Got out for an afternoon paddle over to the Discovery Islands just off Oak Bay last Tuesday with my good friend Dan. After a few hours we were joined by Mike who had escaped the class room for a short recess.
I've no GPS track of the trip, my batteries died, but I did experiment with a couple of cameras mounted on my deck. I also field tested a temporary repair to a leaking skeg box. That effort failed as well. Still the results have put me on the right track - Gel-coat will be required.
As for the camera's I mounted a high definition Flip camera on the foredeck facing stern to capture pictures of the motor. Unfortunately the person playing the part of the engine was a complete bore and will be sent off to study some method acting techniques at the William Shatner school of drama.
I mounted a second still camera on a suction cup stock outbound on the starboard bow quarter side of the kayak. My intention was to capture pictures minus the bow of the kayak. I had mixed results here as well. I failed to consider the width of the camera lens and as you will see the bow figures prominently in many of the shots. I will retry in the future when I'll simply point the camera further off centre. I should get some dramatic images in rough water.
On Tuesday the camera was set to snap a picture every 10 seconds for a total of 225 shots. By the time I got onto the water the tide race in Baynes channel had run its course and we were surrounded by flat water. I reset the camera after Mike joined us and shot another 250 pictures.
When I got home I attacked the stack of photos and ruthlessly edited out about 475 pictures. Digital photography has a big advantage. The resulting pictures on on the adjoining slide show. I hope you find them interesting.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
March Madness
The camera and mount was tucked away warm and dry in the day hatch because today was going to be a flat water paddle. Problem was someone forgot to tell the ocean. Dan and I launched from Rat Bay just at the tick of 10 AM.
Our plan was to paddle north east cross Mayor Channel, through the Chain Islets, cross Plumper Passage, then up between the Chatham Islands, then drop back to the south east round Discovery and head back to the put in.
We had a falling flood tide running at 1.2 knots (Race Rocks) against what was suppose to be a South East wind between 15 and 25 knots. The wind was more out of the east and maybe between 10 and 15 knots. Which was a good thing.
As soon as we poked out into Enterprise Channel from the shelter of Rat and MacNeill Bay it was clear the forecast and sea state was a little wobbly. We ploughed into some significant swell pushing against the constricted flood moving through Enterprise. The wind having pushed the swell all the way from Whidbey Island was greeting us with some significant waves.
Anyone who's paddled this area when the seas are running out of the south east knows the waves really start to stand on their heads as they wash over Mouat Reef. True to form we found some three and four metre waves between Mouat Reef and Gonzales Point.
After punching through we discussed our plan and decided maybe going around Discovery wasn't such a good idea. We held to our plan, but instead of swinging south east at the top of Chatham Island, we turned west and rounded Strongtide and raced south west with the now ebbing current and East wind pushing us along.
On the return I don't think our speed ever dropped below 4.5 knots and after breaking out past the Chain Islets on the return we never dipped below 6 knots.
Although the entire paddle was great fun this is where the madness really got it's hooks into us.
With the swell coming in straight out of the east on a bearing of about 290 the waves were breaking in toward the golf course between Gonzales Point and Turkey Head. Surfing straight down the fast moving waves would give us a short momentary ride but in the wrong direction.
Without communicating our intentions both of us instinctively started to side surf the waves. We lifted our right knee and let the starboard side of the kayaks just bite into the waves. We set up a long ferry glide by pointing our bows at the light house at the south end of Trial Island. Doing this allowed us to surf forward from one wave to the next. I think I only climbed the back of a wave a half dozen times between the Chain Islets and Gonzales. Speeds here were over a sustained 6 knots with a max speed of 7.6 knots off one wave by rocks just west of the point. Not bad for a slow NDK Explorer.
It's been my experience that a lot of boats are faster then the NDK Romany and Explorers on flat water. But when things get rough the confidence that NDK kayaks give the paddler enables them to power forward leaving a lot of those flat water flashers behind. One exception to this is the Tahe Marine. I've no doubt that Dan could sink me like a stone should he wish. Then again it might be the engine.
