddle straight. After a couple days of
paddling in circles everything is up on Craigslist and they are headed off to the bike
store to try something more familiar. I must have close to 100 people every year try
and trade in their cheap rec boats because they couldnt paddle straight.
This might be symptomatic of a larger problem with rec boats. Given their
visibility in stores, thousands must be selling or they wouldnt be stocked. But
looking out over the water I rarely see them amongst the various harbour paddlers.
So I imagine these thousands of boats are collecting dust in garages because as a
boat it never lived up to the dream it was too poorly designed for what the user
envisioned. And so someone who could have and should have been introduced to
kayaking instead gets turned off, and someone who might one day have worked up
to that fbreglass sea kayak instead is doing something else.
Is this where the kayakers have gone?
- John Kimantas
editor@coastandkayak.com
Are cheap rec boats hurting kayaking?
Coast&kayak maGaZINE is an independent magazine
available free at hundreds of print distribution sites (paddling
shops, outdoor stores, paddling clubs, marinas, events, etc.),
and globally on the web. Also available by paid subscription.
Articles, photos, events, news are all welcome.
Find back issues, articles, events, writers guidelines and
advertising information online at coastandkayak.com
Cover Photo:
When the current hits 8.5
knots on a food in Surge
Narrows, some good waves
can appear. Kayaker Taver
Rice makes it look easy, but
dont be fooled this can be
a good way to go for a swim.
General queries: kayak@coastandkayak.com
Editorial: editor@coastandkayak.com
Advertising: kayak@coastandkayak.com
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
A kayaking
contingent heads to
Surge Narrows.
Contact Us:
The First Word
News
WAVE LENGTH MAGAZINE ADSfinal.indd 1 12-02-02 11:50 AM
Kayak Repair & Refit
Component Replacements
Gel Coat Refinishing
Vancouver Island South
2072 Henry Avenue West
Sidney, BC. (250) 654-0052
Andrea
Morrison
Meet Blacklines kayak
specialist eight years
of manufacturing and
repair experience.
Keel Line Rebuilds
Structural Repairs
Blackline_10WI.indd 1 10/7/2010 2:22:32 PM
Go The Distance, paddle with power and control
with Canadian Hand Crafted
BUY FACTORY DIRECT!
www.nimbuspaddles.com info@nimbuspaddles.com
designed for optimum lightness,
strength, power, and comfort.
News
WEVE moVED! u our new ofce foats
When you are out exploring the Pacifc
coast this year, keep your eyes open for the
boat Rainy Day. Chances are a magazine is
being produced aboard.
Coast&Kayak Magazines parent company
Wild Coast Publishing is now located
aboard a cabin cruiser so we can operate
the business while exploring the coast
something only possible in the past few
years thanks to new mobile communication
technology. The boat will be moored out
of Nanaimo, and used more frequently on
trips as we learn new paddling techniques
for handling a 12-metre cruiser (edging will
be particularly tough). The transom roof will
be used for kayak storage and the swim grid
for oh-so-easy launching (especially during
lunch hours). It carries on a long tradition
of mothership kayaking by Coast&Kayak/
Wavelength Magazine publishers, though
it adds the extra step of long-term live-
aboard potential mixed with ofce capability.
Goodbye dry land!
EXPEDItIoNs u a trip sound
This summer, fve Alaskans are planning
an epic trip down the Pacifc coast from
Juneau to Tierra Del Fuego. The frst stage
will be by kayak through the Inside Passage
to meet up with trip sponsors Seaward
Kayaks in Ladysmith, then by bicycle
through to South America. The fve plan
a documentary on their journey, and will
depart after they graduate in May.
u www.atripsouth.com
taNkER PRotEst u youth paddle
Experiences with the beauty of the Great
Bear Rainforest has Quest University student
Magdalena Angel creating a Great Bear
Rainforest Youth Paddle to protest proposed
tanker trafc to Kitimat in Central BC.
The trip is a four-day canoe journey from
Hartley Bay to Kiel, a traditional Gitgaat site
on Spring Island.
u www.gbryouthpaddle.org
RECoRD attEmPt u arctic traverse
Adventurer Yuri Klavers next expedition is
the Polar America Traverse, a 10,000 km trek
through the Arctic by human power alone.
Having gained experience through trips
on Siberian rivers, the new attempt is to
traverse North America by kayak and ski. The
route follows the 10,000-km sea route from
Asia to Europe that was sailed for the frst
time by Roald Amundsen in 1906.
If Yuri succeeds, he will be the frst person
to cross Arctic America without machine
support and the frst to cover such a great
distance in the Arctic.
u www.outdoorempathy.com.
In Canada:
1-866-323-3525
www.automarine.ca SINCE 1907
The worlds most famous folding kayak. Period!
Our boats are designed to travel by air, land, and sea!
8 COAST&KAYAK MAgAzine SUMMER 2012 8 COAST&KAYAK MAgAzine SPRING 2012
Events: GGSKS
I cant fnd my gloves! one paddler
laments as he frantically sifts through a
bag of gear. Another kayaker is rushing
to stow a spare paddle on her foredeck.
Others are making last minute adjustments
sealing up hatches, stowing rescue kits,
checking and rechecking equipment. Its
the usual last-minute feverish activity
that precedes any group of kayakers
launching. But this time, excitement is
running especially high. Some paddlers
talk nonstop, boisterously loud. Others
are especially silent, their energy directed
inward. Its a pre-paddling atmosphere that
I associate more with running whitewater
than with sea kayaking. These paddlers
are excited for sure, but theyre nervous
as well, and adrenaline is making some a
little giddy. And with good cause, because
we are about to paddle the chaotic waters
beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. For
many of us (including me), it will be our
frst time.
This February I was in San Francisco
for the fourth annual Golden Gate Sea
Kayak Symposium (GGSKS). This
three-day gathering is the brainchild
of Sean Morley and Matt Palmariello.
Sean, originally from the UK, is former
holder of the record for the fastest
circumnavigation of Vancouver Island,
while Matt is an independent event
planner and avid canoeist, stand-up
paddleboarder and certifed sea kayaker.
The Golden Gate Symposium is
different from any other sea kayak festival
Ive attended in several respects, but
primarily location. While every other sea
kayak festival Ive been at was held on the
most sheltered bay possible, the Golden
Gate Symposium is instead right on the
doorstep of some very dynamic waters.
Based out of the Presidio Yacht Club
at Travis Marina in Horseshoe Bay, the
put-in is minutes away from the Golden
Gate itself. For those unfamiliar with the
area, beneath the bridge youll fnd very
busy shipping lanes heavily traveled by
all manner of vessels. The channel is also
subject to high winds and powerful tidal
currents that routinely create extremely
rough conditions. It is a channel that
demands respect. Fog can also envelop the
area anytime, but especially in the summer.
Continuing west beyond the bridge,
the urban landscape of the city is replaced
by the beautiful rugged coastline of Mt.
Tamalpais State Park. Pacifc swell rolls
in here and powerful waves pound both
Point Diablo and Point Bonita.
If you head the other way, east out
of Travis Marina, a short distance away
youll fnd Yellow Bluff where a tide rip
forms. Conditions for playing in the waves
and turbulent waters are best on the ebb.
Beyond is Angel Island State Park.
Set in such a dynamic location, the
Golden Gate Symposium is clearly not
aimed at frst time kayakers. Instead
it focuses on developing the skills of
paddlers who already have a good
Learning under the
Golden Gate
Kayakers test
balance skills before
reaching more
turbulent water.
R
o
c
h
e
l
l
e

R
e
l
y
e
a

p
h
o
t
o
s
by Alex Matthews
Paddling
is
Fun!
BE PREPARED GET TRAINING
THIS AD WAS PRODUCED WITH FUNDING PROVIDED IN PART BY:
NATIONAL PADDLESPORTS TRAINING

