Kirby StevensSupplemental Skills Emergency Kayak Repair: You will have hands-on experience using fibreglass in the best orienta-tion to make an emergency repair on a damaged boat (simulated

January 2003 PADDLE: the SKABC Newsletter

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TO PROMOTE FELLOWSHIP, SAFETY, THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND SKILLS; TO ENCOURAGE CONCERN AND RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND ABOVE ALL

TO ENJOY SEA KAYAKING

In this issue: • Accessible Kayaking 3

• Training Program Cont. 4

• Training Schedule Supplement

• Mangrove Magic 6

• New Communication Cards 7

• The Wet Coast 8

• On-line Tide Tables 9

• Kayak Cuisine 10

• News In Our Community 13

• Club Announcements 14

• Trip Calendar 15

Next Meeting Tuesday

February 4

Guest speaker

Kirby Stevens

Sea kayaking maps (with paddling/camping

destinations) on the B.C. Coast

Technical Skills Beginner course: This course will give you the basic skills and knowledge to go on trips in sheltered waters or to join compe-tently led trips in places such as the Gulf Islands. It covers: ♦ Basics of theory: parts of a sea

kayak, coastguard requirements, dif-ferent types of kayaks and paddles, clothing and equipment, hypother-mia, basics of marine charts, getting help in an emergency, flares and smoke canisters

♦ Introductory on-water skills: getting in and out of a kayak, wet exits, for-ward and reverse strokes, sweep strokes, slap for support, draw strokes, assisted rescue and paddle-float self-rescue

2003 Dates: Feb 1 – Mar 30 Mar 8 – Mar 30 April 10 – 27 June 7/8

The Vision is to have the most effective, consistent and lead edge training system of any Sea Kayak organization. One that puts safety first and foremost, one that ensures enjoyment for all levels and one that cares for the planet Once again we begin gearing up for the prime kayak season by putting together a strong training program. Thanks to Jan for all the coordina-tion, and to all the volunteer trainers that keep this going so that we may all be safe out on the water this year!

2003 Training Program

Strokes and Rescue Course: This is a great tune-up for intermedi-ate kayakers looking to improve their skills and keep their rescue techniques fresh. Rescues include: self, T, TX, Eskimo bow, scoop, hand-of-God, bow and stern carries, and towing. Strokes include: bracing, draw, vari-ous forward and sweep, stern rudder. 2003 Dates: May 10/11 May 24/25

Bracing Practice: A pre season warm up for those who already know bracing and want to practice high braces, low braces and sculling braces at the Newton Wave Pool. 2003 Dates: Mar 14

(Continued on page 4)


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SKABC Executive President: Richard Novek …...…… 604-924-1470 Vice-President: Steve Moon................... 604-536-7201 Secretary: Sue Johnson ……… ..…604-936-7226 Treasurer: Barbara Milne ……….... 604-230-8022 Membership: Catherine Ostler …….... 604-669-4492 Training: Jan Madsen....................604-987-6270 Trips: Shelly Lear (chair)….…... 604-437-1549 See trip committee list and contacts on last page Safety Officer: Heather Kirk ……...…...604-736-0445 Programs: Gordon Squire ……..… 604-921-8175 Library: Edwin Bussey ………....604-434-1739 Social: Julie Dorsemaine..........604-984-6414 Conservation Liaison: Denise Withers …..…... 604-709-6161 (cell) 604-868-6157 Outdoor Recreation Council (ORC): Tony Clayton ……..…. ..604-921-7947 BC Marine Trails (BCMTA) VACANT Website: Edwin Bussey ……...…...604-434-1739 SKABC Newsletter: Cindy Dopson …..……. 604-444-1118 Email: [email protected] Publishing Deadline: 15th of each month

Vancouver Island Contacts: David Blacoe (Sooke): (250) 642-2010 Brian Robilliard (Duncan): (250) 743-6997

MEMBERSHIP YEAR: April 1 to March 31. The fee is $40.00 for one year and is pro-rated for new members only.

SKABC Mailing Address: Box 751, Station “A”

Vancouver, BC V6C 2N6

Editorial

Well, here is another issue full of incredible submissions. I can’t thank this month’s contributors enough – you make my job so easy! A couple notes for those that send me information: I will be on vacation (Bahamas – look for an article by me next month!) from February 6-22. So if you send me anything during that time, don’t expect an immediate response! It also means I will have a tight turnaround for the March newsletter, so please have everything in to me no later than the 22nd – I am hoping to come home to an inbox (or fax: 604-893-3001) FULL of arti-cles and information just waiting to pop in. Hint hint hint hint... Another note for anyone with a classified ad: I will continue to run these until such time as you let me know it is no longer needed. If you sell (or find) your stuff, please let me know so you don’t continue to get calls!

Happy Paddling!

New Executive Member!

Thanks to Steve Moon for taking on the role of Vice President! Steve has been one of our volunteer trainers, trip leaders, and

meeting entertainers, and his commitment and energy is most welcomed by the

executive!

WWW.SKABC.ORG Member’s Page

Members page: Username: skabc Password: umiak


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Accessible Kayaking by Stephanie Cadieux and Cindy Dopson

Water sports are for everyone. Experiencing nature, exercising, socializing and pushing the lim-its are all reasons people with disabilities are discovering pad-dling. Skill is determined by ability and attitude for both able and disabled paddlers, making kayaking an equal opportunity sport. For people with disabili-ties getting out in nature, experi-encing the beauty and serenity, the same way as able-bodied friends causes your disability to become invisible. Paddling emphasizes ability, and the water acts as a great equalizer. Unlike many land sports and recreation options that require incredibly expensive sports wheelchairs or “special” leagues, special rules and sig-nificant assistance, with kayak-ing most often little or no adap-tation is necessary for the dis-abled individual. Some of the adaptations that may be neces-sary or helpful are outriggers (for stability), foam pads, and duct tape. For paddlers with limited upper body strength or mobility, tandem kayaks offer the best of both worlds: the same experience with a little added power! And, for paddlers with no arms but the use of their legs, kayaks have even been adapted to be pedaled like a bike. A number of programs are de-veloping around North America to help expand the world of pad-dling to individuals of all abilities.