Stats: Trip 8.71Nm, Max Spd. 7.6kts, Moving time 2 hrs. 37 min. Moving Average 3.3kts. Stopped time 1 hr. 26 min. (Dan talks a lot)
Our plan was to paddle north east cross Mayor Channel, through the Chain Islets, cross Plumper Passage, then up between the Chatham Islands, then drop back to the south east round Discovery and head back to the put in.
We had a falling flood tide running at 1.2 knots (Race Rocks) against what was suppose to be a South East wind between 15 and 25 knots. The wind was more out of the east and maybe between 10 and 15 knots. Which was a good thing.
As soon as we poked out into Enterprise Channel from the shelter of Rat and MacNeill Bay it was clear the forecast and sea state was a little wobbly. We ploughed into some significant swell pushing against the constricted flood moving through Enterprise. The wind having pushed the swell all the way from Whidbey Island was greeting us with some significant waves.
Anyone who's paddled this area when the seas are running out of the south east knows the waves really start to stand on their heads as they wash over Mouat Reef. True to form we found some three and four metre waves between Mouat Reef and Gonzales Point.
After punching through we discussed our plan and decided maybe going around Discovery wasn't such a good idea. We held to our plan, but instead of swinging south east at the top of Chatham Island, we turned west and rounded Strongtide and raced south west with the now ebbing current and East wind pushing us along.
On the return I don't think our speed ever dropped below 4.5 knots and after breaking out past the Chain Islets on the return we never dipped below 6 knots.
With the swell coming in straight out of the east on a bearing of about 290 the waves were breaking in toward the golf course between Gonzales Point and Turkey Head. Surfing straight down the fast moving waves would give us a short momentary ride but in the wrong direction.
Without communicating our intentions both of us instinctively started to side surf the waves. We lifted our right knee and let the starboard side of the kayaks just bite into the waves. We set up a long ferry glide by pointing our bows at the light house at the south end of Trial Island. Doing this allowed us to surf forward from one wave to the next. I think I only climbed the back of a wave a half dozen times between the Chain Islets and Gonzales. Speeds here were over a sustained 6 knots with a max speed of 7.6 knots off one wave by rocks just west of the point. Not bad for a slow NDK Explorer.
It's been my experience that a lot of boats are faster then the NDK Romany and Explorers on flat water. But when things get rough the confidence that NDK kayaks give the paddler enables them to power forward leaving a lot of those flat water flashers behind. One exception to this is the Tahe Marine. I've no doubt that Dan could sink me like a stone should he wish. Then again it might be the engine.
Stats: Trip 8.71Nm, Max Spd. 7.6kts, Moving time 2 hrs. 37 min. Moving Average 3.3kts. Stopped time 1 hr. 26 min. (Dan talks a lot)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Happy Birthday!
I'm clearly doing something wrong. Here's a couple of photos of gifts my wife gave me for my Birthday.
Item 22057 as you can see comes from the distant and exotic middle kingdom more commonly called China. It appears to be a box stuffed with tissue paper and this.
I invite all to speculate on what this is.
My wife very thoughtfully bought me flowers. Yellow daisy's. I believe those are the flowers you give to acquiescences, invalid ladies, and to employees who are leaving but not soon enough. We opened a bottle of bubbly had a piece of fantastic cheese cake and curled up. Her on the couch with her iPad, which she got from another man for Christmas, and has not put down since, and me with item number 2 above in the seldom used love seat.
Later I was informed it's a spray skirt. Lovely.
Tuesday I'm hosting the, "My spouse has an iPad support group." I'll be serving left over cheese cake and everyone goes home with a daisy and one very lucky attendee will get a special door prize.
My wife very thoughtfully bought me flowers. Yellow daisy's. I believe those are the flowers you give to acquiescences, invalid ladies, and to employees who are leaving but not soon enough. We opened a bottle of bubbly had a piece of fantastic cheese cake and curled up. Her on the couch with her iPad, which she got from another man for Christmas, and has not put down since, and me with item number 2 above in the seldom used love seat.