Self Rescue

Use a Throw Bag

Paddle in Wind and Waves

Paddle in Tides and Currents ?
DO THEY KNOW HOW TO:
paddlecanada.com
foundation in the sport. A range of
courses are tailored to sea kayakers
of different skill levels ranging from
advanced beginner paddlers through to
advanced intermediate paddlers. Classes
focus on skills including rock gardening,
combat rescues, strokes and edge control.
Surf courses take place farther up the
coast, with the location determined by
swell conditions.
Due to the conditions prevalent in
the area, and the challenging nature of
the courses, the instructor/student ratio
is high. Just over 100 paddlers signed
up this year, with 30 coaches providing
instructions. The roster of coaches read
like a whos who of sea kayaking:
Gordon Brown, Ben Lawry, Shawna
Franklin and Leon Somm, Rob Avery,
Jen Kleck, Bryant Burkhardt, Paul
Kuthe, Steve and Cindy Scherrer, Roger
Schumann and too many more great
instructors to list.
On the water, my group was in tight
formation approaching the bridge. We
hugged the shoreline and rounded the fnal
corner leading us to the massive pilings
supporting the immense structure directly
above us. A fast current ripped through
the middle of the wide channel, creating
large, chaotic waves. It was mayhem, but
by the shoreline we were safe. Bouncing
around in our kayaks we grinned as we
took in this astonishing view.
We continued down the coastline,
working on maneuvering skills, timing
surges, assessing slots, and even snatching
a bilge pump from a cliffed-out section
of shoreline (an exercise devised to help
paddlers understand and time incoming
swell). On our return we retraced our
path again beneath the Golden Gate.
We all passed under the bridge, and
it is an experience that feels just a bit
extraordinary.
For more information on the Golden
Gate Sea Kayak Symposium go to
www.ggsks.com. For my video report on
the event go to http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ba_q58K0bS4.
Alex Matthews is Coast&Kayak Magazines
Skillset columnist.
Experience is Necessary! Whether you need lessons,
paddle sports gear, a dry suit or kayak, Kayak Academy
has the experience to help you.
Phone: 206.527.1825; toll-free 866.306.1825
Web: www.kayakacademy.com
Email: info@kayakacademy.com
Kayak Academy (Seattle)
West Coast Outdoor Leadership Training. Quality
skills training and Hesquiaht traditional knowledge
for those pursuing a career or employment in the
outdoors. Certifcation courses include: Paddle Canada
Sea Kayaking Levels I & II, Introduction to Kayaking-
Instructors Course, Red Cross Wilderness First Responder,
Lifesaving, BOAT & ROC(M). Visiting Kayak & Hiking
Groups: Base your Hesquiaht Harbour adventures from
our Longhouse. Meals and overnight stays available.
Phone: 250.670.1120
Web: www.hooksumschool.com
Email: info@hooksumschool.com
Hooksum Outdoor School
Kayakers go through the frantic last
moments of preparation before launching
into the water near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Instruction
Paddling
through
Postcards
Destinations
A narrow, river-like channel separates
Moskenes Island from Flakstad Island
to create Moskenesya Bay. It made
an ideal landing spot for lunch at
the head of the channel, followed by
a hike across a hill to the white sand
beach on the western shore.
norwegian love affair
rekindled 50 years later
by Lyn Hancock
My love affair with Norways fords, mountains and offshore islands is the reason I live in
British Columbia to enjoy the similarities. Mind you, on my frst visit to Norway, a ski holiday
in Geilo, I fell in love with my Norwegian ski instructor arent all girls attracted to their ski
instructors? but Norways landscapes have stayed in my soul far longer than the ski instructor.
So 50 years later, when Jaime, my New Zealand kayaking friend of World Wild Adventure,
asked me to paddle the Lofoten Islands above the Arctic Circle in Norway, I immediately said
Yes! before I even checked the chart.
For two glorious weeks in September
after the tourists had gone home and the
Norwegians left on their own vacations,
Jaime, Denise and I paddled Norways
lovely Lofoten islands, from the southern
end at Hell (aptly named for the strongest
sea currents in the world) to Svolvaer in
the north. There we traded our kayaks for
a Hurtigruten ferry back down the coast
along one of the most scenic waterways
in the world to end our trip in bustling
Bergen.
For the frst few days from , a
picturesque village named for the last
letter of the Norwegian alphabet, through
Reine, Sakrisoy, Hamnoy, Bunesfjord,
Sund, Ramberg and Nusfjord, we paddled
on calm seas under clear blue skies
through a series of postcard-perfect
settings: red-walled, white-windowed
rorbuer (fshermens huts renovated for
rent) clinging to granite outcroppings
by pilings, huge wooden A-framed racks
for drying cod (stockfsh), harbours
of deserted fshing boats in the larger
villages, occasional stunning sandy
beaches, but always a backdrop of
soaring mountains whose steep peaks
stretch dramatically across the horizon
like elongated tiaras. Sometimes at the
end of the day we climbed well-worn
pencil trails above our rorbu and followed
the sheep to see the sunset.
No need to scrape a place for tents
above the high tide line on log-clogged
beaches as we have to do in British
Columbia. At the end of each day we just
paddled into a harbour, hauled our kayaks
onto the dock, climbed a ladder to the
deck and settled into a rorbu with all the
modern conveniences. Sometimes there
was a pub or restaurant on the same deck;
at other times we had to hike to the next
village to fnd one open. Invariably, in this
post-tourist season, we ate alone. Norway
is one of the most expensive countries in
the world, so we made our own breakfast
and lunch, but we splurged for dinner on
such specialties as fsh (mostly salmon,
halibut and the ubiquitous cod), prawns,
reindeer, whale, the ever popular bacalao
(cod stew) and a succulent lamb that beat
any I have had in the rest of the world
(and this is an Aussie speaking).
After Nusfjord the weather began to
deteriorate, but making the most of a
myriad of sheltering islands we wove our
way across the fjords to Ballstad then
Stamsund. And there, faced with high
winds, walls of water and cresting waves,
Denise and I decided not to take a chance
on the next long and open crossing to
Henningsvaer. Indomitable Jaime was all
gung ho and flmed our attempts to leave
Jaime and Lyn in Bergen after the cruise by a
Hurtigruta coastal steamer from Bod after
the Lofoten Islands paddle.
The harbour of is a fshing village of
bright colourful wooden houses rentable as
rorbuer.
Denise and Jaime on the sandy beach of Ramberg. They found a concert at a restaurant that
night a surprise as they saw almost no one on the entire trip, and yet the restaurant was full.
The prow of a Viking ship at the Viking
Museum at Borg.
Destinations
the harbour in worsening conditions,
but he played it safe by arranging a
van to take us around the fjord by the
coastal road instead, giving us a novel
land-side view of our route.
But we didnt escape the wind and
waves completely. We were ensconced
in our comfortable rorbu on the
dock in Henningsvaer, which earns
its nickname Venice of Lofoten by
being built on small islands connected
by bridges. But somehow Jaime had
us back in our kayaks for an afternoon
paddle. Constantly buffeted by 20-
knot gusts of wind, we pushed our
way through the wave-lashed pancake
islands of the fjord to peer up at
Henningsvaers famous climbing peaks.
Costa riCa
osa peninsula
www.seakayak.ca
250-539-2442 / kayak@gulfislands.com
O
ur 25th
year.
7 days in paradise, DecemberApril.
Jan2012ad_outlines.indd 1 08/01/12 10:17 AM
Multi-Day Kayak Tours - Sea of
Cortez- Loreto Baja Mexico
Toll Free 1-866-765-BAJA (2252)
www.bajakayakadventures.com
Paddle with us in
the Worlds Aquarium!
Plan your trip: Exotic destinations
Two hours later, we turned around and
surfed back to the harbour for dinner,
then caught a presentation on whale
sounds, to be topped off by another
paddle, this time at midnight back to the
rorbu.
We woke next day to heavy rain, high
winds and conficting currents which
assaulted us from different directions,
but as this was our last day by kayak
we couldnt delay. We had to slog on to
Svolvaer to meet the ferry.
Three hours later, despite the struggle,
we were still only half-way to our
destination. If we paddled on we would
miss the MS Lofoten and the plane home.
Disappointed but with his mind made up,
Jaime led us to a tiny protected cove near
Orsvagver so we could be reached by
road for pick-up by van.
We slid easily onto a sandy beach,
packed our Trak kayaks in their bags and
had time for lunch. The wind died down
and the sun came out. Picture perfect
Norway once again.
The cruise down the coast to Bergen
and drinking cod liver oil (ugh!) to
celebrate our crossing of the Arctic Circle
is another story for another time.
Lyn was raised in Western Australia, taught
in Australia, England and Canada, raised
orphaned wild animals and traveled through
Canada to China, Laos and Cambodia, New
Zealand and the South Pacifc, Central and
South America, and Antarctica. From these
experiences have come 20 books, countless
images, articles and presentations.
The peaks behind the steep rocky walls of
the Moskenes Titans are clothed in mist
during the paddle from Reine to Ramberg.
Jaime holds a sea urchin while kayaking to
Stamsund.
D
e
n
i
s
e

O
u
e
l
e
t
t
e

p
h
o
t
o
In Sund outside the famous Blacksmith
Museum where Tor Vegard Mrkved makes
iron sculptures, most commonly cormorants.
Norway
14 COAST&KAYAK MAgAzine SUMMER 2012 14 COAST&KAYAK MAgAzine SUMMER 2012
In the
footsteps
of Maquinna
BC Destinations
Hiking across Third Beach ,
the traditional frst campsite
on the Nootka Trail.
p
h
o
t
o

f
r
o
m

B
C

C
o
a
s
t

E
x
p
l
o
r
e
r
,

V
o
l
.

