- Wavelength Magazine

Transcription

Editorial
Editor
Alan Wilson
Bearing Witness
Assistant Editor—Office Manager
Diane Coussens
Associate Editor
Laurie MacBride
Associate
Howard Stiff
Webmaster
Ted Leather
Distributors
Marty Wanless, Herb Clark,
Rajé Harwood, DRM Mailing
Bookkeeper
Margaret Dyke
Advisor
Mercia Sixta
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T
here’s something about being on the water. It opens your eyes.
And if you keep your camera close at hand, you’ll be surprised just how often
those special moments appear.
An eagle swoops low over you, a seal approaches, a porpoise slices through the
water, fish flood under your kayak...
You encounter otters at play, ducks diving, sometimes a prowling bear on shore,
even the rare magical times with whales blowing in the distance. The world is strange,
sensuous, rich and alive. You feel yourself part of the life force bursting forth all around
you.
You want to capture your amazement, the magnificence of old growth trees, the
play of the light on the water—the essences of Eden.
In doing so, you’re both celebrating life and becoming a witness. You are recording
and reporting on the state of Nature. So your camera is no frivolous thing, but a
window through which others see the world. The images you gather can help society
make better choices about the future.
People, especially city dwellers, need to see images of Nature—the forest, the bears,
whales, salmon—and need to see that human beings are systemically dismantling
this vitality: clearcutting old growth valleys, destroying salmon habitat, clogging isolated coves with industrial fish farms, shooting bears...
Record the beauties you see on your trip, but also record the alternative fates, the
desecrated places. Bear witness to them. And renew your commitment to protected
areas and endangered species.
Dan Lewis, in his column, reminds us to see this world first-hand, not just through
a camera lens. And he’s right. We need to know this planet not only in pictures, but
also by direct experience.
Photography can open your eyes, but those eyes also need to see for
themselves, and find the way forward to a sustainable future. We invite you
to look deeply, and hope you find the words and images in this issue useful
toward that end.
Alan Wilson
Happy paddling!
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INSIDE
Volume 12 Number 2
6 In Search of Rock Faces
VADIM KIN
9 The Photographic Companion
MICHELLE WIEBE
12 Composition Basics
CHRIS HUDSON
15 Labrador’s Eagle River
ELLE ANDRA-WARNER
18 Photo Tips for Protected Areas
21 Photos Afloat in Oregon
BARB ROY
24 Chance Encounters
ALAN WILSON—COLUMN
COVER PHOTO BY JACQUELINE WINDH
Shot with a 20 mm lens in Clayoquot Sound
35 Lessons Learned
STEVE CROWE—COLUMN
37 Photo Sites
TED LEATHER—COLUMN
38 Unclassified Ads
40 Seafood Extravaganza
THE STAPLES WITH DEB LEACH—COLUMN
41 For Sale
42 Whales in My Dreams
ALEXANDRA MORTON—COLUMN
43 Racing 101
ALEX MATTHEWS
45 News
27 Classic Kayak Shots
BRYAN NICHOLS—COLUMN
46 Great Gear
31 Exposure Exposed
47 Books
JACQUELINE WINDH
33 Make It—Don’t Take It!
DAN LEWIS—COLUMN
49 Photo Gallery
54 Calendar
In Search of Rock Faces
Vadim Kin
A Photographic Journey Down Utah’s Green River
“
V
adim, where do you think this is?”
asked my friend, George, as I was aimlessly flipping through an issue of Sunset
Magazine. In it was a special feature on wilderness paddling, and the picture he was
referring to showed a canoe gliding on the
placid waters of the Green River in Labyrinth Canyon, Utah.
Seeing the magnificent red rock wall
some hundreds of feet high, lit by the gentle warm evening sun and reflected in the
water, I was immediately envisioning my
sea kayak in that picture instead of the canoe, and imagining what the wall would
look like through the viewfinder of my
Nikon... Well, the idea was certainly worthy of further exploration.
I’ve been photographing the alien, unearthly Utah desert landscape for a number
of years now. At first it was the breathtaking vistas, the rock formations and the sunsets that everyone photographs there, but
after a while, moving on to find a vision of
my own, I sought a true intimacy with what
was around me. That’s when I became
aware of the shapes in the sandstone, and
the “Living Stone” photography project was
born. Beautiful and unusual naturallysculpted faces would show themselves in
the rock—some gazing into the distance,
some staring directly at me, some smiling,
others looking serious, even angry. Before
too long, I was not just stumbling across
ter. Most of the rivers in that region are technical, and even if I had the skills to paddle
them, I would hardly be able to combine
navigating through class III-IV rapids while
carefully composing my sandstone portraits. But the lower Green is different. The
stretch is comprised of the Labyrinth and
Stillwater Canyons, and is 120 miles long,
with a few lively riffles along the way, but
Navajo Sorrow
these shapes, but instead began seeking
them out during my photography trips to
this place we so unimaginatively call “the
desert”.
By the time I was gazing at the magazine’s picture of the Green River, I had already made many trips in search of these
rock faces. I had photographed them from
famous overlooks, roadside pullouts,
backcountry trails, but never from the wa-
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6
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nothing truly technical. The river enters the
Labyrinth Canyon about 10 miles after the
put-in, and there, the magic begins. From
that point on, there are almost no roads,
few trails, no bridges, power lines, telephone lines, marinas, docks, or houses.
In fact, the landscape has changed little
since John Wesley Powell led the first documented trip down the Green River, more
than 130 years ago.
I quickly discovered that there are a
number of photographic challenges while
river paddling. For one, the river moves,
sometimes as fast as 5-6 knots, which
means that the camera has to be ready for
use at all times, with the correct lens attached. If you pack it securely in a watertight Pelican case, it will take you too long
to get it out. You will miss the shot, and will
not be able to return against the strong current. I discovered that my photographic
success on the river largely depended on
how fast I could work. Therefore, not using
WaveLengthMagazine.com
August/September 2002
the sprayskirt, I typically kept one or two
camera bodies in my lap, and even kept
the lens caps off. Yes, I have missed shots
because it takes too long to take a lens cap
off! The front elements of the lenses were,
of course, protected with hoods and skylight filters. Autofocus cameras and zoom
lenses further helped me speed up my work.
Another problem with paddling photography—one that I became aware of during
a trial run before the river trip—is camera
shake. The usual rule is to use the shutter
speed at least as fast as the reciprocal of
the lens focal length. For example, if one is
shooting with a 50mm lens, the slowest
shutter speed would be 1/50 sec (your camera probably has a 1/60 sec setting), 105mm
lens at 1/125 sec, and so forth. This rule
works reasonably well on land, but not on
water. The water moves, the kayak moves,
you are not holding the camera with the
same degree of comfort you do while on
land, and all that results in a greater degree
of camera shake. As a result, you will discover that you have to set your shutter speed
1 to 2 stops faster when you are on water.
Thus, with a 50mm lens you will be shooting at 1/125 to 1/250 sec (or faster).
Camera shake can be alleviated, to a
certain extent, by using cameras and lenses
that incorporate mechanisms to reduce the
effects of camera shake. Currently, Nikon
makes one VR (Vibration Reduction) lens,
Vadim at work on the Green River.
and Canon makes several IS (Image Stabilizer) lenses. IS and VR are just proprietary
names that mean essentially the same thing.
The manufacturers claim that these lenses
allow one to use a shutter speed 4-8 times
(2-3 stops) slower than one would normally
use, and still obtain sharp images. In my
experience, these claims are too optimistic
for paddling photography. My Nikon VR
lens has consistently been able to give me
a 1-stop advantage, of which I am very
appreciative.
Then there is the problem of dust. Dust
can NOT be escaped on the river—it is in
your tent, sleeping bag, ears, eyes, hair,
food, and, if you are not careful, in your ➞
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7
camera. Whenever I picked up the camera
from my lap, it was covered with a layer of
dust which varied in thickness from day to
day. There was no way to avoid it. This became a huge problem when I had to open
the camera to change film. The dust would
get inside the camera, plant itself on the
pressure plate, and starting with the second roll, every shot thereafter would have
horizontal streaks scratched by the fine dust
particles. The simple solution to this problem? A can of compressed air was always
kept within reach. Each time I needed to
change film, I first reached for the can and
blew out all the red-brown dust that had
settled inside the camera.
8
Finally, the amount of equipment has to
be limited—you only have so much room
on your lap, and whatever gadgets do not
fit there, will probably not get used. My kit
was and still is, very basic. It consists of
one Nikon N80 body, a 80-400mm Nikkor
VR lens, a 20mm F/2.8 Nikkor lens, and a
Fuji GA 645i rangefinder autofocus medium format camera. The Fuji has a 60mm
lens, which is equivalent to a 38mm lens
on a 35mm camera. Do I have a gaping
hole between the 38mm of the Fuji, and
80mm where the Nikkor begins? Not really, because the larger medium format
negative can be cropped more forgivingly
than 35mm, so the Fuji for me is almost
like having another body with a zoom lens.
I do have to confess that I do not use the
20mm Nikkor very much due to the hassle
of swapping lenses. (I do not have room on
my lap for another Nikon body!)
I highly recommend a trip down the
lower Green River. In addition to photographing from the kayak, one should not
overlook the opportunities allowed by hiking the riverbanks and side canyons. There
are many tributary canyons worthy of exploration, and some suitable for overnight
hikes. Having gone down the Green River
twice now, I know that there are more rock
faces there than I will be able to photograph
in a lifetime. Most of the faces I saw on the
second trip, I had missed on the first. The
river will always have new photographic
gifts for me every time I paddle it. The only
disappointment is that it takes too short a
period of time to paddle the 120 miles.
The trip ends on the Colorado River, three
miles downstream from the confluence of
the Colorado and Green. There, when I
The Dollhouse.
gazed from our final campsite, at the rock
formations called “The Dollhouse”, thinking that no place could be more perfect,
the clouds proved me wrong and arranged
themselves in a beautiful pattern above the
Dollhouse spires. As I took my last photograph of the trip, I told them goodbye once
again. I already knew that I would return. ❏
© Text and photos by Vadim Kin, a fine
art photographer based in Seattle. When
not paddling Pacific Northwest coastal
waters or one of the rivers of the Southwest, or off photographing somewhere in
the desert, he can be found at
www.pursuitofbeauty.com.
The Photographic Companion
Michelle Wiebe
A
ll great photographs have one thing in
common—the Photographer gets the
credit! These hard working, talented individuals deserve much praise, but maybe
someone else deserves a measure of recognition as well. Someone who totes and
carries, shares early morning alarms, moves
the branches spoiling a perfect shot, holds
an umbrella over the camera. For these tasks
and more the Photographer calls upon his
or her PC: the Photographic Companion
possibly the Photographer’s most undervalued asset.
Some Photographers are lone wolves
who don’t work with a PC. There may be
some other individuals considering becoming a PC. For me it’s too late—I married a
Photographer. This is how I know the PC’s
way of life.
Abnormal becomes normal in the strange
world of the Photographer. Dawn is now a
frantic struggle to get that shot in the fleeting morning light. Snug and warm by the
shore of beautiful glacier-fed Floe Lake, my
well-earned sleep is shattered by a 4:30 am
alarm. Groaning, I crawl out of the tent to
be greeted by the dark. Bear bell in one
hand, flashlight in the other, I set out to the
ridge top with my Photographer. It is disconcerting to behold bear sign, picked out
in the feeble beam of a flashlight. Thank
goodness none of the piles of bear scat
steam in the cold mountain air. Uneasiness
dissipates as the hike continues and the bear
does not appear. The alpenglow does, and
the Photographer gets some wonderful
shots from the pass.
I have a theory that the chemicals from
skin contact with film produce selective amnesia. My Photographer and I both remember our Floe Lake trip as one of our best.
For him, it produced the “biggest” sale of
his career, as one of the shots from that early
morning is now displayed as a 20' by 8'
mural at the Calgary International Airport.
He remembers the lenses, film type, exposures, and thinks about how he could capture some even better images next time. He
forgets that the hike was 10.5 kilometres
long with a vertical gain of 715 metres. I
remember with pain-etched detail the last
mile of constant, killer switchbacks, and my
pack so heavy I could barely lift it from the
ground. I was wondering how my body
would be recovered from such a place if I
gave in to the urge to die right there on the
trail. If the Photographer feels any pain it is
forgotten by the time the tripod is set up.
Lugging around a mountain of equipment
causes much of the pain of photography.
Michelle practising her PC skills—the ‘umbrella lift’—for husband Jim.
When on paddling trips, my Photographer’s
equipment is stored in a Pelican Case—big
enough to double as a life raft. This case is
too big for the compartments in our single
kayaks, so instead it’s strapped over the rear
hatch cover—adding weight to the top of
the boat.
We became intimately acquainted with
this Pelican case on a 1300 km journey from
Vancouver to Ketchikan, Alaska. My Photographer wanted to go on an expedition.
Kayaking, he thought, was the mode of
transportation for management of toting all
that gear. No portaging and no backpacks—
it will be easy! Twenty-foot tides showed
the folly of that thought. Technically, carrying to and from these distant tide-lines may
not be a portage. Practically, that was little
consolation. And hauling gear in a
backpack sure beats using dry bags.
In fact, when hiking, the backpack is an
essential tool for the work of a PC. Not for ➞
9
expensive camera gear—
to the Photographer. Here
that is the jealously
is how it works: the shot is
all lined up, looking good,
guarded privilege of the
Photographer. The PC carand then the Photographer
spots some mouldy leaf
ries the practical, boring,
heavy things: clothes,
stuck in a corner, a branch
sleeping bag, sleeping mats
hanging down where it
isn’t supposed to, an unat(yes both of them), cutlery,
tractive rock butting into a
dishes, pots, stove, fuel,
mossy bank shot. Off the
and all the food.
PC goes, to do the dirty
Lone wolf Photographers may now see one
work. I have crossed
benefit of a PC’s attention.
creeks, crashed through
thick forest, and lain on
But how to go about findwet grass to reach down a
ing a PC? A personal ad
creek bank to remove an
may help:
offending piece of debris.
“Wanted: Photographic
Companion. Looking for
To move a dead branch out
of frame, I have stripped off
someone to share my At Burnett Bay on BC’s Central Coast. Note the large Pelican case.
my jeans and waded thigh
hobby. Should be enerdeep through icy water into the middle of a swift flowing creek.
getic, cheerful, and love the outdoors.”
Anything to make that good shot even better.
A more accurate translation:
Not all assistance a PC gives is out of frame. You may be asked to
“Wanted: Sherpa. Looking for someone to share my hobby (and
don your best red jacket and gaze wistfully across the waters of a
help me carry my stuff). Should be energetic (able to carry lots of
lake. How about being comfortably relaxed in camp after a big
stuff), cheerful (doesn’t complain when carrying all that stuff) and
days’ paddling? The sun is setting. Up you get and back into the
love the outdoors (likes to carry stuff outside).”
kayak. Paddle from left to right, right to left, out to the point, sit up
The PC has other functions beyond that of Sherpa. Environmenstraight and smile. A PC can paddle a long way and never leave the
tally sensitive landscape modification can be extremely valuable
waters in front of camp.
Knowledge of your place within the Photographer’s hierarchy is
an absolute necessity to be a good PC. The shot always comes first,
then equipment, then the Photographer—the PC comes last. With
only one umbrella and a downpour, the umbrella gets held over
the camera (and coincidentally the Photographer). It makes no difference that rivers of cold water are running down the PC’s neck.
After all, Cough and Cold medicine is much cheaper than a new
camera.
Hopefully, as a consequence of talent, hard work, and luck, a
fabulous photograph results. The PC may be of help in this situation too. While Photographers love taking photos, the business side
[email protected]
of photography isn’t nearly as much fun. There is paperwork to
www.gck.ca
struggle with, framing to be done and prints to be delivered. While
the PC takes care of the mundane tasks, the Photographer spends
time planning the next excursion.
Why would anyone want to become a PC? I do not photograph
the dawn from the ridge top as my Photographer does. However, I
do experience dawn’s peace and beauty from my own personal
perspective, and then I have the added pleasure of seeing that dawn
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10
Michelle cooling off in one of British Columbia’s
many ‘secret’ spots.
frozen on film. I get to spend lots of time in fabulous places, sometimes helping, sometimes exploring, sometimes scouting for different angles. Always I am involved in the outdoor experience. It is
good for the soul.
