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!
Newsletter editor...
We are still looking for a newsletter editor to replace the two Bens! The ideal replacement candidate would have some comfort with managing an on-line system (we use Malchimp) and using a word processing program. Please email me at newsletter@siska.ca if interested/willing!
Michael Jackson (SISKA president/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
Thursday, November 1st, 2018 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Gordon Brown Clinic Mill Bay
Saturday, November 10th, 2018 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Amherst to Tsehum Harbour Paddle
Wednesday, November 14th, 2018 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Gordon Brown Clinic Victoria
Monday, November 19th, 2018 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Inter-tidal Marine Life by Mike Jackson
Sunday, November 25th, 2018 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Albert Head to Witty's Lagoon Paddle
Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - VHF Refresher Course by Edgar Hulatt
Wednesday, November 28th, 2018 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Monthly Meeting :Its Colombia not Columbia: It is Not the Country You Think It Is!
Saturday, December 1st, 2018 - 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Cadboro Bay to President’s Paddle around Cadboro Bay Paddle
Saturday, December 1st, 2018 - 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM - SISKA Annual Christmas Party
Sunday, December 9th, 2018 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Esquimalt Lagoon to Millstream Falls Paddle
Saturday, December 15th, 2018 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Oak Bay Marina - Parking Lot to Trial Island/Gonzales 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.
Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM - Goldstream Salmon Run
Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 - 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Salmon Sensation Drop-In - CRD
Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 - 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM - Nautical Book Sculpting Workshop - MMBC
Sunday, November 4th, 2018 - 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Fort Rodd Hill 100 Years of Remembrance
Sunday, November 4th, 2018 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Fabulous Fungi - Guided Walk - CRD
Sunday, November 4th, 2018 - 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM - Sea Glass Jewelry Workshop - MMBC
Monday, November 5th, 2018 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Anthropocene: The Human Epoch - Cinecenta
Wednesday, November 7th, 2018 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Everest Base Camp - Robinson's Outdoor Store
Friday, November 9th, 2018 - 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM - Gardening with Native Plants - CRD
Wednesday, November 14th, 2018 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - IF4: International Fly Fishing Film Festival - Robinsons
Wednesday, November 14th, 2018 - 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM - The Peace River Valley - VNHS
Thursday, November 15th, 2018 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Nature Talk: Grizzly Tales - NCC
Friday, November 16th, 2018 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - One Shot for Coastal Carnivores - Robert Bateman Centre
Saturday, November 24th, 2018 - 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM - BCMT AGM & Winter Forum
Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 - 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Hydroid Biodiversity in the Northeast Pacific - VNHS |
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November meeting Gear swap - 6 PM start
At our November 28th meeting, we are planning to organize a gear swap - please bring items you would like to sell/swap to the meeting (ideally with labels indicating the price). We will be starting the meeting early (6PM) to accommodate this event!
The November meeting will feature Gail Miller and Fred Pishalski talking about their recent trip to Colombia.Gail & Fred spent a month last winter touring all over Colombia. The country previously known as the bad boy of South America has gone through significant changes in the last few years. Their photo and video show will take you from the big cities like Bogota and Medellin into the high mountains and down to the Caribbean and yes there is even kayaking in the presentation. So please join us for a visit to Colombia
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VHF Radio Refresher
November 27th and January 9th
A VHF radio is considered an essential piece of equipment for kayakers. It is regularly used for listening to weather forecasts and for communicating within your own paddle group. In more remote areas of the west coast, where there is no cell or wi-fi service available, it may be the only means of accessing weather information and communicating with the outside world. In an emergency situation it provides direct communication with the Coast Guard, as well as other boaters in your immediate area that may be able to provide assistance. SISKA recommends that all kayakers carry a VHF radio and are conversant with its features and call procedures.
You are legally required to obtain a ROC(M), Radio Operator Certificate (Maritime), before operating a VHF radio. In practice, no one has ever been prosecuted for listening to a weather forecast or making a call in an emergency when not having a certificate. The Canadian Power and Sail Squadron provides Maritime Radio Courses leading to a ROC(M) certification. Their courses are usually over 2 or 3 nights, cost $95.00, and can be accessed via this link: http://www.boatingcourses.ca/cities/Victoria
SISKA offers a VHF Refresher Clinic that focuses more on the practical use of VHF radios in kayaking situations. We look at the different types of radios, their advantages and disadvantages for kayaking, the different key functions and then finish the evening role playing various scenarios that kayakers may find themselves in. This winter the VHF Refresher Clinics will be held on Tuesday, 27th November and again on Wednesday, 9th January.
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Save the Date! SISKA Christmas Party
from Jennie Sutton
The annual SISKA Christmas Party lunch will be held on Saturday, December 1st at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.
More notices will be coming to your inbox about registering once the menu and prices have been established. Good food, great socializing with friends and lots of prizes to be won!
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Safety tip - foam for pull loop
By Lynn Baier
Putting some foam pipe insulation or plastic tubing around the pull loop on your sprayskirt will make it easier to find and grab in the event that you need to do a wet exit.
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New column topics?
The regular column on local birds (put together by Ben van Drimmelen) will be coming to the end of its second rotation at the end of this year, and we are looking for a regular column to replace it. If you have an idea for a column topic (or better yet, are willing to put one together on a regular basis) please email newsletter@siska.ca.
