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Day 4

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years, 6 months ago

Day 4

 

The continuing sunshine and the comfort of our campsite persuaded Murray our leader of the day to allow a slow start and optional activities. John, Rob, Murray and Steve elected to paddle to some of the outer islands at the edge of the Archipelago facing Queen Charlotte Strait. Steven, Peter, Ian and Lionel decided to explore the interior of Insect Island. Before splitting up someone came up with the idea pooling the collective wisdom about reducing aches and pains by taking turns teaching and leading our favorite stretches. There was agreement afterwards that this was a profitable exercise. It would have been a good idea to make this a daily ritual, but that would have been too virtuous.

 

 

The kayakers traveled out via Misty and Philip Passages to reach the open Queen Charlotte strait where they hoped they would spot a whale and a catch something tasty for dinner. (see http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/lup/lrmp/coast/cencoast/docs/oic_maps/broupa62m.PDF|map]).

After as pleasant a paddle as there could ever be thru quiet waters, they found an island on the outside whose entire perimeter around a vegetated core was smooth rock. It invited a landing. (This was either Huston or Liska Island just out from Crib Island.) There was a good landing for disembarking from the yaks and the smooth rocks yielded very comfortable places to lounge in the sun, meditate, or sit and stare out into the open ocean.

 

Murray jumped into the water for a while, again demonstrating his amphibiousness. Then all enjoyed a great lunch. It looked like an ideal place to pull up a fish, but it yielded nada! Murray led the crew on a wild chase home on a tour that included a peek into Arrow passage (a boring place to paddle). After circumnavigating Hudson Island, they ducked back into Misty where a good breeze built behind them and blew them back home, where the paddlers were grateful to find the home fires already burning

 

 

The landlubbers went in search of the southern tip of Insect Island, hoping for a view of the convergence of Misty Passage, Old Passage and Blunden Passage. They hiked through the second growth hemlock forest, finding familiar immense old growth stumps with spring board grooves, a number of what looked liked recently created cedar bark “cultural modifications,” and a delicious huckleberries. Though crisscrossed by steep ravines, the bush was relatively easy to crash through because of the absence of salal and the soft springiness of the soil. The destination was something of a disappointment since the water on all sides could only be glimpsed through the tree cover.

 

 

After a return to the campsite for lunch, the land explorers napped, read and wrote in journals. Steven and Ian took a brief kayak jaunt around the island at the center of Misty Passage. Peter and Lionel prepared Tuna surprise for the voyagers who were grateful for the hotmeal immediately upon their return. A weather report came in over Steve’s radio predicting lowering pressure. It rained for about two hours during the night. John and Steve's abode let in a little water. John woke up to a soaking wet down sleeping bag because the tarp laid down under the tent protruded and caught all the rainwater running off the tent and channelled up under him. Peter and Lionel's tent suffered from the same phenomenon.

 

This could have been a problem but the austere bodily purification we were undergoing by drinking the local water caused the local spirits (zunoquas) to take pity on us. The sun popped out and it stayed out all the remaining days of our trip. How else could you explain what Day 5 was like?

 

Murray's pome

 

 

staying away

 

three pots of coffee

with boiled raisin oatmeal

and real men stretch yoga

is possible

only

on day off

before all rules are abandoned

and chaos prevails

-

paddling out to real ocean

is what to do

as long

as decisions are made

as to where it all leads

and we stay away

from th old deck a little longer

 

 

august 24

insect island

 

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