Introduction
Dear Tony,
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!
Alan Campbell (SISKA president) and Tony Playfair (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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Upcoming SISKA Events
Wednesday, December 09th, 2020 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Monthly Meeting
Monday, December 14th, 2020 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Inter Tidal Marine Life Clinic
Wednesday, December 16th, 2020 - 4:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Monthly Meeting
Saturday, January 02nd, 2021 - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM - Relaxed Paddle - Esquimalt Lagoon to Millstream Falls Paddle
Sunday, January 03rd, 2021 - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM - Albert Head to Wittys Lagoon Paddle
Saturday, January 09th, 2021 - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM - Currents Clinic
Saturday, January 09th, 2021 - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM - Relaxed Paddle - Telegraph Cove to Cormorant Point Paddle
Sunday, January 10th, 2021 - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM - Esquimalt Lagoon to Millstream Falls Paddle
Thursday, January 14th, 2021 - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM - Cadboro Bay to Uplands Tour Paddle
Sunday, January 24th, 2021 - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM - Relaxed Paddle - Brentwood Bay Ferry Wharf to Mackenzie Bight Paddle
Thursday, January 28th, 2021 - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM - Brentwood Bay Ferry Wharf to Todd Inlet Paddle
Saturday, January 30th, 2021 - 9:30AM to 3:30pm - Cadboro Bay to Chatham and Discovery Islands
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Community Events of Interest
Monday, November 30, 2020 - 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Deep Diving with RV Falkor off Western Australia - VNHS
These events are not formally supported by SISKA, but considered to be of interest to a significant number of our members.
Any member may request an event to be included in this section by sending a note to chairperson@siska.ca.
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President's Message
December 2020 – Let’s Make the Best of It for All of Us!
This is the time of year when we usually look forward to brightening our days and warming our hearts with gatherings that celebrate the many family, cultural and religious traditions in our community.
Unfortunately, this year we are necessarily constrained by the greater need to reduce our direct social contacts, travel, and gatherings to contain the 2nd wave of the Covid-19 pandemic now in our midst.
Until recently, Vancouver Island had managed to avoid the rapid escalation of coronavirus infections in our communities that we have watched with concern in many other areas. This is no longer the case.
The new public health orders issued November 26th by Dr. Bonnie Henry tightened restrictions across BC in an attempt to reduce the spiralling case numbers on the Lower Mainland, and to forestall similar results here and elsewhere in the Province.
As you know, SISKA has cancelled club paddles until at least December 7th when the orders are to be reassessed and eased if circumstances warrant. At this point it does not look like that will be the case.
But, even in these circumstances many of us can still find ways to come together, virtually in online meetings and events, and to enjoy outdoor recreation including paddling, safely within our small bubbles.
We can put up some cheery lights in or around our homes, reach out to someone we know who is less fortunate, recognize, appreciate and support health and social service workers, charities and other community organizations working hard to help and keep us all safe.
Let’s make the best of December this year for all of our sakes!
Alan Campbell, President
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SISKA's December 2020 Meeting
by Alan Campbell
PORT HARDY TO TOFINO: THE BEST OF THE WILD WEST COAST
On Wednesday, December 9th at 7pm please join us by Zoom for a presentation by Yves Aquin and Patti Stevens from Go Kayak (www.gokayak.ca). This is the story of their 34 day, 550 km paddling journey around the top of Vancouver Island and down the west coast. Their visual journey takes you to some of the best and most rugged places on Vancouver Island.
Yves Aquin and Patti Stevens are the owners and sea kayak instructors at Go Kayak Sea Kayak Instruction. They moved to Victoria in 2005 and embraced the Wild West Coast. Since then, they have paddled extensively all over Vancouver Island and beyond. Besides the Port Hardy to Tofino trip, in 2009 they completed a 3½ month 400-mile exploration of Haida Gwaii, the waters around Prince Rupert and Kitimat Inlet. In 2010 they were guest speakers at the Coastbuster Sea Kayak Symposium in Auckland, New Zealand. As owners of Go Kayak, they have been providing instruction to SISKA members for a number of years.
You're invited to a scheduled Zoom meeting!
