Jekyll and Hyde

I was told this is Sangster Island, named after the boat maker, more than likely it has a more appropriate native name. If you look on the previous map it is the larger of the two unnamed islands near Plumper Cove, Keats Island.

This was the millpond on the outbound journey towards the Northern tip of Keats today, no indication to the unwary crew that Shoal Channel would change to a churning tempest of doom and danger on the journey back.

Oh alright, it wasn't quite that bad, we're just a couple of fairweather noobs.

Our Paddle Zone

Look Ma, no hands!

Tuesday Paddle, down to end of Keats Island, Calm outward, stiff South winds on the return journey across the gap, we had to dig deep today, consequences of that being we are so relaxed this afternoon you could pour us into a bucket.

Chomp, Chomp, Chomp

Lots of rain over the last few days but still they come to the all day salad bar in the back yard.

More Just William

Dragons

Almost impossible to capture a picture of these chappies in flight, this guy landed for a few seconds on the wharf and allowed a photograph.

Whiskers

This close up showing nose, eyes, whiskers and earholes, I'm never going to be tired of our harbour puppies.

The Pophams

Rewind to the Tuesday paddle, we took a trip to the far right tip of the bigger Island, "Big Popham" and popped in on an extended family of seals.

Floatplane

Over the harbour, heading back towards Sechelt from Vancouver.

Frog

You want it to be that Sean Connery moment, you put on a scuba suit and you want to be James Bond, however, at this age, you end up feeling more like a frog, and I don't mean Charles Aznavour.

Kiss me someone, kiss me.

Another Watercolor Moment

Hopkins Landing, looking towards the bluffs and the gap, random sailboat Kif Holland moment.

The Gripper

An action shot, me, putting my sunglasses on, bobbing up and down in Hopkins Landing.

Note, this was not a stunt double.

Saturday

This was the composition I was trying for over three weeks ago, the gap over Karen's shoulder, viewed from Howe Sound, around Hopkins Landing.

Three weeks ago, gosh, time flies and so does Biggles.

Great day for paddling, we had two days of rain, followed by a sunny calm morning and afternoon on the water, tonight it is raining once again.

Tuesday Paddle

We headed off towards Preston Island again, around the "horn" at Salmon Rock and then the group decided that as the sea was so calm we should take a trek over to Big Popham Island to see the Seal colony there, it was another amazing day with about twenty seals on a single rock at the Island.

Total trip was around 10 kilometers and it really didn't feel too hard, however, later last night we were falling asleep on the couch and today we were quite happy to "just" have a 6 kilometer walk.

Good Dog

I'll detail our Tuesday paddle next, here in the intermission is a scurvy sea dog from the Marina today.

Dry Land

Some of the huli girls (and Ed)

Ed, Kathleen, Susan, Karen and Judith.

Upside Down

September, possibly not the best month of the year for this.

The water hit like a brick, cold and intense, I told Karen to put her paddle in the upturned boat, under the seat and she seemed to look right through me, and then, with a shake of the head, it was all business as the pair of us clambered over the OC4 and "hinged" as the other team members pushed up on the outrigger.

Karen was first into the OC4, almost a step in as it was flooded and immediately started bailing, then followed our steerperson who asked for a leg up from me, then seat one climbed in. I was the last of the four back in the boat and I wasn't feeling the cold as my body had acclimatized, it required a good bit of upper body strength to pull myself back into seat three.

Apparently our "huli" was the best of the day, although I bet they say that to all the girls.

Happy Huliday

Gosh it looked cold in the water, we knew that initially it took your breath away and the shock made you dizzy and disorientated for a moment, but then the task at hand was to make the boat the right way up again, we watched as team after team did their huli, some more slick than others, we waited, looking all calm and collected on the float, knowing that our time was almost up and it was our turn.

Oh yes, it was funny now...

The Journey Home

Around the point at Granthams, and Gibsons, our destination, was within reach once more. The Strait was a silvery millpond but we could feel the south wind was rising as we paddled home towards the gap, slightly uphill.

Kiff Holland

Took this photo on the paddle back, reminded us of our Kiff Holland paintings.

Harbour Air

We paddled around the floatplane, attached to a buoy, a seagull awaiting his free flight on the wing. The plane was parked somewhere between Granthams and Hopkins landings, facing south.

Da Plane, Da Plane

Karen pointing out potentially dangerous floating debris...