There are great opportunities to share our sport with people of all abilities, and more and more we will be joined on the water and in our club. If you are interested in support-ing getting people with disabili-ties out on the water, or know someone with limited physical abilities who would like to try kayaking, the following are a number of resources: Here in Vancouver, the Van-couver Park Board Adapted Aquatics Program holds a number of Kayaking programs including 2-day kayaking camps at Camp Squamish. This year these camps take place June 7-8 and September 6-7. For more information on how to get involved as a dis-abled kayaker or as a camp volunteer please call Bonnie Friesen at 604.257.8500. Training workshops for instruc-tors are available through Western Canoeing and Kayak-ing. Call Mercia Sixta for more information 604.853.9320. Adapted Kayaking adventures are also available through Power 2 Be. For more infor-mation on these trips please visit www.powr2b.com.

Stephanie Cadieuz is a kayaker and the Provincial

Peer Coordinator for the BC Paraplegic Association.

The University has recently put out a media release about the work their engineering group has done in modifying kayaks to better enable people with lower body impairments to kayak with ease. See http://c o m m u n i c a t i o n s .uv ic . ca /releases/mr021219.html

Kayaks for Sale: We have 2 kayaks for sale. We are members of SKABC and have bought larger boats so are hoping to sell our present boats: Nimbus Kevlar Klemtu 14'3” single kayak in car-dinal red deck / black trim / smoke hull that was bought new in Nov.2000 and is in excellent condi-tion. Spray skirt available as well. $2600 Current Design Kevlar Pachena 14'1” single kayak in regatta blue deck / black trim / smoke hull that was bought new in Nov.2000 and is in ex-cellent condition. Spray skirt available as well. $2650 Contact Don Cook or Janet Blair telephone 604-931-2919 or e-mail ad-dress [email protected]


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Rescue Practice: We will be practicing rescues in real-istic conditions at the Newton Wave Pool. This will be conducted in an organized manner so everybody gets to practice, in anticipation of the new paddling season. The course is re-stricted to those who can demon-strate a prior knowledge and profi-ciency in rescues. We will be using sea kayaks for this session. No rent-als are available on site. 2003 Dates: April 4 Rolling clinic: This course is already half full this year. The course starts with video instruction of each step of the roll se-quence. Followed by 3-4 hours of pool time. Pool time is videotaped for personalized analysis. The course is taught in the provided white water boats which are shorter and easier to handle in the pool. The rolling skills are easily transferred to a sea kayak. The course is held in Squamish at a heated outdoor pool. 2003 Dates: April 6 May 31

Level 1 Instructor: This course is designed for people in the sea kayak community who have an interest in becoming instructors. It is necessary that they have sufficient skillsets, knowledge and experience to competently perform the tech-niques they wish to train. This course will teach how to present an effective training session. 2003 Dates: Mar 29/30

Training Weekends Low Impact Camping: Every decision we make on our trips impacts the environment we leave behind. Learn how to reduce impacts to the land, ecosystems, and fellow nature-lovers in this weekend course. 2003 Dates: June 7/8

Navigation Course: Theory and experiential learning give you the basics you need in navigation, including: true north and magnetic north poles, using latitude and longitude, how to off-set a bearing to ensure contact with a point, the use of a compass rose, basic chart symbols, use of charts and compasses to identify your sur-roundings and determine headings, use of tide and current tables, rig-ging a kayak for easy navigation. 2003 Dates: April 12/13

Weather Course: By the end of this two-day on-water course participants will be able to make an informed go-no/go deci-sion to launch based on global-picture weather concepts and coastal situations affecting kayakers (such as winds, fog, etc.). This course does not cover extensive dis-cussion of meteorological theory 2003 Dates: May 3/4

Currents: This course covers understanding the flood and ebb around Vancou-ver Island, Interpreting tide and current tables, differentiating be-tween favourable and unfavourable turns, calculating window of trav-erse in tidal passages, ferrying across moving water, use of eddies to move against main flow, cross-ing an eddy line, paddling up-

stream through a constriction in a tidal rapid, and rescuing another paddler in moving water 2003 Dates: June 14/15

Leadership Course: This scenario-based course gives you the opportunity to develop your unique leadership style, and experience in handling common group dynamic and emergency situations that can come up when leading trips. 2003 Dates: June 21/22

Surfing Course This is Harald’s chance to get you wet! By the end of this two-day course, participants will be able to safely land and launch on surf beaches – a must for West Coast kayaking. 2003 Dates: Sept 6/7

Supplemental Skills

Emergency Kayak Repair: You will have hands-on experience using fibreglass in the best orienta-tion to make an emergency repair on a damaged boat (simulated boat-real damage). We'll discuss what to bring in your repair kit, ep-oxies versus polyester resins, hard-ware bits and pieces, etc. 2003 Dates: Feb 22 VHF Radio Operator’s License: In this course you will learn the fundamental emergency calls and communications procedures needed to get an effective response from emergency response agencies. (not just the Coast Guard) This course includes a written and ver-bal test. Upon successful comple-

Paddlefloat Seats $65.00 includes taxes Contact Terry McGinnis at 604-872-5898


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Dry suit for Sale: Gore-tex dry suit for sale – like new and well maintained – never used. Men's size large Kokotak with booties. Excellent condition. Make me an offer – willing to ship! Contact Rob at (802) 879-8929. [email protected], or [email protected]

Ladies wet suit for sale: (worn once) made by Mountain Dreams in Vic-toria, size medium $60 Contact Frank Forster 604-277-6594

tion of this course you receive a re-stricted radio operator's certificate, good for life. It does not include how to operate any particular VHF radio as makes and models vary. (Highly Recommended Course) 2003 Dates: March 3rd and 17th April 10th and 24th. Wilderness First Aid: This course is conducted by the pro-fessionals at St. John Ambulance. You will learn a procedure to assess and treat an injured individual with everything from a mild gash to a heart attack victim. This is a hands on bandage and transport the victim course. This course comes with a manual that is best read prior to the first class. There are written tests for this course as you will receive CPR C ticket, as well as, a Wilderness First Aid certificate. This covers you under St. John's liability insurance to perform procedures you've been taught by them. (Highly Recom-mended Course) 2003 Dates April 3rd (evening), 5th & 6th (all day).

