Introduction
Dear <<First Name>>,
Thanks again to the members who contributed photos and materials. After enjoying a SISKA event or paddle, please consider putting fingers to keyboards and cobbling together a short (100-150 words) summary article; for more information, contact one of us. And if you would like to start a regular column, please let us know!
You can find SISKA on Facebook at this link. SISKA also has a Meetup site for "impromptu" and other paddles organized by club members. (To join this, you have to be a club member.) For more details, go to https://www.meetup.com/SISKA-Meetup/.
Michael Jackson (SISKA president) and Ben van Drimmelen (editor) |
|
Upcoming Events
October 08, 9:30 am - 3:00 pm, Cadboro Bay to Chatham/Discovery Islands Paddle (ENERGIZER)
October 15, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm, Rescue Clinic and Pool Drop in
October 21, 9:30 am - 3:00 pm, Brentwood Bay Ferry Wharf to McKenzie Bight Paddle (RELAXED)
October 25, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm, Monthly Meeting, "Alaska Revisited” by Alan Campbell, Dave Maxwell and Rob Zacharias.
November 04, 9:30 am - 3:00 pm, Spirit Bay to Cabin Point Paddle (ENERGIZER)
November 22, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Monthly Meeting
November 26, 9:30 am - 3:00 pm. Patrica Bay to Coles Bay Paddle (RELAXED)
SAVE THE DATE!! Annual SISKA Christmas Luncheon
Saturday, December 2 at RVYC. Notices will start arriving in your inbox soon. Maximum number will be 100 again so, when the payment announcement does arrive (likely early November), please do not delay in registering.
For more details, go to the SISKA website
|
|
Tips for Trips
- Debbie Leach
DON’T KICK THE BUCKET
As well as fetching water, a folding pail of cold water is great for cooling beverages.
|
|
What’s in a Name?
- Vic Turkington
The Ghosts of D'Arcy Island
A frequent destination for SISKA paddlers, D'Arcy Island and Little D'Arcy lie just south of Sidney Island and about 3 nm east of Island View Beach. The west shore houses a navigation beacon with a red flashing light (chart symbol Fl R).
The island was named after Sub-Lt D'Arcy (1831-84), an officer aboard the HMS Herald. D'Arcy was subsequently promoted to captain in 1869. D'Arcy Island became part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve in 2003; the adjacent Little D'Arcy Island is privately owned.
The island's proximity to the US border was exploited by American bootlegger Roy Olmstead, who smuggled Canadian liquor, mostly whisky, to Washington State during the prohibition era. He brought liquor from Victoria to D'Arcy Island, transferred it to smaller boats to evade the Coast Guard and transported it to the U.S.
D'Arcy island was used as a leper colony from 1891-1924. Forty nine Chinese lepers were quarantined and left with minimal resources. Existence was severe on this remote island and the colony was eventually abandoned and transferred to Bentinck Island in 1924. Thirteen lepers are buried on D'Arcy Island and the ruins of some buildings can still be seen. Today, the island makes an attractive kayak and camping destination with seven campsites, picnic tables, good landing beaches and the quiet reflective aura of a former leper colony.
This island is well worth a visit - but beware: those wretched sad ghosts of D’Arcy Island are watching and listening … and perhaps waiting...!
|
|
The Salish Sea Marine Trail
- Gail Miller
The Salish Sea Marine Trail's Grand Opening was held on Newcastle Island Sept 15th-17th.The celebration was a sell out, with over 120 paddlers taking part in a flotilla along with the local Snuneymuxw first nations boat and paddlers. A number of SISKA members attended the event and helped coordinate the celebration.
The Salish Sea Marine Trail was developed by and is part of BC Marine Trail Network Association. The trail is an extension of Trans Canada Trail, now known as "The Great Trail", connecting Vancouver and Victoria by water, as shown below.
|
|
Spirit/Whirl Bay Paddle
- Ben van Drimmelen
September 9 started out gloomy and gradually got wetter but, after a long dry summer, the rain, even the odd heavy shower, felt fine. Eight of us paid the launch fee and departed Cheanuh Marina, exploring the northern and eastern sides of Arden Inlet. Blocked by the gravel bar that connects Long Neck Island to the shore at low tide, the group continued southeast to round the Bedford Islands.
|
|
|
|
Approaching Cheanuh Marina.
|
|
Suddenly, we were distracted by a pod of a half dozen orcas, accompanied by well-behaved whale-watching boats, just south of South Bedford Island. Unfortunately, the ebb tidal current was moving fairly briskly and carried a couple of us right toward the pod. Paddle leader Scott had to shout instructions: “Back off!” We did, but remained concerned about what the whale-watchers’ impression of us kayakers was likely to be.
We paddled on, landing for a soggy lunch at Whirl Bay, where some showed the foresight of bringing hot soups. We were rinsed by a few hard showers as we crossed to round Wolf Island, swinging east to complete our circuit back to the marina.
Lots of wildlife – the orcas were definitely the highlight, but we also observed sea lions, seals, mink, vultures, eagles, turnstones, kingfishers, oystercatchers, murres, auklets and shorelines festooned with gulls.
|
|
|
|
Festooned shorelines
|
|
Becher Bay Relaxed Paddle
- Debbie Chan
On September 24th, fifteen SISKA paddlers led by David Maxwell helped to kick off the fall 2017 paddling season with an 8 nm paddle around Becher Bay.
We enjoyed sunny skies, warm temperatures and light winds, with a fog bank hovering at the mouth of the bay. After launching from Spirit Bay, we explored the many nooks and crannies of the coastline along the east side of Becher Bay. We crossed over to the west side of for a lunch break on the beautiful sandy beaches of Aylard Farm (East Sooke Park).