Topic: SISKA December Monthly Club Meeting
Time: Dec 9, 2020 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83641671040?pwd=MXhTaXZ5NTVQTTJhd2VYbDBCdXBhZz09
Meeting ID: 836 4167 1040
Passcode: 601234
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VHF Radio Refresher for Kayakers
by Edgar Hulatt
Facilitator: Edgar Hulatt
Where & When: Via Zoom. December 8th, 2020 at 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm.
The Plan:
Join us for an evening reviewing VHF procedures, types of calls, key features and simulating various incident scenarios. While this evening is for kayakers who have previously completed the ROC(M) course and wish to refresh the course material it will also benefit anyone wishing to familiarize themselves with a VHF radio. We will also share experiences using the VHF radio and discuss Digital Selective Calling (DSC) radios.
Register: Email edgarh@shaw.ca. As this is an interactive course registration is limited to 12 persons.
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SISKA Intertidal Marine Life Presentation
by Barry Copeland
Time: December 14, 2020 07:00 PM
Mike Jackson will share his knowledge of the inter-tidal marine life of our area as well as discuss some of the possibilities of harvesting. He will help you identify some of the main species as well as talk about how the inter-tidal zone “works”.
Your next paddle will be that much richer, knowing what to look for and knowing something about it.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88681912867?pwd=TUpWc1ZteHdzVlFERXYvdzBLVnltUT09
Meeting ID: 886 8191 2867
Passcode: 413854
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Waivers
by DaveO
If you haven't already signed SISKA's new waiver please remember to do so before Decemberr 31. On January 01 all old waiver will no longer be valid. So far approximately 30% of the membership has signed the new waiver.
Remember that in order to take part in and SIKSA event,clinic or paddle each participant is required to have a valid waiver on file.
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SISKA Newcomers Meet and Greet
by Lisa Lasagna
Join David Maxwell and Alan Campbell (President) for a session on how to get the most out of your SISKA membership. This meeting is aimed at members who have joined in the past 2 years, but all are welcome. Learn how to make your club experience the best it can be. Take a screen tour through the SISKA website. Meet other new members. Share the highlights of what you've gotten out of your membership to date, as well as expectations that have not yet been met.
Topic: SISKA Newcomers Clinic
Time: Dec 16, 2020 07:00 PM Vancouver
Meeting ID: 810 7454 2642
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Charitable Donations
by Alan Campbell
As you know, SISKA’s Annual Christmas Luncheon and Party, which would normally take place next weekend, has been cancelled this year, along with many other seasonal events, due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
Traditionally, we have used the occasion of our party, and our prior monthly club meeting, to encourage members to personally donate to worthy local charities they wish to support. Since even more individuals, families and community organizations need support in these challenging times, if you can donate this year, we strongly encourage you to do so.
In the past, SISKA has directed collected donations to CFAX Santa’s Anonymous, Power to Be, and the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue teams on our coast, so links to these charities are provided below for your convenience.
CFAX Santa’s Anonymous https://www.cfaxsantas.com/
Power to Be https://powertobe.ca/
Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue https://rcmsar.com/
Thanks for supporting our community!
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Safety Tips
Planning a paddle with strong SW winds in the forecast.
by Lynn Baier
I would really appreciate more local knowledge contributions from those of you who are familiar with certain routes.
For this month I am going to talk about strong southwest wind. Where to go? Your best bet will be Telegraph Cove. Ten Mile Point gives a nice little lee shelter on the east side. You can paddle down and have a peek at Baynes Channel, but be careful not to get sucked round the corner on an ebb. Generally the currents in this area won’t cause a change of plans. You may encounter a bit of a gap wind in Arbutus Cove, but paddling closer to shore will help. There are a few large beaches to pull out on.
Where not to go? If you look at the predictors, it seems like Saanich Inlet might be a good idea, but beware of Squally Reach. The wind can really funnel through there and kick things up.
Stay safe out there and Merry Christmas!
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Tips from the trips
by Debbie Leach
Don’t sink in! Use a log under your beach chair to stay high.
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Camp Cookery
by Lynn Baier
Thanks to Roger Botting for the idea. I wasn’t up to tackling making kayak cookies, so I went with nautically themed gingerbread cookies. My 6 year old granddaughter helped with the decorating, and generously offered her creations for my pic as well.