1
F
ew names ring with such
clarity in the history of Vancouver
Island as Maquinna, chief of
the mighty Mowachaht tribe of Nootka
Sound. His lifetime represents a turning
point in both European and Mowachaht
history, marked most profoundly when he
frst greeted Captain George Vancouver at
Yuquot on Nootka Island in 1792. No one
could have predicted the transformation to
follow, particularly for the Mowachaht in
both economy and culture, which declined
substantially in the years to follow.
Maquinnas era was the age of the frst
European impressions of native culture
and so stands today as the frst written
record describing the Nuu-chah-nulth
people. Easily considered savage for
their lack of technology, lack of written
language and hunter-gatherer lifestyle,
they nonetheless showed great depth in
their culture, traditions, artwork, fshing
and whaling skills. Perhaps most telling
was their hospitality. Captain James
Cooks welcome here earned the name
Friendly Cove for his frst Nootka Sound
anchorage in 1778. Whether it was the
same Maquinna who greeted both him
and Vancouver is a detail lost to history
(Maquinna was, after all, the honorary
name for all Mowachaht chiefs, so records
dont distinguish who had the name at the
time. Maquinnas actual name was never
recorded).
Unpacking after landing kayaks at the point just south of Calvin Falls along outer Nootka
Island. Though an exposed section of coast, the falls bay ofers a good all-weather haven.
The old church at Yuquot houses wonderful
examples of Mowachaht carvings.
Nootka Island
As chief, Maquinna became a famed
ambassador by hosting both Vancouver
and Spanish envoy Juan Francisco de la
Bodega y Quadra for talks at Yuquot,
the outcome eliminating the risk of war
between Britain and Spain. To his credit,
Maquinna even learned a considerable
amount of the English language.
It was a complex time for the
Mowachaht, with social and political
turmoil often leading to spilled blood.
Maquinnas brother was killed in 1791
by the Spanish, possibly even by the
Spanish Ensign Esteban Jos Martnez,
who was in charge of the Spanish
settlement at Yuquot at the time of the
confict (Yuquot was the location of the
Fort San Miguel, only Spanish fort built
in North America). This act and other
transgressions that went for the most
part unrecorded created tension between
Europeans and the Mowachaht, with those
ill feelings spilling over when Maquinna
led a slaughter aboard the ship the Boston
in 1803. One man from that ship survived
three years of enslavement, and John R.
Jewitts resulting book offers perhaps the
most comprehensive look at the Nuu-
chah-nulth culture prior to European
dominance.
Many of the names of that time
resonate today through Nootka Sounds
place names: Jewitt Cove, Bligh Island,
Cook Channel and Maquinna Point,
among others. For this and other more
subtle reasons, it is easy to feel the echo
of lives lived long ago while exploring
Nootka Islands shores. It is particularly
poignant when coupled with the energy
and vibrancy of the wild Pacifc coast.
The outer shore of Nootka Island
offers the most compelling location to
explore, but at the greatest risk safe
havens are few and far between along this
long stretch of open coast. In 2003 two
kayakers lost their lives leaving Nuchatlitz
Provincial Park in strong winds, their
wrecked kayaks washing up on nearby
Ensanada Island in Nuchatlitz Inlet. For
anyone planning this trip, the regular rules
of the open ocean apply: leave early on a
calm morning when the weather is forecast
to be no higher than moderate at worst.
Plan to be off the water by noon before
the days winds reach their height, and with
care you should be fne.
Even so, it is an intimidating place, with
shallow near-shore bars creating a constant
line of white water in the distance. The
perspective is more idyllic from shore,
and you neednt kayak here to appreciate
it if you dont mind the extra effort of
a hike and backpack. The Nootka Trail
runs about 35 kilometres down the outside
of the island from Louie Bay to Yuquot,
mostly along beach, making this one of
the easiest of Vancouver Islands many
multi-day coastal hikes. A water taxi is a
common way to arrive at the trailhead at
Louie Bay, though a charter plane fight
from Gold River and a return trip aboard
the Uchuck freighter from Yuquot is
another option.
The native infuence on Nootka Island
is at a low ebb today, but at places like
Bajo Point you can visit Aass, the former
fshing village where three depressions
mark the location of the historic houses.
There you can survey the surroundings
and imagine the strength of character
necessary to thrive in such a remote and
exposed location. The trail continues
along the beach and fnally overland
above Maquinna Point to end at Yuquot,
the heart of Mowachaht history. Once
home to as many as 17 longhouses,
that aspect has long disappeared, but a
historic church with Mowachaht carvings,
a fallen totem and an old cemetery
provide glimpses into the Mowachaht
culture.
Some aspects were never meant to be
seen, such as the whalers shrines. These
were private places created for ritualistic
purifcation to aid luck in whaling
expeditions. The chief s shrine was passed
down through the family, and contained
an assortment of carvings, mummies,
skulls and skeletons, including those of
children. In 1905 anthropologists removed
the chief s shrine from its hidden island
on Jewitt Lake and took it to the American
Museum of Natural History in New York.
Above: an early morning start on the
crossing through the mouth of Nuchatlitz
Inlet along the outside of Nootka Island.
Right: hiking past Aass at Bajo Point.
BC Destinations
ComoxValleyKayaks.com
SALES * RENTALS * INSTRUCTION * DAY TOURS * REPAIRS
Comox Valley Kayaks & Canoes
by the water in Courtenay , Vancouver Island, BC
1-888-545-5595
Like us on facebook and guess how
many Delta Kayaks we loaded on a mini. . .
Kayaks & Canoes & Stand up paddleboards
The original site was named a national
historic site, but it is overgrown now. Its
sad to note that in order to see one of the
richest displays of Nuu-chah-nulth culture,
you will have to travel to New York. What
remains may not be as tangible, but the
opportunity to travel the same lands once
home to Maquinna offers a compelling
perspective of a bygone age.
Hikers gather at Calvin Falls, a highlight of the
Nootka Trail but most dramatic in the early
summer when the runof is highest.
The overland portions of the Nootka Trail
ofer a glimpse into the remarkable ecology
of a temperate coastal rainforest.
Wrecks are common along the outer coast, a
reminder that good intentions on a trip can
quickly go awry.
BC Destinations
Plan your trip: Nootka Sound
1-866-222-2235
zeballosexpeditions.com
info@zeballosexpeditions.com
Paddle with sea otters!
Kayak transport
between Zeballos
and Nootka Island,
Nuchatlitz Park
and Friendly Cove.
Kayak rentals.
CEDARS INN rooms &
restaurant in a historic
Zeballos lodge. Good
food, friendly service.
Nootka transport & rentals
Transport to Nuchatlitz Park, Yuquot
(Friendly Cove), Bligh Island Marine Park
and beyond.
www.tahtsadivecharters.com
dive@tahtsadivecharters.com
1-866-934-6365
Kayak rentals!
The rocks, caves and arches of Maquinna
Point are often best viewed from a
reasonable paddling distance.
Nootka Island
Adapted from The BC Coast Explorer Vol. 1
If you go
the Nootka trail: Hiking will require
either a water taxi, a foat plane or the
passenger freighter service Uchuck to
arrive. Tahsis and Zeballos are both ideal
bases for taking water taxis, while Gold
River is usually the starting point for
charter fights to the trailhead at Louie
Bay, with a return via the Uchuck. The trail
can be completed in three days but plan
on fve. A $45 trail fee is payable to the
Mowachaht at Yuquot.
kayaking Nootka Island: The outer
shore is a route for veteran kayakers
with diffcult, exposed water. A favourite
kayaking venture is from Espinosa Inlet
near Zeballos to Nuchatlitz Provincial Park.
The park makes a good base for runs down
the island, with havens at Third Beach,
Calvin Falls, Bajo Point, Callicum Creek and
Yuquot. The interior of the island is less of
a risk but prone to strong localized infow
winds. Trips for novice to intermediate
paddlers are possible through the interior
of Nootka Sound from the launch at
Cougar Creek to the Spanish Pilot Group
with a side trip possible to Yuquot. Plan a
week to circumnavigate the island.
Callicum Cr.
To Cougar Cr.
Serenity
or
Surge
Surge Narrows offers
an ideal mix of extremes:
flat water if you want it,
white water if you dare
Destinations
Kayakers head through calm water in the
Octopus Islands north of Surge Narrows.
Inset: the other way to enjoy the area, in
the midst of the white water. The best
surfng wave is in the channel east of
Beazley Passage.
Desolation Sound/Discovery Islands
When Coast&Kayak Magazine sent out the invitation to a
group of Vancouver Island Greenland paddling enthusiasts
to head to Surge Narrows for a weekend, no one was sure
what to expect fast tidal water in the rapids, of course, but
how the overall weekend might unravel was a question mark.
We were booked into Discovery Islands Lodge, a kayak-
oriented waterfront lodge on Quadra Island, for the last
weekend in March. We also had a peak afternoon current
on the Saturday of about 8.5 knots just enough to be
intimidating for even the most skilled of the group. But it
was March, still off-season, so there was always the chance
of winter-like weather or at least the seasonal incessant rain
to dampen the spirits.
As luck would have it, the gathering of Pautik paddlers
was blessed with blue skies and calm waters. Well, calm if
you wanted that. For the rest, Surge Narrows was in fne
form. In all it provided a rare opportunity
to mix fat water with a white water
challenge possibly the best of both
worlds.
The plan was to leave the lodge on
Saturday morning, head up Okisollo
Channel past Surge Narrows using a
favourable tide, then return with the
change of current to Seymour Narrows in
time to catch the afternoon wave at peak
current. The plan might have been simpler
if we initially crossed Surge Narrows at
slack tide. Instead we went through a
strong current, forcing a tricky crossing
to start the morning. There are no good
surfng waves on the ebb, so it was just
a matter of choosing a good course and
hanging on for the ride through the eddy
lines and whirlpools.
Once past the rapids we headed to
Octopus Islands for a lunch break and to
explore a rather unique cabin driftwood
art brought to the next level.
The return trip was through the rapids
at peak current. We had two options:
Beazley Passage or a more calm route
north and east of the Settlers Group. The
western passage, known as Canoe Pass,
was running too strong to consider. The
low tide meant a waterfall with visible
rocks. When the level rose this would
create a good surfng wave (shown at left),
but until then it was a barrier.
Running Beazley Passage simply meant
being swept along with the fast water
and fnally a breakthrough at the eddy
line. That meant some interesting white
water on the breakout. Those wanting to
surf went back to catch the main wave
in Canoe Pass. It was an ideal day if you
like that sort of thing, with the main wave
rising over a metre in height. The rest
went back to the lodge to relax. Only one
kayaker ended up in the chuck, but that
was back at the lodge falling off the dock.
Overall it was a surprisingly dry day.
The weekend was rounded out by some
great food and the inevitable shared stories
of kayaking adventures. The consensus
was split between those who love the
challenge of white water and those who
see it as getting in the way of a good
paddle. Fortunately with Surge Narrows,
you can choose which way you want to go.
Coast&Kayak Magazine
Destinations
Above: Kayaker Gerhardt Lepp fnds a moment of calm sitting in a wave in Canoe Pass west of
Peck Island. Okisollo Channel continues north towards the Octopus Islands in the background.
Below: A wider view of the wave structure. The main wave is behind the islet.
Plan your trip: Desolation Sound/Discovery Islands
Mothership trips to Desolation Sound, Discovery
Islands, Toba and Bute Inlets
Sail on a 43 ft. schooner
Guided kayaking day trips
instruction & rentals
Kayak mothership trips
Natural and human
history tours
Misty Isles Adventures
Cortes Island, Desolation Sound
www.mistyislesadventures.com
250-935-6756
Lund, BC | 604-483-7900 | 888-552-5558
www.terracentricadventures.com
Kayak Tours, Rentals & Transport
Instruction & Leadership Programs
Maps, Charts & Books
Central waterfront location & launch site
Discover the Power
in your Nature
Howe
sound
Jervis
Inlet
Desolation
sound
Quadra
Cortes
Powell River
Vancouver
Nanaimo
If you go
Surge Narrows is most easily reached from Quadra Island,
which requires a ferry crossing from Campbell River on
Vancouver Island. It is also possible to make the narrows part
of a larger trip of Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands
from any number of launches. Accommodation is widely available
in the area. Camping is possible in the Octopus Islands with
generally poor options in Surge Narrows Provincial Park.
surge Narrows
Above: window shopping in the odd driftwood cabin on one of the
Octopus Islands. Below: kayaks ready for use in the idyllic setting of
Discovery Islands Lodge, located just south of Surge Narrows.
Destinations: Gabriola and North Gulf Islands
A remarkable fgure in the history of British Columbia is
Brother XII, a mysterious cult leader who formed the Aquarian
Foundation and established a commune in the late 1920s and early
1930s. A key property was located on De Courcy Island, a haven
in advance of a predicted Armageddon.
Perhaps with good intentions to start, over time the spiritual
component went astray, and a series of court cases provided
insight into the communes fnancial and yes, sexual scandals,
which included the role of a whip-wielding Madame Zee.
Eventually Brother XII, or rather Edward A. Wilson, and his
mistress fed. But witnesses told tale of glass jars flled with gold
coins the proceeds of donations to the foundation stored
in cedar chests. Though the pair escaped, speculation was they
couldnt have taken all the gold, meaning perhaps some is still
buried somewhere on De Courcy Island.
An idyllic area to paddle renowned for its sandstone cliffs,
a prime portion of De Courcy is now secured as Pirates Cove
Provincial Park. It includes an anchorage, kayaking beach,
campsites, trails and even a treasure chest on the point of a
headland invariably flled with booty of various types left by
visitors some quite inventive (treasure maps are a common
theme, with a gift for those who can follow the map).
www.silvabaykayaking.com
250-247-8939
Custom kayak tours, beginner lessons, kids camps,
gourmet beach picnics, kayaking and yoga, and sunset paddles!
SEALEGS KYAKING
and Marine Adventures
Kayak & SUP Sales
Lessons, Rentals, Tours,
Snorkeling
Transport & Taxi Service
www.SealegsKayaking.com
1-877-KAYAK BC
Plan your trip: Gabriola and Gulf Islands North
Pirates
Cove
Provincial
Park
Valdes I.
Gabriola
Island
Nanaimo
Cedar
transfer
Beach
Ladysmith
If you go:
The protected waters around De
Courcy Island make Pirates Cove a
great overnight destination for novice
paddlers. Day trips are possible from the
main boat launch in Cedar, while a more
direct route with a longer crossing is
possible from Blue Heron Park of Yellow
Point Road.
Brother XII
Plan your trip: South Gulf Islands
Destinations: South Gulf Islands
Steps from National Seashore,
Bennett Bay and a kayakers paradise!

Tours Rentals Lessons Sales

Just 45 minutes from Victoria, on
the Gulf Islands Marine Trail Network
Toll free: 1-888-749-2333
www.cowichanbaykayak.com

www.seakayak.ca
250-539-2442 / kayak@gulfislands.com
Daily Guided Tours
& Rentals since 1985
Only 1 hr from
Vancouver!
Ferry pick-up
Open all year!
Join us in Costa Rica,
weekly Dec-April, since 1987
Eco Adventures in the Gulf Islands since 1991

Kayak Tours to
Marine Parks & Islets

Expeditions

A Funky Outdoor, Surf/Skate Shop for Clothing & Gear.
163 Fulford-Ganges Road escapades@saltspring.com

SKGABC Guide Courses
Two Cozy Waterfront Accommodations
Lessons & Rentals
1-888-529-2567 250-537-2553 www.islandescapades.com
0
5
25
75
95
100
PIKA_AD_Wavelengths
February-15-105:16:31PM
If you go: Saturna Island can
be reached by ferry from Victoria
or Vancouver, but often requiring
multiple stops. A good starting point
by kayak is Bennett Bay on adjacent
Mayne Island, with a days paddle
necessary to reach the point. Camping
is possible at Cabbage Island. A sandy
beach on the inside of the headland
allows a break without risking the
current.
There arent many places in Canada
where if you head east, the next land you
hit will be the United States. East Point on
Saturna Island is one of these places, the
easternmost point of Vancouver Islands
Gulf Islands. Perhaps not surprisingly,
it resembles an East Coast vista with its
grassy headland and old 1880s lighthouse
buildings vestiges of the day when it
East Point
attractions Tumbo and Cabbage islands.
The latter is a good camping base for
exploring the region, possibly a remote
target in a larger exploration of Gulf
Islands National Park properties.
was necessary to watch over the trouble
created by nearby Boiling Reef. A part of
the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
since 2006, the point presents a great place
to stroll plus a challenging kayaking area,
thanks to strong currents, with nearby
Whats in a name?
History, tradition and culture,
thanks to new names granted
through the Maa-nulth Treaty
Destinations: Barkley Sound/Broken Group
Plan your trip: Broken Group/Barkley Sound
Closest accommodations to the
Broken Group Islands A relaxing,
interesting and affordable retreat in a
wilderness setting Kayak rentals and
water taxi services
www.ladyrosemarine.com
Email ladyrosemarine@telus.net
250-723-8313/ 1-800-663-7192 April-Sept.
SECHART LODGE

