K1s on the Westcoast May 2008

[westcoastwill]

Greg and Westcoastwill are planning trips with our new K1 folding kayaks for the time between

May 17th and June 7th 2008

The plan is to go for camping trips with pitching a base camp on an island and doing day trips and exploring.

We want to visit:

the southern Gulf Islands (Portland, Prevost ecet....)

the Deer and Broken Group Islands in Barkley Sound

and weather and time permitting,

Vargas and Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound

We would like to invite any folding (or hardshell) kayaker who likes to be out on the westcoast in great company, to meet us out there, especially Kapitän von Klepper, krudave and LongHaulMatt.

Lets hear from you!

servus



Gregn & westcoastwill

[krudave]

Appreciate the invite. Way too early for me to commit, but please keep on reminding as the time approaches.

Vargas and Flores require some surf landing capability, especially on the shoulder season. In May/June, you might expect some 3-4 foot waves on the better, more popular beaches. Something to keep in mind. The need for surf landings with a loaded boat can be minimized by choosing campsites off the outsides of those two, but it is the outsides of the islands which are the big draw, and definitely the areas of most interest for me.

Let's keep the dialog open. With his new K-1, Gregn is going to be a difficult guy to keep up with!

[westcoastwill]

Hi Dave!

Had to commit myself so early for the trip due to expensive airline tickets to Canada, the situation is getting worse with the rising oil prices!

Thanks for the hint on surflandings on Vargas and Flores, i am thinking about camping on Blunden Island, but our focus is mainly in Barkley Sound anyway.

Talked ot Greg on the phone yesterday, we discussed shipping options for my K1 to Victoria. Lufthansa has restricted the carry on luggage to 2 pieces of 23 kilos each!

He will be a really happy kayaker in his new K1!

Holy crossrib, the discussion about the difference in stability betwen K1 and Kahuna turned into a real piece of rocket science!

Lets stay in touch and see how the plans are working out!

servus



Willi

[gregn]

Let's keep the dialog open. With his new K-1, Gregn is going to be a difficult guy to keep up with!

It was not the case last summer, while circumnavigating South Pender in Gulf Islands. For most part, I managed to stay together with Willi (I in Klondike, he in Kahuna). The last mile was different: he pulled away from me and disappeared behind the horizon in no time. And I thought that my Klondike is a fast boat!

Next spring though we both will be wearing the same textiles (K-1's), so we'll have another race - this time on more level ground.

We are planning to stay within Gulf Islands for the first week or so to enjoy their freshness and warmth that is common there in late May. In June, probability of good weather for the west coast should increase and allow us to enjoy that part of the trip as well.

I hope that Alex will be able to join us too, at least for part of the trip, and give me the opportunity to thank him again for Mark 1 demo.

[chrstjrn]

Lufthansa has restricted the carry on luggage to 2 pieces of 23 kilos each!

Boycott Lufthansa! They are the worst of the worst when it comes to absurd baggage-weight limitations!

[westcoastwill]

I think, allmost every airline is cutting down passenger baggage, either to conserve fuel, fly more cargo or just make more $$$ on excess baggage fees!

as if they dont make enough money on fuel surcharge, taxes and other fees!

thats why the idea of shipping my K1 came up.

[Alm]

Lufthansa has restricted the carry on luggage to 2 pieces of 23 kilos each!

This is 2*50 lbs. It used to be 2*70 lbs for their cross-Atlantic flights a few years ago. But then, 2*50 lbs is a common standard here in North America. Free allowance 3*50 lbs is hard to find now even within the US (not here on the West Coast, for sure). There used to be 2*70 lbs for "local international" flights - between the US, Canada and Mexico, but this has already gone too.

[westcoastwill]

Alex, we hope to meet you in May!



Willi

[Alm]

May in BC is like April in Germany, only more rain. People still wear jackets. And since there going to be a race, - I'm out. Kahuna isn't a fast boat, either ... Especially with my Greenland paddle (now I'm serious).

PS: Sorry, I didn't notice that Willy wrote about carry-on luggage. I wrote about free allowance for checked-in luggage. Carry-on luggage has been 1 (one) bag * 18 kg (40 lbs) for quite a long time in North America. Though, - for those who have a good medium-volume backpack and not afraid to carry 60 lbs or more on their shoulders, there is a good news - airport attendants in North America very seldom check the weight of carry-on bag. Probably, assuming that most people won't risk breaking their spine anyway. Unfortunately, carry-on bag can't contain any long metal pieces, tools, etc - for security reasons. But camping food for multiday trip is heavy enough.

[gregn]

... And since there going to be a race, - I'm out. Kahuna isn't a fast boat, either ... Especially with my Greenland paddle (now I'm serious).

Alex, there won't be any racing; contrary, it will be a very relaxed trip and I'll be using my newly carved greenland paddle. You can always join us for a couple of days to Portland or Prevost - both have very good ferry connection with the mainland and both are suitable for carry-on kayak.