So next time, when gazing in admiration at a wonderful photograph, give due credit to the talent and the perseverance of the
Photographer. But before moving on, take a moment to wonder if
the image benefited from the work of a PC. ❏
© Text by Michelle Wiebe (Backcountry PC). Photos by Jim
Wiebe. Michelle and Jim live in Canmore, Alberta.
([email protected])
11
Composition Basics
I can look at a fine photograph and sometimes I can hear music.—Ansel Adams
C
omposition is the underlying foundation
of all art forms. For photographers, it’s
no different. It really doesn’t matter what
sort of camera you’re using—the rudimentary principles, guidelines and rules of photographic composition and visual design
are the same. By gaining even a basic understanding of them you will improve the
quality and success of your images tremendously.
SUBJECT
Perhaps the most important aspect of
good photographic composition is identifying and examining your subject or center
of interest before you start shooting. Do you
actually know what it is that you’re about
to make a photograph of? Have you really
thought about it? What is it about the scene
or subject in front of you that is provoking
you to pick up your camera and take a picture? Have you examined your subject thoroughly, from all angles? With different
lenses? Do you need to include the entire
subject in your photograph, or will a more
12
abstract, impressionistic composition communicate the essential qualities of what you
see? Does everything from the front of the
scene to the background need to be in sharp
focus, or can you use a very narrow depth
of field to dramatically isolate some single
aspect of your subject? By asking yourself
as many questions as you can about your
subject, why you feel compelled to make a
photo of it and how you think it would be
best represented, you will be gaining the
information you need to capture the essence
of what it is you are seeing.
SIMPLICITY
Once you’ve
worked out for
yourself what it is
that you are
shooting you can
start the actual
process of composing.
To
achieve
the
maximum visual
impact in your
photography, you A cluttered image.
should work to
create simple, concise images with a very
clear center of interest. To do this you
should be carefully taking stock of everything in the scene. Think about which elements are important and complementary
to your subject and which elements are distractions that add visual clutter to your photograph’s frame. The clutter should be eliminated from the image as much as possible
while the complementary elements are
positioned and utilized in such a way as to
emphasize your main subject.
Isolating your chosen subject by moving
Chris Hudson
in close and filling your frame with it (either by using a longer focal length lens or
simply moving physically closer) is a very
effective method of simplifying your shots.
You can also use different camera angles to
isolate your subject in different ways. Move
around your subject looking through your
camera to determine what angle most suits
your subject. Zero in on lines and shapes
that may draw or lead the viewers attention towards your desired center of interest.
Busy backgrounds are common offenders in creating clutter in images. Try to use
a camera position in relation to your subject that will provide you with a clean,
graphic background. A low
camera angle
perhaps, with a
deep blue sky as
the backdrop.
Or, maybe you
could
move
around to position a shaded
cliff or dark forest
(both of which
will record as alShift your position.
most black on
film) behind your subject. Another option
for photographers using cameras with some
manual functionality is to shoot with the
lens aperture wide open to decrease the
depth of field and hopefully render any
busyness behind the subject out of focus.
Have you ever taken a photo of one of
your paddling buddies with a dock piling
or sapling growing out of his or her head?
If you have, you’re not alone. This is known
as a ‘merger’. You have merged your friend
with the dock by not paying close enough
attention to what you are truly seeing
More interesting scenic images will also result from positioning
horizon lines (or any line for that matter) along one of those imaginary lines dividing your frame into thirds. Decide whether it’s the
sky or foreground that contains more interest and include more of
it. By splitting an image right down the middle with a strong line
you will leave the viewer confused as to which half of the photo is
the more important.
LINES
The emotions, sense of movement and visual unity that different
lines can contribute to a photograph can be very useful tools in composition. Horizontals, verticals, diagonals, curves, leading and re- ➞
The ‘rule of thirds’ creates dynamism. Note also that the
paddler is moving into the frame, not out of it.
through your viewfinder. Mergers are ordinarily easy to avoid, simply by moving your subject (if possible), or your camera position
so that the offending dock piling and your subject’s head are not
occupying the same two dimensional space. Often moving only a
foot or two will do the job. Alternatively you could try narrowing
your depth of field, throwing that piling out of focus as described
earlier.
RULE OF THIRDS
Placing your subject matter smack dab in the center of your frame
will normally lead to a lackluster photograph. If your center of interest has the same amount of space on all sides it will usually end
up appearing static, with little visual interest. To add more of a
sense of movement, direction and impact to your subject, place it
off center using the rule of thirds. If you imagine your viewfinder
divided into thirds with imaginary lines running both horizontally
and vertically, the points where those lines cross would be the ideal
points to try placing the center of interest of your image.
If you are shooting people, try to place them so that they are
looking into the frame as opposed to peering off the near edge of
the photo into oblivion. Other subjects that have either an implied
or real sense of movement should also be given room in front of
them so they look as though they are moving into the photograph.
Think about a picture of a kayaker paddling from right to left across
a scene. Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to have more room
to the left of the frame, ahead of the kayak instead of the right so
that the paddler is apparently going to drop out of the left hand
side of the frame?
The sweep of line takes your eye to the horizon.
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13
petitive lines can all be used to add significant visual impact to an image.
Horizontal lines often portray a feeling
of calm or tranquillity, like the horizon at
sunrise or something lying at rest. Vertical
lines represent height and can be powerful
or stoic like the ancient fir trees in the rainforest. Diagonal lines are dynamic and can
impart feelings of movement, instability or
tension. Gently curving lines can be soothing or even sensual. A repetitive curve or
‘S-curve’ as is sometimes seen in a trail or
shoreline can be exceedingly photogenic
as they wind off into the distance.
Any line can be used as a leading line,
but diagonals and curves seem to lend
themselves readily to this. Leading lines are
lines that guide or direct the viewer’s eye
into the photo space or toward your center
of interest. They connect the foreground to
the background as well as adding a sense
of unity and depth to the image.
FRAMING
Another way of adding depth to an image
is to use a visual frame. By placing simple,
graphic foreground objects along the edges
of your photo you will create the frame. The
sense of depth is achieved by forcing the
viewer to look through the foreground and
into the image. Frames will also isolate your
center of interest within the photograph.
What you use as a frame will depend mainly
on what is available to you at the time and
location you are shooting. Sometimes nothing will be readily available. Other times
there will by no shortage of appropriate foreground elements. Open tent doors are excellent for framing scenics. Rocks, headlands,
trees and other foliage work as well. Use your
Some of the most striking shots can
be very simple compositions. Just
move in close and fill your frame.
imagination and keep your eyes open.
There is another type of frame that I’m
sure you’re aware of, but may never have
thought about. That’s the actual edges of
your viewfinder. What is there to think
about? Should you shoot a particular scene
in a horizontal of vertical format. The vast
majority of photographs shot by amateur
photographers are in the horizontal format.
This is mainly because most cameras are
easier to hold horizontally, not because
there is a shortage of vertical subject matter. Shooting vertically tends emphasizes
the height of an object. Shooting the same
subject horizontally will diminish that feeling of height but allows you to include more
in the frame if you step back or zoom out.
Which you choose is up to you but if you
are taking a picture of something anyway,
turn your camera ninety degrees and take
a look.
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14
BALANCE
Balance is a difficult attribute of composition to define. Essentially it is just a feeling that all the elements of a photo are
where they should be. The image doesn’t
feel lopsided, with more visual emphasis
in one area than another. There may be a
flow to the well balanced image, or a feeling of unity. Balance is achieved by how
the elements (lines, shapes, areas of color,
light or dark) in the photograph appear to
relate to one another. They needn’t be the
same size or laid out symmetrically in the
picture space; but visually, one doesn’t outweigh another and the way they are associated makes sense.
Visually confusing objects can lead to an
impression of imbalance. A portrait of a
friend perhaps, with her head resting on her
hand, but her arm has been cut off by the
edge of the frame, leading to a hand that
has no visual support. Similarly a tree
branch sneaking into a corner of your image not connected to anything visible in
the image, like a tree trunk, will upset the
impression of balance in an otherwise satisfactory photograph.
FORGET ALL THE RULES
Hopefully you’ve absorbed a lot of these
‘rules and guidelines’ of how to compose
photographs. Now I am going to tell you to
throw them all out the window. Just go out
and shoot. It’s true that all of the topics discussed in this article are based on solid experience and proven principles of visual
design, but they are, after all, just rules and
guidelines. And, as we know rules are made
to be broken and guidelines are just that,
guides. You should understand how they
work and when and how to apply them but
you should not focus on them so much that
you forget that photography is a creative
pursuit which is not bound by such constraints. If you feel a particular subject
would be captured better in another way,
forget the rules.
As a photographer interested in improving your photographic abilities and creating excellent quality images, you should
have a basic understanding of the elements
and principles of composition. However,
with that understanding comes the ability
to intelligently and consciously break those
rules to further your creative goals. There is
but one rule that cannot be broken: practice makes perfect (or at least gets you on
the way). So pick up your camera, pack it
with film, load your kayak and head out on
your next adventure. ❏
© Text and photos by Chris Hudson,
a professional photographer who
lives on Vancouver Island, BC.
[email protected]
Labrador’s Eagle River
K
ayaking on Labrador’s Eagle River
is like stepping out of the box and
breaking a geographical stereotype. The
river is one of North America’s most renowned fly-fishing areas for wild Atlantic
salmon, but few know it is one of Canada’s
newest destinations for kayaking.
It took us almost an hour in a Twin Otter
float plane to fly the 150 kilometres (90 miles)
from the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay
(pop. 8,000) on Labrador’s east coast to our
river base for the next five days, the remote
Rifflin’ Hitch Lodge. We flew deep into southcentral Labrador where there are no roads
or villages anywhere in sight.
Rifflin’ Hitch Lodge intrigued me because
it was designed and built by a woman,
Gudrig “Gudie” Hastings from Newfoundland. Six years ago, she and her building
crew lived in tents while they cleared over
3.5 acres of land along the Eagle River. Then
they choppered in native spruce, pine and
juniper to build a grand yet intimate 7,000
square foot lodge (all wheelchair accessible).
My only previous kayak experience was
an adventure tour in the British Columbia’s
Johnstone Strait and Inside Passage. By comparison, paddling on the Eagle River was
much less intense—a novice kayaker’s
dream, and a photographer’s delight. The
lodge has almost 26 kilometres (sixteen
miles) of private river water, which means
there is no access to other boaters. No
ocean liners, no power boats, no fishing or
tour boats, no tide flooding in and out,
no riptides, and no whale-watching. A
kayaker can simply focus on the joys of
paddling.
Paddling and photography are a perfect
combination on Eagle River, but even with
the relatively calm water the camera still
needs to be protected from water and
weather elements. Many photographers use
hard-bodied camera cases like the Pelican
case, but I put my Pentax MZ-5 with 28-80
mm zoom lens with built-in flash in a watertight, hard-plastic container bought in a
department store for under $20 (an idea
from a pro photo shop). The container fits
comfortably between my legs in the kayak
for fast and easy camera access.
For a day’s paddling in sunshine, I take
along three extra films in a small plastic
container tucked in a waterproof bag. I
shoot mainly slide film, either Kodak professional E100 series (VS or SW) or Fuji
Provia 100; on a cloudy day, I use 200 ASA.
I’m experimenting with pushing and bracketing film, but generally I set my camera
CANADA
Elle Andra-Warner
on automatic and let the camera do the
work of finding the right settings. Shooting
on automatic lets me concentrate on being
creative, rather than technical.
Magnificent landscape pictures are a
must for the memories, but those sweeping
scenery shots tend to lose some of their
magical quality on film. After snapping
those classic images, I try to look for im- ➞
The Eagle River, Labrador.
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15
ages that give a feel for the area—something different than the “this-could-be-anywhere-in-Canada” shot. A jutting shoreline.
Old abandoned boat. Quirky rock formations. Colourful wild flowers. Solitary tree
perched on shoreline. Different angles to
a scenic shot. Wildlife. Float planes. Lichen
on rocks.
When possible, I try to position people
or pets in the image to add interest and
perspective, particularly in a scenic shot. If
people are prominent in the picture’s foreground, I ask if they mind removing their
sunglasses so the image will capture their
face, rather than the dark sunglasses.
Side trips are great photo opportunities.
Our guide told us about an old abandoned
trapper’s log cabin tucked away in a small
bay about two kilometres down the river.
The next day, we headed to it. The overgrown trail led to a wacky scene—a photographer’s delight: doors and windows
bear-proofed with barbed wire; rusty cans
from portable stovepipe hung on broken
branches; empty marten trap boxes strung
between the trees; and a handmade toboggan propped beside the door.
Patterns in nature are everywhere and
make unique photographic images. We
kayaked to an offshore sand dune located
downstream about three miles from the
lodge. It was a rather surreal scene—a halfmile of Caribbean-like white sand surrounded by shallow water and evergreen
forest. On the dune, nature’s swirling water
and wind had sculpted intricate designs in
the fine sand. I shot some close-ups of the
sand artwork—texture shots that later looked
Gudrid Hastings photo
Elle Andra-Warner photo
Nature’s designs on a sand dune by the river.
like desert images taken from the sky.
Unexpected surprises of nature can be
once-in-a-lifetime shots if you are ready.
One morning while on the water, someone
yelled out “Look!” and pointed to the nearby
shore. A small waterspout (a mini-tornado
on water) was whirling along the shoreline
ahead of us. I pulled out my camera and
snapped some quick shots. The swirl was
gone in seconds, but using my automatic
setting, I had captured some of it on film.
And thanks to the advice of professional
photographer Steve Bly who was also staying at Rifflin’ Hitch Lodge, I have eased up
on my use of polarizers.
“People overuse the polarizer. If you have
a good camera and high qualify film, you
will seldom need a polarizer” he insists.
Skeptical, I did some experimenting
and found it to be good advice.
During my stay, I did try fly-fishing for
the first time. I learned to fly-cast (it’s all
about technique, not power), read the slick
water (whole new angler lingo) and do the
easy method of dead float fly-fishing (cast
and just let the fly float).
Gudie’s son David Hastings foreground
with Dan Chaisson from the
Newfoundland & Labrador
Department of Tourism.
Canadian Recreational Canoe
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• SKGABC Assistant Guide Training
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WANT TO BE A GUIDE?
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For dates and prices, call us at 250-381-4233
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16
Eagle River is 200 kilometres long (125
miles) and is a unique, varied watershed
flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Some areas are thousands of feet across, while other
spots are less than a hundred; fast, white
water areas open up into long peaceful
stretches. Rifflin’ Hitch Lodge is situated
almost 37 kilometres (23 miles) from the
mouth of Eagle River. ❏
© Elle Andra-Warner is a journalist and
photographer based in Vancouver,
Thunder Bay & Yellowknife.
Rifflin' Hitch Lodge is owned by Gudrid
(Gudie) Hastings. She can be reached toll-free
at 1-877-433-5461 or call (709) 634-2000.
[email protected].
Sea Kayak Guides
Alliance of BC
The Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC is a
non-profit society which upholds high
standards for professional sea kayak
guides and operators in BC. Through ongoing professional development and
certification, the Alliance strives to ensure
safe practices on an industry-wide basis.
FALL 2002
Fall Exchange: Oct. 18-19
We specialize in
Kayaks, Rentals, Sales,
Lessons and Gear.
Annual General Meeting: Oct. 20
We also offer many different
courses to get you out on
the water safely, including
Wilderness First Aid.
For information, contact Tracy
at [email protected]
WWW
SKGABC COM
Give us a call
or drop in!
[email protected]
www.IslandOutdoorCentre.com
610 Oyster Bay Drive
Ladysmith, BC
250-245-7887
GREAT CLEARANCE
PRICES...
SEASONAL WAREHOUSE CLEARANCE PRICES
on 1999 and 2000 boats by Wilderness Systems & Seaward Kayaks
KAYAKS
• Showroom boats @ 1999 prices on fiberglass and
rotomoulded touring singles and doubles
CANOES
• 14’-6 to 17’ Nova Craft and Mad River poly and
Royalex Canoes
GEAR
• Discontinued lesson farmer john wetsuits and
paddling jackets
RENTALS
• Wide assortment of fiberglass and plastic singles,
sit-on-tops, touring doubles & tripping canoes.
390 Harbour Avenue, North Vancouver, BC V73 2 E9 Ph: 604-715-7174
(3 lights west of 2nd Narrows Bridge across from the new Canadian Tire store)
Assistant Guide Exam: Oct. 21-22
Lead Guide Exam: Oct. 25-27
.
