November 29 - Discovery Island (#33)

Dan, Paulo and I went for an early paddle (0800 start) so we could get back in time for the SISKA lunch. Conditions were great - a little current against us but not too bad and no wind to speak of. I could see Mt Rainier and Mt Baker. We kept up a good pace (avg 6.1 kph, just over 3 knots) and I was back at the beach in 2 hours 25 minutes. There were a couple of noisy California Sea Lions on the west side of Chatham and then some noisy Steller sea lions (and one California) on the rock by Seabird Point. All the sea lions seen were males.

We had the usual birds: https://ebird.org/checklist/S286720019

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15 km, YTD 364 km

November 26 -Discovery (#32)

I organized a Wednesday Group paddle for 12 of us to leave from Caddy Bay (where else!) and head out to the islands. The winds were light and the tide levels high so we visited lagoons and passages that are otherwise impassable. The currents were not too tricky, though they seemed stronger for the return across Baynes Channel.The cacti in Cactus Islet Inlet were still there and seem to be doing well in spite of their position so close to the water. We had lunch in Rudlin Bay. We saw plenty of birds: (https://ebird.org/checklist/S286288322)as well as both Steller and California sea lions and harbour seals.

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17 km, YTD 349 km

22 November - Discovery Island (#31)

 I paddled out to Cadboro Point to join Dan and Paulo for a paddle around the islands. I could just make out the tip of Mt Rainier above the Puget Sound clouds! Conditions were good with favourable tides and light winds. I however was out of shape and my back was not happy - too much time out of the "saddle"?

It was good to see the winter birds in full swing - 19 species https://ebird.org/checklist/S285687706

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15 km, YTD 332 km

Australia paddles (26-30) October 2025

Monica and I were in Australia for two months and I managed to get 5 paddles in... I am going to post about them in one go. Prior to this there were too many crocs (salties), sharks or wind!

Wellington Reservoir 9 km

My first paddle was on Wellington Reservoir. It took me quite a while to get the TRAK set up and I made a few mistakes in the process. But it was great to get out

Kalgan River 11 km

This was delightful early morning river paddle. The river and launch were only about 30 m from our motorhome site!

Walpole inlet 7 km

Another nice morning paddle - a bit more of a trek from the campsite!

Augusta 7 km

Yet another great morning paddle - launch site was metres away from the motorhome - saw dolphins in the harbour as I was heading back

Perth 12 km

I joined Gillian from the Swans Paddle club for a morning paddle in Perth Harbour - great morning and we saw dolphins twice!

Total for 5 paddles 46 km, YTD 317 km

August 9th - Oak Bay (#25)

I went for another solo paddle to Oak Bay in the F1. Conditions were great with sunshine and a helpful current both ways. saw some murrelets, oystercatchers, geese and plenty of seals en route.

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9 km, YTD 248 km

August 7th - Oak Bay (#24)

I paddled along the coast to Oak Bay and back. I had to paddle against wind and current on the way out  and had some help on the way back. Saw several black oystercatchers and heard a belted kingfisher.

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9 km, YTD 239 km

August 2nd - Discovery Island (#23)

I led a SISKA paddle out to the islands with a nice group of 12 others. We started off with a mild flood and ended with a mild ebb, but there was a moderate 10-15 kt SW wind throughout (except when we were in the lee of the islands). We had lumpy water crossing Baynes each way but not too bad. After lunch I decided to stay in the lee of the islands rather than round the SW corner  where it was facing the wind and waves. A beautiful sunny day on the water! We had some nice birds (14 species noted!) https://ebird.org/checklist/S264601713

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17 km, YTD 230 km

July 30 - Cadboro Bay (#22)

I took the starboard SUP out so that I could dump some salmon carcasses in deep water...  Results of a successful fishing trip!

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1 km, YTD 213 km

July 20 - Discovery (#21)

I paddled out to Cadboro Point to join Dan and Paulo for a paddle around the islands. Great conditions and a lovely day on the water. Birding highlight was seeing a bunch of rhinoceros auklets while crossing Baynes. https://ebird.org/checklist/S261510669

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15 km, YTD 212 km

July 17 - Telegraph Cove (#20)

I led a very small SISKA group (just Craig, Rod and myself) for a  "light" paddle from Caddy Bay to telegraph Cove and back. WE made it comfortably in two hours and I was home for lunch!

Not a lot in the way of birds: turkey vultures, Canada geese and Black Oystercatchers.

Conditions were very nice with a gentle ebb current throughout, sunshine and calm seas. Visibility was not great - could not see Rainier and could barely see Mt Baker.

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10 km, YTD 197 km

May and June - Haida Gwaii (#19)

I did a bunch of short paddles in Haida Gwaii while working on board MV Cascadia with Maple Leaf Adventures... 

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Murchison Island - June 3 - 3 km

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Rose Inlet - June 4 - 3 km

De La beche Inlet - June 6 - 2 km

June 9 Thurston Hbr 3 km

June 9 De la Beche - 1.5 km

June 10 De La Beche - 2 km

June 11 - Ikeda Cove - 2 km

June 12 heater Harbour - 3 km

9 paddles (counting as one!)

23 km, YTD 271 km

April 15 & 17 - Anutz Lake (#17&18)

Bill and I went for two morning paddles on Anutz Lake. We were camped there for four nights and visited Little Hosun Caves and took a day trip to Alert Bay. The lake was windy at times (especially in the afternoon) but we managed to find some low wind windows! The part of Atluck Creek that goes to Nimpkish Lake was neat and it was very lumpy in Nimpkish Lake (hence the turnaround!). We saw loons, mergansers, buffleheads and bald eagles as well as Pacific wrens, robins and varied thrushes on shore. It was a lovely lake to paddle around!

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12 km combined (*+4), YTD 178 km

April 6 - Telegraph Cove/Bay to Margaret Bay (#16)

I led a SISKA relaxed paddle from Telegraph Cove/Bay to Margaret Bay along the Gordon head coastline. We were 12 paddlers and enjoyed a nice shoreline paddle. We had occasional showers and very little wind, though there was a 1ft confused sea which made for lumpy water in places. I noted 10 bird species (https://ebird.org/checklist/S223541672) along the way - the white-winged scoter was the most unusual for me. The beach in Margaret Bay was a bit sloppy so we had lunch in Vantreight Cove. We finished early and 9 of us were able to join up for coffee at Moka House after.

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10 km, YTD 166 km

April 5th - Cadboro Point (#15)

Jennie and I went out for a short morning paddle to check out the kayak she wants to buy - A Norse Isun - and we went out to Cadboro Point and back. We saw Yves and Patti and Julie about to launch out of Maynard Cove and had a nice catch up chat while Jennie tested the kayak out - looks like a nice kayak! We saw a nice selection of the usual birds: yellowlegs, bufflehead, goldeneye, hooded merganser, harlequin duck and glaucous-winged gull.

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6km, YTD 156 km

April 2nd - Discovery Island (#14)

I organized a "Wednesday Group" paddle out to the islands and we (12 of us) had a great day on the water. there was a strong ebb running in the morning so we decided to head south from Cadboro Point to take advantage of the current. The grey section in the track is where we were going over 10 kph! There was a bit of lumpy water in Baynes, but not too bad. There were a lot of black oystercatchers around - I saw over 60 during the paddle! The usual Steller sea lions were on the rock off Seabird Point. We stopped for lunch in Rudlin Bay and then had coffee at Moka House after.

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17 km, YTD 150km