WaveLength

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MAGAZINE

Volume 19, Issue 5

Winter 2009
FREE at select outlets
or by subscription

El Vizcaino Biosphere Off-season fitness

An intimate look at the ecology A full program
of a Baja wonderland to get you ready
for summer
PM 41687515

Exotic Destinations
We’re taking you paddling around the world:
Svalbard, Greece, Nicaragua, Croatia and more
2 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009
 Contents

This month's features: Regular columns:

8 Life in the Mangal 4 First Word
Great Parks/Ecology
8
by James Dorsey 5 News
12 New Vistas 24 Paddle Meals
Exotic destinations around the world by Hilary Masson
Various contributors
26 Day Trips
22 Gift guide/New Gear 12 Bay of Islands
For the kayaker who has everything by Keith and Heather Nicol

34 Servant of the Maps 28 Skillset

Off-season trip planning by Alex Matthews
by Neil Schulman
30 Fishing Angles
38 Off-season Conditioning by Dan Armitage
Health and Fitness 34
by Roy Stevenson 32 Rainforest Chronicles
by Dan Lewis
42 One bear, two barenaked ladies
Reflections
37 Kayak With Comfort
by Lyn Hancock
44 Marketplace

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 3

 The First Word by John Kimantas

WaveLength Gaining confidence the hard way magazine

I recall some particularly harsh open ocean conditions back when I was a much less
experienced paddler – not just big waves, but truly trashy conditions for hours on end.
Winter 2009 Volume 19, Number 5
 PM No. 41687515 And by trashy I mean sloshing, unpredictable water, whitecaps and general turbulence
with misaligned swell. Add a strong headwind to make matters worse.
Editor John Kimantas editor@wavelengthmagazine.com The trip was down the outer coast of Vancouver Island from Lowrie Bay to San
Copy Editing Darrell Bellaart Josef Bay, just south of Cape Scott. I had been holed up at Lowrie Bay for two
days already. On the second day I attempted to leave but the
Writing not otherwise credited is by Wavelength.
conditions on the outside along Cape Russell were hideous. So
I turned back.
Cover Photo:
Svalbard Islands The next day I left the protection of the bay and found the
Michael Powers conditions somewhat better than the day before, but not by
much. I discounted turning back, figuring slow progress was
Michael Powers is
a California-based better than no progress. Bad plan! The first hint should have
photographer. His been the wave that nosed my bow underwater, allowing a huge
latest trip is Nepal.
old bull kelp frond to land over the bow. I was stuck. The water
was sloshing enough to require constant bracing, and the weight
Wavelength is an independent magazine available free at of the huge bull kelp kept me pinned. Between waves I took chops at the kelp with my
hundreds of print distribution sites (paddling shops, outdoor paddle, eventually cutting through it to free myself. Oddly I chose to continue on.
stores, fitness clubs, marinas, events, etc.), and globally on
the web. Also available by subscription. Along Cape Russell from Lowrie Bay to the next shelter at San Josef Bay is only
Articles, photos, events, news are all welcome. three miles. I fought the wind and waves for three hours along that stretch, working
doubly hard to make a snail’s pace. When I finally turned into San Josef I decided to
Find back issues, articles, events, writers guidelines and
advertising information online at wavelengthmagazine.com stay on the outside of the twin Winnifred Islands at the entrance, just to stay out of
the rocks. I thought I had rounded the first island successfully and was rounding the
subscribe second when I looked back. An odd thing had happened – the wind had blown me
$20 for 1 year – 4 issues backward into the first island. Considering my backward progress I decided I had best
$35 for 2 years – 8 issues go inside the lee, then come out between Winnifred and Helen islands before ducking
into the safety of Sea Otter Cove.
To subscribe: see details back page or visit
www.wavelengthmagazine.com/Subscribe.html I did get a momentary break from the wind and waves on the lee. But I knew I
was heading into a bad situation. This route would put me sideways to the waves in
Advertising rates and submission guidelines shallows. Bad as it was when I headed into the pass, it got worse when a monster wave
available at www.wavelengthmagazine.com approached, complete with a head of breaking water. I remember looking up at it and
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saying out loud, “I’m going over.”
Spring 2010 Feb. 5 March 8 Going up the wave sideways was a bit like riding an elevator. I remember sitting on
Summer 2010 May 7 June 8 the top, holding my paddle ready for a brace with no water within reach on either side.
Fall 2010 July 9 Aug. 8 My kayak disappeared in the white water in the wave’s top. I waited to topple...
Winter 2010 Oct. 1 Nov. 8 But I didn’t. The kayak simply bobbled in the white water then I rode down the

A product of:
far side. It was my worst wave ever and I didn’t even need to use a brace stroke. With
no time to celebrate I made my way as quickly as possible into Sea Otter Cove, always
Wild Coast Publishing
wary another big wave might follow. It didn’t, and I made it to safety. The rest of my
#6 10 Commercial St.
Nanaimo, B.C., Canada, V9R 5G2
day was spent in my tent eating power bars and beef jerky while reading. It was heaven.
Ph: 1-866-984-6437 • Fax: 1-866-654-1937 It was an odd lesson for me that my kayak was actually a better kayak than I was a
Email: info@wavelengthmagazine.com kayaker. It’s incidences like these – going outside your comfort level – that give you the
Website: www.wavelengthmagazine.com
confidence to become a better kayaker. And confidence is a huge part of the equation.
© 2009. Copyright is retained on all material (text, photos and graphics) in this magazine. The simple ability to assess a wave, know how it will affect the kayak and how to best
No reproduction is allowed of any material in any form, print or electronic, for any purpose,
except with the permission of Wild Coast Publishing. manage it is, in my mind, far more important than clinics that teach a stroke without
Some elements in maps in this magazine are reproduced with
the conditions in which it will be applied. Expand your comfort a titch and you’ll
the permission of Natural Resources Canada 2009, courtesy of likely be surprised how comfortable it becomes. Just be sure to do it in a controlled
the Atlas of Canada. Also, our thanks to Geobase and Google for
some elements that may appear on Wavelength maps.
environment with a good safety network. In other words, not like me!
 - John Kimantas

Cape Sutil,
north Vancouver Island

4 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

 News

What on earth is John Dowd up to now?

Kayaking pioneer John Dowd, who
helped put a name to sea kayaking with his
pioneering book Sea Kayaking: A Manual for
Long-Distance Touring, is less a kayaker these
days than he and his wife Bea are hosts to
visiting kayakers at their Clayoquot Sound
retreat.
But the founder of Sea Kayaker Magazine
and Ecomarine in Vancouver has found a
new reason to return to the water, albeit in
a bit more dramatic a way than the 1960s
Dolphin he once paddled.
Dowd recently stopped into Nananimo,
home of the Wavelength Magazine
headquarters, to show off his latest project:
the Sealegs amphibious watercraft.
The New Zealand-built watercraft
features three hydraulic wheels powered by
a separate in-board engine mounted under John Dowd demonstrates the Sealeg’s on-land prowess at the Brechin boat ramp in Nanaimo.

And the winner is...

the center console along with electronic
ignition and all-terrain balloon tires.
The tires allow Dowd to drive the Sealeg
(not to be confused with Sealegs Kayaking
on Vancouver Island) directly from his boat
trailer to the water and back again.
It has obvious commercial and rescue
applications, but Dowd will likely appreciate
it more than most for the ability to land the
craft in surf and simply drive up his beach
and home.
The pricetag? A ballpark of about
$100,000 – a bit more than your average
kayak. Visit www.sealegs.com.
Mitch Homma from Encalitas, CA,
is the winner of his choice of kayaks in
Wavelength Magazine’s 2009 kayak draw.
The choice he faced: picking from a
Delta 16, Seaward Quantum, BorealDesign
Epsilon C100, C200 or C300 or Current
Designs Infinity.
The draw took place at the West Coast
Sea Kayak Symposium in Port Townsend,
Washington on Sept. 26. On hand for the
draw were Mark Hall for Delta Kayaks,
Glenn Lush for Seaward and Kurt Renner
for Current Designs. The draw can be seen
on Wavelength Magazine’s Planet Kayak
(www.planetkayak.net). Just scroll into the
video icon at the beach at Fort Worden.
And his choice of kayak? The
BorealDesign Epsilon C200, which is in
the process of being built for him now.
Congrats to Mitch and BorealDesign.

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 5

 News
Kayak surfers focus on Portugal
European teams earned just about every
top spot at this year’s World Kayak Surf
Championships in Santa Rita, Portugal,
with England taking the team event and the
British Isles winning most other key honors.
The only top slot to a North American
paddler was Jim Grossman from Idaho who
took the Master IC (International Class)
category.
Canada’s best performance was by
Brent Daniel from Vancouver Island, who
finished ninth after a troubled quarter final
heat. Valerie Bertrand, the former world
champion from Canada now paddling for
Norway, was also denied a place on the
podium, with Naomi James from
Wales taking top spot in women’s HP (high
performance) and Ainhoa Tolosa from
Basque Country in women’s IC.
Adam Harvey, 16, from Jersey took the
top honours in the junior HP class. His
performance earned him seventh overall in
the men’s competition.
6 Wavelength Magazine
Tim Harvey photo
Adam Harvey surfs his way to the top.
Daniel was one of three Vancouver
Island surfers in the competition. More
results are available at http://portugalks.
blogspot.com/.
Yukon 1000 looks to 2010
The epic Yukon 1000 Canoe race is
gaining momentum on an international
scale.
Winter 2009
This year saw 15 teams from the US
and three from the United Kingdom taking
up the challenge, with the UK contingent
taking two of the three top kayak spots:
first and third overall.
The Yukon 1000 began in Whitehorse
in Canada’s Yukon Territory and continued
for 1,000 kilometres to the Alaska Pipeline
Bridge northwest of Fairbanks. Completing
the route meant seven to 12 days of
upwards of 18 hours of paddling a day.
The fastest time was by Richard and
Henry Hendron in a kayak in 6 days, 2
hours and 11 minutes.
Teams are already signing up for 2010,
with a British team already raising £1,000
for the Make a Wish Foundation charity.
The Yukon 1000 is unique in that it will
be held on a different river in the Yukon
each year. In 2010 it will be held on the
Pelly River from Faro to Pelly Crossing.
For more information, visit
http://yukon1000.com.
 News
Image courtesy Tim Houlihanr

An overlay of the marina plans (top center) on the existing Port of

Victoria Traffic Management Scheme. View a larger image online.

