feb 2010 issue message from the prez: in this issue · rain predicted), friday, january 1 st, saw...
TRANSCRIPT
In This Issue: MESSAGE FROM THE PREZ: ............................... 1
2010 President’s Paddle .................................... 2
2009-10 Executive ............................................ 2
Offices and Committes ...................................... 2
Nanaimo Paddler in the News ........................... 4
WIND CAME ALL WAYS, .................................. 5
Latest Update From the Nanaimo Paddlers –
Denmark Branch ................................................ 6
Confessions of a Keener Kayaker .................... 7
RECIPES FOR THE WATER TRAIL ........................ 8
A Boxing Day Paddle to Remember ................ 9
Thanks Gloria ................................................... 11
Feb 2010 Issue
MESSAGE FROM THE PREZ: By Stephanie Meinke
Well, it’s been a blast, occupying the hot seat
with my friendly gavel for the last two years as
your most esteemed….somewhat
esteemed….er…little bit esteemed?….well, let’s
stick with the ‘gavel wielding’…. president.
Really, folks, silliness aside, it has been an
extreme privilege and pleasure being President
of the Nanaimo Paddlers these past two years. I
have experienced no other club like this one.
There are so many people who bring in ideas,
who pitch in to do the work. A club with no
shortage of volunteers??? There is one: the
Nanaimo Paddlers.
Things never (and shouldn’t) stay the same,
however, and I must move on to other things,
and pass on the precious…my precious…Gavel (I know how Gollum felt about that damn Ring) to some
other lucky soul. (A course on ‘timely and attention-getting gavel wielding” is offered to the successful
applicant, free of charge.)
I am still around however, as new ‘editor’ of the Paddlers’ Post. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find a
role for the gavel in that position…..
Reasons for stepping down? Well, two years is enough, for one. I believe it is healthy for a club to
change executive reasonably frequently. It keeps it fresh, dynamic. New people always bring new ideas.
Another reason is my increasing responsibility with the BC Marine Trails Network Association. I have
been its unofficial ‘coordinator’ for the past two years, but at the AGM this past October I was officially
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 2
voted into the head honcho’s seat of President. It is a
very intimidating position, with huge responsibilities
and a huge learning curve, and it takes up oh, so
much of my time. So I am going to settle down now
and focus on that. If our plans go as expected this
year, we will be holding some Marine Trails Sections
Opening Events in the spring of 2011!
Thank you again, Nanaimo Paddlers.
2010 President’s Paddle
By: Stephanie Meinke
Against all odds, (up to 30 knots of wind and nasty
rain predicted), Friday, January 1st
, saw 13 intrepid
souls out on the water to participate in the Nanaimo
Paddlers’ traditional first paddle of the year. It was
the ‘President’s Paddle’, and your hard working, long
suffering Prez, (me!) was extremely determined to
make it happen one way or another. This was
especially after the rout that happened on the New
Years Day during the first year of my ‘reign’…..On that
occasion too, there was a little bad weather…. so
rather than paddling to Newcastle Island to huddle
together in the cold, waiting for our hot chocolate to
warm up, we stayed in bed and waited until the next
day, when the pub was open.
No, not this year! The Nanaimo Paddlers Club, so
active, so intrepid, so….social….MUST bring in the
New Year ON THE WATER!
So, a whirlwind of emails were exchanged: cautions,
from the wiser ones of us…. Who was bringing the
firewood? Are we really going to need it? Are we
really going to build a fire and roast hot dogs? The
winds are REALLY predicted at 25 knots, gusting to
30…..Do we have an alternate plan? - Hot dogs and
hot chocolate at Reale’s, after a photo shoot on the
water at Brechin???
10 am, January 1st, 2010: A swarm of kayaks and
2009-10 Executive President Stephanie Meinke
Vice
President
Reale Emond
Secretary Ian Whitmore
Treasurer Ted Oldham
Directors: Tom Hazewinkel
Mary Logue
Stephan Meinke
Allen Thompson
Offices and Committes
Archives Mary Logue
Membership Anna Bonnell
Jan Kretz
Paddlers’
Post
Stephanie Meinke
Safety [email protected]
Social Gloria Martens
Amy Pavelich
Trips Allen Thompson
Web Stephan Meinke
report-
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 3
kayakers began to arrive at Brechin Boat Launch.
The rain was holding off, just the odd ‘drip’.
Wind….’didn’t seem bad from the launch….
Entrance Island had registered 22 knots from the
SE earlier that morning, however.