Star and Constellation Identification: This is a new course this year, and is being taught by Bill Burnyeat of P l a n e t a r i u m F a m e . Have you ever been on a trip where you looked up at the night sky to see a myriad of stars and wondered what constellation is that? What's the name of that star? If you have, then this course is for you. You will learn to identify those constellations and stars, as well as, some planetary his-tory. In order to aid you in this, you will be making a Planisphere which is a device used to locate the stars in any night sky. Bring it on you next trip and enjoy. 2003 Dates: Mar 15

SKABC Paddlers get out January 1st to watch the Polar Bear Swim at English Bay.

Photos courtesy of Terry McGinnis

SKABC 2003 Training Schedule

For more information, comments or questions, please contact Jan Madsen, Training Coordinator at (604) 987-6270 or [email protected]

Course Date Day Time Content Location Instructor Co-Instructor Contact Person/ Registration

Maximum Participants

Estimated Cost

Feb 1st Sa 9-5pm Theory JerichoFeb 7th Fr 9-11pm Pool Lord ByngFeb 21st Fr 9-11pm Pool Lord ByngFeb 28th Fr 9-11pm Pool Lord ByngMar 30th Su 9am-noon Open water Deep Cove

Emergency Kayak Repair Feb 22nd Sa 9-5pm Hands-on Coquitlam Rod Tait Jan Madsen Jan Madsen (see top line) min 4-max10 $40

Mar 3rd Mo 7-10pm Theory TBD

Mar 17th Mo 7-10pm Theory/test Your place?

Mar 8th Sa 9am-5pm Theory New West.Mar 15th Sa 3-5pm Pool SFUMar 22nd Sa 3-5pm Pool SFUMar 29th Sa 3-5pm Pool SFUMar 30th Su 9am-noon Open water Deep Cove

Bracing Practice Mar 14th Fr 9:15-11pm Play time

Bracing Skills w-wtr boats

NWP YNH YNH YNH We're volunteer driven

10 40 approx.

Star & Constelation Identification

Mar 15th SA 9-5pm Observation Hands-on

B.C.I.T. Bill Burnyeat The Gods Jan Madsen (see top line)

45 $40

Mar 29th SA all day Water/skills TBDMar 30th Su all day Water/skills Deep CoveApr 3rd Th 6-11pm Theory North VanApr 5th Sa all day Outdoor SDFApr 6th Su all day Outdoor SDF

Rescue Practice Apr 4th Fr 9:15-11pm Rescue skills Sea kayaks

NWP Harald Riffel YNH Harald Riffel (see contact info. 7 up)

12 40 approx.

Rolling Clinic Apr 6th Su 9:30am-4pm approx. end

Outdr htd pool Theory/water

Squamish Sea to Sky Kayaking

Video taped analysis

Paula Jamieson 604-898-5498

[email protected]

min 4 max 6

$96.30 (incl $45 deposit)

Apr 10th Th 9-11pm Pool Lord ByngApr 12th Sa 9am-5pm Theory JerichoApr 17th Th 9-11pm Pool Lord ByngApr 24th Th 9-11pm Pool Lord ByngApr 27th Su 9am-noon Open water Deep CoveApr 10th Th 7-10pm Theory TBD

Apr 24th Th 7-10pm Theory/test Your place?

Apr 12th Sa all day Water/compass

Apr 13th Su all day Chart/water

TBD $40Elisa Kreller 604-633-0535

[email protected]

Newcastle Island

Navigation Rick Davies Patrick McPhillips Steven Goh

$40 WOK add $6 for Byng rental boat. Cove

rental extra

min 4 $57

Heather Kirk (see contact info. 4 up)

$201.16

Heather Kirk 604-736-0445

[email protected]

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10Steve Moon 604-536-7201

[email protected]

$40 WOK add $15 for

SFU rental boat. Cove rental

extra

St. John Ambulance

Wilderness First Aid 2 Books and one read before the course starts

TBD Contact training coordinator

VHF Radio Operator’s Certificate

$40 WOK add $6 for

Byng rental boat. Cove rental

extra

Barb Szabados Operator's Certificate Heather Kirk (see contact info. 8 up)

min 4 $57

VHF Radio Operator’s Certificate

Barb Szabados Restricted Operator's Certificate

when you pass

Beginner Steve Moon Brutus Tranquilli

Rick Davies Dana Way

10Steve Moon

CPR C Ticket when you pass

min 10 max 18

15 TBD

Beginner

Beginner Rob Leeson Harald Riffel

Steve Moon (see contact info. 6 up)

Harald Riffel Karin Rennert Gord Squire

Harald Riffel [email protected]

604-734-5514

Level 1 Instructors (new) Recertification (suggested)

Page 1 of 2 © 2003 Sea Kayaking Association of BC Revision: 25/01/2003

SKABC 2003 Training Schedule

For more information, comments or questions, please contact Jan Madsen, Training Coordinator at (604) 987-6270 or [email protected]

Course Date Day Time Content Location Instructor Co-Instructor Contact Person/ Registration

