Kayak Stacked

The Yakima kayak stacker system is an amazingly simple concept that results in the boat feeling like it is part of the car/rack system. Time to put the "yak" on the car, less than ten minutes, bolted down and solid as a rock.

Sea Trials

It was a good Sunday, we watched the Belgium Grand Prix, drank coffee and stuffed ourselves with toast.

Boat, as we have called the Tarpon 130T, was loaded on the car roof again, driven down to Gibsons Marina, dropped in the water and with little fuss or "faffing about" we kitted up and went off on our first sea trial, a short run to Armours Beach.

The photo shows the launch point A and we followed the alphabetical route to E, where we had our first vessel circumnavigation, fittingly, this was around a sailboat called Irma that we had looked at last year, around the time when we abandoned the idea of having a "real" boat.

Armours beach was our destination at E, then we retraced our steps back to C, went into the area around G and paddled around the GLHA marina for twenty minutes. Then, reluctantly, but tired, we paddled back to A and took the Tarpon out of the water and loaded it back on the car in less than twenty minutes.

A short trip home, a quick wash (boat and people) and we walked the long way around to the Blackfish pub for a well deserved pint or two.

I can assure you, we will sleep well tonight.


Where : Gibsons Marina to Armours Beach
When : August 29th, 2010

Boat

Today the pair of us stood proudly on our driveway and flicked beer at the stern of the craft that we have named "Boat" on top of our car.

This is a new Wilderness Systems "Tarpon 130T" which is a thirteen foot long, sit on top, tandem kayak. It feels big but weighs a mere sixty-five pounds, apparently unsinkable with plenty of storage, backrests and cup holders.


Where : On top of the Acura
When : August 28th, 2010

Ride a white Swan

I uploaded pictures from my phone and one was the white "mute" swan from Bowen Island that I think I mentioned, here she is, appeared quite tame and the theory on the island was that it was probably someones pet.


Where : Bowen Island, "The Lagoon"
When : A month ago

Boat Race

On the ferry back from Vancouver today we overtook the Holland America line cruise ship Volendam, they parked up in Howe Sound for half an hour as the ferry passed towards Langdale. We arrived home in time to see the ship from our living room as it passed through the gap between Keats and the Popham islands.

According to their schedule, the lucky passengers are off for a seven day cruise of the Alaska inside passage.


Where : Howe Sound
When : August 25th, 2010

The Clipper

This is a 31' four man (or woman) Clipper OC-4 Outrigger Canoe, one of four owned by Gibsons Paddle Club. The club also owns four six man outriggers and some two and one man outrigger canoes.