The SKABC Newsletter

August 2006

SKABC: To promote fellowship, safety, the exchange of information and skills; to encourage concern and respect for the environment, and above all to enjoy sea kayaking. "Earl and The Girls" Do Dionisio Inside this issue: - submitted by Shayne le Poer Trench Kayak Cuisine Trip 2-3

Early on during our trip, when a volunteer was sought by our enthusiastic and talented trip Letter from the Editor 2 organizer, Maureen Benzon, to do a write-up on our adventure, I figured this would be fun and easy to do. However, having over-used every possible superlative in the dictionary and thesau- Trip 4 rus, I am finding it a little harder to properly describe what an amazing trip this was, but here goes anyway .. Saturna Winery 5 In a nutshell, 5 of us crammed at least 10 days' worth of fun, excitement, camaraderie, ad- venture, adrenaline, relaxation, friendship, and wow! factor into 4 gloriously sunny days, and Dionisio Point Trip 6-10 there was an endless surplus of B*G's (Big - your choice of word in here - Grins). Bob Salo had planned to join the trip but very sadly he was given a date for knee surgery Chicken Chow Mein 11 that would not allow sufficient recovery time to safely put his knee through the rigors of a kayak trip. I fear that Bob may hate me for ever as I was the lucky soul who got to take his Whale Sightings 11 place! If you read this article Bob, please know that I had more than enough fun for both of us, and I truly hope that your knee appreciates the sacrifice you made and rewards you with a bet- Trips ter-than-new recovery. 12 Right off, the four "girls" Maureen, Marjo, Gretchen and myself, want to commend Earl for ICE 13 bravely staying on as the lone male - we're sure he must have experienced major trepidation, but throughout the weekend we all felt that the group "gelled" extraordinarily well, with very compatible skills and experience levels, as well as the equally important melding of personali- Upcoming Events 14 ties and building of friendships. Sunscreen Protection 14

Next Meeting: Aug 1, 2006 6 ish BBQ and picnic (bring your own everything except the BBQ) 7:30 Meeting Come out and expand your kay- aking knowledge, leadership decision making prowess and basic first aid response. In small break-out groups, we will dis- cuss various challenges that kayakers have actually faced at one time or another - some life threatening - and propose possi- ble solutions or responses for a positive outcome.

Continued on pages 6 to 10... Location: Locarno Beach

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Upcoming Meetings: Kayak Cuisine 2006 Meetings begin at 7:30 pm Sept 5, 2006 submitted by Kathleen Cunningham Oct 3, 2006 On June 3rd, nine enthusiastic paddlers gathered at Porteau Cove for the legen- Nov 7, 2006 dary annual Kayak Cuisine weekend. In spite of the dire weather forecast, the water Location: was calm and there was blue sky with just enough cloud cover to keep the air cool (for a while anyway). After some discussion about where to park and whether the Vancouver Museum parking tickets are actually enforced, Tony told his story of the lost kayaker who was Main floor meeting room abandoning his Alaska adventure after losing his tent in a recent storm. Clearly our 1100 Chestnut Street SKABC group was more prepared, even if we were only going out for 2 days! As we set out on the 3 nautical mile crossing to Dommet point on Anvil Island, there was barely a ripple on the water and we made great time. After a brief snack Check out our Yahoo while admiring the dramatic cliffs at the point, we continued on 2 more nautical Group! miles to our base for the weekend Douglas Bay. We could hear the machinery New on our website... clearing the land for more homes on Gambier, but our beach was as it always has been a great camping area surrounded by trees, lots of beach at low tide and many Planning a last minute trip? Looking for a log for resting against and, of course, to cook on later. kayaking buddies? Go to the member s area of our site: www.skabc.org, and link to the Yahoo group. This allows you to post messages and respond to messages that others have posted. You can also use this area to get information about paddling destinations, paddling equipment, buying, selling, etc.

Membership Year:

April 1 to March 31. The fee is $45.00 for The refreshing Gambier Creek was just a few steps away. one year. The day remained calm. After setting up tents and the tarp (just in case it should SKABC Mailing Address: rain!) most of us set to relaxing and enjoying the view. Liz had a swim, others slept Box 751, Station A in the sun and others were amused by the marine life. Highlights included seals, Vancouver, BC mergansers, eagles and even some loons. V6C 2N6 The serious part of the day began late in the afternoon when Tony explained the Register online at history of the Kayak Cuisine weekend and what motivates him to continue. And, he WWW.SKABC.ORG

Letter from the Editor

Good thing there was one rainy weekend in July, otherwise there may not have been an August newsletter! This month I ve had many submissions from fun trips: Dioinisio Point off of , the Saturna Win- ery Trip, Simone s adventures in the Gulf Islands. I ve only put a sampling of photos in the newsletter, check- out the web site for the Photo Galleries Nick has posted: Currents Weekend, , Blackberry Point. If you ve got great pictures of your trip, please send the best ones on to Nick Jones at [email protected]. Gayla Shulhan This month I went sunburn free you ll find some practical advice on applying sunscreen on the last page of this edition. Please document your whale and porpoise sightings for the BC Cetacean Sightings Network more information on page 10. Enjoy your paddling in August and keep me posted on your adventures at [email protected].