The wood was loaded into Stephan’s kayak, the
cook pot into Linda’s, hot dogs and buns and
condiments, etc. into Reale’s, and others…. So I
decided we were committed, and off we went!
Out on the water, New Years Day, with a group
of friends, heading towards Newcastle Island
campsite. We did not feel the wind…perhaps a
few more drips of rain…I don’t remember…. It seemed a beautiful day, and everyone was in high spirits.
We stopped at the campsite to drop off the loot. Ian and Allen decided to stay and prepare the
food….they were supposed to start the fire; I’ll get back to that later……
The ‘plan’ was to head over towards the eastern point of Protection Island, and poke our noses out,
looking for the wind that wasn’t. If it still ‘wasn’t’, we were considering a short hop around Protection
before coming back for our hot dogs. Our first intimation that the wind maybe ‘was’, was the ‘surf’ we
had to deal with while landing and re-launching at the campsite beach…..
But still….no wind in the channel.
Off we went. N oses poked out around the point
and….whoah! a whole different weather system
hit us! We were suddenly no longer protected
from that southeast wind that yes, was blowing
more than 20, and the sea state demonstrated
that it had been doing that for some time! We
decided to rout.
We re-tracked, back into our idyllic January 1st
weather. As we braved the ‘surf’ and landed our
boats, the sun actually poked out, as if a Higher
Power was saying to us: “There you go, that’s
what I’m providing for you for today. Enjoy yourselves, and don’t ask for too much”.
1-Rainbow Starting New Year - Shane MacLeod
2-Leaving Breachin with thoughts of Twenty Knots - Stephanie
Meinke
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 4
Well of course, we always ask for too much…but we rarely get it. So, the fire….not lit? Well, those poor
peons, Allen and Ian, were in a quandary as to which venue to light it in: firepit, or stove? They decided
that it would be best to wait for the President to make the official decision….
We did eventually light the fire. (In the stove guys…. under the covered area.) We heated the hot
chocolate, cooked the hot dogs and warmed the buns… (they got a bit burnt) on foil on the stove top,
roasted marshmallows, and ate some dessert goodies too. What a feast! It was warm, dry, and even
partially sunny.
The wind actually calmed down substantially by the time we launched, and some of the more intrepid
souls headed off around the outside. The rest of us headed off around the inside, and met them on the
western shore across from Jesse Island. Then we all headed back to Brechin together.
What a perfect start to 2010! A big thank you to all who ‘threw caution to the winds’ that day, and
joined me on the 2010 President’s Paddle (Not to say we should make a habit of that!).
Happy New Year Nanaimo Paddlers!
Nanaimo Paddler in the News Our very own incredibly energetic and enthusiastic Lyn Hancock has recently received a 2009 Alumni
Award from Simon Fraser University. Here’s the write – up from the SFU Alumni Association:
Arts and Culture
Lyn Hancock,
BEd '77, MA '81Author, Photographer, Environmentalist,
Educator
A distinguished author, photojournalist, lecturer
and filmmaker for over 40 years, Lyn Hancock has
published 20 books and countless articles in
newspapers and magazines around the world.
Ever true to her calling as an educator, Lyn has
taught thousands of children about wildlife habits
and habitats. Through her talent, creativity and
endless enthusiasm, she has shared her passion
for nature with three generations of Canadians.
Lyn wrote to me after she returned from receiving the award. I
had to copy it for you all:
‘Hi Stephanie, I just returned from getting my award. The
ceremony was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Four
Seasons Hotel in Vancouver with over 300 people present.
3-Lyn, as we know her, ‘au natural’...but
not as ‘au natural’ as sometimes, aye,
Lyn??....I remember something about
some island in the Pinkertons and wine,
‘bears’....and ‘bares’....it...?
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 5
I have been inundated by congratulatory letters last two days saying my speech was "brilliant",
"touching" "moving", "transparent,""inspiring". WOW! I am on cloud nine. I was in such
illustrious company!
The other three recipients of the award were a research scientist who
discovered a cure for prostate cancer, a global physicist who came
from the Max Planck Institute in Germany and who discovered the MRI brain
scanning technique, and the fourth was the first women gold medallist for
Canada in women's wrestling. Wow! Again! I am humbled. Each was
introduced with a video on their life. Mine was for world contributions in
writing, photography, and nature education. Anyway, it was superb!’
WOW! From the Nanaimo Paddlers, too, Lyn, and CONGRATULATIONS!
