Stand Up Paddling with Sharks

Ever wondered what it would be like to stand up paddleboard with sharks in the water? Probably something like this video embedded below:

Ultralite Pack Paddle review

Got a minute, so I'll post a more detailed review of a new paddle I received this summer. I've been so glad to try out the Ultralite Pack Paddle, which you can find on the Advanced Elements website page for paddles. All their paddles are on the one page, just scroll down to find the Ultralite near the bottom. A few days ago I took it with me when paddling my Lagoon in a sheltered cove.

At 20 ounces (a pound and a quarter, or under 570 grams) the AE5005 Ultralite Pack Paddle certainly is light, as its listing said. I couldn't help comparing it with the 2.7 pound (about 1200 grams) AE3034 Touring 4-Part Paddle, which I've used for three years now. Both of these models are more than long enough to be suitable for paddling with these wide inflatables.

This is the AE5005 Ultralite

This is the AE3034 Touring

I liked how both of these paddles take apart into four pieces, which makes it possible to carry the paddle inside the zippered-shut bag for a Lagoon. That's the best thing about these paddles, after five years of stuffing a two-piece paddle into the bag and leaving the shafts sticking out at one end of the zipper.

Something you can't see in these photos is that the metal shaft of the Touring has a plastic sleeve on it, to reduce the feeling of cold. The uncovered metal of the Ultralite's shaft is all right for me. I usually wear paddling gloves, the kind with short fingers, so a cold metal shaft is not a deal-breaker for me even though the sea water where I live is about 7C or 40F year-round. (Cold!)

The black colour of both paddles works for me. If I ever think it's too dark or sombre, I'll put some bright reflective tape on the blades like my husband put on his paddles.

Something that wasn't mentioned on the AE website's Paddles product page is that the Ultralite has a small diameter shaft. The feeling is really very different from a standard shaft! I have small hands and usually find a standard shaft is a bit larger than my ideal. The Ultralite's shaft is smaller than my ideal. It would be a terrific size for a teen or child. I'd also recommend trying this shaft for a person with a problem gripping tightly -- pad this shaft with some pipe insulation and see if it is easier to grip! That's how I intend to use this paddle for a friend with rheumatoid arthritis, when we go out in a StraitEdge2 again this summer.

Unfortunately, there are two ways the Ultralite dissatisfies me. The paddle when assembled has more "shimmy" in it than I like. Many take-apart paddles have a little shimmy at the joins. But the Ultralite has way more shimmy than the Touring, enough that I inspected each join to see if any looked looser than the others. Nope, all looked fine. The shimmy made the Ultralite seem a bit flimsy. I felt like I could bend the shaft in my hands like Superman. I wonder how sturdy the Ultralite is in challenging conditions.

I was also not really satisfied with the way the Ultralite blades bite the water. It seemed inefficient, like paddling with a hockey stick. Maybe I'm too used to the dihedral blades of the Touring. I'll have to go get my scoop blade carbon paddle out of storage, and borrow my husband's Greenland paddle, to have some variety.

My plans are to use the Ultralite when paddling my Lagoon in sheltered flat water that I've reached by bus or on foot, so the light weight of the paddle will be a real asset. It will be good to have a small shaft paddle to loan to my friends with small or disabled hands. The Ultralite could also be a convenient spare, to carry in case someone in my kayaking group breaks a paddle. I suspect that conditions which would break my other paddles would break the Ultralite easily.

Bottom line: this is a paddle that weighs half as much as my other paddles. When ounces of weight matter, I'll use it. In challenging conditions, I'll use my Touring paddle.


Editor's Note: When Paula compares one of the paddles to "paddling with a hockey stick," she knows exactly what she's talking about. Here's the evidence.

E. coli count -- a factor in urban paddling

The factors determining whether today's a good day to paddle are usually weather -- is it too windy? No visibility can mean no paddling because of too much fog or snow (both have cancelled paddling for our group, once back in 2006) or that smoky orange haze last week from all the forest fires. Of course some gung-ho kayakers figure that any day the sun comes up is a good day to paddle and they're willing to overlook when it might be nighttime. But for urban paddlers, the E. coli count is another factor.

At beaches where a lot of people want to enjoy the water and shore, local health authorities test the water for germs of various kinds. One of the most important is Esherichia coli. Good ol' E. coli is not something you want a lot of in water where you're swimming or even paddling. As my friend Todd Wong says, To paddle or not to paddle at the beaches of Vancouver -- that is the question. An E. coli count of 10 per 100ml for Kitsilano Beach? Fine! But 1184 in East Bay of False Creek... ooo, ya don't want to go there.

Check out the Beach Water Quality Report for the Vancouver area this month. There are some beach postings here by the Vancouver Island Health Authority. Here's a link for Ontario beaches; if you live somewhere else I'm sure you can find your local water quality report or beach warnings.