GINGERBREAD
1/2 c butter
1 c light brown sugar
2 tsp each baking soda and salt
1 tsp each cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and allspice
1 1/2 c light molasses
2/3 c apple cider or juice
6 1/2 c all-purpose flour
Cream first four ingredients. Add molasses and beat well. Add liquid. Stir in flour to make a stiff dough.
Chill several hours or overnight.
Roll out to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut out shapes and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
ICING
Beat one egg white and add in icing sugar until it’s a spreadable consistency. Colour and create.
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Neck and Wrist Gasket Replacement Therapy
by Heather Jones
Next time your buddy needs gasket surgery, I hope yours is not too uptight during the procedure and can relax after the operation, as ours was!
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Trip Reports
Becher Bay Paddle 31st October, 2020
by Edgar Hulatt
A fine day dawned for the Relaxed Paddle around Becher Bay on the 31st October. A total of 8 paddlers launched from Cheanuh Marina at Spirit Bay, the small bay within Becher Bay. The sea state was calm and we noodled the shore clockwise around the bay exploring the nooks and crannies as well as the large log boom operation at the head of the bay. We reached our lunch spot at Movie Set Beach early so continued on around Smyth Head and past Large Bedford Island. The tide was running across the Tombolo between Large Bedford and the mainland and we spent half an hour playing on the gentle waves and eddies over the bar. We were ready for lunch and headed back to Movie Set Beach for a relaxed lunch with views across the bay. After lunch we crossed Becher Bay to the far side and were treated to a Humpback Whale feeding in the bay. On the way back to the marina a towing exercise allowed two of the paddlers to practise their skills. Coffee afterwards, actually milkshakes, was at The My Chosin Cafe sitting outside in the warm sunlight.
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Paddling Photography
by Edmond Duggan
Once again its the holiday season, which means there are deals on photographic equipment to be had. Camera manufactures know this is prime time between Black Friday and Boxing Day to have the newest camera available for those shopping, but also use it to clear out older models at a saving.
It's always hard to shop for a new piece of equipment. I recently saw a billboard that had simple message - "Buy local or bye-bye local." Victoria is large enough that there are several fine camera shops where being able to try out many models of gear first hand. This will allow you to do comparisons in person. I highly recommend it, as the online only experience just isn't the same. Internet reviews can be misleading, and a review is only as good as the reviewer.
Do look at flyers to see what was on sale during Black Friday, and use this as a guide to what might be available for Boxing Day. Go visit a shop and try out a camera that you think will be on sale again. If you wear gloves while paddling, do take them along to see if you can operate the controls while wearing them. Ask questions of the salesperson; while they want to make a sale, they also what you as a repeat customer.
Does having the newest highest resolution camera mean you'll be a better photographer? Probably not. Consider it like buying an ultra-high end kayak made of kevlar. One would probably baby it and there wouldn't be a noticeable change in paddling technique (or lack of.) Buy something you will use frequently, and save some money for that future kevlar boat :-) Your back and other joints will thank you later.
While out shopping, notice if there are any copies of the Victoria Camera Club's fine publication or in-store magazines. They probably aren't about paddling photography specifically, but there's lots of great articles in them. One can always think of how the skill can be applied to our photographic environment.
If you are luck enough to have Santa bring you new gear, sit down with the manual and work though each page, understand all the modes and give each a they on dry land. The last thing you want to do is to try and learn how to operate gear on the water. Spread this activity out of a couple of seasons in a warm and dry location with your favourite seasonal drink.
Next month I'll be writing about digital workflow - the sequence of how to take, store and process images. There will be an online webinar demonstrating this workflow. Following that I hope to run a couple of virtual workshops where we'll roundtable images to discuss what makes them good, and look at improving images with more advanced image editing tools.
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Kayak Glamping on Saltspring Island
by Jennie Sutton
Through Beth Haysom’s website on kayak friendly accommodations on our Southern Gulf Islands, I booked Spindrift Cottages on Welbury Point. https://spindriftsaltspringisland.com
The older, basic cabins are positioned at the start of the 7 acre private property which is surrounded on three sides by the ocean. All the cabins have ocean views and there is a lovely short walk out to the point where a few chairs are situated to sit on and soak up the vistas or to watch the sunsets. My accommodation was a self-contained very cute studio, in one half of a duplex. One of the two decks had lovely views across the water looking towards the Long Harbour ferry terminal. I had sunrises on that side and sunsets from the other deck. Both deck railings worked well for drying kayak gear! Due to the Covid-19 protocols many smaller places were stipulating a minimum number of nights booking this past summer, so I was there for 3 nights.
