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!
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
Siska 2019 Picnic (Clinics and Gear Swap)
by Jane Jacek
Saturday June 15th
Cadboro Bay Beach Gyro Park
Bring your own lunch
Coffee, tea and goodies will be supplied
Prizes, prizes, prizes
Registration: Cost $5
Required before event at PayPal link: https://bit.ly/2KIPU7c
Gear Swap 9am-12pm
Looking to buy or sell kayak gear and/or a kayak, then this is the event for you.
Selling: Please label items with your name and price.
Clinics: Morning 10am-12pm
Clinics requiring sign up morning of June 15th at Cadboro Bay, limited group size:
1, 2 ( sign up begins at 9am at Cadboro Bay Beach, day of event)
1. Kayak Fitting: Dorothea Hoffman
Are you connected to your kayak? If you paddle in rough water, want to learn to roll, improve your edging and bracing. or kayak comfortably
while touring, kayak fitting may help you. The instructor will help you adjust your kayak and insert foam to help you fit your kayak better.
2. Navigation Exercise with Chart & Compass: Edgar Hulatt
After a brief review of latitude & longtitude, true & magnetic north, and plotting lines of position and fixes we shall go onto the water and perform a navigation exercise in the bay. Please bring chart 3440 Race Rocks to DâArcy Island, and a compass.
Open to all: no sign up required: 3, 4, 5, 6
3. Crabbing with Mike Jackson former Siska president:
Learn what gear is required using your kayak. Find out how to identify the crabs you can keep.
4. Kayak Camping:
What does one need to take for a 4 week kayak trip? How does it all fit? Club member John Minkley will bring his kayak and gear/food he is planning to take on a 4-week trip from Coal Harbour back to Victoria this July.
5. Meet Up Summer Kayak Trip:
Wanting to do a multi-day kayak trip or over night camp out and looking for other like minded paddlers? Siska member David Maxwell will host a Meet Up for people looking for others to kayak trip with this summer. In the morning look for the Meet Up poster.
6. TRAK Kayak demo: 11am
Meet TRAK Pilot Al Quan as he demonstrates the TRAK Kayak. Watch this easy to assemble Sea Kayak come together right in front of your eyes. Learn about the innovative materials + unique carbon fibre frame system. Watch the only sea kayak that can adjust its rocker, and learn how this feature allows for you to adapt to any type of water condition. The TRAK Kayak is also extremely portable, and easily can fit into the trunk of a supermini-sized car. Test paddle opportunities will be available, along with a special offer exclusively for SISKA.
Clinics: Afternoon 1pm-3pm
Clinics requiring sign up morning of June 15th at Cadboro Bay, limited group size:
7, 8, 9, 10 ( sign up begins at 9am at Cadboro Bay Beach, day of event)
7. Towing : Mike Jackson
This is a skill that many of us do not practice often enough but is an
important safety skill. In this clinic we will look at some of the equipment
that can be used for towing, some of the techniques that can be used and then get a chance to practice those skills on the water.
8. Forward Stroke: Greenland paddle or Euro blade: Dorothea Hoffman
Want to improve your forward stroke, then this session is for you. It will begin with demonstration and coaching on the beach. Once on the water, the instructor will stand on the edge and observe each paddlerâs stroke and offer individual tips.
9. On Land Weather Clinic: Edgar Hulatt
We shall determine the weather forecast for the next 3 days using the Environment Canada VHF weather forecast, the Sailflow app and synoptic charts. Please bring a notebook and pencil, as well as your VHF radio if you have one. You are encouraged to load the free Sailflow app onto your smart phone prior to the clinic.
10. GPS: Karen Stefanyk
If you took the Siska intro GPS course then this session is for you. Participants are required to bring their own GPS. The focus will be on navigating to a waypoint and track logs.
Open to all - no sign up required: 11
11. Relaxed Paddle
Join paddle coordinator Gary Jacek in a relaxed paddle exploring the nooks and crannies of Cadboro Bay. Usual guidelines for Siska paddles apply. i.e. dress for immersion.