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Your Executive & doesn t disappoint. Four 3-course meals were en- trusted to us for preparation: one Chinese, one Thai, Officers one Mexican and one Indian. And then there was Tony s treat a pot full of mussels cooked to perfec- President: tion with his secret recipe! Roxanne Rousseau [email protected] Each meal was full of variety and flavour. Tony s objective was met we too can prepare a tasty meal Vice President: any day on a trip! We can even serve up crème cara- Bob Shields mel! Of course, [email protected] we all ate too Treasurer: much. But that s okay we could paddle it off tomorrow. Rob Leeson [email protected] Secretary: Graham Clowes The weather did turn during the night and we woke to a [email protected] light rain. The tarp served its purpose and kept us dry through breakfast. In spite of the wind warnings on the Membership: radio, we had a dry and calm morning paddle along the Edwin Bussey shores of Gambier and out to Pam Rocks. There, an Eagle [email protected] watched us from on high as we drifted through the islets Conservation Liaison: and the colony of seals. I m not sure who was more curi- Elisa Kreller ous, the seals or us. But they were definitely more enter- [email protected] taining. Not far beyond was Christie Islet where we found the nesting cormorants on the northern cliff amidst many Outdoor Recreation Council: seagulls and numerous red-beaked oyster catchers. Still to Tony Clayton be determined: are the cormorants Brandts, Pelagics or [email protected] Double Crested? Training: After a much needed lunch at a small sheltered beach on Sophie Chenier Anvil Island we headed back to Porteau Cove to complete [email protected] Trips: Shelley Lear See page 11 for the Chicken [email protected] Chow Mein recipe Safety: Bob Maher [email protected] our 8 nautical mile day. With the wind at our backs, we made good time. And, thank good- ness, we never experienced a Squamish . Programs: Heather Hamilton-Wright [email protected] We were a curious bunch. Post trip learnings that circulated to answer our musings include: Social Director: From Alice: The breeding place for seals is a rookery; a group of young seals is a pod. Sue McLeish From Gail: a link to the Anvil Island Bible camp for the history of Anvil Island. It was the [email protected] location of the Anvil Island Brick Company, and had an apple orchard that once boasted Library: an award from the Chicago World Fair in 1933. The camp began in 1941. Ray Saadien http://www.anvilisland.org/aboutus_history.asp [email protected] From Ann: Captain Vancouver named the island and was inspired by the shape of the Webmaster: Nick Jones [email protected] Newsletter: Gayla Shulhan [email protected] Page 4 PADDLE the SKABC Newsletter

Gulf Island Trip submitted by Simone Avram

This trip started with every kayaker's worst night- mare. The carpool driver drove her vehicle, with boat on top, to pick up her first passenger. As she drove, she noticed her 12 year old shiny cedar strip kayak shifting positions. As she quickly pulled over and put on the brakes, her kayak torpedoed into the rear window of a parked mail truck. She had never considered the possi- bility of mailing her kayak to the beach, and now she knew that this could only be done in small pieces never to be recomposed! Humor aside, she stared in shock, devastated at the sight of the stuck projectile and its shattered bits on the ground. Imagine the shock that overcame the postman when he returned to the truck and saw the mess! In spite of her devastation, the car- pool driver slowly composed herself and collected her beautiful boat with the shattered bow and stoically re- sumed her journey. We helped her rent a kayak in Saanich and sympathetically proceeded with our jour- ney. The remainder of our trip was a delightful contrast to the first day. We paddled one hour in the clear blue sky and calmest water from the Swartz Bay terminal to a southerly exposed sandy beach on Portland Island. This site showed us both the sunrise and the sunset spectacularly. On Friday we paddled into Fulford Har- bor on ...a 1and 1/2 hour paddle in calm water, blue sky and summer heat. Unfortunately the mosquitoes were out in full force in the evenings but that didn t stop us. We donned full body bug suits and where not possible, some wore their wetsuits as armour, while others produced deet and mosquito coils against the pesky things. The first night, the raccoons demonstrated their prowess by opening the rental kayak hatch cover and feasted on stored leftovers of ravioli. They are smart and nimble creatures. Day 2 brought more sunshine and calm water to facilitate a 12 mile paddle along , around the east side of Moresby, and back to base camp. Day 3, another calm sunny day, we ex- plored Cook Island and the surrounding islets until we packed our vehicles and boarded the ferry. This journey was a delightful contrast to the nightmarish beginning of our weekend. Congratulations to John, who was a first time trip coordinator and a first time kayak camper. Our sympa- thy to Trudy, who grieves over her lost boat. Kayakers: Trudy Vanderberg, John Wurst, Terry McGinnis, Simone Avram, and Roland.

