The Gulf Islands National Park Reserve has published a reminder to users of the park that part of Sidney Island -- the park area north of the prominent fence line -- is closed to the public from November 1st 2014 through February 28, 2015. You can find notice of this annual closure in the Times-Colonist.
The park area south of the day-use area on Sidney Spit is closed during the winter for public safety reasons, to facilitate hunting by First Nations during this time. The fallow deer on Sidney Island have become so numerous that a cull is necessary to reduce their numbers.
Though the day-use area of the island is still open to the public, and the mooring buoys and the spit itself are available for boaters to use, it is a good idea for kayakers and other boat users to plan visiting other parts of GINPR until the closure is lifted March 1st.
Showing posts with label Sidney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sidney. Show all posts
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Return to The Little Group
The ground hog did say six WEEKS, right? Not six MONTHS? The Spring That Never Came grinds on, with day-time highs well below normal and forecast to remain that way at least until the middle of May. The furnace is still coming on at night, for #$%#'s sake!
But today seemed more like a sunny summer day as Louise and I met Paula in Sidney to kayak out to The Little Group, a small clump of rocky islands and rocks that we haven't visited in quite some time.
We put in at the beach at the beach at the of Ardwell Road. As we left Roberts Bay, something very big broke the surface beside Paula a couple of times. We guessed it was a sea lion.
As we arrived at our first stop at Ker Island, we saw an eagle dive-bombing some geese. I thought it was a bit odd, as I wouldn't think an eagle go after something that big. Then again, we've seen an eagle after it brought down a raccoon on a previous paddle. The eagle flew off across the channel and we lost track of it for a moment. Suddenly, all the geese in the area took off and flew squawking and honking towards a small pocket beach where the eagle had landed. It had caught something, we weren't sure what. But whatever was going on, the geese were in a commotion. Finally, the eagle had had enough, and took off.
It obviously has something, was it a fish or a gosling? We didn't see any goslings around.
Maybe the eagle had got a small duck....
...but these harlequin ducks didn't seem too perturbed.
From there we headed to a couple of islets where we played a bit in the currents. We stopped in front of a rock outcropping that we call The Sphinx.
From there we carried on to Dock Island, where we found a few eagles relaxing.
We headed back and passed a rock near Ker Island that was covered in seals.
We gave them a wide clearance as its probably birthing season right now.
As we went by Ker Island on our return, right at the point that the eagle was hunting earlier, we finally saw some goslings...
....which confirmed for us that that's what the eagle had caught earlier.
And all too soon our paddle was over.
Trip Length: 9.31 km
YTD: 60.23 km
More pictures are here.
But today seemed more like a sunny summer day as Louise and I met Paula in Sidney to kayak out to The Little Group, a small clump of rocky islands and rocks that we haven't visited in quite some time.
We put in at the beach at the beach at the of Ardwell Road. As we left Roberts Bay, something very big broke the surface beside Paula a couple of times. We guessed it was a sea lion.
As we arrived at our first stop at Ker Island, we saw an eagle dive-bombing some geese. I thought it was a bit odd, as I wouldn't think an eagle go after something that big. Then again, we've seen an eagle after it brought down a raccoon on a previous paddle. The eagle flew off across the channel and we lost track of it for a moment. Suddenly, all the geese in the area took off and flew squawking and honking towards a small pocket beach where the eagle had landed. It had caught something, we weren't sure what. But whatever was going on, the geese were in a commotion. Finally, the eagle had had enough, and took off.
It obviously has something, was it a fish or a gosling? We didn't see any goslings around.
Maybe the eagle had got a small duck....
...but these harlequin ducks didn't seem too perturbed.
From there we headed to a couple of islets where we played a bit in the currents. We stopped in front of a rock outcropping that we call The Sphinx.
From there we carried on to Dock Island, where we found a few eagles relaxing.
We headed back and passed a rock near Ker Island that was covered in seals.
We gave them a wide clearance as its probably birthing season right now.
As we went by Ker Island on our return, right at the point that the eagle was hunting earlier, we finally saw some goslings...
....which confirmed for us that that's what the eagle had caught earlier.
And all too soon our paddle was over.
Trip Length: 9.31 km
YTD: 60.23 km
More pictures are here.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Portland Island
Sunny. Very warm. Slight breeze. Totally flat calm. Gentle currents that ran with us instead of against us. Ferries that were exactly where we wanted them to be when we needed them to be (probably because we weren't actually trying to catch one). You could not ask for a better day. Well, I suppose you could ask, but that would be greedy.
Louise, Tracy, Paula and myself got together yesterday to kayak from Sidney to Portland Island. And not even the latest heat wave was going to stop us!
We meandered up the various channels and islands towards our first crossing at Coal Island...
...spotting this heron along the way.
