2013.02.246 - Unexpected Visitors

Louise and I are struggling to get into paddling after our long lay-off over the fall and winter. But one thing guaranteed to help get a person back into paddling shape is to get out and, you know, paddle.

This morning, we had a bit of free time so we rolled the kayaks down the hill and put in for a quickie up The Gorge.

The air still has a bit of a bit of a chill to it, and some rain and wind is due in tomorrow, but the morning sun was bright and warm as it heralded the arrival of spring. Soon. We hope.

As we headed out, this paddled by. I may be mistaken, but it sure looks like a hollowed-out log. If it isn't, it's sure built to look like one. We did not get a chance to ask the paddler about it, alas.


With the current not looking too bad, we decided to paddle under the Tillicum Bridge.

There was a slight current going under, but a few moments later when we turned to go back, the current's speed had increased substantially. It wasn't enough to be a concern or worry that we couldn't return, but it was a bit of a workout, and another reminder that conditions on the water do not remain static.

Across The Gorge from our launch point, we spotted a pair of swans hanging out with some ducks. I've been noticing this pair hanging out here for a few weeks now and I'm hoping that they're going to nest in the area. They didn't pay us much attention as we paddled by.


This merganser didn't pay us much attention either.


Paddling up The Gorge, we approached the bridge at Admirals Road. (The road across the bridge is Admirals Road, but the bridge is called Craigflower bridge. Go figure.) Take a good look at the bridge -- by this time next year it will be replaced by a brand new bridge. Construction is slated to start in July and in addition to causing traffic chaos in the neighbourhood, it may put a kink in any summer paddles into Portage Inlet.


But we had no such worries today. We passed under the bridge into the inlet, avoiding the lines of the few herring fishermen aligned along the bridge's railings.


We weren't having a comfortable paddle. We'd forgotten one of our cardinal rules, which is "No eggs for breakfast on a paddling day!" The eggs, although delicious, were putting in a repeat performance. Not so yummy the second time. I was also feeling stiff and sore in the boat today. Just one of those paddles when you and the boat aren't communicating very well.
We checked out the Portage Inlet swans at their usual spot....

...as well as a duck that paddled by.


With both of us feeling a little off, we headed back to our launch point.


As we landed and began packing, I looked up and saw that the first two swans we had encountered at the start of our paddle had swam across The Gorge to check us out. "Turn around," I said to Louise.

These two were clearly very tame and it seemed like they were begging us for food. One of them was making a chirping-like noise.

They hung around with us for a good ten minutes. Every time I grabbed my camera dry bag, they moved in closer hoping that I was digging out something for them to eat. Finally they realized we had nothing for them, and they continued on their way. And we prepared to push our kayaks up the hill.



Trip length: 7.21 km
YTD: 11.40 km
More pictures are here.

2013.01.245 - A Slow Start

We almost started off the kayaking year last Sunday morning, but two things stopped us. One, Louise had a slight ankle injury and wanted to rest it for a day or two, and two, the weather at our proposed launch time was -2, cloudy and breezy. For some reason, relaxing on the couch in our pajamas enjoying scrambled eggs while three furry cats snuggled up to us seemed liked a much better idea than being out on the cold Gorge in below-zero temps cracking through the ice like little icebreakers.
Yes, we're wimpy kayakers. We've told you that before.
But we could find no excuses to not kayak today, especially when the conditions at launch time were expected to be sunny and warming up quickly. Louise and I dragged the kayaks down to Cadboro Bay for a quick paddle around the bay to get our sea legs back after our long lay off. Paula was supposed to join us, but she was not to be seen on the beach.

Look at that sunshine! Sure looks warm, doesn't it? As it turned out the weathermen underestimated the cool breeze blowing in and how long it would take the cloud to burn off.
We bundled up, and the cool morning gave Louise a chance to try her new Hot Shot paddling gloves, which she liked a lot. On the other hand, I somehow managed to bring two right-handed gloves which made for an, um, interesting fit on my left hand.

Off we paddled, puttering along the south shore of Ten Mile Point.


Louise paddled past some geese that were not the least bit interested in us...

...as we moved into Sheep Cove.


A pair of merganser ducks watched us paddle by.


We paddled past the expensive homes and wondered why you would want a home with a multi-million dollar view, only to keep all your blinds closed.


We returned along the far side of Flower Island....

...and discovered we weren't the only people out on the water today.


Another merganser was hanging out with some harlequin ducks...

...while a black and white goose stood guard.


Heading back to the beach, we saw Mike Jackson and some friends heading out for a paddle around Discovery Island.
Then we saw Paula padding towards us in the little green play boat she acquired last year. (Or did she steal it from Mike? After all, his name is all over it.)

Paddle number one for the year is in the books!


Trip length: 4.19 km
YTD: 4.19 km
More pictures are here.

2012 Annual Weather Stats

It's not in my nature to get too personal on this blog. But this year has been unlike any other I've experienced, and the only stats that matter this year are ones that in our quiet moments almost bring us to tears.
In 2011, Louise lost her father. In January of this year, my extended family back east was dealt a blow as my sister lost her husband to cancer, followed a few months later by his father. Louise lost her mother to cancer in October, then my sister's mother-in-law passed away in late November. Then my sister died unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago. Louise lost both her parents in little more than a year, and two generations of my family back east were gone within ten months. So you can imagine our desire to just get this miserable year over and done with.
We have reached the age when we will start losing friends and family with unfortunate regularity. That our families would suffer so many losses in such a brief window has left us both stunned into disbelief. It's almost like one of those stories that only happens to other people. Except it's us instead.
But they're still here, as long as we remember them. And the sun still comes up each morning. (Except of course, it's winter here on the We(s)t Coast, so it's less like the sun comes up, and more like the rain clouds overhead just get lighter. But I digress.)