Throughout the day: Try out a range of kayaks others have brought
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More Siska Events -
Saturday, June 01st, 2019 - 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Oak Bay Marina - Parking Lot to Oak Bay Foreshore Intertidal Exploration Paddle
Saturday, June 08th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - SISKA SPRING TRAINING: SISKA: Paddle Canada Basic - 5 OF 8 SPACES LEFT
Saturday, June 08th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - SISKA SPRING TRAINING: SISKA: Paddle Canada Level 1 - Day 1 of 2 - FULL
Saturday, June 08th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - SISKA SPRING TRAINING: SISKA: Paddle Canada Level 1, Extra Course - Day 1 of 2 - FULL
Sunday, June 09th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - SISKA SPRING TRAINING: SISKA: Paddle Canada Basic - 8 OF 8 SPACES LEFT
Sunday, June 09th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - SISKA SPRING TRAINING: SISKA: Paddle Canada Level 1 - Day 2 of 2 - FULL
Sunday, June 09th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - SISKA SPRING TRAINING: SISKA: Paddle Canada Level 1, Extra Course - Day 2 of 2 - FULL
Sunday, June 09th, 2019 - 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM - World Oceans Day - Fisherman's Wharf
Friday, June 14th, 2019 - 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Island View Beach to Crabbing paddle- come catch your lunch! Paddle
Saturday, June 15th, 2019 - 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Siska 2019 Picnic (Clinics and Gear Swap) Cadboro Bay Beach Gyro Park
Sunday, June 16th, 2019 - 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Willows Beach to Oak Bay Foreshore Fathers Day Intertidal Explorati Paddle
Friday, June 21st, 2019 - 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM - Sechart Lodge to (FULL-TAKING WAITLIST) Barkley Sound/Broken Island Paddle
Saturday, June 22nd, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Cadboro Bay to Chatham and Discovery Islands Paddle
Saturday, July 06th, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Oak Bay Marina to Tentative Intertidal Exploration Paddle
Saturday, July 13th, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Brentwood Bay Ferry Wharf to Todd Inlet Nocturnal Pyrotechnic Observation Paddle
Sunday, July 21st, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Island View Beach to D'Arcy Island Paddle
Saturday, July 27th, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Amherst to Portland Island Paddle
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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.
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MEC Paddlefest Victoria 2019
by Fred Pishalski
Date:Saturday, 06 July, 2019
Time: From 10:00 am to 04:00 PM PDT
Organizer: MEC Victoria
Address: Willows Beach
2740 Dalhousie St
Victoria, BC
Come down and check out a boat, take a short course, see if you can find anything in the gear grab and say hello the folks in the combined SISKA/BC Marine Trails tent.
More Events -
Friday, May 31st, 2019 - 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM - Pacific Paddling Symposium
Sunday, June 02nd, 2019 - 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM - World Oceans Day - Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea
Tuesday, June 04th, 2019 - 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Leading Roles: A Discussion on Female Southern Resident Orcas
Thursday, June 06th, 2019 - 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM - R2AK Stage 2 Race Start
Saturday, June 08th, 2019 - 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM - World Oceans Day - Esquimalt Gorge Park
Friday, June 14th, 2019 - 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM - BC's Family Fishing Weekend
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News from our Librarian
by Heather Jones
Just In Case you Didn't Know!!
Our Library not only has books to borrow but we also have various DVD"s. We even have DVD's which are of some of the presentations Siska has put on for it's members.
We also have a Greenland paddle which can be borrowed.( It is currently being borrowed by a member.)
As well as that, we have a couple of drysuit gasket repair kits!... The kit has the forms required to stabilize the gasket assembly as well as sharp scissors and sand paper. You only need to supply the gaskets and a tube of aquaseal to do this repair yourself. If you wish to borrow the kit, just contact me and we can make arrangements for you to pick it up from my house... or at the next meeting.
G askets can be ordered from http://www.seaskin.co.uk/ unless needed urgently, in which case they are available locally through MEC and ORS but at a significantly higher cost.
Motionize Kayak Tracker
SISKA also has a “Motionize” kayak tracker unit for loan, currently stored with John Abercrombie and accessible by contacting him at j_r_abercrombie@telus.net . The Motionize is a small electronic unit that attaches to one’s kayak, and links with a paddler's compatible smartphone to analyze his/her paddling mechanics including stroke positioning, length, propulsion and symmetry in real time.
Enjoy a fun summer of paddling!!!
