Just wanted to let the list know I'm leaving this weekend for the Storm Islands. I have unfinished business up there. I plan to paddle out of Port Hardy, skirt along the Gordon Group, then head for the Buckle Group, and try and hit Pine Island, so as to set up for the Storm Islands. Currents are strong in the area, so it will take a bit of planning. My kayak is repainted, repaired, re-keeled, and ready for action. Hopefully, I can land on Storm for some quiet reflection. I am still very nervous about the crossing, due to all the emotional baggage. I will cross Queen Charlotte Strait to the BC mainland coast, as this is a much better way to cross than the reverse which was tried in April of 1999 with bad consequences. It will be fairly difficult to miss the BC coast, doing it from this direction (as opposed to leaving the coast behind and trying to hit a pin prick out in open water), plus I now know about the "Net Ebb" and will use it to advantage. I hope to land at Burnett Bay, described in the guide books as one of the biggest and best beaches in the Pacific Northwest. Hopefully there will be some fun surf. I will then head down to Shelter Bay, and make the safer crossing through the Deserters Group back to Port Hardy - the route that should have been taken on the last trip. I will not be giving the Coast Guard my float plan. One store told me up there that I have given kayaking a bad name now. I have alternative arrangements. I'm not very welcome up there, although someone on this list who runs an alternative business up there will be scouting out Storm Island by powerboat for me this weekend to suss out landing spots. I am prepared for seal landings if needed. I need to do this trip. I want to visit the Storm Islands under my own power, abilities, and navigational means, an finish the crossing(s). I will not proceed further at any point in the trip if conditions are not perfect. I want the "Perfect Storm Island Trip" to be perfectly safe and fun and done properly. I have installed better front paddlefloat straps for skirt reattachment after a reenter and roll scenario. I didn't get around to putting in an electric pump yet. I picked up a hand held flare. I may inflate my Sea Seat prior to the crossing just in case. NW winds against the tide could pose a problem if something blew in unexpected. I may also take a side trip to Nawchacko (don't have the correct spelling in front of me). Tremble Island, in the middle, sports a rooster tail at full ebb. I may try to camp on it one night. Some good did come from the last Storm Island mishap. A call has gone out to BC paddlers from Dr Bill Crawford of Canadian Hydrographic Service, soliciting input about areas of tidal currents that impact human powered craft, yet are below chart thresholds that normally only focus on larger boat traffic. BC'in Ya again in a week or so. Doug Lloyd (who's biggest challenge on this solo trip is psychological) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
You know we all wish you the best. We will pray for fair winds and predictable tides. Godspeed, Doug. Jed *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
When can we expect you to be back online from the trip? Good Luck and have a safe trip. Chase away the ghosts.... I hope to see an interesting trip report that has no exciting sea tales! 8-) Good Luck. Dan McCarty *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Paddle in Peace, Doug--may you have a safe and rewarding journey. -- Shawn W. Baker 0 46°53'N © 2000 ____©/______ 114°06'W ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^\ ,/ /~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ baker_at_montana.com 0 http://www.geocities.com/shawnkayak/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dan said: <<When can we expect you to be back online from the trip?>> Will be in and out of town for a month...owe the family some time after first week back :-) <<Good Luck and have a safe trip. Chase away the ghosts....>> That's the plan Dan the man! Haven't been out on a remote solo multiday for 5 years now - just group efforts. Looking forward to being Capt'n again - no corporate decisions to make, go where I want, do what I want. Sleep in, get up at dawn, seal land, - you know! <<I hope to see an interesting trip report that has no exciting sea tales! 8-) >> For sure. Have story, will post - even if prosaic. Only hairy part might be the grizzlies. Then too, someone was up on one of the beaches there last year, and a Gray whale rolled into the shore break on purpose, and stuck around for awhile. The family camped there was able to go up to it and make tactile contact. I'm stoked and torqued, and plan on being in "safety mode" as opposed to "survival mode". I need to be careful at every point on the trip, even once the longer crossing is complete. Things could get dicey on the shorter, safer crossing too. One always needs to keep their guard up at sea. I remember a month prior to my first 'Storm Island trip' in 1999: I had split the seams on my kayak in some logs, and not even realized it (got to give you a tale, Dan). I headed out to my favorite safe bay, after moving the kayak with car to the other side of town. I was a maximum of a mile offshore in 35 knot winds with heavy hail and screaming squalls (the previous log beach had 45 knot onshore winds) when I noticed the kayak filling up with volumes of water. It was very tough getting back in. I rolled twice (one half roll, one full) - had to do slow maneuver rolls with it waterlogged. I didn't have adequate reserve buoyancy in the boat, shame on me. Anyway, to make a short story long for Joe, I shouted out one of my favorite lines from an incident that happened to one of my relatives (father's side, mum said it was a "tenuous link"), Sir Francis Drake: Sir Francis Drake was returning from one of his great global voyages, when a dangerous storm blew up the Thames River, where he was anchored. He was worried his ship would flounder, and was overheard to say through gritted teeth, "Must I who have escaped the rage of the ocean be drowned in a ditch?" Well, I wasn't exactly in a ditch, and there were extenuating circumstances, but the point is, the sea can be unsafe anywhere. So, be careful out there everybody, especially you new Paddlewisers who have just joined this list. I don't want to egg-on gung-ho novices to an untimely end - local waters or otherwise. Gotta go pack. Talk with you'all again. BC'in Ya Doug Lloyd (who normally does not name-drop, but I do have a legitimate predisposition to adventure and exploring. Hey, stayed on Drake's farm in the UK one summer as a kid - nice place!) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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