[Lorraine Sharpsteen]

Have you recently found one or more of our library books in your home? Coming to the club picnic at Locarno Beach this coming Monday evening? Our librarian will be happy to accept all returns, no questions asked! (Please note: this opportunity is only for the July picnic.)

[Kevin Amos]

Yes that sounds great. Kevin

[Brian Pegg]

Thanks for this Kapila I would like to join.  My boat is at Jericho anyways so super easy for me.

Brian

[Kapila Jayaweera]

I am planning to paddle before club picnic on Monday July 5th. If anyone interested please post on this forum so that other’s know.

Meet up at 2:30pm near Locarno Beach “Trimble Street parking” lot next to public washrooms, ready to launch by 3pm.

Paddle towards Wreck beach and back closer to six nautical miles should be able to do it in 2 hours also then join picnic.

If more than six people sign up, then group will divide into multiple groups with 5-6 participant per group.

If anyone have question please contact me via Kapila_j@hotmail.com

Thanks

[Susan Servos-Sept]

Duane and I are interested. Have to see if can find some wheels, though. Unable to commit at this point.

[Former Member]

Given the extreme conditions right now for fire hazard around the province as well as the devastating images from the Lytton fire, I would not be surprised to hear of park operators keeping a close eye on campers using any kind of stove.

[Nick Heath]

The BC govt press release says ”

In addition to campfires, Category 2, and Category 3 open fires, the following activities are also prohibited:

The use of outdoor stoves or other portable campfire apparatus without a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriter Laboratories of Canada (ULC) rating.

I suspect none of my 3 MSR Whisperlite (white gas/multifuel) stoves has this rating- I still have the packaging for the youngest of these and it says nothing about a CSA or ULC rating. I also have an Isopropane Pocket Rocket stove, and I don’t see any reference on it to safety ratings either, so are these stoves illegal to use or are they on a BC govt or CSA approved list some place that I’m unaware of?

Maybe I just need to suck it up accept a diet of cold raw oatmeal porridge and tea made by dropping my teabag into a cup of cold water?

[Former Member]

The freighters that are anchored along the West Van shoreline can be a useful flow indicator (in the absence of wind).  They can often be pointed in a different direction than the others in English Bay.

[Former Member]

Here are some notes for those new to this particular adventure:

BC Ferries – The ferry system serves kayakers the same as cyclists. When you pay for your ticket, let them know you are walking aboard with your kayak so they can charge you accordingly.

They will give you a code for the gate to access the vehicle area where you will walk down to the correct berth and ramp and wait with the cyclists. At Horseshoe Bay this gate is behind the building where the ticket booths are. At Departure Bay it is on the left side of the building where the ticket counter is. Do try and get someone to hold the gate for you while you roll your boat through. It’s easier on your boat and everyone else that way.

Your boat will be down on the main vehicle deck. On most sailings that area is closed off and patrolled by crew, so your gear should be safe. I keep my valuables in a special dry bag (ditch bag) which I keep with me while aboard the ferry or in my cockpit.

Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal – Most of you will be coming via Horseshoe Bay terminal to Departure Bay terminal in Nanaimo. This is one of the busiest routes in the ferry system and will be very busy on Labour Day holiday weekend. If you can arrange to be dropped off with your boat and gear (and picked up afterwards) this is the best case scenario. The terminal itself is undergoing renovations, so please check ahead of time what the parking situation is if you have to drive yourself.

Departure Bay Ferry Terminal – When arriving you will walk your boat off and to the left along the terminal building. You will find the exit gate near the end of the building. Once you walk out, head left and you can follow the exit road (staying to one side, out of the traffic) for about 2 blocks to the Brechin Boat ramp. This is where you will get your boat off your wheels and load it up. You will be crossing the channel to the shore of Newcastle Island and then following the shore around to the southeast side of the island where the group campsites are.

Coming back is the reverse. You will need to leave your boat outside the doors to the ticket counters, pay for your ticket, and then go back through the gate to the cyclist waiting area.

Kayak Wheels – If you don’t have wheels, now is the time to beg/borrow/steal some. Keep an eye out on Craigslist, FB Marketplace, or Kijiji, as they show up pretty regularly. There are center wheels and end wheels. Pretty much the only pro for end wheels is that they are small and will fit into most hatches. Center wheels support your hull if loaded properly. You will want to practice with them to make sure you know how to get your boat centered on them and strapped on securely. Set your heaviest gear (typically food and kitchen kit) and valuables aside to carry in soft rucksack (that can be packed into your hatches later) and put the rest in your cockpit where it will be supported by the wheels. Don’t forget you need room for camping gear + paddling gear. Bring your cockpit cover if you’ve got one.

Schedule – Do try and give yourself as much time as you can to travel to/from Nanaimo. If you can get away early on Friday, the midday sailings are great. There will still be good daylight in September, so a late afternoon sailing will get you to Nanaimo in good time. Some folk leave on Sunday afternoon/evening, but most leave Monday morning.