After lunch, we headed south to the mouth of the bay to see the petroglyphs. True to the wind warnings for later that day, the winds started to pick up as we headed back to our launch site at Spirit Bay. At the end of our paddle, John Wells demonstrated a roll and an assisted entry.
|
|
|
|
Sunny, warm, with the fog looming in the background
|
|
Our October meeting - Alaska Revisited
The October monthly meeting speakers will present "Alaska Revisited". This past summer, Alan Campbell, David Maxwell and Rob Zacharias returned to Alaska to paddle Glacier Bay and parts of the Alaska Panhandle.
Come hear about their adventure on Oct 25th at 7:00 pm at the Salvation Army Citadel, 4030 Douglas Street. Hope to see you there!
|
|
Camp Cookery
Orzo with Lamb, Olives and Feta
- Lynn Baier
Here's a fabulous, very flavourful dish that I have enjoyed many times, given to me by Gary Jacek.
(This meat sauce can be prepared and dehydrated beforehand.)
Start with bringing a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook 6 ounces of lean ground lamb (or ground beef) in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring until browned - 3-5 minutes. Drain in a sieve set over a bowl. Then heat 1 1/2 tsp of olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add a large chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened - 4-5 minutes. Then add 3 cloves of minced garlic, a tsp of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of crumbled dried rosemary (or oregano), 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper (optional) and cook some more, still stirring, until fragrant - another minute. Add the lamb or beef. Finally, puree a 14 oz can of whole tomatoes, undrained, in a food processor until smooth. Add that to the meat mixture and cook until the sauce is thickened - maybe 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tbsp of chopped, pitted black olives and season with salt and pepper. Dehydrate.
In camp, rehydrate the meat sauce and then cook 12 ounces of orzo until tender - about 8 minutes or according to package directions. Drain, toss with the sauce and garnish with 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese.
|
|
How Close is Too Close?
- Ben van Drimmelen
While kayaking, we regularly pass close by gulls, cormorants, ducks and various shorebirds resting on shore or islets. We frequently glide by seal haul-outs and occasionally are lucky enough to see orcas or that Discovery Island wolf. The same issue arises with each encounter: our objective is to observe, but not disturb, but how far away should we remain?
For whales, boats should not be closer than 100 meters (200 yards if in US waters; soon, it will also be 200 metres in Canadian waters). Any approach must be from the side, not the front or back of the pod. Stay on the off-shore side, not between the whales and the shore. Tap (lightly) on the hull to ensure that the whales know where you are.
But what if the whales start swimming toward you, or the current is pushing you whaleward? For this, I contacted Lance Barrett-Lennard, Head of Cetacean Research at the Vancouver Aquarium. His recommendation - move out of the way if you can do so quietly. Alternatively, you can minimize disturbance by simply floating, continuing tapping on the hull, until the pod has passed. If a whole group of kayakers find themselves too close to whales, Lance suggests they raft up; that makes it easy for the whales to know where the obstacle is and avoid it.
|
|
For the Discovery Island wolf, BC Parks' website gives only general advice, focusing on camping practices and what to do with an aggressive wolf (neither of which seem applicable to kayakers or this particular wolf), but they do recommend staying 100 metres away.
For seals and sea lions, the guideline is staying 50 metres from free-swimming seals and sea lions and those hauled out on docks and buoys, but 100 metres from animals hauled out on shore – they are more skittish there.
For birds, the main concern is disturbance to nesting colonies (such as those on Mandarte Island off Sidney and the Chain Islets off Oak Bay). Don’t go ashore at all, and stay at least 50 metres from all areas occupied by seabirds and waterbirds. Paddle parallel to the shore, rather than approaching the colony directly.
For birds simply resting on islets or small bays, the birds themselves are the best indicator. If they perk up and start to stretch their wings or walk farther back, they are already being disturbed; don’t get so close that they need to fly. Generally, try to stay 50 metres away, and a bit further from particularly edgy species such as harlequin ducks.
In summary, at least 100 metres for whales (200 metres in the near future), wolves and shore-resting seals and 50 metres for everything else.
|
|
Kayakable Birding
This month (and next), more shorebirds. This is getting more into intermediate rather than beginner birding, but bear with us. We have previously dealt with the black turnstone and the western and least sandpipers.
The Black-bellied Plovers have been back from the tundra since August and are around all winter on local mudflats and beaches where they forage with robin-like picking actions. Unfortunately, the obvious black belly is reserved for breeding season, so we are stuck with a plain non-breeding look, dull brownish grey with a light belly. The stout black bill and black legs may help, but the best way to identify these plovers is by waiting until they fly; then, look for that unique black "armpit".
|
|
|
|
A Black-bellied Plover showing off that black armpit
|
|
|
The Dunlin are just returning this month. They will also be sticking around our mudflats and sandy beaches for the winter. They are another drab grey-brown shorebird with black bill and legs, but differ from the Black-bellied Plovers by having a long, drooping bill. They also forage differently, moving slowly while probing busily in mud or shallow water.
|
|
|
The Dunlin are the ones with the long bills; the short-billed are Western Sandpipers.
(Daniel Donnecke photo, from one of our Sidney Island paddles)
|
|
|
|
A closer look at a Dunlin
|
|
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.
- FOR SALE: Current Design Solstice fibreglass GTS. Reduced - asking $1800. Built in 2000, purchased near-new in 2001 and used for annual kayak camping trips. Well looked after, with straps added for paddle float self-rescues, keel strip put on by Blackline, new rudder cables 2 years ago. Cockpit cover and skirt included. Jennie Sutton, 250-592-6434 or jls50@shaw.ca
|
|
|
|
