Kayaking the Coasts

For five days the seas had been incredibly calm, with only occasional hefty waves to deal with. But now on the final day of our kayaking trip to the southern Gulf Islands near Vancouver, in British Columbia, we ran into unexpected turbulence, otherwise known as a tide rip.

Pat Campbell, our knowledgeable guide, had been checking the tide and current tables, as well as listening to weather reports on his small radio, so that our group--mostly novice paddlers--had entered the waters between Valdes and Galiano islands during a slack time when there was little or no current.

But now, after finishing lunch, we were headed along Trincomali Channel to our take-out point on Galiano Island and had run into the tide rip. (Riptides are more violent than tide rips.) Paddling as fast as we could, we headed into the pounding waves, adrenaline fired up, with some of us thinking of the neophyte kayaker’s worst-case scenario: flipping over and trying to swim out so you don’t get trapped underwater. In the trade, it’s charmingly called a “self-rescue” maneuver.

Fortunately, we all passed the tide rip test with no mishaps.

Our trip was the result of a custom kayaking and camping trek we set up that covered 25 nautical miles around the Gulf Islands during our six days. We took the excursion with a Galiano Island-based company that allowed us to choose the number in our group (six urban, middle-age folks), the length of the trip and the dates (early September).

It started over a casual lunch, when my wife, Pat, mentioned to a Chicago friend that we might go biking in Vermont. The friend’s reaction was, in effect: boooor-ing. During the conversation she mentioned sea kayaking, which sounded different and interesting to us, as it later did to another couple who were eager to go along and hadn’t sea kayaked before.

Our friend, who lives part of the year near Seattle, finally picked Gulf Islands Kayaking (est. 1982) which, unlike some other firms, was agreeable to doing a customized trip for us. Also appealing was the fact that there would be no “do or die” itinerary. In other words, we could set our own pace.

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We flew to Seattle, and drove about 150 miles north to grab a ferry in the pronunciation-challenged city of Tsawwassen, B.C., for a 50-minute trip to Sturdies Bay on Galiano, a lovely island north of the Trincomali Channel.

After checking into the High Bluffs bed and breakfast on Galiano, we headed out for dinner at the Hummingbird Pub, which our B&B; host told us, “is something out of a 1960s time warp--you know, hippies and such.” He was right. The acoustic two-man band was playing songs such as “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and when I told one young man he could have our seats at the bar, he actually replied, “Right on.”

The next morning, we drove to Montague Harbor, where we met our guide, Campbell, a 40ish Canadian who had been leading kayak trips for four years and who, we would discover, was impressively well-read. Assisting him was a 20-year-old intern, Kate Emmings.

The leaders, he explained, would be paddling in single kayaks, while the six of us would alternate in two singles and two doubles. The boats are made of Kevlar, which is lighter than fiberglass but more fragile. Seated in the boats, we would be covered with a splash skirt that protected us from messy paddling as well as the intense sun--and which needed to be discarded quickly in case of, ah, rolling over.

Naturally, this is what concerned us the most. But Campbell assured us that while river kayaks sometimes capsize because the boats are lighter, he had never seen a sea kayak with two people flip over. Nevertheless, we were given a lesson in how to perform a self-rescue, as well as pointers on proper paddling techniques.

The Gulf Islands are made up of a dozen large islands and hundreds of smaller islets known for magnificent scenery centering on sandstone cliffs and sharp bluffs. Sheltered from extreme weather, the Gulf Islands are blessed with winds that are benign, especially during summer, with relatively sparse rainfall. Strong currents, which can be avoided with judicious planning, pose the greatest threat.

The best months for kayaking in the area are May through September, Campbell said. He also recommended February as a fine time for spotting migratory birds. In the winter, when the chance of rain and wind is generally much higher and the seas rougher, day paddling trips may be combined with B&B; overnight stays. Our weather, it turned out, couldn’t have been better--warm days in the upper 70s and 80s, cool nights and only a hint of precipitation.

After eating lunch on the dock, we set off for several hours of paddling, blessed with calm waters and sunny skies. Our first campsite was at Wallace Island’s Conover Cove, a lovely harbor with sailboats moored in front of a Canadian sunset.

For quick energy when paddling, Pat Campbell handed out chocolate-covered espresso beans. The first night we were exposed to his culinary skills as he whipped up a dinner of halibut with spicy Thai rice. Later entrees included fettuccini, vegetable and cheese burritos, turkey fajitas (cleverly made with canned turkey) and corn on the cob. The most memorable dessert was bananas flambeed with Amaretto.

Breakfast might be poached eggs with salsa, or pancakes and French toast, accompanied by strong coffee. (Real kayakers don’t drink decaf.) Lunches were simple: pate, cheese, sliced tomatoes and avocado, sprouts, apples, cookies. We’d brought bottles of wine, but Gulf Islands Kayaking provided some more (characterized by our Canadian leader as “plonk,” that wonderful British slang for decidedly inferior wine).

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At Wallace Island Marine Park, where we camped for two nights and made day trips, we could see Galiano on one side and Saltspring Island on the other, with the mountains on Vancouver Island in the distance. Like other Canadian provincial parks, it is quite impressive and well maintained. Because of the dryness, a “no fires” policy is enforced. At night, our guide would tell stories about others he had taken on trips, including three women from Seattle, one of whom changed at night into a strapless evening gown, complete with feather boa.