Marina fight takes legal turn

The fight to keep a mega-yacht marina out of the paddling right-
of-way in Victoria Harbour on Vancouver Island is intensifying into
a potential legal battle.
In a rare show of activism by a paddling group, the South Island
Sea Kayaking Association (SISKA) has teamed up with community
and environmental groups to call on the federal goverment to hand
over the environmental assessment of the proposed marina to an
independent review panel for public hearings.
The current process allows the public only one hour to object in
front decision-makers, with some key public officials stating support
for the project prior to the hearing – a fact found in documents
obtained through a Freedom of Information request by Victoria
lawyer Irene Faulkner, who is representing SISKA.
For more, visit www.savevictoriaharbour.com or read the
Wavelength Forum thread at www.wavelengthmagazine.com/forum.

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 7

 Great Parks by James Dorsey

A
s the first pink rays of dawn tint the water ripples,
I step outside to watch sandpipers gathering breakfast. If the
tide is out, there may be a coyote hunting for scallops in the
shallows. Most mornings, the tracks around my tent tell me the trickster
had visited me again looking for an easy theft under the cover of night.
The smell of coffee and warm tortillas waft from the morning’s
cooking, and the first osprey of the day passes overhead looking for
minnows lurking near the water’s surface.
James Dorsey photos

It is morning in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja Mexico, and another day in

Above: a desert fox; main photo: coyotes hunting on
the mudflats; bottom right: an egg thief licks his lips in
anticipation.
paradise is beginning.
I work here as guide and cetacean naturalist, now in my 12th season.
This lagoon is a giant nursery for the pacific gray whale, gaining
international fame for its whale watching, but my work here has allowed
me access to a second world the public rarely sees.
The channels of San Ignacio that the whales frequent are surrounded
by miles of mangroves, and they in turn support a wildlife ecosystem

Life
8
mangal
in the

Wavelength Magazine WINTER2009

Winter 2009

unparalleled in the world.
Mangroves are, by definition, coastal
shrubs and trees that thrive in a brackish
environment. The term ‘mangal’ refers
to a large area encompassing all the
plants in the mangrove swamp or
forest. About 110 species of foliage fall
under the umbrella of mangroves, each
adapted to exploit and thrive in this
unique environment. The entire lagoon is
surrounded by mangal.
In an area of extreme tidal exchanges
such as in this lagoon, mangroves impede
water flow and provide a natural habitat
for oysters and clams, and this in turn
becomes a wildlife haven.
When I am not on the water working
with whales, I am kayaking through the
hundreds of mangrove channels that
are home to over 300 species of sea
and coastal birds and a myriad of land
creatures that are drawn to the prey-rich
environment.
To view the mangal from the air, one
would think it a barren land, mostly
devoid of wildlife except for the expected
rattlesnake or scorpion. But that is
misleading. The mangroves of Baja
contain one of the largest concentrations
of wildlife in all of Mexico.
Due to the remote location of this
lagoon on Baja’s southwestern shore, and
the almost total lack of human invasion
into the mangroves, animals show little
fear at my approach. The silence of my
kayak allows me to enter their world
almost without restriction. I can glide
over a crystal clear littoral, where sand
dollars the size of pancakes litter the
Winter 2009
WINTER
El Vizcaino Biosphere
sandy bottom while watching crabs hide
from my passing shadow by holding
spiny urchins over their heads as a shield.
The water is so clear I can watch
sea stars walk along the sandy bottom
taking prey as one of the most efficient
predators in the ocean.
The nests of osprey, blue herons and
cormorants are all available to my camera
while curious night herons watch this
strange creature in a kayak pass silently
by. On sandy breaks, thousands of
curlews gather as one, landing and taking
off with military precision while black
scoters keep pace with my boat on the
u
Wavelength Magazine 9
 Great Parks
water. I know one channel where a pair
of oystercatchers has nested for three
years. I can usually count on one of them
for a warm welcome.
But it is not just seabirds that inhabit
the area. If I am early enough, I might
catch coyotes digging for clams or
scallops, their coats glistening in the sun
from their protein-rich seafood diet. The
coyotes here eat so well they resemble
wolves in size. Hauling out to wander
on foot through the countless islands
that dot the lagoon I have encountered
peccaries, foxes, tarantulas, rattle snakes
and even a lone wolf.
While wolves are rare in Baja I spotted
one’s tracks along the shore one morning
and followed it through the ice plant to
almost stumble on its nightly lair. The
10 Wavelength Magazine
Above: a flock of wimbrels congregate on the beach, fringed by
gulls. Left: an ibis in flight.
click of my
camera shutter
startled it just
as it was waking
and it jetted off
into the chaparral
like a smoky
apparition.
I have watched
coyotes raid nests
for eggs, and was
entertained by
one for several
minutes. After
digging a young octopus out of its cave,
the hapless coyote ended up with its
would-be prey wrapped around its snout.
Roadrunners are a common sight,
jetting in and out of the ice plant, usually
with a lizard in their beak.
Three different mountain ranges
ring this lagoon, standing purple in the
morning’s mist to provide a dramatic
backdrop for long drafts of hundreds
of pelicans flying in formation. Osprey
prefer to hunt in the early hours here
before the local pangas take to the water
and stir things up. They nest for life and
build epic homes from driftwood that
can weigh hundreds of pounds in order
to stand up to the powerful chubascos
that blow in from the open Pacific. They
are a welcome sight and most of the
Winter 2009
whale camps have built platforms to aid
them in their nest construction. These
sea eagles are the top of the aviary food
chain in the lagoon. Above it all, high up
in the thermals, stately frigate birds coast
on unseen currents.
In the distance you can see the “Three
Virgins,” all active volcanoes that last
blew their tops about 10,000 years ago.
The lava runoff from that final blast
traveled for several miles before cooling
off in the ocean. The lava now lines
much of the lagoon’s coast, alternating
hard, jagged formations in between
stretches of white sand and ice plant.
This is where my camp is located.
I can sit for hours drifting with a
lazy tide and watch Pacific gulls picking
up clams from the tidal flats and drop
them onto the lava to break them open,
proving that what many consider to be a
dumb bird has, in fact, enough cunning
to use tools.
Deep in the mangrove maze there is
little difference when the tides exchange
and I can glide silently along, like a log
on the water, unobtrusive enough to have
birds land on my deck for a rest, or even
to peck at my bungee cords in hopes
of supplementing a nest. Often when I
return to my boat after an excursion on
shore I will find dozens of curious birds
going over my craft in search of whatever
 El Vizcaino Biosphere

Isla Angel
de la Guarda

Guerrero Negro BAJA CALIFORNIA

El Vizcaino
Biosphere Santa Rosalia

San Ignacio Lagoon Loreto

Puerto
A young night heron. de San Carlos A young heron hunts in the mangrove.
La Paz
they can carry off. Over the years I
have been accepted by these animals as
a resident not to be feared. In this vast
silent arena, a kayak is the perfect entry than a handful ever venture off into the
vehicle. labyrinth of the mangroves. They are a
Paddling here is not difficult, and in natural treasure and for me, a getaway
fact it is so easy it would be a perfect within a sanctuary.
spot for beginners to learn, if only it <
wasn’t so inaccessible. But it is that very You can reach James Dorsey at
remoteness that accounts for the still wild whalekeeper@yahoo.com.
environment. In my twelve years in this
lagoon, I have yet to encounter another
paddler in the mangroves.
This lagoon is part of a two-million
hectare preserve called El Vizcaino
Biosphere. Everything in it, on land
or under the water, is protected under
Mexican law. While the Mexican
government is not known for its
environmental policies, in San Ignacio
Lagoon they know the treasure they have
and work hard to keep it pristine. There
is a warden who watches over all and has
authority to issue citations if anyone is
caught harassing the animals.
While thousands visit this lagoon
each year to see gray whales, no more The peculiar peccary.

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 11

 Exotic Destinations

New Vistas

12 Wavelength Magazine Winter

WINTER2009
2009
 Exotic Destinations

Wavelength looks at kayaking locations around

the world, starting with Norway’s remote Svalbard Islands
at the top of the world

Photos by Michael Powers

Winter 2009
WINTER Wavelength Magazine 13
 Exotic Destinations

Above: the team ponders its next move in the face of a glacier.
Right: a fitting hood ornament for such a barren landscape. Bottom
right: a herd of reindeer passes the shoreline. Below: taking a break
from a busy day.

If you go:
After one aborted attempt in 2008, the chance to be the first
to circumnavigate the Svalbard Islands by kayak remains open.
Don’t expect it to be completed anytime soon – the route is
treacherously icy. See www.ohad.info/svalbard/ for the video
Nine Lives on the hazards in store. Most tours are by cruise.
A few Scandinavian companies offer combination cruise and
kayak camps. Visit www.5stars-of-scandinavia.com for one such
itinerary.