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SISKA’s Spring Training a Huge Success!
by Alan Campbell
Congratulations, everyone! For the past month, and continuing for the next two weeks, SISKA has organized inexpensive kayaking skills refresher and training courses for members that have been almost fully subscribed. 10 clinics were delivered in conjunction with Dave Nichols of Blue Dog Kayaking, Yves Aquin of Go Kayak, JF Marleau of SKILS and EJ of Pacifica Paddlesports. In addition, 5 Paddle Canada Basic and Level 1 courses were delivered by our own SISKA instructors, Jennie Sutton, Michael Egilson, Jo Nicolson, Willi Fast, Edgar Hulatt and Mike Jackson. Just over 100 clinic/course spots were booked – a very impressive feat for a club with about 300 members! Feedback received from those attending via our online event feedback form has been extremely positive, and our kayak skills partners are delighted to have been able to participate in this timely summer paddling preparation program. Go Kayak has even extended their special discounted course offers to SISKA members with more clinics scheduled through them in June and July. Most importantly, many of you are now much better prepared for the warm weather paddling season. You will certainly enjoy your time on the water that much more as a result. There were a few administrative challenges putting this all together, but we had lots of timely assistance from Mike Jackson, Dave Ostapovich, Roger Botting and Delcie McLellan. We’ll review the program later this summer and see what more we can learn about doing this kind of focused training, but it would be great to repeat it next year and perhaps see it evolve into an annual tradition to promote safer paddling among Club members!
Happy and safe paddling this summer!
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Tips from the trips
by Debbie Leach
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Catch All. Position pots, buckets and tubs under tarp lines to easily collect rainwater.
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Safety Tip
by Lynn Baier
Here’s an excellent video on the not-very-often-used throw line. We all have them, but how often do you practice this?
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Camp Cookery
by Lynn Baier
Ginger Beef Lettuce Wraps
Per person:
1/4 pound extra lean ground beef, well cooked, then dehydrated
1/2 cup shredded carrot dehydrated
4-5 mushrooms sliced and dehydrated
1 clove of garlic, minced and dehydrated
1 tablespoon ginger root, minced and dehydrated
Rehydrate all together in camp by covering with water, boiling up and letting sit in a cozy for an hour. Season with ginger stir fry sauce (can be purchased in small pouches). Serve with ‘living lettuce’ leaves, or take along lettuce leaves stored with paper towels between the leaves. I’ve enjoyed them after over a week out. Spoon the filling from the pot onto the lettuce leaves and wrap them up like a burrito. Enjoy!
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Refreshment Coordinators needed for SISKA’s monthly meetings
by Delcie McLellan
We’re looking for Refreshment Coordinators to provide our coffee/tea/treats before our monthly meetings. Ideally a team of 2-3 volunteers would be appreciated to provide coverage when someone isn’t available. The role entails getting to the hall in advance of the meeting to start the coffee, bringing cookies and other snacks, and keeping the supplies stocked.
If you are interested in this role or would like more information, please contact Delcie McLellan at Secretary@SISKA.ca or any of the Executive members at Executive@SISKA.ca
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Trip Reports
Relaxed Paddle- Telegraph Cove to Cormorant Point- April 28, 2019
by Dave Chater with photos by Blair Dwyer and Gary Jacek
This paddle should be called Plan B. Plan A was to have a relaxed paddle from Telegraph Cove to Cormorant Point. All seemed like a go for the paddle on Plan A with sunny skies and diminishing winds forcasted after strong wind warnings the previous two days before the paddle. Double checking the winds in the evening and early morning before the paddle showed forecasted winds from the north below 10 knots. Seemed doable for the relaxed paddle.
Showed up early to the launch point to assess the conditions only to find winds barreling down Haro Strait from the north at approximately 15 knots with an “angry sea state”. Needless to say- a pretty easy decision to move to Plan B.
Once all the 14 paddlers had arrived at the Telegraph Cove parking lot, we made the quick decision to move over to Gyro Park at Cadboro Bay. Five minutes later, we were taking off kayaks from our cars and loading gear in a warm, sunny and calm environment at the head of Cadboro Bay. What a change from 5 minutes earlier.
The Plan B route was to explore and noodle the east shoreline of Cadboro Bay, past Flower Island and out to Cadboro Point. Once reaching the Point, we would then head west back over to the small bays near Cattle Point. From there, we would do lots of noodling and practicing tight turns around all the rock outcrops and islets on this shoreline to Willows Beach for lunch.
