Gulf Islands Sea Kayaking-Crossing Sansum Narrows

 

Heading out of Maple Bay on the south side, there is a long stretch of shore before a gap in the land-Sansum Narrows. This gap feels the rush of water as the tides change, creating rips and eddies. Paddling a sea kayak through the narrows or crossing it is best done near slack current. Here, we cross it at about 1 hour past slack and get a little bit of the choppy swirl about two-thirds of the way across. This is some of the fun with more advanced sea kayaking skills-playing in currents.

Take a Virtual Sea Kayak Tour in the Gulf Islands-Burgoyne Bay on Salt Spring Island

Why Hike the North Coast Trail?

British Columbia’s new coastal hike at the north end of Vancouver Island, the North Coast Trail, is an addition to the wild beauty of Cape Scott Provincial Park. The new North Coast Trail is a treat, and every avid hiker needs to know why. I've outlined a few reasons below:

The Trail is New

There are no Crowds

Reflections of the old West Coast Trail

The Gem at the End

After traveling the rough coastal trail, it is a treat to walk the flatter areas Cape Scott Provincial Park, meandering along the trails exploring the old settlement areas as they are reclaimed by the ever-present wildness of the area. Cape Scott on its own is worth the effort to see. It is absolutely beautiful, with its sandy beaches, lakes, lagoons, and coves. To read more reasons, visit the full article at "Why Hike the North Coast Trail?".

Cape Scott Light Station and North Coast Trail-360 view

North Coast Trail Video from March 31

MEC Paddlefest Sunny But Not Well Attended

We had a beautiful sunny day at the MEC Paddlefest in Victoria, BC today, but attendance at this event is waning. A lot of the old diehard paddlers were there and a few new ones, but there may have been a third to a half of the people as last year. It's too bad, but people are finding other things to do. Anyway, it was good for us to be out in the sun at the beach.

Quite a few people did take part in the on-water stuff, including some free mini-courses and boat/paddle demos. Hoping things pick up next year!


Photos:

MEC Paddlefest this Saturday in Victoria, BC

Coastal Bliss will be at the MEC Paddlefest at Cadboro Bay on Saturday, June 5. We will be highlighting our tours and letting people try out our Swift Paddles. Come ready for fun!