14 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 15
 Exotic Destinations

Ionian
images
The white sand at Argostoli, Kefalonia.
Yvonne Walser photo

Photo by Pavlos Georgilas

Greece covers 15,000 km (about 9,500

miles) of coastline, almost half the coast
Above and below: camping in Afales Bay, Ithaca. of the Mediterranean Sea. With more
than 3,000 islands, delicious and diverse
cuisine, rich history and culture, it forms
a perfect terrain for sea kayak vacations.
The Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece
generally offers the calmest sea with
warm, clear waters along with numerous
islets, picturesque villages, sea caves and
dramatic coastline to explore.
Bill Marconi photo
Nektarios Paraskevaidis photo
If you go:
The best time of year to visit
is May to October. While self-
directed trips are an option,
tours can offer peace of mind.
Sea Kayaking Kefalonia is based
out of Kefalonia, the biggest
island in the Ionian Sea offering
multi-day trips, day-trips and
accommodation packages. Visit
seakayakingkefalonia-greece.com.

Pavlos Georgilas photo

The picturesque village of Assos, Kefalonia island. Rock stratification on the cliffs, Kastos island.

16 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

 Exotic Destinations

Photo by Dan Boughter

Nicaraguan reserve
offers a tropical
mangrove paradise

Into Padre Ramos

Sun sets over the Pacific Ocean,
Estero Padre Ramos reserve

The Padre Ramos Estuary and Nature

Reserve is one of 78 federally-protected
Nature Reserves in Nicaragua. At 22,000
acres it contains one of the largest tropical
mangrove estuaries left in all of Central
America. View fish, ibis, herons, parakeets,
frigate birds, sea turtles and other marine
life from the seat of your kayak, plus enjoy
expansive beaches and warm ocean waters.
The surrounding rural fishing communities
offer a unique cultural perspective while
nearby volcanoes, hot springs, and the city
of Leon make the Pacific northwest coast
of Nicaragua a destination for adventure
travelers of all types.
Photo by Jesse Garlick

Deep in the tropical mangroves.

If you go: November to March is the dry season in Nicaragua, so expect to

experience summer-like conditions in the tropics. Paddle with plenty
of water and sun protection. April to July will bring short bursts of
rain in the late afternoon, but mornings and daytime hours can be
Dona Reyna perfect for tramping on beaches and paddling. Depending on the
of Padre year, August to October can be rainy with hurricanes and localized
Kevin Gallagher photo

Ramos flooding, similar to spring. Companies such as Ibis Exchange

offers a local Kayaking and Tours can arrange day tours, camping tours, and
welcoming all-inclusive Pacific coast tours for both kayaking and trekking. Visit
smile. www.ibiskayaking.com.

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 17

 Osa
Exotic Destinations

nice!

Here’s the official count: 65 species of birds,

140 types of mammals, 117 types of reptiles
and amphibians, and over 40 species of
freshwater fish to be found in 13 ecosystems
such as mangroves, palm swamps and
bloodweed forest. The incredible statistics
belong to Corcovado National Park, part
of the Osa Peninsula in southwest Costa
Rica, one of the most species-rich areas in Central America, one National
Geographic has called “the most biologically intense place on Earth.”
Among the attractions is the brilliant scarlet macaw, jaguar, spider monkey Photos courtesy Gulf Islands Kayaking/www.seakayak.ca
and many other rare tropical rainforest creatures.

If you go:
Winds rarely begin before noon each day, making it an area for
calm seas and ideal sea kayaking in the mornings. Land trails and
camping are allowed in the park, but reservations and a permit
are required. An excellent website on the attractions and travel
logistics is hosted by Ambicor (Ambiente, Biologia e Investigacion
en Corcovado) at www.corcovado.org. Bus and road travel as well
as charter flights are possible, while tour operators can manage the
details for you. This area is a specialty of Gulf Islands Kayaking
(www.seakayak.ca), which has been running Costa Rican tours for
23 years now, Also offering Costa Rica trips is Island Escapades
(www.islandescapades.com).

18 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 19
 Exotic Destinations

The High Arctic

Canada’s High
Arctic offers
icebergs and
Alexandra Fjord, Ellesmere Island
adventure
With the surrounding ocean frozen for nine months a year, sea kayaking in the high
Canadian Arctic is a unique opportunity. With the midnight sun high in the sky, days are
no longer governed by darkness. July is usually “break up month” when the pack ice
begins to disappear and open water makes a welcome return. August is normally the only
month in which you can enjoy sea kayaking and view some of the spectacular scenery
that few paddlers will ever encounter.

Photos by Dave Thoss

If you go:
Because of the remote nature, tours are likely the best option. Arctic tours are
specialized and correspondingly expensive. One of the few operators offering High
Arctic tours is Pacific Rim Paddling. Visit www.pacificrimpaddling.com. Bottom photos of Pond Inlet, Baffin Island.

20 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

 Exotic Destinations

Into the Adriatic

Remote beaches and
small villages await
in Croatia

Sipnate Bay, Kornati Island.

Photo by Erik (Jocke) Stal

Croatia is a place of surprisingly rich history, set in the heart of the
Mediterranean Sea. A line of archipelagos from Istria in the north to
Split in the south offers a chance to kayak thousands of islands set
in the 200 miles between. Two national parks, Kornati Archipelago
and Telascica Bay, offer a wild and natural setting to explore.

If you go
You’ll find warm and sunny weather from March to
November, with countless possible routes for self-directed tours.
Mana Island, Kornati Archipelago If you opt for a tour, you won’t find many operators. One is
Travel in Kayak, which offers small group trips. Visit
http://travelinkayak.blogspot.com/
Bottom three photos courtesy Travel in Kayak, Croatia

Borovnik Island, Kornati Archipelago Village of Sali, Dugi Otok Island.

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 21

 Gift Guide / New Gear
Seattle Sports
Night paddling offers unique opportunities
and unique hazards. Aside from the ever-
present risk of broadsiding a beluga whale,
Seattle Sports has removed one nighttime
hurdle: failure to see your compass. This new
model offers a photosensitive switch that
automatically turns on a dim red LED light
for easier nighttime viewing. Large compass
markings are easy to read, and a suction cup
mount allows for secure placement anywhere
on the deck.
Now all we need is an LED light to make
belugas more visible.
MSRP: $39.95. www.seattlesportsco.com
22 Wavelength Magazine
An ti-barnacle
for the
Kayak deodoran t
video
kayaker
game
Camp silverware
Electronic
dropped
sunglasse
s
detector
Inflatable sauna Dehydrated powdered alc
ohol
Advanced Elements
Here’s an item not likely to be in a kayaker’s inventory.
But it’s a piece of gear growing increasingly popular every
year.
Advanced’s anchor system weighs in at just three
pounds and features a unique folding/locking four-fluke
design. It is great for use with kayaks and canoes and it
holds well on most types of bottoms, from sand to rock.
The galvanized anchor has a sliding collar which keeps the flukes drawn up tight against the
shank when stowed, then drops to lock the flukes open when deployed. It is easy to remove the
anchor from the water: simply pull and stow. The system includes the collared, galvanized grapple
anchor, 60 feet of line, a carabineer, line float and a mesh travel bag.
MSRP: $29.95. www.advancedelements.com
Icebreaker
How well dressed is the kayaker in your family?
Outerwear is usually the first problem a kayaker will
solve. But what about the base layer, say, for winter
paddling? How much thought has been given to
undies? Well, Icebreaker has considered this carefully,
of course, with the answer being found in merino.
You’ll find a warm, breathable performance base layer
in the BodyFit 260 Active Base Layer with styles for both men and women. It features a three-way
zip collar (up, down, or up and rolled or folded over) with a drop-tail reverse zip that doesn’t show
the teeth, a thumbs loop and construction from 100% merino. Wavelength would like to give the
nod to our newest advertiser beginning this issue, Valhalla Pure Outfitters, by pointing out they
offer the Icebreaker at all participating stores: Victoria, Nanaimo, Squamish, Kamloops, Vernon,
Kelowna, Grande Prairie and Red Deer. MSRP $199.95. Visit www.vpo.ca.
Winter 2009
 Gift Guide / New Gear
ave

who has
ray aftersh overboard insurance
Sea-sp

everything
Friend to listen to Bungy cords that
old kayaking stories can’t get lost
M
freosqui
un e to-
A day ive
rse
w ith
win d
no
polish
Paddle Solar powered portable beer fridge all the gear
bigger house for

Nu/Oso Natural West Coast Adventure Gear

The growing popularity of MP3 players
has spawned a whole industry of waterproof
covers to protect your iPod and the like. But
maybe the solution isn’t how to protect your
MP3 player – maybe the answer lies in a
waterproof one.
Enter the Nu waterproof MP3 player,
designed for swimmers and watersports
enthusiasts. The core is a durable aluminium
casing (with an anti-scratch finish) and
waterproof headphones. The headphones
screw into the MP3 player body for a
watertight seal.
There are limitations. It recharges by USB
through the headphone jack, meaning your
MP3 player is dead in the water, so to speak,
once your battery dies. Functions are basic, as
is the display (or lack of, in lower end models,
not to mention no ‘random’ mode). But it’s
all a small price to pay for the chance to listen
to music while upsidedown in your kayak.
MSRP: $99-$179
www.osoperformanceproducts.com
More and more paddlers are opting for a
Greenland paddle, and some of these paddles
are hand-crafted and worthy of being called art.
In other words, they need protection. NWCAG
has come to the rescue with its new Greenland
Paddle Bag to protect the paddle while in
storage or transit. The bag has two sheaths padded with foam which slide over the blades and
then cinch up with a buckle system. The sheaths are four inches wide with the length extending
to 90 inches. MSRP:$40. www.bckayaks.com
North
Water
Every kayaker has a paddle float – but likely
not a paddle float as multi-talented as this one.
North Water has unveiled the Four Play
paddle float that is: 1) a double-ended paddle
float; 2) a beaching pad to protect your
kayak’s hull; 3) a vehicle protection pad when
loading your boat onto a vehicle; 4) a chair
and backrest; and 5) a sleeping pad. (Five
functions for the Four Play. It seems North
Water’s math is as bad as ours.)
It fills these roles by unfolding. Great idea,
but not neccesarily a replacement, comfort-
wise, for your current sleeping pad and
possibly seat. MSRP: $90. northwater.com
Solo
Rescue
Assist
Skill paddlers and the cautious alike will
love to try out this rescue device, which
reverses the concept of the paddle float with a
counterbalance and adds an optional ladder
platform for ease of mobility when re-entering
a kayak cockpit. The counterbalance uses
the weight of water to transform a kayak
into a stable platform that allows self-rescue
capability. The ladder will be particularly
appealing to those with mobility constraints.
MSRP: $120-$160.
www.solo-rescue-assist.com

