April 29th - Cadboro Bay (#44)

I helped lead a SUP session for SMUS grade 8s. We did not paddle very far, but had a nice time exploring the bay! :)

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6 km, YTD 451 km

April 25th - Cadboro Bay (#43)

I went for a quick solo paddle around the bay on the surf ski. I stopped for a chat with Kellie and Eric at their new house. The sea was rippled and I saw relatively few birds. https://ebird.org/canada/checklist/S86391998 Interestingly, no buffleheads today - looks like they may have all gone!

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8 km, YTD 445 km

April 22nd _Gordon head (#42)

I paddled to Telegraph Cove to lead a club paddle out towards Gordon Head. Conditions were good and we had a nice paddle. I was not fully focused on birding, so the check list is incidental: https://ebird.org/canada/checklist/S86391771

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19 km, YTD 437 km

April 18th - Karst creek (#41)

I went for an early morning paddle around the bay in front of the Ralph River Campground (before we left to head back to Victoria). The sun had risen but had not reached the lakeshore until the end of my paddle. I saw a few common mergansers and Canada geese. It is interesting to see the root systems of all the trees that were logged before the lake was dammed.

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7 km, YTD 418 km

April 17th - Myra Falls (#40)

Bill and I went for a nice morning paddle from Ralph River campground to Lower Myra Falls. The lake was flat calm with spectacular reflections. We saw a few common mergansers and Canada geese.

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13 km, YTD 411 km

April 15th - Cape Lazo (#39)

I went for a morning paddle with Bill from the campground around Cape Lazo. We saw lots of harbour seals, heard a California Sea lion as well as lots of red-breasted mergansers and harlequin ducks. Fabulous conditions again!

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7 km, YTD 398 km

April 14th - Cape Lazo (#38)

I went for a solo morning paddle along the shore towards Goose Spit from our campground. Weather conditions were spectacular - calm and sunny. I saw quite a few common loons and red-breasted mergansers and then a flock of 1000+ scoters and long-tailed ducks

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9 km, YTD 391 km

April 10th - discovery Island (#37)

Dan and I paddled out to Cadboro Point, where we met up with Paulo for a paddle around the islands. There was not much current to begin with - a slight flood had started. By the time we got near to discovery we realized that the stiff westerly would make paddling westwards along the south shore of Discovery a challenge, we decided to paddle a figure of eight. As it turned out that was a good decision, but we paddled in some of the lumpiest water I have seen for some time! The winds at Trial were steady around 25 knots and I am sure we were paddling in 20+. When we eventually made it back I was a tad tired! I did not keep a bird checklist today... too busy paddling! By the time we were heading back, the flood was strong and between the headwind and the current, we had a hard time making it back past Cadboro Point.

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17 km, YTD 382 km

April 5th - Oak Bay to Cadboro Bay via the Islands (#36)

I joined a group organized by Gary to paddle out and around the Islands from Turkey Head/Oak Bay Marina. We made our way past the Oak Bay Beach Hotel  to Gonzales Point before heading out to the Chain group and the Islands. We had spectacular conditions and a nice lunch break in Rudlin Bay. I am not sure when I have seen so many boats out and around the Islands! The birding was good and I saw marbled murrelets in summer plumage! ( https://ebird.org/canada/checklist/S84889527)

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17 km, YTD 365 km

April 4th - Loon Bay (#35)

Jenny and I SUPed over to Loon Bay via the yacht club for a short afternoon paddle. Great conditions and a nice little paddle! The tide was way out as you can see from the starting position!

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2 km, YTD 348 km

April 3rd - Discovery Island (#34)

Dan and I went for a morning paddle around the islands. conditions were calm and we could see all of Mt Rainier to the south. There was a bit of current. The Steller sea lions were out on the rock by seabird point. There were plenty of birds around (https://ebird.org/canada/checklist/S84695457) and it was nice to still see a marbled murrelet around as well as some rhinoceros auklets

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15 km, YTD 346 km