.
SKGABC EXECUTIVE:
PRESIDENT
Michael Pardy <[email protected]>
VICE PRESIDENTS
Colin MacNeil <[email protected]>
Kerry Orchard <[email protected]>
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Tracy Morben <[email protected]>
COORDINATING DIRECTOR
Camillia Brinkman <[email protected]>
MEMBERS AT LARGE
Jack Rosen <[email protected]>
Piper Harris <[email protected]>
Kirsten Musial <[email protected]>
SKGABC Membership
To become a member of the Alliance, mail
this form and a cheque to the address below.
___ Company Membership—$100/year
___ Individual Membership—$35/year
___ Associate Membership—$25/year
___ Alliance T-shirt
Name__________________________
Address________________________
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Email__________________________
Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC
P.O. Box 1005, Station A,
Nanaimo BC, V9R 5K4
[email protected]
17
Photo Tips for Protected Coastal Areas
• Intertidal animals are very particular
about where they live. Please leave
them where you find them. You would
not think to move a bear into position
for a photo; please give intertidal life
the same respect.
Please stay at least 100 metres or 300
feet from any marine mammal.
do not have to feed themselves, or to
save themselves from a predator.
• Nurseries for intertidal creatures are
often under the gravel where you can
not see them. Please do not trample
intertidal areas. Float through areas to
get pictures of an ecosystem in action.
• Do not approach sea lion rookeries
or haulouts to photograph them. Rookeries are especially sensitive in June and
early July. This is pupping time. If you
get too close, the animals will leave the
rookery for the water. Sea lion pups can
not swim when first born and can get
crushed or drown in the adults’ rush
off the rocks.
• Seabirds often nest in burrows in the
ground. These burrows can be difficult
to see and trampling a burrow can endanger birds at nesting time, or remove
a home for next season. When photographing seabirds, please use lenses,
not feet, to get yourself close to the
burrows or birds.
• Noisy boats disturb marine mammals,
but kayaks can be quite startling as the
animal does not know that you are there
until you are too close for its comfort.
• Please respect the space of all wildlife. Any energy they expend in dashing away from you, or in protecting
their young from you, is energy they
18
• Photographing any wildlife takes patience. Approach slowly. If you see any
sign of unusual behaviour or sudden
movement, back off.
• Eelgrass meadows are an area where many marine creatures breed, or stay for protection from predators and lowtide. Do not walk through these areas if at all possible. You
may be trampling more than you know. Creatures found in
these meadows can be found in other habitats at other times.
Learn the habitats and photograph the creatures when and
where it is best for them.
Text courtesy of Gwaii Haanas National Park and Haida Heritage Site.
ENDANGER
ED!
• Totem poles often look more solid than they are. Please do not
touch the poles or other cultural items. Though intended to return
to the earth, you might accidentally speed up that process, changing the experience for those that come after you.
• Know the area in which you are photographing. Many
areas are protected because of their unique plant species
including moss and lichens. Be careful moving through the
forest, or where you sit/lie down to take your photos. ❏
Photo by Bryan Nichols
Annual End of Season Sale
MAYNE ISLAND
KAYAK & CANOE
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Only 79 southern resident Orca whales
remain in Georgia Strait and Puget Sound.
Pollution, the collapse of
salmon runs, and human
disturbance are all taking
a toll. Canadian scientists
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“ENDANGERED”.
Gulf Islands
San Juans
ORCA PASS
INTERNATIO
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STEWARDSHI
P AREA
THE TIME IS SHORT
In a study last year, scientists said there is an 81% chance
of total extinction within the next few generations.
Even one major oil spill would raise these odds to 94%.
Canadian and US citizens’ groups are working together
to urge our governments to establish the ORCA PASS
INTERNATIONAL STEWARDSHIP AREA to protect
marine life in the transboundary waters between the
Gulf Islands and San Juan Islands.
Ride the Wave to Orca Pass!
ACT NOW!
Sign the Petition at:
www.GeorgiaStrait.org
Georgia Strait Alliance
250 753-3459
www.PugetSound.org
People for Puget Sound
206 382-7007
19
ilderness Kayaking
Join us for a paddle soon at
Beautiful Maple Bay,
Vancouver Island, BC
• Rentals, Sales
• Evening paddles
• Tours of the Gulf
Islands & West Coast
• ‘Discover Kayaking’ course
Great Rental Rates
and Friendly Staff
CALL
Stay in your boat!
It’s safer than an exit and re-entry.
Use a Back up kayak righting aid for the safest self rescue
other than a real Eskimo roll. Safe in seconds, not minutes.
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(604) 224-4010 Fax (604) 224-4045 www.roll-aid.com Patented.
250 746-0151
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www.wilderness-kayaking.com
Sea Kayak Association of BC
Trips, training, monthly meetings,
newsletters, paddling contacts
www.skabc.org
[email protected]
604-669-4492
Box 751, Stn. A,
Vancouver, BC V6C 2N6
Natural West Coast Adventures
• Kayak Instruction • Tours • Rentals
1308 Everall St., White Rock, BC V4B 3S6
Ph: (604) 535-7985 in White Rock
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20
If you want to be listed on the
WaveLength website, email
[email protected]
Funny how
one thing
leads to
another...
Barb’s daugher Tallen shows off a treasure of agates she collected.
Photos Afloat in Oregon
Barb Roy
I
have always loved still images for bringing back cherished memories of an inspiring trip or an exceptional wildlife shot.
So I am rarely without a camera of sorts.
This also applies to my scuba diving and
when I am out exploring from my (sit-ontop) dive kayak.
While underwater, I generally enclose my
Nikon within a watertight hard-case housing and attach external strobes to light the
subjects. Unfortunately, the housing can be
quite awkward and very heavy when I want
to shoot out of the water, from the wet-deck
of the kayak. Not wanting to risk an accidental submersion of my small fortune, my
research has uncovered several options, my
favorite being a special ziplok-style bag that
securely holds the camera in place. Its lightweight construction is waterproof beyond
30-feet, able to accommodate a flash and
several lens size options.
For film, batteries and extra lenses, I
found a padded waterproof case at a dive
shop. I also found a clip device divers commonly use for attaching things to their attire. At one end is a clip and at the other a
loop, with a quick-release clip attached to
a coiled cord in the middle for extended
length. This is how I keep my underwater
camera attached to me when scuba diving.
Using this method, everything can be
accessed while remaining connected to the
boat.
This spring I decided to test out my new
investments during a trip to Oregon’s beautiful coastal region. My fifteen-year-old
daughter, Tallen, joined me on the excursion. Although Tallen shoots with a pocket- ➞
For Brandon Nelson and
Heather Christensen, it
began with the dream of
kayaking the length of the
Sea of Cortez.That led to
clearing out their garage...
and ultimately to
Chesapeake kayak kits.
“Building the boats ourselves and then paddling
them for 72 days along
such a desolate and harsh
coast, in total comfort the
whole time...This is the
definition of Joy!” (See their
inspiring story in Sea
Kayaker, April 2002.)
Whether your dream is
long-distance or short,
we’ve got a kayak kit that
makes getting ready almost
as fun as getting there.
32 easy-to-build
quality boat kits.
Chesapeake Light Craft
1805 George Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 267-0137 [email protected]
www.clcboats.com
21
sized point and shoot camera, she found a
compact plastic housing for it. This unique
container, called a Bonica Snapper, allows
her to photograph critters underwater down
to more than 60-feet, or scenic topside
views with a removable focus-free system.
Once in Oregon, we met up with some
friends near Waldport to explore Beaver
Creek. East of Highway 101 is a huge parking lot, suitable for launching the kayaks.
To the west of the highway is a day-park
with picnic tables at Ona Beach. On the
eastern side is a serene 4-5 mile stretch
making it easy to photograph shorebirds,
assorted spring flowers and a lush green
forest settings. To the west, we enjoyed outstanding ocean vistas complete with a
sandy beach.
Visiting several surf and diving/kayak
shops along Highway 101, we found
kayaking has become increasingly popular
up and down Oregon’s coast as well as on
interior lakes and waterways. There are
many regular coastal group get-togethers,
launching from a variety of locations.
We also paddled down the Siltcoos River
Canoe Trail, part of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. You can launch from
Oregon’s largest coastal lake, Siltcoos Lake,
at the Lane County boat ramp, for an allday paddle, or put in at the Lodgepole picnic area for a shorter excursion. With the
www.canoeandkayakcentre.com
The Siltcoos River Canoe Trail is full
of great photo opportunities.
three-mile lake route, however, a portage
does exist about half way to help paddlers
get around a small dam. Both are easy water trails and offer breath-taking scenery
through dense forest, tall sand dunes and a
protected estuary near the ocean.
We decided to put in at the southern
riverbank, just past the bridge of the picnic
area. Our non-kayaking friends enjoyed
hiking along a dirt-trail, which runs almost
the entire winding stretch to the ocean.
I was exceptionally pleased, as I was able
to quietly approach sensitive areas to photograph nesting birds, like the western
snowy plover, from a respectable distance
with my telephoto lens. We also saw great
blue heron, osprey and bald eagles. Most
of the river was shallow, making it easy to
pull ashore and stand in the water, using
my kayak for a support platform.
When not scuba diving or kayaking on
the Oregon trip, we took pleasure in exploring the beaches for agates, watching the
noisy sea lions on the docks in Newport
and visiting historic lighthouses all along
the coast, open to the public.
Another activity we found very rewarding was a visit to see the new displays at
the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Since Tallen
is schooled at home, we spent an entire day
studying the marine residents of the Pacific
Northwest. Attending a behind the scenes
tour gave us a fascinating insight into how
much work is actually involved in the care
of so many aquatic residents.
Overall our adventure was very rewarding. We were never without something fun
to do, a unique coastal restaurant to try, or
a quaint little gift shop to investigate. I also
found the educational opportunities were
a refreshing change of pace. Oregon is definitely on our list for several return visits.
Take heed: warning signs are posted
along the coast informing the public about
the potential hazards of hidden rogue waves
and strong undercurrents. It is best to heed
these warnings with the utmost respect.
There are plenty of awesome lakes, rivers,
[email protected]
University of Sea Kayaking
presents a 2-Volume Video Set
(120 minutes each)
Capsize Recoveries
• Assisted Recoveries
• Solo Recoveries
• Double Recoveries
• Sit on Tops
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• Radio and Flare Demos
• Towing
Get your set and one for the partner who’ll save you.
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805-696-6966
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22
water trails and creeks to explore, keeping
a safe distance from the open ocean. During our short visit to Oregon, I learned how
quickly the weather can change, but generally found calmer water conditions in the
morning. Check with local shops or on the
Internet for group outings and go have some
fun with your camera! ❏
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area:
www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/oregondunes
© Text and photos by Barb Roy, an
outdoor adventure photojournalist living
in Vancouver, BC. She travels the West
Coast, sometimes with family in tow,
exploring the underwater world with
scuba gear and topside with dive kayaks.
Check out
www.WaveLengthMagazine.com
for over 1,000 pages of
searchable information.
Put Our
Footwear
Between
You
and the
Water
ZIPPERED BOOTS
Here’s a shot sent to us by professional photographer David Anderson of
Scappoose, Oregon, illustrating his equipment, including (L - R) his Bogan
3001 tripod, Sigma 17mm - 35mm lens and case, zip-loc bags and lens cloths,
extension tube set, Sigma 28mm-70mm lens and case, circular polarizing filter,
spare battery, remote shutter release, and a waterproof film box. In addition, he
sometimes adds a Sigma 100mm - 300mm lens and case for wildlife shots.
(© DL Anderson Photography: [email protected])
Win this Kayak
and support the Georgia Strait Alliance
!
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Give cold water the boot
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rainforestkayak.com
Only 2,000 tickets
printed. $5 each
or 3 for $10 at
kayak festivals,
kayak shops,
or by phone:
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Draw: Sept. 28th
3rd Prize is
a framed
print by
West Coast
artist Judi
Wild valued
at $350.
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23
Mothership Meanderings
Chance Encounters
Alan Wilson
n early June, after a weekend of hard
labour in the boatyard (our annual
haulout for scraping and painting the bottom of our 35 foot converted fish boat) we
escaped for a welcome week of cruising in
the Gulf Islands.
At 75 years old, the Willmar II is still
spritely, lively, and reliable—a real testament to her builders back in the 1920s. Her
solid red cedar hull has seen a lot of water
over the years.
This winter we’ve been a bit neglectful—
it’s been a busy one—so we felt she (and
we) deserved a bit of a holiday to celebrate
her 75th year.
I also knew Laurie was looking looking
forward to a week of photographic experimentation. It would be an opportunity for
her to get back into it after a hiatus due to a
heavy workload.
We got the boat back into the water late
afternoon on the Monday of our week off,
and had to catch slack tide at Dodds Narrows within the hour, so we cruised smartly
out of Nanaimo harbour making south, with
Willmar dancing along on her clean bottom.
June has a reputation for being wet on
the coast, and school is still in session, so
the boating season isn’t in full swing. In the
past, like the majority of boaters, we’ve
shied away from June, but this year, it was
amazingly summer-like, surprisingly warm
and dry. And we basked in it after what felt
like a long winter. Best of all, from our perspective, most of the anchorages we vis-
24
Alan Wilson photo
I
My favourite photo of our boat during her 75th anniversary cruise.
ited were nearly empty.
We were the only boat as we rounded
into Ladysmith Harbour that evening for the
first stop of our trip, dropping our anchor
in our favourite little notch behind an islet
there. After a pleasant meal and a celebratory glass (or so) of wine we were rocked
asleep with lapping ripples.
Next morning we rose early, hauled anchor, and headed into Chemainus Harbour
to fill our water tank. As we did, we noticed some people on the pier who kept
looking our way. One of them called down:
“Hey, I used to own that boat!”
It turned out this was Dave Holland, now
a prawn fisherman, who operated our boat
for ten years, some 20 years before. He told
us stories of an even earlier incarnation with
a former owner at Kyuquot Sound on the
outer west coast, who for many years took
her out every morning to Cape Cook on
the Brooks Peninsula—one of the roughest
areas of the coast. Now that’s a testament
to her seaworthiness!
Dave looked pleased with how we were
keeping her, and we in turn thanked him
for his love and attention during his ‘watch’.
We were also able to hand him a copy of
the last issue of WaveLength with Willmar
on the cover. As we putted away from the
dock, we felt renewed respect for our elderly vessel, and we reminisced about other
boats from our past.
We headed down through Sansum Narrows
and out past the BC Ferries terminal at Swartz
Bay, making for nearby Portland Island.
Portland Island, or Princess Margaret Marine Park, is and a prime destination for
paddlers and boaters alike.
It’s also a photographer’s treat with rocky
reefs, midden beaches, wildflowers, forest
trails, old orchards and meadows.
Alan Wilson photo
Laurie stopping to take yet another
photo. “Just a second...”
As we slipped into Princess Bay, usually
quite busy in summer, we found ourselves
delightfully alone. Anchoring in the middle of the bay, we launched our kayaks and
set off to paddle around the island.
Laurie always likes to capture on film the
beauties we see when paddling. But of
course, this means stopping all along the way
to take pictures. So as usual I poked around
the rock gardens, checking out the intertidal
life, taking a few photos myself.
For the record, I use a Pentax 90WR, a
good quality, water-resistant point-andshoot with a zoom, with which I’ve had
great success. It’s certainly an easy camera
to operate and although it doesn’t give me
the controls of Laurie’s SLR, I’m not yet
ready to trade it in on a new model.
Laurie’s approach to photography is
much more technical than mine. In fact,
it’s become a passion which now rivals her
love of gardening and boating. In the last
few years I’ve watched her become much
more visually focused. It’s proof to me that
photography is a helpful way of seeing.
Mind you, we’ve got a zillion flower closeups by now!
She uses a Canon EOS with advanced
features which enable her to experiment
widely as she hones her craft. She carries it
when she’s kayaking, tucked within her PFD
and ready for instant use. In rougher seas,
it’s stowed between her legs in a dry bag.
Me, I’m still happy to have a camera I don’t
have to think about. I can wear it around my
neck all the time without worrying about the
wet, and snap off some goods pics when I
see something interesting.
Late that day, after an enjoyable paddle
and many photos, we arrived back in Princess Bay to discover we had company: a
sailboat had anchored nearby. I could see
its dinghy was onshore so the crew must
have headed off to explore the island’s trails.