From Coal Island, we crossed to Pym and into the open waters of the Gulf Islands, after making sure there were no ferries about. There's a lot of pleasure boat traffic in this area, so kayakers must keep their eyes peeled for small craft as well as massive ferries.
From Pym, we crossed to Portland and put in for a break at Shell Beach.
The mystery of Louise's recent bouts of nausea of the water may have been solved. She recently purchased some new contact lenses, and we grew suspicious that they were contributing to her motion sickness. Today she wore an old pair of glasses and she didn't suffer from any symptoms. Mind you, it was an utterly flat calm, but we're hopeful we may have found the cause of her problem. We left Portland for the return paddle...
..ever mindful that we are out playing in the big traffic.
Two swans welcomed us back to the sheltered waters near our pull-out.
Did we have a good time? I'd say yes!
Trip Length: 14.55 km
YTD: 162.39 km
More pictures are here.
Louise, Tracy, Paula and myself got together yesterday to kayak from Sidney to Portland Island. And not even the latest heat wave was going to stop us!
We meandered up the various channels and islands towards our first crossing at Coal Island...
...spotting this heron along the way.
From Coal Island, we crossed to Pym and into the open waters of the Gulf Islands, after making sure there were no ferries about. There's a lot of pleasure boat traffic in this area, so kayakers must keep their eyes peeled for small craft as well as massive ferries.
From Pym, we crossed to Portland and put in for a break at Shell Beach.
The mystery of Louise's recent bouts of nausea of the water may have been solved. She recently purchased some new contact lenses, and we grew suspicious that they were contributing to her motion sickness. Today she wore an old pair of glasses and she didn't suffer from any symptoms. Mind you, it was an utterly flat calm, but we're hopeful we may have found the cause of her problem. We left Portland for the return paddle...
..ever mindful that we are out playing in the big traffic.
Two swans welcomed us back to the sheltered waters near our pull-out.
Did we have a good time? I'd say yes!
Trip Length: 14.55 km
YTD: 162.39 km
More pictures are here.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Dances With Wakes
A good trip out to Portland Island and back today.
Today was a great day for weather. Barely a breeze to cool us just a little. It might have been even nicer to be out on a day ten degrees cooler than thirty-something Celsius, but we weren't complaining! We just drank water and tried to sweat productively.
John took this photo last week at Mill Bay, but it works for today as well. That's me, trying to channel my inner Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue model.
Don't like it? Well, the next time you're wearing a wetsuit and PFD, you can try to hold up your... never mind.Back to today's paddle. It was also a great day for the tides and currents. We set out from Roberts Bay near Sidney with plenty of beach, but the tide was only half out so we didn't get muddy feet and boats. Past Goudge Island and Coal Island, we crossed to Pym Island and made the big leap to the Princess Margaret Marine Park on Portland Island, now part of the Gulf Islands Marine Park.
By the time we reached Portland, there was plenty of shell beach. This was my first trip to Portland, and Tracey, Louise, and John were kind enough to hang out within earshot so I'd keep an even keel during the crossing. Even the ferries co-operated and were exactly where we needed them to be at exactly the right time.
In fact, the only thing worth complaining about at all was the number of motor vessels who wanted to cross our path... or zoom along right towards us! There were a few paddles waved overhead to get the attention of the motor boat operators. The resulting wakes gave a good name for this particular kayak outing: Dances With Wakes. I find it odd how the boat motors are so LOUD, with the sound bouncing around between the islands. The blue exhaust doesn't disperse quickly, either.
Portland Island is an absolute gem of a place, wonderful to visit quickly as we did, staying long enough for a drink, snack, and pee break. It will be even more wonderful to camp here sometime soon. This part of the Gulf Islands Marine Park is easy to get to and a good place for multi-day kayaking trips, like Bernie's trips that he's written about here and here.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Plan R
The plan was to put in at Patricia Bay Park and kayak towards the north end of Saanich Peninsula. That was the plan.
But we had never put in here before and when we arrived we found that the tide was waaaaaay out further than we'd anticipated, and the path to the beach, though paved, was not particularly kayaker friendly.
Now, a lesson on the difference between theoretical and practical. Yes, theoretically it was possible for us to carry our kayaks down the couple of hundred metres of path to the steep and rocky stairs, carry our kayaks down those stairs, and then carry our kayaks over more hundreds of metres of squooshy tidal flats to get the ocean and launch. But practically, we're pretty lazy.
Thus endeth the lesson.
Louise, Alison and I all shared the same lack of enthusiasm for launching here, so we huddled to form Plan B. (Actually, it was more like Plan R by the time we agreed, but why bore you with the details of the negotiations.)
One good thing about this spot is that we were right under the landing approach for the main runway at Victoria airport. So if you like jet planes whizzing over your head, this is the place to be.
On to Plan R, er, Plan B. We decided to launch from Tulista Park in Sidney. From there, we would head south down the coast and explore an area we hadn't kayaked before.
