Busy, Busy, Busy!!

The past three weeks have been a bit of whirlwind of activity so this post is a summary of what we have been up to. I have no idea how we manage to work full time and still find the energy and time to play but somehow it just works out.

On February 28th and March 6th we explored a location that wasn't on our radar as a place to paddle and in fact we have never paddled there before until the past few weekends. So close to home but for some reason we just didn't think there was much to see or do there .....WRONG!!!!


February 28th

Beecher Bay... The first paddle was more of an exploring tour with Kari, Dave & Ali (Blue Dog Kayaking) and Kevin & Cindy. One of the goals and reason why we decided to paddle in the bay was to find a geocache that has only been found once before.

Male Surf Scoter

Launching from Cheanuh Marina ($4 launch fee per kayak) we followed the shoreline and were amazed at the abundance of life above and below the waterline which included numerous species of birds, sea anemones and even a small octopus that Kari spotted while the two of us were exploring the Village Islands.

Just below the waterline ... an octopus!! At the bottom center there is the head and one of the eyes.

Arriving at the small bay where the geocache was hidden, I located it and got the 2nd to find honors. Sweet!! After lunch our group practiced some rolling and rescue skills on the way back to the the marina and it gave Robyn the chance to test ride a different kayak. The day before the Robyn, Kari and I visited Dave in Shawnigan Lake and arranged to swap her P&H Delphin 15.5 for a Wilderness Systems Zephyr 15.5. This paddle confirmed the deal for both of them.

Lunch stop after finding the geocache. Robyn and Dave completed the kayak swap deal here.

Robyn paddling her Wilderness Systems Zephyr 15.5 home.

2016 Paddle #6 - Beecher Bay
Distance: 5.36 nm (9.92 km)
YTD: 44.64 nm (82.66 km)



March 6th

Our second Beecher Bay paddle was more of an endurance run as Robyn, Kari, Dave, Kevin, Kerry, Ryan and I launched out of the marina again but our goal this time was to circumnavigate Bentinck Island near Race Rocks some 5 nm in the distance. Along the way we did a little rock gardening, rolling in a couple of surge channels and had lunch on a rocky islet in the middle of Eemdyk Passage.

Lunch selfie in Eemdyck Passage

After lunch we completed our circumnavigation of Bentinck Island and got a ride on the wind assisted ebb back towards Beecher Bay.

To our surprise the it was a bit of a slog paddling back into the bay as the SE winds were being funneled out to sea through the low valley between Pedder Bay and Beecher Bay.

Closer to the marina it was rolling, bracing fun with Dave and Kevin experiencing "head freeze" over and over again. We were all surprised that the water was so cold in this sheltered bay.

2016 Paddle #7 - Beecher Bay to Bentinck Island
Distance: 11.13 nm (20.61  km)
YTD: 55.77 nm (102.97 km)


March 7th

The following day I teamed up with Dave (Blue Dog Kayaking) on a Paddle Canada Basic Kayak / Level 1 course officially teaching for the first time. Up to this point I had been doing a bit of one on one skills development with people since receiving my Paddle Canada Sea Kayaking Level 1 Instructor rating last year.

It was a busy day with the on water activities taking place at the Mill Bay Marina and then heading to the Ladysmith pool in the evening to conduct the rescue portion of the training. Dave was kind enough to allow me to take the lead for the pool session and I came away from the day excited about being an instructor and look forward to what the future may hold for Gecko Paddler ;-)

I'm in the water talking a student (in Robyn's old kayak) through an assisted rescue.

March 12th & 13th

And finally ... last weekend Robyn and I joined Yves & Patti of Go Kayak for a kayak surf course in Tofino, BC. This has been something on our bucket list to do for the past couple of years and we finally managed to schedule it in.

A tasting flight of beers. I liked the Kelp Stout the best!

Staying in Tofino at Mears Vista Inn we were in walking distance to a number of really good eating locations (Shelter Restaurant and Jack's Pub) but the first thing we did was drive to the Tofino Brewing Co to sample and purchase some of there unique craft beers. And yes .... I bought the glass and shirt too!!

Gene, Robyn, Gecko Paddler, Ross, Doug and Patti 

Yves working with my broaching skills

Day 1 of the course was supposed to be held at Chesterman's Beach but the conditions weren't favorable to work on our broaching skills. So our small group consisting of Robyn, Doug, Gene, Ross and myself headed over to McKenzie Beach.