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Saturna Island W inery Trip submitted by Shelley Lear (with snippets from Nick Jones)

This was a new trip for SKABC that was coordinated and meticulously planned by our webmaster, Nick Jones. I was particu- larly impressed with the weblink complete with map and the detailed itinerary that Nick circulated in advance of the trip. There were a total of 13 people on the trip, 11 women and 2 men. We even had a visitor from Quebec participating. 4 members of the group had traveled to prior to July 15 and the remainder of us took the 8:45 am ferry. Well fortified by the unchanging BC Ferry breakfast, we drove to Bennett Bay at the southeast end of Mayne. It s a very large bay which may explain why the group ending up launching from two different locations. Or else, we didn t have enough coffee. Maureen tried to really complicate things by driving to a third location!! It was one of those perfect paddling days that you dream about: clear sunny skies, a very light cool wind, the tide flowing perfectly out and then back and a great group of paddlers to kayak with. The first leg of the trip involved heading SE down the Eastern side of towards Boat Passage. We visited the seals sleeping on the rocks on the Belle . We spotted bald eagles and seals as promised by Nick. He can even arrange the wildlife viewing to order! Clarke, the official club photographer, lined the group up for the mandatory on-water photo. By 1pm we were at Boat Passage and enjoyed a quick transit with the help of a 2-3 knot current running into Winter Cove. At this point stomachs were grumbling and it was clearly time to stop on the beach at Winter Cover Provincial Park for lunch. However, there was another objective for the day the Saturna Island winery. Therefore we carried on past Payne Point and on to Crocker Point at the western end of Breezy Bay. We went ashore at a large sandy beach and watched one of our members perform a tricky exit at the nearby wharf to avoid getting her feet wet. A short 10 minute walk brought us to a nicely landscaped building with a stunning view from the patio of the vineyards and the ocean below. The winery is located on a bench that lies on the South West side of Saturna along the foot of a large ridge. This unique situation results in a perfect location for growing grapes and a stunning location for a winery. After checking out the winery building the whole team bellied up to the bar and enjoyed tasting the winery s 8 wines. After a few purchases of select bottles of wine and some discussion of whether a case could fit in a kayak (would the winery would deliver this to the beach?), it was back to the kayaks. After all, there was a schedule to keep. With our boats somewhat heavier, we took a short cut on the return trip and played in the currents on the west side of Samuel Island in Georgeson Passage. Boat loading was accomplished with great speed and we even managed a quick visit to the Springwater Lodge (ext 1892) in Miner s Bay for fish & chips and crab cakes (highly recommended). This was a wise decision as the 7:45 ferry on the return trip was very small (similar to the ferry) and the food choices were limited. We did get a lecture at the ferry terminal for arriving outside the 30 minute limit, but there was no wait list so we all got onboard. In a curious exercise in loading, two of our group had to back their vehicles up and face the opposite direction. Another mystery of ferry life. I have paddled in the Gulf Islands many times, but this was my first day trip. The early morning ferry and late return makes this a viable option in the summer months and the pre-trip preparation is much less time consum- ing than for a weekend trip. Many thanks to Nick for organizing such a wonderful trip. Page 6 PADDLE the SKABC Newsletter

Dionisio continued from page 1

Three of us wheeled on from Horseshoe Bay, taking just one car over, which was handy to store the wheels, after-trip clothes, etc. Launching under cloudless skies from the boat ramp in Nanaimo, we headed south to- wards False Narrows and after an excitingly lumpy "now we're really awake!" crossing of Northumberland Channel, we were expecting to fight the flood down the west side of Gab- riola to False Narrows and catch the current there as it turned to ebb. However, an eddy swirling back round from Dodd Narrows gave us such a great ride that we had time to stop for lunch before paddling gently through False Narrows against the last hour of the flood, giving us a wonderful opportunity to observe and exclaim about the rich marine life skimming along beneath us. Approaching Gabriola Passage, a very calm eagle perched on a rock mere feet from the shore watched intently as we slowed for pho- tos and to accept his blessing for our trip - my theory that an eagle sighting at the start of a trip guarantees great times proved to be more than true! We had started out with several options for our route, which gelled on our ferry ride over into the one that we all easily agreed worked best with the currents/tides, the forecast, and our preferences, with the destination for our first night as the Flat Top Islands. So through Gabriola Passage we went, just before the turn from flood to ebb, and while our plan was to camp on Carlos Island, it was described as "very exposed" so we accepted Earl's invitation to check out a couple of al- ternate camping locations that he had heard about. The first, a little sandstone blob with a grassy topknot, around Cordero Point and immediately southeast of the West Vancou- ver Yacht Club anchorage, begged explora- tion and we all scampered up nature's well- designed sandstone landing and "staircase" on the sheltered inner side. There looked like easily 5 comfortable grassy spots for tents, with some protection offered by a few scraggly bushes. Although we all declared it a wonderful place and perfectly perfect, with great swimming potential for the crazies, none of us knew what Carlos Island was like in comparison and curiosity over- came us, so back into the kayaks and off we went. Not, however, without first christening the island (well, truthfully, we had al- ready done that bit!) but it will now forever be known as "Earl's Island". A quick look at option 2, the previously un-named "Saturnina-blob islet", did not merit unloading ourselves from our boats (our campsite connoisseur tendencies were showing already!). Although it likely has its merits, it did not come close to Earls' in overall appeal. Despite everyone by now feeling the hours since our 6am start from homes, we paddled the last of today's 15 nm