As I paddled languidly toward our boat,
I noticed the neighbouring vessel was a
ketch rig, very much like the sturdy, 32’
British boat my parents had owned 25
years ago and sailed across the Atlantic—
the Admiral William. I’d spent two and a
half months on it with them in the Mediterranean and had many memories of Malta,
Sicily, Sardinia, and the Spanish Balearic
Islands.
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Laurie MacBride photo
We chanced upon the boat my parents sailed across the Atlantic 25 years ago.
doubt ever seeing it again. Who knew
whether it was still afloat? Or still in the
country? After all, it was a proven oceangoing vessel.
And this was yet another miss, I could
plainly see. Unlike the Admiral William, this
boat had a bowsprit.
As I paddled closer I could see the boat’s
name in script at the bow. What was it? Two
words...
The letters began to resolve as I neared.
Capital ‘A’, capital ‘W’... and I did a double take. It couldn’t be. And then a smile
spread across my face in recognition and
amazement. After all these years.
I called behind me with a hoot to Laurie
and took off in a rush, digging my paddle
blades in deeply. As I approached, I circled
her closely, studying how the bowsprit had
been added, noting the fine condition of
her hull and topsides, the new bimini top,
a little swim grid added at the stern, the
same self-steering vane we’d ordered in Sicily for delivery to Gibraltar.
We took a few photos (we later enlarged
and framed one for my dad’s 82nd birthday) and then paddled back to our boat for
the night.
Early the next morning I saw a young man
on board the Admiral William starting to
haul anchor. I called over to him and mentioned that my parents had sailed it across
the Atlantic, adding that he’d done a nice
job of keeping the boat up.
“Why’s she called Admiral?” he called
back.
“The original owner’s ancestor was a British Admiral”, I replied, remembering Ron
Truscott of Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, who
had the boat built.
We exchanged a few more words, and
then I watched as she sailed forth into a
stiffening southeaster, looking strong, fit and
still quite capable of crossing an ocean
again.
As we turned to our own preparations to
get underway for the day, my thoughts
drifted back to my now-deceased mother
who all those years ago had been so reluctant to give up her home and friends in
North Vancouver and take off for Europe
with my father to buy a sailboat. To her
credit, as the trip progressed she became
really hooked on it, loved the boat, and was
always sending letters home describing
their exploits in foreign countries.
I recently learned from my brother’s
geneaological studies that our forebearers
on our mother’s side were in fact British
seafarers, some of them captains of sailing
ships traversing the world’s oceans in the
1800s. In all the world, they chose Victoria, British Columbia to settle, and I’m glad
they did.
How much my mother knew of all this,
I’ll never know. I had heard stories of the
family arriving in the new world after sailing around Cape Horn, arriving in Victoria
after a year at sea. But did she know the
full extent of the seafaring history? I doubt
it. Yet there she was, crossing the ocean in
their wake.
As we headed out of Princess Bay that
morning, I felt the past and present surging
together as our boat bounded in
the waves, eager for yet another
day on the water. ❏
© Alan Wilson
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26
Know Your Neighbors
Classic Kayak Shots
T
eeming urban masses gobble up those
glossy outdoor adventure magazines,
and great photography within is one of the
reasons sea kayaking is becoming popular
throughout the world. You look at a beautiful photograph of someone kayaking in a
spectacular locale—and you want to be
there. But sea kayaks themselves are hardly
ideal for taking pictures. Most cameras
quiver with terror when held so close to
salt water. Pictures taken while you, the
waves or your partner all wobble your boat,
tend to be blurry. And fumbling with a paddle and a camera at the same time can result in disappointing pictures (paddles don’t
properly expose film when you squeeze
them) and expensive mistakes (cameras
don’t properly brace your boat when you
dunk them).
Nonetheless, sheer determination and
advances in waterproof technology are resulting in more and more great photos being taken of, and from, sea kayaks. Though
there’s something fundamentally disturbing
about “disposable” cameras encased in
plastic, there are now quite a few point and
shoot cameras you can dunk, if not brace
with. And the way digital technology is racing along, there will be soon be plenty of
pixel options as well.
So you’ve rented or bought a sea kayak.
And you’ve got something to take pictures
with, whatever it is. Now what? What are
the pictures you simply must have? This
column is usually a checklist, so here we
go—ten classic and not so classic sea kayak
photos to strive for this season.
CAVEAT
Go easy on the wildlife—I’m often appalled by what people will do on land to
get yet another picture of a wild animal.
One likes to think that most sea kayakers
Bryan Nichols
Each of us has our own idea
of the essence of sea
kayaking. And ultimately,
that is the shot you should
always be looking for.
are a touch more sensitive than the Yogiharassing shutterbugs that infest many terrestrial parks. Despite what you might infer from the magazine rack, a camera is not
a license to annoy marine birds or mammals, no matter how expensive it is. If you
simply must have an intimate portrait of a
baby seal or puffin, then buy an inexpensive postcard, a moderately priced painting or a big, fat and ridiculously expensive
telephoto lens.
Better yet, spend oodles of time on the
water and wait for something to swim up
to you and wink. However, I think you’ll
find that chance wildlife encounters are a
rare and special privilege best seen not
through a viewfinder but with wide eyes
and a sense of respect and awe, imprinted
on your brain cells and not a stew of chemicals or pixels.
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THE ULTIMATE SHOT
Sea kayaking means different things to
different folks. From duck watchers in a
calm bay to thrill seekers in rock gardens,
from those who love coastal scenery to
those who are drawn to the big empty of
big crossings, each of us has our own idea
of the essence of sea kayaking. And ultimately, that is the shot you should always
be looking for, keeping that camera handy
in case it sneaks up on you someday on
the water, a rare moment of perfect light,
timing, equipment and luck. Good luck,
and may all your f stops be wide enough. ➞
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27
Checklist #26—Classic Kayak Photographs
The ultimate wildlife shot, beloved by
tour companies and tourist boards. If you’re
lucky, an Orcinus orca will find someone
in your group worth checking out and swim
on over, pushing that gleaming black dorsal fin out of the water near enough for a
shot. Don’t sweat it if you miss this one
though—having a predator that is bigger
than your boat check you out doesn’t lend
itself to calm, calculated photography.
2. Your paddlemate & the big empty
A good companion shot is one of your
paddling buddy paddling into... nothing.
The big empty, mother ocean, the endless
horizon, the curve of earth and time. The
good part is, using creative cropping and
the right angle you can get this shot without actually going Kon Tiki.
1. Your bow in a beautiful inlet
For many, the essence of Northwest paddling is a sea kayak bow pointing up a
fjordlike inlet. The colorful boat provides a
beautiful foreground for the blues of sky and
sea flanked by the greens and browns of
forest, rock and clearcut. Although this is a
reasonably easy shot to take, you’ll find you
have to point your bow up many different
inlets before you’re finally satisfied.
28
4. Your paddling partner in a double
3. Kayak & killer whale
A wide angle lens makes a great photo
of the person you are sharing your lower
body with. If you’ve ever paddled a double
you know they’re bigger, faster, safer and
more romantic. Ok, maybe they’re not always romantic, maybe they’ve broken up
more couples than televised sports, but re-
7. All the stuff going in
gardless, you can get some fun photos by
snapping the Captain, crew, dog or child
in your boat—before the mutiny.
For a shot to impress those who haven’t
toured (and make canoeists laugh), try to
snap a picture of all your gear laid out before it finds its way through those hatches
into the nooks and crannies of your bow,
stern, cockpit and deck. It’s really quite remarkable how much wine, camping gear,
beer, food, wine and beer you can stuff into
a good touring sea kayak.
8. Surfing
Hey, you’ve got some high speed film and
a wicked new telephoto lens—time for your
action shots. Prop up on shore near the
5. Boats on the beach
Another brochure favorite, especially
since most beaches tend to be rather dull,
color wise, but a fleet of kayaks can be
brighter than a rainbow. Scramble up that
nearby rock or tree or your partner’s shoulders, and shoot down on your colorful fleet.
nasty standing wave or the thundering point
break and fire away, freezing the chills and
spills of kayak surfers in heart stopping action. ➞
6. Your boat en route
Alan Wilson photo
One of the nifty things about kayaks is
the ease with which they travel—even out
of the water. Don’t forget to get some shots
of your kayak on your shoulder, your hatchback, your wheelbarrow, your megayacht,
your bicycle and so on.
29
Courtesy of Brooks: www.brookspaddlegear.com ©
9. You & yours in sprayskirts
I have a love/hate relationship with
sprayskirts. I love it when they keep me
(mostly) dry as waves pass over. But I hate
wearing one on the beach because no matter who you are, novice or pro, male or female, young or old, no matter how cool
your sunglasses or expensive your suv—you
probably look silly standing in a sprayskirt.
So be sure to take photos!
10. The essence of sea kayaking
Can you capture what you love about the
sport? I love peering into the world below
my boat, dodging rocks covered in invertebrates and skimming over kelp and seagrass
beds alive with life. This view from the other
side of the surface reminds me of that; a
hint at the remarkable window between
worlds that sea kayaking can open up. Get
out there and capture your essence! ❏
© Text and photos by Bryan Nichols.
Despite an enthusiasm for photography that comes and goes,
Bryan ([email protected]) has been photographing nature one way or
another for over 15 years. Though his kayaking photos have been published in
Wavelength, Canoe & Kayak and Sea Kayaker, he sure wishes he took the
naturel sprayskirt photo that Brooks provided.
30
REVIEW
John Shaw’s Nature
Photography Field
Guide, by John
Shaw, Amphoto,
2000 160 pg,
US$24.95
0-8174-4059-3
Amphoto publishes an extensive series on photography (watch the
WaveLength website for more reviews
to come) and this is their best guide for
us outdoor folks. It doesn’t cover
kayaking (or boating in general) but does
deal with the basics of working outdoor
subjects and includes one of the best
descriptions of exposure I’ve read (always a tricky subject to explain).
Colorado-based John Shaw has written more than five photography books
over the last decade. His style is simple
and relatively easy to understand, with
occasional bits of humor. This book isn’t
a field guide though—it’s more of a
glossy, beautiful guide to field work.
It will help out just about anyone who
wants to do more than point and shoot
nature. The instruction is based on a decent, modern 35mm camera system, using the best of new technology without
being dependent on it. Shaw usually advocates using manual exposure and provides a lucid look at the topic in terms
of stops and medium tones. Besides exposure, chapters cover equipment,
lenses, composition, close-ups and
working in the field. Most of the tips on
equipment are particularly helpful for
outdoor photographers, and he takes a
refreshingly dim view of harassing wildlife for photos, a common problem with
both tourists and pros. ❏ Bryan Nichols
Exposure Exposed
Jacqueline Windh
D
o you find yourself returning
picture of your buddy, your camfrom kayak trips with vivid
era will try to make the picture
and colourful memories, only to
pretty much grey—the white sky
be disappointed when your films
and water turn grey, and your
come back drab and washed out?
buddy turns into a silhouette.
Well don’t despair, and definitely
How many of us have pictures
don’t give up.
like that in our albums? We need
The word ‘photography’ means,
to be able to look at a scene, and
literally, ‘painting with light’. On
decide whether, in black and
the water, there is a lot of light and
white, it would be mostly grey
it is often coming from many di(in which case the metered readrections. Painting with light is
ing is probably fine), or whether
tricky here.
it has large areas that are either
In my learning journey as a
very dark or very bright, and rephotographer, I have found expoquires an adjustment in the exsure to be the hardest element of
posure.
photography to learn to handle
Now, how to make that adjustwell. Composition is somewhat
ment? If you have a very basic
instinctive, and most cameras do Underexposing this photo by one stop relative to the
point and shoot, you might not
a good job at focussing for you if metered reading made the bear come out a pure, rich
be able to. The only thing you
you wish. But getting the right excan do is adjust the framing to
black rather than washed-out grey, and also kept the rocks
posure is something that even the
even out the exposure—back off
in the background from being too bright and distracting.
most advanced cameras cannot
from the bear (which might be a
do for us in a fail-safe way. Hangood idea anyway) so that she
dling exposure requires some sort of knowledge of how the camdoesn’t fill the frame. The rocks around her will be the ‘grey’ and
era tries to think for us, and how sometimes we must outsmart it.
your bear will come out black. Zoom in on your buddy so you cut
First of all, what is exposure? Many people think it is the same as
out all of that white sky and water, and his colours should come
shutter speed. However, on most cameras (except for those set on
out bright and true.
a fully manual setting), when you change your shutter speed, the
If you do have the ability to control the settings on your camera,
camera automatically adjusts the aperture so that the exposure acyou can adjust the exposure in one of two ways. Some cameras
tually remains the same. You open the shutter for twice as long,
have an exposure over-ride button where you can keep the camera
and it compensates by making the hole (aperture) half as big, so
essentially on automatic, but you can adjust the exposure by a
the same amount of light gets in. By fiddling with the shutter speed,
number of ‘stops’. One stop is equivalent to doubling or halving
you have not actually changed your exposure!
the amount of light that gets in.
Why would you want to change the exposure? Most modern
On other cameras you must read what the recommended readcameras have a built-in light meter. They assume that you don’t
ing is, then dial in your new reading manually—either changing
want your picture to be all black or all white—you want it somethe shutter speed or the f-stop (but not both!). For example if you
where around grey. And for most pictures, that is fine. But if you
are shooting at 1/125 of a second on aperture f8, you can go up or
suddenly find yourself face-to-face with a black bear, you don’t
down one exposure stop by keeping the f-stop the same, and going
want your picture to be grey, you want it to be black! You need to
up to 1/60 second (overexposing) or down to 1/250 second (underfind a way to fool your camera into letting you take the picture
exposing). Alternatively, you could keep the shutter speed constant,
darker than what its meter is suggesting.
and increase or decrease the f-stop.
Likewise, if you are paddling on an overcast day, and the sky and
A final way to trick some cameras is to adjust the ISO (film speed)
the reflecting water are both bright white, and you want to take a
setting. For example, if you have 200 film in a camera that does not ➞
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31
As I took this photo, I was aware that the bow of my kayak
made a large area of white, and that I was shooting into
the sun, as can be seen by the light reflecting off the water
near the centre of the photo. Shooting on automatic would
have resulted in a grey kayak bow and very dark shoreline.
To compensate for all of the brightness, I overexposed the
photo by one stop relative to the metered reading. (Sydney
Harbour, Australia).
1000 (faster shutter speeds give darker pictures)
• by f-stop: 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22 (higher numbers give darker
pictures)
• by film speed: 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 (dialing in higher
numbers than the film you are using gives darker pictures).
Remember, adjusting one of these (e.g. shutter speed) will only
change your exposure if you keep the other two constant. In general, if I am shooting in snow or into bright sunlight I overexpose
by 1 to 2 stops. If I am shooting dark green forest scenes I underexpose by a half to one stop, and if I am shooting black bears up
close I underexpose by 1 to 2 stops.
Exposure is probably the hardest aspect of photography to learn,
and it is something your camera cannot do for you. If you are really
committed to learning it and getting it right, try ‘bracketing’ some
special photos—when you are dealing with a tricky lighting situation, click off a few frames at different exposures, and write down
what you did! You will find after time that the process becomes
more instinctive and that your success rate improves. Have fun,
and happy shooting! ❏
allow you to adjust for exposure, if you can set it as if it were 100
film, it will lighten the photograph by one stop. If you set it to 400,
it will darken it by one stop. (Don’t forget to set it back to 200 after
that photo). Unfortunately, many new cameras automatically read
the ISO of the film and do not allow you to ‘fool’ them.
For reference, the progression of ‘stops’ are:
• by shutter speed: 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/
Sunsets are tricky—choosing the exposure depends upon
how much black areas there are in the photo, or if it is
purely sky and water. If there are significant black areas,
like the water in the lower third of this photo, I usually
underexpose by about one stop relative to the metered
reading.
www.klepper.com
[email protected]
© Text and photos by Jacqueline Windh, PhD.
Jackie is a professional photographer living in Tofino, BC.
See: www.portfolios.com/photog/18084.windh/index.html
Also check out her new wolf website:
wildwolvesbc.tripod.com
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32
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From the Rainforest
Make It—Don’t Take It!
