tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92109842112035481412012-01-26T19:57:14.495-08:00Exploring the coast in an inflatable kayak.paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-7983410833139720152012-01-26T19:56:00.000-08:002012-01-26T19:57:14.509-08:00

Earlier this year I had to take the Seaker down to Washington for a repair job and while I was down there the good people at Innova offered to loan me a couple of prototypes of their new Swing kayak, just released this year. The Swing comes in both a single, and a double version, and appears, to my eyes anyway, to be Innova's attempt to compete with the Advanced Elements kayaks, which have

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-57149356263296543562011-12-31T20:57:00.000-08:002012-01-03T21:56:58.663-08:00

November brought about a few changes for me. I decided to say "peace, out" to my long term job and search for something new. But before I did that I wanted a few weeks to relax and unwind. Lots of people were recommending that I go somewhere sunny, like Cuba or Mexico. And the Cuba billboard right outside my window was very beckoning. I researched around some resorts but did not get a great

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-8638732211260123142011-10-21T19:20:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:38.032-08:00

Hello again! The blog has been quiet over the last few months but that's because I've been busy paddling! It was a really great summer of visiting fantastic new places and meeting great new people. Now that the seasons have turned rainy again it's time to write up the trips, starting with a week I spent on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in Nuchatlitz Inlet. The trip was organized by my

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-63709489829603942022011-06-22T20:27:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.971-08:00

I was planning on another visit to Alouette Lake with my friend Janice, who I took here on her first kayak camping trip last year. I keep on coming back to this lake, mostly because it's an easy paddle. Low stress and some really nice camp sites. Also a good place to test out a new boat so my friend Michael decided to join us and give his new Pakboat XT-17 a workout in preparation for our

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-66017786716127936192011-06-14T20:19:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:38.001-08:00

  In preparation for our upcoming trip to Nuchatlitz Inlet a number of the people in the group decided to get together for a quick overnight trip to the Twin Islands in Indian Arm. After spending Friday night on the island most of the group were heading home Saturday. Chris and I planned to spend one more night, and head up to Granite Falls.  I had a few personal goals for this trip. One, pack

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-79234396839632702442011-05-30T21:38:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:38.018-08:00

Spent the May long weekend on a trip to Tofino, and a circumnavigation of Meares Island.  I've been to Tofino before, a few times, but mostly for Long Beach and the surfing. This was my first trip into Clayquot Sound. I did the trip with my friend Chris and a number of other members of my local kayaking meetup group. 8 of us altogether and it was a great group of people.   We launched from

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-69639124057793142662011-04-26T20:20:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:38.012-08:00

Finally made it back on the water for the Easter weekend. My friend Jim and I spent a couple of nights on Alouette Lake. Same place I did my last season opener. It was a very nice time, and some great weather but...a few "challenges" with the kayak. I haven't paddled in months so I decided to use the Sunny. It's a nice easy boat and I was planning on hauling a telescope up to take advantage of

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-91034428532287554862010-10-18T18:28:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:38.040-08:00

I've never been able to figure out the exact pronunciation of Hotham Sound. Is it pronounced like the ice planet Hoth in Empire Strikes Back, or is it 'Hot Ham' as in, "a plate of hot ham sounds pretty tasty!". Anyway, it's a great place to visit and I thought I would catch up the blog with some photos of my August trip there with my friend Chris. Although we messed up a bit with leaving late,

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-34786062832535238472010-10-17T18:55:00.001-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.728-08:00

An unusually beautiful fall day and I took the Seaker out again with my friends Ted and Jim. I had been hemming and hawing all week about doing an overnight trip but decided at the last minute (Friday night) to just do a day trip and not face a dewey, cold morning. As usual, had a very nice time.On our second date, I find that I'm beginning to forgive some of the Seaker's flaws. Yes, folded it is

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-3858150121041733902010-10-05T19:20:00.001-07:002011-12-29T21:45:00.213-08:00

The day after picking up the Seaker I had the chance to take her on her maiden voyage, an overnight trip to Sechelt Inlet. Why mess around? I bought this boat to take on expeditions so I needed to see how well it packed, how it handled, and even how it performed in windy or wavey conditions (it performed great in the wind, parked on the beach while her owner drank wine in front of the fire!).