Maximum Participants

Estimated Cost

May 3rd Sa all day Theory/waterMay 4th Su all day Observe/waterMay 10th Sa all day Strokes/bracing Deep Cove

May 11th Su all day Rescue/towing Deep Cove

May 24th Sa all day Strokes/bracing Pt. Roberts

May 25th Su all day Rescue/towing Pt. Roberts

Rolling Clinic May 31st Sa 9:30am-4pm approx. end

Outdr htd pool Theory/water

Squamish Sea to Sky Kayaking

Video taped analysis

Paula Jamieson (see contact info. 7 up)

min 4 max 6

$96.30 (incl $45 deposit)

Jun 7th Sa all day Theory/waterJun 8th Su all day Theory/waterJun 7th Sa all day Insight/waterJun 8th Su all day Peace/quietJun 14th Sa all day Theory/waterJun 15th Su all day Timing/waterJun 21st Sa all day Theory/waterJun 22nd Su all day Practice/waterSep 6th Sa all day TofinoSep 7th Su all day Hostel?

Course Schedule is tentative -- course offerings, dates, times, locations, and costs will be confirmed by the Contact Person for each course.

WOK=With own kayakSFU=Simon Fraser UniversityNWP=Newton Wave PoolSDF=Seymour Demonstration Forest

Additional courses in development: Knot tying(comments, suggetions welcome) Tarp Rigging

May, & July beginnersKayak sailingFishing from your Kayak

15 $40Theory/water w.w./sea kayaks

Surfing Dana Way Harald Riffel Peter Kearney

Peter Kearney [email protected]

YNH We're volunteer driven

TBD $40

Leadership Thormanby Islands

Steve Moon The Spirits Steve Moon (see contact info. 16 up)

10 $40

Currents Mayne Island

Denise Withers Peter Kearney Harald Riffel

Steve Moon (see contact info. 12 up)

10 $40 boat extra

Low Impact Camping The Gulf Islands

Harald Riffel Elisa Krellar, Heather Kirk

Harald Riffel (see contact info. 17 up)

10 $40

Beginner Locarno Beach

Steve Moon Gord Squire

TBD $40

Strokes and Rescue Dana Way

Strokes and Rescue YNH John George YNH We're volunteer driven

Steve Moon Mike Paul 604-929-8578

[email protected]

TBD $40

24 $40

Weather Rick Davies YNH Elisa Kreller (see contact info. above)

Thormanby Islands

Page 2 of 2 © 2003 Sea Kayaking Association of BC Revision: 25/01/2003


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Mangrove Magic By Derek Spragg

UUUU sing polite language, he was in the ‘oversized’ de-partment, I figured by a factor of two – approxi-

mately. But that was not the real reason I didn’t want to be in the same kayak as this man. The real reason? I just wanted to kayak alone. I wanted to be in control of the experience myself. Go left, right, fast, slow whenever I wanted and I’d paid big bucks to do it. The two ladies who made up the rest of the group – factor one and a half – obviously knew each other and sounded as though they would be lots of fun. The fifth person was our guide and we were about to kayak in the JN ‘Ding’ Darling Na-tional Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island, near Fort Myers on Florida’s west coast. The kayaks were definitely not what I expected. A fair description would be dark blue, plastic bathtubs that had been stretched to about twelve feet. The cockpit was very wide and completely open for three-quarters of its length, and with no spray-skirt it felt quite strange. But this was not the thing that bothered me the most: it was the fact that each craft was for two people. Remember my first comments? Fortunately, however, my quiet but rather grumpy request for a single kayak was greeted with a cheeky grin as the man in charge flicked a lever underneath the front seat. He then slid the seat back with a loud metallic clang. … and … voila! … a single kayak. I was impressed and I said so. After a few cursory safety and paddling-technique in-structions, and assurances that only five alligators had been spotted in five years and that the only crocodile ever seen was miles away – so they thought – we set off, heading for the well-marked circuit in the mangrove swamp ahead. The wind was against us but I wasn’t worried because I’d done my homework earlier when I booked this adventure. Over the phone I had remarked that in the ‘Chamber of Commerce’ brochure they had a photograph of a couple of happy seniors in a canoe, but no life jacket in sight. I could almost hear the smile as the person at the other end explained that this wasn’t a problem because if you tipped over, the next thing you did was to stand up. Hmm, I thought, this Northwest-Pacific guy still has some things to learn. We all stopped at marker number one and listened care-fully as the guide began her explanation of the impor-tance of the mangroves to the island, not the least of

which was that mangroves stopped the island from being swept away in huge storms. There was always damage after a storm, she noted, but the familiar root structure of the tree was what provided a good base for recovery. As our guide pulled up anchor, we let go of each other’s kayak and continued to move from marker to marker. She was knowledgeable and her ‘green’ passion was almost overwhelming. She eas-ily connected the various components of this tidal ba-sin. After reminding us that the mangrove was an ev-ergreen tree, she pointed to the even sprinkling of yellow leaves that were constantly floating down and

landing in the water. These would eventually sink and become food for any herbivore fish – which in turn were eaten by, … which in turn were eaten by, … which in turn were eaten by fish eaters like me. At this point I looked up and said silently to myself, “I like you mangrove tree!” ‘Show and Tell’ time came when, from the bottom of her kayak, she

produced a huge jar of water and ‘things’. Some of these ‘things’ swam, some crawled, some wriggled and others just floated, waiting patiently to be gawked at and identified. She does this at the beginning of every tour to stress to visitors what lay below the brown stained water; water made opaque from tannin released by the mangrove tree. It was an A++ visual aid. I was completely blown away. It was teeming with life and what a variety. It was at moments like this that our intrepid guide found it extremely difficult not to rant about ‘development’ on Sanibel Island. Mangrove trees ripped out, she said. Land-fill brought in (not much needed, in this depth of water). Romantic palm trees planted in their place (not native flora). Huge houses built for the rich (lived in for a few weeks of the year – maybe). Dehumidifiers operating year round (whether lived in or not). Large concrete structures erected later when storms threatened the investment (things that the mangrove trees were doing already).

