Dear Tony,

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)

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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

 

by Alan Campbell
 

by Beth Haysom
 

Wow, thanks for your generosity. Through the IKEA rainbow bags fundraiser we sold 33 bags and raised $390 for the local agencies that SISKA supports. (Usually Power to Be and Santa’s Anonymous)

And the good news is that there are a few more of these beautiful rainbow bags still available. If you’d like one, please email Deb Leach: debbieleach52@gmail.com

Cost $5 a bag, or however much you’d like to donate.

by Debbie Leach
 

Alan Campbell shows off his gravel deck tent entrance
https://youtu.be/bfhzMU7OE
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by Elizabeth Purdon
 

The "Paddling with Freya" presentation by Elizabeth Purdon was the highlight of SISKA's first monthly meeting by Zoom, held right after our AGM with 70 members online! Freya Hoffmeister is a living kayaking legend whose incredible paddling adventures and accomplishments have kept many of us glued to her blog for years. Elizabeth joined Freya for several weeks' paddling in the Sea of Cortes, Baja Mexico, as part of her multi-year circumnavigation of North America. If you missed this terrific presentation you can watch it online at Paddling with Freya , under General Interest, Presentation Videos on our website.

CATTLE POINT

Cattle Point lies just north of Oak Bay marina and gets its name as the drop off point for cattle for Uplands farm (1860-1910), which comprised much of the local area at the time (1100 acres). Cattle and other livestock were shipped to the bay by steamer where they were unloaded and waded or swam to shore to the parking lot exists today.
The present circular scenic driveway was constructed in 1961. A very serviceable concrete launch ramp exists at both the north and south ends of the point, together with ample parking and an outhouse. Cattle Pt. therefore provides two convenient launch points for kayakers (with a very short carry), en route to Chatam and Discovery Islands or nearby Willows beach or Tod Is. The crossing to Strongtides Is.is only 1.5nm but requires careful timing due to strong currents and standing waves in Baynes channel.  
The shoreline north of Cattle Pt. towards Cadboro Bay provides ample rock gardening, bird watching and views of upper end residences.
The area is a favourite to explore tidal pools at low tide and also for star gazing at night, as it is well shielded from city lights. (Originally, Cattle Point area was considered undesirable for farming due to the uneven rocky terrain and was given to the municipality of Oak Bay in lieu of taxes.)

by Dorothea Hoffman

by Lynn Baier
 

I confess that I don’t always practice what I preach and found that I had to frown at myself for not having a compass when the fog rolled in. I confess that if I have to wash it up later and it’s not essential, it doesn’t come on a day paddle. Sure enough, we paddled on a Wednesday a while back, when all I could see was the paddler beside me and a mystery island in front of me. Not good. I have remedied this by attaching a simple hand-held compass to my pfd, which I never paddle without. A deck compass would absolutely be better, but because I pop back and forth between kayaks, this should solve the problem. A handy gps would also be a better idea. Now if only I could do something about this aging eyesight........

by Alan Campbell
 

Some Club members have asked if SISKA instructors could lead Paddle Canada Basic and Level 1 courses this Fall.
Willi Fast, SISKA Director and Acting On Water Coordinator, would like to gauge the level of member interest in such courses so a very short questionnaire has been created to that end.
Please take a moment to complete this brief survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCSRGRR
Thanks!