We had a wonderful lunch stop right in front of the Willows tea house and were certainly tempted for a burger and fries and maybe even a dessert. Nobody from the group, despite the temptation, gave in and went up to the teahouse for food or drink. The washrooms at the park were a hit though! So, civilized.
After lunch, we had a nice leisurely noodle back along the beach at Willows, Cattle Point and west side of Caddy Bay.
The entire paddle featured very light winds and warm sunshine. What a glorious day to be on the water.
Our debrief of the paddle was at Olive Olio’s in Cadboro Bay Village, again in the sunshine on their patio. A lovely way to finish the paddle.
Just to satisfy my curiosity, I went back up to Telegraph Cove to have a look to see what the conditions would look like a few hours later. Warm sunshine, no winds, not a ripple on the water. Go figure! Oh, well- Plan B turned out to be a stellar day of paddling with lots of good chatter and fun amongst our group.
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May 19 - Valdez Island Energizer Paddle
by Blair Dwyer
On May 19 – the day before World Bee Day and Canada’s Victoria Day – ten SISKA paddlers ventured far afield to paddle. Up over the Malahat, through Duncan and Ladysmith, beyond even Chemainus… yea, verily I say to you, even unto the wilds of the Cedar Community Boat Launch.
Paddle leader Dave Chater had ordered perfect weather.
The group started off by rounding Round Island (it seemed the thing to do) and then crossed Stuart Channel to the north end of De Courcey Island (named after Captain Michael De Courcey, an officer in the Royal Navy). As we coursed along the shore, we enjoyed the intricate artwork created by wind and wave on the sandstone cliffs. Some patterns were hauntingly regular, like ripple patterns etched into a beach. Other patterns were anything but regular. Some could have been faces.
We eventually passed a cabin with what appeared to be an outhouse with a direct drop into a gorge. On closer examination, there was a skeleton inside the (water) closet. Had it been an unusually long wait?
After crossing Ruxton Passage to Ruxton Island (a logical traverse), we lunched on a shell beach with a marvelous view back over to De Courcey and crystal-clear water inside a lagoon. As we got back into our boats after lunch, a powerboater decided that the pleasant and soothing sounds of nature were far too quiet and had to be supplemented by high-decibel music played at top volume from a boombox. Even worse, his taste was all in his mouth. We escaped.
We travelled as far south as Tree Island to confirm that the island indeed had trees, then turned east around Plyades Island and across what seemed to be a surprisingly shallow Pylades Channel to the north end of Valdes Island. More sandstone cliffs, but these cliffs featured cormorant condos. The more exclusive addresses had overhanging roofs to shelter the inhabitants. Even though the cliffs towered high over the water, all cormorants preferred the lower condos. If you can fly, I suppose waterfront property is more important than a room with a view.
Back across Pylades Channel to De Courcey Island. We stopped for a stretch break at Pirates Cove. Dave checked his chart but was unable to locate any X marking a spot. We would have been too tired to dig for buried treasure in any event.
Fortunately, the flooding tide gave us just enough depth to carefully pick our way through some inside channels – so no need to decide whether to portage or backtrack. The narrow passage between De Courcey and Link Islands had more than enough depth and was just wide enough for one-way kayak traffic. Back into Stuart Channel, we made straight for the south side of Round Island and across to our beach.
After a long but satisfying energizer paddle of 15.1 nautical miles, we debriefed and rehydrated at the Wheatsheaf Pub in downtown Cedar while the TV showed the Toronto Raptors playing basketball against some team from somewhere in the US.
Photos can be seen here - https://imgur.com/a/V3VsbwS
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Paddle Canada Basic Sea Kayak Course
Sunday, May5th
by Jennie Sutton
On the morning of May 5th, 2019 six brave souls met their instructor, Jennie Sutton and assistant instructor Elizabeth Purdon at Gyro Park, Cadboro Bay for a full day of instruction. After a shaky start (one participant arrived in quick-dry hiking pants and a light fleece jacket as his “immersion” gear and another arrived an hour late as she read the start time incorrectly!), we all had a fun and instructive learning day on and off the water.
The weather cooperated perfectly with warm sun and a light northerly breeze. The wet exits are always the most nerve-wracking part of the day for students but everyone did well, including the couple in their double. Celebrations started in the parking lot as everyone received their Paddle Canada certificates….some of us continued on with the celebrations at Smuggler’s Cove pub!