August 2006 Page 7

onward to Carlos Island which invited us eagerly ashore with a white sand beach. The single windswept, horizontal and barely recognizable arbutus was testament that the light northerly breeze was unusually mild for this location - nonetheless two of us camped up on the generous grassy top of the island, and three selected south facing beach sites among the kayaks and sun-bleached logs. Feeling fully restored from the delicious humus appies, garbanzo curry and yeah!!! salad!! and strawberry crumble, enjoyed down on the sandstone out of the wind, we "retired to the upper lounge" to revel in the sunset, and puzzle mightily over a weird structure to the north, somewhat fuzzy against the glow of the setting sun. (As the ferry carried us out of Nanaimo three evenings later, it dawned on us that these were the Entrance Island lighthouse and buildings, and not the aliens landing or subterfuge oil exploration that we had imagined it to be!) Overnight the northerly wind picked up quite a bit, with plenty of whitecaps to be seen out in Georgia Strait, but we had a nice protected channel in which to launch, before the instant transition to some very rough water as we turned out of it south- wards. Luckily that was over just as quickly as it started - how many waves breaking in your left ear do you really need that early in the day anyway? We had a glorious ride back through the Flat Top Islands and down the east side of Valdes, tide and wind sweeping us gracefully along most of the way, with the occasional surprise opportunity to surf a little, and a quick stop in the bay about mid-way along the In- dian Reserve section of the island. While most of us seemed to have assorted neck-swivelling restrictions, any inabil- ity of those slightly ahead to turn and get a visual on the others was never an issue, as there was always plenty of laughter from which to pinpoint their position. At this point, it is worth noting that the trip description had stated "currents ex- perience required", but it turned out that we all came with a healthy dose of "even more currents experience strongly desired". Having arrived at the south tip of Valdes well ahead of the time that the Porlier Pass current would turn, just a mere hour be- fore the current would be at maximum flood of 8 knots, we recalled a guidebook warning about rips between Valdes and Dionisio Point, and its advice to wait for slack before attempting the crossing. A short pause and snack in the relative shelter offered by the Canoe Islets (a wildlife preserve, so no leg-stretching here) gave us the chance to visually assess the lumpy stuff as best we could from our kayaks, and agree that the really wild stretch wasn't very wide, and there were no tugs or barges coming through, so why not paddle out to the east a bit past the worst of the rips and then start to cross. Instant adrenaline!! This is so much fun!! Wow!! Yikes!!! More adrenaline!! Hey, my boat seems to be liking this! Brace left! No, right! No, both sides! No, there is nothing to brace onto, I'm about 3 feet above nothing! Keep paddling! Hey, look at that B*G on Earl's face! Hey, focus! Paddle! Oops, remember to breathe! Brace, breathe, paddle, laugh out loud! Yep, looks like eve- ryone's doing OK! Oh, yikes!!! Where did that come from? Paddle harder! Whoa! No, I'm NOT going to dump, NO way - this is too much fun! Paddle, brace, paddle! Smoother water - I made it!! We all made it!! B*Gs everywhere! And look at that beach over there at Dionisio - anyone ready for lunch? Ahhhhhh - lunch, stretched out on a log, sunshine, watching the rips out there and feeling so great that (a) we all wanted to do the crossing in those conditions (b) we all did it, and (c) we had all learned something about our abilities, and had added some- thing fun and valuable to our experiences. What a life! What a great trip! And we were only 25 hours into it! Dionisio Marine Park has a large north-facing and gloriously sandy bay (Coon Bay), from which the main campsite area is accessed, with a tombola connecting a little arbutus-covered island (sadly no camping on that), and a big shallow bay to the south which empties completely at low tide, so unless landing and leaving at close to high tide, use the north-facing bay and the main camp area. Another camping area in the park, known as the Sandstone campsites, is about a quarter of a mile south of the point, with waterfront views out across Georgia Strait. Access at medium to high tide is from the gently rolling sandstone ledges and a few wooden steps, at the top of which are some thoughtfully placed racks on which to secure your kayaks, and the campsites are all within a few paces. Arriving (as we did), or launching, at low tide you unfortunately are well below the gently rolling bit and faced with clambering up seaweed covered rocks and sandstone. With most of the afternoon still ahead of us and a forecast for increasing north winds next morning which could make launching from the exposed sandstone ledge extremely challenging, we