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-86383842048360351402010-10-01T19:02:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:45:00.386-08:00

Took a very nice drive down to Washington today, to meet Tim at Innova, which was a real pleasure, and pick up my brand new Innova Seaker.I had always been fascinated by this boat, and have wavered back and forth whether it's a good one, or maybe just too much for an inflatable. Since they were on sale for half price last month I decided to treat myself and go ahead and get it. I have some trips

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-64850188364154951602010-07-05T18:09:00.001-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.987-08:00

Returned yesterday from an inspiring trip through the southern Gulf Islands, camping in the Gulf Islands National Park. My friend Chris and I decided to spend the Canada Day long weekend, which really wasn't a long weekend because it was a thursday, so we took an extra day off but anyway, we spent the extended long weekend on a trip that took us to Sidney, D'Arcy, Rum and Portland

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-27224568114305229702010-06-26T08:55:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:45:00.169-08:00

I've always love the term "skylarking" which the Urban Dictionary defines as "to fool around or act estranged also to gallivant or to commit tom foolery or shenanigans." And since I'm all about the tom foolery and shenanigans it's fitting that I've wound up going to Alouette Lake three times now this season (alouette being the french word for 'skylark' which I learned recently). Anyway yes I've

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-57567009120820383882010-05-10T20:29:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.957-08:00

Yay, finally, finally made it out for an overnight trip. I have been longing to get out there for some time, and we've been having some nice weather too. Last week I decided I'd had enough, rain or shine I was going out camping!Since I wanted to take it a bit easier and stay close to home I decided to revisit Alouette Lake (if you didn't know, Alouette is french for 'skylark'...I didn't know!).

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-27787663721001518352010-05-10T18:48:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:45:00.183-08:00

Just wanted to post a few photos of a quick trip I did last year with Chris and Jim from Bowen to Keats Islands. It was a fun little trip, notable mainly for being the last outing of my beloved old Canon A43o, the camera I used to take the vast majority of the photos on this blog. So I thought I would put up some of the very last shots she took.We had aimed for an early start but a few wires got

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-42011747229113372992010-05-02T11:12:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.932-08:00

A trip to Saturna Island in late August of last year. This was the weekend after my Nelson Island trip. While on that trip Chris and I made tentative plans to hit Saturna the next weekend. Fortuitously our friend Michael had organized a trip there through the Meetup.com group. So we started planning out the trip and how we would get there. Saturna, for many years, has firmly resisted any kind

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-65970229729147149602010-04-25T12:08:00.001-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.996-08:00

.This was one of the best summer vacations ever and the trip where I really fell in love with my Helios 1. Plus I reconnected in a big way with my lovely wife. I spent a week and a bit with her and other friends and family on Tent Island and Texada Island. Not as adventurous a trip as some others but all of us agree this was one of the most fun ever.The plan was to spend a week with my sister and

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-81451741082687356702010-04-10T10:27:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:38.025-08:00

Back to Nelson Island! And this time I was going to make it into Hidden Basin and Blind Bay. This was a very enjoyable trip I took back in August with my friend Chris. I took a vacation day on a Friday and we headed off to the Sunshine Coast for a few nights.Last time I was out here we launched from a resort, but that wasn't a good option this time, so we headed for the public dock at Madeira

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-19151234200279705442010-04-05T21:10:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.920-08:00

Much later in the season I took what turned out to be my last trip of the year, a return to Thormanby for a couple of nights with my pal Dale. Dale was on a month long jaunt through the local waters in his sailboat. He anchored in Smuggler Cove and met up with him at the parking lot with a spare kayak for him to borrow. I'm ashamed to say I wound up arriving very late, and thankfully he didn't