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 23

 Paddle Meals  by Hilary Masson

Tremendous tapas
A day of clear sailing
and great fishing
inspires appy smorg

O
ne special day last winter
was the ultimate day of kayak
sailing. The group I was guiding
was sailing south along the Baja coastline
with each person using a sail on their boat.
Harnessing the light wind seems so natural
in the Sea of Cortez, especially with that
light, steady northwest wind which is so
common throughout the winter.
We were having a ball, laughing and
enjoying our speedy progress. For a while
we even had a group of dolphins cruising
with us. We finished the paddle to our
Avocado Relish Brochette:
campsite in half the normal time, set up
camp and went fishing on a protected reef
nearby. Trolling with a hand line turned out
to be quite effective, as we caught a wahoo
tuna. This fish is thin and long similar to
a barracuda, but with a distinctly tuna-like
face. These are rare fish to catch, especially
from a kayak, so we headed back to camp
excited and inspired to create a paddle meal
to remember.
Fresh ceviche was in order, and an array Caprese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette:
of other appetizers for grazing. I love having
a meal that is comprised of a few different
appetizers, like tapas. So here are my four
favorite appies to use on a paddling trip,
inspired by a windy day of paddling, sailing
and fishing in the Baja. Relax while the
appies are finished and then you can start to
think about options for a late dinner.
The avocado relish is a great topping to
spoon onto fresh seafood, tacos or tostadas.
The most standard picnic lunch items like
sandwiches and wraps can be reinvented
by adding a caprese salad. The best use ceviche inside this edible bowl. This will Try these four unique appetizers while
of fresh-caught seafood in warm climates impress any ceviche connoisseur! on your next winter paddling trip, and enjoy.
is by making ceviche, a lime-marinated Another appetizer that will inspire awe <
salad. Change up the presentation from after a long and active day paddling is this Hilary Masson is a guide and part owner of
the normal stainless-steel bowls by carving dates, bacon and cheese recipe. You’ll see Baja Kayak Adventure Tours Ltd.
cucumber shot glasses and serving the why I call them Hot Dates. Visit www.bajakayakadventures.com.

24 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

 Gift Guide / Gear Guide

Hot Dates!

Ceviche in Cucumber
Shot Glasses:

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 25

 Day Trips
 Islands
T
he Bay of Islands,
located in western
Newfoundland, includes some
of the most rugged and spectacular
shoreline in Newfoundland. It consists
of many large islands and three fjords,
so the kayaking options are abundant.
From a base in Corner Brook you can
paddle for several days and still leave
large sections unexplored.
For Beginners: Options here
include paddling along the inner bay
near Corner Brook. The most popular
put-in is a beach at Mount Moriah and
a 4-km (2.5-mile) paddle to Cook’s
Brook, named for Captain James Cook,
who explored this area in 1767 and
produced such fine maps you could
use them for kayaking today. You can
paddle part way up Cook’s Brook if
the tide is high or simply land on the
adjacent beach and watch the antics of
the common terns if it is low. Another
option for novice paddlers is to put
in at the Humber Valley Rowing Club
wharf and paddle toward the Humber
River or to Prince Edward Park.
For Intermediates paddlers: For
paddlers who are comfortable with
stronger winds and wave conditions
26 Wavelength Magazine
Bay
of
you can set out from the community of
McIvers and head to Woods Island. The
distance is just a couple of kilometres
and once you are on Woods Island
you can paddle around it if you are
feeling strong (it is a 20-km trip), or
On the way from Bottle Cove.
Winter 2009
by Keith and Heather Nicol
linger on its beaches if you are feeling
less energetic. With Blow Me Down
Mountain rearing its 600-plus metre
head nearby, Woods Island certainly has
a scenic backdrop.
Another paddle for intermediates is
a visit to Seal and Governor’s islands
in York Harbour. These flat-topped
islands are just offshore and Seal
Island in particular is worth visiting for
its hidden sandy beach and seabirds
squawking all around.
For advanced paddlers: For
advanced paddlers or for intermediates
when the winds are light, you can test
your skills in the open Gulf of St.
Lawrence at Bottle Cove. One of our
favorite trips in this area is the paddle
from Bottle Cove around South Head
Lighthouse to Lark Harbour. This trip
paddles beneath shear 200-metre cliffs
and gives great views of the rugged
islands just offshore. There are also fine
waterfalls and a sea arch that you can
paddle through at high tide along the
last half of this 13-km paddle.
From Bottle Cove you can also
paddle in the other direction to Little
Port and Cedar Cove. Beware that this
is a lee shore to the prevailing southwest
 Bay of Islands, NFLD

winds and so pounding surf may not let you land easily on the
broad beach at Cedar Cove.
Tips and Hazards: The water in Newfoundland is generally
cold so wear a wetsuit and have other safety gear with you. Also,
get a weather forecast and try to do any big open water crossings
or open Gulf sections by noon before the day’s wind comes up.
<
Keith Nicol’s website for paddling in Newfoundland
and Atlantic Canada can be found at
www2.swgc.mun.ca/~knicol/hikingandseakayaking.htm

Tweed I. Pearl I.
Arm
Guernsey I. rth Arm
No in
Bottle Cove South Head Pe ngu Arm
e
Cedar G oos
BAY OF
Cove ISLANDS Woods I.
Lark York Harbour McIvers Pt. launch
Harbour
Corner Brook Prince
Rowing Club Edward
Cook’s H
Brook u mbe Park R.
r Arm ber
Nfld. Mt. Moriah Hum
CORNER BROOK
Satellite image © Google 2009. Waypoints for all features available on Planet Kayak: www.planetkayak.net

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 27

 Skillset By Alex Matthews

Photos by Rochelle Relyea

Theto ladder 1 Establish contact with the capsized kayak’s bow,
creating a ‘T’ formation.

success
The assisted ladder
rescue offers a mashup
Haul the capsized boat across your lap, allowing
of more established 2 the water to drain from the cockpit.

techniques that could

help nervous swimmers
The ‘ladder’ is a rescue that seems
to have sea kayakers talking lately. It is
fundamentally one of many variations
of the well-established bow-tip-out
rescue. In fact, it is sort of a mashup of
the “bow-tip-out” (see Wavelength Fall
2007 issue) with the “cowboy scramble”
(April-May 2006 issue).
To perform the ladder, start with a
traditional bow tip-out rescue setup: Rotate the emptied boat upright, and grip it
the rescuer approaches the bow of the
capsized kayak and positions himself
3 securely in your lap.
flotation fore and aft – usually in the your bow and pulling with your lower
perpendicular to the inverted boat to form of waterproof compartments hand gripping the grab-handle it is very
create a ‘T’ formation. sealed by bulkheads at both bow and easy to rotate the kayak enough to break
Secure a good grip on the capsized stern). With one hand on the keel, reach the suction created by the capsized
boat’s bow by committing your weight across your body with the other and grip kayak’s cockpit. You can also direct the
onto the overturned hull. Even upside the bow’s grab-handle. This will put you swimmer to his stern and have him press
down, a kayak has plenty of flotation and in a great position to pull the boat up down on it by getting his chest up onto
will easily support you (this is assuming onto your deck. the keel. This will raise the bow of the
that the capsized kayak has appropriate By pushing with your top hand toward inverted kayak, at which point you can

28 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

 Assisted ladder rescue

yank it up across your spraydeck.

Once the bow is elevated, water inside the
inverted kayak will flow down toward the stern
bulkhead and drain out. Next, rotate the kayak back
upright.
Here’s the point where the Ladder rescue differs
from the traditional bow-tip-out: Instead of pulling
the swimmer’s kayak in parallel to your own boat,
keep in it your lap with its bow hatch roughly over
your cockpit.
The rescuer now hugs the kayak and holds it in
the ‘T’ formation with an aggressive grip on the
boat and its perimeter lines. The swimmer re-enters
starting from the stern (which is nice and low in the
water due to the boat’s angle). While straddling the
boat with legs spread, the swimmer can climb the
ladder of his kayak to regain the cockpit. Once over The swimmer can now straddle the stern of his
the seat he drops his butt into the boat and then pulls
his legs in afterwards. Once the swimmer’s spraydeck
4 kayak and climb up it to regain his cockpit.

is back on and he’s ready to paddle, the rescuer

simply slides the kayak out of his lap, launching it
back into the water.
The ladder rescue is especially reassuring for
nervous swimmers, as it creates a very stable
platform and makes communication between rescuer
and swimmer easy. It’s important to note, however,
that the ladder is much better suited to kayaks
without rudders, as a rudder on the capsized boat
will be in the swimmer’s way and make climbing
atop the stern far more awkward or even hazardous.
In rough conditions the rescuer’s face is also more
exposed to injury from the swimmer’s boat than in
the more traditional parallel setup.
<
Adapted from “Sea Kayaking Rough Waters” by Alex Dropping his butt into the seat, the swimmer pulls his legs in, reattaches
Matthews available at www.helipress.com. 5 his spraydeck, and grips his paddle, ready to be slid back into the water.

