Kayaking and Canoeing

This section describes trips that I've done in kayaks, canoes, (and sailboats). I've been a sailor for most of my life and more recently have been paddling and canoeing. One friend observed that I have a pattern of going further and further north in smaller and smaller boats. After thinking about that for a while he predicted that I would end up at the north pole with tiny boats carved out of grains of rice.

In 1999 I bought a kayak and started doing trips on the west coast of British Columbia.

In 2003 Marie and I bought a Ally folding canoe and we paddled the Sheenjek. We are planning more arctic outings in the future.

Pictures of kayaking

Trips

1995 Sailing the Straight of Georgia. In 1995 I sailed my San Juan 24, the Gray Gull, up to the northern end of Vancouver island on a four week trip.
 
1996 Noatak River, Alaska. In the summer of 1996 I paddled the Noatak river in Alaska. We few in from Bettles to the headwaters were canoes were waiting for us. From there we hiked a little, then paddled to Noatak village were we dropped of the canoes and few to Kotzabue. The Noatak is generally easy paddling and is one of the largest wilderness river basins left.
 
1999 Hakai Recreation Area, BC. Last summer I did my first long sea kayaking trip in the Hakai Recreation area on the central coats of British Columbia, near Bella Bella. I started solo in Klemtu and paddled for 10 days, eventually making my way to Bella Bella. There I met Marie, Paul, and Wendy at they ferry. Together we paddled through Hakai for 14 days. At the end of the trip we got picked up mid-channel by the Discovery coast ferry.
 
2000 Queen Charlotte Islands:  
 
2001 Bunsbies: Really a trip from Espanoza Inlet to the Brooks Peninsula, including the Bunsbie islands. August, 2001.
 
2002 Broken Group: I've slowly been working my way down the coast to ever more popular and accessible destinations. In 2002, having less time for a trip, Maire and I went to the Broken Group with our friend Steve, who was new to paddling.
 
2003 Sheenjek: In 2003 we went back to Alaska for a river trip: 17 days paddling down the Sheenjek river in the North East corner of the state.
 
2004, 2005

God's Pocket: Marie and I do shorter trips around the Broken Group and God's Pocket

 
2008 Cape Caution: In 2008 Marie and I took the ferry up the BC mid coast. We got dropped off at the same place we were picked up in 1999, paddled south from there, rounded Cape Cuation, crossed Queen Charlotte Straight, and paddled into Port Hardy.

Equipment

General gear comments.

Techniques and Equipment



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Page last modified:  Sep 05 00:45 2011  by  Tom Unger