I also want to thank the following for their regular contributions:
Lynn Baier for her columns on safety tips and camp cookery
Debbie Leach for her column on tips from the trips
Vic Turkington for his column on coastal place names
Paddle leaders for writing up their paddles or organizing someone to do so!
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Kayak-friendly places to stay
Want to kayak in the Salish Sea without camping? Want to paddle from resort to resort, or from B&B to B&B and sleep in a comfy bed in a nice property, and eat meals prepared by someone else? Then, join us in creating a listing of suitable properties and creating a website showing the locations of these properties. So far Beth Haysom, Norm Smyth and Robert Dill have identified suitable places on Saltspring, Mayne, Pender and Saturna islands and would like help to complete the rest of the Gulf Islands and the adjoining Vancouver Island shoreline. We also need someone to help us create a website showing these properties on a map with hyperlinks to our descriptions of the properties and contact details. Once we have completed the Gulf Islands we will extend this to the rest of the Salish Sea and the Broughtons. Initially this will be available to all SISKA members and when it is robust it will be accessible to anyone. To help, or find out more about this neat project, contact Beth at bethhaysom@shaw.ca
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What’s in a Name? Moresby Island
by Vic Turkington
The Gulf Island Moresby is one we don't often visit, except on a day trip during SISKA camping trips on nearby Portland Island or paddling south across Swanson Channel from N. Pender Island.
The island was first settled in 1863 and named after Rear Admiral Fairfax Moresby R.N., who was the naval commander-in-chief of the Pacific Station of the Royal Navy (1850 – 1853), in his flagship HMS Portland. Fairfax Pt. at the island's southern tip, is also named after him.
The island is divided into 17 lots (same owner) and was up for sale in 2015 for $50 million, however the owner later withdrew it from the market and so it remains private today. In the 1800s fruit trees were planted and today the land is used to raise cattle. The island is reputed to house a resident ghost. Kayakers can land at Fairfax Pt.for a scenic rest-stop (and maybe meet the ghost - Hallowe'en!) |
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Tips from the trips - Cockpit Cover Clear
by Debbie Leach
To prevent rainwater pooling on your cockpit cover, tip your boat to the side using driftwood.
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BC Marine Trails AGM and Fall forum
from Fred Pishalski
BC Marine Trails is proud to be hosting a talk by Paddling North partners Rebecca Grim and Leonie Mahlke at this year’s Annual General Meeting and Fall Forum. The talk and AGM takes place on Nov. 24 at Beban Park Rooms 2 and 3 in Nanaimo. The AGM takes place from 11 a.m. To 12:30 PM to be followed by a light lunch, with the Paddling North speakers to follow. Space is limited to 60 participants.
Rebecca and Leonie spent the summer of 2018 exploring the British Columbia and Alaskan coastlines by paddle, and will be sharing their experiences including their route, trip highlights and gear, as well as memories of the people and communities along the route and experiences of the environmental and wildlife issues they encountered. They will also be presenting a film of their experiences.
You can sign https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/news/events-and-calendar/bcmtna-meetings
Fred is driving up and any one wanting a ride please contact him at gailmiller@shaw.ca
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Camp Cookery - Chia Pudding
by Lynn Baier
A few months back I was served chia pudding, and I was pretty sceptical that I was going to like it. It was delicious, so of course my mind immediately went to “how can I get this in my kayak?” Here’s my adaptation, which worked really well. This recipe can be eaten as breakfast, lunch or dessert.
Chia pudding:
One envelope coconut milk powder
One cup tepid water
1/2 cup chia seeds
One teaspoon vanilla
Mix all these ingredients together. Let mixture sit for a couple of minutes and mix again. Pour into four individual serving containers and let sit for several hours.
You are done! If you want it to be a bit sweeter, add a sweetener at the mixing point. To jazz it up a bit, top with a rehydrated fruit filling, or top with granola if you desire.
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Saturday Oct 18 - Whiffin Spit to Cabin Point
by Debbie Leach
We all carpooled (except for last minute changes) to Sooke and most vehicles parked up the road.
17 boats including 4 first time SISKA paddlers launched as the fog lifted. Thanks to Debbie Chan for the stunning photo, Willi Fast for setting the pace on the way out and John Wells for bringing us home.
Debbie Leach, Trip Leader/Sweep
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Kayakable Birding
"Black and white ducks" covers a lot of ground. In this issue, we'll focus on a couple of black and white seabirds that dive for fish in deeper water.
The Common Murre is about as close as the northern hemisphere gets to penguins, flying poorly and using those wings to fly underwater. Note the brownish-black back and mostly white neck. |
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| Common Murre |
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Happily, the Oldsquaw was renamed as the Long-tailed Duck. This sea duck usually forms small groups, diving frequently. The head is mostly white, the neck and back white, but with very dark wings and, fortunately, the males showing that long tail. |
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| Long-tailed Duck male |
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SISKA club gear
Did you know that the club has several items (in addition to the usual library items)available to borrow and test out. A partial list is below with the contact for each one:
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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.
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SISKA's Kayak Skills Course Partners
Over the past year, SISKA successfully partnered with the following local kayak businesses.
All of them have now agreed to continue to provide discounts in 2019 for SISKA members who sign up for their kayaking skills courses.
Please view the link on the website (not up to date at the time the newsletter was sent out) for specifics from...
- Blue Dog Kayaking
- Go Kayak
- Ocean River Sports
- Pacifica Paddlesports
- SKILS
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