• We apologize for the somewhat convoluted sign-up process. Due to ever-more sophisticated attacks by chatbots, we had to increase our filtering in order to weed out AI while letting humans through. It's a nuisance, but a necessary one in order to keep the level of discourse on the forums authentic and useful. From the actual humans using WCP, thanks for your understanding!

From Klemtu to Hakai: 14 days' kayaking on the Central Coast, Sept 2-14, 2018

Wow ... epic ... entertaining ... [a] brilliant and sometimes self-deprecating narrative. A great story!
— The New York Times Kayak Blog Review

Thanks, Jon, it really means a lot, especially coming from you, who I consider the best in the “business”! I’ve taken a lot of cues from you about how to approach a trip report, so if I’ve succeeded here, some measure of the kudos should be forwarded on your way.

More than anything, I hope folks find these reports useful the way I’ve found yours, and Mr Torrens’, and MarkBC’s, and the MV Dirona’s, and Randel Washburne’s... and the list goes on.

Additionally, you did it twice.
The magic of cut and paste. After a full weekend of writing, another 1/2 hour’s mindless labour to accommodate the desires of a site that’s been so tremendously inspiring, informational & downright essential didn’t seem like too much to do.

The shoreline south of Superstition Point is abrupt and prone to creating rebounding seas that extend far off shore. I can envision a situation where the entry to shelter behind Spider is missed due to conditions. It can get very busy there. Not a celebrated section of route but experienced by many. Likewise the outer shore of Spider can get nasty. Blowing past that whole section and ending up at Triquet is understandable and told in a humorous and personal manner. Folks need to note on their charts that just because Superstition is in the review mirror their concerns are not.
This is well observed. It was very busy. I’m sure your explanation is correct, but I prefer to think we were transported by the gods to Triquet so we could experience it a little bit — else we’d have just passed it by.

You gathered water at Triquet. Where did you find it? I know it’s there but I wouldn’t expect it to be great, although it sustained Heiltsuk and Wuikinuxv for over 14,000 years. Where did you gather it?
There was a nice little stream right on the beach in front of the cabin. It had been raining a lot the previous few days. And although it was just fine, no, it wasn’t the best water ever — photo included in report.

I have never seen the Heiltsuk or any First Nations build beach architecture on their territory. Cabins, yes, but beach furniture, no. I’ve seen signs but not tables and chairs. Just curious.
I don’t want to incriminate anyone, and I know you’re a proponent of never-leave-a-trace camping (as, generally, I am. I won’t “improve” a site beyond underbrush removal or arrangement of logs myself, although it doesn’t offend me to find someone’s driftwood bench or simple table on occasion). I’m assuming there was some architecture there before — the site is heavily used, and not mentioned or pictured was a fair bit of wrack and debris of various ages from which the furniture was improvised — and that the fellows we encountered merely improved it. Simon isn’t FN but his wife is. I’ll be surprised if much (any) of the furniture remains by now after a winter out there; I didn’t recount some of the bumbling episodes where we knocked some of it over while digging the tarp and how we tried to rebuild. It was real sunny-day stuff.

I hope to shamelessly steal from you in the future
I would hold it as an honour! And as karmic revenge, because I’ve stolen shamelessly from those who’ve gone before.

Special thanks to yourself and pls_dave for generously sharing your knowledge and experience leading up to our departure.

We’re planning to return this summer to experience Goose, Calvert and Triquet, among other places we didn’t get to, or get enough of, last year.
 
Wow, what a report . . . I gotta go back and do it all over again a few times to catch all the nuance and beauty of what you have shown and written. Thanks so much, just great!
 
Stagger - your trip report has been so enjoyable to read that I have gone through it two or three times already, and I have to echo the appreciation of the others, this was truly well done!

I pulled out the InReach and fired up the phone to get a GPS location.

I'm hoping you might be willing to give a report on your Garmin Inreach that you used. I'm curious about its power usage over a two week trip, interface with your phone, and the ease of sending pre-set messages or getting weather reports. My wife (probably appropriately) isn't going to agree to a trip like yours without us packing some satellite connected emergency signal device. I suppose this request might require a new thread in the Gear forum but I'm sure others would like to have some first hand intel on this equipment.

Thanks again for such a great TR!
 
Stagger - your trip report has been so enjoyable to read that I have gone through it two or three times already, and I have to echo the appreciation of the others, this was truly well done!



I'm hoping you might be willing to give a report on your Garmin Inreach that you used. I'm curious about its power usage over a two week trip, interface with your phone, and the ease of sending pre-set messages or getting weather reports. My wife (probably appropriately) isn't going to agree to a trip like yours without us packing some satellite connected emergency signal device. I suppose this request might require a new thread in the Gear forum but I'm sure others would like to have some first hand intel on this equipment.

Thanks again for such a great TR!
Thanks, everyone, for the praise. I’m glad people have found the report entertaining and useful!

PDX, I started an all-purpose satellite communicator thread for you here: http://westcoastpaddler.com/community/threads/satellite-communication-devices-inreach-spot-etc.8439/
 
Thanks, everyone, for the praise. I’m glad people have found the report entertaining and useful!

Yeah, well I think we all need to take up a collection to fund another trip for you so that we can read your report for free.
 
@chodups Jon, I was just perusing your blog updates & it occurred to me, there’s not that much good info on Gale Passage out there. On your first trip, you mentioned that someone had told you to transit Gale two hours before high slack. We were there maybe half an hour before slack and the currents were still quite strong pouring into the lagoon on the north end. Have you much experience with Gale since your first trip, and can you give any kind of an update or more detailed info on the best time to transit, when the current turns at each end, etc? I regret not having checked out the south rapids at all.

I’d think the ideal scenario would be running into Gale from one end slightly after slack while the current is still filling the lagoon, then exiting as the lagoon begins to drain back out into the ocean, but I don’t know how you’d time that. Any insights?
 
I’d think the ideal scenario would be running into Gale from one end slightly after slack while the current is still filling the lagoon, then exiting as the lagoon begins to drain back out into the ocean, but I don’t know how you’d time that. Any insights?

I agree! The advice that we were given prior to that first trip is not what I go by now. Like you suggest the ideal plan would have you riding currents in and out of the lagoon. On three transits I've gotten closer but never really nailed it.

On my last trip I entered from Seaforth Channel 1/2 hour past a high slack of 12.5 feet at Port Blackney. Current was still flowing in from Seaforth at ~5 kt. When I got to the south rapids it was still flowing in there at ~2 kt. Inflow current was obvious until I neared Thompson Bay. Close but no cigar.

The guy who advised us on the 2 hour rule clearly had a different agenda or bad information. Unless a paddler wants to spend time poking around inside that lagoon waiting for it to fill my advice would be to enter from either end about an hour after high slack.
 
Thanks, Jon. I’ve updated the blog entry to include this info, on the off chance anyone is looking for the same guidance.
 
The guy who advised us on the 2 hour rule clearly had a different agenda or bad information

Lagoons can be tricky that way.

I put my boat aground trying to get into Nenahlmi Lagoon (Seymour Inlet); chart and tide table all said good to go...yeah, not so much.

The guys at the logging camp later told us, 'You can pretty much throw away the tide book in here; the water pretty much does what it wants.'
 
Back
Top