Introduction
Dear <<First Name>>,
Thanks to those members who contributed photos and materials. After enjoying a SISKA event or paddle, please consider sending a short (100-150 words) summary article; for more information, contact one of us. If you would like to start a regular column, please let us know!
Michael Jackson (SISKA president) and Ben Fast (editor)
PS: You can find SISKA on Facebook at this link.
PPS: SISKA has a Meetup site for "impromptu" and other paddles organized by club members. For more details, go to https://www.meetup.com/SISKA-Meetup/. To join this, you have to be a club member.
PPPS: You can find the SISKA newsletter archive here: http://goo.gl/VUkafR |
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Community Events of Interest
Brian Henry of Ocean River Sports, a longtime supporter of SISKA, has asked us if our club has any members with PC Level 2 (or better) paddling skills, and good leadership abilities, who would like to assist them with their busy summer kayak guiding work.
If you would be interested in working with ORS as a kayak guide this summer please contact Brian directly at bigkahuna@oceanriver.com
If you are aware of an event that should be included in the next Newsletter, please email Alan Campbell at alanglencampbell@shaw.ca.
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Safety Tip - First Aiding
- Lynn Baier
Download a first aid app for your phone. It will help in the event of a medical emergency. Even more importantly, take a first aid course!
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What’s in a Name? Pym Island
- Vic Turkington
We often paddle across Colburne Passage to Pym island from Fir Cone Point on Coal Is.,while dodging the ferries, en route to Piers, Portland Island and beyond. It was named after Lt. Fredrick Whiteford Pym RN, an officer on board the arctic explorer “Assistance”; sent to search for the lost Franklin expedition (1852-54).
The 5 acre island was originally known as Quadros Is., after Joseph Quadros from the Azores, who purchased it for $1 per acre in 1890 - for the grand total of $5! The island was for sale in 2015 for $5,988,000 - nice appreciation (real estate pays!). It contains a 9,000 sq.ft. luxury home with guest cottages, tennis courts, a dock and manicured gardens. A realtor's promo can be viewed here, showcasing the luxury home and aerial views of the island. The coastline is generally rocky but the west side has a shale bail-out beach near the dock.
BC ferries do not traverse Stranger Pass, between Pym and Knapp islands.
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Tips from the trips - Radio Waves
- Debbie Leach
Your VHF will get better reception on wet sand. Recording the forecast on your cell phone makes it easy to replay for your memory and your paddling buddies.
Question from the Editor: but Debbie, how do we keep the cell phone charged?! |
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Camp Cookery
- Lynn Baier
Beef Burritos for Four
Cook well, then dehydrate one pound of extra lean ground beef. Dehydrate: a can of refried beans, a small can of corn, a small jar of salsa and one onion.
In camp rehydrate all by covering with boiling water and let sit for an hour. Reheat everything but the salsa. The corn and onions can easily be added in with the beef to minimize cleanup. Spread the beans on a soft tortilla wrap(about 8 of them), then top with the beef etc., salsa, and lots of grated cheddar. Wrap up and enjoy!
(Alternately they can be assembled as quesadillas in a frying pan, browning on both sides and cutting into wedges.)
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Kayakable Birding
This issue, we'll sort out cormorants. Cormorants are fairly large, long-necked divers but, because their feathers rapidly get saturated in the water (which helps them stay below), you will frequently see them sitting on exposed perches, wings spread to dry. We have three species locally, but two are most common year-round.
The Double-crested Cormorant has an orange throat. Adults are dark-breasted, but juveniles have a pale neck and chest. They have a dip in the neck when flying and supposedly are the only local cormorant that will fly over land. |
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| Double-crested Cormorant, drying those soggy wings |
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The Pelagic Cormorant is smaller than the Double-crested, with a dark face and throat. In the summer, it shows a flashy white flank patch. The neck is thin and held straight out when flying. |
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| Pelagic Cormorant |
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SISKA Campout
- John Levey with images from Simon Williams
There were seven participants in this campout. The weather was perfect and the seas calm. Very little wind.
We shared meals and got along well together. Sandy and I paddled to Willows beach and back on Saturday to take in the MEC PaddleFest.
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