1
-
8
0
0
-
8
8
9
-
7
6
4
4
m
a
j
e
s
t
i
c
@
o
c
e
a
n
k
a
y
a
k
i
n
g
.
c
o
m
A friendly seaside retreat. Enjoy the west coast in
comfort. Ideal lodging for kayakers who can launch
into Barkley Sound. Or relax and enjoy old growth
cedars, bald eagles and sea lions.
Hundreds of islands to explore on the west coast
of Vancouver Island. Barkley Sound, Pacifc Rim
National Park, and Clayoquot Sound. Our
professionally guided tours include transportation,
gourmet meals, and superior quality equipment.
www.oceankayaking.com 1183 Helen Road, Ucluelet www.majesticoceanbb.ca
Weve got the maps!
Large format, full colour both sides.
Choose from: Clayoquot Sound
Broken Group/Barkley Sound
Broughton/Johnstone Gulf Islands
www.coastandkayak.com
Six regions
of British
Columbia!
Visitors to the Broken Group Islands
this summer, take note. Chances are good
youll be leaving from Toquaht Bay, despite
what the charts, maps and street signs
might say.
Toquaht is the new, or rather corrected
name for Toquart Bay, a traditional point
of entry for kayakers reaching the Broken
Group Islands in Pacifc Rim National
Park Reserve. This is one of the more
notable changes to the landscape as a
result of provisions of the Maa-nulth
Treaty. The bay (and Toquaht River) now
correctly coincide with the namesake
band. Other changes refect traditional use
and history. Here are some new names to
consider as you visit this year.
stopper Islands: These are the
two landmark islands in Toquaht Bay.
Previously a package, they now each have a
name. The north is Miiisiik (pronounced
mee eseek) while the southern island
is Anicitakwul (anit chee kwush).
Unfortunately, the meaning or signifcance
isnt cited, thought it is known the south
island was popular for clams and oysters.
Bryant Islands: Located south of
the Stopper Islands, this is Atchikapiih,
a traditional fshing site used for abalone
and seal hunting.
atushuup: This is the name for the
peninsula capped by Lyall Point, usually
passed on the crossing from Stopper
Islands to Hand Island. Pronounced
atoosh oop, it is the traditional boundary
of the Toquaht, Huu-ay-aht and Tseshaht.
It means standing deer point, with atush
meaning deer.
Page Island: This stand-alone island
near Sargison Bank off the Broken Group
Islands is Cakii, pronounced cha-kee,
meaning water on top, a reference to a
raised pond or pool within the island.
makii Lake: As you drive into Toquaht
Bay you will pass a large lake. It was
recorded as Maggie Lake, but there never
was a Maggie. The proper pronunciation
is may-kee.
mukapiih Islands: This is the
collective name for Ottaway, Rowlands
and Spilling islands south of Toquaht Bay.
It means glowing in the water, a reference
to the phosphorescence.
David Island: Located between Forbes
and St. Ines islands, it is now Siwiipkamil,
an island known for its stones used for
sharpening harpoons.
shears Islands: Set at the north
entrance to Mayne Bay east of Stopper
Islands, these are now Tatlachist. The
name is islands in a row.
st. Ines Island: Located south of
Stopper Islands, St. Ines is Winaa, an
island once used for collecting gooseneck
barnacles and mussels.
Forbes Island: Located halfway
from Toquaht Bay to Ucluelet, it is now
Yakachist, meaning long island. The
island is round, so it could be a reference
to the shelves that run north and south. It
was used for collecting mussels, gooseneck
barnacles and cod fshing.
Destinations: Barkley Sound/Broken Group
Destinations: Kyuquot Sound
Plan your trip: Kyuquot
bckayaking.com
1-800-665-3040
truly get away!
Base Camp Comforts
& Expedition Kayaking
40 Years of Kyuquot,
Bunsby & Brooks Tours
Connect Experience Refresh
Paddle & Explore Kyuquot
You are invited to a very special adventure!
West Coast Lodge - Private Island
Minutes from Spring & Mission Islands
Amazing Adventures Await
1.888.920.6075 info@seaotterlodgebc.com
www.seaotterlodgebc.com
Coast&Kayak Magazine featured Spring
Island in the Spring 2012 issue, calling it
the Perfect island, but we left out one
detail: its not Spring Island any more. Its
now Tle:hoh, by way of a provision of the
Maa-nulth Treaty ratifed by the Kyuquot/
Checleseht First Nation.
Tle:hoh refers to the colour red. It
is just one of a number of new names
for locations in the Kyuquot region.
Potentially the most signifcant is Tle:kaht
(tlay KAH), the traditional name for
Kyuquot Sound. Its not the offcial name
not yet, at least, but the new name has
been offcially recorded.
Here are some more updates to make
on your charts.
too-tah Island: If youve ever
visited one of the Bunsby Islands to the
south of Brooks Peninsula and found
a wonderful little beach on a mid-sized
island southwest of Big Bunsby Island,
you might have known it by its informal
name, Barneys Island. Well, it has a proper
name now: Too-tah Island. Theres no
interpretation for the new name, with
Barneys origin equally obscure.
Checkaklis Island: This is a former
village site and reserve that wont be
any easier to pronounce now it has its
traditional name restored. It is now
Che:ktles7eth Island. The safest
pronunciation is probably Checleset.
malksope and maq:cup: East of the
Bunsby Islands is Malksope Inlet. Its name
remains the same, but Malksope River
is now Maq:cup River. Maq:cup was the
name of the village at the rivers mouth.
other changes: Ahmacinnit Island
is now A:mak:nit Island (ah MUCK nit).
It is the northernmost of the Mission
Group Islands just outside the entrance
to Kyuquot Sound. Aktis Island retains its
name, but the old villages name is now
offcially Ak:tiss (formerly Village Island).
It means grassy, which is appropriate for
the shoreline, once the principal summer
village location of the Kyuquot. Aktis
Islands neighbour, Kamils Island, is now
Ka:milths Island.
Visit Spring Island in Kyuquot Sound
Tle:hoh Tle:kaht
Previously it was known as that beautiful
little island with the best beach in the
Bunsby Islands. You can now call it Too-tah.
Destinations: Haida Gwaii
Plan your trip: Haida Gwaii
www.queencharlottekayaking.com
anvilcove@haidagwaii.net 250.559.8207
anvil cove charters
Kayak Mothership tours of Haida
Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands.
www.TourHaidaGwaii.com 1-888-559-8317
GwaiiHaanas
PlaceofWonder
HAIDA NATION
Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site
parkscanada.gc.ca
Rserve de parc national, rserve daire
marine nationale de conservation,
et site du patrimoine hada Gwaii Haanas
parcscanada.gc.ca
National Marine Conservation Area
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve,
Real. Inspiring.
Unique. Vraiment.
We all have skyscrapers.
Come see ours.

chacun ses gratte-ciel.
Venez voir les ntres.
1-877-559-8818
Local outftter providing guided
multi-day kayak adventures
in Gwaii Haanas since 2000.
Leaders in inclusionary and
educational kayak tours.
Eight-day trips from CDN $1,655
gckayaking.com
paddle@gckayaking.com
phone: 250-557-4562
sGang Gwaay
skidegate
HaIDa GWaII
Gwaii Haanas
National Park
Reserve
Prince Rupert
Getting there is part of the adventure
Remote Haida Gwaii is one of the most
dreamed-about kayaking destinations in
the world, but its remote location, more
than 50 km off the coast of Northern
British Columbia, keeps it well off the
beaten path.
Travellers have two options for getting
here: plane or ferry.
If people do not have much time to
get here, we typically suggest they come
by plane, says Joanne Hager of Green
Coast Kayaking. If people have more
time to get here and want to go on a road
trip, then they may want to drive the two
days from Vancouver and take the six-
hour ferry crossing from Prince Rupert to
Skidegate.
One possible itinerary is to drive up
Vancouver Island and take the 16-hour
ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert
and then across to Skidegate.
The Hardy-Rupert journey is stunning,
as you know. However, the sailings are
weather dependent and the crossing to
Haida Gwaii can get exciting, even in the
summer months, Joanne says.
Barb and Keith Roswell of Anvil Cove
Charters point out the costs to drive or fy
generally work out to be the same.
Many of our guests use airline points,
as this is such an expensive fight for its
distance best value for your points then,
Barb says. The most economical method is
to walk on at Port Hardy.
Contingency planning should be part
of the puzzle. We have most services, but
not necessarily in the format that you are
used to in the real world, Barb quips.
Perhaps the biggest question is how
to spend your extra time: on a ferry
experiencing the majesty of the BC coast,
or on the ground exploring Haida Gwaii.
I often suggest that people spend time
here before or after their trip, as there
really is so much to experience other than
paddling, Joanne says. She recommends
time at the Haida Heritage Centre, North
Beach, hiking up Sleeping Beauty and
visiting the various communities and
artisans.
p
h
o
t
o