Dan Lewis
have to admit I’m not the biggest fan of
photography. It saddens me that the highest expression of beauty many of us are
capable of is the utterance of “Dang! I forgot my camera and look at it—this is an
incredible sunset!” Photographers miss the
present, so that at some point in the future,
they can enjoy the past. I say enjoy the moment—how often do we look at those pictures anyway? I file those moments away
in my memory, which is portable, free, and
permanent (all right, there is some minor
short-term memory loss).
I agree with Daniel Dancer’s theory, published in Wild Earth magazine, April 1996.
“Simply put, a deep photography ethic entails a reciprocal relationship where the
subject one photographs is honored by
some manner of advocacy on its behalf—
our taking balanced by our giving.” He
writes of the environmental impacts of photography, including silver, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, cyanide and a long
list of other hazardous chemicals routinely
added to the environment. He urges us to
use our cameras sparingly, more strategically, and to be an advocate for the places,
animals, and trees we film. So yes, I do take
pictures for slide shows about saving Canada’s rainforest. That’s about it.
An activity I find more satisfying is that
of nature journalling. Several years back I
was working very hard at learning about
all the plants and animals living here in the
temperate rainforest. I discovered a book
Bonny Glambeck photo
I
Dan practices what he preaches!
called Sketching in Nature , by Cathy
Johnson. She writes “Sketching is a tool, a
visual aid—not only for artists but for anyone who wishes to learn from nature…
When I sketch, I become more deeply acquainted with the natural rhythms, the ebbs
and flows and growth and dyings of the
world around me.”
I’d always believed I couldn’t draw. Her
book taught me a few simple excercises to
get me going. One of these techniques is to
do rapid sketches, allowing yourself only 5 ➞
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33
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I file those moments away in
my memory, which is portable,
free, and permanent (all right,
there is some minor shortterm memory loss).
Contour drawing is another technique.
Here the goal is not to make an accurate
picture, but to get a kinesthetic connection
between say, the edge of a leaf as the eye
moves slowly along it, and the pencil tip
on the paper as it moves along millimetre
by millimetre. The trick is to not look at the
page as you draw. It is a real thrill to look
down at the end of a sketch and see that
your pencil arrived back at the point where
it started! This technique can be modified
by glancing down at the page when making major changes of direction, to make
sure details end up where they belong.
Another book that really helped me out
was Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
by Betty Edwards. Now I know you’ve all
heard of this book and assumed it doesn’t
apply to you, because you can’t draw.
Right? Wrong! This book walks you through
a series of exercises that teach you a variety of ways to “trick” your left brain (the
linear, factual half), thus allowing your right
brain (the spatial half) to do what it does
best, which is to help you draw.
It is a pleasure to look back over my journals, to remember when I first saw an Eared
Grebe in breeding plummage, or the time I
saw a pair of Winter Wrens feeding their
brood of seven fledgings. The memory is
instantly recalled when I look at my sketch
of a puffy little wren chick, with its bright
yellow beak. And I will never forget sketching that bear from less than a hundred feet
away—it didn’t even see or hear me floating in my kayak offshore.
So this summer, grab a pencil and some
scrap paper from your recycle box, get out
there in the field and put your impressions
of nature’s beauty onto paper! These sheets
also make excellent firestarter when you’re
done, or they can simply be put back into
the recycle box. You might even generate a
few keepers, to pin up above your desk,
which take you right back each time you
look at them, the memory of making the
picture as vivid as the scene depicted. ❏
© Dan Lewis and
Bonny Glambeck
run Rainforest
Kayak Adventures
Box 511, Tofino,
BC V0R 2Z0 1877-422-WILD
www.rainforestkayak.com
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34
AS02
Photo Mark Hobson
or 10 seconds to capture the feel of an object or scene. It is uncanny just how evocative these “gestures” can be, recalling exactly how the situation felt. I’ve used this
technique while sitting in my kayak, floating close to shore and watching a bear forage on the beach.
Another technique is to forget about
drawing say, a bear, but to focus on drawing the negative shapes around the bear,
between its legs, and so on. By focussing
on drawing shapes, you circumvent our
programmed response from kindergarten art
classes, which is to draw symbols. You can
just focus on drawing the shapes around
the bear, and not worry about getting it
“right”. It is amazing how accurate such
drawings can be.
Rapid Descents
I
love paddling and I love photography.
And I love taking photos of paddlers.
Therefore, you would think that it would
be a simple matter to write an article about
paddling photography.
Far from it. I'm not a professional photographer, so I can't give any technical advice. I'm not even a particularly knowledgeable amateur, so I can't discuss apertures
and focal points with any authority (although I can say with authority that both
affect your shot!). I have only had limited
use with one manual SLR, one automatic
SLR, one digital, and half a dozen pointand-shoots, so I can't regale you with vivid
comparisons of brands, features and capacities. But I have taken lots of photos. So I'm
not without experience.
Perhaps the best thing I can do here is
randomly throw out some crumbs from the
meager sandwich of photographic wisdom
I have constructed. I'm sure you have heard
some of the following advice and suggestions a number of times; this isn't revolutionary counsel. But I think it's worth repeating. Much of it applies to all kinds of
photography, not just paddling.
Capturing images onto a roll of film is
much easier and more successful with prior
knowledge of how the particular camera
you are using works, of course. But a friend
and I had to take a road trip down Baja to
learn this lesson. We shared Jim's camera,
a manual/automatic SLR about which we
knew next to nothing. With it we captured
the stark, burnt desert and our play on its
vertical rock and in its surrounding sea.
I don't know about Jim, but I took some
really nice shots: good composition, good
contrast, good lines. This was how I saw
them anyway, through my mind's shutter.
Unfortunately that was as far along the development process as they got. I no longer
remember what went wrong—some
dohicky was engaged or the thingamabob
wasn't—but half of our rolls were returned
to us blank.
An unpleasant consequence of capturing images onto film is that we come to
rely on them for our memories. By concentrating on what we see through the lens,
we don't remember what we are actually
looking at. We depend on the photos we
pick up at the end of a trip to recall our ➞
Steve Crowe
Jim Hnatiak photo
Lessons Learned
Steve will do almost anything for a
great photo.
35
Photo by Monica De
Create what I call friends' albums.
These are designed to keep friends.
Friends’ albums are small and nonthreatening, containing about twenty
to thirty of the best photos of recent
trips.
experiences. When those photos all look
like the tabula rasa of a Skinnerian infant's
mind, the effect can be devastating. The
lesson we learned? Learn.
Have a subject. Find something—be it a
person, a stream, a bright colour—that
draws the viewer's eye, and compose your
photo around it. This doesn't mean you
should always put the subject in the middle of the frame. Move your camera around
the subject and explore the different possibilities. If you have a digital camera or you
have the means to pay for a lot of film and
developing, take plenty of photos from various angles and with various compositions.
If your cash supply necessitates selective
shutter action, then at least look through
the lens at your many options. Choose the
one that makes you say, “hey,” or even
“hmm.”
One way for the cash-strapped to justify
taking more than one photo of the same
thing is to change the subject. Jim and I
purposefully took shots of each other going over this waterfall vertically and horizontally, respectively, so that we could compare the composition. While I'd like to say
my shot is better, upon development it was
clear that the vertical one Jim took is the more
appealing. The natural top-down lie of the
land, the fall of the water and the drop of the
kayak all beg to be framed vertically.
Too misty for surfing, but great weather for photography!
Create what I call friends' albums. These
are designed to keep friends. Many people, in their understandable zeal to show
photos from a wonderful trip to their friends,
torture said friends with endless displays
from massive tomes. These ordeals are all
the more painful when the photographer
has neglected to include subjects in the
photos. Friends’ albums are small and nonthreatening, containing about twenty to
thirty of the best photos of recent trips. These
are always appreciated and the photographer receives the “oohs” and “ahhs” he or
she relishes without the groans and moans
he or she would otherwise have to endure
(or blissfully ignore). Never show a friend
North Island Kayak Rentals & Tours
Two Locations:
Telegraph Cove and the
Port Hardy Adventure Center
you care to keep all your photos unless
asked to. And even if you are asked to, you
should ask in return, “are you sure?” just in
case they are only being polite.
Speaking of photo albums, I made it a
duty a couple of winters ago to put all my
loose photos and negatives into some sort
of order. I have never been a particularly
organized person, as was made evident by
the nine years worth of photographic flotsam strewn about in boxes. So this was a
big chore. But it was a chore I am very glad
I took on. If you haven't done so, and you
like your photos, I highly recommend it.
Not only did I get some empty boxes out of
the deal, but I now have a photographic
reference library of my experiences. I also
took a long journey back into my past. Each
image for which I tried to determine a place
triggered a memory and helped thread a
sense of continuity. I ended up filling about
seven photo albums. And I found nearly all
the negatives! To keep them readily available, I duct-taped a photo shop envelope
onto the inside back cover of each album
Jim’s Kayaking
• Sunset Paddles
• Custom Tours
• Day Trips
• Lessons
1-6 day Guided Trips & Rentals
Toll Free 877-949-7707
[email protected]
www.island.net/~nikayak/
36
Let experienced Lead Guide
Jim Demler show you the
waters around Gabriola Island.
250-247-8335 cell 751-5887
www.JimsKayaking.com
[email protected]
and put the appropriate negatives inside.
Some of the best photos on a paddling trip are the ones taken off
the water. The shot above was taken at the end of a weekend of
kayak surfing at Long Beach on Vancouver Island. The four of us
had walked blindly to the water's edge to see if the surf made it
worth staying for one more day (although the fourth, Kali, was really more interested in just sniffing around). But the mist had reduced visibility to vague impressionism. And the sea sounded too
gentle anyway. Monica saw us emerge from the vapour as we were
walking back to the car. She grabbed her point-and-shoot camera
and ran to get this. Even when the paddling is no good, the photoops can be great.
Finally, if you are thinking of buying a waterproof APS (Advanced
Photo System) camera, be aware that what you are getting in convenience, you are losing in resolution. That's what I got and lost
when I bought one for the express purpose of capturing whitewater
kayaking images. Sure, the camera was simple to load and use, but
after I developed the first roll I told myself I would never buy one
again. The images were decent enough to show to my friends, but
when enlarged they became too blurry. But I kept using it, cursing
my cheap ass for not replacing it after each disappointing trip to
the photo shop counter to pick up my less-than-sharp photos. Luckily, after the seventh roll someone stole
the camera and I haven't cursed it since.
Mind you, I no longer have a waterproof
camera. ❏
© Steve Crowe is the co-author of
‘Whitewater In BC's Southwest:
A Guide to Accessible Runs
for Beginner to Advanced Kayakers’.
He’s our newest columnist.
Web Paddling
Photo Sites
Ted Leather
I
n my work on the web, I manipulate photographs most every
day and I think I’ve gotten quite good at it. But put me behind a
camera and I know about as much as the next guy—by that I mean
not much. Then put me in a kayak with one and let me just say it
wouldn’t be pretty, and it would likely be wet.
So what I can offer you in this issue instead are links to web
pages about folks who are good at both, but first I would like to
highlight past WaveLength articles about photography. We did a
feature issue on photography back in August of 1999. Its articles on
this subject would be well worth viewing again and can be seen
by going to www.wavelengthmagazine.com/magazine99.
php#mag1999. Also Susan Noppe wrote a “Top Ten List for Better
Kayak Photography” located at www.wavelength magazine.com/
1996/apr96topten.php.
Outside of the WaveLength site, there is an article from the Rocky
Mountain Sea Kayak Club Newsletter www.rmskc.org/archives/articles/Digital_Camera.htm , Mike Zurawski offers his tips at
www.ewildlifephotography.com/photography_with_the_kayak.htm,
Gary Luhm has a FAQ list on photography from a kayak
www.eskimo.com/~gluhm/bio/FAQ.htm, and PaddleWise’s discussion lists contain 2 topics about kayak photography
www.paddlewise.net/topics/cameras/.
Remember WaveLength can post your favourite kayaking photos
on our site (subject to suitable content). Just email them to me at
[email protected]. You can see the Favourite Photos page at www.wavelengthmagazine.com/photos.php. ❏
Ted Leather, the WaveLength Webmaster, operates
Clayrose Internet Creations, an internet services
company specializing in website design
and management ([email protected]).
BAMFIELD SEA KAYAK FESTIVAL
September 27-29
Join us in picturesque Bamfield on
September 27-29 for our 4th Annual Sea Kayak Festival. Events
for all ages of competitive and recreational paddlers: 5 to 10 k races,
Kids’ races, Scavenger Race,
Dance, BBQ, Pancake Breakfast,
T-shirts, Kayak Raffle. More than
$5,000 in cash and other prizes.
For more information or a registration package call
Sheryl Mass 250-728-3500 or email: [email protected]
or write Box 3500, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0
37
UNCLASSIFIEDS
BED & BREAKFAST ON THE BEACH
Gabriola’s south coast paradise.
Beachfront. Wildlife. Hot tub.
Gabriola Island, BC
• KAYAK RENTALS •
Ph/Fax: 250/247-9824
www.island.net/~casablan
Ph/Fax: 250-539-5553
kayakme.com
RENTALS, TOURS, LESSONS
[email protected]
121 Boot Cove Rd.
Saturna Island, BC V0N 2Y0
Don’t go there!
Unless you want an awesome deal!
Paddle an Arctic Ocean
ODYSSEY KAYAKING
ALBERNI OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Shirley & Larry Bone, Port Alberni, BC
KAYAK RENTALS • KAYAK LESSONS
—April to September—
Single Ocean Kayak
$35 per day
3 hr introductory Lesson
$50
Double Ocean Kayak
$50 per day
Ph: (250) 723-9934 [email protected]
www.alberni.net/alberni_adventures/
Bowen Island Sea Kayaking
Inuit Guided Kayak Tours on Pelly Bay, Nunavut
Kayak & Gear Sale
Sunday, September 29th
[email protected]
LTD.
Toll free 1-888-792-3366
250-902-0565
[email protected]
www.odysseykayaking.com
Paddle a Sea Kayak through History along a spectacular coast
Tel/Fax: 204-224-4738 www.pellybay.com
[email protected]
www.he.net/~seaotter/
If you’re planning a paddling trip near
Northern Vancouver Island or the
Central Coast, RENT from us.
5 MONTH KAYAK RENTALS
November 1st to March 30th—$350
1-800-60-KAYAK
The Vancouver Island Whitewater
Paddling Society is hosting the
Victoria
Nanaimo
Kelowna
Canada West Kayak Surf Festival
VICTORIA: 250-383-2100
TOLL FREE 1-800-667-1032
September 28-29 at Tofino, BC.
www.whitewater.org
250-758-4307
[email protected]
Gwaii Haanas
Tree Island Kayaking 3025 Comox Rd.
“Place of Wonder”
Six-day Wilderness Voyages
Mothership Kayaking
Archipelago Ventures Ltd.
Queen Charlotte Islands Haida Gwaii
www.island.net/~archipel
Toll free 1-888-559-8317
AWESOME KAYAKING—FREE CAMPING
We Simply Offer a Better Experience!!
Excellent equipment, superior service
since 1991. Sechelt, BC
(at Tillicum Bay Marina).
SEA KAYAK & CANOE RENTALS, SALES, LESSONS, TOURS
[email protected] www.sunshine.net/paddle
BOOK AHEAD: 1-866-885-6440 or (604)885-6440
SPECIAL ‘Winter Getaways’
advertising packages available.
Reserve by August 20th.
1-800-799-5602
[email protected]
America’s Importer of
Germany’s Pouch Boats.
50 years of experience building
single and tandem folding boats
tough enough for the military, yet practical in
more casual use. Efficient under paddle or
sail, Pouch Boats go on family outings and
arctic expeditions. www.PouchBoats.com
[email protected] Ph: 425 962-2987
Courtenay, BC
V9N 3P7
[email protected]
www.island.net/~tree
May to October
1-866-339-1733 or 250-339-0580
Rentals • Lessons • Tours • Necky Sales
VARGAS ISLAND INN
Affordable Wilderness Resort accommodatio
in Clayoquot Sound on Vargas Island beachfront.
• 5k N.W. Tofino • Ideal for kayakers • Inn &
cabins • All self-catering • Passenger & kayak
transport from Tofino available • Lots to do!
CALL 250-725-3309
Kayak Lessons, Rentals & Tours
Custom Classes/Tours
Bud and Sheryll Bell
Ladysmith, BC
250-245-4096 or
1-877-KAYAK BC (529-2522)
www.SealegsKayaking.com
[email protected]
Your home base for
Exceptional GULF ISLANDS Paddling!