Newcastle Island – We have reserved Group Site 5 this year as that was the last available. Yes, they are booking this far in advance. This is at the far end (furthest north) of the group area on the eastern shore of the island. There are pay showers, so do not forget your loonies and bath sheet. The site operators also provide firewood, usually at less than $10/bundle, but do not count on that this year with the campfire ban now in place.

[Former Member]

As of June 30, all open fires – including campfires – will be banned in BC.
That means that there will be no campfires allowed for the upcoming
holiday (and weekend). The current hot dry weather has caused the fire
danger to spike, and with no rain in the forecast, any fires that start are
likely to spread quickly.

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FLNRO0051-001261

Note: fireworks and tiki torches are included in the ban. Please don’t
be the reason for a wildfire.

[Former Member]

Hey! Good to have you signed on.

Yes, the little checkbox that says ‘Notify me…’ doesn’t seem to do that does it?

Ask away. You has my email 🙂

[Quirine Schuyff]

I did not get an email  of a follow up reply to this thread but just by chance checked the trip list and have signed up!

I have some questions Allan. Can I email you or is there another leader to contact?

Looking forward to it!

[Former Member]

Long before my time we (the club) had information sheets on destinations. This is the one we have on file for God’s Pocket.

[Former Member]

Hi John and welcome back!

Your WW skills will be very helpful in rough water. Where river running teaches you how to read the water to find the best line, sea kayaking teaches you to anticipate the weather, wind, tides, and currents to manage a safe passage and make efficient mileage.

God’s Pocket – This is within reach of a paddler with solid skills without a guide, but the it’s best to know the facts. The park is situated at the north end of Vancouver Island, where Queen Charlotte Strait opens up to the weather and waves of the North Pacific. Though it sits in the lee of Hope, Nigel, and Balaklava islands, wind and swell sweep down Goletas Channel and the Strait onto the islands. It is used regularly by Paddle Canada courses for level 2 and 3 certification because you can rely on that swell to practice rescues in. Access to the park requires a 3 NM (1 hr) crossing of Goletas Channel, though you can take a break at 40 minutes if you stop at Duncan Island.

West Coast Paddler Trip Report – 2013
West Coast Paddler Trip Report – 2017
John Kimantas: BC Coast Explorer Vol 1

None of the above should be taken as scare tactics. There are plenty of people who have paddled around God’s Pocket in benign conditions. Since you can’t guarantee those conditions, having better judgement and skills simply increases the range of conditions that you find manageable.

Johnstone Strait and Robson Bight – in some ways, Johnstone Strait (and specifically the Bight) are more dicey propositions than God’s Pocket. This is due to the interaction of wind and current on Johnstone Strait. If you have them crossing each other, you get short, nasty chop which a miserable to punch through. There are launch locations all along the Strait. The ones with highway access are Telegraph Cove on the north end and Kelsey Bay at Sayward around mid-point. The rest are accessed by Forest Service Road — get a copy of the BC Backroads Map Book for the area you are interested in.

Robson Bight itself is closed to the public, but you can paddle up to the eastern boundary from Naka Creek Forest Recreation Site. It’s about 40 minutes of paddling up to the boundary.

If you want to see orca, you can plan a 3-5 day trip out of Telegraph Cove out around Hanson Island, Blackfish Sound, and Swanson Island. To be fair, there are all kinds of animals to be seen around the Broughtons.

Down here where I live, there are many 2-3 day routes I could suggest, as well as 4-8 day trips as well. Try circumnavigating Sonora, Quadra, Maurelle, Read, or Cortes islands. All will challenge your planning and paddling skills to be able to catch slack at well known tidal rapids. If you want to try surfing standing waves, you’ll want to check out Surge Narrows.

Beyond our club resources, you should be aware of the BC Marine Trails map (bcmarinetrails.org) which shows many sites logged in John Kimantas’ guidebooks as well as those contributed by other volunteers. If you are willing to report back information on areas that need scouting, you may even get map information on sites not yet listed.

There are also useful links listed on their website here: https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/links/resources-to-help-plan-your-trip#helpful-links

[Former Member]

Hi Allan, I will take u up on our offer on ideas and info.  We are planning a trip w 3 boats to God’s Pocket 3rd week of August.  Do you know it and have any info?

I also have some connections at Telegraph Cove and am looking for info on paddling Robson Bite and Johnstone Straight.  What are your thoughts on tide and wind issues and best access for more info?  I have been told there is camping at Boat Bay on Cracroft Island and Kailash (sp) Beach but neither of those show up on free map apps.  I’m looking for people to paddle those areas with in earlier August.  I have just rejoined SKA BC after a lapse of a few years.

I’m fit, can easily swim an open water mile.  I have ww canoe and kayak paddling experience (several years with the Beaver Canoe Club and their adventures), also around BC, Washington, Oregon and Idaho but that was 6yrs ago. I do not have a sea kayak roll – at 65 I get very disoriented under water these days.

I’ve been to Broken Group twice, Bowron many times in kayak and canoe, and took the Thormonby SKABC weather course with I forget his name. I have taken a ww river rescue course once and w a refresher.

I would gladly join a group paddling in another area than mentioned above if it was the right fit.  I just bought a new Seaward boat and am looking forward to having some fun.

Thanks so much for your ideas!

[Author]

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