c
o
u
r
t
e
s
y

B
C

F
e
r
r
i
e
s
Packages include all meals and equipment, as well as
transportation in and out.
*per person / taxes extra
Discover Yukons
wildest spots with our
adventure experts
Whats your defnition of wild?
Thrilling whitewater that challenges
your technical skills? Remote
wilderness settings that return you
to a basic way of life? Or maybe
its the chance to see wildlife in
its natural setting and a few days
away from the worlds hustle and
bustle. Whatever youre seeking,
the adventure experts at Yukon
Wild will help you fnd it.
Find the right guide for you at
yukonwild.com/paddle
Peel RiveR WateRshed:
12 days from $6,175: Floatplane into
one of the worlds largest intact
ecosystems. There are no roads or
houses herejust crystal-clear waters
fowing from ancient glaciers, alpine
tundra, and abundant wildlife. Rivers
range from easygoing to hard cores
only. Hike the surrounding mountains
for glorious, uninterrupted views.
Fishing:
9 days from $1,885: Explore the
remote Hyland on a wilderness canoe
trip that combines intermediate
whitewater with sections of gentle
river. Excellent fshing in a spot so
secluded you may not see another
group on the river for the entire week.
KayaKing:
5 days from $1,145: A kayaking trip
in Yukon ofers you unique access
to a vast wealth of rivers and lakes
surrounded by pristine Yukon wilderness
landscapes and wildlife. Let an expert
guide show you all the secret spots over
the course of a multi-day adventure.
When paddlers think of Yukon, the
frst rivers that spring to mind are
usually the Yukon, the Alsek, the
Tatshenshini, and the Big Salmon.
But this vast paradise of
ours has a few hidden gems, and
the reward for seeking them
out is as big as all Yukon!
The FirthOne
of Our Oldest
You arent just fying up to one of
our most northerly riversthis
remote treasure is one of North
Americas oldest, so when you land
you truly are entering a diferent
world and a diferent time.
Nature rules up here. You are the
outsider and you wont forget it. Come
in June and you may very well catch
sight of the Porcupine Caribou herd,
as nearly 20,000 of them migrate
westward after calving. Youre also
bound to see Dall sheep, along with
muskoxen, wolves, and grizzlies.
And you may be fortunate enough
to meet the only humans to call this
area their ownthe Inuvialuit.
Te river, which fows through the
centre of Ivvavik National Park out to
the Beaufort Sea, starts out wide, but
that soon changes! Your experienced
guide will navigate a path down a
40 kmlong canyon with plenty of
whitewater to keep you on your toes.
If you get a chance to look up, youll
see birds of prey looking down. Past
the canyon, the river braids into a
gentle lagoon, the perfect opportunity
to refect on your adventure.
The Hart of the Yukon
Yukons remote Peel Watershed is
known for some of the wildest, most
pristine rivers anywhere, and the Hart
is one of its rarest. Ever changing,
the Hart can be slow moving and
languid one moment, frothy and fast
the next. Your view may be steep
canyons, or sweeping forested valleys.
Bring your hiking boots and hunger
for a full wilderness experience
this beauty incudes a 3 km portage
around the Aberdeen Canyon.
Hyland Reels
Youll need an expert to help you fnd
this of-the-beaten-path choice. Once
there, youll need intermediate skills
to master the whitewaters in its upper
reaches in the Selwyn Mountains,
but youll soon be reaching for your
rod and reel as the Hyland slows
down for stress-free paddling and
excellent fshing. Bull trout, northern
pike, and Arctic grayling abound.
What is it about dining in the
open that makes fsh taste so good?
(Could it be because your guide
does all the cooking for you?)
Yukons
Rivers Less Paddled
Travel information:
Daily fights land in
Whitehorse from
Vancouver, and there
is regular service from
Edmonton and Calgary.
Average fight-time from
those cities is 24 hours.
Travel information:
Yukon Wild adventure
experts provide all the
gear you need for your
unforgettable excursion.
Experts know the
Best Paddling sPOts
Coast and Kayak Full Page 8.125 x 10.75 + bleed April 2012
Packages include all meals and equipment, as well as
transportation in and out.
*per person / taxes extra
Discover Yukons
wildest spots with our
adventure experts
Whats your defnition of wild?
Thrilling whitewater that challenges
your technical skills? Remote
wilderness settings that return you
to a basic way of life? Or maybe
its the chance to see wildlife in
its natural setting and a few days
away from the worlds hustle and
bustle. Whatever youre seeking,
the adventure experts at Yukon
Wild will help you fnd it.
Find the right guide for you at
yukonwild.com/paddle
Peel RiveR WateRshed:
12 days from $6,175: Floatplane into
one of the worlds largest intact
ecosystems. There are no roads or
houses herejust crystal-clear waters
fowing from ancient glaciers, alpine
tundra, and abundant wildlife. Rivers
range from easygoing to hard cores
only. Hike the surrounding mountains
for glorious, uninterrupted views.
Fishing:
9 days from $1,885: Explore the
remote Hyland on a wilderness canoe
trip that combines intermediate
whitewater with sections of gentle
river. Excellent fshing in a spot so
secluded you may not see another
group on the river for the entire week.
KayaKing:
5 days from $1,145: A kayaking trip
in Yukon ofers you unique access
to a vast wealth of rivers and lakes
surrounded by pristine Yukon wilderness
landscapes and wildlife. Let an expert
guide show you all the secret spots over
the course of a multi-day adventure.
When paddlers think of Yukon, the
frst rivers that spring to mind are
usually the Yukon, the Alsek, the
Tatshenshini, and the Big Salmon.
But this vast paradise of
ours has a few hidden gems, and
the reward for seeking them
out is as big as all Yukon!
The FirthOne
of Our Oldest
You arent just fying up to one of
our most northerly riversthis
remote treasure is one of North
Americas oldest, so when you land
you truly are entering a diferent
world and a diferent time.
Nature rules up here. You are the
outsider and you wont forget it. Come
in June and you may very well catch
sight of the Porcupine Caribou herd,
as nearly 20,000 of them migrate
westward after calving. Youre also
bound to see Dall sheep, along with
muskoxen, wolves, and grizzlies.
And you may be fortunate enough
to meet the only humans to call this
area their ownthe Inuvialuit.
Te river, which fows through the
centre of Ivvavik National Park out to
the Beaufort Sea, starts out wide, but
that soon changes! Your experienced
guide will navigate a path down a
40 kmlong canyon with plenty of
whitewater to keep you on your toes.
If you get a chance to look up, youll
see birds of prey looking down. Past
the canyon, the river braids into a
gentle lagoon, the perfect opportunity
to refect on your adventure.
The Hart of the Yukon
Yukons remote Peel Watershed is
known for some of the wildest, most
pristine rivers anywhere, and the Hart
is one of its rarest. Ever changing,
the Hart can be slow moving and
languid one moment, frothy and fast
the next. Your view may be steep
canyons, or sweeping forested valleys.
Bring your hiking boots and hunger
for a full wilderness experience
this beauty incudes a 3 km portage
around the Aberdeen Canyon.
Hyland Reels
Youll need an expert to help you fnd
this of-the-beaten-path choice. Once
there, youll need intermediate skills
to master the whitewaters in its upper
reaches in the Selwyn Mountains,
but youll soon be reaching for your
rod and reel as the Hyland slows
down for stress-free paddling and
excellent fshing. Bull trout, northern
pike, and Arctic grayling abound.
What is it about dining in the
open that makes fsh taste so good?
(Could it be because your guide
does all the cooking for you?)
Yukons
Rivers Less Paddled
Travel information:
Daily fights land in
Whitehorse from
Vancouver, and there
is regular service from
Edmonton and Calgary.
Average fight-time from
those cities is 24 hours.
Travel information:
Yukon Wild adventure
experts provide all the
gear you need for your
unforgettable excursion.
Experts know the
Best Paddling sPOts
Coast and Kayak Full Page 8.125 x 10.75 + bleed April 2012
www.barkleykayakcentre.com
C
a
m
p
in
g

to
u
r
s
L
o
d
g
e
b
a
se
d
p
r
o
g
r
a
m
s
5&7 day tours
in the BROKEN ISLANDS
Perfect as a base for up to 8 people. Accessible by water
only. Protected dock, minutes from the open Pacic.
Large open plan on the main oor with 4 bdrms above.
2 bdrms with queen beds.
2 with twin beds. Propane stove, fridge and
hot water. Non-smoking. www.nuchatlitzisland.com
250-337-5180 doscott2000@hotmail.com
Nuchatlitz Island
4 bdrm cabin in the Nuchatlitz Provincial
Park area of Nootka Island, BC.
othership Adventure
www.mothershipadventures.com
Luxury Mothership Sea Kayaking
Natural History, Cultural, Historical Tours
Explore B.C.s remote coastal
wilderness in comfort and safety!
Great Bear Rainforest ~ Broughton
Archipelago ~ Desolation Sound
S M
BC Ferries port; Gateway to Northern and Central
BC Coast destinations. Sales, Rentals, Lessons, Trip
planning. 8625 Shipley Street (across from the Post
Ofce) Port Hardy.
Phone: 250-949-7392 or cell 250-230-8318
Email: odyssey@island.net
Web: www.odysseykayaking.com
Odyssey Kayaking
@ Saratoga Beach, Black Creek
All inclusive Kayak Tours
Morning, afternoon and sunset Paddles
Ask us about our overnight kayak-camping special
Lessons and Rentals
Phone: 1.877.337.5717
Email: info@kayakvancouverisland.com
Web: www.kayakvancouverisland.com
Grey Wolf Expeditions
Destinations: Various locations
Kayak-Friendly Accommodation
BROUGHTON ARCHIPELAGO. ca
Paddlers Inn.ca 250-230-0088
Floathouse Inn
Floathouse Cabin
Waterfront Cottage
Catered Meals
or Kitchenette
Kayak Tours & Rentals
On-site Massage
Water Taxi
~ Traditional, cozy, English-style accommodation.
~ Delectable breakfast, queen beds, shower ensuite.
~ Great paddling possibilities: we are one block from sea front where
you can launch a kayak to paddle in Nanaimo Harbour. Easy paddle to
Newcastle and Protection Islands to walk, swim or picnic.
~ Close to downtown Nanaimo
~ 10 minute walk to kayak rentals near Departure Bay.
www.copperkettlebc.com
465 Stewart Ave
Nanaimo, BC
V9S 4C7
250-740-3977
1-877-740-3977
Copper Kettle
Bed & Breakfast
1
0
m
2
0
m
3
0
m
4
0
m
1
0
0
m
5
0
m
6
0
m
7
0
m
8
0
m
9
0
m
Do not approach within 100m of
Basking Sharks but if you do nd
yourself close to Basking Sharks:
Remain calm and quiet.
Never paddle your kayak directly towards the sharks or allow
several kayaks to surround them, as such actions will probably
frighten them and make them dive or act unpredictably. Stay in
a group, rather than stringing out around the sharks.
Kayakers should not cross the path of the shark so the sharks
can maintain their course without changing direction or speed.
Avoid sudden movements which will disturb the sharks. Never
use your paddle or kayak to touch a shark.
Avoid pairs or large numbers of sharks following each other
closely. This may be courting behaviour and they should not be
disturbed.
Although Basking Sharks are lter-feeders and mostly placid,
they can startle if disturbed, often thrashing their tail with
enormous power. Also be aware that Basking Sharks do breach.
Sharks appear attracted to kayaks and often swim alongside
and below, very close to the hulls. If you stay calm, still, and
observe, there is a good chance they will come to you .
Tips
Take time to observe the direction(s) of movement of the sharks
and then quietly position your kayak alongside their anticipated
course for a safe and enjoyable view.
Wait for them to come to you.
Dont forget to take pictures of the ns for the
photo-identication project.

