February 28th - Discovery Island (#20)

For the third time in a week, I went to Discovery! Dan Paulo and I went for an over-lunch paddle around Discovery. We started a bit later since there had been strong winds in the forecast, but they were not really happening.We ran into Lanny at Cadboro Point and then Rowan, Costain and Martin at Rudlin Bay.The trip back was a bit of a slog as there was just enough NW wind to make it hard work! As you can see from the track we made a detour in Baynes to catch some waves. I had three or four  really nice rides.

click to enlarge

16 km, YTD 195 km

February 24th - discovery Island (#19)

Dan and I went for an afternoon run a round Discovery Island. This time I was in a Greenland boat with a GP, which felt very comfortable. Quite a few eagles around Seabird Point. We stopped off near Griffin Islet to investigate a crab pot that is well-attached to the bottom - probably snagged. The currents and winds were light and the sky mostly sunny! The moving average for the trip was a more sedate 6.6 kph!

click to enlarge

15 km, YTD 179 km

February 22nd - Discovery Island (#18)

Dan and Alex joined me for a morning paddle around Discovery. Sunny and a light North wind with a strong ebb current. I used my aleut-inspired paddle and discovered that I can't get the top speed out of it. Good for cruising, but not for sprinting. I had to work hard to keep up with Alex and Dan. My average speed was 7.2 kph over the 15 km. you can see from the track that we got carried down with the current on the way back. I was pointing NW all the time, but going SW!

click to enlarge

15 km, YTD 164 km.

February 21st - Caddy Bay (#17)

I went for a Saturday afternoon "run" around the bay on the surf ski and enjoyed the February sunshine! 7.7 kph average over the 8 km is not bad. Saw some eagles on Jemmy Jones as well as many of the usual ducks. I went around the opposite way from the last time and am glad I did as the current was helping me from Jemmy Jones to Cadboro Point.

click to enlarge

8 km, YTD 149 km.

February 17th - Cadboro Bay (#16)

I went for an afternoon "run" around caddy bay in the surf ski using my Northern Lights "Aleut-inspired" paddle to see how it worked and felt. I was able to keep up a good average pace with it (7.4 kph) and it felt good to paddle with. From the track, i can see that I had the current behind me from Cadboro Point to Jemmy Jones Island and the wind in my face as I paddled back into the bay. Along the way, I saw Canada geese, American wigeon, bufflehead, Scaup, Northern Pintail, Great blue heron, and hooded mergansers.

click to enlarge

7 km, YTD 141 km

February 16th - Cadboro Bay (#15)

I went out for an afternoon paddle with my nephew Ed around Caddy Bay. It was Ed's first time out in a sea kayak and he caught on quickly. We even paddled through a 2-3 knot current getting into smuggler's cove. We saw river otters, Canada geese, buffflehead, wigeon, common and hooded mergansers, harlequin duck and great views of Baker and Rainier.

click to enlarge

7 km, YTD 134 km

February 15th - Discovery island (#14)

I paddled out to Cadboro Point and met Dan and Mike in Maynard (smuggler's) cove. We then set out across Baynes and decided to catch a few downwind waves. I got some good rides. I was using the Think wing paddle today to try it out with a Greenland boat. Incongruous though it may have been, the paddle provides substantial power and I a quite sure it helped me catch a couple of waves!
Sunny day with a 10-15 northerly breeze, minimal current.A great day out on the water!

click to enlarge

16 km, YTD 127 km

Feb 8 & 9 - Port Renfrew (#s 12 & 13)

While up in Port Renfrew for the weekend with Monica, Bill and Sharon, I was able to get out for a couple of short paddles. The first was a short paddle from our cabin at the Port Renfrew Hotel down to the mouth of the San Juan River. There was a tiny bit of surf near the point and I managed a couple of baby rides. It was nice paddling the shoreline and I managed to sneak through some slots and a cave.

click to enlarge - 3 km

The second paddle was over by the mouth of the Gordon River where Bill and I tried to play in the virtually nonexistent surf. It was fun, though decent waves were few and far between!

Click to enlarge - 3 km

6km, YTD 111 km

February 3rd - Discovery Island (#11)

Dan, Paulo and I went for a morning paddle around Discovery.  Conditions were nice and calm with a light rain and a weakening ebb current. Trip average spoeed was 7.3 kph, but I was able to maintain close to 9 kph for the last kilometre. The Big Eze is a fast kayak!

click to enlarge

15 km, YTD 105 km