June 19 - PC Intro Course (#46)

Tom and I taught a Paddle Canada Introduction to Kayaking course with 7 participants. They were a good bunch and we made steady progress with their skills - all passed! Conditions were a tad windy so we tucked up by the yacht club for all the strokes and wet work. Mike and Jennie helped out as well as they wanted to observe a course.

2 km, YTD 490 km

May 21-23 - Gulf Islands (#s 35-37)

I co led a trip with our grade 11 students from Ladysmith to Portland Island. As I had to get to work on Tuesday, I left them behind at Portland and made my way to Swartz Bay.
We began the trip in drizzle in Evening Cove, near Ladysmith and paddled over to Thetis. Unfortunately the gap was dry and we had to do a short portage. We then went over to Reid Island where we saw a beutiful flower covered island that we decided not to camp on ( a combination of probable habitat damage and dificulty beaching kayaks). We made our way south to Chivers Point on Wallace which remarkably only had one other group there so there was plenty of room for us. An 18 km day. The next day we made our way south to Prevost Island by way of a stop at Walker Hook. The wind picked up a little bit in the afternoon, slowing down our progress. Camping at Prevost was excellent. A 19 km day. On the third day the group made its way to Arbutus point on Portland Island. We made excellent progress, arriving at Arbutus point (15 km) by noon. Peter paddled out to Arbutus point to meet me and we paddled on back to Swartz head (8 km). The rest of the group will make their way to Tulista Park on Tuesday.
Conditions were great, the group was great and I was working with two other wonderful guides Toni and Nick.

The whole route - click to enlarge

Day 1 - click to enlarge

Day 2 - click to enlarge

Day 3 - click to enlarge

The trip photo album
Total trip for me 60 km, YTD 445km

September 25 - Race Rocks (#93)

Dan and I co led a SISKA "adventurous" paddle out to race Rocks. As things turned out the conditions were excellent: sunshine, little wind, low currents and an experienced group of 14. The sea lions at the Race were spectacularly noisy! We had coffee at the new Pedder Bay coffee house afterwards. Nice set up and definitely convenient!

17 km, 9 NM, YTD 909 km

September 19th - James Island (#91)

I joined David, David, Don, John and Dennis for a VSKN paddle around James Island. The forecast was for rain and it poured as we left Cadboro Bay, but by the time we got to Island View Beach, the rain had stopped and the fog was lifting and the wind was light! We had a nice paddle around the island and lunched on a beach (below high tide of course!) on the east side of James. There was a bit more wind and wave action on the south of James as we made our way back to the launch. We had sunshine by lunchtime - another surprisingly nice day on the water!

16 km, 9 NM, YTD 890 km

August 22 - KFAC Victoria _ Brentwood Bay (#77)

I helped Don lead a group of 28 paddlers on the 3rd annual Kayak for a Cure Victoria paddle out of Brentwood Bay. The winds were a bit on the strong side, so we had to slog a bit to get from Willis Point to McKenzie Bight and decided not to cross over to Spectacle Falls. 4 of the group decided to turn back at willis point, but the rest of us had a great paddle and the event raised over $11000 for Cancer reserach! On the way back we had a very relaxed "amble" into Todd inlet.It was great to connect with some of last years paddlers as well as Bill and Heather!
If you are interested in donating to the cause, feel free to go to http://kayakforacure.org/2010-events/victoria/.

15 km, 8 NM, YTD 768 km

June 20th - Chatham Islands (#51)

click to enlarge

I took Mary, Tim, Fraser and Charlotte for a paddle out to the Chatham Islands. Conditions were cool but calm and pleasant and we had a very nice paddle as well as a picnic in "no name"/"swing" bay. We saw guillemots, auklets, plent of geese, seals and herons.
11 km, 6 NM, YTD 592 km

January 30 - Rum Island (#10)

Dan, Mike and I set out nice and early from Amherst to paddle out to Rum Island. Conditions were calm with light rain and I was paddling my Shadow. There was a reasonably strong current ebbing between Dock and Forrest, but we made it past the north end of Forrest and then caught the flow to Gooch. It was neat to see all the sandstone and conglomerate formations again. Mike broughht out his large Kelly kettle and we had hot water and some very welcome hot chocolate! It feels good to have 10 paddles and almost 150 km under my belt by the end of January!

19 km, 10 NM, YTD 146 km.

Some more Kelly kettle shots are  posted at: http://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20100130_rum#

December 20th- Chatham Discovery Islands (#112)

Paulo, Dan and I went for another paddle out to our favourite islands. The predicted winds and rain did not materialize so conditions were great. We had fun playing in the currents off Chatham and then did a figure of eight around the islands. I saw Harlequin ducks, Black Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones, Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, Bald eagles, Otters (family of 12!). I was paddling the NF Shadow.

18 km, 10 NM, YTD 1330 km

December 19th - Esquimalt Harbour (#111)

Monica and I joined 27 other paddlers at the CFB sailing club beach to paddle across the harbour, up to the falls on Millstream and back to 6 Mile pub for the SISKA Christmas paddle and party. Conditions were great – no wind and no rain and not too cold! The paddle and party were a great success.