Kayak Rentals, Lessons and Wildlife Tours.
8 Fully equipped cottages.
www.bluevistaresort.com
877-535-2424
SPIRIT BEARS! WHALES!
Explore Princess Royal Island and the
Kitasoo/Xiaxais Traditional Territory
on the Central Coast of BC
Fully inclusive kayak and wildlife/culture tours
Kayak rentals, transportation, accommodation
Klemtu Tourism 1 877-644-2346
[email protected] www.kitasoo.org
MAYNE ISLAND
ECO-CAMPING & TOURS INC.
Located on Seal Beach
Showers•Hot tub•Kayak Sales•Instruction•Launch
2 bedroom Cottage available daily, weekly or B&B.
PO Box 40 Mayne Island BC, Canada V0N 2J0
www.mayneisle.com/camp
[email protected]
Ph/Fax: 250-539-2667
NORTH ISLAND KAYAK
Port Hardy & Telegraph Cove
Rentals & 1-6 Day Guided Trips
Toll Free 1-877-949-7707
www.island.net/~nikayak
[email protected]
Baja Sea Kayak Adventures
with Nahanni Wilderness Adventures
1-800-889-7644
USED KAYAK FOR SALE
Toll free 866-885-6440
1998 Nimbus Skana
New Price: $4842
You Pay:
$3100
You Save: $1742
Explore Baja’s beautiful desert
islands in the Sea of Cortez.
Local guides/interpreters.
Based at Villas de Loreto.
Call Toll Free: (ph/fax) 1-888-897-5223
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nahanniwild.com
ADVENTURE & WHALEWATCH WEEKS
Natural High, Adrenalin Dealers
in the peaceful tropical Kingdom of Tonga.
WWW.SeakayakNewZealand.com
WWW.CycleNewZealand.com
[email protected]
64-3-5466936
64-3-5466954 fax
Sea kayak, mountain bike, snorkel,
whalewatch, sail, dive with
FRIENDLY ISLANDS KAYAK CO.
[email protected] www.fikco.com
GALIANO ISLAND KAYAKING
KAYAK BC’S GULF ISLANDS!
Daily Guided Tours & Rentals
Costa Rica Sea Kayaking since 1987
Ph/Fax: 250/539-2442
[email protected]
www.seakayak.bc.ca/tour
Located “on the bay” in Port Hardy BC
Toll Free 800-515-5511
Rentals & Transportation
Bed & Breakfast
Daily Tours, Rentals & Sales
Ph/Fax: 250/653-4222
[email protected]
www.saltspring.com/sskayak
2923 Fulford-Ganges Rd., Saltspring Island, BC V8K 1X6
Sea kayak trips amid tropical
coral reefs & white sand beaches
of a Caribbean wilderness isle.
Tel: 831-439-6984
[email protected]
www.westpeakinn.com
Built 1889. Oceanfront Suites. Full Breakfasts. 41’
sailboat in Grand Room. Native Art & Antiques.
Prices: $125 dbl summer/$100 dbl winter, Cdn.
[email protected]
www.catalacharters.net
[email protected]
SPECIALIZING IN MARINE AREAS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
15 MAPS AVAILABLE
EXPERIENCE BOUNDLESS LAKES & WATERWAYS IN THE KOOTENAYS
OF BC’S INTERIOR • VIEWING OSPREY, EAGLES AND ALL WILDLIFE
www.coastalwatersrec.com
[email protected]
BARKLEY SOUND CABIN RENTAL
on private island off Bamfield, BC.
Sleeps six. Check our web site
www.seaside.net/homepage/ainlet
or e-mail us at [email protected]
for more information.
BC, BAJA, TUSCANY & BEYOND...
Saltspring Kayaking
Captain Morgans
Marine B&B
Genoa Bay
Vancouver Island, BC
Ph/fax: 250-746-4559
CATALA KAYAKING
Bella Bella, Hakai Passage, Johnstone Strait, Broughton
Archipelago, Kyuquot, Desolation, Nootka, Barkley &
Clayoquot Sounds, Gulf Islands, Georgia Strait, Sunshine
Coast, Esperanza Inlet, Quatsimo-Goletas Channel.
NEW ZEALAND
Seakayak & Cycle Tours & Rentals
[email protected] 877 725-2835
New, demo & used kayaks available
www.extremeinterface.com
250-248-2075
www.villasdeloreto.com
SEA KAYAK TONGA WITH
FRIENDLY ISLANDS KAYAK CO.
BROWNING PASS HIDEAWAY
Kayakers’ cabin rentals right out in Queen Charlotte
Strait. Rustic floating 1 & 3 bedroom cabins, plus an
8-bed kayakers’ hostel with full kitchens, bath/showers, lounges. Amazing day paddles right out the front
door, or great for stopovers in multi-day Gordon
Island trips. Kayak rentals & transport from Port
Hardy plus all-inclusive pkgs available.
EXTREME INTERFACE
is your Vancouver Island connection for
Azul, Sun, Riot & Extreme Interface
Kayaks & accessories.
The Villas de Loreto Difference!
Kick off your shoes & make yourself
at home. With our resort’s intimate
MEXICO size and friendly staff, you’ll feel
like family. New at Villas, a restaurant where
dining is as casual as you are. The activities are Kayaking,
Diving, Fishing, Cycling and Whale Watching. Come join
us. Ph: 011-52-613-135-0586
ADVENTURE CENTER
Kayak Rentals & Tours
Oufitting, motherships & kayak transport
8635 Granville Street Port Hardy, BC
Toll Free 1-866-902-2232
Adventure-ecotours.com
Adventure Kayaking
on BC’s North Coast
5-day trips to the beautiful
Kitlope Valley, our newest park.
Low prices, new Seaward kayaks, customized
trips, catch your own dinner, maximum group
size 5. Check out www.blackfish.ca
or call toll free 1-877-638-1887
Go Paddling! Guided Ocean
Kayaking for the Adventurer in You!
• Broken Group, Gulf Islands,
Johnstone Strait,
Clayoquot Sound
• Full Day Tours
• Sunset Tours
• 3 Hour
Ph/Fax: 250 951-0433
Tours
Toll Free: 1-877-752-8693
www.intothecurrent.com
Paddle Meals
Seafood Extravaganza
J
“ oin us for a dinner cruise”—Kurt and Sandy advertised in the
Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club newsletter—”and learn about
cooking from a kayak. Was it over the vinyl glue fumes at a dry bag
workshop that Kurt agreed to talk “Paddle Meals”?
“Our favourite thing to cook on the beach is fresh seafood. Shellfish plus crab dunked in garlic butter for starters with an Australian
Chardonnay. Followed by BBQ’d salmon, an array of sliced tomatoes, Bocconcini cheese and red onions along with foccaccia bread
dipped in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.”
Kurt is the sea kayak program director at the Club and a certified
instructor; Sandy shops and prepares the meals. They’ve done countless trips through the small islands around Sidney, BC. After scavenging for seafood, they start a small fire below the tide line and
set a BBQ grill on rocks about 6 inches above the coals to start
cooking. As an Aries, Sandy doesn’t use recipes, but shares some
ideas and recommends Linda Daniel’s Kayak Cookery.
ARTI APPI’S
In a small pot, mix together:
1 can artichokes, drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
Warm over a low heat and scoop with
crackers.
Kurt and Sandy Staples
with Deb Leach
SHELLFISH
Set mussels, oysters and clams on top of the grill, along with a
small pan of garlic butter to melt. As each shell opens up pour in a
touch of wine and simmer for a minute. OR Place a dry cast iron
frying pan on the heat and add the shellls. When the juice they
contain hits the pan it steams up and creates a smoky taste.
SALMON
Stuff with cooked rice that has been lightly sauteed with diced
onion, celery and grated carrot with garlic, and lots of lemon slices.
Wrap in foil and grill. Or grill on top of a cedar plank that has been
soaked in water for a couple of hours. Check every 10 minutes or
so.
VEGGIES
Coleslaw or Greek salad with feta cheese are good for longer
trips. Experiment with a stir-fry of different hard vegetables—broccoli, caluiflower, peppers, carrots, turnip, parsnips or jicama. Drizzle new potatoes with olive oil, wrap in foil and throw in the coals—
check after 20 minutes.
PADDLE MEAL TIPS
Tuna in a foil pouch is compact and needs no can opener. Check
out cafeteria condiments in small pouches—for ‘just enough’ mayonnaise, soy sauce, mustard, etc. ❏
© Deb will be paddling new waters as Health Promotion Director for the
Canadian Forces in Esquimalt, BC.
KAYAK IN STYLE
in whalewatching/wilderness
destinations
Call 800-616-1943
[email protected]
www.seakayakadventures.com
Gabriola Island
Waterfront Kayak & Dive Shop
Open 12 months a year.
Day and overnight trips to remote island.
Kayak rentals—$10/hr. Daily rates available.
Call 250-247-9753
www.hightestdiving.com
40
Business Opportunities
Real Estate & Rental
BARKLEY SOUND
Small waterfront cabin with flush toilet, generator, year round security. 60’ x120’ lot.
West of Broken Islands. $89,000. Dave or
Marion, 250-478-1800.
DREAMING of affordable RETIREMENT?
‘Garden Homes’ on Gabriola Island offers
state-of-the-art seniors’ suites designed with
comfort, lovely common areas and a
supportive community of friends. Enjoy the
quiet island lifestyle. Stroll to nearby shops,
doctor, pharmacy, etc. Come and visit us at
500 Argyle Lane or call Sandra Hill of Island
West Realty at 250-247-8711 (877-247-8711)
for information. Only six units left!
A KAYAKER’S PARADISE
Where in this world can you own a 6.5 acre
island covered with old growth forest, dig for
clams, fish, or set a crab trap just off-shore? If
you want to own and experience unsurpassed
beauty, and nature in its original state, I
suggest you call soon. Phone: 250-245-3368.
Price: $139,000 Cdn.
PRIVATE AND PEACEFUL, rustic, one room,
furnished cabin with loft, outdoor privy, solar
shower and cold running water on Lasqueti
Island 4 hrs from Vancouver; ideal for kayak
getaway. Winter rates start at $150/wk., summer $300/wk. Call Susan at 250-716-8376.
Book early before the best times are taken.
CHILEAN PATAGONIA SEAKAYAKING
CENTER FOR SALE BY OWNER.
Completely outfitted, custom built lodge, dock
and 3 bedroom challet on a beautiful seafront
6 acre property. www.seakayakchile.com/
onsale. Email: [email protected].
GLACIER BAY ALASKA KAYAK
OUTFITTING BUSINESS FOR SALE
Always wanted to move to Alaska? Here’s
your ticket. Since 1996, Sea Otter Kayak has
been outfitting paddlers for adventures into
Glacier Bay National Park & beyond. Business is operating & fully equipped. Asking
US$62,500. Call Maureen or Ed at 907-2262338 for more info.
List your house, property or
business in WaveLength to reach
potential customers worldwide.
All ads appear in both our
PRINT and WEB editions.
Kayaks For Sale
WANTED: We’ll buy your kevlar Current
Designs Libra XT (used double). Please call
Art at 250-595-2559.
Feathercraft K-1 Expedition for sale. Much
loved, very good condition: 250-725-2484.
Two “Formula” singles. One Fibreglass
2000 model, slightly used $1895. One New
2001 Carbon/Kevlar $2995 plus accessories.
Tony or Marti 250-629-6767.
Kevlar Necky Arluk 2 for sale. Mint condition! $2800 firm. Options, spray skirt and
paddle float for $50, graphite paddle for
$150. Call Deb in Victoria at (250)383-5487.
ARGONAUT II
SOLD
Immaculate, elegant, 73’ heritage vessel, former Thomas Crosby IV, a Mission Ship
built in 1922 for the daily rigours of the Pacific coast. Powered by a 6L.3 Gardner
diesel. Built of 2” Port Orford cedar, carvel-planked over bent oak frames. Teak
house. Fir decks. Gumwood stem. Current owner wishes this vessel to remain in BC
waters. Contact John West: 250 382-9298, Victoria, BC. $225,000 Cdn.
Photos and text at www.WaveLengthMagazine.com
Anchorage Marina has a great
inventory of Current Designs kayaks
and friendly staff to help you choose
the right kayak for you. Check out
our expanded kayaking accessories
department. Try before you buy!
1520 Stewart Ave., Nanaimo, BC.
Phone: 250-754-5585
WWW . ANCHORAGEBOATS . COM
41
From the Archipelago
Whales in My Dreams
The following is an excerpt from the
Introduction to Alexandra Morton’s new
book, Listening to Whales, reprinted with
her permission.
S
ome nights I hear whales in my dreams.
They start off distant like the sound of
wind in the trees but gradually pick up to
the point where they’re all I can hear. Most
times I can make out which pod is calling—
the sisters, transients, G clan, or any of a
dozen other orcas I’ve spent nearly a quarter of a century listening to. On a good night
it’s the exquisite dialect specific to the family of the fifty-four-year-old matriarch
Tsitika, a series of rippling harmonics so
perfect it imparts a deep sense of peace in
me, like a shuddering sigh.
Some nights I wake up from one of these
dreams and find it hasn’t been a dream at all.
I trundle downstairs in stocking feet, put
my ear to the hydrophone speaker, and hear
Tsitika calling to her children. I press the
record button on my tape machine and note
the time and date in the sound log. And so
begins another day of work.
In the kelp bed floating outside my window, a hydrophone dangles down 15 feet
into the water of Cramer Passage. A black
cable snakes through the kelp, up the rocky
beach, through the salal brush, around my
kale garden, past the greenhouse and
42
chicken coop, and up through the floorboards into my house, which is perched on
a low bluff on the western coast of Canada.
I begin my mornings with a strong cup
of coffee at my desk, writing, entering data,
or sorting through black-and-white photos
of dorsal fins. If there are no whales that
day, the first sound I hear is often the crackle
of shrimp coming alive with the lightening
of the sky. Sometimes I hear otters chirping
or dolphins letting loose those high-pitched
twitters that make them sound like monkeys on helium. The hydrophone doesn’t
discriminate. More often that not, I hear the
scream of outboard motors. The community in which I live, Echo Bay, has no roads.
Everyone gets around by boat.
To study a wild animal, you must adapt
your life to its rhythm. It’s the only way you’ll
increase your chances of encountering your
subject, and perhaps more important, it’s
the only way you’ll begin to understand
how your subject encounters the world. We
landlocked humans experience our surroundings primarily through our eyes: land
and vision. A killer whale’s aquatic world
comes to it almost exclusively through its
sense of hearing: water and sound. Living
in Echo Bay has put me in a world as close
as I can come to the killer whale’s without
actually living underwater.
I’m constantly listening and looking for
whales. As I wake my six-year-old daughter, cook breakfast, brush my teeth, talk on
the phone, my ear remains cocked to the
speakers. My eyes constantly scan the wa-
Alexandra Morton
ter for the misty
plume of a whale
blow. I press my
eyes against a pair
of high-powered
astronomical field
glasses seventy
times a day, panning slowly back
and forth over the Listening to Whales
by Alexandra Morton,
water, always Ballantine Publishing,
hoping for the rise 2002.
and fall of an ISBN 0-345-43794-2,
hardcover, B&W illus,
orca’s black fin. 309 pp. $26.95 US
I’ve
spotted $39.95 Cdn.
whales while I’ve www.chapters.indigo.ca
www.amazon.com
been gardening,
baking bread, writing papers, braiding my
daughter’s hair. I’ve spotted orcas while I’ve
been taking a shower. And when I spot one,
I’m gone. Into my boat—Blackfish Sound, a
22-foot dory—and out on the water, following the whales wherever they take me. I note
their breathing intervals, record the sounds
they make, watch them interact with the
world around them. I am their shadow. ❏
© Alexandra Morton (RPBio) is a
marine mammal scientist and
writer in British Columbia’s
Broughton Archipelago.
[email protected]
Visit her new website at
www.raincoastresearch.org.
NOTE: At press time, Alex was out studying the
return of the young orphaned orca, Springer, to
her pod in Johnstone Strait. She plans on writing
about the experience in her next column.
Sea Kayak Racing 101
n amazing thing has happened to me
lately. I have started racing sea kayaks!
Amazing, because I don't have much of a
killer instinct, I'm not very competitive or
strong and have a distinct tendency to stop
paddling when it starts to hurt. And, oh
yeah—I'm really pretty slow. But I'm having fun, getting a great workout, meeting
new people and really improving my forward stroke.
