[Nick Heath]

Thursday 30 Apr is the next outing. Tantalus Landing (bit of an oxymoron). This is just 3 NM from Squamish so if you were to launch there or maybe from Darrell Bay you could paddle there and back. However, a ride is offered in the skiff instead. Dress for immersion and spray. Pl let me know if coming. Nick 604 417 3447. Depart about 7:30 am.

[Nick Heath]

<h2>Free Holiday!! Expenses paid trip to W Coast Vancouver Island!!</h2>
Is there a catch? There always is at least one –  timeshare condos to tour?  investment opportunity? not at all – but there are two others conditions!

1) This is a volunteer (aka slave labour) work camp to clean up beach debris at Keith River, N Brooks.

2) You must join BCMTNA (for only $25).

Dates: 20 – 28 June 2015

Beaches to be cleaned are at Keith River, S of Lawn Pt.  Access is from Side Bay by kayak or other boat. Camp on the beach. Food provided! Travel funds provided! Helicopter or barge garbage removal transport provided!  Need max 20 willing, tough, strong self-reliant labourers! Get a tan! Meet a bear! Get personal with plastic!

This is funded by Vancouver Aquarium, using the last of the Govt of Japan funds given to the Govt of Canada for Tsunami debris remediation.

See http://www.bcmarinetrails.org for more.

[Nick Heath]

Too bad the dates clash, Randy. Thanks for the offer!. Reale from Nanaimo Paddlers has offered to lead a follow-up trip, too, if there are too many on this one, so I think a second trip is likely.

Hey, I might want to do it again, too! Bring pruners! Cheers!

[Nick Heath]

Be part of the inaugural Sea To Sky (Howe Sd) trip. The plan is to visit all 6 new sites, but we’ll be camping at just 2 sites – Bain Creek and Zorro Bay. The trip starts at Porteau Cove and ends at Squamish, just in time for the opening ceremony for the trail. Short car shuttle. Estimated  trip level is C2. First day is 12 NM (could be shortened) and the next 2 days are under 10 NM each. This is a paddle for hardy campers.  There are currently no amenities at the sites and by June that could still be so.  Also we’ll pass no stores , no restaurants, no bars, no gas stations even. Our small group might also include BCMTNA members and possibly members of other clubs who are not SKABC members. If there are more than about 6 paddlers we will split up and camp at different sites, although we might travel together at times.

[Roxanne Rousseau]

Thanks for sending this out Harald! Sorry that I missed out on this first forum trip of the year. Count me in for the next one. By for now, Roxanne

[Roxanne Rousseau]

Hi Nick, I can  help out – best days are Sundays for me – if I can carpool with another person that would be terrific. Having just finished digging for a perimeter sump I’m good to dig/move rocks/…LMK when/what next days will be. Roxanne

[Roxanne Rousseau]

Hi Susan, thanks for the info. One suggestion is some of the text is in light grey – can grey be turned to blue? I guess I’m really showing my  age and aging eyes now! Roxanne

[Roxanne Rousseau]

Hi Harald, Thanks for sharing this information and will check it out. Roxanne

[Roland Stefani]

Count me in for one day.    There isn’t much pattern to my availability.   Both weekends and weekdays are possible.  Contact me by phone or email about any particular work days you have in mind.

[Nick Heath]

Super, Randy.

Also in reply to Roland.. .yes so far we are thinking in terms of day trips only but there is nothing to stop an overnight trip – just a bit more stuff to organize.  As for paddling to a site – sure if it is a short paddle – some are just  2 or 3 NM from the launch, so you would be there in an hour, but some are about 8 NM miles from the nearest feasible launch, so by the time one reached the site it would be time to turn around and go back! If paddling to a site, one also assumes that someone is in the power boat with the tools!

 

[Roland Stefani]

Are these work parties day only, or is there over night camping involved?  And it seems transportation is by power boat, but you also mention paddling by kayak to some sites.

[Randy Chatterjee]

Count me in.  I have all the large and portable tools needed, from large wrecking bars and spades to battery-powered screw guns and sawzalls, stair-building skills, and oomph.  Availability might be more of a challenge, but I know I can spare a few days this spring, and even days of the week. – Randy

[Nick Heath]

Mick Allen and I would appreciate some help as 7 new sites in Howe Sd are being brought up to a usable standard, hopefully before the 14 June 2015 official opening day of the Sea to Sky Marine trail – project of BC Marine Trails Network Assn and Trans Canada Trail with much help from Recreation Sites and Trails BC.

We have spent months scouting and evaluating these and other sites. Now we are trying to get the 7 selected sites ready to use. We have applied for a grant to do this and hope to receive it shortly. This will enable some of the work to be done by a paid contractor. Some work will still remain for volunteers to do, and the more we can save on contractor fees, the more likely it is that we can install toilets at some sites.

So far, we spent 20 and 21 Apr rolling big rocks to create a boat run at Bain Ck and also started building an access stair up the short, steep bank at this location. This will be typical work at most sites, as well as brushing and signage. We will usually organize this work as a car day trip from Vancouver and access the site(s) in my small power boat from Porteau Cove or Squamish. Paddling to some sites is also feasible. We avoid bad weather conditions, if we can.

If you can help, please let me know your availability weekdays or weekends. You just need rugged work clothes, pfd, good rain gear and a lunch. Rubber boots too, if you don’t like wet feet! There are lighter tasks as well as those that need oomph!

Please reply to the forum. It would be great to create a small team of SKABC marine trail builders!  Howe Sd is soon going to be even more  attractive for paddlers! Nick Heath

[Harald Riffel]

Hey, this Forum is going to be great!!

H

[Susan Jensen]

This sounds amazing — count me in!

[Author]

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