We headed out under another sunny and warm day. The monster heat wave we've suffered through over the last week has eased off some, and the temperatures are down to more normal levels. (However, if you've grown accustomed to my complaints about the heat and worry that they might be gone for good, there is hope for you. The current long-range forecast shows the heat returning in about 12 days.)
The usual assortment of critters were out: herons...
...more herons...
and the occasional eagle.
We paddled against the flooding tide and the wind, but the wind would disappear for extended periods which allowed us to enjoy a few moments on an almost flat sea.
Eventually we had to turn around and the trip back turned into a bit of fun. With the current and wind behind us, our speed picked up and as we approached our landing site back at the park, we got into some really bouncy water.
It was a great paddle, the kind that would put a smile on anyone's face!
Trip Length: 9.63 km
YTD: 201.73 km
More pics are here.
The Google Earth kmz is here.
But we had never put in here before and when we arrived we found that the tide was waaaaaay out further than we'd anticipated, and the path to the beach, though paved, was not particularly kayaker friendly.
Now, a lesson on the difference between theoretical and practical. Yes, theoretically it was possible for us to carry our kayaks down the couple of hundred metres of path to the steep and rocky stairs, carry our kayaks down those stairs, and then carry our kayaks over more hundreds of metres of squooshy tidal flats to get the ocean and launch. But practically, we're pretty lazy.
Thus endeth the lesson.
Louise, Alison and I all shared the same lack of enthusiasm for launching here, so we huddled to form Plan B. (Actually, it was more like Plan R by the time we agreed, but why bore you with the details of the negotiations.)
One good thing about this spot is that we were right under the landing approach for the main runway at Victoria airport. So if you like jet planes whizzing over your head, this is the place to be.
On to Plan R, er, Plan B. We decided to launch from Tulista Park in Sidney. From there, we would head south down the coast and explore an area we hadn't kayaked before.
We headed out under another sunny and warm day. The monster heat wave we've suffered through over the last week has eased off some, and the temperatures are down to more normal levels. (However, if you've grown accustomed to my complaints about the heat and worry that they might be gone for good, there is hope for you. The current long-range forecast shows the heat returning in about 12 days.)
The usual assortment of critters were out: herons...
...more herons...
and the occasional eagle.
We paddled against the flooding tide and the wind, but the wind would disappear for extended periods which allowed us to enjoy a few moments on an almost flat sea.
Eventually we had to turn around and the trip back turned into a bit of fun. With the current and wind behind us, our speed picked up and as we approached our landing site back at the park, we got into some really bouncy water.
It was a great paddle, the kind that would put a smile on anyone's face!
Trip Length: 9.63 km
YTD: 201.73 km
More pics are here.
The Google Earth kmz is here.
A change of plans
The plan was to paddle Patricia Bay, and it was a good idea and we'd checked out possible launching places. Only when we arrived early this morning at 8am the water hadn't cooperated and it was a long long walk to get it. We decided to go to Sidney and the boat launch instead, but at $8.00 just to launch we parked at Tulista Park and rolled the kayaks to the launch, while Alison carried hers.
It was a beautiful day with some chop and some calm water too.
As we paddled along we spotted a few herons. This one stayed still, but we missed photographing one that flew right over John.
I spotted the eagle in the tree this time! This is the first time I've captured a few eagle shots as I normally can't zoom in close enough with my camera. John can and gets much better photographs of course.
The goal was to go to the spit but it never seemed to get closer. Reminding us of 15 minute island. Instead we decided to keep paddling until John told us we'd reached 5km on the GPS and then we would turn around. So we paddled into the sun.
Here's John checking the GPS as we now had to reach our 5km goal.
Just before we headed back I got these great photographs of Alison and John.
While taking this one of John I noted a neat reflection in his sunglasses.
A little zoom in....and I'm in the photograph too.
Coming back we got to surf and going into the boat launch the waves were a bit choppy but all in all a really nice paddle.
It was a beautiful day with some chop and some calm water too.
As we paddled along we spotted a few herons. This one stayed still, but we missed photographing one that flew right over John.
I spotted the eagle in the tree this time! This is the first time I've captured a few eagle shots as I normally can't zoom in close enough with my camera. John can and gets much better photographs of course.
The goal was to go to the spit but it never seemed to get closer. Reminding us of 15 minute island. Instead we decided to keep paddling until John told us we'd reached 5km on the GPS and then we would turn around. So we paddled into the sun.
Here's John checking the GPS as we now had to reach our 5km goal.
Just before we headed back I got these great photographs of Alison and John.
While taking this one of John I noted a neat reflection in his sunglasses.
A little zoom in....and I'm in the photograph too.
Coming back we got to surf and going into the boat launch the waves were a bit choppy but all in all a really nice paddle.
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