SISKA's  July 2018 Newsletter. Upcoming events, reports and articles
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July 2018 SISKA Newsletter

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

Table of Contents

 

Same Newsletter, Different Ben

After more than three years at the helm of this newsletter, Ben van Drimmelen is handing over the paddle and moving on to other projects. But don't fear, dear reader, because the name on the Editor's boat won't change! Ben Fast is taking over the account and looks forward to bringing you your monthly dose of sea water without too many splutters or capsizes.

 I, Ben (the new one) am a newer SISKA member, having joined in January 2018 after buying my first boat in June 2017. I grew up with sea kayaks in my family, but only fully jumped in with this purchase and am eager to learn more as I go along. In my day job I work with museums and heritage tourism organizations across BC, and when out of the office I play bass in The Carlines, am a second year curler, and listen to podcasts.

A big thanks to Ben van Drimmelen for his work on this newsletter and for helping make this transition a smooth one. I look forward to sharing in the knowledge and experience of this club's membership, and probably trying one too many kayak puns along the way!

Ben Fast

Upcoming SISKA Events

 

July 6 - 8 - 8:00 am to 4:00 pm,  (ENERGIZER)

July 8 - 9:30 am - 3:00 pm,  (RELAXED)

July 22 - 9:30 am - 3:00 pm,  (ENERGIZER)

July 28 - 9:30 am - 3:00 pm.   (RELAXED)

Elk Lake Romps - Every Tuesday until end of July (see below)

For more details, go to the SISKA website

Community Events of Interest

If you are aware of an event  that should be included in the next Newsletter, please email Alan Campbell at alanglencampbell@shaw.ca.
 

July 7 - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, 

SISKA Picnic
SISKA members enjoyed a great day of kayak games, food, gear swaps, and community at the annual year-end picnic, June 2.  A big thank you to the event organizers: Jane Jacek, Jennie Sutton, and Alan Campbell!

The picnic included a frenzy of gear swaps and purchases in the morning, with games and on-water activities in the afternoon.  Over a dozen paddlers attempted the slalom course brought by Edmond (who also ran a dry-land crabbing clinic), tried new kayaks, and got their competitive juices flowing with games.  A particular highlight was was the no-paddle race and the ever-popular pool noodle stealing game.

What’s in a Name?  Russell Island

- Vic Turkington

Russell Island is a small island with an interesting history, located off Salt Spring Island at the entrance to Fulford Harbour. The origin of the name is uncertain but may commemorate Lord John Russell, a British MP (~1862). It was settled by Hawaiians in the late19 century, who came to work in the fur trade; a historic Hawaiian Kanaka house still remains among an old growth apple orchard. Hawaiian descendants from the region hold a family reunion there each year to share stories and celebrate their heritage.  Russell Island became part of the Gulf Island National Park Reserve in 1997 and has picnic tables, a pit-toilet and a boat dock.

It makes a great day paddle destination from the Sidney area or Moses Point to a perfect white shell beach at the southern end of the island. (imagine you were in Hawaii). A trail leads from the beach to the historic Kanaka house, where a descendant is sometimes available to give an historic tour – it's well worth a visit.

Safety Tip - Improved Visibility

 - Lynn Baier
 
An easy item to carry in your pfd is a large orange garbage bag. If you become separated from your kayak it can be blown up to make you more easily seen on the water.

Elk Lakes Romps

- Dorothea Hoffman
(A group of otters is called a romp, for their often-playful nature...) 

Elk Lake Romps happen at Elk Lake every Tuesday until the end of July, usually from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Romps are a time to come and play with your kayak and paddle, practice new skills, offer assistance to others, and make new friends. Dorothea will be offering coaching on various skills, but you are welcome to just enjoy the warm water.

To get to the lake, come out the Pat Bay Highway until you pass Haliburton Rd, and look for the turn lane to the left.  You may park in the lower parking lot or continue to the small lot near the Rowing Club, where there is a small ramp to the lake.  
 

 

Tips from the trips

- Jennie Sutton
 
Wondering how to secure your GPS to your foredeck? Nimbus Kayaks has foam holders available now from dealers that carry the Nimbus line. The holders clip easily to the kayak, and if it falls off the foam floats!

CRAB \ KAYAK SAFARI

- Vic Turkington

The day dawned sunny with a cloudless sky and light winds: ideal for a crab\kayak safari at Island View Beach. It was BC free fishing day, so no licences were required. Edmond Duggan (who ran the crabbing clinic at the picnic) brought several spare traps and showed us how to prepare them complete with salmon bait, lines and float etc. Also, he demonstrated how to assess the legal size and sex of a crab (only males are taken). After a short beach talk and equipped with new knowledge and skills, we launched with crab gear piled on the deck and paddled to the hunting grounds to set the traps.

Satisfied all was well, we set off on a relaxed shoreline paddle to Cordova Spit, where we landed on a sandy beach at very low tide.  

Following a leisurely stop, we returned with great anticipation to see our luck with the crabs. Armed with gloves and a keen sense of combat we raised the traps to face the prey (their claws at the ready).

Courageously, we subdued the crabs, sized and released the females to spawn and fight another day. Finally, 23 legal size male crabs were taken into custody. Alas, on the beach, disaster struck: Dan's crabs escaped!  However, after a diligent search in the seaweed by Tracy and Julie, the crabs were recaptured.

Edmond then demonstrated how to “prepare” (kill) the crabs before they were confined to the cooking pot, over a Coleman stove.  Together with corn, butter, cheese, baguette and zucchini, we enjoyed a gourmet lunch of fresh crab at IVB.

So ended our crabbing safari and not overly gruelling paddle - perhaps lending new meaning to a “Relaxed Paddle” (distance covered: 2.5nm)!