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-47703750691500025132010-04-05T18:46:00.001-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.949-08:00

Wow I can't believe I let so long go by without posting anything. I planned to catch up over the winter, and all of a sudden, winter is over and I'm plotting my next seasons trips. So I thought I would put up some shots of two trips I took last year to Thormanby, one solo during the summer and a second at the end of the season with my friend Dale.I'd wanted to get here for a while, but never got

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-42518654154367700722009-09-19T09:01:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.941-08:00

This trip was one of the highlights of my summer, if not my entire paddling career. A seven day journey through the southern gulf islands, starting in Swartz Bay and ending in Ladysmith. The trip was organized by my friend Robert and was intended to be a weekend trip to Portland Island. Five of us made the trip and after the weekend was over, I stayed on and the others headed home.This trip was

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-40318541717731127342009-09-19T06:51:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.927-08:00

I had big plans for my 40th birthday back in June, but my health took a bit of a hit this year and I was feeling a bit miserable. Not up to doing my original ambitious plans and wandering around in a bit of a funk. So Dale suggested we take it easy and do the old reliable standby, Indian Arm. Beats sitting around housebound so Friday night he picked me up in the van and we set out for Deep

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-9692348785784694592009-09-18T16:29:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:38.047-08:00

My old man got inspired by by my exploits out on the water so he decided, now that he's moved to Vancouver Island, to follow in my footsteps...well, maybe leapfrog over my footsteps, by getting himself a boat. A Bayliner Cierra 2650. He wanted to do an overnight trip for the maiden voyage so I joined him with the kayak.I didn't want to mess around with trying to inflate it on board, so we just

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-64708544630801663082009-09-14T19:08:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.976-08:00

Earlier this summer I got it into my head that I needed to try camping out of the Helios 1. I was curious whether or not it would fit the new 7 day bear vault barrel I got for christmas last year, so I inflated it on the deck and set about seeing how much gear I could stuff in. I was very surprised to see that I could easily fit in enough for a comfortable camping trip. And the bear barrel fit

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-50903222578399219232009-09-14T18:57:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:45:00.266-08:00

Wow, it's been a crazy summer, but things are still looking hopeful for a few more kayak trips, including a few days in the broken island group. I'd like to thank everyone who wrote and encouraged me to keep writing. I was a bit sick earlier this year but am feeling much better thanks to the Canadian health care system :) Plus a few hundred hours on the water.But I still got in quite a few

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-59969947292014465282009-04-19T20:57:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:28:37.964-08:00

Did a very spur of the moment campout Friday, and my first night paddle. Dale called after work and suggested it. Little did I suspect he had an ulterior motive, try out his new Helios 380! I had noticed it on craigslist earlier in the week and alerted him to it. And he had picked it up that day. Another convert to the Innova team!We decided to head to Twin Island. But we were going to be leaving

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-68099626500832024822009-03-30T21:11:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:45:00.337-08:00

Finally, spring is here. And luckily, in between the solid week of rain and snow flurries last week, and the current solid wall of rain, we got one nice sunny day in on Sunday. As soon as I saw the forecast I decided to try an organize a meetup for it. I fully expected that it would be only Dale and I but what do you know? About 11 people signed up right away! (8 of us showed up)Waiting for Dale

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-63989553209670350862009-02-12T19:41:00.000-08:002011-12-29T21:46:03.627-08:00

Tamia Nelson has written up a nice article on inflatable kayaks over at Paddling.net . And it was accompanied by some photos and an interview with my friend Bob, who paddles an Advanced Elements Expedition down in South Carolina. Check it out! I would agree with many of her conclusions and especially the fact that an inflatable can be a good choice for older people. And for people who have never

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-36744642042197114112009-01-27T18:06:00.001-08:002011-12-29T22:26:05.740-08:00

Indian Arm is one of my favorite places to go. As many times as I've been it's never been the same experience twice. There is always something new to see and this trip was no exception. I've said it before and I'll say it again but we are lucky to have access to a place like this right on our doorstep.Our crazy weather has continued and this time it was fog, not snow. Lucky me I was down in Las

