WAKE November 98 Newsletter
WAKE November 98 Newsletter
Winter Planning
The November Board Meeting was typical. Several issues were
addressed in a highly vocal manner. The thread of the conversation
became confused, but in the end plans were made!
Both the December Potluck dinner and the Kayak Swap Meet will be
repeated this year. Owing to their popularity and the boards
inability to think of anything else to do.
The December Solstice/Hanukah/Xmas party will sub for a Dec.
meeting and is currently slated for Dec. 11 in the Lake Samish Park
lodge. The Club will provide ham and turkey (cooked by President
Peggy herself). Members and guests should bring their best homemade
food to share with all. As before, the event will be B.Y.O.B.
There will also be a silent auction for various kayaking articles
the proceeds go to Disabled Sports Northwest, to help their
constantly strapped kayak programs. Be sure to get in your bid on the
parasail kayak kite. This same kite/sail has been raffled off at
every W.A.K.E. potluck in recent memory but it always seems to get
donated back to the club. It is reported that this kite has only been
used once!
Last year’s successful Kayak Swap Meet will be repeated. Once
again Tom Emrich will be the coordinator. Once again the location
will be Lake Samish County Park. Due to rumors that people has
trouble finding the event last year I hope to print a map in the
newsletter at a later date. The tentative date is March 20. It is
hoped that Swap Meet 99 will have even more people involved than last
year.
December 20th W.A.K.E. and W.W.U. will cosponsor a slide
presentation (at W.W.U.) by Doug Sundberg. The title is “Another Log
in Baja”.
For Newyears day President Peggy wishes to repeat last years
paddle to Squalicum Harbor for a 10:00 brunch. See the December
newsletter for details
November Meeting
Jim Stedman will lead a slide show presentation. Sort of a “Best
of W.A.K.E.” We have commitment from several members who will bring
their favorite kayak related slides to share.
Anyone can participate. Members are encouraged to bring 10 or 15
of their best slides to show. It would be best if the slides were
already in their own slide tray and ready to go.
The content of the January and February meeting is not yet firm.
Maps and Birds seem to be likely subjects.
The Rotation of the club’s officers that was announced in a
previous newsletter does not seem to be working out. although Peggy
has committed to serving as President through 1999 Charlie Brown will
be stepping down, as Treasurer, in the near future and John Janney is
only our temporary Vice President.
Simon Brownlie has offered to be our new V.P. hopefully this can
all be put to a vote and new officers nominated at the Dec. 11
Solstice Party/Meeting.
Editor’s stuff
This month I have a rare surplus of trip reports I am saving Wayne
and Betty Sagers article on the Blackfish Sound/Johnstone Strait area
for the next issue.
Send your trip reports, opinions, cartoons, poetry, scathing
satire, etc. to 1344 Grant St. Bellingham WA. 98225 or e-mail to
arthurkayk@aol.com. Deadline is the morning of the second Tuesday of
the month, or whatever day I have off that is close to that. Members
selling used equipment may advertise for free. Unless told to do
otherwise I will drop your ad after one issue. Business card sized
ads can be published for $5 and issue.
E-mail is probably the best way to send me stuff. I also accept
things on disk. Short items can be phoned in.
Dues Reminder
Please take note of the expiration date, under your address on the
newsletter, and pay on time. You don’t want to get The Squid!
Stuff You Need To Know
The Bellingham Aquatic Center (the pool) is open for kayak rolling
and rescue practice from 11:30 AM to 1:00 Sundays also 8:00 PM to
9:00 Tuesdays and Thursdays when we must share the water with other
activities. Swim meets may preempt us. Call 647-7665
Whatcom County Parks and Rec. Dept. offers Kayaking classes and
trips. Call 733-2900 or 592-5161
W.A.K.E. Website:
http://www.memes.com/~temrich/wake.HTML.
Regular updates and an accurate calendar. If you loose this copy Tom
is putting the newsletter on line (when he has time).
The Eddyline store in Anacortes offers a 10% discount to W.A.K.E.
members on all accessories(kayaks, paddles and sale items excluded).
Saturday Paddles and Other Events
The Saturday trips continue, more or less, as usual. We normally
meet at the Hagen’s grocery store parking lot at 210 36th St.
Bellingham, in the Sehome Village Shopping Center. Normal meeting
time is at 9:00 AM.
Time and meeting place are both subject to change so check the
Calendar section of the newsletter. On days when we have a
pre-planned destination there should be a contact person for that
paddle. It is recommended that anyone wishing to participate phone
(or e-mail ) the contact person well in advance.
You can still “just show up” but you run the risk of finding that
the time or place have been changed, the event canceled or, in a few
cases, being told by the leader that your skills or physical
condition or not adequate for the trip.
