[Michele Filion]

Hi! Recently joined SKABC. I’m in Sechelt. Any paddlers on the coast who would like to go for regular paddles?

[George Prevost]

Club member Mike Gilbert is offering a Waterfront Instructor Certification course at a discount for SKABC members.  Here are the details:

$100 discount for a Waterfront Instructor Certification course. Normally $250.00. SKABC Members pay only $150.00

This is a two day instructor course taking place at Granville Island in conjunction with Vancouver Water Adventures.
Dates: Tues July 8 and Wed July 9
Time: 0830 – 1630 hrs each day
* All Kayaks and gear provided.
Only 3 spaces left available.

Instructor is Mike Gilbert
For more information, contact Mike at:
778-835-0774 or
mgilbert@pacanticriskmanagement.com

[Heather Kirk]

I’d like to sign up but I don’t see it on the trips list as of yet.

Heather.

[Cynthia Kennedy]

Metro Vancouver Parks is looking for more volunteers.

Come help remove invasive plant species at Iona Beach Regional Park!

Located where the Fraser River meets the Pacific Ocean, Iona Beach Regional Park is known for its unique sand dune ecosystem. It is home to a rare community of sand dune plants and sits amid the Pacific Flyway – making it important habitat for over 300 species of migrating birds, as well as its year-round inhabitants.

Join us as we continue to remove invasive plants, specifically Scotch broom, in a long-term effort to restore this valuable beach ecosystem!

Where: Iona Beach Regional Park – Meet near the Iona Beach Public Washrooms. https://maps.app.goo.gl/qpDcyB1BYe55r1eK6

What: Invasive plant removal (Scotch broom)

When: July 17th, 2025

Time: 12:30-2:30 PM

We will provide you with all the information and tools needed for the work we will be doing. This includes eye protection and gloves, although if people prefer to use their own gloves they are welcome to do so. Please arrive dressed for the weather (rain or shine), in clothing that can get dirty, with appropriate footwear. Please bring water bottles and a snack if you tend to get hungry while working. We will provide light snacks and there is a water fountain nearby for refilling water bottles.

A few things to note about the site:

•            There is free parking on-site.

•            There is a hose near the washrooms for washing sand off.

•            The site is in a public area, be mindful or sharp or hazardous litter.

•            This site is exposed, sunscreen and hats are recommended if it is a clear day.

•            There is a washroom at our meeting place. The worksite is adjacent to the washroom building.

•            There is construction taking place along the entrance road to the park, expect short delays due to traffic control.

 

Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns leading up to the event.

I will send a follow up email similar to this the week before the event.

Best regards,

Lachlan McKinnon (he/him/his)

Natural Resource Management Technician, Planning & Resource Management, Regional Parks

Parks and Environment

c. 604-803-3002

 

[Nancy More]

I have provided an explanation several times of how to use hot tea to safely react with the chlorophenols that are causing the off taste.   But before I do it again, is there anyway of searching this forum for old posts?

 

[Stephen Earley]

Hello I am Interested in joining the group for Thursdays trip

I have level two  17ft yellow ellesmere

thanks Stephen Earley

[Theresa Davies]

Short notice-  Widgeon Creek and Falls this Thursday, June 26 launch at 9:30 am. See trip report from May 24- same itinerary. Have 2, be nice to get a couple more interested paddlers/hikers. Thanks

[Bob Maher]

Hello Everyone,

In regard to the Forum Link for removing foul tastes from Water Bottles using “Muriatic Acid”!

I checked with a Chemical Engineer and the below was their strong reply:

 

“This is dangerous if you don’t know how to handle acids. And that acid supply is not good grade so you don’t know what will be left.”

 

So, please do not try this and if you know of others that might try the Muriatic Acid to remove the taste from water containers, warn them.

 

[Ken Bigelow]

“Edited for safety use for anyone who is not familiar with Acids and how it reacts with HDPE materials”

For the MSR water bags. I found a way to get rid of the off taste they give when new. Add about 1 cup pure white vinegar to to the bag and swish around for a few minutes. Then neutralize the Vinegar with a mix of 1 cup of water and 250 grams of Sodium bicarbonate “Baking soda”.

Leave this solution for a few hours or even over night. Repeat a few times until you can not longer detect the taste of the new bag.

Make sure you do this over a sink or outside as the solution will make a bit of a mess when combined. Also make sure to burp the bag as the reaction will create a good amount of C02 / sodium acetate.

 

 

[Maureen Benzon]

Hi Richard,

I had water rattling inside my spare Cypress every time it got wet,

It was just seaweed or something similar blocking egress. I got a knitting needle and poked gently inside the shaft and released the debris.

No more water rattling.

Worth a try….

🙂

[Kallie Cunningham]

Stroke Tune-up and Practice session is now Saturday July 12 (9 am – noon). Deadline to register is July 4.  Four spaces left.

Currents Course deadline for minimum 4 registrants is Monday June 30. Max 6.

Please go to skabc website for details and registration.

[Richard Magill]

Does anyone know of a DIY method of removing water trapped in a paddle shaft? And keeping it out?

I have a Lendal Storm and for reasons I care not admit (okay, I accidentally picked up one half of my Storm and the other half of my wife’s Cypress), I had to put my Storm/Cypress combo on the deck and paddle with my old Corryvrecken, today.

Now I have water trapped in the shaft of one half of my Storm.

Related question…. anyone know how to get in touch with LendalNA? I went to their website and clicked on “Contact” and all I got was a “Forbidden. You do not have permission to access this page,” message.

[Bob Maher]

Patrick,

These are the “Camping Chair Feet” I bought from Amazon. They come in 14 or 16 mm (I think mine were 16mm but measure to be safe)

PATIKIL Camping Chair Foot, 4 Pack 16mm Tubing Dia Detachable Anti-Slip Stool Feet Replacement for Hiking Outdoor, Black

[George Prevost]

After trying many different alternatives over the years, I’ve settled on using several 2 litre Platypus Platy Bottles.  They’re really bags, not bottles, completely collapsible when empty and easily molded to fit into tight spaces unless they’re completely full.  Although the nominal size is 2 litres, they actually hold closer to 3 when full.  They don’t impart any taste to the water and are quite sturdy.  I’ve gotten well over 100 days out of use out of each of the ones I now have and probably more than 200 days for the two I bought first.  Over that time there’ve only been a couple of small punctures and those have been easily fixed with a bit of duct tape, which adheres well enough to make a “permanent” repair.  They’re available at MEC and many other places.

I like using multiple smaller containers for several reasons.  First, I can bring more or fewer depending on the length of the trip.  Second, it’s easier to fit several small containers into my boat than one or two larger ones.  And, third, if one springs a leak or I don’t quite close the cap properly, I don’t lose all of my water supply.  Once, before I used these, one of the two larger bags I was using was dropped as gear was being loaded at the beginning of the trip and burst.  Before we had even gotten on the water I had lost eight litres of water in an instant, half of what I was planning to use for the whole trip.

 

[Bob Maher]

I have a chair from MEC “The Ultra Light High Back Chair” very easy to fold up and store in your Hatch. Wel made.

I did go to Amazon and bought “wide flat rubber feet” that are good when you are sitting on a Sandy beach. The Flat Feet slip on the bottom of the legs .

[Author]

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