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-82423263254990728462009-01-02T19:59:00.000-08:002011-12-29T21:46:03.647-08:00

Vancouver has been having the craziest snow this year. I moved here to get away from this stuff, but it followed me here! Went over to Ladysmith to visit family for Christmas. Took the city bus because there was no way I was driving the upper level highway in the snow. Plus, my back alley looked like this:The bus wound up being an hour late but so was the ferry. Roughest crossing I've ever been

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-87128197715774302922008-11-24T19:49:00.000-08:002011-12-29T22:26:05.830-08:00

At the end of the season my cheapo cargo nets finally gave up. They did well holding gear down all summer but they were freyed and breaking. Whaddya want for a buck? So I decided to replace them, and experiment with something else.I replaced the stock decklines with a thinner floating rope I have. That left enough room to run a length of bungee cord through the grommets in the skin. I got the

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-77014335588327158482008-11-12T21:10:00.000-08:002011-12-29T22:26:05.813-08:00

A few weeks had gone by since I'd been on the water, and I was anxious to get out there. So when Robert organized a meetup for a hike/paddle on the Nov 11 holiday I jumped at it, despite the weather forecast. Last year, Dale organized a Paddler's Etc. get together on Remembrance Day, down at Belcarra Park, where the Port Moody Power squadron held a ceremony and laid a wreath on the water (and

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-28929156323104752572008-11-01T06:32:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:46:16.350-08:00

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-37333799068498212472008-10-19T11:05:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.748-08:00

Back at home safely from a trip into the heart of Sasquatch country, Harrison Lake and Harrison River. This was a trip organized through the "Oh that's a Canoe" Kayak and Adventure Group on Meetup.com. The purpose of this trip was to try and see the running salmon. We didn't see a lot of them (though we did see quite a few jumping out of the water, and a bunch of dead floating ones) but it was

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-55926150305634953722008-10-05T19:51:00.001-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.773-08:00

I wasn't really planning on going out today but seeing the sun poking through the clouds convinced me. I probably should have been more responsible and did some work around the house but oh well...exercise is good too right? I met up with Dale in Steveston and we set out from Garry Point Park. We were headed for a small sandy island that we had visited about a year ago, on our first paddle

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-18294423779831371402008-10-04T12:05:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.689-08:00

Nice sunny days are likely to start getting few and far between as we head into winter, so I'm determined to get in as many days paddling in them as possible. My friend Dale wasn't able to make it to the collapsible kayak rally the day before, so we made plans to do a paddle the next day. Our plan was to head out to Raccoon Island by way of Jug Island, and do some exploring. Since I had the

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-56615951705500352602008-10-02T21:09:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.779-08:00

A meetup.com group I'm a member of held a folding and inflatable kayak rally last weekend in English Bay. It was a very nice time, met a lot of great people and had another beautiful day on (and in) the water.The meet up time was 10:30 but of course, there was a lot of assembling to do...for others anyway. I was set up quickly and had time to admire the other boats. The put in was at the Coast

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-71579574173378667912008-09-17T19:40:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:46:03.635-08:00

I worked a punishing few weeks over the past little while...make that a punishing few months. I had to work the weekend before last and what got me through was the thought of taking a few days and getting in one more camping trip. Our weather throughout the last couple of weeks of August has been awful, but now, in mid-September, we're getting sunshine and warm weather. Might as well take

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-269995009941508392008-09-01T15:26:00.001-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.717-08:00

Just last week I came across an incredible deal on an Innova Helios 1. I didn't need another kayak but this was just too good of a bargain to pass up. So I grabbed it. I hear from The Boat People that this model is going up to $1200 next year! This is the new single seat version of the venerable Helios model. It replaces the old Helios 340 model. I don't know how long the original Helios has been

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-63404561207251443362008-08-31T21:14:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.794-08:00