Congratulations to all six participants and all the best to the two who will be doing their Level 1 through SISKA in June.
Elizabeth Purdon has some photos from the course at http://www.elizpurdon.myportfolio.com
Password is Elizabeth.
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Destination Kitimat: Challenges and Rewards
by Willi Fast
Rarely visited by kayakers, the passages and inlets adjoining Douglas Channel south of Kitimat constitute an area worthy of exploration. That was the hypothesis we set out to test when our group of four embarked on a 16-day expedition to the inland waterways of the North Coast.
Approach travel included the drive to Port Hardy, the overnight BC Ferries Inside Passage service to Prince Rupert and a two hour drive along the Skeena River to Kitimat. To avoid the most developed and least scenic northern reaches of Kitimat Arm and Douglas Channel, we chartered a water taxi service to ferry paddlers, boats and gear from MK Bay Marina near Old Kitimaat Village to the head of Gilttoyees Inlet where our adventure began in earnest.
Over twelve days on the water, we explored Giltoyees Inlet, Foch Lagoon, Sue Channel, Devastation Channel, Verney Passage, Ursula Channel, Bishop Bay, Eagle Bay, Douglas Channel and Kitimat Arm.
Our entire area of interest fell within the traditional territories of the Haisla Nation. Haisla Trapper Cabins dot the region, and with local permission granted for their use, we used four cabins in five locations. The remaining nights we camped on beaches or in the dense forest above the high tide line.
We were awestruck by the remote beauty of the channels we paddled and the inlets we visited. Endless waterfalls, playful sea lions and numerous spouting whales captured our attention and piqued our curiosity as we discovered each new channel. Unseasonably warm and dry weather meant we had only one rain-day (we paddled 25 nm that day!), and the wind kept us off the water for just one day. Seas were mostly calm and we paddled mainly in glassy smooth conditions. On three occasions, the daily paddling effort was rewarded with a soothing soak in the natural hot springs near our campsites.
Challenges to exploring around Kitimat in kayaks include long approach/egress travel, daily inflow-outflow wind cycles, huge tidal exchanges (20 foot tidal differences), challenging (but predictable) currents, limited VHF Marine Radio reception, exposure to bears, and limited campsite opportunities related to steep cliff channel walls plunging to the water and high spring tides.
On our trip, those challenges only magnified the rewards we reaped. The remote solitude, untamed wilderness and raw beauty of the snow capped fjords kept us in awe as the paddling miles slipped by each day. The challenges were indeed worth the effort, and for those seeking a wilderness kayak expedition entirely different from the usual West Coast tripping experience, the Kitimat area is highly recommended.
Stay tuned for a more detailed presentation at a SISKA monthly meeting sometime in the fall.
Anne Bruce, Barry Copeland, Anne Graves and Willi Fast
Teaser Images here - https://imgur.com/a/EbXJJbU
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GoKayak Workshops
by Jane Jacek
GoKayak is extending, to the SISKA membership, a further Special Offer for on-water paddling workshops, for the month of June and July.
Workshop fees: $20.00
Maximum: 6 participants in each workshop
June 14 AM Paddling workshop = FULL
July 12 AM Navigation workshop = Not full
JUNE 2019 WORKSHOPS
Friday June 14, 2019 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am
Paddling workshop
To register, go to https://forms.gle/M1QuqaEsLDvEixFJ8
Believe it or not, your legs have a lot to do when paddling, manoeuvring a sea kayak or simply when paddling forward. Paddling with your legs can dramatically improve your performance and speed as well as make you and your kayak look good on the water. This workshop will teach you how to use your lower body and core muscles to increase your paddling skills and efficiency while being able to keep up with the pack and still have energy left to go for a drink after a good day paddling.
Friday June 14, 2019 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Braces workshop
To register, go to https://forms.gle/PkK6PkuiG6Tgmg1R7
Slap the water…kill the bug…’you should hear a gentle "kersploosh"’, all these images and sounds have a purpose. The purpose is to stay upright or to regain balance when feeling that you’re going to fall into the water. The high and low brace are the most important physical skills in kayaking. This bracing workshop will provide you with the skills to effectively develop several reflexive paddle braces and therefore enhance your confidence and paddling skills.