Some of my photos are posted at: http://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20091219_siskaxmaspaddle#  and some of Michel’s are at: http://picasaweb.google.ca/MIchel.the.kayak.guy/SISKAChristmas2009#

 Yours truly with a silly hat!

 a full beach

 Coal Island

9 km, 5 NM, YTD 1312 km

Nov 7th - Oak Bay (#102)

Dan, Dennis and I set out from Caddy Bay to paddle around Chatham, Discovery and Trial Islands. We though we would have a significant current assist, but we only had it for a bit…  As we set out from the bay there were a couple of sailboats on the beach that had washed ashore in the recent blows. I am glad I brought mine in a few weeks ago. We had good weather, no significant wind and sun for most of the time except for the last half hour or so were we had some hail and heavy rain (for a few mins). It was neat to do a paddle with such a high tide – new places to paddle over! I took the NF Shadow for a change and it performed well. We had a nice lunch break in sunshine on the north Trial islet.

 rain and hail by Gonzales point. boat on caddy bay beach!

 22 km, 12 NM, YTD 1194 km

 

July 7th - Chatham Island (#61)

I paddled the Shadow around to Telegraph Cove to meet Gordin and then we both went for a turn around Chatham. It was a great low tide and we had to pick our way carefully between Chatham and Discovery. On my way back, I went for a spin around the moored boats in Cadboro Bay and stopped for a few minutes at the Hunter19.

Today’s route

As an aside from paddling, I took the Hunter out yesterday for it’s first “motor” since getting a new outboad and did an hour or “running in”. It cruises nicely with the 4HP.

20 km, 11 NM, YTD 657 km

June 28 - Chatham Islands (#55)

I led a SISKA paddle to the Chatham Islands today. Conditions were magificent and we had a group of 18 in all. Winds were predominantly 0–5 knots with occasional gusts to 10 knots (see http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=IBRITISH32) and there was a steady ebb current in Baynes. We had a delightful lunch break on a SE facing beach on Chatham. John Kimantas was along as a club guest and brought along a Delta 16 to try.

15 km, 8 NM, YTD 588 km

June 13 - Gonzalez Point (#48)

Monica and I joined a relaxed SISKA padle from Cadboro Bay to Gonzalez Point and back over to Cadboro Point. I was paddling my Shadow and Monica the F1. Conditions were magnificent and we had a delightful paddle along the shore and through both marinas. Lunch was at the bay south of Turkey Head. Unfortunately, I was using my old etrex legend in a waterproof box under my deck bungies and some how it slipped out without me noticing. Fortunately Dave O the leader gave me a copy of his track log.

15 km , 7 NM, YTD 516.

March 12 - Cadboro point (#14)

Gordin, Logan, George and I set out for an afternoon paddle in Cadboro Bay. Logan was visiting from Whitehorse. We paddled out to the point and played in the building waves for a short while and then came back to Cadboro Point light where we found the keel of the magic bullet exposed at low tide. We then paddled over towards cattle point and then back through RVYC to have a look at the Magic Bullet itself (sans keel). Nice conditions – great sunshine and a light wind.

9 km, 5 NM, YTD 140 km.

I am off to Manzanita to spend a week building a skin on frame kayak with Brian Schulz of Cape Falcon Kayak. Hope to have some construction and padling reports as the week progresses!

March 1st - Ogden point (#12)

Heike, John, Paolo and I set out early from Caddy Bay and made our way to near Ogden Point for lunch. On the way out we had the tide and wind with us (I had the spirit sail up most of the time) but the wind was against us for most of the return journey. However, the tide turned around our lunch time so we had a little current hel on the way back too. The forecasted SE gales did not materialize thankfully and we had a good day’s paddle!

at the end of the day on Caddy Bay beach

you can see quite a difference in outward and returnm track sppeds!

25 KM, 13 NM, YTD 151 km.

Feb 22 - Oak Bay (#10)

At the drop of a hat, I joined the SISKA paddle that was leaving from caddy bay and we did a nice paddle out to Cadboro Point and then over to Oak Bay and back along the shore. 10 of us had a very nice paddle and the wind on the way was not too strong. I was paddling the Shadow and enjoyed having it out. There was some unusual “bumpy” water between cadboro point and Jemmy Jones and a suprising amount of swell (perhaps 3 feet) coming from the SE as we paddled over to Oak Bay. We stopped by to view the Hunter 19 (which I have now made an offer on!) and had lunch on the beach by the marina. The beach south of Turkey head was a bit surfy so we decided to go for the calm landing.

14 km, 8 NM, YTD 115 km

Feb 21- Oak Bay (#9)

I managed to get virtually the entire Jackson fleet of kayaks out today. Jack and Mary were visiting from Alberta and Monica and Seasonn joined us for a paddle to Oak Bay marina. We had the Passat, the Shadow, the Sirocco and a Feathercraft out and all performed well. I had not paddled the Passat in a while and it was good to “renew acquaintance”. We wended our way along the west shore of Caddy Bay to Cattle point and then went over to Mary Todd Island and then through the marina. I put up the large spirit sail on the Passat and it did a good job, getting us up over 10 kph. We stopped off by the yachct sales where I scoped out a 19 ft hunter sailboat that I am planning to buy… We had to fight a fairly solid head wind on the way home and we made it back after two hours of paddling.

9 km, 5 NM, YTD 101 km.

Jan 31 - Portland (#6)

I decided to get out of my “home turf” and head out of Amherst, Sidney, with Dan and John. We had a great paddle in good conditions, fighting a bit of a head wind on the return. We met up with Dennis and Sue on Portland and joined them for lunch.

Saw some nice innukshuks on the north side – photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20090131_portland

21 km, 11 NM, YTD 77 km.

Jan 18 - Maynard Cove (#4)

Monica and I went for a morning paddle out to Maynard Cove and back. It was bright and sunny and beautiful, though a bit chilly with a north wind.

I couple of photos from the day:

more photos posted at: http://picasaweb.google.ca/mhjackson123/20090118_maynardcove#

7 KM, 4 NM, YTD 42 km