SISKA's March 2019 Newsletter. Upcoming events, reports and articles

March 2019 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 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

Membership Renewals
Upcoming SISKA Events
Community Events of Interest
What’s in a Name?
Tips from the trips
Paddle Reports
SISKA Membership Perks
Candidates Needed for Executive Positions Available at SISKA’s AGM, Wednesday April 24th
To Buy or Sell
SISKA’s Kayak Skills Course Partners

Membership Renewals

Thank you to everyone that has already renewed their membership for 2019. If you haven't please goto http://siska.ca/membership/online-registration-3 to fill out the online registration form. Payment can be by PayPal (preferred) or by cheque. You do not need a PayPal account to pay by PayPal.
If you haven't already signed our electronic waiver the email confirming that your renewal has been received you will find a link to sign the waiver. Your registration renewal can not be completed until your waiver has been received.
If you have any questions please contact membership@siska.ca

DaveO

Upcoming SISKA Events

For more details, go to the SISKA website

Community Events of Interest

Mar 16/19 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Embracing the Wild - Gardening with Native Plants - CRD

Mar 19/19 6:45 pm - 9:00 pm
The Great Trail - Robinson's

Mar 20/19 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Reel Paddling Film Festival

Mar 25/19 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
The Magnificent Sebastes - VNHS

Apr 09/19 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
In Search of the Real Wolf - VNHS

Apr 13/19 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Massive Marine Garage Sale - MMBC

April 13/19 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
SPRING FORUM – A CELEBRATION of OCEAN KAYAKING

Apr 19/19 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
SUP Touring in the Great Bear Rainforest - ORS

Apr 29/19 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
How Storms Impact the Coasts - VNHS

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

What’s in a Name?

SALT SPRING ISLAND

by Vic Turkington

What's in a name - why is it called Salt Spring Island (aka Saltspring)? - read on:

The island is the largest of the Gulf Islands and was initially inhabited by the Salishan First Nations. It was the first of the Gulf Islands to be occupied by non-First Nations people, including African Americans, English, Irish, Scottish, as well as aboriginal and Hawaiian settlers.
Salt Spring Island was originally called “Cuan” by the Saanich First Nations. In 1854, James Douglas renamed it “Chaun”. The following year, HBC surveyor Joseph Pemberton changed it to “Saltspring Island” Then In 1859, Capt. Richards renamed it “Admiral Island”, after Rear Admiral Baynes (same guy as Baynes Channel). Finally, in 1905 the Geographic Board of Canada changed the name back to “Saltspring Island”, which remains to this day. However, the chamber of commerce adopted the title “Salt Spring”, claiming that the Geographic Board of Canada "cared nothing for local opinion or Island tradition”.by using the one-word name “Saltspring”- so what's in a name? – (seems there can be quite a lot!)
Nevertheless, either name refers to the numerous salt springs at the north end of the island. At one time, HBC officials were interested in extracting salt from these springs.
Regardless of the history and many name changes, kayakers are able to enjoy Energizer paddles from Moses Point and Amherst beach across Satellite channel (while dodging BC ferries) to Salt Spring Island, Russell Island and beyond.

Tips from the trips

Save a Grommet. Tie a clove hitch around a stick to keep the hole from getting ripped further.

Paddle Reports

Feb. 2, 2019 - Spirit Bay to Cabin Point - inpromptu Report

by Tony Playfair

I can't remember how many were on this paddle (over 10) but it was a little different than the typical paddle to Cabin Point. The water was very calm from the launch point until Beechey Head and then it turned quite choppy with swells. I've done this paddle for many years and haven't seen it this rough before but all of us were handling it ok, staying further out than normal. Rock gardening was out of the question! When we reached Cabin Pt beach to land the swell was breaking heavily, running up the beach then falling down probably 10-15 feet at least (not height but beach surface). With coordinated effort we all landed safely with no one getting totally soaked or injured. Our bird specialist Daniel Donnecke was with us and spotted many different species which he listed below. After lunch the swell had reduced quite a bit and made launching much easier than landing. It was still choppy up until Beechey Head on the way back so we all had to be on our toes to prevent being dumped. Thanks for a great paddle Jo! Teamwork paid off and we all increased our skill levels this day.