On Saturdays with no planned destination we can all just meet at
Haggen’s at 9:00 and go wherever (Probably Chuckanut Island).
Calendar
Nov. 14 The President leads a paddle to Bowman Bay.Contact Peggy
734-1639
Nov. 17 Meeting. 7:15 Slide show at the Fairhaven Library.
Everyone bring 10 pr 12 slides
Dec. 2 WWU co- sponsors a slide show with W.A.K.E. Doug Sundberg
shows pictures of Baja.
Dec. 11. Xmas, Hanukkah, Solstice party. At the Lake Samish day
lodge, 6:00 to 11:00pm. B.Y.O.B. Silent Auction to benefit Disabled
Sports Northwest.
Jan. 1 Newyears Day Paddle to a Brunch? 10:00 am Contact Peggy
734-1639
On or around Mar. 20 1999 2nd annual Kayak Swap Meet. Probably at
Lake Samish County Park.
Advertising
FOUND
PFD on the beach at Burrows Bay. Call 855-1090 to Identify.
FOR SALE
Perception Pirouette whitewater kayak excellent condition.
includes spray skirt.$450.
Custom wood sea kayak 18' X 21" with retractable skeg used 3
times.$1000
New Wave Strobe whitewater kayak like new. Excellent surf boat for
person under 6'1".
855-1090 or cmitch@fidalgo.net
Apology
From Al Hartman
Sorry, after many months of assurances that open kayaking sessions
will be held in the Fidalgo Pool every Tuesday evening beginning in
October, I have just learned that the Fidalgo Center Commissioners
have disapproved this program. Initially the delay of implementation
of the once approved open kayaking program was supposedly due to
difficulties in securing two lifeguards to work each open kayaking
session, a new policy. Paul Monohan, one commissioner who has
supported open kayaking, reported that a commercial group recently
had not cleaned their boats before placing them in the pool and left
gravel, sea weed and other debris in the water. He indicated that a
few members of the Center staff do not want kayakers in the pool
period; the mess left by the commercial instruction group gives them
ammunition in support of their no kayak policy. I had already gotten
that message from the stalling behavior of the head lifeguard who
week after week failed to find lifeguards for the evening open
kayaking program. In reality, well behaved, not in need of a platoon
of lifeguards, reasonably adult kayakers and their carefully cleaned
boats hardly contribute significantly to the load of human and
equipment debris that requires everyday cleaning and maintenance; we
are not the persons who have frequently deposited things in the pool
that require its’ immediate closure let alone immediate vacuuming. We
have held a series of open kayaking sessions this year and had no
problems with boats or people. I had heard, though, that the
commissioners were upset about our negotiated twenty five dollar an
hour pool fee, they wanted more. I suspect that the bottom line of
pool policy is money and nothing else.
The pool board has recently approved another program for teaching
kids basic skills at $40 a person for just three hours of
instruction. The instructor and at least half of the students come
all the way from Seattle-more likely Bellevue. I have learned that we
can use the pool for an hour early Sunday morning once a month before
this group arrives. The reasoning behind this magnanimous offer is
that since we will dirty the pool and since another group will
immediately follow, the staff will need to clean up the mess just
once a month and not run the risk of having an early Wednesday
morning exercise people injured by gravel deposited by kayaks on the
bottom of the pool. This ploy, actually a sop, is clever; the new
policy doesn’t completely exclude a portion of our Anacortes/Fidalgo
Island community from a public facility but makes pool usage by us
property tax paying, older kayakers inconvenient at best. The
commissioners latest offer completely ignores the concept of having a
weekly program designed to help folks maintain their kayaking skills
and learn new ones.
But take heart folks, all is not lost, we still have the option of
renting the pool in the evening. The cost will be forty dollars per
hour, up fifteen dollars from last season, and so we need to get
monetary commitments from participants to defray the expense. This
cost is actually less than the fifty two dollars per session that the
Center expected to receive if the open kayaking program was to
continue; the commissioners had given us a four month trial period to
show a profit to the Center, forget about service to all members of
our community. So what can we do to modify the newly minted Center’s
policy? First, we can attend the commissioner’s meetings-second
Tuesdays at 7:15 p.m.- and voice our views. Second, we can take full
advantage of that wonderful characteristic of a democratic
community-VOTE for representatives and policies that are fair and
reasonable for the community in part and at large!
Deception Pass
by Susan Larssen
The witchery and lure of the churning, icy cold water of Deception
Pass was captivating. So captivating and distracting that it allowed
me to tune out my internal cacophony of warning bells and blundering
premonitions.
Short changed during childhood of the fundamentals of personal
safekeeping, I had little fear of danger or discomfort. My foremost
concern was the embarrassment and flagrant displays of my novice
skills culminating in an unceremonious dunk in the bay.