In fact, the Gulf Island trip will be designed with mainland kayakers and their ferry connections in mind. However, Broken/Deer groups are more complicated for travel arrangements. Tentative plan is to use Port Alberni as a starting point and its cargo boats to get to the islands.

Actually, Willi did not quite decide on K-1. He may show up with his Kahuna yet - red in colour as yours. He is a minimalist and knows how to travel light. On the other hand, I may use Klondike. But you never know. In any case, it would be intersting to listen to your srories by evening fire about your sailing expedition in Baha. Boy, I also wish that Andreas from Victoria will show up with his motor bike on Sahara experiences (always presented with enormous sense of humor).

[westcoastwill]

The plans are firm until they change:

From May 20th, a circumnavigation of Saltspring Island, starting from Portland, then counterclockwise to Prevost, then Wallace Island with perhaps an extra day for exploring the Kuper Island area and its beautiful harbour and dredged boat passage to Clam Bay.

Then it could be a long stretch (with strong current to help) to Musgrave Island - across from Cowitchan Bay. That is one very atractive passage through Sansum Narrows gorge. From Musgrave back to Swartz bay is only three hours of paddling.

Next a 10 days trip to the Broken and Deer Group Islands, starting form Port Alberni on board of the Frances Barkley, pitching a base camp on Clark or Benson, exploring the islands for 4 days, crossing over to the Deer Group with water taxi, paddling there also for a couple of days with visits to Bamfield and back from Bamfield with the Lady Rose.

Greg is right, we are not planning to race! The main idea is to enjoy the scenery, good company and camping.

I am planning to use my K1 on this trip by the way.

servus,

Willi

[alpalmer]

Using Toquart Bay as a launch point is not all that much further from Port Alberni but that probably wouldn't fit well with your Deer Group plans. I always put in there because of I can come and go as I please and don't have to worry about meeting a shuttle boat schedule. The beach is nice there and the campground is well cared for. The road into Toquart is usually pretty good but is gravel so your car will get dirty. I have driven a Honda Accord in there on a couple of occasions as well as a pickup.

Watch for wolves out on Effingham Is. I saw one there two years ago and if you like fishing, it can be good in May if the wind is not roaring. Definitely rig for rain with at least one tarp. Some good caves in Broken Group and many in the Deer Group as well as arches.

I have made 7+ trips to Broken Group and 1 trip to Deer Group, if I can help with questions let me know.

[krudave]

Al,

I'm a BG and DG devotee, also. Is there a 12-step program for us?

Word is that the Toquart Bay CG and launch area passes to the natives this year, so what that might mean for kayakers is unknown. Have you heard anything? I frequent West Coast Paddler. a Victoria-centered forum (similar to this one), and many of the Canadians there are up in arms about the shift in stewardship from the Province to the Bands. They are concerned about the possibility of invigorated development and/or being squeezed off beaches and campspots kayakers have traditionally used.

I think Willi and Greg and ??? want to avoid that road, and take the steamer out of Port Alberni. If Toquart Bay is usable, I think I would launch there.

[alpalmer]

Dave, the only twelve step program I know about is the one where at least once a year you have to take twelve steps to start another trip to Barkley Sound. I was hooked after the first time in 1987 and have never been able to shake it. I love it up there.

I have talked extensively with the campground host that past two years, particularly last year when I was there in May and again in September. The hosts wife is a member of the band that will operate the park. He communicated a sense of optimism about the area and did not feel that radical changes would occur right away. If my memory serves me right, camp rates were $12/night, parking was $3/night. The host said that those would remain so for 2008. Thing to remember is that these rates have not gone up in quite a few years and are probably some of the least expensive for Vancouver Is. He said that the big plan they have for the area is to possibly bring potable water in and install running water bathrooms with showers. I like how they are keeping the area clean and tidy. I have never had vehicle theft problems or noise issues while staying there.

While it is possible the area will be developed further, that is the case everwhere. At this point, I'm comfortable with what I have been told. I believe gas prices will have a sobering effect on the usage at Toquart and that will reign in any "grand ideas" for the area. When I was there last year, the place was empty, granted both times were shoulder season but the host indicated usage was way down. It was and probably will alwys be a busy place during the peak summer season but on the shoulder, oh so sweet.

[krudave]

Al, your experience at TB jives with mine. I appreciate the more informed perspective you have and am hopeful TB will continue more or less as it has been. Reports from others suggested more development there in the form of enhancement of the marina.

For sure, bringing in potable water will make it a much more attractive campspot for everybody. I'd gladly pay more than the nominal rates I've experienced recently. Those figures fit what I paid in 2005. Three bucks a night is the parking tariff at the launch site in Bamfield, also. I am very happy to pay to play, especially when the money goes into the local infrastructure.