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Dionisio continued from page 7 elected to skip the clambering and return to spend the afternoon lounging in Coon Bay. Our first choice of campsite (lacking the "no camping" signs visible on other prime spots) was a semi-grassed area a short walk and a few bushes above the beach, but this was soon afterwards nixed by the Park Facilities Operator, and having pitched all our tents we now had to carry them up the trail to the designated sites - a good three minutes' walk up into the forest. We had only paddled 11.5 nm today, so the extra exercise didn't kill us, but with the great weather, we were able to designate the beach as our living/kitchen /dining/dressing room, and only minimal tent and sleeping gear has to be carried up to our campsites. After "refreshing" swims for all, and the introduction for most to the joys of "Sea Suds" that eliminate that icky-sticky-sea- water-feeling, and leave your hair soft and silky (should you happen to come across anyone that would notice or care!), we set- tled against our logs to watch the currents ease, turn, and build again out in Porlier Pass, while we feasted on Stilton, olive and baba ganouj appies, followed by "Best Moroccan" veggie stew, and plenty of brownies to reward the triumphs of the day. We all suffered varying degrees of separation anxiety having our tents so far away from our kayaks and the ocean - it's very disconcerting to be on a kayak trip and sleep without ocean sounds, or wake without an immediate eyeful of ocean view and an instant update on conditions. Never mind - the prospect of going through Porlier Pass, as well as crossing it as we had to get back to the north side again, had us all awake early and down on the beach, loading kayaks while anxiously watching swells coming down Georgia Strait and surf dumping on the high angle of the beach, and busily reassuring each other that by the time we would be leaving, in order to catch the current just ahead of the turn from ebb to flood, the water would recede to the flat sandbar and the surf would be much gentler. A walk around to the sandstone bluff overlooking most of the pass allowed us to assess what was going on with the current just over an hour ahead of the turn - hmmmm .boils, rips, whirlpools, but the rips don't look so bad, much smaller than what we handled yesterday, aren't they? We settled on a tentative route, to be re-assessed as we progressed from point to point. Very conveniently, both shores of Porlier Pass have numerous deep sheltered coves to deek in and out of as you make your way through, but of course these also make for interesting eddies and current patterns out in the pass. So, back to the beach, to prepare for a surf launch, a first for some, and hearts were all beating a little faster by now. We all got a good number of face washes (who needs coffee on a morning like this?), and a few mouthfuls of seaweed were reported - I've never seen it in writing, but some- where in every surf course there must be strict instructions to yell like a banshee as you punch through the waves! Everyone made it through just fine, and we started off into Porlier Pass, hugging the south shore until we approached the first light- house where Earl went out a little way to scope out the boils along the edge of the shore. After coming back to consult with the rest of us hanging out in the kelp beds, we decided to do our crossing at that point, where the rips looked nar- rower and much less wild than yesterday, and aiming, to the best abilities that the rips would allow, well east as the current would be sweeping us westward through the pass. We were still an hour ahead of the turn, but everyone agreed on going through now rather than waiting for things to ease off further.

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Go back and read yesterday's crossing again, but now add the confidence we had gained (always humble confidence of course, this is the ocean we are talking about after all!) resulting in the fun factor far outweighing the fear factor. Maureen and Gretchen reported catching a great surf ride, and we were all quickly through the rips and into calmer waters, being rap- idly assisted towards our destination of Cayetano Point on the south west corner of Valdes. Woohooo!!!! We had "done Dionisio", and done it with grace and style. Heading up the west side of Valdes, we immediately met that northerly wind that had been creating all the waves for our surf launch, but at least the water was merely choppy, and hey, the sun was still shining, five paddlers had created new bonds over a very short period, and we only had a short paddle to Blackberry Point before our lunch stop (5.5 nm), with the plan to continue on to Pirates' Cove for our final night. Two kayakers just departing Black- berry as we landed advised that Pirates was horrendously mosquito-infested, and we all quickly agreed it sounded better to stay at Blackberry, and rest up for a longer paddle home the next day. Despite the forecast for steadily increasing north- west winds, it was not a tough decision given the glorious arbutus-shaded camp- sites, white shell beach, and another sunny afternoon through which to enjoy it all. We lounged the afternoon away in the sun or shade, playing with Crazy Pete's dog Chevy, and enjoying a couple of swims; Earl attended to the checking and maintenance of the composting toilet (thank you Earl!), and we continued shar- ing kayaking stories, and trading all sorts of "gear and gizmo" ideas. As the sun dropped lower, we gath- ered under the overhanging arbutus to enjoy asparagus and cream cheese appies, mushroom tortellini with pesto sauce, and Kahlua-dipped-biscotti for dessert, with small wavelets landing on the beach inches from our toes. As with our first two dinners, the wine was plentiful, and once again deemed to have been very well-earned. The above is a paid-for advertisement from Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre. Page 10 PADDLE the SKABC Newsletter

