[Paddlewise] Spring fling, Storm Island, various ramblings

Wow, no new messages since late last night! Everybody must be out paddling.
About time, the winter has been going long enough. 

I did manage to get out for about three hours this afternoon, with my more
or less regular kayak buddy and his new GPS. Just a get-the-kinks-out
paddle in winds that were a little strong and gusty, but nothing we
couldn't handle. It was a new lake for us, and we found a takeout next to a
donut shop . . . I guess we've got a regular place to go for those Sunday
morning paddles, now.

Playing with the GPS was sort of fun, but I feel it could get habit
forming. I've even shied away from taking a watch with me in the past,
since I like to be a little free of the concerns with the passage of time .
. . and because I wore a watch that had long lost its waterproofing. It was
interesting to know that we made 3.6 knots on the downwind leg, and 3.2 on
the windward. But, I go out to enjoy myself, not to measure my performance,
and I suspect that on a regular basis it could take a lot of the fun out of
being out there. I can see times when it will be handy, but routine
pleasure paddles probably aren't among those times.

While waiting for my daughter to pick up some movies at the video store
earlier, I happened to open my Rand McNally to get a better idea of where
Doug Lloyd's Storm Island paddle was. I had it in my head that it was on
the west side of Vancouver Island, but no, from the points in his story, it
was clear that these guys were crossing Queen Charlotte Strait. I've read a
couple of books by a guy that used to fish commerically in southern Alaska
(Alaska Blues by Joe Upton, and another -- the name escapes me -- by the
same author), and I thought back to the passages Upton wrote about crossing
that strait in thirty and forty foot fishing boats, and sixty and seventy
foot fish packers, and how they got the crap kicked out of them more often
than not. And, he has the pictures to prove it. He points out that it's
highly appropriate that the last refuge to the north is known as "Safety
Cove", and the first one you come to on the south side is "God's Pocket."
Appropriate names, I'm sure. I have difficulty imagining being out there in
kayaks! Me 'ats off to the duke . . . 

Hope everybody had good paddles today, didn't get too sunburned or
windburned, and are getting the winter kinks out.

-- Wes

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************