WIND CAME ALL WAYS,
by Owen S. Lange, Environment Canada
A book review by Randy Miller
BACKGROUND
When I started kayaking in March 2009 my image of
kayaking was paddling along a shoreline of the ocean on
“glassy water.” How beautiful and relaxing that would be,
just ideal for a retiree on a warm summer day. That quickly
changed when I was exposed to a following wind of around
20 knots and a rapidly flooding tide to 14 feet. What a thrill
to ride the waves with the current and the wind. Since then
I’ve been exposed to both tides and winds and have been
increasing my skills and stamina, but I’ve realized that in
order to maintain an acceptable level of safety I needed a
better understanding of the winds. In my experience it’s
not overly difficult to figure out tides and currents and use
them to advantage but winds, that’s a different matter.
I’ve gone through a tidal rapid bucking 25+ knot head
winds and it was the winds I had to fight, not the tidal
current. For the most part I’ve been very comfortable on
the water and felt very safe, but when exposed to high winds, approaching 30 knots, everything
changed. It’s the winds that we should fear the most. We can predict the tides and currents with
4-This is a whole other Lyn
most of us have never met
before.....WOW again.
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 6
reasonable accuracy but until we understand the
relationship of the wind, water and our kayaks we are
exposed to unacceptable risk. Our knowledge of
weather is a key element to a kayaker’s safety. To that
end I started to do some research and found a couple
of weather books that specifically deal with the
weather around Vancouver Island. Wind Came all
Ways and West Coast Marine Hazard are both
Environment Canada publications but the latter is out
of print. Fortunately Wind Came all Ways is still
available.
The Book
Wind Came all Ways by Owen S. Lange brings to the
kayaker information that the weather forecasters
don’t. The book describes how certain weather
patterns cause the winds that they do and deals
primarily with the Straight of Georgia but the
concepts are applicable almost anywhere on a
coastline. Winds caused simply by high and low
pressure regions don’t apply around the island
without taking into account topography. The book
describes how high-pressure ridges and low-pressure
troughs affect the flow of “local” winds. The author
clearly describes how high-pressure areas over BC’s
interior create outflow (katabanic) winds into the
Straight of Georgia in each geographic area, such as
Desolation Sound and Howe sound. It further
described how “pressure slopes” affect the winds of
each of the areas around Vancouver Island and how
topography shapes and intensifies the wind.
There are seven maps in the book showing how winds
are caused by pressure differences (slopes) between
barometric highs and lows. For the kayaker, an
understanding of these maps in conjunction with a
current weather map/forecast and synopsis can mean
the difference between enjoying the day’s paddle and
being surprised by a changing wind that may threaten
the trip and put a paddler at risk. By checking the
marine weather forecasts and synopsis, the
Operational Analysis Charts from Environment
Latest Update From the
Nanaimo Paddlers – Denmark
Branch (From a letter to Reale)
“….Some time ago you reminded me that I
once said the ice in Denmark would only
last for a couple of weeks. Well, I was wrong
as this year is unusual. We are having what
the met office call a "ice winter" - on the
bottom line stands, that it will last for a very
long time, maybe until April/May. Gee ....”
“Some places in DK do actually have some
fluid water. That is where the big ferries go
or the ice breakers are in function. I am
attaching a pic of a guy returning from a
paddle last week. He had 10-15 kilos of ice
on the kayak! He doesn't exactly look ice-
free himself.”
Luv, Leslie
(Editor’s note: For those members who haven’t
had the opportunity to meet with and paddle
with our very skilled and enthusiastic member
from Denmark, she is coming back for 2 months
this summer. We are very much looking forward
to enjoying her company on the water again
during that time.)
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 7
Canada, and comparing them with the examples in The Wind Came all Ways we can better interpret the
direction and strength of the winds we may be exposed to. That information in conjunction with the
tides and current can assist in determining the level of risk for the day’s paddle.
I wholeheartedly recommend every kayaker become familiar with the contents of The Wind Came all
Ways which may still be available at The Chart House on Church Street in Nanaimo.
Editor’s Note: I went into the Chart House on Jan. 30th
, and the owner told me he had one box of ‘The
Wind Came all Ways’ left, and then they will be gone. So if you want a copy, I recommend you hurry on
down there. I bought one.
Confessions of a Keener Kayaker
By Liz Van Heerwaarden
Who would have known what was going to happen that June day when I clambered clumsily into a
rather battered used-to-be-white Current Design on the beach in Qualicum (we had rented kayaks for an
hour - a test drive you might say), that our lives would be changed forever? We gouged our paddles
merrily into heaving waves, thinking how wonderful, how free paddling was. It was fortunate we set off
against the tide and were able to coast back, almost exhausted, but wildly happy. An argument ensued
as to where we were supposed to land. We hadn't taken our bearings when we left (of course) and
from half a mile out, the coastline all looked the same. Steve had been scanning the horizon with his
binoculars, unable to find us, no doubt wondering if he would ever see his boats (and safety equipment,
PFDs, sprayskirts and paddles) again.