The last leg of my summer expedition, Savary Island. I'd visited this place a couple of years back with a friend, but we'd only been able to spend two hours. I had planned to visit here in June but that fell through. Now, with the weather forecast for 31 degrees it seemed like the opportune time to see Savary. From my campsite at Dinner Rock the crossing looked pretty easy. So at about 8:30 am, I

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-22003341653461302992008-08-30T07:58:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:46:03.532-08:00

After Quadra I headed to the upper half of the Sunshine Coast, via the ferry from Comox. This was a new experience, as I'd never been to Comox before or taken this route. At this point I was still unsure about what to do. Whether to go to Texada Island again, go to Powell Lake and Inland lake, or head up to Lund and see Copeland Island Marine Park.Texada was looking beautiful but once I got to

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-18818178558938476962008-08-27T19:56:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:46:03.526-08:00

Since I was in the area, I had to go check out Cortes Island, if only just to say I was there. Plus I had already paid the fare in Campbell River on the ferry to Quadra Island. So after leaving the Main Lakes I headed for the grocery store and then the small ferry over to Cortes.Up on the grass by the terminal, I came across this little Russian beauty:This was an inflatable kayak with an internal

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-53994916775471580402008-08-19T20:37:00.001-07:002011-12-29T21:46:03.588-08:00

Main Lake Provincial Park is a chain of six small lakes, of which three (Village Bay, Mine and Main lakes) are connected. Ho-hum, another beautiful place it sometimes seems, but this was an exceptionally nice spot and an ideal place for relaxed kayaking.I'd read about this park earlier in the year and decided that I wanted to give it a try. It was to be my first solo kayak camping trip (after

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-23282555296626338982008-08-19T19:23:00.001-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.709-08:00

I decided to spend two weeks in August touring around Quadra Island and the Powell River area this summer. On Texada last summer I met somebody who said that Rebecca Spit would be an ideal place for an inflatable kayak. There's a private campground adjoining the Spit, which is a provincial park that is very nice. So after researching meticulously and making several backup plans, off I went.As

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-38836130438825010552008-08-16T06:44:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:46:03.570-08:00

It's saturday morning and I'm up but still exhausted. I can hear a car alarm going off in the background...back to the city! I just spent two weeks camping and paddling around the Desolation Sound area. I went to Quadra Island (Rebecca Spit and the Main Lakes chain), Cortes Island, the Copeland Islands, Savary Island and a couple of nights in Lund. Saw lots of inflatable kayaks. Also lots of

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-57378386667866889472008-07-06T19:51:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.787-08:00

Made it back out to Twin Island today with Dale. One last trip before heading back to work tomorrow. This time I made it fine with no cuts or scrapes. Unfortunately the Sunny took a good one. The boat is drying on the porch now and will be getting a new coat of aqua seal over the latest scratch. This is becoming a normal after kayak routine, fix the scratches on the boat! I'm even thinking "hmmmm

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-13292693382829336162008-07-03T12:47:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.680-08:00

This trip was intended to be my first solo camping trip but it didn't quite end up that way. Dale, Paul and I had visited South Twin Island the day before on our way back from Granite Falls and I was taken with how lovely a little island it is. Nicer than the main island to the North, which is usually filled with trash from party campers. I had the rest of the week off so I decided to return here

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-1633232074272441582008-07-03T11:18:00.001-07:002011-12-29T21:46:03.516-08:00

I'm not sure if I should be writing about this one because I didn't use an inflatable! I rented a hardshell kayak for this trip, mostly due to the distance involved. We, (myself, Dale and Paul) planned to paddle the length of Indian Arm and camp for two nights at Granite Falls and Berg's Landing. From the launch at Deep Cove it's a 17 km paddle to Granite Falls. It's not that it couldn't be done

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-22152575996859842782008-07-03T10:37:00.000-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.695-08:00