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 29

 Fishing Angles
Deck
the hulls
W Winter is a great
inter is considered the “off ”
season among geographically
challenged anglers, who are
forced by Mother Nature to fish vicariously
through long winter months by tying
flies, repairing tackle, reading books and
magazine articles and rigging craft for the
coming fishing season.
Paddlers pondering changes to their
boats have never had so many after-market
angling options available to them, and the
sport that many of us gravitated to for
its simplicity can easily morph into a web
of bungee cords and leashes tethering
everything from drift socks to aeration
systems to our craft.
I admit to getting caught up by the array
of accessories, and justify to both my wife
and accountant that trying out every new
kayak fishing gizmo is part of my job. I give
them all a try, but few accessories remain
for long on our family’s fleet of boats,
which includes a Hobie Outback, a pair of
Pelican DLX 100s, a Wilderness Systems
Pamlico 120, a duo Pamlico Lite, an Old
Town Otter XT and a Watermark Jon Buoy.
The Hobie is my primary fishing and
project rig, although it came standard
with what I still consider the one and only
30 Wavelength Magazine
 By
time to review
your rig and add
accessories for the
coming season.
It’s also tempting
to over-rig with
angling items you
really don’t need.
accessory you really need to transform any
kayak into a fishing craft: rod holders. The
Hobie Outback, with the foot-powered
Mirage Drive, is an excellent open water
fishing machine, leaving both hands free
for casting and retrieving and stable enough
to allow me to (carefully) stand in still
waters to get the most out of my limited fly
casting abilities. Options I have added and
Winter 2009
By Alex
Dan Matthews
Armitage
use on a regular basis include a sailing kit
(for trolling – and fun), an aerated bait tank,
a turbo kit for the Mirage Drive to get extra
power and speed (if less draft), a dodger
for inclement weather and an electronic
depth/fish-finder. All these are available
from Hobie, and the latter has proven the
most useful by far. (I’ll be documenting that
install process in a future column).
That said, the Hobie is not the best
choice for river fishing. With a draft of
about 18 inches with the Mirage Drive
cassette in place, and less-than-nimble in
flowing water, I rely on my standard paddle-
powered kayaks for fishing in streams and
rivers. (The Mirage Drive cassette is easily
removed and replaced with a plug to allow
the Outback to be paddled conventionally).
After a season of messing about in it to see
what I needed and what I did not, based on
my style of fishing, last winter I rigged the
Pamlico 120 for serious fishing. I suggest
anyone do the same when considering
customizing his or her craft for fishing, if
only for a few “shake-down” fishing trips.
For example, tempting as it was to install
a trolley-type anchoring system on the
kayak last winter, I realized after a season
of experience that I rarely needed to anchor

to fish in moving water. When I did,
a simple rubber-coated, two-pound
barbell attached to parachute cord
and lowered hand-over-hand and
snubbed to a quick-release jam cleat
was the most convenient answer.
To merely slow my progress in the
current, I rigged the other end of
the line with a snap onto which I can attach
one or two short lengths of chain to lower
over the side and drag on the bottom.
Whether in the Hobie or aboard one
of our other kayaks, I realized that while
fishing with my family we often needed
only slight adjustments to our boat’s
position to remain in casting distance of a
particular spot. Breaking out the double-
bladed paddle was a pain and often overkill
for the slight nudges against the water
that were needed. Instead, we reached for
ping pong paddles that I rigged for each
kayak, which were easily accessible and
offered just the touch required. At a thrift
store I purchased paddles that had rubber
pads the same colors as the kayaks they
were intended for, and spent a cold winter
weekend triple-dipping each wooden paddle
in spar varnish to waterproof them. This
fishing season, when we needed to move a
bit, we just reached down and broke out the
hand paddles for a few sweeps to gain the
position we needed.
As I write this, I have just returned
from the local department store with a
colorful armload of “swim noodles,”
which were deeply discounted at the end
of the swimming season. Again, I selected
the soft foam floating pool toys in colors
that matched those of the kayaks they are
intended for, and plan to stuff them below
deck to serve as extra flotation as well as
fun swim accessories to break out on hot
summer days. I also plan to cut some of
the foam into short cylinders to serve as
wrap-around leader storage and as handy
hook and lure holders, and will experiment
Winter 2009
Rigging your rig
Keeping things simple is usually
the best system to keep in mind
when rigging a kayak for fishing.
A small auxiliary paddle would
help this lad maintain position,
allowing him to stow his double-
bladed paddle out of the way.
with slitting lengths of the tubes lengthwise
to snap in place around the cockpit to serve
as a padded bolster. By cutting vees in the
foam, short sections of gunwale-mounted
padding can serve as a handy place to set
down a fishing rod while releasing a fish or
re-rigging a line.
It is these types of projects that allow
anglers worldwide to weather the winter
months. With our highly adaptable,
easy-to-rig and quick-to-forgive type of
watercraft, we are limited only by our
ingenuity.
<
Dan Armitage is a boating, fishing and travel
writer based in the Midwest. He is a licensed
(USCG Master) captain, hosts a syndicated
radio show, and presents kayak fishing and
photography seminars at boat shows.
Wavelength Magazine 31
 Rainforest Chronicles
A Pidwell morning
A good beach is the starting point
 for a day that rejuvenates the soul
S
leep in until eight. Now this
is wilderness camping – or at least
a holiday! Listening to the VHF
radio marine weather forecast in the tent:
it sounds like a no-go day. Fine. I’m still
knackered from yesterday’s long day of
paddling in fully loaded kayaks. I open
my eyes: it’s a spectacularly beautiful day.
Bonus!
We are camped in a place we newcomers
call Pidwell Cove. It is about an eighth of a
mile long; reddy-brown sand. The
first such beach we’ve camped on
in three weeks (sandy beaches,
although common enough on the
west coast of Vancouver Island,
are rare on the North Coast of
BC’s mainland). I walk the length
of the beach a few times, then jog,
then sprint, working up enough
sweat to dive right into the cold
ocean to fully awaken and begin
the day.
A quick wilderness morning
snack of a shared apple, some
32 Wavelength Magazine
crackers with honey and hemp hearts,
and I’m off for a pre-breakfast toodle (an
aimless paddle with the intent to play and
explore spontaneously rather than actually
go anywhere).
Paddling east along the southern edge
of Swindle Island: the shoreline is stunning.
Massive granite sections – big hunks of red,
brown, and purple cliffs – extend upwards
from the sea to the coastal fringe forests
above. Millbanke Sound is to my right,
Winter 2009
by Dan Lewis
Bonny Glambeck photos
exposed to the open Pacific, source of the
wee swell washing me up and down as I
paddle in close to the steep shore. Eight
eagles come screeching into the bay.
I notice small waves breaking on a reef
offshore and head out to investigate. I find
an isolated ridge of rock and park myself at
the eastern extremity. I start to realize that
I can hang out here for as long as I want to.
A timeless eternity – no deadline, no ‘to-do’
list, nowhere to go and no one expecting
me.
Just sitting there, hovering in
clear water about a foot above the
rock. Appreciating the immense
beauty of small things: the
nudibranchs in the water, washing
helplessly to and fro with me;
the gazillions of tiny fish, made
visible only by their tiny shadows;
the barnacles frantically waving
their feet; the blue mussels and
orange seastars clinging to the
shallow reef below. Occasionally
bigger wave sets arrive. I catch a

“So rarely do we
take the time to
watch a day on our
blue planet unfold.”
few and surf over the reef, deliciously close
to feeling the bite of those barnacles, then
resume my contemplation between waves.
So rarely do we take the time to watch
a day on our blue planet unfold, and how
precious to have not only the time to do so,
but also such a wild place to do it in! What
a vista laid out before me – to the east, in
the foreground, the assorted islands in the
vicinity: Price, Lady Douglas, Dowager and
Athlone; in the background, the mainland:
from Don Peninsula up Seaforth Channel
to Bella Bella, King Island and Dean
Channel; then south to Namu, with distant
Calvert Island barely visible under a pillow
of cumulus clouds.
The sun is beating down, heating the day
up quickly enough to actually see it happen,
especially if you’re slowed down enough
to notice. The islands and mountains are
breathing, with puffy cumulus clouds over
Rainforest Chronicles
land the visible manifestation. Clear blue
summer skies are everywhere else. The wind
is a light breeze – so much for that wind
warning! But I do notice early signs of a
front approaching: the halo around the sun
and the high cirrus clouds. And above it
all, the stars and planets, invisibly whirling
about their orbits. Seldom do we think of
them above when we can’t see them.
Cruising the outside of the reef, I’m still
wearing my helmet, avoiding the sketchy-
looking moves – taking the easy rides, just
relaxing. Three dozen harlequin ducks swim
by, small blue and cinnamon ducks with
strikingly ornate white facial markings that
breed on rushing rivers in the Rockies, then
spend the rest of their year in the surf-
swept rock gardens of the Pacific coast.
I finally reach the western tip of the reef
and, succumbing to the call of hunger, head
back to camp.
Evening now. Four harlequins swim
right by our little campfire at high tide,
barely twenty feet away. Poking their heads
down into the water like mergansers, riding
the surge up and down the beach with
the flotsam. Perhaps they are preying on
the tiny surf perch I felt underfoot and
saw them darting off in the shallows this
morning.
The front moves over around sunset:
first a high thin veil, taking 15 minutes
to pass over, next a layer of alto-stratus
clouds. The color of the sea fades from the
aquamarine it has been all day — the colour
of Bonny’s Japanese glass ball, the first she’s
ever found, still gleaming blue in the dying
light of a perfect midsummer day.
<
Dan Lewis and Bonny Glambeck operate
Rainforest Kayak Adventures .
Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 33
 Trip Planning