After a few more sessions of flailing
happily up and down the Qualicum
Beach coastline, we knew this was
it: we had to get ourselves a couple
of these kayak things. We bought
the first two second-hand boats
that came our way (ignorance is
bliss), gathered together the
necessary accoutrements, and the
adventure began. With great
wisdom (in hindsight), we joined the Nanaimo Paddlers Club, where our enthusiasm was somewhat
harnessed into (safe) group activities and we could settle down and realize that what we didn't know
MIGHT hurt us and perhaps we should educate ourselves a bit about the potentially dangerous
situations we might find ourselves in, and how to get ourselves out of those said situations….
I have paddled many hours since then throughout the most wonderful summer ever, and it continues.
On the last Saturday paddle of 2009 we paddled Ladysmith Harbour. There was frost on the grass and
ice on the water. It was dark when we left home, our fingers were numb undoing the web straps
5-Winter Paddling - Randy Miller
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 8
around our boats, and ice had formed under the strapping. The boats were icy on our bare hands as we
carried them to the beach and heavy fog had rolled in. It was no more than 2 degrees. My face was
cold and I could only imagine the temperature of the water. I was hoping the hot soup in the Thermos
would be at least tepid by lunch time.
Then we launched, and the kayak came alive. My body heated up under the sprayskirt, my blood
started to move faster, and we were away. And then the sun came out…. The water was like saran
wrap! Our boats cut through the water trailing an ever-widening V behind them. We were quiet as the
coastline slipped by. Thousands of opaque jellyfish were suspended in the water around us. The
kingfishers were diving for their breakfast, and the river otter raised his head from time to time over the
log, munching on his shellfish, keeping a wary eye on us as we sipped our tea on the beach. And I felt
sorry for those Muggles still at home in bed who would grumble about the cold and the fog, while we
sailed over the still sea with the blue sky and sunshine.
And that's what keeps me hooked.
RECIPES FOR THE WATER TRAIL
By Stephanie Meinke
Spring is just around the corner, and before we know it, the summer touring season will be upon us.
Those of us that love those days of isolation paddling our coastal wilderness are well aware of the
thought and preparation that goes into every item we pack into our never quite large enough hatches.
On long trips of over a week or more, this thought and preparation especially applies to the subject of
meals and cooking them.
We’re all familiar with the various questions: Do we pack ‘pantry’ style, or each meal separated and
complete in its own package? What foods are the tastiest, most nutritious, least bulky, lightest in
weight, etc.? And how can I make my own pre-packaged and complete meals? What kind of stove is
best? Pots, pans, etc? Wouldn’t it be great if I could find out how other people deal with this crucial
issue of how to design menus, prepare and cook foods while out ‘on the water trail’?
So the Paddlers’ Post is offering this space to people who would like to contribute their own answers to
these questions. As mentioned in the Editor’s note, this newsletter is only as good as the efforts of its
contributors. Well, here’s a prepared topic. All you have to do is give us your solutions to these
problems, and send us your recipes. Who knows, perhaps this is the beginning of a Nanaimo Paddlers’
“On the Water Trail Cookbook”.
I’ll contribute the first instalment:
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 9
ANZACS
ANZAC stands for ‘Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’. This is also the name of a form of cookie or
biscuit that was said to have been made by women for their loved ones who were sent to the trenches
overseas during WW1. Anzacs are basically a rolled oat biscuit made without eggs in order that they
keep longer. The golden syrup or honey is the binding agent. They are a great biscuit for kayaking, as
they’re really tough if made without too much liquid, last forever, and hold lots of energy. My version
adds a little soy flour to boost the protein content. That makes
them a good addition to our lunch time ‘people chow’ we’ve
created, for those long paddles when you can’t get out of your
boat for hours, and hours, and hours…. Here’s the recipe:
1 cup plain or whole wheat flour
¼ cup soy flour (optional)
1cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats (not ‘quick’)
½ cup butter
2 tbsps water
½ tsp baking soda
1-2 tbsp golden syrup (or honey)
Combine the dry ingredients except the baking soda in a large bowl. Mix well. Melt the butter with the
water, soda, and syrup or honey in a small saucepan. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well with your
hands. Shape into cookies and bake on an oiled sheet at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Watch that they don’t burn. Enjoy!