Later I was informed it's a spray skirt. Lovely.
Tuesday I'm hosting the, "My spouse has an iPad support group." I'll be serving left over cheese cake and everyone goes home with a daisy and one very lucky attendee will get a special door prize.
Sooke Inlet
Sooke Inlet is a fantastic place to kayak. Traditionally it has been a wild west coast style of paddling destination. It can be extreme, unforgiving and remote.
Alas the remote part is being encroached upon by the gradual development of homes in the Silver Spray real estate project at the end of East Sooke Road.
Luckily the building has not really affected the views. At the rate the houses are going up it will be years before the landscape is greatly altered. The two exceptions are the lame and future optimistic "marina," and the fictional fresh water treatment plant.
Yesterday I got in a short paddle with my sister in law Robin and her friend Joan from Prince Robert out along this coast. It was one of those maritime days where squalls would blow in, out, and then blow back in. We managed to squeeze our paddling into the gap between two of the squalls. Currents Race Rocks Turn 1008 Max 1519 -4.6 Just as we finished the predicted afternoon gale winds arrived. Trip 4.04 nm Max speed 7.9 kt in the standing waves off of Whiffen Spit, Moving time 1h 33 min. Temperature -3 to +6 Wind west 10 to 15 rising to 20 to 35 in afternoon. Tucked in tight by the fire when the winds started driving the rain straight into the windows. Nice to be warm with a cupa tea.
Check the adjoining slide show for more pics. Best viewed on a full screen.
Alas the remote part is being encroached upon by the gradual development of homes in the Silver Spray real estate project at the end of East Sooke Road.
Yesterday I got in a short paddle with my sister in law Robin and her friend Joan from Prince Robert out along this coast. It was one of those maritime days where squalls would blow in, out, and then blow back in. We managed to squeeze our paddling into the gap between two of the squalls. Currents Race Rocks Turn 1008 Max 1519 -4.6 Just as we finished the predicted afternoon gale winds arrived. Trip 4.04 nm Max speed 7.9 kt in the standing waves off of Whiffen Spit, Moving time 1h 33 min. Temperature -3 to +6 Wind west 10 to 15 rising to 20 to 35 in afternoon. Tucked in tight by the fire when the winds started driving the rain straight into the windows. Nice to be warm with a cupa tea.
Check the adjoining slide show for more pics. Best viewed on a full screen.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
White Water Wednesday
However, I pulled the kayak off the roof. Swept most of the snow away and headed off early so as not to be late for work. This is what the road looked like at the corner of Ash Road and Mount Doug.
Six of the crew called in to say they would not make it. It made for a busy day at the airport but all but a few plans got out on schedule. Tonight's low is -7 and the high for tomorrow will only be -1. So I think I'll just go for a walk in the snow.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday out to Trial Island
Unfortunately my problems with GPS navigation continue. This time I'd forgotten to reset the unit from my last outing. I discovered my mistake when I looked at my maximum speed and it read 6.4 knots. Whoa! I wasn't even paddling and the max ebb was only 4.5 knots. Of course the reading was from my tide race excursion with Dan from earlier in the week.
Out at Trial we stopped to say hello to the Lighthouse keeper only to find a temporary keeper looking after things while the full time keeper gets some R&R. This was her first ever lighthouse posting. She was getting a little worried about running out of supplies. The tender was out of service so she was waiting for the Coast Guard helicopter to bring her resupplies.
Seems odd having groceries delivered by helicopter to an island that's less then a mile off shore from Victoria. I guess it would be to dangerous to deliver the groceries via boat. Or perhaps the Coast Guard has more flyers then sailors.
Back at Oak Bay we discovered a neat little hover craft floating on a raft anchored just off shore. Mike snapped a few photos. My camera was uselessly stored in the hatch. At the boat ramp where I'd put in a guy was pulling an old flat bottom wooden skiff up the ramp. It looked like hard work, so I waited until he appeared to be finished, then offered a hand. Timing is everything. I was afraid he might be pulling the thing down the side walk into Oak Bay Village. But luckily he had arranged to be met by a friend with a pick up truck.