I decided to try my hand at recovering from a spill in the kayak. Actually, it's really a must that you practice doing this. It's inevitable that at some point you're going to need to do it and it's an essential skill. Thankfully, with the inflatables, the "skill" part is minimal. I hadn't done a recovery before, though I'd seen videos of it on youtube (that counts right?). I found that the sunny

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-41396661615097280492008-06-23T19:33:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:46:03.574-08:00

I have a kayaking guide book that covers most of the inside passage of Vancouver Island. It's a great guide with a lot of detailed information called The Wild Coast 3 (volumes 1 and 2 cover other parts of the coast). It claimed that Nelson Island has little recreational appeal and limited camping options. Another website I read claimed it was an undiscovered gem. I won't keep you in suspense.

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-43820923353730816072008-06-15T05:42:00.001-07:002011-12-29T22:26:05.763-08:00

An out of the world experience this Saturday. Actually several different worlds, as the Widgeon Creek area has been used as a location for Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, X-Files, and various other films. I believe "In the Name of the King" the latest movie from the infamous german director Uwe Bolle (an Ed Wood for our time, specializing in video game movies) was filmed here.This trip was a bit

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-59118807559515695672008-06-09T21:32:00.000-07:002011-12-29T21:46:03.614-08:00

It was my birthday weekend (turned 39 on June 7) and I wanted to get out camping somewhere. The weather has been crummy for the last while (another rainy summer on the horizon?) but I was feeling optimistic. A friend was working on the Sunshine Coast all week and suggested we do an overnighter out there. We decided to try Sechelt Inlet. Another inflatables only trip, my friend had his AE Advanced

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-77221074923132511312008-05-19T10:07:00.001-07:002008-05-19T11:14:30.533-07:00

We were lucky enough to have a hot and sunny May long weekend! Most of it at least (back to rain today). I had popped over the border to pick up a new four piece paddle from REI in Bellingham on Friday. As I waited in the hot sun at the border watching cars laden with camping gear all I could think of was getting out of town myself. Just a few minutes after getting home Dale rang up, wondering if

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-69121591059301533692008-04-27T19:15:00.000-07:002008-04-27T19:17:45.301-07:00

Here's a cool old video I came across. Looks like a sale video for the Helios and the Junior. Some cool shots of the Helios paddling alongside Orcas near the end.

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-44739546385672954292008-04-23T18:26:00.000-07:002008-04-24T16:40:37.153-07:00

The Stearns expedition! This was one of my favorite trips. Me, Dale and Gab on one of the Paddler's etc outings. Another member of the group turned up with his wife and wouldn't you know it, this was the first time there wasn't an extra boat. Very unfortunate. But at least we got to paddle with them for a bit at the start of the trip. As it happens, we were all in Stearns boats. Me in my

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-60990820557652220712008-04-22T20:30:00.000-07:002008-04-22T21:42:47.129-07:00

Back in February I had a chance to paddle an Advanced Elements Expedition and check out the new Walker Bay Airis inflatables on a short paddle in False Creek. The Airis is a brand new model, and is notable for being able to inflate to 6.5 psi. Even at a lower inflation these boats are the stiffest inflatables I've seen. The secret is that there are thousands of thin fibres connecting the

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-85933325642066187932008-04-20T19:39:00.001-07:002008-04-24T16:52:08.252-07:00

Just got back in from a trip out to Keats Island with my friend Dale. I've been wanting to visit this island for a long time now, and check out the Plumper Cove marine park, where I've heard the camping is nice. Dale had to work the next week on the Sunshine Coast, so we decided to give Keats a try. The plan was to walk on the ferry with our inflatables (he paddling an Advanced Elements for this

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-23394713536461261782008-04-19T19:55:00.001-07:002008-04-21T06:32:30.338-07:00

Some thoughts on three different brands of inflatable. The Stearns Cordova, the Spree 1 and the Advanced Elements Dragonfly.Of these the Cordova is the premium model for Stearns and the Spree the entry level. The dragonfly is the almost entry level of Advanced Elements (the Firefly is their lowest priced boat). But in terms of value I have a hard time recommending the Cordova. For the money, you