A Boxing Day Paddle to Remember By Ian Whitmore
It was a cold and foggy morning that I put
my boat onto its frosty roof racks. I had to
rock the boat in the cradle until it caught a
grip in its saddles. I drove down to
Southgate Mall to meet up with Liz, Harry,
Randy and Reale. We were all eager
keeners, arriving 15 minutes early. We had
a bit of a chat, waiting for nobody, before
leaving the parking lot to launch at
Transfer Beach in Ladysmith.
Arriving in Ladysmith, we were happy to
see no fog, just a frost covered sunny
6-Ice in Ladysmith - Randy Miller
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 10
morning. We launched our 5 boats and padded across to first small islet in the harbour. As we made
our way down the harbour we felt a slight cold breeze in our faces, but we were warm and snug in our
boats. The harbour was quiet and still, even the sawmills were not operating. All of the boat sheds and
boats and houses had a layer of frost on then giving them a coating of cleansing white.
We went along the log booms, smelling the different types of wood as we passed. When we arrived at
the opening to the inside passage at Page Point, there was a layer of ice blocking our path….. We had
two choices: We could make like mini icebreakers, or we could return the way we came. A wise choice
was made, and we paddled back the way we came. The breeze disappeared and we paddle back along
the log booms in perfectly flat seas.
We came to our usual coffee spot just around the corner and landed. There was no wind, we were in the
sun, and the harbour was flat calm. We were warm, eating good food, and we had a spectacular view!
Reale was sporting some strange looking gloves that were like mittens with the palm part missing from
them. Apparently they allowed the palm of your hand to grip the paddle. Reale explained that she liked
to have “personal contact with the shaft”. I replied that “I do not need to have personal contact with my
shaft while paddling”. I am not sure why, but everybody laughed.
Not really wanting to leave, we launched and plugged along. As we were approaching the point on land
before the crossing, we saw a fog bank out in the middle of the straight. There was blue sky over top of
it and dark layers at the water level. It looked awesome, something more akin to the West Coast than to
Ladysmith Harbour. We all stopped paddling and just sat there ogling. There was an eagle singing on the
shore, and ducks quacking on the edge of the fog bank. One of our group said that all those people who
chose to sleep in and not paddle today, missed this. It was truly spectacular.
We crossed the small bay to arrive at
our lunch spot right on the edge of the
fog bank at a park that I can never
remember the name of. I just call it the
park by Coffin Island.
We ate more good food and drank
warm beverages as we watched the fog
slowly closing in on the harbour. After
eating my lunch, I got up to put my
lunch bag back into the boat and
everyone took this to mean that it was
time to leave. So leave we did.
We paddled thought this wispy, misty
stuff that just kind of swirled around us.
There was a fish boat just leaving the harbour for the fishing grounds and it was partly shrouded in the
fog. Again, another kodak moment.
7-Winter Paddling Fog - Randy Miller
N a n a i m o P a d d l e r s - P a d d l e r s ’ P o s t - P a g e | 11
We shore hugged along the islands back to Transfer Beach in sunshine, with the fog bank chasing us in.
After putting our boats onto our cars, the fog had swallowed the harbour. Our timing was perfect.
While stowing our gear, I heard comments from the locals about the temperature and paddling this time
of year. I have always loved paddling in the winter. This paddle is the reason why. The air is crisp and
clear, the wild life is abundant, and the beauty is breath taking!
Thank you, Nanaimo Paddlers.
Thanks Gloria
A Note from the Editor Stephanie:
The first thing as incoming editor I need to do is thank the outgoing editor, Gloria Saunders, for the
really great job she did for so many years! I am already learning about some of the difficulties entailed
in getting enough articles, then doing the work of editing and getting the issue together and
published…on time. Thanks again, Gloria. I hope I can keep up the great job you have been doing, and
from putting together this issue I know it will not be easy to fill your shoes.
I have the fortune to have
enticed my hubby Stephan to
stay off the water long enough
to experiment with new a new
design and layout. All the new
visuals (except for article
photos, of course) are thanks to
him. We hope you like them.
As Gloria is well aware,
however, the Paddlers’ Post is
only as good as its contributors’
efforts make it, no matter what
the ‘bells and whistles’ that are
added. It’s the content that
matters most, folks!
So on that note, I’m looking forward to receiving some fantastic trip reports and articles for the
Paddlers’ Post in 2010! Just email them to me: [email protected]
Happy paddling!
8- Thanks, Gloria, for all those past editions. We’ll see you on the water!