Dionisio continued from page 9

Rising winds through the night and early morning had us all awake well in time for our 8am launch, and we were on the wa- ter at 7:45. No surf this time, but a gruelling headwind and the ebb tide against us as we crossed to Pylades and then got a little relief from the wind by detouring up the west side of Ruxton before crossing back to De Courcy's east side and being slammed into the wind again. After a welcome break on "sausage island" (just before Link), we found the ebbing tide through Gabriola Passage was now creating rips and swirls all the way over on our side of Pylades Channel - but teeny rips compared to our previous experiences, and we figured we could paddle through these with our eyes closed (will try that one day when we don't have another 5 hours of paddling still ahead of us!) The wind continued to pick up, and on the occasions I relinquished some headway to hold up my anemometer, after the worst gusts eased, I got readings of 15 to 19 knots. We grunted our way along towards False Narrows, watching a delightful family of river otters playing in the mixed up currents, and eventually picked our way among the narrow and shallow channels, noting that only about one in 10,000 kelp fronds were going our way, despite being in a gently flooding current that should have had the water moving in our favour were it not for the wind. A very quick lunch stop had us back on the water, with 8nm to go, and Earl's fervent hope that it would not take us another four hours to accomplish this last leg of our trip. We gained some shelter from the wind along the east side of Northumberland Channel, but gradually the gusts became stronger and more frequent, until we had to admit we were once again truly fighting the wind. Our crossing back to Jack Point was very lumpy with many whitecaps on some decent sized waves, but again the con- fidence we had gained over the past 4 days made it exciting and exhilarating for all of us. And the Duke Point ferry was ex- tremely polite in not showing its nose coming around the corner until we were safely across and well out of its way. A few more minutes of pretty easy paddling took us across to the marker on the south point of Protection Island - huh!!! what protection??? As we rounded the point, wham!! the northwest wind met us head on again, now getting measurements up to 25 knots. An hour and a half later, we completed this 1.75nm stretch and tum- bled out of our kayaks onto the boat ramp - totally worn out from 17 nm into a headwind all day, but triumphant, elated, and all in all extremely pleased with ourselves. With a good night's sleep, I bet that given the chance every one of us would have set out again next morning to do it all over again. And I truly hope that "Earl and The Girls" will have another chance to paddle together again in the near future - we made a great team. Thanks everyone, and especially to Maureen for all the organizing she did, including the unbelievable weather!

This was a bumper sticker found somewhere in Alaska. Why would someone create such a message? Of course, kayaking is not a crime! Anyone know the story behind this slogan?

[email protected] www.bckayaks.com 250-391-0331 Victoria, , Canada

This is a paid-for advertisement from Natural West Coast Adventure

August 2006 Page 11

Kayak Cuisine: Chicken Chow Mein submitted by Tony Clayton

Ingredients: Directions: 1 can [360 g] Chicken Open cans and drain off liquids but reserve the chicken broth. 2 cm fresh Ginger Root Peel and mince ginger root. 1 Scallion Mince scallion. 1 Tbsp Cornstarch Combine chicken, ginger, scallion with cornstarch, sherry, salt and 1 Tbsp. of 1 Tbsp Sherry water and set aside. ½ tsp Salt Soak mushrooms in enough hot water to cover and set aside until soft, about 15 8 Dried Black Mushrooms minutes, and then slice. 1 small can [156 ml] Whole Baby Corn Heat 1½ Tbsp oil in a wok or deep skillet until hot then add sliced mushrooms and 1 can [227 ml] Sliced Bamboo Shoots stir fry for 2 minutes. ½ cup Blanched Almonds Add corn, bamboo shoots and almonds and continue cooking for 1 minute. 1 package [170 g] Chow Mein Noodles Add broth and soy sauce and stir fry briefly before adding the chicken mixture. ½ cup Stock or Broth Continue to stir fry for about 3 minutes to heat through and blend flavours. 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce Finally, add noodles and stir fry until everything is well combined and thoroughly 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil heated through. Notes: Chow mein noodles are widely available but there are differences in styles and it pays to read the instructions that are generally found on the back of the package before you pop them into your shopping cart. The fact is that most chow mein noodles require some separate preparation e.g. boiling for 2 or 3 minutes, draining and then adding to the other ingredients. However some brands, e.g. Western Family, do not require this precooking and can be added directly to the stir fried ingredients per the recipe above. Chow mein noodles are rather bulky and if space is a consideration consider using oriental style egg flavoured noodles that are much denser in form and easier to pack for a kayak trip. Unfortunately it is necessary to boil this type of noodle for a short while before adding them to the stir fried ingredients. This would produce a lo mein dish instead of chow mein but what the hey, they are both good to eat.