I have to admit that never really having much surf landing experience, learning how to broach or side surf was tougher than I thought. In my case I simply was trying to over power the waves by being overly aggressive with my low bracing instead of "feeling" the wave under my paddle. It was also good opportunity to work on my rolling which I was happy about. However, rolling only works when you have enough water under your kayak. LOL

Going for a ride. Extreme edging! LOL

Yeah ... I did this quite a bit that first day but I found out quickly how to read the waves better and by the end of the day managed to ride a few waves properly. BTW ... if you have the opportunity to take a Go Kayak surf course JUST DO IT!!!  It was such a great training session even though I felt it through my shoulders on Sunday and Monday.

Next up on our agenda ..... we are heading to Portland Island for the Easter weekend. Time to relax a bit me thinks!!

East Sooke Rock Gardens

A week ago Sunday we joined Dave Nichols of Blue Dog Kayaking, Kerry Davis and Kevin and Cindy Searle for a day of rock gardening out along East Sooke Park. Arriving at Whiffen Spit in the warm sunshine for a 10:00am launch we were greeted with a high tide and some significant sets of waves breaking onto the rocks below the parking lot. Assessing the situation we decided that it would be best to launch on the inside of the spit and paddle around it to reach the other side of the Sooke Inlet. No sense in starting the day off wrong by trying to surf launch when there was another option.

Reaching the east side of the inlet we noticed right away that even the relatively protected shoreline heading out of the bay that there was some pretty good energy in the waves as they reached shallower water. Usually we are able to warm up a bit by navigating through some of the islets in this area before heading out towards the open coastline near Secretary Island, but today it was simply too big to venture into some of the familiar play zones.

The "Slot" wasn't a slot today. It was just a surging mass of white water.

We paddled out to the area known as "The Slot" which is a very narrow passage with a couple of slight angles to navigate through on the inside and a gnarly rock just at the south end. Even with a bit of surge coming through, it can be a bit of a challenge but today it was just a massive boiling mess of whitewater.

We headed further south along the shoreline and even from a distance we could see some pretty big surge waves breaking over the point just before heading into Iron Mine Bay. They were big enough that we had to paddle off shore to avoid being pushed toward the rocks and at the same time avoid the clapotis waves rebounding back at us.

Entering Iron Mine Bay, Robyn and I checked out the landing area at the beach and there really wasn't any to speak of so our group decided to head further south seeking areas that we could play in. Once again most of the regular play areas were off limits as the surges were just too powerful for our group to consider.

We did find a few places to explore but it meant keeping and eye out for each other as the sets of waves sometimes exploded with fury into the features we were considering.

Kevin guides Dave through a feature using hand signals while keeping an eye out for sets of waves arriving.

All clear and Dave arrives after waiting out some big sets.

We continued our way towards the Trap Shack but the wind was predicted to change directions coming from the south east and sure enough it was starting to show itself. The group made the decision to head back into Iron Mine Bay for lunch and by this time the tide had dropped enough that we were able to land on a fairly tight beach that had just a little surf to contend with.

Just enough beach for lunch.

A little bit of surf, add some logs and seal launching makes it easier to get back on the water. :-)

After lunch we noticed that the tide had dropped a few feet since the morning and so had the energy of the waves. On the way back to the Sooke Inlet we were able to play in some areas that were off limits on the way out. Still ... there were some places that were just a little bit iffy and I found out the hard way.

One of my favorite places to practice looked pretty good and after watching a few sets of waves I headed into a narrow passage. Even in calmer conditions the water in the passage has a tendency to get sucked out pretty quickly but just beyond it is an open area with a number of rocky islets to navigate around. A good place to practice.

Well .. just as I was in the middle of the passage I noticed that I wasn't making any forward headway and the water started to drop rapidly. So fast that the right side of my kayak made contact with the rocks below it and in I went. All I remember was that I tried to high brace on my left side but it was too late as I was upside down and my paddle was now with me somewhere. The next thing I knew I had exited my kayak and was now bobbing around in the middle of the rocky islets I was trying to reach while IN my kayak.

Robyn spotted me first and started to move in to assist me. I flipped my kayak over just as Dave and Kevin teamed up to extract me from my little predicament. This is the first time I have been out of my kayak in these conditions and for some reason I didn't feel uncomfortable or scared of the rocks around me. It seemed like only a few seconds as Dave made contact with my kayak and I scrambled back into the cockpit. Then it was Kevin's turn to pull Dave and I out of the hazard area where we emptied my kayak and continued on our way. Thanks guys!!

Arriving back at Whiffen Spit parking lot there were some really good sets of waves coming in and several paddle boarders were trying to ride them. While Robyn and Cindy landed a bit further up the beach the boys rode a few waves until we were beat. It was a great day on and in the water even if the conditions were a little bigger than we liked for rock gardening. Heck ... I even got to try out my new PFD!!