Remember that for
every shark visible
on the surface there
are likely to be more
hidden below
Dont forget to
take pictures of the
ns for the
photo-identication
project
www.baskingsharks.org
Basking Shark Code of Conduct
The following guidelines have been designed to help kayakers reduce the risk of injuring
or harassing Basking Sharks, as well as for your own safety.
KAYAKERS
Illustrations by Marc Dando www.wildlifeillustrator.com
The basking shark
is found in warm to
temperate waters
worldwide generally 8
to 14.5 C (46 to 58 F)
and often near land.
It feeds on plankton,
making it regularly
visible near the surface,
though it is capable of
depths reaching near a
kilometre.
Chris Gotschalk photo
T
his memory foods over
me as the familiar blows reach
my ears, pulling me back to the
present. I stop paddling and scan the
fog bank. They are close.
It is cold this morning and calm.
The sun has tried to break through
twice without success. The silence is
broken only by the cry of a lone eagle
taking fsh from the littoral. Minnows
are jumping, a sure sign larger predators
are near. My breath foats crystals on
the air and I zip up my feece.
The calm is broken when a young
harbor seal shatters the surface, lunging
for my boat and startling me into
action. He is clearly terrifed, seeking
refuge on my bow.
In another time and place I might
let him rest there, but I sense what is
coming and he cannot stay. I slap the
water hard with my paddle, and he
veers off, only for a second, but this
animal is panic driven and will not be
easily deterred.
He approaches a second time and I
fend him off with the fat of my blade,
watching his pleading eyes as he arches
for a fnal dive. He disappears behind a
trail of bubbles.
A brief silver fash passes under my
boat, and a second later I am hit square
in my fotation vest by a young salmon.
It fops onto my spray skirt, failing to
get back to the water. Then one fsh
after another begins to strike the side
of my boat.
Suddenly a black dorsal bears down
on me, knifng through the white
curtain and leaving a foamy wake.
Orcas are slipping through the fog,
ghastly shadows at frst, then steely
black torpedoes as the thin sun fnds
their backs. There are so many their
blows form a general cloud of mist
coating me and beading up on my
feece. I am surrounded.
The frst orca crosses my bow,
lunging as it takes a fsh in midair,
and before I can react I am encircled by
hungry hunters.
The pod is herding a school of salmon,
driving them against a rock wall twenty
metres to my port. The pod is arrayed in
a semi-circle from twelve to six oclock
around my boat and they have the salmon
cornered. The fsh are running in panic as
shiny black fns cut the water like knives,
churning it into a crimson red as they take
their prey. The salmon are slamming head-
frst into the wall, knocking themselves
senseless. Of all the places I could be
paddling right now, I have found the eye
of the storm.
These carnivores have been around
my boat on numerous occasions and have
always shown themselves to be curious
and friendly. Gentle when in contact with
man, they are ruthless when it comes to
taking prey. Still, I fght the urge to panic
and sit quietly in awe as a deadly ballet
plays out around me.
I know these are resident whales
because the transients only eat mammals,
then I fash on a silly thought. I am a
mammal and I hope I remember my
whales correctly.
A white saddle patch zips under the
boat, rolling at the last second to clear my
keel while another whale passes parallel,
showering me with a blow as it moves in
for a kill. Glistening dorsals cross left and
right, parting the water like torpedoes. I
can feel their clicks and squeals echoing
through the fbreglass hull of my boat.
They are executing a perfectly coordinated
hunt, calling to each other, giving orders,
and all of it in spite of my presence.
Salmon lunge in all directions, clearing
the water with great leaps. Large black
heads break the surface to take fsh down
from midair. One whale is coming hard,
broadside, and I instinctively brace for
the crash as he breaks hard left, taking a
salmon as he dives, his backwash causing
me to brace hard.
The whales pass within inches, some
lightly grazing my boat, but they know
where I am and avoid any solid collisions.
I sit perfectly still, not wishing to press my
luck, when it occurs to me that the whales
are actually using my boat, driving some
fsh against it as a barrier, stopping them
just long enough to be taken.
I am soaking wet from blow and
covered with bloody scales. Twice I must
brace against the churning, and carefully
push a meaty hunk of salmon off my deck
with my paddle blade, not wishing it to
tempt a hungry whale.
For most of an hour the whales take
fsh, then gradually the actions slows.
They have eaten their fll and I see Dalls
porpoises moving about to take the few
stragglers. Orcas often allow their smaller
cousins to join them near the end of a
hunt to clean up leftovers.
The fnal touch is something I have
never seen.
Half of the pod forms a single line,
parallel to the wall, and turn their fukes
toward it. They begin to slowly lob tail,
causing waves to break against the rock.
They are dislodging the few scared salmon
that have taken refuge in the cracks and
crevices while the rest of the whales and
the porpoise take down what is left. It is
the fnal act.
In a few moments they go from a
feeding frenzy to total lethargy, gorged and
happy like large black sausages foating
around my boat.
The sudden calm allows me to take
a head count and I realize they are all
females or juvenile males; not one mature
bull among them.
While orcas are a matriarchal society, it
is the alpha bull who stands as protector,
and this hunt was sanctioned on his watch.
I know he is nearby.
I try to imagine where I would place
myself as the bodyguard of a dozen
feeding whales, and paddle further into the
channel to sit and wait him out. Within a
minute the tip of his tall black dorsal rises
slowly; there is a soft blow that the wind
carries towards me in a mist, and I am
Wildlife
close encounter
sitting by the great whale no more than 10
metres away.
He has surfaced gently as a submarine,
and his back fn towers over me by fve
feet. Sunlight twinkles on his ebony back
and his saddle patch refects like an alpine
glacier. His dorsal has a slight bend to it
and a missing chunk tells me he has met
at least one large shark. He is half again
as long as my boat and outweighs me by
nine tons. He is a fesh eater whose teeth
can shred a great white. I am sitting alone
next to the greatest predator ever to rule
the ocean.
He rests on the surface, leisurely, sure
of his power, in control of his domain.
I am an insignifcant interloper, here by
his indulgence. He has not surfaced by
chance as he is too wise for this to be a
random happening. He chose the time
and place to show himself and is now
making a statement. I am not alive by
accident for if he thought me a threat to
his pod, I undoubtedly would have been
the frst victim. He knew of my presence
long before the hunt began and not only
tolerated me, but allowed me to bear
witness. I feel this as strongly as if he were
talking to me.
My boat sits between him and his pod;
a position he would never allow an enemy
to reach.
Perhaps I have been demoted to a
curiosity, but I choose to think of it as
communication. His black eye, no larger
than the tip of my thumb, is fxed on me
as I try to fathom the thoughts behind it.
Once again, I feel myself the inferior
one, lacking the ability to understand what
this animal would tell me.
by James Michael Dorsey
Fearing I might overstay my welcome,
I dip my paddle slowly and begin to push
away. As I do, the bull moves forward,
inching ahead at minimal speed.
I paddle a little harder and he is
with me, so I dig in and begin to push
shovelfuls of water behind me as my bow
starts to cut a wake. The bull starts to pull
away, then senses my frailty and checks his
speed, matching mine, even and steady.
His head rises and falls, his eye just
under the waterline, watching me, urging
me on. In my head, I hear him say, Stay
with me. He is allowing me to paddle
with him and I take up the challenge. My
heart is racing and emotional tears start to
cloud my vision.
Even in his lowest gear it is hard for
me to keep pace, but I am now part of
his pod, and he is my leader, and this will
never happen again. I pull my paddle now,
abandoning technique, trying to maintain
speed. My arms scream with pain but time
has slowed. All that matters now is that I
stay with this great beast.
For a brief time there is nothing but
the two of us, moving as one, and if ever
an animal gave a gift to man, this is mine.
I have no idea how far we have come, but
soon I can go no farther. I lay my paddle
across the cockpit and glide to a halt. I am
cold, wet, exhausted, and I have never felt
more alive.
The great whale sees I have stopped
and waits a moment, his black eye fxed on
me, and then he dives. For a few seconds
I am totally alone in deafening silence. I
look around and feel very small.
The bull surfaces in the distance where
the pod is reforming. He is probably
reporting to the matriarch, telling her of
the strange creature who entered their
space. They turn their fukes towards
me and begin to swim. The fog closes
slowly and I watch dorsals fade into it like
a movie ending, while I sit, sucking air,
taking in what has just happened.
I hear the cry of an eagle in the distance
and turn my bow towards land to paddle
home.
James Dorsey is serializing his book Dancing

With Dinosaurs, a naturalists 15-year odyssey
of kayaking among whales, in Coast&Kayak
Magazine.
A pair of orcas navigate. A view often seen, rarely experienced is what happens below the
water during a hunt. James Dorsey managed to catch a glimpse, and relates it here.
the starboard side of each platform secure
each rod horizontally when not fshing.
Rods readied on the beach are placed
in the horizontal brackets. At a fshing
spot the rod is raised and placed in the rod
holder, the hook of the lure is unclipped
from a hook keeper on the rod and line
is paid out. A couple of paddle strokes
gets the kayak moving again. Then a
weight is removed from the bracket just
below the rod holder and clipped onto a
three-way swivel. Typically ffteen pulls
of line are paid out, then a couple more
paddle strokes, ffteen more pulls and
then continuous paddling. Three or four
different lures and a couple of sizes of
spare weights on the bracket enable quick
changes for fshing depth or targeting
different species.
Bronwens platform supports a
waterproof box for her cameras and
binoculars. Her compass is set on a hollow
block of wood just at the back of the
box, while her chart bag is on top of the
lid. She keeps her box of spare lures and
weights in her cockpit under her seat.
I have a stuff box that contains a
Seting up for the catch
Kayak fshing
a
dozen years ago, my
wife Bronwen and I were fshing
along the edge of kelp beds
where the Broughton Archipelago gives
way to Queen Charlotte Strait. Three
heavily laden double kayaks nosed out
of the rocky islets and headed towards
Alert Bay on their way to Port McNeill. A
quick exchange revealed that several days
ago they had caught a large halibut on a
hand line a heavy line wrapped around
a plywood holder. After a lengthy sleigh
ride they landed the fsh on a beach: no
gaff, no harpoon, no net. They realized it
would take a couple of weeks to eat their
way through the halibut, so they cobbled
together a kelp smoker. When we met
them they still had 35 pounds of smoked
fsh. The hand line was tucked under
a bungee cord just ahead of a forward
cockpit. A couple of spare terminal rigs
comprised of circle hooks, plastic squid
lures and eight ounce weights were stowed
low in the boat along the centre line. A
very sharp knife completed the gear. That
was it. Simple.
For us, most of our fshing is done by
trolling while we are in transit to a new
campsite or out exploring on day trips. It
maximizes the time that our fshing lures
are at the ideal depth to catch salmon.
Bronwen and I have two single-person
kayaks, so each of us has to be able to
both paddle and fsh simultaneously. Our
fshing gear needs to be handy, secure in
lumpy seas and yet easy to set up or to put
away.
Each of us has a simple platform
constructed of half-inch plywood screwed
to two wood runners. The platform sits
just ahead of the cockpit. Quick release
fasteners on both sides allow the whole
unit to be dumped overboard to clear the
forward deck in an emergency. The rod
holder is a length of PVC pipe attached
to a grooved triangular piece of wood.
Fishing lures and weights are stowed on a
small bracket attached to the wood part of
the rod holder. Stainless wire brackets on
plastic sandwich box that holds spare
fshing lures and leaders. A second
box has granola bars for snacks, while
a waterproof box contains my small
camera. Old paddling gloves for fshing,
a rag to dry hands and a tow line with
large clips for towing a fsh are securely
stowed around the waterproof box. A
pair of pliers with a keeper line as pliers
do sink are useful for removing hooks.
My chart bag is on top of my stuff box
and the chart is marked with no-fshing
areas and spots that should be good for
various species, such as rocky drop-offs
for chinook or gravel-topped mounds for
halibut. A hole in my platform allows me
to see my deck-mounted compass.
There are many ways to make a rod
holder without drilling into your boat.
Ours are rectangular platforms. One
could make a very small and light-
weight triangular unit that supports only
a rod holder and chart bag. A friend
constructed a simple tubular frame out of
PVC pipe and incorporated a couple of
screw joints so that the frame comes apart
for transportation on his stern deck.
Correctly stowing fshing gear on your kayak can help get results like this one caught at Shelter
Bay. Note how the paddle is stowed well above the water and secured to stop it sliding.
by Peter Marshall
However you make a rod holder, think
about what to do with your paddle. One
time while fshing at the mouth of San
Juan Harbour outside of Port Renfrew, I
plopped my paddle onto my spray skirt
so that I could make a quick adjustment
to my fshing gear. While focused on the
gear, I failed to notice a larger wave until it
hit the almost-horizontal paddle blade and
just about sent me for a swim in the cold
Pacifc.
Both of our units have integral paddle
holders so that the paddle is well above
the water and does not fop around. I feel
that this is probably the most important
safety consideration when fshing from a
low freeboard ocean kayak with a relatively
narrow beam.
Usually my landing net is stowed on
the port side ahead of me with the handle
accessible when needed. If I am not
fshing on a given day, then I put it out of
the way aft of the cockpit, but with the
handle in reach just in case I change my
mind when passing a fshy looking spot.
I use the net to contain fsh so that I can
remove the barbless hook with pliers and
attach a large stainless wire clip so that I
can tow the fsh to a beach, which may
be several miles away. It is possible to tow
a fsh in the net, though the extra drag
reduces paddling speed.
Since we often camp in bear country,
we try to avoid having any fsh smells
on our kayaks. At a different beach from
our campsite Ill clean a fsh, Bronwen
will package the pieces, then Ill scrub
my hands, knife, tow clip and net with a
nailbrush and soap. All of the equipment
needed on a beach is kept in a small
drybag behind my seat. We cook the fsh
for the next meal. Fish already cooked for
lunch is transported in a plastic box with
a tight-ftting lid, while other pieces are
wrapped in foil and then in plastic bags. At
night all of our food is hung in trees away
from camp. For day trips, the bags with
fsh serve as ballast so that the cool water
keeps the fsh chilled.
Because of the possibility of bears or
raccoons smelling fsh and ripping our
kayaks apart at night, we avoid using bait.
Spoons or Apex lures require less effort to
pull than plugs or fashers. Also, a dozen
spoons plus a spare weight ft into one
small sandwich box, so the volume is small
and the weight is minimal. The box also
safely contains the sharp hooks.
Fresh fsh when out on a kayak trip
is delectable. A simple hand line or light
spinning rod may be suffcient. However,
a bit of imagination together with a few
hours of work with basic hand tools will
provide a rod holder without any holes in
the boat. Once you have a rod holder, you
can adapt a wide range of off-the-shelf
fshing gear for use in a kayak. For us it
has opened a whole new world of life that
exists below our boats as we paddle the
West Coast.
Peter Marshall has fshed for salmon from