It all started when I headed over to Deep
Cove Canoe & Kayak Centre's weekly Tuesday Night Race in North Vancouver. I had
heard that something really cool was going on over there, so I packed up my boat
and headed over the bridge to check it out.
I was adamant that I wasn't interested in
racing and so the first time I just surveyed
the scene and went for a leisurely paddle
on my own. But a funny thing happened,
everyone was so friendly and there was
such a great atmosphere, that I went back
the next week. Not to race exactly, but just
to go for a paddle with the group. You know,
hang out with a bunch of like-minded folks.
It was great, but this one Amazon woman
was passing me, and something inside of
me just sort of wouldn't let that go. So I
kept up. Then I passed her. Man, I crushed
her. Ok, so she was a very petite beginner
paddler and I barely beat her. And she was
in her sixties (late sixties—but spry!), but
the point is; I was racing now!
The first shocking thing that I realized was
that despite years of paddling whitewater
and guiding sea kayak trips, I didn't know
a thing about efficiently propelling a sea
kayak forward at speed. That's when I realized that I needed some advice.
Daryl Remmler is a highly experienced
paddler and local outdoor gear rep. Last
year he won both the Ecomarine BCMTA
Marathon and The Round Bowen Island
Race. In both instances he was paddling a
double with a different partner in each race.
My first question was whether he was
capable of actually winning a race on his
own, in a single kayak, without the support
of a paddling partner. We laughed over my
witty opening and after an incredibly punishing workout that reduced me to tears and
Daryl to a tiny speck on my horizon, I was
allowed to ask my second question.
“What is the main mistake that beginner
paddlers make with their stroke?”
“Most touring oriented paddlers are really paddling with their arms instead of their
whole bodies. What I'm getting at here is
the concept of torso rotation. If you compare the size of your biceps or arm musAugust/September 2002
Photo by Rob Newell
A
Alex Matthews
Jerome Truran at Deep Cove Canoe &
Kayak’s Tuesday Night Race series.
cles with the size your back & trunk muscles, you'll immediately understand the
benefit of using the whole torso and those
big muscles to power the kayak forward.”
Try spreading your grip on the paddle
shaft. Really exaggerate it by shifting your
hands further apart by a good 4 - 6 inches.
With this rather ungainly new grip, you'll
find that you really have to rotate your torso
in order to paddle. This is just a drill and
not something that you would do for any
distance, but remember the feeling of that
rotation and try to get it working for you in
your forward stroke.
“Another problem area is posture. When
beginner paddlers are trying to go fast they
tend to lean way forward and this again im-
pedes rotation. You've got to paddle with
the whole body not just the arms in order
to be efficient and powerful. The best position for generating good rotation is with the
back nice and straight. Not slumped forward or back, but straight.”
As paddlers improve their technique, the
rotation typically migrates down the body.
In other words it starts with a small twisting motion back and forth at the sternum
level and slowly moves down the body to
the waist. The idea is to coil the big muscles of the torso and then unwind them with
each stroke. After a good hard paddle you
should really be feeling your lats not your
arms.
“What about gear?”
“The biggest problem out there relative
to gear is paddle length. Most dealers seem
to be selling people paddles that are, in my
opinion, way too long. A paddle that is too
long simply doesn't allow you to take an
efficient stroke. Unfortunately there is no
magic formula for figuring out the perfect
length so I really like the new breed of 2piece adjustable paddle shafts.”
Epic Paddles, for instance, offer their
length-lock system that allows the paddler
to adjust the overall length of the paddle
by 10 cm. Feather can be set to any angle,
right or left control as well. It is a very convenient system but it does come at a pretty
hefty price.
“I think that people under 5’9” should
look to an adjustable paddle with a begin- ➞
JOLLY GOOD TRAP is a high quality crab trap made
with a 5/16 stainless steel frame measuring 14” x 13.5”
(41cm. x 36cm.) and weighing just 3.5 lbs. No assembly
required. Just release the hook and the trap springs open,
ready for fishing. A separate float package containing
the float, 60’ of line and a bait bag is also available.
For more details see
www.jollygoodtrap.com
or call 250-245-7407.
On your next trip—catch your dinner!
43
ning length of about 210cm and those over 5’9” should start at
215cm. The beauty of the adjustable shaft is that if you start with a
215cm length, you can actually increase the length of that same
paddle to 225cm or anything in between.”
“What About boats?”
“One trend that I do see with the race crowd is a tendency to
buy a boat that is too advanced for the paddler. Folks are buying
boats that are fine for them on perfectly flat, calm conditions but
they don't have the skills to paddle them in wind and waves, and
that is very limiting. It's a real shame because there are so many
beautiful spots to paddle where the water is not going to be flat.”
“What do you love best about paddling?”
“I strive to be efficient, sprinting to catch that little wave, catching the ride, linking it to the next one. This is something that I do
even in my fully loaded kayak. I love it. The thing about paddling is
that you are never done learning. I am now in my 32nd year of
paddling and I'm still learning new stuff about the forward stroke
and trying to improve mine. It's not that my stroke is bad, it's that it
can always be better. You can always work on it. Beginner to intermediate paddlers typically take every kind of course under the sun—
the rescue course, the navigation course, the intermediate strokes
course, the advanced strokes course, rolling, bracing, sculling, astral navigation and drumming. And that's great, but they take them
all except the forward stroke clinic! And virtually all of paddling is
about the forward stroke. It's crazy!”
“Want to go for a paddle?”
“Sure!”
“Can we attach a bucket to the back of your boat to slow you
down a little?”
“No.”
So, slowly, I'm getting faster. I doubt that I'll ever actually be fast,
but for me it's more about improving my stroke and conditioning
for touring and whitewater. And, it's a lot of fun. Now, after far too
many misspent years, I'm finally paying some serious attention to
the single most important stroke in the whole sport of kayaking.
In Vancouver there is a lot going on: Bob Putnam at Deep Cove
Canoe & Kayak Centre has led the charge in popularizing sea kayak
racing. There is a race every Tuesday night at 7:00 pm. There is
always a paddling component and sometimes a running and/or
swimming leg may be included ‘to spice things up’. Cost is a mere
$3 to enter, rentals for those without their own kayaks are available
at $12 for a single and $15 for a double. Be sure to book rentals
early as they sell out!
This year Ecomarine is also offering a Wednesday race night based
out of Jericho beach.
There are four main sea kayak racing events in BC:
• The Round Bowen Island Race sponsored by Bowen Island Sea
Kayaking: 604 947-9266, www.bowenislandkayaking.com
• Ecomarine BCMTA Marathon sponsored by Ecomarine Kayak
Center: 604 689-7575, www.ecomarine.com
• Deep Cove Tour de Indian Arm sponsored by Deep Cove
Canoe & Kayak Centre: 604 929-2268,
www.deepcovekayak.com
• BC Championships Sea Kayak Race—Bike & Kayak Festival
Weekend, this year September 14-15 sponsored by Gabriola
Cycle & Kayak: 604 247-8277, www.gck.ca. ❏
© Alex Matthews has worked as an artist, outdoor store manager,
sea kayak guide, and whitewater safety boater. Most recently he
was marketing manager at Necky Kayaks. When Necky went
corporate and moved to America, Alex declined the move,
preferring to remain in Canada pursuing his first love—being an
unemployed bum. Please put some cash in an envelope and
send it to him today!
44
News
LARGEST SEA KAYAK EVENT
The 19th annual West Coast Sea Kayak
Symposium will be held at Fort Worden
State Park in Port Townsend Sept. 20-22,
organized by the Trade Association of
Paddlesports (TAPS).
This is the world’s largest sea kayaking
symposium and expected to draw 2,000
people this year to try out a beach-full of
boats and gear from paddlesports’ manufacturers.
The event includes seminars, on-water
and classroom instruction, and demonstrations by some of the world’s best paddlers,
as well as opportunities to socialize with
other kayakers and question representatives
of major manufacturers, retailers, and outfitters. It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned
kayaker or a complete beginner, there’s
something for everyone.
There’s also the ever-popular dance on
Saturday night with a live band.
Accommodations and meals are available in the Fort’s dormitories and
campgrounds. You can find more information online at http://wcsks.org.
OUTRIGGER WEEKEND
False Creek Racing Canoe Club is pleased
to present their “Multi-Event Outrigger
Weekend of Races”, part of the World Indigenous People’s Festival to be held in
Vancouver on Aug. 31-Sept.1, 2002.
See the following for info: www.fcrcc.com,
or
www.
canadianoutrigger.com
www.iafs.info. For more info on the races,
contact Steve Palmier, FCRCC at steve
@stevepalmier.com, or Alan Carlsson, Head
Coach FCRCC at [email protected].
PADDLERS GO NAKED
With the tagline: “Good men gone bad
for a good cause” the Georgia Strait Alliance launched its lastest fundraising project
recently at HunksforHabitat.com. The site
hosts over a dozen cheeky guys who reveal almost all for habitat conservation.
Every $50 donation removes or adds (the
donor’s choice) a sea shell from your favourite Hunk.
Hurry though, it ends September 2nd!
One of the volunteers who braved cold
seas and raised
eyebrows for
the photo shoot
was Michael
Pardy of Ocean
River Sports in
Victoria, who’s
the President of
the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC.
“Kayakers are always getting naked at the
drop of a hatch cover, so doing this for
marine habitat conservation was a nobrainer,” he says.
Other notable kayakers who are ‘out
there’ for this fundraiser are multi-sport athlete Dave Norona, along with Rupert Wong
and David Pinel of West Coast Expeditions.
So shell out for some shells off! Your donation will protect Race Rocks and help to
establish the Orca Pass International Stewardship Area—both badly needed to help
rockfish, orcas and other ocean critters in
distress. Orca Pass is a major, international
conservation effort and it needs your help!
HunksforHabitat.com.
WIN A SEA KAYAK
Tickets are on sale now in Georgia Strait
Alliance’s Great Summer Kayak Raffle. Only
2,000 tickets are available and cost $5 each
or three for $10. This year, Barry Bezaire at
Extreme Interface donated the grand prize
F1 Touring Kayak (19 ft. sea kayak, $3,300).
Second prize is a three day/two night, all
expenses included, kayak trip for one person, courtesy of Rainforest Kayak Adventures, Tofino. ($580.)
And third prize is a framed print by renowned West Coast artist Judi Wild, entitled “Spirit of Chief Ninstints”. (102 cm. x
50 cm. $350.)
All proceeds from this raffle will help
GSA with outreach and education activities in promoting green boating and establishing marine protected areas.
Charge-by-phone today and have your tickets mailed to you. Call the GSA office at (250)
753-3459. Best to buy your ticket(s) soon as
last summer’s raffle completely sold out.
The winning tickets will be drawn on Saturday, September 28th at the second annual Pant & Paddle relay event in
Yellowpoint (south of Nanaimo, BC).
www.pantandpaddle.net.
THE MARINE LIABILITY ACT
Recently there have been concerns raised
that the new Canadian ‘Marine Liability Act’
would result in sharply increased insurance
premiums for ecotourism operators.
The Act, which was passed by the federal government last fall, sets a cap on liability at $350,000 per client, and brings
Canada into compliance with international
standards. ➞
Native Cultural Tours
Kayak Transport
War Canoe Rentals
Campsites
Store
www.villageisland.com
(250) 282-3338 or “village island” on VHF 79A
45
The federal Transport ministry has not yet
fully developed its regulations and is relying
on input from a nationwide consultation
process, managed by The Mariport Group.
Some sectors, notably ecotourism, have
not been effectively informed of the implications of the Act, and issues specific to
ecotourism have not been adequately represented at most of the forums.
But the sky is not falling. Until regulations have been developed, Mariport says
that a minimum of $1 million liability insurance should be adequate in most instances. Most operators already carry $1
million liability or higher.
Even with the new Act, risk calculations
based on $350,000 per head are unlikely.
New regulations are more likely to consider
maximum group risk equal to not more than
four clients, thus $1.3 million total.
Operators should know that waivers are
no longer valid for marine portions of trips,
(though still valid for land-based sections).
But Mariport advises that waivers still be used
as a means of informing the client of risks.
For more information, contact Mariport
at 800-319-9997, www.Mariport.com,
[email protected].
DECLARATION ON ECOTOURISM
In May, as part of the ‘UN International
Year of Ecotourism, 2002’, under the aegis
of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization (WTO), over 1,000 participants
from 132 countries (public, private and
non-governmental sectors), met at the
World Ecotourism Summit, hosted in
Québec City, by Tourisme Québec and the
Canadian Tourism Commission.
The Québec Summit, which produced a
Declaration on Ecotourism, represented the
culmination of 18 preparatory meetings
held in 2001 and 2002, involving over
3,000 representatives from national and
local governments including the tourism,
environment and other administrations,
private ecotourism businesses and their
trade associations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and consultants, intergovernmental organizations,
and indigenous and local communities.
For the full Declaration, see www.wavelength
magazine.com/2002/ecodeclaration.php.
THREATS TO THE MARINE TRAIL
The BC government is no longer willing
to do lengthy stakeholder-based planning
processes for the coast, like the Central
Coast Land and Resource Management Plan
(LRMP), where tourism and the environment had a voice. Instead, they’re now fasttracking a series of regional plans to determine what parts of the coast get developed
and industrialized.
People who care about having pristine
coastal areas for recreation and ecotourism
need to get informed and involved quickly
or it will be too late for great initiatives like
the BC Marine Trail.
Check the website of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management to find out
what processes are underway and contact
the Ministry to ensure you have a voice.
Get your organization involved or work
with organizations that already are, like the
Outdoor Recreation Council.
It’s important that individuals speak up,
but let’s face it, governments tend to listen
to groups which speak with a collective
Books
Afoot & Afloat Series
by Marge & Ted Mueller,
The Mountaineers,
softcover, B&W illus.
[email protected]
The Mountaineers have an excellent “Afoot & Afloat” series
of six guide books covering
Puget Sound (Washington)
and the Gulf Islands (BC), including: South Puget
Sound; Seattle’s Lakes, Bay’s & Waterways; Middle Puget Sound & Hood Canal; North Puget
Sound; The San Juan Islands; and British Columbia’s Gulf Islands. Each book has an introductory chapter which includes information about
the geology and history of the area, transportation options, points of interest, etc. Easy-to-read
maps are provided, as well as information on
access, facilities and attractions. Great for
paddlers, hikers and cyclists. We have the whole
set!
The Playboater’s Handbook II by Ken Whiting,
Heliconia Press 2002.
ISBN 1-896980-06-6,
Color, 215 pp $22.95 US
Ken Whiting, 1997/98
World Freestyle Kayaking
Champion and 5-time Canadian Champion, has written
a sequel to his popular Playboater’s Handbook.
Playboating has changed a lot since his first book
came out 5 years ago. This second handbook covers three times as many moves, along with lots
of information and drills which will help paddlers
improve their skills. Includes sections by Corran
Addison, Steve Fisher and Tyler Curtis and fantastic color photos by Paul Villecourt! ❏
cont. page 48➞
Sea Kayak
Guide Training
VIKING
ADVENTURE
TOURS
• Kayaking • Sightseeing
• Diving • Fishing
Septmber 13-22
Contact us for dates
Explore the Beautiful
British Columbia Coast
54' Mothership MV VIKING 1
Skipper: Ken Lund
(250) 755-9175
[email protected]
www.vikingadventuretours.com
46
Great
Gear
LOWEPRO’S NEW DRYZONE 200 is the
first soft-sided camera backpack that’s completely waterproof. And if the zipper is
closed, the backpack floats—even fully
loaded. The unique DryZone has three components: the waterproof case, the camera
compartment, and the backpack, including
a fully adjustable backpack harness, padded
waist belt, contoured shoulder straps and
more. Suggested retail: $500 Cdn.
www.lowepro.com, [email protected].
REEFMASTER’S DIGITAL is a 1.3
megapixel camera with 2X digital zoom,
protected from water and pressure by a clear,
durable housing, with dual O-rings. The 8MB
memory allows it to store 17 high-resolution
images (or 132 email-quality). Remove from
housing for shore use. DC200 to 200 feet:
$549.95 US or DC100, to 100 feet: $449.95
US. www.sealife-cameras.com
T-FAL CAMPING COOKWARE sets are
stackable, lightweight, aluminum coated
with T-Fal’s non-stick interior & exterior finish. They come with a removable handle, a
unique strainer lid and a water-resistant
canvas carying bag. Even cooking—no hot
spots. Suggested price $59.99 Cdn for 6
piece set, $79.99 Cdn for the 8 piece set.