Whale Sightings Wanted! submitted by Heather Hamilton-Wright

If you see any whales, dolphins, porpoises, or sea turtles while you re paddling this summer, we d like to know! Here at the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network, we rely on the help of coastal citizens such as yourselves to collect information about whales and sea turtles in B.C. You can report whale and sea turtle sightings through our website (www.wildwhales.org), by e-mail ([email protected]), or by phone (1 866 I SAW ONE). Or contact us about how you can get involved in our logbook pro- gram and record the whales you see in a logbook we provide. The information we need is the date, time, and location of the sighting, the species you saw, the number in the group, and their behaviour. By reporting a sighting, you are helping us gather important information on the areas that are important to endangered whales and sea turtles. The better we understand these species, the more effective our conservation efforts will be, ensuring that their populations stay healthy and strong for many years to come. For more information on the sightings network and common BC cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) and sea turtles, visit our website at www.wildwhales.org. The B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network is a project of the Vancouver Aquarium and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, with funding from the Government of Canada Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Nadine Pinnell, [email protected] Outreach Coordinator, BC Cetacean Sightings Network Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

Page 12 PADDLE the SKABC Newsletter

SKABC Trips for 2006

Date Destination Class Coordinator On-water Leader DAY TRIPS Monday eve Deep Cove Beginner Paddles Maureen Benzon (No paddle on Mon, On the water at 6.00 back by 8.00/8:30 A1 Maureen Benzon [email protected] Aug 7) Rentals available DCCK George Shepherd George Shepherd Aug 12 West Van to Bowen Island C2 [email protected] (evening calls only, no NEW! Rescue skills mandatory 604-980-0163 calls between Aug 1-9) North Shore Ambelside to Caulfeild Julie Dorsemaine Aug 20 Cove. Relaxed paddle followed by optional A2 604-984-6414 Julie Dorsemaine dinner in local restaurant. [email protected] Aug 26 Indian Arm Barnet Marine Park Shelley Lear B1 Shelley Lear NEW! Paddle to Jug Isl. for lunch & Bedwell Bay 604-437-1549 West Van to Gibsons one way Roger Goodwin Sep TBD C2 Roger Goodwin (wheels required) 604-985-0523 Karin Hartner Karin Hartner Sep 23 Harrison River (one way) - [email protected] 604-803-5215 WEEKEND TRIPS Ross Lake, Washington Mark Allison Mark Allison August 5-7 B2 Kayaking and hiking trip [email protected] 604-525-2345 Mayne Island Sep 1-4 Sue McLeish on water leader - none, Arrival on Friday or Saturday, varies Fri to Mon [email protected] buddy up! Kayak rentals available LONGER TRIPS Aug 5-14 Nuchatlitz B2 Simone Avram Terry McGinnis FULL Limit: 6 people C3 [email protected] Maureen Benzon Aug 6-12 Clayoquot Sound (Tofino) B3 Bob Salo [email protected] Nuchalitz Aug 9-12 Jaynie Miller On-water Leader Couple with 4 yr old child. Suitable for B2 NEW! [email protected] Needed families. Possible water taxi 1 way.

Aug 12-20 Nootka Sound B3 Nick Heath

Aug 20-26 Johnstone Strait Karen Peters B3 Don Chandler (including travel) Some currents. [email protected] Aug 20-26 John Martin Broughton Archipelago B3 George Prevost NEW! [email protected] George Prevost Aug 31-Sep 3 Pre-trip coordinator Broken Islands B2 604-732-1882 NEW! needed [email protected] Sep 9-16 Edwin Bussey Broken Islands or Deer Group B2 Edwin Bussey [email protected]

August 2006 Page 13

Trips Committee:

Shelley Lear 604-437-1549 Terry McGinnis [email protected] Maureen Benzon [email protected] Simone Avram 604-275-2724

THANK YOU

to the following people who have volun- Trip Classification teered to coordinate SKABC trips in August and September 2006: STRENUOUS LEVEL (Assumes some paddling experience) George Shepherd Julie Dorsemaine Code Description Estimated Paddling Distance Shelley Lear Time (nautical miles) A Minimal <3 hours <6 nm Roger Goodwin Karin Hartner B Moderate 3 5 hours 6 10 nm Mark Allison C Strenuous 5 6 hours 10 15 nm Sue McLeish D Very 6 hours 15 nm Jaynie Miller Nick Heath DIFFICULTY LEVEL Bob Salo (Expected conditions require matching paddling skills) Karen Peters Code Expected Conditions Paddling Skills Required Don Chandler John Martin 1 Calm Beginner George Prevost 2 Intermediate Basic (self/assisted rescues capability) Edwin Bussey 3 Exposed/Difficult Good seamanship 4 Challenging Advanced

ICE = In Case of Emergency submitted by Maureen Benzon

If you were unfortunate enough to have an accident that left you unconscious or incoherent, how would your rescuers know who to notify?