2016 Paddle #5 - East Sooke
Distance: 7.91 nm (14.65 km)
YTD: 39.28 nm (72.74 km)

Astral Greenjacket

I normally don't do product reviews but maybe I should with all the kayak gear I buy annually. This post is about a piece of gear that I rely on every time I head out on the water ... my PFD (Personal Flotation Device).

Over the past couple of years I have spent a lot of time in the water developing my kayak rescue skills and the PFD that has performed flawlessly for me has been my Astral Greenjacket. A few years back I was in the market for a rescue PFD and Rowan Gloag who was working at Ocean River Sports at the time recommended it to me. As soon as I put it on I knew it was the PFD for me as I felt that I wasn't wearing it but it was more like it was part of me. 

With padded reinforced should straps, enhanced flotation protecting the back and ribs, a large clam-shell front pocket, integrated quick release, rope ready storage behind the clam-shell, fleece hand warmer and the fact that it didn't rub the inside of my arms were some of the features that I really liked right from the start.


The only thing that took a bit to get used to is that it is a pull on (over your head) instead of being front entry zipper PFD. I do however like how easy it is to adjust with three torso straps on each side and a two-panel adjustable fit system designed to eliminate ride-up and allow for maximum mobility. Astral Designs have been using CORDURA fabrics as a primary component of Astral PFDs since day one and it is well known for its durability, quick dry time, and abrasion resistance.

Broken zipper mechanism

Last fall I was on a multi-day trip when one of the two clam-shell plastic zipper mechanisms broke in half. Not a big deal because I could still use the pocket but over the next few months it became more of a pain in the butt to have to fully unzip the clam-shell pocket to get anything out. Just before Christmas I contacted and sent pictures to Astral Designs who make the Greenjacket as well as the Brewer water shoes that I wear to inquire if there was any way to repair the broken zipper. 

I received an email back from Kevin Mulligan at Astral and he said that he would replace the PFD. WOW!!!! Not what I was expecting as all I was looking for was some sort of repair option. But it gets better as Kevin said that he would replace my PFD with the same model right away or if I wanted to wait until February 2016 I could get one of the new updated versions that would have metal zipper mechanisms.

Since my PFD was still usable I opted for the later and a few weeks back Kevin sent me an email to let me know that a new Greenjacket was available in 3 new colors to choose from.

It didn't take me long to choose the new all Slate Black model as I figured that it is color that will go with any other personal wear I use. After all, you have to look good on the water! LOL So I expedited my PFD back to Astral and in return they expedited the new PFD to me which arrived a couple of days ago. Sweeeet!!!

Right of the box and ready for my next day on the water. Thanks Kevin and Astral Designs!!

I depend a lot on the kayak gear that I buy to enhance my experience on the water and some items are more expensive than others. The Astral Greenjacket lists at $249.95 US on the Astral Designs website but there is an old saying of "You get what you pay for". I truly believe in this and won't compromise when it comes to my personal safety equipment. The Astral Greenjacket is worth every penny from a performance standpoint and having a company like Astral Designs stand behind their products with exceptional customer service like I received is priceless.

Something Borrowed

We are spending the BC Family Day long weekend at Pedder Bay Marina & RV Park and yesterday we headed out for a little paddle to try out  a few things borrowed. I was using a borrowed PFD (thanks Gary J.) while I am waiting for my warranty replacement to arrive from Astral. Robyn borrowed Morley's Wilderness Systems 15.5 Zephyr while he is recovering from a skiing injury. 

Somebody looks haaaappppy!

Although Robyn likes her P&H 155 Delphin she doesn't love it. Her main issue is that when paddling in flat water conditions she finds it uncomfortable and I have to agree with her (just a little bit). I on the other hand love my Delphin in dynamic water so I can work around the the minor comfort issues.

Since the water was so calm it was a good test for Robyn to get the feel of the Zephyr and after working through some seat adjustments she reported that the kayak felt good. One thing that she did notice was that the Delphin does have a tighter turning radius but the Zephyr tracks better even without the skeg down. Is there a perfect kayak out there?? :-)

As usual our cameras were documenting our paddle and we were particularity interested in the birds we might see on this paddle. Following the shoreline out towards Bentinck Island we spotted more deer than we have ever seen in the area but that could also be because we haven't paddle this route in early February before.

Lots and lots and lots of deer watching us.

Good conditions and forecast were in our favor so we circumnavigated Bentinck and had a little flood current to paddle through on the Race Island side. Another good test of how the Zephyr handled for Robyn in a little bit of dynamic water.