Servantof the
by Neil Schulman

R
maps
ain puddles spill across the
street. Pedestrians outside my
window duck like Quasimodo,
trying to hide from the rain. My short
bike commute gets me soaked through
my raingear, and by 4:30 p.m. I need a
headlamp to open the garage. Putting my
bike away, I trip over two bright yellow sea
kayaks – an expedition boat and a shorter
play boat, both annoyed at me that they’ve
been sitting in the garage so long.
It’s not that they don’t get used in winter.
Winter in Oregon is a great time to paddle wilderness fix. I could fly to Baja or Belize, for two weeks or more next summer when
inland waterways, see bald eagles and big but airfare runs more than I’m ready to part the light lasts late into the evening. And
rafts of ducks, and brave the wind in the with on a non-profit salary, let alone the while flipping through guidebooks in the
Columbia Gorge. But it involves layers of cost of renting boats. So I stay local. But winter may seem like idle daydreaming, it’s
fleece under the drysuit, gloves, a neoprene as the rain drives me indoors, I’m doing where the genesis of the next trip lies.
hood and a thermos of hot tea. And when something else: looking at maps and charts, I spent much of one winter staring at
it’s raining and dark before 5 p.m., camping and pondering dreams. charts of the north end of Vancouver
loses a lot of appeal. So the expedition- The cartographic coma Island and the B.C. mainland, trying to glue
worthy Explorer sits in the garage while all While my bank account may balk at Baja, together an island-hopping route across the
I manage are day trips. time off allows the imagination to roam. edge of Queen Charlotte Strait. I started
Of course, there are other ways to get a Visions dance in my head of pushing off where the guidebooks stopped giving
much information, and started seeking
past travelers and emailing locals. Mostly

34 Wavelength Magazine Winter

WINTER2009
2009

I got responses like “hmm, not a lot of
people go there, but I’ve always wondered
about it.” Of course, the fewer people who
go there, the more I want to go myself.
That’s where the charts and maps and the
daydreams come in.
I love maps, atlases, charts – anything
that shows me the visual landscape of
places I haven’t been. They’re addictive.
I can stare for hours at the outlines of a
coast, the topographic lines of a mountain
range I’ve never seen, or the sinuous curves
of a river. It’s all fodder for the imagination.
I can imagine gunkholing along some
island-strewn coast next summer with my
vacation time. Or should I plot a long river
trip? Cart my kayaks up to some long,
glacial-sculpted, deep blue mountain lake in
the far north? For the map addict, a world
atlas is a dangerous thing.
Dangerous, but also essential for trip
planning. Over the last winter I organized
a trip across the edge of Queen Charlotte
Strait. At the time there were no good
guidebooks to the area, so my map
addiction came in handy – pouring over the
topography of glacier-carved inlets, looking
for flat areas that could hold a tent, spotting
narrow areas that would likely hold tidal
rapids. I figured out where we could pick up
a food drop (half of which didn’t show, but
that’s another story), plus alternate routes if
the weather got bad or if our ambitions to
cover miles sagged.
The group thing
If you’re planning trips, winter’s a great
time for the most critical part of the whole
endeavor: building the group. Despite
living in the midst of a large community of
skilled, fun and amiable kayakers, getting
a good group of people together can be
a challenge. And it’s not just finding dates
that work for everyone’s calendar. It’s
also finding paddling partners whose skill
Winter 2009
WINTER
Off-season Trip Planning
and judgment you trust, and who enjoy
similar styles of paddling. I’m a gunkholer
by nature, preferring to poke into every
nook and play at every surf wave I can
find, rather than beeline from one point to
another. And then there’s that intangible
quality: are they a good person to be stuck
in a tent with during a three-day storm? So
in winter, as the idea of a trip forms in my
head, I’m also scoping out friends.
Building the right group is more art
than science. I have friends I’ve logged
enough miles with that we know how we’ll
respond to the inevitable changes of plan,
bad weather days or not accomplishing a
set goal. But if this isn’t the case, there’s
nothing better than a shakedown cruise to
get a sense of the dynamics.
Choosing a group also means choosing
group size. Larger groups can decrease risk
(thus the phrase “no less than three upon
the sea”).
u
Wavelength Magazine 35
 Trip Planning
They also build more camaraderie, and
give everyone a mix of energy. But the
bigger the group, the more complicated the
decision-making and the slower you’ll be to
break camp. And in vertical, glacier-carved
landscapes where flat spots are small and
far between, keeping the group to one or
two tents can be a major advantage.
That winter, as our group put our plans
together, we did more than clog tables at
the local pubs with charts and calendars.
We put on our warm clothes and went out
in the Columbia and paddled together,
practiced rescues and made sure we were
comfortable with each other on a long trip
with complex currents, long mileage and
potential bad weather – all of which, it
turned out, we encountered, and laughed
our way through around the campfire.
The ‘unusual’ trip
Obviously, the first place you’ll look will
be guidebooks, physical and online. But
I’ve done a lot of trips that guidebooks
haven’t covered, or where they’re
noticeably out of date. Once, during an
attempt at a winter trip up a flatwater
section of the Grand Canyon, we found
that a “camping spot” was dense with
ten-foot tall trees that had grown up since
the guidebook had been last updated.
If you’re traveling off the beaten path,
finding information will be hard, and you’ll
need to take that as part of the fun. And
36 Wavelength Magazine
Camping spots may not be all that was
promised when it comes time to check out a
site found in an old guidebook – a discovery
made on a Grand Canyon adventure.
sometimes – like on one trip to British
Columbia – we found our route altered
by the fear of covering twenty miles to a
camping spot that we weren’t sure existed.
The path less traveled means you’ll
need to rely on the centuries-old craft
of seamanship: interpreting the features
of the landscape and sea bottom and
the movement of water and weather to
anticipate the paddling conditions. Narrow
passages usually can produce strong tidal
currents and shallow rocks can produce
minefields of breaking waves as the tide
drops. How to hone this skill? Next time
you go out, watch the weather. Then guess
from the movement of the clouds and the
sea what the weather forecast will be the
next day. Then turn on the VHF and see
if the forecasters agree. This will help you
hone your prediction skills.
And in the age of the internet, you can
research historical weather patterns for an
area. Want to know what the average wind
speed has been for Neah Bay, WA, on July
10th? It’s only a click away. This is especially
handy for trips where the weather forecasts
aren’t in English.
Another place you can turn is the
old hikers’ standby: the topographical
map. Unfortunately, many charts contain
relatively little topographical detail about
landforms. As a backpacker who learned
how to stay found by relationships to peaks
and ridgelines, I seek out the landform
detail of topographic maps to accompany
the chart datum.
And then there’s the latest technological
marvel, Google Earth. As soon as it came
into vogue, I looked up the locations of
Winter 2009
past trips where not being sure of places
to camp had caused me to abort. While
its data is often unclear (especially for
areas with a daily change in water level) it’s
another resource for being able to peer at
a landscape to find campsites or streams to
replenish your water supply.
Once I have this info, I write it all on
my chart so it’s in one place. I also write in
other things that may pop up during a trip:
current stations, water sources, alternate
routes if it’s windy or the surf is too big,
bailout spots if it gets truly nasty. I also plot
the courses of likely crossings so I don’t
have to do it on the water if the fog rolls in.
The real McCoy
The best information comes from folks
who have been there before. Of course, if
you’re dreaming of a less-traveled spot, it
will take you longer to find someone who
has, but that can be part of your winter
project. I’ve found some great campsites
over the years that someone has told me
about that aren’t in the guidebooks. A
longtime resident once told me exactly
how some tidal currents worked for which
no tables existed – and, of course, he was
exactly spot on. Sometimes asking the
locals for the secrets of their back 40 may
seem like asking a fisherman to share his
best fishing hole, so I ask as humbly as I
can, and I figure they’ll share what they
want to.
So now I’m trading ideas with my
friends, as we go on our increasingly rainy
off-season paddles. Hakai Pass to Port
Hardy? A long trip along the soggy, ice-
laden coast of Alaska? What about a long
river trip, somewhere in the far north? Or
should I spend two weeks closer to home,
paddling the coast of southern Oregon
and northern California? It’s time to start
finding out.
And of course, I may hear “hmm, not a
lot of people do that.” They may not. That
doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t and that I
won’t. It’s part of the appeal. Roll out the
charts, and start dreaming. Next summer’s
coming right up.
<
Neil Schulman lives in Portland, Oregon,
where the charts, are, unfortunately, up-to-
date. When he’s not staring at maps, he does
conservation work, paddles, photographs and
tries to stay out of trouble.