The ICE idea seems to be catching on as a method of contacting your emergency contacts in case of an emergency. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is program the number of a contact person or per- sons and store the name as "ICE". The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when they went to the scenes of ac- cidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which numbers to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name to file "next of kin" under. Following a disaster in London, the East Anglican Ambulance Service has launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign. In an emergency situa- tion, Emergency Services personnel and hospital staff would then be able to quickly contact your next of kin, by simply dial- ing the number programmed under "ICE". It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2, ICE3, etc. or ICE Mom, ICE Sister, etc.

Page 14 PADDLE the SKABC Newsletter

SKABC Mailing Address Box 751, Station A The Mayne Event Vancouver, BC A social weekend on Mayne Island: The campsite at Errol s place is booked V6C 2N6 for the September long weekend: Friday through Sunday night, so join us when you can ($10 per night). We will have a potluck dinner on Saturday Web: www.skabc.org night at the campsite. The Saturday paddle will be decided by those attend- E-mail: [email protected] ing no on-water leader, but a buddy-up day trip to whichever destination you choose. On Sunday, there is an 8 km Mayne Island Cow Pie Run - a fun run through the fields and woods, avoiding cow pies (and cows) as you go! In the afternoon there is the Lions Salmon Festival on the other side of the Island optional paddle there or drive. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RESERVE FOR THE FERRY!!! A BBQ is available as well as a SMALL fridge. Contact Sue McLeish if you plan to attend.

Christmas Party Where: Coal Harbour Community Centre When: Saturday, December 9, 2006 Bring: Drinks and contribution to potluck (turkey will be provided), plus a generic $10 gift if you want to participate in the gift exchange. Feeling inspired to get involved Contact Sue McLeish if you plan to attend. more with the SKABC club? Rubbing sunscreen in cuts effect Please contact any member of the executive if you d like to assist. submitted by Derek Spragg I m looking for some assistance/partnership found in the Health section @ news.bbc.co.uk for the newsletter for the next year. The Restoration of Appearance and Function Trust, which includes ex- Sophie has been coordinating the training perts in sunburn, looked at how sunscreens ward off cancer-causing radiation. program for the last 2 years and is looking to They found rubbing sunscreen on does not offer even protection and letting a pass those duties on to someone else. white film dry on was much better. Skin cancer kills more than 2,000 people a year in the UK, the journal, 10% Discounts PhotoChemistry and PhotoBiology, reported. Lead researcher Dr Rachel Haywood said: "Most people prefer to rub the cream into the skin. They find As a member of SKABC, you can receive a it more pleasant and comfortable. However, our research shows for the first 10% discount with many of the local retail- time that if the cream is rubbed in, the protection is minimal." ers/renters. Some of the participants are: The team used left-over skin from plastic surgery operations and recreated Ecomarine intense sun exposure in the lab. They measured the levels of tissue-damaging Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak particles called free radicals after exposure and found they rose in direct rela- tion to exposure to UVA rays, which is associated to cancer and premature Blue Vista Resort on Mayne Island ageing. BC Dive & Kayak They found that when the sunscreen was rubbed in it offered almost zero protection because the cream accumulated in lines and sweat glands and did not offer even protection. Researchers said rubbing in sunscreen could even NEWSLETTER RAFFLE WINNER put people at higher risk because while it did not protect against UVA rays it Each month the authors of newsletter arti- did offer resistance to UVB which causes the skin to redden. They said that cles are entered into a draw for a gift certifi- could encourage people to stay in the sun for longer. cate. July s winner was Sue McLeish for Sara Hiom, from the charity Cancer Research UK, said: "The one message her submission regarding Tents with Mildew people should take from this research is that you cannot rely on sunscreen (I accept dirty articles)! We ll draw for Au- alone to protect you from skin cancer. Sunscreen should be the last - not the gust s winner on August 1st. first - line of defense against the sun's harmful rays. The most important thing Please send me ([email protected]) is not to burn and we recommend that people should spend time in the shade your articles for the September Paddle by between 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its height and they should cover up the 15th of August. with a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.win2pdf.com. The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only.