Brentwood Bay to McKenzie Bight - February 10, 2019

by Alan Campbell

In the end, 4 hardy souls braved the cold to kayak from Brentwood Bay to McKenzie Bight and back – bragging rights have definitely been earned, and our fingers and toes are just about thawed out now!
Congratulations to Gary Davidson, Morley Eldridge and Rene Watson who joined me on this wintry paddle!
Tracy Scott also deserves kudos for setting out from her place to come only to have 2 flats on her kayak trailer force her to pull over enroute – Tracy later managed to get what she needed at Sidney Canadian Tire to get home again safely.
There was very little beach at launch (good thing we were few!) but the ice wasn’t very thick so my plastic icebreaker kayak cleared a route and Morley’s widened it as we headed for open water in mixed clouds with a few sunny breaks.
Very calm waters paddling down to McKenzie Bight, where there was no ice at all, and then a southerly wind helped us paddle back to Brentwood Bay where an easterly wind created a little chop as pulled back in to a nice beach landing.
Rave reviews for the heated bathroom facilities in the park, but unfortunately Breadstuff Bakery and Café has closed permanently (a local said the plaza it is in will be redeveloped soon) so we went to JJ’s in the village instead for coffee and to swap kayaking stories.
The attached Relive video is from my Strava GPS track – we definitely enjoyed the best part of the day, returning before the snow started in the afternoon.
https://www.relive.cc/view/2137849656

SISKA Membership Perks

by Alan Campbell

Did you know that your SISKA membership includes a number of useful perks?
Once you have logged into the www.siska.ca website, click on “Members” and choose “Print Your Membership Card(s)” from the drop-down list. This identifies you as a paid-up SISKA member (no secret handshake required).

Now, on the main website screen, click on “General Interest” and choose “SISKA’s Kayak Skills Course Partners” from the drop-down list.

You’ll see an online document with discount offers for our club members from several of our local kayak skills providers, with web links provided so you can find their most recent offerings.

If required to claim a discount on courses and sometimes more from these suppliers just show your SISKA Membership card!

Now we can add another partner to the group: Mike Gilbert, BC Kayak Centre, is offering a 10% discount to members of kayak clubs like ours.

Here is a link to Paddle Canada Level 2 and 3 courses Mike is teaching this summer

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5j8k1h6n6xbnvhw/2019%20-%20God%27s%20Pocket%20-20Level%202_%20Level%203.pdf?dl=0

Candidates Needed for Executive Positions Available at SISKA’s AGM, Wednesday April 24th

by Alan Campbell

SISKA’s Executive is comprised of 7 positions, to which a member may be elected for a two-year term, with a maximum of 4 years in any one position. The incumbents at the present time (years in that position in parentheses) are:

President: Mike Jackson (4)
Vice-President: Alan Campbell (4)
Secretary: Delcie McLellan (1)
Treasurer: Roger Botting (1)
Director-at-Large: Lynn Beak (4)
Director-at-Large: Jane Jacek (4)
Director-at-Large: Tony Copping (2)

Those who have completed their 4 years of service will retire from their current positions at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) April 24, 2019. They could potentially be considered to continue on the Executive if they are willing to be considered for a different position. It is also possible for a member who has completed two 2-year terms in an Executive position to be approved for a third term in that position by a special vote at the AGM.
So, depending on the continuing interest of those retiring in serving on the Executive, and the decision of those voting at our 2019 AGM, several new members will be needed to complete the Executive.
It is worth a special mention that Mike Jackson has been on the SISKA Executive in one position or another for all 11 years of our Club’s existence, and for 4 years prior to that he served on the Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club (VCKC) Executive! Mike now plans to take a well-deserved break from kayak club administration and pursue his many other interests (including kayaking of course!).
In order to ensure that our club continues to operate successfully for the next several years we would like those members interested in contributing in this way to the administration of SISKA’s activities to consider nominating themselves for possible election to a vacated position at the AGM.
Please contact any of the current Executive members if you wish to learn more about what is involved, and possibly put your name forward for consideration.

Thanks,
Your SISKA Executive

To Buy or Sell

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.

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: