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!
 |
| click to enlarge |
8 km, YTD 445 km
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
 |
| click to enlarge |
19 km, YTD 437 km
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.
 |
| click to enlarge |
7 km, YTD 418 km
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.
 |
| click to enlarge |
13 km, YTD 411 km
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!
 |
| click to enlarge |
7 km, YTD 398 km
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
 |
| click to enlarge |
9 km, YTD 391 km
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.
 |
| click to enlarge |
17 km, YTD 382 km
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)
 |
| click to enlarge |
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!
 |
| click to enlarge |
2 km, YTD 348 km
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
 |
| click to enlarge |
I paddled over to Turkey head by the Oak Bay Beach Hotel (about 4 km) to help lead a SISKA "energizer" paddle. The original intention was to paddle to Gonzales Bay but it seemed like there was a stiff westerly so we opted to stay in Oak/Cadboro Bay. Lots of the usual birds: https://ebird.org/canada/checklist/S84231389. My paddle ended up being about 8 km longer than everyone else's due to the back and forth!
 |
| click to enlarge |
24 km, YTD 331 km
Dan and I went for an afternoon SUP around the bay and encountered very nice almost windless conditions. It is neat how much more one sees of life under water from a SUP versus a kayak due to the angle.
 |
| click to enlarge |
6 km, YTD
I led a group of SISKA paddlers on a "light" paddle around the bay. It was a nice relaxed jaunt around the bay. When we rounded Cadboro Point we encountered a stiff northerly breeze and lumpy water, so I decided to take the groups over to Jemmy Jones and the other side of the bay. It was nice to have Monica join me! We saw most of the usual birds: https://ebird.org/canada/checklist/S84104872 (17 species)
 |
| click to enlarge |
8 km, YTD 301 km
I paddled over to Staines Island to meet Fraser and we went for a nice paddle in the rain! The wind was low but the current was building and the water in Baynes was getting lump. So we decided to paddle over towards Cattle Point. Shortly after we left Chatham I spotted a strange animal... It was a sea otter, which I have not seen in this area for years! The birding was also good! https://ebird.org/canada/checklist/S84045510
 |
| click to enlarge |
12 km, YTD 293 km
I paddled out to Cadboro Point to meet Dan and Paulo for a paddle around the Islands. Conditions were magnificent - little wind and little current. The birding was good with 23 species observed ( I did count some birds on land!)https://ebird.org/canada/checklist/S83967492 It was nice to see a couple of marbled murrelets in Rudlin bay. We saw that the wolf sculpture was being installed on the Cheryl and David's property by seabird Point. It looks great! We had a nice break on a beach in Rudlin Bay. I saw and heard a song sparrow and a white-crowned sparrow.
 |
| The wolf sculpture is being installed - click to enlarge |
 |
| Steller sea lions on the rock by Seabird Pt - click to enlarge |
 |
| Black turnstones and Surfbirds by seabird point - click to enlarge |
 |
| Three nice kayaks on the beach - click to enlarge |
 |
| My track - click to enlarge |
17 km, YTD 281 km
Posts
All Comments
