Cedar to Pirate's Cove Report - July 26

 It was a beautiful hot day when 16 kayakers set out from Cedar boat launch for their bimonthly paddle – waters were mostly calm with a slight northwest breeze, the skies blue, and the enthusiasm high with anticipation of another great paddle.  Conditions could not be better and we were heading to Pirate’s Cove at the south end of DeCourcy Island.  Whether looking for buried treasure, or wanting to see where Brother’s X11 had his cult followers sequestered, or just wanting a another paddling adventure, the stage was set.

 

We headed across Stuart channel to the bottom of Link island where there is an opening called “hole in the wall” -  one can scoot through a narrow passage when the tide is half up or higher.  The passage was high and dry when we got there as it was nearing low tide.  Stuart Channel can be busy with power boats but wasn’t too crowded with Tuesday being a weekday and not on the weekend.  Link and parts of DeCourcy Islands have sandstone cliffs going up from the water’s edge making it a spectacular scenic view if using one’s imagination to look at the carvings made from centuries of wind and water against the cliffs.

Comox Lake Paddle - July 12

 

13 kayakers met at the Comox Boat launch on a sunny, warm summer day. The water was calm, as we paddled along the shoreline after launching at 10am. There were no mishaps or delays getting everyone on the water.

 

Paddling counter clockwise, we passed older cabins/cottages passed from one family to the next, 

 

 

as well as a site where mining and logging took place.

 

 

A little history:

 

Besides being the reservoir for the Courtenay and Comox water supply, Comox Lake is also the water supply for the BC Hydro Puntledge Generation Station. The lake was at one time an important means of transporting logs – you can still see the pilings that were used in the log booming areas.

 

I refer you to the following site for history of the lake:

Cumberland Museum - Up the lake (an interesting article)

Nanaimo Paddle Report - July 5, 2022

Despite an unseasonably cool and wet summer and having to previously reschedule, 18 adventurous paddlers showed up for the Nanaimo Paddle.

The original plan was to circumnavigate Protection Island and explore the Nanaimo Harbour, but by the time we were ready to launch, the Kayaking Gods rewarded us with a high tide, clearing skies, mild temperatures and little to no wind ... perfect conditions to reconsider a more adventurous trip.

 

Putting it to a unanimous vote by all paddlers, a decision was made to circumnavigate Newcastle Island.

Once in the water, we proceeded westwards towards Departure Bay. Rounding the corner, we could see one ferry in the Departure Bay Terminal with another ferry coming into the channel.

 Special care was taken to make way for several float planes taking off from the water. 

 Traveling up the west side of Newcastle Island, where winds and waves can sometimes be testy, we experienced very mild calm seas make it a very pleasant paddle.