Our paddling year pretty much ended when Louise's mother received her diagnosis in September. But we can see that the trend towards more sunny days over time continues. The climate is changing before our eyes.



Okay, enough of that. Bring on 2013!

2012.20.244 - Rolling Clinic

Tonight Louise and I zipped down to Thetis Lake after work for a rolling clinic with Yves of Go Kayak.
Louise has never felt terribly comfortable if her kayak was anything but upside-up, but she certainly gave it her all.

Yves was a terrific teacher, and we learned a lot. Now that Louise has a boat that she really likes, it's time to get a little more serious about practicing again, and this was a good way to start.

Trip Length: .23 km
YTD: 153.34 km
More pictures are here.

2012.19.244 - Kayak For A Cure

The blazing sun of the last week gave way to clouds this morning as Louise and I headed down to Willows Beach for this year's Kayak For A Cure. We were worried about conditions as we knew there would be a number of newbie and inexperienced paddlers taking part and higher winds were supposed to be blowing in later in the day. But the winds never arrived.
We hit the beach at Willows ready to paddle. The route was from Willows Beach to Cadboro Bay, a short paddle we've done numerous times, but usually we go from Cadboro to Willows and back. I don't think we've ever done it the other way.


After the pre-paddle ceremonies and safety talk....

...and the official portrait (taken by Gwen Ewart)...

....44 paddlers hit the water. Many were cancer survivors or cancer patients.

Louise and I have never paddled in a group this big. Herding kayakers makes herding cats look easy.

A little while later we hit the beach at Cadboro Bay where everyone abandoned their kayaks and headed straight to the washrooms.

Well, no, not really. But somehow I managed to get a shot of all the kayaks with no one in them.

Returning, everyone tried to raft up so a photographer on our accompanying safety boat could get some group shots. I go back to my earlier "herding cats" comment.



After the paddle, we joined our fellow kayakers for a barbecue lunch.


We didn't paddle just for the burgers, although they were really, really good.
We didn't paddle just to raise money, although this year's event raised over $21,000.

We paddled for Sam, Jaan and Bobby.


Trip Length: 7.11
YTD: 153.11 km
More pictures are here.

2012.18.243 - Gorge@Dusk

Another warm late summer day here on the We(s)t Coast, but a change in the weather is coming, so Louise and I invited Paula to a dusk paddle on The Gorge tonight.


We launched at high tide slack. The Gorge was the smoothest we've ever seen it.


It was so calm that we paddled under the Tillicum Bridge, not something that can be done all the time. Often it's a bubbling rapid, but today it was flat and gentle.



We puttered up The Gorge towards Portage Inlet, past a heron looking for a late evening snack.


In Portage Inlet, the water was dead flat. The only other time we've seen it this flat was when it was frozen over.


We watched the sun go down, then we headed back.


Trip Length: 6.25
YTD: 146.00 km
More pictures are here.

2012.17.242 - Esquimalt Shores

It might very well be summer's last gasp, but you wouldn't know it from the sunny weather this week. Today's daytime high temperature was a smidge off the record, but we'll get another crack at it tomorrow. Then we'll cool off to more normal temperature readings over the weekend. That figures.
Louise and I are also enjoying our last gasp of vacation time and today we headed out from Albert Head, one of our favourite launch points. Usually we head southwest along the coast towards to Witty's Lagoon, but today we decided to head northeast towards Esquimalt Harbour.


But before we headed that way, we watched an otter family playing in the water.

The otters finally noticed us and swam away. It was only then that we realized that one of the otters was actually a small baby seal. It nervously checked out Louise's boat before sliding beneath the surface and swimming away.

A couple of seals watched us from shore.


We discovered what the otters were fishing for. No, not the jellyfish, although that was pretty cool, but the little fish. The little cove was swarming with them. No wonder the otters were out!


The otters climbed the rocks headed into the brush. We think there were five of them in all.


From there, we began our paddle towards Esquimalt in earnest. Mind you, we had to paddle past a few seals first.



The shoreline is mostly a long pebbly beach. Eventually the shoreline behind the beach gives way to Esquimalt Lagoon, and across the lagoon is world-famous Hatley Castle, which you may recognize as Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in the X-Men films.


At the Fort Rodd Hill lighthouse, we were planning to turn into Esquimalt Harbour....

...but as I looked across the entrance, I realized that we have never paddled along the Esquimalt shore on the other side. So instead, we crossed the harbour mouth...

...and puttered around some of the small islands on the other side. The water was crystal clear and we watched a seal swim around under our boats.

We get to check another couple of kilometers of the world's slowest circumnavigation of Vancouver Island.

As we headed back....

...the currents turned right on time. The gentle flood that pushed us out became a gentle ebb that guided us home with some gentle swells that we had fun riding, which was a welcome distraction from the man who was sitting on a log in a secluded area of the beach working on his tan. His "all over" tan.

We pulled in back at Albert Head and looked back and saw Mount Baker rising over the city. Wow.


Trip Length: 13.65
YTD: 139.75 km
More pictures are here.