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-73329074901710901572008-04-19T18:43:00.001-07:002008-04-19T18:47:16.788-07:00

Just came across these today...they look very interesting! Only $214 for the single and $279 for the double.Qayaks

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-61134172537963953702008-04-19T16:14:00.001-07:002008-04-19T17:11:50.203-07:00

After the success of my summer travels with my Stearns Spree I decided I needed a bigger and better kayak. I considered the Advanced Elements Expedition, their 13' kayak, but I noticed a great deal on a used Stearns Cordova. I was so impressed with the build quality and handling of the spree that I decided to with the Cordova. Plus I love that mesh pocket Stearns puts on it's kayaks. Very very

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-43091745554971786802008-04-19T14:49:00.000-07:002008-04-19T18:21:00.069-07:00

My major trip in the summer of 07 was to Texada Island and Tofino, a week in each spot. I'd never been to Texada Island before. The year before I was up around Powell River for a day and thought I needed to spend some more time up there. So I decided to venture up in that direction without much of a plan. There are dozens of places to camp and kayak in that area. Texada intrigued me because I

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-27743632552631446632008-04-19T14:15:00.001-07:002008-04-19T14:47:03.553-07:00

I usually go camping on the summer long weekends with my sister and her gang. This year I wanted to go somewhere near water so we went to Sproat Lake on Vancouver Island. Sproat Lake is famous for housing the last of the world's largest water bombers, the Martin Mars'.If you're lucky you'll see them take off and fill up from the lake. It's a pretty awesome sight. I had grand plans to kayak out to

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-55549863666831562008-04-19T11:28:00.000-07:002008-04-19T12:06:01.819-07:00

I was feeling like I wanted to try the spree out in saltwater, but since I was going out alone I didn't want open seas. I wanted nice, easy and sheltered. So I decided on Smuggler Cove on the Sunshine Coast. A 40 minute ferry ride plus a 40 minute drive. This was also going to be my first solo backwoods overnight trip, as the park has several tent sites set up.Smuggler Cove is a marine park but

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-38676858905365376252008-04-19T11:00:00.000-07:002008-04-19T11:25:41.607-07:00

I kept returning to Buntzen lake that summer. Sasamat was nice but boring. Too small. Buntzen has great mountain scenery and interesting shorelines. Here's a few photos:The north beach. You either have to hike here or boat here. On a sunny day you can barely land here, there's so many canoes and kayaks.I'm 6 feet tall with size 12 feet, and the spree is just big enough to fit me comfortably...if

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-21479267510752433452008-04-19T10:20:00.000-07:002008-04-19T10:49:40.565-07:00

My first big trip in the Spree. I was somewhat nervous. I like to think that I am aware of what I'm getting myself into and place a big value on safety. Buntzen is 2.6 kilometres from the south beach to the north beach and the water is cold. It's only a half km wide though, but most of the shores are steep and rocky. Still, it's a popular lake, patrolled regularly by BC Hydro staff, and if I got

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-5111273817175939032008-04-19T10:01:00.000-07:002008-04-19T10:20:40.133-07:00

I decided to go to Sasamat Lake here in Vancouver to try out the Spree. I actually had the kayak a couple of months before using it. Bought it in April but didn't get a chance to use it until June. It sat in a corner mocking me while the rain poured down outside. Finally the sun started coming out and by this time I was dying to try this thing out.I chose Sasamat because it was pretty close to

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210984211203548141.post-8019802295470061012008-04-19T09:15:00.000-07:002008-04-19T09:27:55.498-07:00

My first inflatable kayak. I've sinced moved on and haven't used this in a while, but I'm fond of the Teardrop (as my wife dubbed her). It's the boat that introduced me to inflatable kayaking.Back in the summer of 2006 I was anxious to get an inflatable, and spent the last part of the summer and following winter researching boats online. I had been out camping in some nice spots by the sea and

paddlesheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05307635140754177811noreply@blogger.com4