The two gorgeous white shell pocket beaches on the east side of the point had steep access trials which made launching there for me on my own not easy. After some contemplation, I decided to launch elsewhere for my paddles…thus the advantage of having a vehicle! Also, with being an island, there is always a windward and a leeward side for finding sheltered (or not!) paddling.
Catching the 9:00am ferry allowed me to head straight to Burgoyne Bay for a wind-sheltered paddle.
Launch sites:-
1. I discovered a nice small gravel launch site to the north of Burgoyne Park, next to the public wharf….rockier at lower tide heights. Easy parking just uphill from the dead-end dirt road.
2. Boat launch next door to the RVYC outstation at end of Quebec Road in Long Harbour….only a 5 minute drive from my cabin! Fine gravel beach at all tides and a very easy sloped launch at waters edge. Roadside parking for 4-5 vehicles. There is more parking up the hill.
3. Hudson Point, north of Fernwood Road where there is a long public jetty.
Paddles:-
1. Burgoyne Bay heading through Sansum Narrows. I paddled up the east side to Musgrave Landing, crossed over for lunch then paddled back, below the spectacular cliffs. Crossed back to the north side of Burgoyne Bay and shore noodled back to the launch- 9n. miles
2. Launched at Walkers Hook (muddy at very low tides!), but would recommend launch #3 above. A short crossing to Wallace Island (campsite) as well as Jackscrew Island, a private island with amazing totem poles…at least 1.5 dozen along the shoreline.They are along the shoreline so easy to enjoy from your kayak. The main house is on the Crofton side of this private island and there are about a dozen poles there. Then at the south end of the island, facing Wallace Island there is a smaller house and a cove next to a major private wharf where there are another half dozen poles plus a dugout canoe under a roof. Even the dock has First nations decorations! The other Secretary Islands are pretty to noodle along the shore. One needs to be aware of the current as Porlier Pass is nearby! Paddle length variable depending how much one explores!
3. Boat launch and circumnavigating Prevost Island.The shoreline has several deep inlets and along the south side there is the pretty Portlock Point Lightstation. https://lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=1179 . You can land there and walk up to look at it more closely if interested. The nearby Red Islets has a beautiful white shell beach. It used to be a campsite but now has signage to not even land there. There are nice looking beaches nearby to stop for a break on this 11n. mile paddle.The long, narrow islets on the SW side of Prevost have many holiday homes.
4. There are other paddling options depending on one’s skill, time available and of course the wind forecasts…
Saltspring Island is the largest of the Southern Gulf Islands and is more populated. If one does not wish to kayak every day or cannot, then…
Other activities:-
There are more shops and stores to explore.
Hiking
Eating!
Jennie Sutton
Summer 2020
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Kayaking Klips - A Couple of Knots
by Debbie Leach/Editor
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A Couple of Knots for Kayaking, Camping, and More!
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Update to Discovery Island Article Last Month
by Tony P (Editor)
A link was in error for last month's "What's in a Name" article due to editor error. Here is the paragraph with the correct link. If you don't see a video, turn off your adblocker! Thanks to Vic Turkington for the article!
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There have been many sightings over the years of a sea monster known as”Cadborosaurus willsi” (Caddy), in the waters off Discovery Is.
It is described as a serpent like creature, about 30ft long, greenish brown, which swims very rapidly. There are accounts from First Nations stories of a similar sea monster, dating back generations and also sightings in more recent times.
See account of Mrs.Langley: (http://discoveryisland.ca/cadborosaurus.htm).
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To Buy or Sell
For Sale
Seaward Chinook and Current Design Solstice GT Kayaks - email Eric
If you have any buy/sell items that you would like to post in the Newsletter, please send a short description and your contact info to newsletter@siska.ca.
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SISKA’s Kayak Skills Course Partners
There are some fine discounts available from our kayak skills course partners for SISKA members who sign up for their skills training programs; have a look at https://siska.ca/docs_public/SISKAsKayakSkillsCoursePartners2020.pdf
Our partners are:
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