Paddling Cooper's Cove with a new paddle

Got a minute to get back to writing about that short outing in Cooper's Cove the other day, trying out my new paddle. Things have been busy around here with the move, and I was glad to take the time to go out in a boat.
Cooper's Cove is a nice sheltered place for taking a recreational kayak, and a good place for entering Sooke Basin. I like that there's room for a couple of cars to park, and a loop for turning around. The Galloping Goose bike & hike path is right here, and bus stops for the #61 bus! There's even a kayak rental place right here, and a restaurant.
I sent a SPOT OK signal while paddling here -- you can see my location at this link. Looking at the map just now, I noticed again that sometimes when I'm near a cliff the signal doesn't reach always reach a satellite right away. Half the sky is blocked by the cliff, eh? The signal got through about two minutes later, when I was a few dozen yards away from the cliff and headed towards the launch site. If I really wanted to pinpoint my location up against a cliff, I'd send the signal and stay put for a few minutes, letting the SPOT keep flashing its OK signal till a satellite comes into range.
The paddle I was using is by Advanced Elements, and it's their Ultralite Pack Paddle. At 23.6 ounces, it's certainly lighter than any other paddle I've handled, even my carbon paddle with scoop blades. It comes apart into four pieces, and has its own drawstring bag with a mesh side.
For paddlers needing a paddle to use in challenging conditions, I recommend Advanced Elements' Touring 4-part paddle with dihedral blades rather than the Ultralite. The Touring is what I used on the Red Deer River, though if I were going there again my spare paddle this time would be the Ultralite since the stretch I paddled isn't whitewater. The Touring 4-part paddle is sold through West Marine stores as well as Advanced Elements' website.

MEC Paddlefest Victoria 2015

This morning, Louise and I headed down to Willows Beach for the 2015 iteration of the MEC Paddlefest Victoria. This year's event probably could not have taken place on a better day. With nearly constant sun and nearly no rain since April, today was another gorgeous day. Okay, I'm trying to put a nice face on it -- we're actually facing some extreme drought conditions and forest fire dangers in the province. It's going to be a long, hot summer. But things aren't bad enough that we can't put those thoughts aside for a while and enjoy today's event.


First, Louise and I wandered down to the Ocean River area where we bumped into Ben, and chatted with him for a while as we caught up with each other.


But of course the whole point of a paddlefest is to go paddling, so Louise and I took turns trying out the new Delta 17.

I enjoyed paddling this boat so much that I forgot to take a picture of it.

Then we bumped into our old pal Mark of Kayak Distribution, and spent a while catching up. We're starting to do more talking then paddling at these things.


Another successful paddling event!


Trip length: .10 km
YTD: 8.44 km
More pictures are here.

Kayak Landing Fail

Not every surf landing goes right. But on the other hand, any landing where you finish with a smile is a good one.
Check out the video below:

David Suzuki rescues capsized canoeists at Site C Dam protest

During the Paddle for Peace event on Saturday July 12 along the Peace River, a capsized canoe put several people in danger. Who came to their rescue? David Suzuki and his friend Shirley Ann Reiter, in a story told at this link.
After the rescue, Suzuki gave the keynote address to the people gathered to protest construction of the Site C Dam. Not a bad day, overall.

Kayak Trip Along the Inside Passage

While deep in the bowels of YouTube, I stumbled upon this video chronicling a kayak expedition up The Inside Passage from Vancouver Island to Alaska in 2010. Check it out embedded below:

You're Gonna Need a Bigger Kayak

What would you do if a great white shark swims under your kayak? If you're Giancarlo Thomae, you take out your camera. Two weeks ago, he was paddling off Santa Cruz to check out reports of great whites swimming around offshore. He eventually counted over a dozen.
Check out the video below. Be warned, it's a quick clip, but there's also some pictures here. And check out Giancarlo's website for more great marine life pictures.

The Handyman's Secret Weapon

Vote for Russell in the Canoe & Kayak Awards

Canoe & Kayak Magazine is hosting their 2015 awards on their website. Take a minute while you're doing computer paddling, and vote.
It's a particularly good year to vote for the awards, because we've got a local paddler on the ballot! Russell Henry has been nominated in their Spirit of Adventure category, for completing the fastest circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. We wrote about his circumnavigation here on Kayak Yak blog.
And we have another paddler of our acquaintance on the ballot: Justine Curgenven and her teammate Sarah Outen have been nominated in the Expedition of the Year category.
Really, you can't go wrong voting for any of the nominees, particularly in the Paddle With Purpose category which honours some heart-warming projects.

Puget Sound conditions are getting soup-y

Puget Sound is a terrific place for kayaking... or more precisely, there are several good launching places in the sound. I was glad to enjoy a couple of them last year during a short trip to Whidbey Island. (Yes, John, I am working on my trip report and yes, there are some photos.)
But this summer in particular, there are concerns with the extra-warm conditions leading to algae blooms. If paddlers want to know what conditions to expect, a good online resource is Eyes Over Puget Sound. As their website says:

The Washington Department of Ecology distributes a monthly report combining high resolution aerial photographs with satellite and ground-truthed monitoring data for Puget Sound surface conditions.
Ecology's Marine Monitoring Unit takes monthly samples at 40 core stations throughout the Puget Sound region. During a transit flight between stations, monitoring team member Dr. Christopher Krembs takes photographs of surface water conditions in the Sound. These high-resolution images are combined with satellite photos, ferry data between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. and measurements from instruments moored in the Sound to create the Eyes Over Puget Sound report.The report observes changes in water conditions that can be seen on the surface, such as algal blooms, wildlife activity, and oil spills, and provides contextual and interpretive data. Reports are released within two days of observations and have been published monthly since April 2011.