his kayak for a dozen years. Prior to that he
fshed from canoes, dinghies and larger craft
along the coast of British Columbia, across
Canada, New Zealand and the tropical
Pacifc to Japan.
Fishing lures and weights are ready to use on a stainless steel horizontal wire loop. The net
handle is equipped with tow rope, with all elements designed to be stowed or equipped
quickly and easily.
www.CoastalWatersGroup.com
outdoor maps for
sea kayaking
DVD Video
available Soon
N
E
W
N
E
W
W
a
t
e
r
V
e
n
t
u
r
e
s
C
o
a
s
t
R
e
c
r
e
a
t
i
o
n
M
a
p
s
Secure Your Next Adventure
Cable Locks for Your Kayak
Lasso Security Cables
are simply the strongest,
easiest and most effective
theft deterrent available
for your kayak.
www.lassosecuritycables.com
707-498-9905
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
11sp_lasso_01.pdf 1 2/4/2011 8:57:03 AM
PA DDL ES
TM
Why Dig When You Can Glide? www.gullwingpaddles.com
Nutcase u
If youre going to
be attempting Surge
Narrows or any type
of white water in a kayak,
for that matter youll want
to protect your melon, and
Nutcase is there to ensure you
dont damage the goods.
Here are the specs: New
360 degree surround interior seal;
magnetic anti-pinch buckle for one-handed
operation on the water; removable cupping
ear guards; and a waterproof, shock-
absorbing EVA foam liner. It
iscertifed CE EN 1385, the
highest possible water sport
safety standard.
Our favorite, though, is the
design work by the Nutcase
team. Sure, you can get mundane
blues and reds, but if you really
are intent on protecting your melon,
why not look the part? Win a more sedate
blue version at the Coast&Kayak booth at
MECs paddlefest in Vancouver.
u www.nutcasehelmets.ca
If youre looking for a well-designed
small rec boat, the market is going to heat
up considerably with Seaward Kayaks new
line of economical thermoform kayaks.
The mid-size in the new SR series,
shown above in not-quite-full-scale-but-
close, is the Halo SR-130. It measures in at
just 13 feet in length with a 24 beam with
an optional rudder (a worthwhile feature
to aid tracking, considering the kayaks
short length).
The size and features make it a good
day-tripping or mothershipping option,
with kayak hatches fore and aft for
reasonable dry storage, with additional
easy-reach access in front of the cockpit
through a screw hatch to an under-deck
storage pod.
Your colour choices: red, yellow, white
and mango (shown above).
Other boats in the series are the SR-120
and SR-140, naturally the 12-foot and
14-foot boats in the series.
u www.seawardkayaks.com
Seaward Kayaks u
New Gear
www.bckayaks.com
(250)391-03331 nwcagear@telus.net
Name Bubbles u
Picture this: your kayak foats away
while youre unaware. The next thing
you know the Pacifc Northwest Search
and Rescue system is activated to fnd a
missing kayaker who doesnt exist. A few
hours later youre apologizing to CNN for
setting off a massive search and rescue. It
could easily be avoided: have your name
and contact information in your kayak so
would-be rescuers can fnd out quickly that
you arent foating somewhere.
A waterproof label would be ideal for
that, as well as about a million and one
other possible applications. How about
making notes as you travel, then changing
them? Markers wont let you do that, but
the new Write-On! waterproof labels
from Name Bubbles will. The labels are
waterproof and dishwasher safe. The pen,
rather than being a grease pencil, is a semi-
Bheestie u
If you drop electronic gear in the drink, there isnt
much you can do. But corrosion and infltration of water
can be insidious. Regular use of items on the water will
almost inevitably lead to moisture on your gear. Bheestie
out of Portland, OR, has the dry answer with a bagging
system that will draw moisture out of your personal
electronics.
Simply drop your item into the silver Bheestie Bag and
let the moisture-removing beads do their work. Soaked
electronics may even return to life. While Bheestie makes
no promises, they do claim it has been known to happen.
u www.bheestie.com
permanent marker with waterproof ink
that will come off with a dab of alcohol.
Plus the labels can be personalized, such
as our Coast&Kayak Magazine stickers
shown above.
u www.namebubbles.com
New Gear
DiSCOVeR The BeST Of VAnCOuVeR iSlAnD
Some places in this world are still wild, remote and
untouched. The outer coast of Vancouver Island is one.
Now the domain of the newly-created West Coast Vancouver
Island North marine trail from Port Hardy to Tofno,
Coast&Kayak Magazine editor John Kimantas takes you along
this phenomenal stretch of coastline in unparalleled detail.
Through maps, photography and route descriptions,
the BC Coast Explorer Vol. 1 provides the building blocks for
the adventure of a lifetime. On foot or by paddle, this volume
will take you to places rarely seen and yet too beautiful to
miss.
Volume 1 covers the north and west coasts of Vancouver
Island, from Port Hardy to Bamfeld including the Cape Scott
region, Kyuquot Sound, Quatsino Sound, Nootka Sound,
Clayoquot Sound and Barkley Sound. You will fnd access
points, campsites, points of interest, historical interpretations
and the necessary technical details to get you there.
This book coincides with the new BC Marine Trails Initiative,
but builds upon it with structured routes and dozens of sites
not yet part of the offcial trail. It also follows the coast by land,
with all the information you need to travel the North Coast
Trail, the Nootka Trail and even little-known gems such as a
beach route between Kyuquot and Nootka.
The toughest part will be deciding where to go.
Buy on location: Abbotsford Western Canoe and
Kayaking Campbell River Outdoor Addictions
Comox Comox Valley Kayaks Duncan Buckys /
Alberni Outpost Millstream Valhalla Pure Nanaimo,
Duncan, Comox Alberni Outpost North Vancouver
Deep Cove Outdoors Tofno Tofno Sea Kayaking
Vancouver Ecomarine Contact us for additional
locations.
ATLAS Includes 23 pages of detailed Atlas of Canada-
standard mapsheets suitable for trip-planning and
on-water reference, plus smaller maps showing complex
regions in larger scale PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNAL
Includes more than 200 stunning images of the Vancouver
Island coastline MARINE TRAIL GUIDE Follows the route
of the BC Marine Trails initiative ofcially launched in 2011
HOW-TO MANUAL Includes the technical details necessary
for a safe and carefree trip along what can be exceptionally
difcult coastline ENCYCLOPEDIA History, geography
and ecology of the outer Vancouver Island coast.
in The BC Coast Explorer
ReCReATiOn MApS: The eSSenTiAl ReSOuRCe
Five large-format recreation maps are
available for the British Columbia coast
in a format designed for kayakers. Use
them as a keepsake reference item for
trip planning or for a handy overview
while on your trip (use in a chart
case!).
The available maps include:
The Broken Group/Barkley Sound
Johnstone Strait/Broughtons
Clayoquot Sound
The Gulf Islands
Also available:
The North Coast Trail
ORDER InfORmatIOn - ClIp anD maIl/fax OR ORDER OnlInE at COastanDkayak.COm
Name
Address
City Province/State Postal/Zip Code Country
Phone Email
Item # Description Retail price Postage Quantity Price
100 BC Coast Explorer Vol. 1 $34.95 $8Cdn/$12US x =
130 North Coast Trail $9.95 $2Cdn/$4US x =
102 Broken Group/Barkley Sound $9.95 $2Cdn/$4US x =
152 Clayoquot Sound $9.95 $2Cdn/$4US x =
552 Desolation Sound $9.95 $2Cdn/$4US x =
622 Broughtons/Johnstone Strait $9.95 $2Cdn/$4US x =
682 Gulf Islands $9.95 $2Cdn/$4US x =
Sub-total =
+ 5% GST/books 12% HST/maps +
TOTAL =
Method of payment: Cheque VISA MasterCard American Express
Name as it appears on credit card: ________________________________________________________________________
Card Number: _________________________________________________________ Exp Date: _________ / __________
Signature: ________________________________________________________ Date: ______________________________
Make checks/cheques payable to: Wild Coast Publishing, PO Box 24 Stn A, Nanaimo, BC, Canada, V9R 5K4
Phone: 1-866-984-6437 Fax: 1-866-654-1937 E-mail: kayak@coastandkayak.com
w
hen leading oThers,
both on and off the water,
decisions must be made at every
turn. Many are everyday decisions: what
snacks to pack or who to put in which
kayak. Some, however, can be a matter of
life or death. In the latter case, learning
to make the right call can be diffcult,
stressful and ultimately the most important
call you may ever make.
Most paddlers will at some point be
in dangerous or risky conditions that
could lead to serious injury or death.
Personally, there have been occasions
where I have been near the edge of
disaster, and worked frantically to stay
on the side of safety. Whether one is a
commercial or recreational paddler in a
leadership position, it is important to learn
from experience and training to develop
the gut instinct to stay safe on the water.
Unfortunately, some lessons are best
learned through human tragedy.
Years ago, on a blustery rainy morning
in Telegraph Cove on the north end of
Vancouver Island, I was preparing for
a trip. My guests (three of whom were
children) were arriving for their much
Sea Kayaks Guide Alliance of BC Liam McNeil
Making the right call
anticipated three-day voyage in Johnstone
Strait. The winds had been blowing a
steady 30 knots from the southeast all
night and the water was a sea of steep,
white-capped wind waves. The clouds
raced across the tree tops above us, but in
the shelter of Telegraph Cove the harbour
was fat calm.
My instincts screamed at me to stay
off the water. The inquisitive looks and
questions from my guests, as they looked
at the glassy waters of Telegraph Cove,
sowed the seeds of doubt. Going contrary
to my own common sense I decided
to launch onto the water, and amend
our itinerary to head for a much closer
campsite at Blinkhorn Peninsula. I realized
later that to launch
at all was a mistake.
As soon as we
left Telegraph
Cove the seas got
rough. The wind
was blowing so
strong it made
controlling the
kayaks diffcult.
The group quickly started to spread
apart and communication became next
to impossible. The guests were treading
water, hardly progressing into the wind
and waves at all as they paddled.
In an attempt to keep the group
together I started towing the slowest kayak
forward into the relative shelter of a patch
of bull kelp behind a small island. One
after another I returned, hooked onto a
separate kayak, and collected the group
into our small haven of calm.
It was noon and we had been on the
water for an hour and a half but only
progressed a few hundred metres to
the Wastell Islets. Looking at the tides I
Knowing when to
call it quits is one
of the toughest but
most important
safety decisions
you can make
p
h
o
t
o

L
i
a
m

M
c
N
e
i
l
Sea Kayaks Guide Alliance of BC Liam McNeil
realized it was turning to a food wind
against tide. The resulting sea state was not
going to be pretty.
I made one of the hardest decisions I
have had to make while guiding; I turned
the group around. We rafted together,
and in ten minutes were blown back to
Telegraph Cove. Back in the shelter of the
village I advised the guests that we would
try again in the morning. They would have
to book hotel rooms and their three-day
vacation had become two. Internally I
second guessed myself, played the what-if
game, and generally felt terrible.
At this moment my life was about to
change. Nearby another kayaker paddled
to his fate.
I am not going to speculate on what
happened that day in the middle of the
Johnstone Strait. It is not appropriate to
pass judgment or discuss what could have
been different. What can be stated is that
thirty minutes later a recreational kayaker
had lost his life in waters we had recently
vacated. It is hard to learn a lesson from
someone elses tragedy, but it can also be a
gift: the ability to believe in your decisions
and have confdence in your judgment.
There is no substitute for training and
experience, but even for a paddler new to
the sport there are a number of techniques
one can use to help in making decisions.
In every Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC
leadership course, one receives training
in the hard skills (paddle strokes and
rescues, etc.), but also on the many factors
which infuence paddler safety. These risk
factors include wind, waves, sea state, tides,
currents, group dynamics, fog and more.
Risk management strategies (techniques
to objectively assess risk) can help you
analyze risk to gauge your comfort in a
particular situation.
Regardless of where one falls on the
spectrum of experience and training, we
are always challenged to ensure every trip
is safe and enjoyable. Listen to your gut.
Employ risk management strategies, but
most of all, stay safe out there.
After ten years of guiding, Liam McNeil