1-800-418-3325. www.t-fal.ca
THE SEASCOPE from Eagle Jack is a waterproof, high quality monocular designed
especially for paddlers. Whether watching
wildlife, spotting campsites or scouting rapids, the SeaScope is perfect for every outdoor adventure. 8x21 magnification. Includes Rubicon lens, lanyard and protective nylon case. $29.99 US. Call toll free at
877-393-5225 or order online at
www.eaglejack.com
LOWEPRO’S OMNI TREKKER EXTREME is a convertible backpack/shoulder
bag which fits into a waterproof hard-shell
case made for Lowepro by Pelican. The case
comes with purge valve and O-ring to provide an airtight seal against water, dust, snow
and sand. Designed for the pro shooter, it
has the capacity to hold 1-2 SLRs, 6-8 lenses
and accessories or a medium format system.
Suggested retail: $658 Cdn.
San Juan Islands
Luxury Mothership Based
Sea Kayak Weekends
1-888-270-4829
Brought to You by Alaska Sea Kayak
Adventures. Specializing in Luxury
Mothership Based Adventures into
the Waters of Washington, British
Columbia and Southeast Alaska
47
HunksforHabitat.com
Georgia Strait Alliance
A charitable fundraiser
for marine conservation
Des • Will • Dave • Evan • Mike • Angus • Rupert • Doug • Ron • Rick • Valdy • Svend •
Alan Wilson photo
Good men...gone bad...for a good cause!
Chris Ladner counts down to the start of
this year’s BC Marine Trail Marathon. 85
paddlers participated, July 14th.
voice. Get involved with the BC Marine Trail
Association. Call Chris Ladner at Ecomarine
in Vancouver: 604-689-7575.
ONLINE OCEANS ATLAS
The United Nations is publishing an
online atlas of the world’s oceans to raise
awareness about conservation issues. The
continuously updated atlas will provide
data on over-fishing, coastal habitat destruction and pollution. The goal is to help protect fish stocks, marine biodiversity, the climate, and to help negotiations of future marine-related agreements. It covers important
aquatic issues such as marine bio-invasions,
the state of the world’s coral reefs, polar
ice coverage, fishing limits, temperature
gradients, and bottom contours, to name a
few. You can find it at www.oceans
atlas.com/.
ORCAS DENIED FULL PROTECTION
The US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced in June that it will
not list southern resident orca whales as
either threatened or endangered under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA), despite the
whales’ steep population decline and the
fact that Canada declared the whales endangered last year.
“This decision is shocking,” said Kathy
Fletcher, executive director of People For
Puget Sound in Seattle. “The southern resident orcas are a distinct population of
whales whose numbers have been declining for the past six years. If these whales
don’t qualify as endangered I don’t know
what does. It is disappointing the National
Marine Fisheries Service doesn’t want to use
every tool they have to recover these precious whales.”
People For Puget Sound is one of a coalition of environmental groups led by the
Center for Biological Diversity, which petitioned for the southern resident orcas to be
listed under the ESA.
Instead of listing the southern residents
under the Endangered Species Act, NMFS
cited the Marine Mammal Protection Act
as the tool it will use to protect the whales.
KAYMARAN ADVENTURE TOURS
Eco-Tours on the Fraser River, Ladner BC
Guided Tours, Mothership Paddling, Family Rates, Rentals
Phone (604) 946-5070 [email protected]
www.vancouver-bc.com/kaymaran
48
However, this act is will not afford the same
level of protection as the ESA would have.
Listing under the ESA would have protected
them from a wide variety of harmful activities,
including the discharge of toxic chemicals into
Puget Sound. Without this protection the
orcas’ future is uncertain, at best.
For more information, contact People For
Puget Sound: 206-382-7007, people
@pugetsound.org, www.pugetsound.org.
SPECIES AT RISK ACT
The Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA),
Bill C-5, was passed by the House of Commons June 11 by a vote of 148-85. Although
the Bill remains far from perfect, conservation groups from across Canada were able
to support recent amendments that strengthened habitat protection in some areas of
federal jurisdiction, and allows scientists to
have more say on which species will be
listed as endangered.
For more than nine years Canadians have
been striving for a law to protect a growing
list of species at risk of extinction. That list,
prepared by the Committee on the Status
of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
(COSEWIC), has grown from just short of
250 species in 1993, when the federal Liberal government first promised to protect
species, to more than 400 today.
The effort to protect endangered species
has only just begun. SARA must now pass
through the Senate before becoming law.
And then the law must be applied on the
ground, where the future of so many animals in Canada—orca and beluga whales,
monarch butterflies, grizzly bears, and others—will be determined.
NEW LAW TO PROTECT WATERS
The passage this spring of Bill C-10, the
Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, is a crucial and welcome step forward in protecting Canadian waters, say
World Wildlife Fund Canada and Canadian
Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).
“This bill paves the way for establishing
a network of Marine Conservation Areas
(MCAs)” said Joshua Laughren, WWF-Canada’s Director of Marine Conservation. “Now
cont. page 50➞
PHOTO GALLERY
On this and the next page
we present a few of the
many interesting shots
we’ve received
in the past months...
Wendell Phillips from BC’s Okanagan Valley sent us these two shots. Above:
Kunuut Jensen paddles his skin kayak among icebergs near Ilulissat, West
Greenland. More Greenland images can be seen at www.wendellphillips.com.
Below: Kayaks in the village of Coron, Philippines en route to the South China
Sea where Wendell worked four winters as a guide and instructor.
Dale Dufour of Lolo, Montana sent
us this waterfall shot from a trip to
Toba Inlet, BC with Coast Mountain
Expeditions. Below is Dale’s shot of
Lake MacDonald in Glacier National
Park, Montana. Both with Kodak Max
film and a Pentax IQZoom 160. ©
ODYSSEY KAYAKING
[email protected]
www.odysseykayaking.com
GIVE US A CALL
if you’re planning a paddling
trip on Northern Vancouver
Island or the Central Coast.
1-888-792-3366
250-902-0565
49
Rolf Keitel took this photo of sea stars
and pendulous anenomes at a low
tide at DeCourcey Island, BC with an
Olympus C2100UZ digital. ©
the real job is for Parks Canada to put this
legislation to work by creating MCAs, starting in Western Lake Superior and Gwaii
Haanas, on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte
Islands).”
Canada has the longest coastline in the
world. But Canadian waters are showing
clear signs of stress: fish stocks in parts of
Atlantic and Pacific Canada have collapsed;
some wildlife in the Arctic and Great Lakes
show high levels of toxicity and have birth
defects; habitat is being destroyed through
activities like dredging and industrial development.
The bill has prohibitions on hydrocarbon ➞
PAGE’S RESORT MARINA
Silva Bay—Gabriola Island, BC
Cottages, Campground, Fuel, Moorage,
Laundromat, Showers, Diveshop,
Artwork, Charts, Books and
PRIME PADDLING!
Flat Top Islands and
Drumbeg provincial park.
Photographer Mike Tittel of Gunnison, Colorado (www.miketittel.com) caught
this photo near North Thormanby Island on the Sunshine Coast, BC. ©
Alert Bay, BC
the friendliest little island in Johnstone Strait
See tall totems, visit the world famous
U’Mista First Nations’ museum, enjoy
historic landmarks, browse gift shops,
stroll boardwalks and nature trails.
Ph: 250-974-5024
www.village.alertbay.bc.ca
Call 250-247-8931
[email protected]
www.pagesresort.com
50
RENTALS • TOURS • INSTRUCTION
Expert service since 1990
Nanaimo, Vancouver Island BC
Step off the BC ferry
and into a kayak
Ph: 1-800-529-0142
250-753-3234
[email protected]
thekayakshack.com
and mineral development in marine conservation areas and requires the inclusion
of zones that fully protect special features
or sensitive elements of ecosystems.
BC’S NEWEST MARINE PARK
BC’s newest marine park has been approved for Valdes Island. Wake’s Cove, a 132hectare property that includes a mix of oldgrowth Douglas fir, Garry oak and arbutus
as well as several endangered plant species,
was purchased for $4.12 million, with the
Marine Parks Forever Society donating
$100,000 toward the deal.
The Society receives donations from recreational boaters to purchase foreshore
property for preservation. The new park includes 73 hectares of foreshore.
Joyce Murray, BC’s Minister of Water,
Land and Air Protection, said ”Boaters and
kayakers will be among the main groups
interested in coming here”. There is no car
or ferry access.
Wakes Cove provides a sheltered anchorage and offers hiking trails, picnicking, wildlife viewing and overnight camping.
The new provincial park is beside the
proposed Gabriola Passage marine protected area, across from from Drumbeg Provincial Park on Gabriola Island.
GREEN LEGACIES
A new Donor’s Guide for British Columbia, Green Legacies, was published this
spring and includes everything the financial advisor and potential donor need to
know about gifts to conserve British Columbia’s ecology. Federal and provincial governments helped fund the project in partnership with some of BC’s leading conser-
vation organizations and foundations.
Among those featured in the guide is
kayak manufacturer Barry Bezaire of Extreme Interface who has donated a raffle
kayak as a fundraiser to the Georgia Strait
Alliance for the past several years.
Legacies—whether monetary, real estate
or other assets—could mean the difference
between losing critical wildlife habitat forever, or preserving and rehabilitating it.
Copies of the Guide are available for $8 (including GST) by contacting the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund at 1-800-387-9853 ext. 4,
or greenlegacies@stewardship centre.bc.ca. A
web version is at www.stewardshipcentre
.bc.ca/greenlegacies.
in the US—so it hardly seems to level the
playing field. (It will be interesting to see if
any US pulp companies lodge a complaint
under NAFTA of unfair trade subsidies as a
result of the new law.)
The other main line of the industry is that
they’re down to very low levels of AOX already, and isn’t that enough? Suffice to say
that organochlorines are harmful in any
amount—there’s no safe level. In Europe
some mills are using technology to get to
zero. In BC, the industry argues it’s too expensive. “Of course it’s expensive,” says
MacBride, “but we’ve got to look at the cost
of NOT doing it—the cost to human health ➞
BC ROLLS BACK PULP LAW
The new BC pulp pollution regulation
which passed in June abandons the requirement for mills to get to zero discharge of
organochlorines (AOX) by the end of the year.
Laurie MacBride of the Georgia Strait Alliance says, “We’ve gone from having the
strongest pulp mill regulations in North
America, to having just a pale imitation of
the US regulations. What’s most distressing
is that the government has ignored the advice of its own science panel and failed to
regulate the discharge of black liquor, which
is extremely toxic.”
One of the lines the industry has used
with the media is that they needed this
change to have a “level playing field” with
the US. The province has adopted the US
standard, but only for organochlorines—
they’ve ignored air emissions and the two
dozen other chemicals in the liquid pulp
effluent that the US does regulate. Plus, BC
has weaker testing and enforcement than
[email protected]
Great Paddling
in the Flat Top Islands!
Inquire about KAYAK RENTALS
Come to Silva Bay Resort & Marina
GABRIOLA ISLAND—British Columbia
www.SilvaBayMarina.com Ph: 250-247-8662 VHF Channel 68
NEW management, NEW ownership, all NEW FLOATS,
oceanside BAR & GRILL, guest moorage, SAFE anchorage,
FUEL dock, heated POOL, hot showers, laundry, seaplane service.
51
in air and water pollution, and the cost to
us in degradation of the environment.”
The government cited its AOX Science
Panel as justification for this new regulation. However, the Science Panel was com-
posed of two engineers and one chemist—
no biologists, toxicologists, geneticists or
ecosystem specialists. The bar for proving
harm was so high that many health measures would not pass the test. The narrow
Terms of Reference they were given meant
that the Panel could not consider important elements of public policy such as
worker and community health and safety,
the relation of chlorine elimination to reduction of other mill pollutants, and the
links between this regulation and a sustainable, modern, efficient industry.
THRIFTY’S HAS ECO-SALMON
The BC food retail chain Thrifty Foods is
now offering salmon raised in a land-based
system, the only “closed containment” system in the province. All the rest of BC’s
farmed salmon are raised in open net pens
in the ocean.
Thrifty’s customers are being supplied
with farmed Pacific chinook and coho
salmon raised in concrete tanks at Cedar,
north of Ladysmith on Vancouver Island.
The grocery chain is buying all the product
produced by Agrimarine Industries and says
that demand has been strong for what it’s
calling “eco-salmon”.
Environmentalists say this is a good first
step, though more is needed before they
can feel the system is fully safe. For example, the company needs to take steps to treat
wastewater going into the sea.
For more info, contact Lynn Hunter, Fisheries and Aquaculture Specialist, David
Suzuki Foundation, [email protected] ❏
The next issue of WaveLength
(October/November)
is our annual special feature on
‘WINTER
GETAWAYS!’
Deadline August 20th
[email protected]
Special discounts available!
Attract Adventure travellers
with a presence in this issue.
For WaveLength ads, subs,
or bulk orders: 1-800-799-5602.
Diane Coussens
Assistant Editor
52
WaveLength is available at over 500 outlets around North America, and globally at www.WaveLengthMagazine.com
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53
CALENDAR
SUNSHINE
SUNSHINE KAYAKING
KAYAKING
Sales, Rentals, Lessons, Day & Extended Tours
The Ideal Day or Extended Getaway!
H U G E end-of-season S A L E
starts Sept. 9th!
Now Featuring
“A beautiful 40 min. ferry ride from Vancouver to the Gateway of the Sunshine Coast”
Molly’s Lane, Gibsons, BC Call us at 604-886-9760
www.sunshinekayaking.com
A Wo r k o f A r t . . . m a d e f o r L i f e !
Yo u r L i f e . . .
Yo u r T i m e . . .
Yo u r K a y a k .
Visit y o u r
authorized dealer...
t o d a y.
AUGUST 7-11, Outdoor Retailers
Summer Market at Salt Lake City, UT.
www.outdoorretailer.com
Aug 8, Richmond Tall Ships Maritime
Festival, Steveston, BC. 1-866-264-7447,
www.richmondtallships.ca
Aug 9-11, The Canadian Canoe & Kayak
Festival, Ottawa ON.
www.canoekayakfestival.org
Aug 16-18, 4th Annual West Coast
Wooden Kayak Rendezvous, Fort
Worden State Park, Port Townsend WA.
www.redfishkayak.com
Aug 22-25, 15th Annual Wooden Boat
Festival, Granville Island, Vancouver BC
604-688-9622, [email protected]
Aug 22-25, Rippleffect Kayak Regatta 2k2
Adventure, Castine Harbor Lodge,
Castine, ME. [email protected],
www.rippleffect.net
Aug 24-25, Y2Canoe & LaHave River
Valley Festival, Bridgewater NS.
www.y2canoes.does.it
SEPTEMBER 14, BC Championships
Kayak Race, Gabriola Island, BC.
[email protected], www.gck.ca
Sep 20-22, West Coast Kayak
Symposium, Fort Worden, Port
Townsend, WA. 1-800-755-5228,
www.gopaddle.org
Sep 21, Mind Over Mountain Adventure
Race in Comox, BC. 250-715-8933,
[email protected]
www.mindovermountain.com
Sep 22, The Land Conservancy’s Indian
Arm Paddle-a-thon, Panorama Park,
Deep Cove, BC. 604-733-2313,
[email protected]
Sep 28-29, Canada West Kayak Surf
Festival, Tofino, BC. 250-758-4307,
[email protected]
Sep 28, 2nd Annual Yellowpoint Pant &
Paddle, multi-sport relay event, fundraiser for the Georgia Strait Alliance:
250-753-3459. www.pantandpaddle.net,
[email protected] ❏
TM
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CANOE & KAYAK
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Toll free: In Canada 1.877.655.1822
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54
425-430-0111
www.canoe-kayak.com
Photo by: Leisure Works Images
Paddling Basics:
The "sweep"
The "brace"
The "ooh"
The "ahh"
The "oh baby"
A few basic skills every kayaker should know. Like having the good sense to
choose a Wilderness Systems boat with Phase3 Outfitting, the patentpending innovation that delivers the most comfortable ride in the business. It’s
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www.wildernesssystems.com / US: 800 311-7245 / CAN: 613 382-2531
The Ultimate In Comfort And Control
55
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- Wavelength Magazine

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