I quickly looked the boat over and estimated it weighed about 500 pounds. I figured if I rushed I could be loaded and gone before the truck arrived and could avoid the effort of grunting and straining to get the thing in the back of the truck.
I hate being rushed but I got away clean.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Shackleton's whisky
What fools we mortals be.Take a look at this bit of folly. Just click on the above headline and read. Can you believe the scientific community.
What sort of fools would leave perfectly good whisky on a frozen lump of rock. It must have broken Shackleton's heart to leave this stash behind but he was a man with visionary leadership and knew what had to be done.
And now his heart must be breaking all over again. Two, that's right "two", cases of whisky were left behind along with a case of fuel oil called brandy.
Surely to God there are some intrepid kayakers out there that are prepared to mount and expedition to correct this oversight.
The remaining cases should be recovered and used to toast Shackeleton on the anniversary of his crews safe return until the last drop is gone.
The celebrations could be held at the Royal Society in London. Those toasting could be chosen by an international lottery. That would be in keeping with Shackeleton's belief in a meritocracy. Well at least everyone could have a go at a wee dram.
Best of all the whisky would not go to some gob with a snoot full of money which is what those money grubbing New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust types seem to have in mind for the case they recovered.
Think about this. There's 624 rounds of one ounce each in two cases. A proper toast requires two drinkers so the event could be held for the next 312 years before the whisky runs out. Say lottery tickets cost $10 each and each year you sold 10,000 tickets around the world. That's a $100,000 a year for 312 years for a gross of $31,200,000. The two winners could be flown first class to London from anywhere in the world and put up in the Savoy each year and the earnings would still be insane.
There might even be enough to fund the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust for a couple of seasons. Perhaps some of the money might even fund some meaningful scientific work in the polar region. If the NZ types can't see the logic in this I hope the residents of King Edward Point go for a walk about, dig up the remaining cases, and start the lottery.
And as for sending bottles to Canterbury. Good lord, doesn't anyone remember the closing scene in Raiders of the Lost Arc. Kiss those bottles good bye. The best that can be hoped for is for some janitor to discover them, drink the contents, and refill the bottles with tea.
What sort of fools would leave perfectly good whisky on a frozen lump of rock. It must have broken Shackleton's heart to leave this stash behind but he was a man with visionary leadership and knew what had to be done.
And now his heart must be breaking all over again. Two, that's right "two", cases of whisky were left behind along with a case of fuel oil called brandy.
Surely to God there are some intrepid kayakers out there that are prepared to mount and expedition to correct this oversight.
The remaining cases should be recovered and used to toast Shackeleton on the anniversary of his crews safe return until the last drop is gone.
The celebrations could be held at the Royal Society in London. Those toasting could be chosen by an international lottery. That would be in keeping with Shackeleton's belief in a meritocracy. Well at least everyone could have a go at a wee dram.
Best of all the whisky would not go to some gob with a snoot full of money which is what those money grubbing New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust types seem to have in mind for the case they recovered.
Think about this. There's 624 rounds of one ounce each in two cases. A proper toast requires two drinkers so the event could be held for the next 312 years before the whisky runs out. Say lottery tickets cost $10 each and each year you sold 10,000 tickets around the world. That's a $100,000 a year for 312 years for a gross of $31,200,000. The two winners could be flown first class to London from anywhere in the world and put up in the Savoy each year and the earnings would still be insane.
There might even be enough to fund the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust for a couple of seasons. Perhaps some of the money might even fund some meaningful scientific work in the polar region. If the NZ types can't see the logic in this I hope the residents of King Edward Point go for a walk about, dig up the remaining cases, and start the lottery.
And as for sending bottles to Canterbury. Good lord, doesn't anyone remember the closing scene in Raiders of the Lost Arc. Kiss those bottles good bye. The best that can be hoped for is for some janitor to discover them, drink the contents, and refill the bottles with tea.
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