In addition to the sound of our paddling, the silence of our days on the water was interrupted only by the occasional powerboat, or sailboat under motor, or seaplane. The guides told us there was hostility toward kayaks and canoes by the powerboat owners, leading us to speculate that they think we’re all tree-huggers out to destroy the local economy.

For the following three nights, we moved to Blackberry Point on Valdes Island, which presented perhaps a panoramic view of the almost moon-like Vancouver Islands mountain range, as well as views of several other islands with names like Whaleboat and Tree.

One early morning, looking out from our Valdes campsite at a vista of sea and mountains and clouds, our guide remarked, “One more day in paradise.” Well, if not exactly the Elysian Fields, Valdes was a compelling substitute.

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At Blackberry Point, we pitched our tents just off a beach littered with crab skeletons and clam shells. The clams, due to red tide, were not suitable for human consumption; crabbing was OK, but Campbell said he hadn’t had much luck. We took in spectacular sunsets and drifted off to sleep in our tents, listening to the hoot of a northern saw-whet owl. Early in the morning we were awakened by the raucous squawks of the glaucous-winged gulls, as well as by harbor seals making splashing noises as they kill the fish they’ve caught by slapping them on the water.

Several days into the trip, we paddled toward a lunch spot on Valdes called Indian Reserve, a beautiful cove on a high bluff overlooking picturesque cliffs and close to sandstone outcroppings that look like gargoyles. Here, intricate honeycombed designs have been formed by erosion, and large sandstone grottoes have been carved out of the base of the high bluffs.

Later in the day Campbell taught us how to “brace”--getting into the kayak using your paddle--and again went over the art of the self-rescue (which still seemed terrifying). During our travels, he would check his tide tables and charts so we could paddle with the current as much as possible. During the summer, higher high tides generally occur at night; we had to pull the kayaks a good distance back from the water so they didn’t float away.

When my wife and I were kayaking in a double, we avoided the common arguments that happen in canoes, about who will steer. We happily discovered that the person in the stern of a kayak determines the direction of the boat with the foot peg that controls the rudder.

During our travels, we spotted a mink, as well as sleek river otters, playfully swimming in the shallow water and scampering over rocks along the shore. Sea otters used to be plentiful along the B.C. coast, but by the 1900s were approaching extinction because their dense fur coat was prized by Russian, American and European traders. Our guide told us there are only about 600 sea otters left in these Canadian waters.

Sitting on rocky outposts in the middle of the water were dozens of harbor seals--one writer described them as “cats in wetsuits”. Campbell told us that seals are more frightened by kayaks than powerboats because in profile, kayakers, with their steady paddling motion, might look like predators. As a result the seals scramble off the rocks and into the water when kayaks approach.

Campbell helped us observe such sea fowl as vividly-colored harlequin ducks, common loons, the common murre, the princely but endangered great blue heron--which looks prehistoric in its flight, like a latter-day pterodactyl--and the belted kingfisher, which zooms down after its fishy prey like a World War II dive-bomber. Double-breasted cormorants also could be seen drying their plumage on little rock outcrops. Paddling in the clear, shallow water we could see the red rock crab and five-armed starfish that range in color from orange to purple.

Whether paddling or camping, we were captivated by the towering Douglas firs and Garry oak (British Columbia’s only native oak) and along rocky bluffs the distinctive arbutus tree (known in the U.S. as the madrone), Canada’s only broad-leafed evergreen, with twisted trunks and colorful peeling bark of various shades of reds and yellows.

By the time we pulled into Galiano Island we had averaged six nautical miles a day. We all had enjoyed great weather, fine food, and since most of us had never been sea kayaking before, it was a rewarding first-time experience. We had learned how to brace and how not to--as other beginning kayakers actually had--use a cell phone to see how the Dow Jones was doing.

Best of all, there hadn’t been a self-rescue in the bunch.

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GUIDEBOOK

Paddle Power

Getting there: You can get to the Gulf Islands by first flying from LAX to Seattle. United and Alaska have nonstop flights, with restricted round trip fares starting at $196. It’s a 3 1/2-hour drive north on Interstate 5 to Galiano Island in British Columbia. The Tsawwassen BC Ferries, in Tsawwassen, depart for Galiano; for reservations, telephone (250) 386-3431.. Fares: adults $6, cars $25 one way.

Where to stay: We stayed at High Bluffs, a lovely B&B; with mountain views, 170 Bluff Road West, Galiano Island, BC, Canada VON lP0; tel. (250) 539-5779. Room rates, $45-$70, double occupancy. Others recommend the Bellhouse Inn, a waterfront B&B;, 29 Farmhouse Road, Galiano, BC Canada; tel. (250) 539-5667. Room rates, $85-$120, double occupancy. Or the Woodstone Country Inn, Galiano, BC; tel. (250) 539-2022. Room rates, $67-$105, double occupancy.

Kayaking on Galiano Island: Guided trips are offered by Gulf Islands Kayaking at S-24, C-34, Galiano Island, BC, Canada VON lPO; tel. (250) 539-2442. Trip packages vary: Two days of camping, kayaking and gear, with guides and food, cost $150 person; three days are $235, seven days are $565.

For more information: Contact the Galiano Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 73, Galiano Island, BC Canada, VON lP0; tel. (250) 539-2233. Or Canadian Tourism Commission, 550 S. Hope St., 9th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071; tel. (213) 346-2700, Internet https://206.191.33.50/tourism/Canada/index.html.