Race Rocks Lighthouse selfie

Entering Eemdyk Passage we caught the flood going back towards Pedder Bay and we just let it carry us along while we watched the seals and many birds in the area. It was a good day of bird sightings with the following confirmed. Mature Bald Eagle, Juvenile Bald Eagle, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, Brandt's Cormorant, Mute Swan, Canada Goose and Turkey Vultures.

Robyn photographing more wildlife

Pedder Bay in the past has been home to a pair of Mute Swans and rounding what we call Killer Whale Point (just past the 6 nm mark on our track) we came across a single swan. Both of us wondered where his or her mate was?? Maybe further out to sea feeding?? Who knows but we hope to see it again later in the summer.

It was a good day to test ride the Wilderness Systems 15.5 Zephyr and I think I know what Robyn has in mind. The question is .... what color?? 

2016 Paddle #4 - Pedder Bay
Distance: 7.12 nm (13.18 km)
YTD: 31.37 nm (58.09 km)

Rocking Port Renfrew

All winter I've been wanting to go back to Port Renfrew and do some rock gardening and since Kari was in town on vacation I sent out an email to a few friends throughout the week before. The plan was simple, meet up at the Pacheedaht Campground located near the Gordon River and to be on the water by 10:00am. The rest was up to each person to have fun in their own way.

The forecast was just about perfect for last Sunday with a mix of cloud but mostly sun, around 8 degrees C, 5-10 kt cross-off winds, surf waves of just over 1 meter and not much swell energy coming from offshore. High tide was just after lunch which has its pros and cons in terms of playing in the rocks or surfing a bit at beachfront. Every day at Port Renfrew is always different so you take what it gives you to play with. That's one of the things that brings you back here and of course it's a beautiful place to paddle.

Make it a baker's dozen with Morley taking the group picture before launching.

The great thing about Port Renfrew is that there are lots of on-line resources to plan a paddle and commit to it before making the 2 hour drive from Victoria or Nanaimo. Using a combination of forecasting tools from Environment Canada Marine Weather, Sailflow and the popular Port Renfrew Surf Forecast, paddling at Port Renfrew has a lot to offer for all levels of sea kayakers.

Today was a prime example as there wasn't much swell energy but just enough for those who wanted to venture deep into the rocks or through the many sea arches. For those who simply wanted to have a relaxing paddle along the shoreline while watching those in the "soup" this was also possible.

Rocks and sea arches are a great play zone to work on developing kayak maneuvering skills 

While the sightseers broke off and headed further up towards Thrasher Rock a small group of 6 of us took on almost every rock feature or sea arch on the way out. Some of the arches we just a little "iffy" due to a combination wave energy and head clearance but we managed to get through those on the way back as the tide started to drop.

One sea arch in particular only had a couple of feet of head clearance when the water receded out but when a set of swells arrived the arch was completely engulfed by wall of water. It was all timing and a little bit of luck but our small adventurous group of 6 each made it through.

Sea stacks and stunning views

The beauty of the area is magical and on this late January day with the warm sun shining on the NW side of the Port Renfrew inlet it seemed more like a late March or April paddle.

I took the time to look around when I wasn't playing in the features as there were many bald and juvenile eagles, mink, seals and other water fowl to look at.














The higher tide made finding a suitable spot to stop for lunch a little harder but we did spot this location just beyond the Thrasher Cove site. This location also gave the group an opportunity to practice our surf landings and launches. :-)

Beach lunch is always good !! Just pull up a log or rock and refuel the body for the paddle back.

After lunch we went back to playing in the rocks or anything that was generating some sort of action. Personally for me I think this might have been my best "play day" since I started kayaking. It was nice to hear comments from kayakers that I look up like Gerhardt, Walter, Yves and Patty of Go Kayak as they noticed my progression of skills in handling the tougher situations. :) Thanks guys!!

I think that's Gerhardt in the middle of a surge. He sure knows how to handle a Greenland paddle in the rocks!

Of course just the simple task of getting out of my kayak back at the beach bust that "pat myself on the back" bubble. LOL

"Help me! I've fallen and can't get up!" LOL 

Kari all fogged up after her roll 

It's was Kari's first time paddling at Port Renfrew and yes she swam in the rocks and managed to get back into her kayak with a little help from some friends. That's why you go to Port Renfrew with friends of all skill levels. ;-)

She even rolled back at the beach in the cold river water and as a proud coach I had to do likewise. Holy head freeze Batman!!!

2016 Paddle #3 - Port Renfrew
Distance: 8.00 nm (14.81 km)
YTD: 24.25 nm (44.91 km)

Out Of The Darkness

I can see you!!

Friday paddles .... I'm starting to love them! Last week's paddle was a little different in terms of when we decided to launch. Simply put ... it was DARK!