Wanted: kayak-friendly accommodation
This fall had to be one of the nicest
seasons ever in the Pacific Northwest and
BC. Almost every day saw a bright ball of
sunshine in the forecast, right through until
mid October.
It did get cooler, of course, and there
was some wind, but for those who picked
itineraries carefully, this would have been a
banner year for being in a kayak late in the
shoulder season.
Featured Accommodation: Broughton Archipelago Paddlers Inn
Visitors can sea kayak in comfort from this
oceanside or floathouse accommodation
deep in BC’s Broughton Archipelago. You
can pick catered meals or cook for yourself.
Guided kayak tours and rentals are available,
as well as charter boat tours and kayak
transport. There’s even acupressure massage
available, plus trails, beaches and an inland
lake to enjoy. Visit www.paddlersinn.ca.
Inside Passage
Wavelength Magazine is on a bit of a
mission of sorts in trying to locate kayak-
friendly accommodation that can help
lengthen the kayaking season even more.
The eventual goal is a B&B Marine Trail
that potentially links together to form a
route. While that may not be possible in
the summer (some locations only book per
week in season and/or close off-season),
wearing the monicker “kayak-friendly”
The floathouse lodge kitchen.
Winter 2009
Kayak With Comfort
should help kayakers make selections and
distinguish the few lucky B&Bs suitable for
catering to paddlers.
In the meantime, we’re going to start
featuring a kayak-friendly resort in each
issue to provide a growing resource of
accommodation options for kayakers.
And it seems fitting to start with the
Paddlers Inn in the heart of the Broughton
Archipelago.
The Paddlers Inn dock.
The floathouse cabin.
Gulf Islands
Wavelength Magazine 37
 Health and Fitness
Aubrey Clark
demonstrates the
cable seated rear delt row,
one exercise in a complete menu that
will prepare you for the next paddling season.
K
ayaking offers a rare
combination of physical and
spiritual benefits that few other
sports can match. Paddling through calm
waters while observing aquatic wildlife and
scenic coastline can refresh the soul of even
the most burned-out city dweller. Repetitive
paddling offers a physically tangible feeling,
even when fatigued, of achievement and
fitness.
Yet many kayakers don’t get full benefit
from their paddling. Poor conditioning
can lead to early fatigue and soreness that
diminishes the full enjoyment. To fully
appreciate kayaking, one needs to be as well
conditioned as possible. It’s the best way
to ensure that when you pull the kayak out
of the water at the end of a pleasant day’s
kayaking, you still have enough energy to
stay awake to view that perfect sunset.
With winter upon us, you should now be
contemplating your off-season conditioning
program for the next few months to extract
the most pleasure from next year’s kayak
outings. Here’s one such program that will
have you fitter than ever before, and thus
better prepared for the rigors of the sport.
It helps to have a concrete series of
38 Wavelength Magazine
Off-season
conditioning
for kayakers
goals for your workouts. Given that
kayaking requires a unique meshing of
several fitness factors for maximum
performance, your conditioning goals
should include developing the elements of
fitness listed below.
Aerobic conditioning
For paddling for sustained periods
of time, often in rough water, a high
level of stamina is required. We call this
cardiovascular or aerobic endurance. To
develop this important aspect of kayak
conditioning you can choose your favorite
aerobic activities and spread them out
through the week. Your goal is to do three
to five cardiovascular workouts each week,
varying in length from 30 to 60 minutes.
Aerobic activities that are good for
improving a kayaker’s endurance range
from jogging and running (outdoors or
on a treadmill), to stair machines, elliptical
machines, cycling (on the road or in the
gym), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing
and swimming. Swimming is particularly
important for kayakers because it works the
upper body while also training you for that
day if ever when things go wrong and you
find yourself swimming for safety.
Winter 2009
 by Roy Stevenson
Muscular Strength/Power
We no longer believe that paddling is
in itself enough for adequate conditioning
for kayaking. Propelling the weight of your
body and kayak against water resistance
is hard work. The essence of resistance
training is to train your muscle groups to
deliver more force, or power, with each
stroke by overcoming the resistance more
efficiently. The stronger your muscles,
the larger the range (or reserve) will be
between your cruising and maximal efforts.
This translates into cruising at a lower
percentage of your maximum effort for a
longer time.
Exercise science and research now
shows that it’s a more efficient use of your
training time to do heavier weights and
fewer repetitions versus low resistance
and high numbers of repetitions. In other
words, you’ll still develop your muscular
endurance by using heavier weights and sets
of eight to 12 repetitions, as long as they
are done to muscular fatigue or failure.
It is difficult to perfectly simulate the
paddling action through most weight
training exercises, so stick to exercises
that provide general conditioning to the
appropriate muscle groups in the off-
season, and do the cable, resistance band,
medicine ball, dumbbell exercises and
simulation drills closer to the kayaking
season.
A common belief among kayakers is that
the legs and hips are not important in the
paddling action. Considering that they initiate
each stroke and anchor your trunk to the

boat, providing stability during the paddling
action, this is simply not the case.
The following split workout strength
training program allows for balance
between muscle groups while focusing
on the major muscles groups – the back,
shoulders, arms, core and legs – used
during paddling.
Development of Core Strength
Few sports activities place such a
repetitive, rotational stress on the core
musculature as kayaking. What is the core?
The group of muscles around your hips,
torso, pelvis and lower back that provide a
platform for virtually all of the movement
you perform when paddling.
The unique rotational trunk movement
used when kayaking in a seated position
creates a relentless shearing force along
the spine. And as we know, 80% of people
experience low back pain at some time in
their lives, so the statistics would indicate
that most kayakers might be susceptible to
some form of low back pain, exacerbated
by the paddling action. And indeed, sports
medicine physicians note that most injuries
or soreness in kayakers occur in the back
Off-season Conditioning
(and shoulders and arms).
Flexibility The benefits
Recent research shows that flexibility
may not be the panacea it is claimed
to be in terms of injury prevention,
reducing post exercise muscle soreness
and improving sports performance.
Many exercise scientists now believe that
having a stronger, less flexible musculature
enables you to develop more power in your
movements versus over-flexible muscle
groups that tend to be able to resist high
force movements less efficiently, and are
thus more prone to injury.
Nevertheless, this is not absolution to
ignore basic stretching. You should indeed
do a few flexibility exercises for your back,
shoulders, hamstrings, hip flexors, buttocks
and arms, especially when you finish your
workouts. The goal is to prevent a further
reduction in the range of motion about
your joints that may come from strength
training and aerobic activity. Work towards
a reasonably lengthy range of motion to
provide a reserve of movement for your
kayaking muscles.
u
Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 39
 Health and Fitness
This program can be done 2-3 days each
week, with at least one rest day between
each session. If you are very fatigued and
sore after this workout, split it into two
workouts, and allow two days rest between
each session. Start with one set of 10-12
repetitions of each set for 2-3 weeks until
you are comfortable with the exercises.
Then from weeks 4-6, do two sets of each
exercise. From weeks 7-12 do 3 sets of each.
1
Leg Extension
Adjust the seat so your knees are aligned
with axis of the machine. Lean back against
the pad, extend your legs straight out to full
extension, and slowly return.
2 Sit on the end of a flat bench, hands just
Leg Press
Lean back on machine with your back
firmly against the pad. With legs shoulder
width apart, and ankles, knees and hips
aligned, slowly straighten your legs. Do not
lock out your knees. Press heels against the
platform through full range.
3 Plant feet firmly on the floor with
Leg Curl
Lie face down on the bench with knee
joints aligned with the axis of the machine.
Adjust the leg pad so that it is on lower part
of your calf. Hold handles securely and flex
knees as far back as comfortable. Return
slowly to a straight leg position.
40 Wavelength Magazine
4
Standing Dumbbell Biceps Curl
Stand with legs shoulder width apart and
knees slightly bent. Tuck elbows in toward
your sides while they are aligned under your
shoulders. With dumbbells in hand and
forearms facing forward, slowly contract
biceps and pull dumbbells up as far as they
will go. Slowly return to starting position.
5 with one cable handle. Stand facing cable
Flat Bench Knee Ups
behind the buttocks, gripping the bench.
From a straight leg position, flex your knees
in front of you as high as they can go, then
return to a straight leg position.
6
Dumbbell Chest Press
buttocks, head and shoulders on the bench.
Pull shoulder blades together and hold
them there, while lowering your arms so
that upper arms are parallel with floor. Do
not lower any further than this. Push arms
straight up, above elbows, and then pull
the dumbbells together. Reverse this action
slowly and repeat.
Winter 2009
7
Downward Transverse Cable Pull
Adjust the cable to its highest setting,
post with legs shoulder width apart and
hands gripping handle. Keep arms straight
and up and to your right, above or at head
height. Slowly pull handle downwards and
across your body, pivoting slightly with
your trunk and feet. You should feel this
across your back as you pull downwards.
Reverse the movement slowly back to start
position. Don’t forget to do this exercise in
both directions, to your left and right.
8
Cable Seated Rear Delt Row
This action is similar to a Cable Seated
Lat Row, except the arms come through
much higher. Plant feet firmly against the
foot platform and keep your trunk vertically
straight at 90 degrees to the bench. Place
two pulley handles on the cable. Grip
handles, with wrists facing downwards,
elbows facing outwards, and slowly pull
the handles straight back towards your
chest. Keep your shoulder blades squeezed
together through this action. Slowly return
to start position without bending forward.
 Off-season Conditioning

9 bl
Back Extension
Adjust the back extension machine so
you can fully flex your torso below it. With
hands crossed in front of your chest, slowly
straighten your back while breathing out.
Straighten back to 180 degrees, then slowly
lower your torso while breathing out.
Cable Standing Lat Row
Adjust the mobile cable pulley to the
lowest setting. Place two handles on the
cable. With quads locked in a ¼ squat
position, and trunk leaning slightly forward,
slowly pull back the handles toward your
abdomen until your elbows are by your side.
Return slowly back to start position.

Triceps Extension on machine

Stand facing the cable machine with
legs shoulder width apart and knees slightly
bent. Adjust the cable so that it is at highest
setting. Set a curved triceps bar, about 18
inches long, on the cable. Grip curved bar
with hands sloping downward to the sides.
Slowly push bar downward to full arm
bk extension. Slowly return to start position.
<
Roy Stevenson has a master’s degree in
exercise physiology and coaching from
Ohio University. He teaches exercise science
at Seattle University in Washington State
and has coached hundreds of serious and
recreational runners and triathletes in the
Seattle area.

