[Nick Heath]

I’ve  been assigned by BC Marine Trails to do sites assessment trips by small boat in 2 areas – a) N Str of Georgia i.e. Texada/Lasqueti/Desolation and b) Johnstone Str/Broughtons.

Each will take a week, camping each night, at mixed sites , some likely to be rough. The boat is a small open skiff with 25 hp o/b..

Dates are flexible but I prefer before 30 June. You need a cheerful disposition (!), camping experience, low sensitivity to cold and wet and agility to keep jumping in and out of a boat and clambering over beaches and into the bush while taking detailed notes!

Talk to me at Spring Fling!

[Former Member]

Thank also, Nick for the offer of additional information. Will probably follow up with you on that. Several times a year I do multi-day trips into the Sd from Squamish and nice to have landing options when the forecast and the weather don’t jibe. Cheers. Dave

[Former Member]

Thanks Nick and everyone for the great feedback and pics. I will of course do as you suggest if I end up there. Hopefully it becomes official at some point. Such a great and useful spot for kayak camping. Dave

[Former Member]

Anyone want to join me for a short paddle an hour before the spring fling? From 3-4PM? We would meet in the parking lot around 2:30PM

Jennifer Wilson

[Cynthia Materi]

Join me for a tour of the inlet toward the bridge and end up participating in Hug the Mountain. It is folks, mostly on land coming together to appreciate the area before the oil flows.  The TMX terminal will be our focus.  We will leave Cates park at 10 am make it back to in time for our Spring Fling Pizza and Beer. If you want to join please contact Cynthia 778-995-9796.

[Nick Heath]

Thks to Cynthia I have a crew!

Watch for more opportunities to follow!

/n

[Heather Harbord]

As for the Gorge entrance, if the paddlers are worried, paddle in on a flood, paddle out on an ebb, avoid large tides. Yes, currents can run up to 5 knots max, but there’s no big whirlpools or standing waves and I always could find back eddies to help me if padding against the flow.

 

Of course the waves thrown by yachts using this busy channel could be a danger while you’re paddling the inshore eddies.

 

Navionics has tides for Whaletown and the Gorge. Always fun to check the height difference which drives the currents at the entrance to the Gorge.

 

Mike Moore, former Captain of Misty Isles

I asked Mike about this question because he has lived on Cortes for several decades and is a former Navigation Officer with the Coast Guard, a commercial diver and sea kayak guide.

So, check the tide levels at Whaletown and the Gorge and plan to paddle in on the flood and out on the ebb.

[Nick Heath]

I’m visiting the private Gambier cabin again this week Wed or Thu or Fri to try to complete the stove install. Full day.

Looking for a crew mate!

Leave by small boat (no weather protection) from Richmond or W Vancouver.

Various jobs to be done from grouting tiles to firewood & levelling tent sites. Outside & inside.

Nick H treasurer2 at skabc.org

[Former Member]

Does anyone have any information about current levels in the entrance to Gorge Harbour on Cortes.  I can’t find anything that says there is an an issue, but I read someone’s paddling blog that indicated the current in the little entrance way can get up to 5 knots.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,  Stan

[Nick Heath]

Whatever you buy, be suspicious of its waterproof claim and use a waterproof radio case that still lets you operate it.  Some member have found to their cost that after a bit of use some part of the radio will leak, usually with fatal results. Good brands e.g.  Standard-Horizon,  ICOM, Cobra and others. Make sure it fits in a pfd pocket wit a case on it. It is best select a radio that accepts alkaline batteries, of which you can carry many extras, rather than relying on a rechargeable battery when there is nowhere to recharge it on a multi-day trip. Both are nice to have. Most paddlers leave their radios turned off most of the time to conserve battery power (and to avoid annoying radio chatter).

[Nick Heath]

There is no problem with landing a kayak and finding a place to camp, but please no fires and avoid the bluff area – just stick to the area near the top of the access trail. The site in not (yet) an official campsite but that process is in the works and then SKABC will build 4 tent platforms, and Bc PArks will put in a toilet, all assuming that the neighbouring 3 First Nations (site co-managers with BC Parks,  effectively) have no objection. Fingers crossed!

More or less all potential sites in Howe Sd have been scoped by BCMT. The more marginal of these or those on private land are not displayed publicly on the BCMT map, but are on a restricted ‘Planning Layer’.  I could talk with you about your plan and maybe save you some of the grind, especially concerning the finding ownership status of some sites, which can be hard to figure out. My number is in the SKABC member directory.

If you keen to check sites in other areas, this could be of great assistance!

[Former Member]

Thanks Kapila for sharing photos

some photos David

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oZL_HHQKKRO0Cy3YLOnK9sZxIadxpMfL/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qM7IaX3z3ephVaBlhOJGACwLY1TICV-M/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A8FSUY9RkpbNBvhq9i5pJ8L3vZuOnrzh/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xnn-wdMCJhdTOlY3RqNO28mX4IM4–7o/view?usp=drivesdk

 

 

 

[Kapila Jayaweera]

I highly recommend Standard Horizon HX 890 radio. This is a newer model than HX870. Actually HX870 is more advance version that HX890. They remove several features from  HX890 which kayakers almost never needed.

Few thing I like about HX890 (I believe HX870 has same features)

Radio floats. You still have to tie down to your PFD or it could float away from you.

Large screen.

Built in GPS (you could track down your trip if you want then download coordinates to your computer. Nice feature I used few times. It could eat up your battery so has to be used carefully)

Comes with AAA battery case. Can use 3xAAA batteries.

Digital calling feature

MMSI – Can program your own MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) # to this radio. This can use for calling another radio by adding their MMSI number to your radio.

Distress button. There is an distress button on the radio. If you press this button, it will send a distress signal with GPS coordinate so that you don’t have to give your location verbally.

Flash light – I hardly use

FM radio – occasionally uses

Weather channels – all radios have I believe.

I bought mine from Steveston Marine at Langley. Looks like it is on sale for less price than I bought two years ago.

https://www.stevestonmarine.com/standard-horizon-hx890nb-vhf-radio?search=hx890

Please let me know if you need more information.

[Debra Merchant]

Nanaimo Paddlers have invited SKABC members to their next meeting!

May 4, 2022 at 7pm

In June 2021, Dave Peters, Doug Scatcherd, Gord Allen, and Sheldon Spier, paddled from Port Hardy to Coal Harbour, via Cape Scott.

It was an enjoyable, exhilarating, tiring, and rewarding adventure.

As a team, they will share a 4 part presentation of their trip. They will begin with their preparations and end with their debrief, both essential parts to a successful and pleasant experience.

When: Wednesday, May 4, 2022, 7:00-9:00 PM (PDT)

Online Event: Join Via Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84093560442?pwd=TnRlbDFINjhrYmh0cWxNZXVEOXlvUT09
Meeting ID: 840 9356 0442
Passcode: 765150

 

[Kevin Hall]

Mike Gilbert and John Drent is being mentored for his L2 instructor certification. Six students I believe.

[Author]

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