Monday, June 22, 2015

June 21st - Oyama (#57)

I managed to sneak in an early morning paddle while out in Oyama for the weekend. It was nice to do a quick tour of the "south bays", check out old haunts and to stretch out a bit. Okanagan mornings are lovely!
click to enlarge
7 km, YTD 510 km

Thursday, June 18, 2015

June 14, 2015 - Angel Island (#56)

I met up with two very nice Bay Area paddlers, Jackie and Diane, for a paddle from Sausalito around Angel Island. I rented a kayak and gear from Sea Trek Kayak and SUP which was a very well organized and equipped outfitter. We had what seems to be typical SFBay cloud and wind which was generating about a 1 ft chop. The current was generally in our favour for the outbound trip and similarly for the return (thanks to good planning by Jackie!). The wind was really only against us for the after lunch return trip - bit of a slog from Belvedere back to Sausalito. There was plenty of boat traffic, views of Alcatraz, cormorants, scoters and grebes. The shoreline of Angel Island also had good geology! I was fortunate that Jackie also likes Greenland paddles and was able to lend me one of hers. It was great to get out for a paddle in the Bay area before my Galapagos symposium. Thanks so much to Jackie and Diane!
After my paddle, I took a tour around the "Bay Model" which is a 2 acre scale model of the waters of the SF Bay area made by the Corps of Engineers to study water movement in the bay.
click to enlarge
17 km, YTD 503 km

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

June 3 to 8 - Broughton Archipelago (#s 50 to 55)

Sarah, Jamie and I led a group of 11 students on a multi-day paddling excursion in the Johnstone Strait/Broughton Archipelago area. We had great weather and paddling conditions and wonderful wildlife sightings (Sea Otter, Humpback whale, Dall and harbour porpoise, black bear, mink and many bird species. I enjoyed hearing the Swainson's thrush song again - a call that I associate with west coast summer camping!
Day 1 was from Telegraph Cove to Compton Island, day 2 was a day trip to Village Island, Day 3 was a day trip around Swanson Island, Day 4 was a trip to Hanson Island and the Earth Embassy and to a campsite on the south side of Hanson, Day 5 involved crossing Johnstone strait to Blinkhorn where we too a water taxi ride to visit the Umista centre at Alert Bay, and Day 6 involved paddling back to Telegraph cove. We checked out intertidal and forest life, fish farms, first nations communities and sites and an old fishing resort, Farewell Harbour Resort, that is for sale.
click to enlarge - our whole route
756 km, YTD 486 km