Our guide pulled up anchor and we moved off to-gether, silently, deep in thought. To be continued… Watch for part two of this story in the March issue


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Kayak for Sale: Baidarka fiberglass kayak, Derek Hutchinson design, 16'10“ long, 21“ wide, no rudder, tracks well, great little boat in good condition equipped with bulkheads and includes sprayskirt and paddle float. $800 Laura Kynnersley 604-521-5521 or [email protected]

NEW! SKABC Communication Cards NEW! SKABC Communication Cards NEW! SKABC Communication Cards NEW! SKABC Communication Cards – coming to a meeting near you! For all those times someone asks you about the club and what we do.

Special thanks to Doug at Frikinzero Ink for the cartoon! Doug is an artist and cartoonist with a great sense of humor and a flair for depicting outdoor life – including hiking and kayaking. The Frik Outdoors motto: “Only cool people camp” sums it up, doesn’t it??

Check out Doug’s website at www.frikoutdoors.com

Watch for more of Doug’s art in upcoming is-sues.


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THE WET COAST By Denise Withers

The Wet Coast is a regular contribution from our Conservation Liaison. The purpose is to present some of the facts around issues that affect us in order to stimulate discussion and provide awareness of the issues.

Last June, while many of us were outside splashing around in the sun-shine, the federal government was hard at work in the big dark House, redeeming their souls. After drag-ging their feet for decades, they fi-nally passed Bill C-10, the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act. On paper, it sounds like a real breakthrough in conservation for a country with the longest coastline in the world. But right now, that’s all it is – paper. The Act is simply ena-bling legislation – an open door to actually creating new National Ma-rine Conservation Areas (NMCA's). The problem is, there wasn’t any money designated to go along with this Act. In October, Jean Chrétien also announced the creation of a new National Park in the Gulf Is-lands that will include 2500 hec-tares of ecologically sensitive lands over 13 islands. Again though, no cash was attached. Canada already has two sites oper-ating as NMCA’s – Fathom Five, in Georgian Bay, Ontario; and Sa-guenay, on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. The feds propose to cre-ate five new NMCA’s, which would include Western Lake Superior in Ontario; and the Southern Strait of Georgia and Gwaii Haanas, both in B.C. (Guess the Easterners need to work on their lobbying efforts!) Establishing an NMCA in the Queen Charlottes is a logical step for Parks Canada. Many of you are already familiar with the Gwaii Haanas Na-

tional Park Reserve there, which is managed jointly by Parks Canada and the Haida Council. The pro-posed new marine reserve would enhance the protection of that ecosystem, by extending coverage approximately ten kilometers off-shore. The new Act seems to be a genu-ine attempt to stop the degrada-tion of our fragile marine environ-ments and practice responsible management. But as a conserva-tion protection measure, it does not go as far as it could have. None of these areas will be re-stored to a “pre-contact” state; or designated “untouchable”. As Parks Canada says, “the idea is to balance protection and sustainable use.” For example, each NMCA will be divided into zones. At least one zone wi l l a l low for the “sustainable use” of marine re-sources; read “fishing” and “shipping”. However, on the up side for conservationists, at least one zone must also be designated as a protection area for sensitive elements or special features of that ecosystem. Another strong point of the legislation is that it prohibits mining and hydrocarbon exploration and development within the entire NMCA. In fact, to make the Gwaii Haanas NMCA happen, four major oil companies ceded their petroleum leases in this area. They’ll still be able to ship and spill their oil there, but they won’t be allowed to drill.

As with anything legislative, the time frame for this whole process is glacially slow. Within 5 years, in consultation with all the stakeholders, the Minister has to come up with a management plan for each of the three proposed ar-eas. Then, it could be another 5 years or more before each plan is approved and implemented. And, there’s still a matter of fiscal commitment. Parks Canada and our PM made lots of noise an-nouncing this Act and the subse-quent new national parks, but they have yet to show us the money. For those of you who would like to see these NMCA’s come into being in before we’re too old to enjoy them, this could be a good time to make some noise. The Minister in charge of Parks Canada is Sheila Copps. With a Liberal leadership bid foremost on her mind, and the environment looming large on her platform, she’ll be looking for some good PR. You can write to her at: Sheila Copps Minister of Canadian Heritage Room 511-S House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Fax: (819) 994-1267 Email: [email protected] For more information on Marine Conservation Areas in Canada, try these links (note that the website at Parks Canada is in transition so some of the links might get fuzzy):


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Tent for Sale: MEC Nunatuk 4 season tent for sale. Excellent con-dition. Check www.mec.ca for dimensions and other details Asking $350 Contact: Manfred at 604-274-3259 or [email protected]

I have produced full year tide tables for the following locations for 2003 that can be downloaded from my website:

www.seapaddler.ca. They are in Adobe Acrobat files and inside individual .zip files, are graphical and provide daily highs and lows, tide heights in feet every 30 minutes, moonrise and moonset times, a moon phase graphic for each day and sunrise and sunset times. They are very easy to use and read. The entire year can be printed or just the dates for a particular trip. Also daylight savings time is enabled. They are much easier to use then the store bought tide table books and cheaper too they are free. I'll be doing this on an annual basis.