is a Level 3 Guide with Class 4 Waters
Endorsement, and Executive Director of
SKGABC. When not paddling, he can be found
enjoying the rain living in Tofno.
Victoria
Saturday, June 30
Willows Beach
Vancouver
Saturday, July 7
Jericho Beach Park
MEC Paddlefest is a celebration
of all things paddling related.
Its a festival with something
for everyone and features
informative clinics, childrens
activities, paddling demos and a
marketplace. Come join the fun!
For more details, visit
mec.ca/paddlefest
FA
MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP 149 WEST 4TH AVENUE, VANCOUVER, BC V5Y 4A6 604.707.3300
PROOF DOCKET # 4445-1_Coast_Kayak
PROJECT Paddlefest Ad
CLIENT Van Store, Adam
PROOF DATE 3 May 2012
ITEM Ad
DESIGNER Andrea Wortmann, awortmann@mec.ca
FILE NAME 4445-1_Coast_Kayak_Mag
m
ore and more sea
kayakers seem keen to head
out into advanced wind
conditions. With the right gear, a good
skillset, experienced paddling buddies and
the appropriate attitude, it is possible and
often fun to paddle in wind. A requisite
skill, however, is the ability to accurately
estimate wind speed and its effect on the
marine environment.
Any outing onto the water should
always start with a careful check of marine
forecasts.
If your plan includes paddling in
strong winds, then you need to be even
more conservative regarding deteriorating
conditions. When out in light winds (say
5 knots), if the wind speed doubles (to 10
knots), an experienced paddler will have
little diffculty. But if you choose to paddle
in powerful winds, be very mindful of the
fact that you have little capacity to deal
with much more. In this scenario, with
relatively small increases in wind speed,
windy can quickly become too windy.
In my experience, kayakers are very
inaccurate when estimating wind speed.
On the water, we typically guess that the
wind speed is far higher than it actually is.
A serious consequence of this is that we
will then undervalue the effects of wind
speeds expressed in forecasts. Ive been
out in 20 knots and it wasnt so bad if
in reality, the author of this last statement
was in fact only experiencing 13 knots
of wind, then it dangerously skews his
baseline information, and he will seriously
underestimate the effects of a forecasted
20 knots. Have no delusions 20 knots
of wind represents very signifcant risks,
and should command a huge amount of
respect.
A cornerstone of wind speed
assessment is the Beaufort Wind Scale,
developed in 1805 by Englands Sir Francis
Beaufort. The table gives a good, quick
and concise idea of what to expect at
different wind speeds. The effects on
paddling column was not included in
Sir Francis original, naturally, and is only
intended to give the most general sense
of paddling conditions relative to wind.
Consider it a best guess at what you
might encounter. Conditions will vary
depending on geography, local weather
conditions and fetch.
Fetch is defned as the unobstructed
region of the ocean over which the wind
blows to generate waves. In other words,
fetch refers to the distance of water that
prevailing winds can act upon. The greater
the fetch, the larger the winds effect.
Any obstacles (like islands, peninsulas
or breakwaters) in the way of the wind
will reduce fetch and the resultant action
of the wind on the water. This is why
small bodies of water are less affected by
wind than large expanses under the same
conditions.
For instance, when paddling in highly
sheltered areas that present minimal fetch
and lots of wind breaks (like harbours,
sheltered bays or dense island groups),
a 25 knots of wind forecast may
result in quite manageable conditions
for a skilled paddler (because he is never
exposed to the fully developed forces of
that wind speed). On an exposed coast,
however, where gusts play over a huge
and unbroken expanse of water, and
where there is no protection from its
full onslaught, that same 25-knot wind
will generate vastly more demanding
conditions.
A fnal word of caution about the
Skillset
What does
25 knots
look like?
Listening to a
forecast is critical,
but equally
important is
knowing what the
wind speed means
by Alex Matthews
Beaufort Scale: because it was developed
to describe the effects of wind on the
open ocean with fully developed seas,
it is ultimately better suited to offshore
applications than coastal kayaking. As
paddlers, we spend the vast majority of
our time cruising the coast, an area that the
Beaufort scale was not designed to directly
address.
To further improve your wind speed
guessing abilities, get into the habit of
looking up wind speeds as part of your
post-paddling ritual. Consult automated
lighthouse reports online (sites where
kite-boarders get their wind reports are
also a great resource). By comparing
actual reported wind speeds with your
impressions and experiences on the water,
youll hone your ability to gauge wind
speeds and their effects on local areas and
on your paddling.
While useful, a measurement of wind
speed alone will not be nearly enough
information to make informed decisions
about conditions. Wind direction and
geography also play major roles, and you
must also consider how wind will interact
with currents, sea states, headlands, river
mouths, reefs, or any other geographical
features.
Alex Matthews is author of Sea Kayaking

Rough Waters.
Force knots Name appearance: water appearance: land Efect on paddling
0 <1 Calm Sea surface smooth and mirror-like Calm, smoke rises
vertically
Easy paddling
1 1-3 Light air Sea rippled, no foam crests Smoke drift indicates
wind direction, still wind
vanes
Still easy
2 4-6 Light
breeze
Small wavelets, crests glassy, no breaking Wind felt on face, leaves
rustle, vanes begin to
move
Novices will experience weather
cocking
3 7-10 Gentle
breeze
Large wavelets, crests begin to break,
scattered whitecaps
Leaves and small twigs
constantly moving, light
fags extended
Good practice for intermediate
paddlers
4 11-16 Moderate
breeze
Small waves 1-4 ft. becoming longer,
numerous whitecaps
Dust, leaves, and loose
paper lifted, small tree
branches move
Difcult for novices, may be
challenging for intermediates
5 17-21 Fresh
breeze
Moderate waves 4-8 ft taking longer
form, many whitecaps, some spray
Small trees in leaf begin
to sway
Hard paddling into the wind.
Following seas will result in surf
rides. Rescues are difcult
6 22-27 Strong
breeze
Larger waves 8-13 ft, whitecaps common,
more spray
Larger tree branches
moving, whistling in
wires
Small craft warnings. Experienced
paddlers only. Very hard paddling
into wind. Rescues are very difcult
7 28-33 Near gale Sea heaps up, waves 13-20 ft, white foam
streaks of breakers
Whole trees moving,
some resistance felt
walking against wind
Headway is very hard. Very difcult
to turn/maneuver. Communication
is very difcult. The wind may rip
the paddle out of a kayakers hand
8 34-40 Gale Moderately high (13-20 ft) waves of
greater length, edges of crests begin
to break into spindrift, foam blown in
streaks
Whole trees in motion,
greater resistance felt
walking against wind
Its every person for themselves. In
these conditions you are essentially
alone. Rescues are virtually
impossible
9 41-47 Strong
gale
High waves (20 ft), sea begins to roll,
dense streaks of foam, spray may reduce
visibility
Slight structural damage
occurs, slate blows of
roofs
Survival paddling. Rescues are
impossible
10 48-55 Storm Very high waves (20-30 ft) with
overhanging crests, sea white with
densely blown foam, heavy rolling,
lowered visibility
Seldom experienced
on land, trees broken or
uprooted, considerable
structural damage
Madness. Running before the wind
is about your only option. Pray
11 56-53 Violent
storm
Exceptionally high (30-45 ft) waves, foam
patches cover sea, visibility reduced
12 64+ Hurricane Air flled with foam, waves over 45 ft,
sea completely white with driving spray,
visibility greatly reduced
Gary and Joanie McGuffn made
their mark with the book Paddle Your
Own Canoe, and continue that theme for
kayaking in a colourful how-to format
augmented with some impressive
photography and illustrations. It adds to a
list of books by the couple centred mostly
around their Lake Superior home.
Topics in Paddle Your Own Kayak run
the full gamut, from tying a kayak onto
the roof rack to pitchpoling, which is a
kayak surfng situation very few are likely
to encounter, let alone master. Thats
the sort of subject hard to do justice in
just one paragraph on a page, and when
combined with subjects such as how to
build your own kayak covered in just
eight pages, the book eventually takes on
the role of inspirational reading rather
than a comprehensive how-to tome.
There are exceptions, such as the
detailed stroke descriptions and even the
paddling-yoga regimen that could be used
as a primary resource, but thats a stretch.
These are subjects worthy of books unto
themselves, so the question is whether
anyone interested in these subjects would
be better served by seeking out more
specifc resources.
Those who may beneft most from a
book such as this are absolute beginners
who can review the various layers of
information simply for the range of
possibilities that kayaking offers. A
strength is the depth of background
material the couple presents, so it is likely
even seasoned veterans will come away
with a few new nuggets of information
from this book.
u www.garyandjoaniemcguffn.com
Books and DVDS
paddle Your Own Kayak
AnIllustratedGuidetotheArtofKayaking
Gary&JoanieMcGufn
BostonMillsPress
Rolling with
Sticks
Volume1
ChristopherCrowhurst
QajaqRolls,LLC
Few skills are as intensely demanding
of technique as Greenland rolling, so it
makes sense that an instructional DVD
should be a no-nonsense anthology
of maneuvers carefully explained and
illustrated.
With that in mind, Christopher
Crowhurst has put together a truly
disciplined DVD detailing 25 rolls with
illustrations and videos from a variety
of perspectives, many of which are
underwater, along with simple but helpful
voice-over dialogue. There is no fancy
production here you get the kayaker,
the rolls and the information necessary to
complete the roll. This is a huge plus, as
fancy screen transitions and background
music would just get in the way of the
DVDs purpose.
The DVD is augmented by a
workbook-style guide book that
provides simple stick-people
illustrations of the segments involved
in each of the rolls. Printed on
waterproof paper you can refer to it
mid-roll if you wish. No doubt the
pair will work best together, with the
DVD suitable for gaining the necessary
perspective on the finer points of each
roll, then the book to refresh your
memory on the water. Its likely many
groups will want to have a screen set
up at a pool session to review rolls
before attempting them. So it has the
potential to be a significant resource for
Greenland roll fans around the world.
u www.schifferbooks.com
Dont go away just yet! We have more...
Wondering what to do in that long, lonely time between magazines? We have it covered:
The Coast&Kayak Facebook page is even for
those who dont like Facebook. Friend us to keep
up-to-date on the latest relevant paddlesports and
environmental news and information.
Subscribe! Never miss another issue. Get the print version
of our magazine delivered to your door, or subscribe to the
online edition for free to get notifcation of when the next
issue is available for online reading. Its the carbon-friendly
way to enjoy us. www.coastandkayak.com/Subscribe.html
Read our back issues: We have
dozens of magazines available online.
Turn the magazine rack, click a cover
and enjoy. www.coastandkayak.com
C
o
m
p
a
s
s

S
R
-
1
4
0
The All New 2012 SR Super Rec Series
Built with Pride in
NORTH AMERICA
. NEW Comfort-Plus seating system
. Ultra Light Weight
. Rock Solid Stability, Fun and Responsive
. Pace-Setting Hull Design
. Exceptional Storage Capacity
800 595-9755
www.seawardkayaks.com
800 595-9755
www.seawardkayaks.com
Built by Paddlers FOR Paddlers... Built by Paddlers FOR Paddlers...
Rough Water Ready ~ Beginner Friendly!
Now Shipping!
Get Yours Today!
Halo SR-130
Pura SR-120

Coast&Kayak Magazine Summer 2012

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Coast&Kayak Magazine Summer 2012

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SUMMER 2012

FREE at select outlets and

James Dorsey is serializing his book Dancing

Peter Marshall has fshed for salmon from

After ten years of guiding, Liam McNeil

Alex Matthews is author of Sea Kayaking

You might also like

Coast&amp;Kayak Magazine Summer 2012

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Coast&amp;Kayak Magazine Summer 2012

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SUMMER 2012

FREE at select outlets and

James Dorsey is serializing his book Dancing

Peter Marshall has fshed for salmon from

After ten years of guiding, Liam McNeil

Alex Matthews is author of Sea Kayaking

You might also like

Coast&Kayak Magazine Summer 2012

Coast&Kayak Magazine Summer 2012