[Quirine Schuyff]

Thanks Arthur! If there is time I may take you up on that!

[Former Member]

If you want to try a completely different kind of boat, you could try paddling around in my Current Designs Slipstream (not to be confused with the Solstice). Was planning to do the Wednesday evening paddle. It’s a Brit boat, and stability was not mentioned once in the manufacturer’s description, but it’s fun and easy to edge and turn. For day paddles and classes, I’ve found it to be engaging and maneuverable.

[Quirine Schuyff]

Thanks Tim.

You have the GT right? I think the GTS is a bit smaller. My boat right now is quite stable so I’m looking for a bit more maneuverability and edging capacity. I appreciate your thoughts though.

[Debra Merchant]

World Oceans Week is here (June 1-8) and there are many events around the world to mark it. Protecting Our Coast is this year’s theme. Did you know that World Ocean’s Day was proposed by Canada in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Brazil? In 2002 the United Nations General Assembly dedicated June 8th as World Oceans Day.

• If you go for a paddle, please make extra effort to remove litter and our efforts can be recorded here: http://www.bcmarinetrails.org/wow
• BC Marine Trails has events: http://www.bcmarinetrails.org/events
• Browse the internet to learn more and be inspired!
  • worldoceanday.org
  • wildwhales.org

 

 

 

[Anonymous]

Hello, We have two Solstice GTs and they are excellent boats. Ours have rudders. They are comfortable, have very good volume and are stable. I do not know how one would work for you.

[Quirine Schuyff]

There is one of these for sale in Nanaimo. I would love to be able to paddle one before I commit to traveling there by car to have a look at it, and perhaps buy it. If anyone would be so kind as to let me try it, that would be a great help. Or if you have paddled one and have some thoughts about it, and have an idea of how it might work for me.
Thanks in advance!

[Quirine Schuyff]

I’d love to join one of these days. What would you expect the return time to be? By the time I get my boat back to Jericho and rinsed, then home to shower with my gear….it gets late. I get up very early for work. Also, I have Wednesday eve paddles so can’t do all Wednesdays.

The ones on the calendar say 8:30am on Wednesday. Is that the wrong time?

[Maureen Benzon]

I am trying to assess the interest in evening paddles on Indian Arm. I currently have 2 posted launching at Strathcona Park at 5.30. This may be too early for some, and no rentals are available. If you are interested, but the time or day or lack of rentals do not suit you, please let me know and we can adjust future paddles.

[Mike McHolm]

Great points above. Just a suggestion: https://jerichobeachkayak.com/lessons/online-trip-planning

 

[Nick Heath]

Agree with the above comments. Wind is a bigger factor in Indian Arm, in my experience. Hugging the shore, you are unlikely to experience strong currents, except near the constriction at Deep Cv/Belcarra, but the tidal range that day is large.  Leaving at noon avoids that possibility and likely you will have a push from the wind, too, but the campsites could be full when you arrive! But if this is a day trip, leaving at noon is far too late. It is a loooong paddle.

The classic problem is set up here – expect the inflow wind to strengthen at mid-day or early afternoon. This means on the return you must buck a headwind plus some adverse current. This could make for a gung-ho training epic. I’d suggest a closer destination and so a shorter trip.

If you stay overnight, my advice would be to leave Granite Falls early in the morning to minimize wind effects, but also look for predicted winds on “Windy.com’ to see in some detail what is predicted there for Sunday. 10 kt (18 km/h) of inflow wind will turn a pleasant paddle into a slog.

[Jody Baker]

Hi Alexandra,

Tides are not a huge factor; wind+tides can be challenging. If you leave in the morning, at 8 or 9 you will be paddling against peak ebb tide. It’s a substantial tide too, 4.3 meters down to 0.5 meters. That will require more work but it’s not out of the ordinary. There’s usually little wind in the morning, so you should be fine. Plus, tidal flow and wind will be more in your favor as you reach the Falls around mid-day.

But you can expect on-shore winds coming up the arm in the afternoon. If you return Saturday afternoon you will potentially face that wind and once again be paddling against the tide as it will be flooding in until 7:00-7:30. Again a strong tide from .05m to 4.7m. Tides are strongest in the middle, between the highs and lows. Google “The rule of 12ths” to see charts on how they move.

So all this would suggest you will have to paddle just a little bit harder and go a little bit more slowly on the way to Granite Falls. For the return, you might consider waiting as long as you can in the afternoon/evening to set off so hopefully the wind will die down and the flood tide will be nearer the slack period as you come in toward Deep Cove.

Check the Windy app Saturday morning to see what you might be in for coming back.

 

[Karin Hartner]

Hi Alexandra

A rising tide pulls you inland, an ebbing tide pulls you out to sea. It would be to your advantage to leave at noon not only to have the tide with you but you will also have the winds assisting because they will likely be towards the sea…..however, the other thing to look at is the size of the tide–if it is not a strong tide–the height between high and low–you might want to go in the morning because the wind will help you. You should consider taking the navigation or currents course if you haven’t already…..

I’d prefer to land at Granite Falls on a higher tide rather than at low….

Also–if you stay near the shore–the tide should’t have that much of an impact in Indian Arm as long as the wind isn’t strongly against you.

Hope that helps

Karin

 

[Maureen Benzon]

Hello Alexandra,

Good for you for trying to figure this out. What follows is a very general synopsis.

The table shows that the tide is going out until noon, then coming back in.

On a straight coast line high tide is obvious but in an inlet, it still pushes up towards high, and recedes towards low. It is rising / dropping about 4 m which is a big tide, so you might notice the current produced in the narrow sections, so on Saturday, you will be paddling against the tide (current) in both directions. The closer to high tide, the less of an effect, with the greatest effect being felt at about 8.00am and about 4.00pm The strength of the current is greater in the middle of the channel, and less along the coastline, which is also useful to know.

More important is the afternoon wind which can be quite strong and will affect you more than the current.

It is a lovely paddle, but quite a distance, about 16nm in all, so take plenty of water and snacks.

Enjoy your day, and please let us know how the paddle went.

Regards,

Maureen

 

[Former Member]

Hi! We’re planning on kayaking to Granite Falls from Deep Cove this Saturday. I am a bit confused by how to use the tide table and hoping somebody could help and explain it to me?
As you can see in the pictures, the chart shows high tide at 4.34am and low tide at 12.10pm. Starting from Deep Cove, it takes about 4-6 hours to get to Granite
Falls. When is the best time to launch and why? Is it advisable to arrive at Granite Falls around noon? Or is it better to launch at noon from Deep Cove?
I understand that a high tide pulls you out to the ocean which is helpful but does the same concept apply in the Indian Arm?

How does the chart work for the return paddle? Are the times the same?

From my research I know that the wind blows North which is good on the way up but bad for going back to Deep Cove. How do we know what time is best to leave Granite Falls?

I’ve watched so many YouTube videos and read many blogs on this route but nothing mentions the tides. So thanks in advance for your help, it’s greatly appreciated!!

[Quirine Schuyff]

Due to some members being unable to make it this Saturday, (and 1 unconfirmed) I am now slightly short on volunteers. If anything happens to even one of us, I will have to turn a Big Brother/Sister and their “little” counterpart away.
I do not want to do this, particularly with the hard work that has been put in to keep this event on this year.

Please, if you can spare a few hours on Saturday I’d be most grateful!

email: quisch@gmail.com

 

[Author]

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