JULY 2019 WORKSHOPS
Friday July 12, 2019 from 9:00 am to noon
Sea Kayak Navigation workshop
To register, go to https://forms.gle/995xNssSe9eq4Twh8
Avoid bad surprises on your next paddling adventure. You will learn basic navigation techniques, plan and navigate safely on a day or multi-day trip, how to use a nautical chart with a compass on a kayak journey. We will cover the fundamental aspects of sea kayak navigation. This course focuses on the application of chart reading, compass use, route and navigation.
Friday July 12, 2019 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Re-entry workshop (rescues)
To register, go to https://forms.gle/kXFCaV7EGt9U2Exs5
Learn how to deal with a possible capsize by performing rescue skills such as wet exit, self and assisted re-entry (rescues); essential skills to master if you are planning to get into sea kayaking.
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Knots Clinic
by Edgar Hulatt
A Knots & Tarpology clinic was held on Monday 20th May with 7 out of the original 17 that signed up braving the elements. Due to the very inclement weather the clinic was moved at the last minute to the home of Mike & Wynne Miles where we drank lemon & ginger tea, stayed warm in front of the fire, listened to the rain beating down outside and generally had a rollicking good time. In between laughs we practised a few knots with Mike Miles and Tony Playfair demonstrating their expertise at tying the Highwayman’s knot, used to tie your horse when robbing a bank, and the friction knot, used to tie up the bank’s staff so as to enable a smooth get-away. As an aside the highwayman’s knot is used to tow a kayak using the line from a throw bag. After we had tied our brains in knots, with Pauline Barnes demonstrating the brain knot perfectly, Mike demonstrated how to make a coil of line to carry an injured person on your back. He didn’t exactly explain how this related to kayaking as the kayak would be very difficult to roll when paddling with a person on one’s back! (see photo attached).
We all decided it was too wet to put a tarp up in the garden. Hey….isn’t this the reason for putting a tarp up in the first place? As slinging a tarp is a fundamental skill for tripping we shall endeavour to offer a tarpology demonstration at Willows Beach one evening in June. This will be organized at the last minute to ensure a reasonable weather forecast. Stay tuned.
What is a Knot?
Ancient mariners used to gauge how fast their ship was moving by throwing a piece of wood or other floatable object over the vessel’s bow then counting the amount of time that elapsed before its stern passed the object. This method was known as a Dutchman’s log. By the late 16th century, sailors had begun using a chip log to measure speed. In this method, knots were tied at uniform intervals in a length of rope and then one end of the rope, with a pie-slice-shape piece of wood (or “chip”) attached to it, was tossed behind the ship. As the vessel moved forward, the line of rope was allowed to roll out freely for a specific amount of time, which was typically tabulated with an hourglass. Afterward, the number of knots that had gone over the ship’s stern was counted and used in calculating the vessel’s rate of speed. A knot came to mean one nautical mile per hour. Therefore, a ship traveling at 15 knots could go 15 nautical miles per hour. A nautical mile is one minute of latitude. It is slightly longer than a statue mile by a factor of 1.15.
In sea faring nations today, such as the UK, sailors often refer to the speed of a vessel as the log. Have you ever wondering why we call a continuous record of a parameter with time “ a log book.”
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SISKA policy for reimbursement
by Lynn Beak
The SISKA policy for reimbursement of instructor fees was updated recently. It now provides that approved club members who pass a Paddle Canada instructors course, may be reimbursed up to 25% of the cost of the course when they instruct a SISKA course.
The 25 percent reimbursement is available in each of the next three years. Previously SISKA only reimbursed 25% for the following two years, and now it is extended to a third year. Therefore SISKA could cover 75% of the instructor course costs in total.
if you're interested in learning more about the policy, please contact any of the SISKA Executive members. It will also be published on the website in the near future. One other section is being reviewed by the paddle leaders, and the whole policy will be published when the final review is completed.
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To Buy or Sell
Women’s Stohlquist Amp Drysuit, Large, $450, out of warranty
Amber Champion 705-888-1051
Women’s Stohlquist Shift Drysuit, Large, been worn once, $850
Amber Champion 705-888-1051
New Current Designs Sisu Kayak, red & white.
Comes with used drysuit, new Lendal paddle $4,000.
Additionally a skirt & pfd can be added for $200.
Amber Champion 705-888-1051
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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 http://siska.ca/docs_public/SISKAsKayakSkillsCoursePartners.pdf.
Our partners are:
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