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 41

 Reflections Writing capturing the spirit of kayaking
One bear
T
his is the story of one
bear and two barenaked
ladies on a paddling trip to
the Pinkertons in Barkley Sound.
Bear with me as I give you the bare
essentials of this adventure. Those
opposed to nudity should now leave.
They may not think this a beary nice
story or me a beary nice girl.
Let’s get our bearings. Kalavati
and I, the two barenaked ladies,
launch our kayaks at Torquart Bay
and paddle for an hour and a half to
the pretty Pinkertons just outside the
Broken Group Islands in Pacific Rim
National Park. This is where I have
the use of a cabin on two exquisite
little islands linked by a bridge and
surrounded by a bracelet of other little
islands. In 1963 I studied bald eagles here
from the same cabin that Kalavati and I
visit now 45 years later.
Bears are residents here. You see bears
foraging the shoreline of Vancouver Island
as soon as you round Lyall Point and
paddle along Equis Beach. You breakfast
with bears poking around the mudflats at
low tide as you sit on the deck of the cabin
and sip your coffee. You retreat back into
the bushes when bears get to the clam beds
behind the cabin before you do.
It was in 1963 while spyglassing eagles
from the front door of the cabin that I
dropped my binoculars, picked up a gun
and shot a bear. An assistant, several eaglets
and my husband and I lived on this bear
all summer, eating bear roasts, bear steaks,
bear stew and stir-fried bear as the larder
depleted.
But times and attitudes change, dry
foods are readily available for summer-long
42 Wavelength Magazine
&
two
barenaked
ladies
trips in the wilderness, and now I shoot
bears with my camera. And this is what
this barenaked lady was trying to do that
day in August when after days of dismal
weather the rains stopped, the sun came
out and Kalavati, my paddlemate, the other
barenaked lady in this story, suggested we
celebrate by baring our all. We took our
clothes off and with oyster appetizers and
goblets of wine in hand, we skipped across
the bridge and along the boardwalk to the
tent platform for Happy Appie Hour.
We celebrated in different ways. Kalavati
froze in yoga pose. I fidgeted with my
camera trying to get even better views of
the picturesque little islands that studded
the beach below us. Eagles chattered from
trees on bigger islands in the background.
The setting sun that soon would show this
scene in silhouette could only add to the
drama. We were Eves alone in Paradise.
I put down my camera and tripped over
the wine. We watched in horror as the cedar
planking turned red. Oh no, Eve is wineless
Winter 2009
 by Lyn Hancock
Author Lyn
Hancock bares
her soul – and
more – in the
retelling of a
wildlife photo
shoot that
goes awry
in Paradise! Bear in mind that we
Eves were also kayakers who had
limited ourselves to one glass of
wine a day. “Let’s lick it up,” said Kalavati,
who soon would be off to India to an
ashram.
“Bear down on it. Let’s take a picture
of it,” was my reaction. “Wooded
Chardonnay!”
And then a bear came to the party. It
ambled onto the stage from the right, nose
down, poking around the rocks for crabs
a few metres from our platform. I pointed
my lens and clicked off several shots,
cursing the fact that this was a black bear
against black rocks in the silhouette of a
setting sun and was about to exit the stage
to the left. It would soon be out of sight
behind the bushes at the bend of the island.
“If it continues around the island to
the dock where our kayaks are, I could
get a shot of it from behind the bushes at
the top of the stairs,” I told Kalavati. She
meditates in crises. I crack jokes. “I wonder
if I should put my clothes on.”
No time. I knew a shortcut to the bear’s

possible destination where I could take
its picture from the safety of a miniature
raincoast jungle. So barenaked and
brandishing my 400mm lens, I bounced
back along the walkway, skipped barefoot
across to the next boardwalk leading to the
dock and I had barely made it to the trees
when I heard sounds of thrashing through
the bushes. I froze – and not in yoga pose!
I have to stop the story there. Bear with
me again as I take you to another scene and
bring on more players.
S ome of you have met Jaime, my
25 year old kayaking guide from Belize,
who works his way around the world with
his kayak and stores his stuff at my place
in between jobs. “You must meet Lyn,”
he told his girlfriend, Nina, from America.
“She’s my Mom.”
So Jaime borrowed one of my kayaks
and brought Nina to Barkley Sound to
camp on Hand Island about 20 minutes
paddle from the Pinkertons. It was Nina’s
first kayak trip. It poured with rain, it was
windy, wet and cold, and they had forgotten
their pots and utensils. “Take her to Jacques
The classic
happy
ending: boy
gets girl, girl
gets boy.
and Jarvis, it’ll be nice and protected in
there,” I advised.
Now Jaime was at a crossroads in life,
waffling between kayaking the world and
settling down with a wife and children. He
worried that for an adventurer like him,
marriage might be unbearable.
It was in the lagoon between Jacques
and Jarvis after a wild ride across Peacock
Channel in a rainstorm that he saw Nina
smile through the slits in her rain gear. He
suddenly made up his mind and proposed.
“Of course,” she beamed as they rafted
their kayaks together, clutched each other’s
rainclothes and kissed.
“And now you must meet your new
mother-in-law,” said Jaime. “She is staying
over there in the Pinkertons. Let’s go visit.”
Winter 2009
Reflections
Traditionally, when young men take
their fiancées to meet their mother for the
first time, she is in her best dress, sitting
in her best chair, and presiding over her
best china set pouring a cup of tea. Not so,
Jaime!
When he brought his fiancée to meet
his mother-in-law, she wasn’t dressed in
anything. She was barenaked, running
through the bush, with camera in hand,
chasing a bear.
Jaime is the one to tell the rest of the
story.
“You should have seen the look on your
face. You were so embarrassed. Your arms
flying everywhere... Then you must have
thought ‘what the hell’ so you spread your
arms, shrugged and hugged.”
Well, that’s the bare bones of the story.
But darn it, no picture. So next day I re-
enacted the scene and Kalavati clicked one.
Remember this is a bear story, no bull.
(Thanks Mary!)
<
Lyn Hancock is a Vancouver Island-based
author who can most often be found fully
clothed. Visit www.lynhancock.com.
Wavelength Magazine 43
 Marketplace

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Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5Z2
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www.skgabc.com

44 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

 Marketplace

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adventurous side and join us on the water!
Phone: 1-888-KS-KAYAK or 250-701-1888
Web: www.kindredspiritkayak.com
Email: info@kindredspiritkayak.com

Winter 2009 Wavelength Magazine 45

 Marketplace

Tours and services: BC, Canada

Bamfield, British Columbia Gabriola Sea Kayaking

Accommodations, self-guided kayak rentals and kayak Gabriola Sea Kayaking offers Unforgettable, Fun
transport between the Broken Group Islands, Deer and Affordable Multiday Tours, Groups and Courses
Group Islands and Bamfield. 14 years experience in in Kyuquot, Broken Group, Clayoquot, Nootka,
planning kayak vacations in Barkley Sound. Broughtons and the Gulf Islands. Hope to paddle with
Phone: 1-888-728-6200 you this season!
Web: www.brokenislandadventures.com Phone: 250-247-0189
Email: broken@island.net
Web: www.kayaktoursbc.com

Batstar Adventure Tours

Professionally guided sea kayaking trips to Vancouver
Island and Canada's Central Coast. All inclusive. We're
thrilled to be the only Vancouver Island-based guided
sea kayaking company on the National Geographic
Best Travel Adventure Companies on Earth list.
Phone: 1-877-449-1230
Web: www.batstar.com

Tours and Services: Yukon

Wilderness Sea Kayaking
Sharing the remote Kyuquot area, Northwest Vancouver
Island since 1972! Base camping luxuries. Professional
guides. Spectacular kayaking options. Diverse wildlife.
Local First Nations’ ownership and cultural interaction.
Phone: 1.800.665.3040 or 250.338.2511
Web: www.westcoastexpeditions.com Kanoe People Ltd.
Email: info@westcoastexpeditions.com Explore Yukon's great rivers and lakes! Rentals, sales,
guided tours and logistic services. Cabin rentals
summer and winter on the scenic Lake Laberge.
Outfitting on the Yukon for over 35 years.
Web: www.kanoepeople.com
Email: info@kanoepeople.com
Odyssey Kayaking Phone: 867-668-4899
BC Ferries port; Gateway to Northern and Central
Tours: Tropical
BC Coast destinations. Sales, Rentals, Lessons, Trip
planning, and Custom Tours. 8625 Shipley Street
(across from the Post Office) Port Hardy.
Phone: 250-902-0565 or toll-free 1-888-792-3366
Email: odyssey@island.net
Web: www.odysseykayaking.com

Kayak Desolation Sound

All-inclusive guided tours: Into the Majestic Mountains
& Desolation Sound. Day tours include Savary Reefs
Explorer and the popular Sea Creatures Explorer.
Kayak rentals available at locations in Lund and
Okeover Inlet.
Phone: Toll free 1-866-617-4444
Web: www.bcseakayak.com
Email: info@bcseakayak.com wavelengthmagazine.com

46 Wavelength Magazine Winter 2009

 More than just a kayak store
VANCOUVER ISLAND’S PRIEMER OUTDOOR STORES
Nanaimo: Port Alberni: Nanoose:
Retail Centre Adventure Centre Retail Centre Schooner Cove
3200 Island Highway Brechin boat launch 5161 River Road Fairwinds
250-760-0044 250-754-6626 250-723-2212 250-468-1859
1-866-760-0011 1-866-765-2925 1-800-325-3921 1-866-468-1859

Rentals now available on Newcastle Island

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