While I'm not sure about that word "ground-truthed" I'm sure the reports have the details I'd want to know if I were paddling in Puget Sound again. Scroll down for news of algae blooms, jellyfish, and water clouded with sediment that would help small boat users know what to expect in this unexpectedly-hot summer.

It's A Dog's Life Being a Kayaker

Cats supposedly have nine lives, and if dogs are similarly blessed, this six year-old Lab named Rosy may have just used one of them. His two teen-aged humans had brought her down to the shores of Loch Broom in Scotland for an early evening play session. But while the boys swam in the water, Rosy, who hates the water, uncharacteristically climbed into their kayak and launched it. Without a paddle, or PFD for that matter.
When the startled boys realized that their kayak had gone missing, as well as their dog, they quickly commandeered a rowboat and rescued the family pet, but not before bemused neighbours had plastered Rosy's picture all over social media. While the dog remained calm and appeared not at all bothered by her adventure, it might have ended differently as the Loch empties into the nearby Atlantic Ocean. The family is hoping that Rosy's kayaking career is over.

I Was Cheering For The Shark

A Florida kayak fisherman had to swim quickly for cover when a shark he had hooked flipped him and his kayak. Personally, I was pulling for the shark. Check out the video:

Fire Ban in CRD Parks

Hey, paddlers who like to go ashore and cook while day paddling or camping! We just got this press release from the Capital Regional District parks branch, quoted below. If you're in one of the CRD's parks around Victoria -- heck, if you're in any park on the Island or nearby islands -- the dry spell has caused extreme fire risk. Basically, don't light any campfires in a park or even on an isolated beach as the forest is tinder dry. One spark can fly in the wind. If you use a gas barbecue or campstove, be really careful and supervise it carefully.

Information BulletinFor Immediate Release
Monday, July 6, 2015

Fire Ban at Regional Parks Expanded to Include Charcoal Barbeques

Victoria, BC– Effective immediately charcoal brick and briquette barbeques are prohibited at all Regional Parks within the Capital Regional District due to the current extreme fire hazard rating. Propane and gas barbeques are allowed under direct supervision. The campfire ban at Island View Beach and Jordan River Regional Parks Campgrounds remains in effect. The bans are intended to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. Park visitors are asked to be aware of all spark sources and to report forest fires to 911.

-30-

For media inquiries, please contact:Laurie Sthamann, Communications Coordinator CRD Parks & Environmental Services Tel: 250.360.3332 Cell: 250.890.8030

www.crd.bc.ca/parks

Even if you're somewhere that still looks green, the whole province is dry and no rain is likely for another week or two. Check out this video taken by Karl Johanson of a fire that started June 29 on the Panama Flats, where he and Stephanie have paddled their kayaks in Colquitz Creek during winter flooding. The green bushes and trees are flaring up, fast and hot.

Fireworks and Kayaks Don't Always Mix

A Michigan kayker badly injured his leg and blew up two kayaks when the fireworks he was igniting exploded prematurely. Another kayaker was also injured. The man dropped the fireworks mortar into the water between the two kayaks when he realized the powder had ignited early.

Kayakers Rescue Dolphin

Here's your "feel good" kayak story of the week. Kayakers in Scotland saved a dolphin from drowning. Investigating after being advised by someone on shore that there was a dolphin in distress, they discovered three juvenille dolphins near shore. However, one was trapped in seaweed and was slowing being pulled underwater and in danger of drowning. The kayakers managed to free the dolphin from the seaweed and direct it back out to open water. In return, it gave them a couple of joyous jumps.
Check out the video embedded below:

Cooper's Cove in a new kayak!

Today I had a chance to do two great things. One was to paddle in Cooper's Cove, which we've visited before as you can see at these posts, but I haven't been here in a boat for years. The other was to try out my new inflatable kayak!
Yes, I have a little fleet of kayak, and a number of them are inflatable. Yes, this one is a new model of one I already have. I've been using it for seven years, and oi, these puppies do get a little worn out after a while, y'know?
At any rate, I'll write a better post soon with a review comparing this model of kayak to the others I've paddled. For now, I'll say WOW, and close with a link to my SPOT message showing my location on this sunny day as the tide was coming up to full tide slack.

Canada Day Paddle

Louise and I went for our annual Canada Day Paddle on the Gorge. Every year, Gorge Road is closed for a mile-long block party.

We don't usually see much wild life on our Canada Day paddles -- most of it finds something better to do than hang around with a few thousand humans while they make music, eat food and play road hockey -- but we did see something fitting for this day: Canada geese.


A quick paddle to the bridge and back and we were done. Time to get ready for the fireworks!




Trip length: 3.39 km
YTD: 8.34 km
More pictures are here.