♦ Active Pass / Mayne Island, Gulf Islands. ♦ Bamfield Barkley Sound, Vancouver Island. ♦ Burrard Inlet, Vancouver. ♦ Chemainus, Stuart Channel. ♦ Clayoquot Sound, Vancouver Island. ♦ Comox, Baynes Sound. ♦ Cowichan Bay, Vancouver Island. ♦ Duncun Bay, Discovery Passage. ♦ Esquimalt, Vancouver Island. ♦ Fulford Harbor, Saltspring Island. ♦ Knox Bay, West Thurlow Island. ♦ Ladysmith, Vancouver Island. ♦ Nanaimo, Vancouver Island. ♦ Nasparti Inlet, Vancouver Island ♦ Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island. ♦ Pender Harbor, Malaspina Strait. ♦ Port Alberni, Vancouver Island. ♦ Redonda Bay, Deer Passage. ♦ Riley Cove, Clayoquot Sound. ♦ Sand Heads, Fraser River. ♦ Seymour Narrows / Canoe Pass. ♦ Sidney / Haro Strait. ♦ Sooke, Vancouver Island. ♦ Squamish / Howe Sound. ♦ Victoria, Vancouver Island. ♦ Whaletown, Cortes Island.

All other areas are available upon request.

(The Wet Coast Continued from page 8)

MCA Backgrounder: http://www.parcscanada.gc.ca/a p p s / c p - n r / re l ea s e_e .a s p ?bgid=587&andor=bg Proposed Gwaii Haanas Marine Conservation Area Reserve: http://parkscan.harbour.com/gwaii/marineconservation.htm Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site: http://parkscan.harbour.com/gwaii/ "Sea to Sea to Sea: Canada's National Marine Conservation Areas System Plan" (this site also had great general background about each of the Pacific ecosys-tems): http://www2.parkscanada.gc.ca/nmca/nmca/index.html Gulf Islands Park Announce-ment: http://www.parkscanada.gc.ca/a p p s / c p - n r / re l ea s e_e .a s p ?bgid=589&andor=bg

On-Line Tide Tables By Geoff Willits


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For a change of pace, this Kayak Cuisine article does not contain recipes, but discusses a topic that poses quite a challenge if one is planning a long unsupported trip for the first time. It is also a topic that could take up a lot of space if one were to discuss all the alternatives and include favourite tips from everyone (editor’s note: wouldn’t that be fun! e.Mail your favourite food tip to [email protected]) so I will without apology focus on a particular approach that works for me and seems to be popular among SKABC members for one to two week trips.

Kayak Cuisine: Food Planning for a Multi-Day Trip

By Tony Clayton

Setting the Stage: Let’s assume that we are planning for a group of 6 kayakers for a 13 day trip. This, of course, is the logical starting point for plan-ning: assess how many people will be in the group, and how long the trip is going to be. Your next decision is whether the meals will be group meals, or whether everyone will be self sufficient. A mixed approach is often preferred, where breakfasts, lunches and snacks are indi-vidual, but the evening meals are group events. So we still have our 13 days to plan for. To begin my planning, I start with a sheet of paper that I divide into 5 columns headed Day; Breakfast; Snacks; Lunch; Dinner. You never want to run out of food due to an unforeseen delay, so it is wise to plan for a couple of extra days. Allowing for that contingency in this ex-ample, I would now use 15 rows.

Breakfasts: If your tastes are simple or you prefer a spar-tan approach then planning is easy – 15 serv-ings of oatmeal! I like some variety, say 6 meals of hot cereal, 6 meals of cold cereal, 2 meals with fresh eggs and one pancake break-fast. I divide the cereal into one meal portions and pack them with the desired amount of milk powder into small re-sealable bags. The bags can be labeled using a permanent marker, including the amount of water to be added. A similar approach is used for the pancake mix (I use the add-water-only type), but the maple syrup is packaged in a small nalgene bottle and the two items put together into a second ziplock bag. Fresh eggs travel well if they are packed well and kept cool. I used to take fresh bacon, but I found it has a short shelf life without refrig-eration and it is also pretty messy, so I substi-tute ham sausage that doubles as a lunch item. I have seen people take pre-cooked bacon on trips, but I am not a convert to that product. I pack all the breakfast items into one nylon stuff sack lined with a plastic bag. I include any beverages that I use at breakfast (fruit drink crystals, coffee) and any other breakfast items such as fresh or dried fruits.

Snacks: This is the easiest part: I just calculate the required amount of GORP (trail mix), granola bars, etc. based on my typical daily consumption and pack them all into one bag.

Potluck Meals: Do not leave too much up to chance, or you could finish up with 4 kilos of plain rice and nothing else. The group needs to discuss at least in a general way what to bring for the potluck food and the 2 extra days safety food, and who will bring what, so there is not too much of a surprise.

On-the-Way Meals: Often the first group meal is at a rendezvous or close to the put-in, at the end of a water-taxi ride or perhaps a short paddle to a nearby camp site. In this situa-tion it is great to have someone pick up en route convenience food such as cold barbequed chicken, salads and dessert. This relieves the added stress of prepar-ing a meal after what is usually a long and hectic day of travelling. It is also very flexible: a delayed water taxi is perhaps an opportunity for a dinner that is ready to eat while you wait.

