Dana on Galiano Island:
“Five of us caught the morning ferry on a Friday to Galiano. The weather was overcast but the sun came out once we arrived and it quickly became very warm. Though the ride to the campground is only 10 km, the roads are windy and hilly, and with weighed-down bikes and the hot sun it felt much longer. On Saturday, two of us rented kayaks and explored Montague Harbour and the other three biked about 10 km up-island to hike Bodega Ridge. Highlights of this easy hike with desert-like terrain were watching eagles soar beneath (and above) us, and the views of Salt Spring Island and beyond. We also enjoyed the thunder and lightning storm that night (after a quick swim), though instead of huddling in tents we took advantage of the free Hummingbird Pub shuttle bus to indulge in drinks and some incredible pie. Sunday’s ride back to the ferry took in a different route, encompassing the cemetary (which has a nice view of Active Pass and sunning sea lions). To sum: Biking Galiano is not for the faint of heart. There are many hills (both short and steep and long and gradual) and the pavement is cracked and broken in many spots. Still, it is rewarding and a beautiful place to explore over a weekend.”
Archive for the 'Kayak and Canoe' Category
Steve kayaking at the English Bay Polar Bear swim:
“This was my second annual call-out to kayak to English Bay to partake in the festivities of the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim. Bart from kayrak.ca (check it out!), the only other Wanderung member that ended up coming, made a last minute decision to register and go for a swim!
We were in good company despite rough conditions (wavy and windy), and our small numbers because we joined forces with the West Coast Paddlers, and other local kayak personalities such as one of the owners of Delta Kayaks. It was great to see other Wanderung members on the beach, but a bit problematic pushing our boats through the crowds to launch again. In our yellow and orange safety gear, people continually asked for help and directions, they assumed we were lifeguards or something.”
Sandra kayaking the Johnstone Strait / Broughton Archipelago:
“Our group of 8 headed out for a great 6-days on the water around both the Johnstone Strait south of Telegraph Cove and north through the Broughton Archipelago (as far north as Insect Island and Echo Bay). We got a little of everything… Half the time there was beautiful sunshine but we also had a day of rain. The winds picked up for sections of our days (including one “exciting” crossing with waves from both current/wind, and also from the wake of a cruise ship!) but we also had wonderfully calm days. Campsites ranged from amazing island set ups with wooden structure outlines ready for tarps & tree swings to simple clearings in the woods. We had lazy easy days and a couple long paddle days.
Highlights from the trip included seeing porpoises everyday, orcas half the days, visiting First Nation reserves / abandoned communities, campfires every night, amazing food, freezing dips in the ocean (did I mention the WARM campfires?!?!), navigation practice during early morning fogged-in paddles & hunting down camping areas amongst the islands and the distance we got from the crowds of Johnstone Strait. Good times on and off the water!”
Sandra kayaking in the Johnstone Strait and Broughton archipelago:
“Our group of 8 headed out for a great 6-days on the water around both the Johnstone Strait south of Telegraph Cove and north through the Broughton Archipelago (as far north as Insect Island and Echo Bay). We got a little of everything… Half the time there was beautiful sunshine but we also had a day of rain. The winds picked up for sections of our days (including one “exciting” crossing with waves from both current/wind, and also from the wake of a cruise ship!) but we also had wonderfully calm days. Campsites ranged from amazing island set ups with wooden structure outlines ready for tarps & tree swings to simple clearings in the woods. We had lazy easy days and a couple long paddle days.
Highlights from the trip included seeing porpoises everyday, orcas half the days, visiting First Nation reserves/abandoned communities, campfires every night, amazing food, freezing dips in the ocean (did I mention the WARM campfires?!?!), navigation practice during early morning fogged-in paddles & hunting down camping areas amongst the islands and the distance we got from the crowds of Johnstone Strait. Good times on and off the water!
Nancy at Widgeon Falls:
“Nine of us enjoyed a fabulously wonderful day canoeing and hiking to Widgeon Falls. A huge lineup for the rentals resulted in all of the kayaks being taken, so everyone climbed into canoes. First-time paddler Neil was a trooper, trying out 3 different positions in the canoe. Brave Stephani went for a dip in the cold Widgeon Creek, exclaiming that she felt like a million dollars afterwards. On the way home, we stopped at a blueberry farm, buying some of the very first harvested crop, and we ended the day with a nice sushi dinner. A great outing with an excellent group of people!”
Brenda kayaking at Prevost Island:
“Daphne, Mazie, Michael and I spent 3 beautiful days kayaking Prevost Island (launching point was Mayne Island). This is easily accessible area that is well worth a weekend trip. We were able to take the bus from Vancouver to catch the Gulf Islands Ferry then Mayne Island Kayak rentals picked us up from the terminal. Unfortunately, Mazie learned the hard way to not make it just in time for the ferry. The bus she planned to take was full and drove right by her. She was still able to make it to Tsawwassen in time but they were not taking any more passengers onto the ferry. She ended up taking a ferry to Schwartz Bay then to Ganges; rented a kayak there then paddled on her own to Prevost Island where she met up with us. That is what I call determination! We spent the second day kayaking around Prevost Island; at times paddling against wind and currents and other times relaxing while the current did the work for us. Prevost was a beautiful island to spend 2 nights although there were a lot of people there on the long weekend. Mayne Island Kayak was a great company to rent from. They were very helpful but we did find the shuttle fee of $10 per person per direction a little steep!”
Su-Laine kayaking at Bowen Island:
“This was a gem of a trip! Evenings, as the kayak rental place told us, tend to have less wind than afternoons. We had flat water and clear skies, and with the snow still in the mountains Howe Sound is gorgeous at this time of year. This is a scenic trip I’d definitely do more than once a year, and with great group dynamics it was one to remember.”
Greg M. at Widgeon Falls:
“After a very, very last minute callout, I ended up having to turn away people. In just the first 20 minutes I had 10 replies. I over filled the trip with eight: Harris, Kevin, Daniel & Charlotte, Nadia & Joel, and me. For those who know me and have heard about the horror story last weekend of driving up to Nelson (2 flat tires, highway closures, 80kph spin, and a near empty tank), you will not be surprised with what mother-nature had in store for us this weekend. We began our saga at the trail head where we rented canoes. We suited up and readied ourselves for the adventure. Since we were running a bit late, we met up with Joel and Nadia at the rental house who planned to catch us later on the trail. Warmly greeting their arrival and gladly sharing the canoe costs, we made our way up river. The sun was shining from behind and the view of the mountains in the clouds was perfected only by the white of the snow on the trees. Then something hit our heads. Many things, actually. And we realized that we found ourselves in a hail storm. It sounds terrible, I know, but you at least stay dry. Then it began to rain. And we concluded our hike quite wet. However, the feeling in the camp was very good, and we had a great time. We learned about the J-stroke, chanted 1-2-1-2 like warriors, and some of us even had to get out of the canoe at one point as it had run aground. Hard. We have video. Upon review of the pictures and movies, everyone was laughing the whole time. And the hot chocolate really made drying off fun.”