2013.06.250 - 2013 MEC Victoria Paddlefest

You couldn't ask for a better day for a Paddlefest. Well, you could, but that would be greedy.
In the midst of an incredible run of sunny weather, Louise, Paula, Bernie (yes, even Bernie!) and I arrived at Willows Beach for the 2013 version of the MEC Victoria Paddlefest.
And it was a picture-perfect day, unlike last year's "Fog-fest."
But bright sunny skies made for a big turn-out this year, as we bumped into old friends and paddling buddies.


There were already a lot of kayaks in the water when we arrived....

...so we headed up the beach to check displays and boats. Here Louise and Paula watch as a potential customer checks out a boat.


Paula chatted up the Necky rep for a bit....

...then headed out on Ocean River's Discovery Island tour....

...so Louise and I tried out some boats.

Louise headed out in a Sterling Reflection on loan for the day from one of The Hurricane Riders.
No sooner had Louise got in the kayak, then our friend Mark rolled up onto the beach in another Reflection. He and Louise traded notes while I continued to practice the art of taking unflattering photos of kayakers.

While Louise was out in the Reflection, I took a Sterling Grand Illusion out. These are nicely outfitted and sturdy boats. And insanely light to carry.

Next, Louise took out a Tahe Marine boat. I didn't catch which model it was, but I think it's a Reval.

Louise wasn't as keen on it, and didn't like the seat very much. I took a Boréal Design Epsilon C300 out for a spin and quite enjoyed it.

All in all, a gorgeous day at the beach.


Trip length: .42 km
YTD: 29.03 km
More pictures are here.

2013.05.249 - Flying Our Flag

Many of our North American readers may have noticed that there is a heat wave going on. Here on the southern tip of Vancouver Island we may not be melting under the insane temperatures the southern U.S. is getting, but we are suffering under abnormally high temps here, too. Okay, I am suffering, not we. Apparently some people like record-breaking heat. I don't. Give me snow over a heatwave any day.
Yesterday's high of 30.8C was not a record breaker, but it was very close, and today's 29.8C temp was a new record, and the humidex means it felt like 32C. That's official "I-feel-like-I'm-dying-weather."
But it's Canada Day, and a little hot weather isn't going to stop us from flying the flag during our annual Canada Day paddle down The Gorge.


Louise and I rolled the kayaks down the hill to our local put in on The Gorge. Paula was going to join us but was running late, so we watched to local Canada Day parade pass by.


Yes, the Saanich Police Department employs the latest in modern crime-fighting technology.


Just as the parade ended, Paula appeared and set to work inflating her kayaking. Louise and I went for a little paddle as Paula got ready. Louise did some stroke practice and enjoyed a quiet moment of tranquility having a little float...

...while I watched a heron in its favourite fishing spot.


I figured that I might as well get as many pictures of the heron as I could as this would probably be the only wildlife we would see today. Most of the birds in the area don't like the huge crowd we get in this area on Canada Day and seem to either hide or just go somewhere else.

Faster than you can say "Pierre Poutine," Paula was ready and we headed out. Even though we were out early, we could already feel the heat rising. Even the cool breeze we were picking up on the water was slowly being overpowered by the rising temperature.


We made it to the new Craigflower bridge construction site before deciding to turn around. We still wanted to visit the 1.5 kilometer-long Gorge Canada Day Block Party before it got so hot that we melted into puddles.

And something was attracting me onto shore....


First, we checked out some classic cars. Anyone remember this one?

It's not the original...but it's a darn fine copy.

If you wanted to experience some more cultured fare, there were dancers...

...singers...

...and rockers.


If communing with nature was more your style, you could hang out with a marmot instead.

Or you could take your best friend kayaking.


And what could be more Canadian than a giant game of road hockey? On course, if you're going to play goal on the hottest Canada Day on record, you better dress the part, right?


Trip length: 4.20 km
YTD: 28.62 km
More pictures are here.

2013.04.248 - Babies on Parade

We haven't had much luck getting organized for paddling so far this year. But today was a beautiful sunny Sunday and Louise and I were able to squeeze in a quick paddle on our home waters of The Gorge today.

And here's the first picture taken with my new GoPro 3 that I got for my birthday present. Thanks everyone for chipping in to help me get it. (You know who you are.)


Actually, it wasn't the first picture taken with the GoPro. Indy was very curious it about when I first turned it on. The first picture is really this one:


Anyway, we put in and with the current approaching a low tide slack...

...we took a little spin on the normally fast-running waters under the Tillicum Bridge. Here we saw a seal head popping up now and then as it hunted for a fishy breakfast.

It can sometimes be total unpassable here as the inlet narrows, bottling up the water when the tide changes, creating thrashing white water and standing waves.

Heading back, we saw a heron taking advantage of all the fish being scared under the bridge by the seal. He wasn't going hungry.


We paddled across to check out what we call The Iron Man, a large sculpture on a dock. We were pleased to see that repairs had made to its wings that received some damage over the winter. We also spotted something else you don't see everyday....

... a heron with a mohawk.

He flew off and landed ahead of us and did some fishing, losing his hairdo as the water slicked her feathers back.


Further up The Gorge, we paddled by a gaggle of geese, including a few babies.

I've seen this movie! It's Jurassic Park!

A pair of swans is nesting nearby and daddy swan decided that the geese were a little to close to the nest. Obviously taking lessons from a cat, he made himself look big...

...and gave a goose...well, he gave the goose a goose. Mom swan appeared to be nesting nearby on the shore but there were no signs of any baby swans.


We approached Craigflower Bridge. Or what's left of it. Although many pilings remain, most of the roadbed is gone as the bridge is demolished to make way for a replacement.

The last remnants of the roadbed are behind Louise.

Two temporary crossing have been built while the bridge is being replaced: a temporary footbridge for pedestrians and a construction bridge. The project is expected to be finished by the end of the year.



We visited another pair of nesting swans. And this time we saw some babies.


Oh, they're so cute! Squee!

I snapped some pictures, and then we headed back...

...stopping only to admire the baby geese again.


Trip length: 6.20 km
YTD: 24.42 km
More pictures are here.

2013.03.247 - Sunny Day

The weather this March has not been great. Rainy, windy, generally blah days. But today it's 13 degrees and sunny, a gorgeous spring day, and a good Friday by any definition.
The sluggish start to our paddling year continues as Louise is struggling with some small joint aches and pains. But smiles come easy on a gorgeous day like this even if you aren't feeling one hundred percent.


Today we rolled our kayaks down the hill and hit the Gorge for a little paddle. Almost immediately, the local swans swam by to check us out.


We noticed last year that the top of what we call "Cormorant Tree" had broken off. We called it that because local cormorants would sit in the tree and spread their wings to dry them. This year, we see that they've moved to another tree to dry off in.


We moved up The Gorge and paddled under the Craigflower Bridge into Portage Inlet. Take a good look, this might be one of the last pictures you'll see of the bridge as construction of the replacement begins soon. The electrical wires have already been moved and traffic detours begin next week.


We paddled by the local swans....

...who nest here every year. Maybe we'll see some baby swans in a couple of months.


Of course, we aren't the only ones hoping to see some fluffy swan babies in the future.

But today the eagle seemed content to just enjoy the sun as we paddled by.

With the tide ebbing, we didn't get too far into the other half of the inlet as the inlet shallowed out and we scraped the sandy bottom. So we turned around and let the current take us back.



Trip length: 6.82 km
YTD: 18.22 km
More pictures are here.