Fellow SISKA paddler John Minkley put together a plan to head to Discovery Island from Gyro Park (Cadboro Bay) and watch the sun rise on the way there. So our little group of 7 paddlers arrived at the park in the dark, unloaded our gear in the dark and headed out on the water at 7:30am .... in the dark. Don't worry we all had headlamps or lights on our kayaks just in case the sun didn't come up today. :-)


The forecast for that day called for variable 5-15 SE (Haro) 10-20 SW (Juan de Fuca East) with a chance of showers. But Discovery Island is right at the intersection of Haro and Juan de Fuca Straights and depending how you interpreted the information it really could mean anything was coming. Oh yeah ... we were also coming up to a max ebb in Baynes Channel of around 3 kts from a NE direction just after launch. So with all of this information at hand we decided that we wouldn't make a direct SE route to Discovery Island but instead head SW to Cattle Point to see what the wind was doing out in open water. Maybe there would be an option to cross over to the Chain Islands first on our way to Discovery Island.

Somewhere out there is Discovery Island but it is still dark.

I think we were only about 1/4 mile from the beach when we felt the increasing SW wind and then the rain came. By the time we reached Cattle Point our faces were absorbing the stinging sensation one gets when the rain falls horizontally and you are paddling into it. Our group tucked in behind Cattle Point to get out of the wind and we made the decision to follow the shoreline along Willows Beach and through the Oak Bay Marina where we would assess the conditions again.

Thankfully by the time we reached the marina the rain had stopped and the skies started to lighten up a bit and before you knew it, there was the sun! Leaving the marina I looked back at the Chain Islands and could see nothing but pretty big white caps in Plumper Passage. Just over 2 miles away, Baynes Channel was showing the effects of wind against current and even from this distance I could see huge white caps. The weather and currents had helped us make our decision so we just kept on paddling towards Gonzales Point.

Plan "B" ... Paddling towards the Victoria Golf Club and Gonzales Point

By the time we reached Gonzales we were in full sunshine but once we rounded the point we were greeted by fairly strong SW winds. After a quick discussion we decided that we would start heading back towards the marina instead of slogging through the wind. Even though our original paddle plan didn't happen that day we still enjoyed the paddle as it was one of those that gave you a little bit of everything ... even a rainbow!

Heading back towards Cadboro Bay we even saw a rainbow over Oak Bay.

We landed back at Gyro Park Beach, packed up our gear, headed for coffee at Olive Olio's and were all done just after noon. Lots of time in the day to still do whatever we pleased so Kari and I met Robyn at home and we went geocaching along the Lochside Trail. Early morning paddles certainly do have their advantages .... even if they start in the dark!  LOL

2016 Paddle #2 - Cadboro Bay
Distance: 7.24 nm (13.40 km)
YTD: 16.25 nm (30.095 km)

SISKA Fridays

Our first paddle of 2016 (well mine) was joining 5 other South Island Sea Kayaking Association (SISKA) members on the first organized Friday paddle that took place on Jan 15th. Typically the club has organized paddles on the weekends but from a recent survey many members indicated that they would like to see paddles on Tuesdays or Fridays as well. Having Friday's off has its benefits, one of which is being able to get out on the water while all working folk (right Robyn) can't enjoy it. LOL

Classed as an Energizer Paddle due to the pace and distance, our small group launched out of the beach at the Esquimalt Lagoon at 10:00am and headed towards the breakwater at Ogden Point. Having recently become interested in 'birding" I found the paddle to be a wonderful opportunity to identify the species that I have learned about over the past few weeks. I must say it added another element to kayaking which in the past I just simply ignored. I found it relatively easy to identify 12 different species including the male and females.

Our original plan was to land on a small beach next to the Ogden Point breakwater and have lunch but with the conditions being relatively calm we decided to press on and found a small secluded beach along Dallas road. After lunch we took our time retracing our route while being gently assisted by an ebb tide. The forecast for later in the afternoon was calling for the winds to increase from the SE and we hoped that maybe we would be able to get a few wind driven waves to play on. As it turns out the winds didn't arrive until well after we were off the water.

Still, it was great to get out on the water and participate in the first SISKA Friday paddle. We arrived back at the lagoon at around 1:00pm and we started hatching a plan for the next Friday paddle with the thought of launching in the dark to watch the sun come up. But that ... will be another blog post. :-)

From L to R: Gary, John, Bryan, Sheila and Lanny enjoying lunch off Dallas Road.

2016 Paddle #1 - Esquimalt Lagoon to Ogden Point
Distance: 9.01 nm (16.68 km)
YTD: 9.01 nm (16.68 km)