DAY BREAKFAST SNACKS LUNCH DINNER

1 Oatmeal GORP Cheese and salami

Fresh veggie stirfry

2 More Oatmeal.. Granola bars Bagels and peanut butter

pasta


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Lunches: This is not too difficult either. You can take the same approach used for breakfasts – i.e. decide how many meals you will have cheese, how many with salami, etc. - and pack accordingly. The key is to estimate the correct amount per serving and then extend that out for the number of meals. I usually figure on 50g each of both cheese and salami per meal, but this is very much an individual thing and depends upon your ca-loric requirements, appetite, and what other items you will be including in your lunches. Hard cheeses and salamis keep best, especially if they are heavily spiced or smoked, but softer items are good for the early days of a trip – even cream cheese fares well for several days if care-fully handled. Canned fish makes a useful change from salami and cheese. Peanut butter and jam are good lunch items, and are best packed in “Jerry Tubes” – the flexible fillable and re-closable soft plastic containers that resemble oversized tooth-paste tubes. Margarine or butter can also be packed in these tubes, but are apt to get runny if warm, and will probably go rancid before our 13 days are up. The mainstay of most people’s lunches is a break of some kind. Nowadays there are certainly sev-eral options. Crackers come in great variety, but are fragile and do not have a lot of substance. Bagels are popular and travel well, but are a trifle bulky. Flat breads, such as pita, chapati, naan, partha and tortillas are now widely available and are good choices for about 7 or 8 days – but are a bit suspect after that. Fresh heavy rye bread keeps well if kept dry and cool, but the best bet is the pumpernickel style bread that is pre-sliced and typically comes in a 250g/350g package. It has a very long shelf life unopened, and because of the convenient packaging you can have fresh bread throughout the trip. Of course, you can make bread on the trip – and we can explore that topic in another article. It is always reviving to have a hot item for lunch on those cold, wet days, so include some pack-aged soups in your plan. You can either make them up at breakfast and put them in a thermos, or fire up a stove at lunch time and produce a hot soup on the spot.

Dinners: The big advantage of taking turns cooking the evening meal is that it reduces the number of days you need to plan, shop, pack and cook for. In our scenario (13 days and 6 partici-pants) we will do 2 dinners each. There is an amazing variety of satisfying and tasty dishes that can be created on a long wilderness kayak expedition, so it is not difficult for even the least experienced member of the group to put a couple of meals together. It doesn’t have to be a gourmet experience, but should be appetizing, healthy and satisfying. Remember that you may be prepar-ing this on a wild day when the stove is not working well, sand is blowing into everything, and you thought you would have been in camp three hours earlier than you actu-ally were! In any event, the group should make sure that there are some simple, fast meals included for those awful evenings where everyone is tired and cold. A pasta dish is ideal for such occasions. Make sure that you scale the reci-pes to the size of the group, and err on the generous side – it’s better to have leftovers than hungry kayakers if you want to finish the trip in one piece! What you decide on for a meal will no doubt be influenced by the days that you draw: the person with day 1 will have the option of fresh ingredients, while the only fresh option for day 13 is probably cabbage. Try giving day 13 to the person who draws day 1 just to even things out. Day 7 is a good day for a potluck meal. It is also wise not to get too locked into the rotation as circumstances may suggest a change in order: that simple pasta meal scheduled day 7 may be just the ticket for a stormy day 4, for example. And do not think you are off the hook if it is not your meal day – be courteous and offer to help even if the cook appears to have everything under control. Insist on helping if things are obviously not going well. When you have finalized your dinner selection, scaled the recipe, purchased the ingredients, measured, and re-packaged your items you should put all items for that meal into one sturdy bag. Make sure that everything is labeled and that any recipes you require are weatherproofed and included. Also include any items such as cooking oil or sea-sonings that you take for granted at home. I no longer plan a meal around fish, simply because weather and travelling schedules often preclude catching fish on a predetermined day. However, I take the ingredients for two or three seafood dishes as part of my potluck contribution and use them when the opportunity arises. On longer trips – say for 2 people – preplanning and pack-


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ing each meal in detail is tedious and not very practical, so some modifica-tion is required. Planning how many meals using rice, pasta or whatever I decided and then each ingredient is measured and packed accordingly. This approach means less work at home, less meal bags, and offers more flexibility – but arguably creates more of a challenge in preparing the meal in the field. You would also want to take more items such as spices, herbs and other ingredients to create a meal around the basics. Everyone eventually evolves a sys-tem with which he or she is com-fortable, and we each have our own quirky ways that seem to work for us. I hope this discussion will pro-vide a starting point for those of you planning your first long trip.

Happy paddling and good eats! Please send me your comments and suggestions on this and other Kayak Cuisine articles. E.mail to [email protected]

Kayak Cuisine Continued:

January Trip to Gabriola Photos courtesy of Marylke Nieuwenhuis

A keen group of SKABC paddlers on a winter weekend

Paddling past the B&B they stayed in – no winter camping for this group!

A beach landing

Incredible geology – this is so inspiring!


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"© SKABC 2001. No portion of this newsletter may be republished in any media without permission." The SKABC ‘Paddle’ newsletter is printed on 100% recycled paper

February 11, 2003 Hidden Treasures of BC’s West Coast Rugged, remote, spectacular, and breathtaking. Only a few of the many words that describe the beautiful pad-dling destinations tucked into BC’s West Coast. BatStar Adventures will take us to places like the Broken Group, Kyuquot Sound, Clayoquot Sound, The Deer Group and many more hidden treasures. Come and see the amazing paddling that’s waiting for you right in your own backyard!! Blake Johnson: BatStar Adventures

March 11, 2003 7 Years Around Vancou-ver Island Near to home, Vancouver offers some of the best and most accessible kayak touring anywhere in the world. Doug circumnavigates the island, taking the time to take a good look, returning to savour the best spots. Doug is the author of “Savvy Paddler - 500 tips for better Kayaking” and his new book, “Handbook of Safety and Res-cue” (co-authored by Michael Pardy) will be out in March 2003. A few slides, a few stories and lots of infor-mation on how to get there safely and comfortably, the evening is guaranteed to be entertaining and informative. Doug Alderson: Long time paddler and CRCA Instructor Trainer.

Ecomarine Freebies:

News in our Community

Marine Mammal Information Session - Feb 5th

The Speaker will be Peter Olesiuk from the Pacific Biological Station.

Location: New Westminster at the Quay Inn - Hyack North Room Time: 6:30 - 9:00 PM Details: The issue of marine mammal predation is al-ways a really hot one....contact 604-666-8614 di-rectly - and tell 'em Rob sent you.