Hopkins landing landing

The paddle today was about 8.5 km, out of Gibsons Harbour, past Armours Beach (where we are going tomorrow for Huli practice with Gibsons Paddle Club) and we beached at Hopkins Landing overlooking the North Shore Mountains, Gambier Island and the Langdale ferry terminal. It was a fantastic afternoon for being out on the water, a slight south wind in our faces on our way back, typical.

 Where : Hopkins Landing, British Columbia

Plum Picking

We were in the kitchen, preparing pasta sauce when we saw our next door neighbour's plum tree flapping about, the cause was this big fella. Karen, before seeing why the tree was moving said "there will be a bear in the tree" and by golly there was, and a big guy too.

Taking our lives in our hands we walked out onto the road and took a distant photo of the plum scrumper using the zoom lens. Being so close to a three hundred pound black bear was a fantastic rush and we have learned that any closer is a foolish thing, no matter how cuddly they appear.

 Where : Creekside Crescent, Gibsons

Pole Position

The pileated woodpeckers follow us around and they are attracted to the hydro poles for some strange reason.

Coincidence?

Where : Reed Road, Gibsons

Monsters amongst us

Ah, Grasshopper..

I was in the mood for a bit of macro photography on the walk today, this small guy at around an inch and a half long was patient as I fiddled with the settings on the camera.

Where : Abbs Road, Gibsons

Snack

If they had opposable thumbs and the ability to use cutlery I am sure they would make these starfish into smaller "bite size" pieces.

Looks so uncomfortable (yes, for the starfish too).

Where : Sea Wall, Gibsons

The Hills have Eyes

Answers on a postcard please...

Where : Cliff Gilker Park

Fun Guy

Even with the dry weather, there are plenty or moist areas in Cliff Gilker to encourage those strange yeast infections.

Rain

An almost dry stroll in Cliff Gilker Park today, the weather is about to turn and it is close to, as we say "T-Hairy boots on" time with a lovely cool walking temperature and threat of showers, not much water about after the dry summer, but hope for a cool, wet autumn.

A chill in the air and light sprinkles down at Roberts Creek, no Salmon yet and no real fast flowing river water for them to struggle inland with, we will return later and keep you posted.

Journal

Today a reasonably early 10.30am start and we repeated the OC4 trip of a few weeks back, but without the swimming. The water was very calm and it was a nice relaxed paddle. What made the event worth recording, besides the "usual" incredible scenery of the route, was the varied wildlife and the collection of seals that we saw today, not in the remote way we have become accustomed to from Gibson's wharf, but this morning, up close and at times, very personal.

Mothers and pups with seasonal fur coats, dappled grey and white, clinging to rocks or bobbing about in the water while watching the four odd humans cruise by in the outrigger boat. A dozen or more clustered around the rocks and the shores of secluded Preston Island, apparently disturbed after sleeping off an early morning feast of fish.

The special moment, at the end of our journey today, was an adult seal who welcomed us back into Gibson's harbor, wide eyed and interested like a black labrador in the water, barely six foot from the boat without any intention of rushing away into the depths, a greeting with almost a smile and a wink to the crew.

Waterproof camera (Mark 1) has been ordered.

Just William

The other little sixteen year old in typical pose, on the carpet, appearing to have been dropped from a great height and unable to muster up any thoughts of movement.

Itching to get going

The Sea Lion is progressing, the bow area that needed fixing has now been patched and the sanding is continuing, it has been almost thirty years since I worked with fiberglass on kayaks and the product has not really changed that much, real itchiness, phantom itchiness and the usual spots of contact dermatitis from the latex in the gloves or whatever release powder they put on them.

All good fun.

I foresee paint in my future.

Put the Camera down and paddle will ya...

I clipped the paddle down as we rounded the bluffs, it wasn't like letting go of the steering wheel on a car but we did change direction several times as I struggled not to get the blessed camera wet. I intended to grab a picture of Karen looking at the Popham Islands, but by the time I'd stopped faffing about we had rotated forty five degrees and instead it was "only" Keats.

Where : The Bluffs, Gibsons

Gospel Rock

Today it was a trip out to the right of Gibsons marina, it was only our second trip out on the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 130t but we found a far greater confidence, both in the boat and our ability to paddle.

New gloves, Warmers "Barnacle" fingerless, neoprene and spandex, great grip and great support for what turned out to be quite a long paddle, I suppose we were out for almost two hours and made it out to Gospel Rock near "Secret" beach. It was probably a five kilometer paddle and we were like ducks to water.

It was certainly a taster of the Strait of Georgia, at times, paddling back, one meter swells seemed to impede our progress, however, no drama and an incredible rewarding dunkless day. 

Where : Gibsons Marina

When : September 3rd, 2010