The Mountain Equipment Co-op Board of Directors' Election

is fast approaching - February 14 to April 4, 2003. Voting in the Election is one of the ways members can participate in their Co-op; by choosing the candi-dates whom they think will best guide MEC. Get more information at: http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=315521&bmUID=1043537541803

What do SKABC members do when they aren’t kayaking? Taken at Stake Lake near Kamloops by Howard Katz


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CLUB Meeting DatesCLUB Meeting DatesCLUB Meeting DatesCLUB Meeting Dates

2003200320032003

Note New Location For Meetings:

Whalley Wing,

Vancouver Museum (downstairs in the

Planetarium)

February 4February 4February 4February 4

March 4March 4March 4March 4

April 1April 1April 1April 1

May 6 May 6 May 6 May 6 –––– swap meet swap meet swap meet swap meet

June June June June ---- beach meeting beach meeting beach meeting beach meeting

July July July July ---- beach meeting beach meeting beach meeting beach meeting

August August August August ---- beach meeting beach meeting beach meeting beach meeting

September 2September 2September 2September 2

OctoOctoOctoOctober 7 ber 7 ber 7 ber 7 –––– AGM AGM AGM AGM

November 4November 4November 4November 4

Prince Rupert to Bella Bella

The Outside – Hecate Strait Banks, Estevans, Aristozabal, Price Islands

162 Nautical Miles

July 12 – August 4, 2003

Total of 24 days: • 20 Paddling days (July 14 – August 2) • 2 Motoring days (July 12 and August 4) • 2 Ferry days:

⇒ Port Hardy to Prince Rupert – July 13 ⇒ Bella Bella to Port Hardy - August 3

Contact Michael Hartley:

604-219-1067 (Cell)

3rd ANNUAL SKABC ROBBIE BURNS/ROBERT SERVICE

SUPPER Saturday February 8, 2003, 6:30

Place: Trophy Room of the Vancouver Rowing Club Itinerary for the Evening includes: Traditional (SKABC Style) Piping of the Haggis, Consumption of 'Neeps & Tatties', & Cremation of Sam McGee's Cabin to Bring: Potluck dish with appropriate serving utensils. Plate and eating utensils. Glasses provided by the Bar. Volunteers needed: Share receipt of RSVP & messages, Set tables, Music makers, Paddle holders (for ceremonial arch); To read/recite a few lines of either Bards poetry (Original script available if needed); Personal Poetry from aspiring Bards also wel-come! Tell tales of the Yukon etc. etc. Bake the Ceremonial Cabin Cake, Hunt & Cook the Haggis; Clear up at the end of the evening.

SKABC Spring Swap Meet

May 6 – at the regular club meeting

This is your chance to pass on or pick up used gear. Contact Gordon Squire with questions


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SKABC Tripline

♦ Key in tel. # for Tripline 604 290 9653 (our mail box #) ♦ SKABC ‘Greeting‘. To bypass press 9 ♦ On ‘Prompt‘, key in password 86425 (Umiak) ♦ To hear messages, press 1 (or 11 for new messages) ♦ To skip through messages, press # (this also auto-resaves message) ♦ To save messages, PLEASE! press 9 (ALWAYS RESAVE MESSAGES) ♦ To reply to a message, press 8 (best way to input a message) ♦ Do not delete messages, press 7 only to delete your own/stale messages ♦ To leave a message, press 2 (record message then press #, when asked

for destination mailbox enter 604-290-9653 )

SKABC Trip and Event Calendar 2002 NOTE: This list is subject to change. Please call the Trip Line or trip organizer for updates.

Day Trips Date Destination or Event Class Organizers, Phone numbers & Notes Winter Paddling anytime! Call Terry McGinnis 604-872-5898 Saturday March 15 Whytecliff Park to Bowen Island B2 Call Lucille Wright 604-987-7904 Start the season with a warm up paddle to the pub at Bowen! Launch 10am, approx 3 hour paddle. Sunday March 23 Southern Howe Sound Archipelago B2 Contact Tony Clayton 604-921-7947 A paddle from Bowen Island through the islands to the west: Worlcombe, the Pophams , Hermit [lunch stop], Pasley and Ragged . A short day paddle through a surprisingly quiet area with a large population of seals and a variety of birds . We will car pool for the ferry crossing Weekend Trips Date Destination or Event Class Organizers, Phone numbers & Notes Long Trips Date Destination or Event Class Organizers, Phone numbers & Notes July 12 – August 4 Prince Rupert to Bella Bella See article pg 10 – contact Michael Hartley 604-219-1067 or 604-255-8275 To have a trip listed on the SKABC calendar, please contact one of the following Trip Committee mem-bers: Ken Hewett 604-224-0839, Paul Rae 604-987-0523, Terry McGinnis 604-872-5898 or Les Blackie 604-946-1191

Trip Classification System:

SKABC Radios: 6 available free of charge to members participating in club trips. Radios are kept at: North Van: Grant Smith, 604-986-5800; Tim Morris, 604-929-1302 Richmond:: Manfred Koestlmaier, 604-274-3259, Burnaby: Heather Kirk 736-0445, Vancouver: Rob Leeson 604-739-1201, Dan Wicke 604-734-2955. To check availability, visit the website, or contact Heather Kirk at the above telephone number. Please note: A Radio Operator’s Certificate is required. If you don’t have a VHF radio, cell phones are an option areas with available coverage. Dial *16 to connect directly with the Vancouver Coast Guard Radio or *311 to directly connect to the Victoria RCC (Rescue Coordination Centre). Or dial 911

Letters (A-D) indicate how strenuous: A – Not strenuous; B – Moderately strenuous; C – Strenuous; D – Very Strenuous.

Numbers (1-4) indicate technical difficulty: 1 – Easy. Requires basic paddling skills 2 – Moderate. Requires good paddling skills 3 – Difficult. Requires good paddling skills 4 – Very Difficult. Requires advanced paddling skills and seamanship

Documents

Kirby StevensSupplemental Skills Emergency Kayak Repair: You will have hands-on experience using fibreglass in the best orienta-tion to make an emergency repair on a damaged boat (simulated