With determination I approached my kayak. If there is a point of
no return in kayak entry, I had arrived there. Half in and half out I
sensed something was very wrong...kerplunk! Lying on my side in six
inches of water, still half in half out, I tried to recover this
aborted entry while quickly losing hope of salvaging any part of it
to minimize damage, mostly to my bruised bottom. I laughed in
disbelief that I had managed to capsize my kayak before I had gotten
the stern off the beach. Collecting my wits, my second attempt was
almost flawless and considerably drier.
Our group numbered twelve; consisting mostly of highly skilled
kayakers, a few experienced kayakers and a couple of greenhorns. A
quick review of safety rules with a course plan that included testing
the current and practicing various skills in the eddies and along the
eddylines. With the business and safety side behind us we were off
with Chris Mitchell in the lead. Approaching a small island off
Cornet Bay I could see deserted summer cabins nestled in the
thickness of trees. Autumn leaves of red, gold and orange were cast
with abandon across the ground and along the shore. Slowly we flowed
towards the passageway, pulled gently by the ebbing tide.
Rounding the north side of the island I glimpsed a breathtaking,
first view of Deception Pass from water level. Scattered along our
course were small islands, each offering an excuse to stop and learn
firsthand about eddies. As we approached the pass the fleet gathered.
With final instructions to stay mid channel we shot through the pass
that was edged on both sides with towering rocks and trees. In what
seemed like seconds we arrived on the west side of Deception Island
and were quietly bobbing in the eddy. Two hundred feet above were
dozens of curious eyes looking down in open-mouthed wonder. I looked
up reflecting the same expression.
We took time to frolic in the eddylines and current, like playful
dolphins on a bow wave. One day I too hoped to have the skills to
join them. For now I was content practicing my paddle stroke and
absorbing the serene beauty surrounding me. A beautiful grassy knoll
overlooking the pass provided the perfect place to lunch and share
survival stories while we waited for the tide to flow. Our return
trip took us through Canoe Pass and again offered additional
opportunities for brisk play along the eddylines.
Deception Pass will surely entice me many times again with her
captivating beauty. To those on the trip I want to thank you for
sharing your skills, your talents and mostly your friendship. I look
forward to many more paddles and adventures.
Ross Lake Trip Report
by Noel Collamer
On October 19th., at the beginning of the most beautiful Indian
summer (from where does this phrase come? / PC alternatives?) I've
seen in years, Greg and Linda Brown and I started our 3 day kayak
trip on Ross Lake in the heart of the North Cascades National Park.
We crossed into Canada at Sumas, drove east on Route 1 to the
Silver Lake-Hope Valley exit, and then south on a gravel road 37 km.
to the Skagit Valley and back into the USA. Hozomeen Campground's
boat launch is just over the boarder and has an up close view of
magnificent Mt. Hozomeen. The 122 mile trip from Bellingham to the
boat launch took us about 3 hours.
This was my fourth annual fall foliage kayak trip on Ross Lake.
Unlike the sunny calm weather we were experiencing, two of the three
past years I arrived at the boat launch to high winds and whitecaps.
On those years, I waited out the weather by hiking over the
footbridge into the lovely Chittenden Meadows area at the mouth of
Ross Lake and along the Skagit River Trail from where the road first
crosses the Skagit River at 26 Mile Bridge.
At 2:00 PM, we started paddling the 12+ miles down lake to our
destination at Lightning Creek Campground. On route we had peekaboo
views past Mt. Riggs up Silver Creek to the glaciers on Mt. Spickard.
All the high peaks were dusted with the season's first snow. Further
down lake at Little Beaver Creek we could look up valley to the Twin
Spires and the Ridge of Gendarmes. The predominant view paddling
south is the immense Mt. Jack (Kerouac?) with it's Nohokomeen Glacier
catching the late afternoon sun.
We paddled past our campsite, under the footbridge and up
Lightning Creek just during the few minutes in the late afternoon
that the sunlight floods the canyon. Arriving at our camp, we were
happy to see it's golden leafy glow. Last year, the rains had
stripped the leaves and my friend Craig Olsen and I huddled under the
tarp dressed in all our down and Gore Tex while the cold rain poured
down.
Lighting Creek Campground is a worthy destination for a base camp
on Ross Lake, especially in the fall when the alders golden canopy is
such a welcome contrast to the long cold nights. On site are picnic
tables, fire pits, toilets, and bear proof lockers. There's plenty of
driftwood so you might want to bring a folding saw and hatchet. The
southern views are extensive and there's access to both good paddling
and hiking. Also, Ross Lake is the only place I know of close to home
that you can go for a multi day paddle with a view of old growth
forest without any logging scars. According to a fellow I spoke with
recently who had paddled many of the premier sea kayaking sites, Ross
Lake was his favorite.
Day two was warm and calm. We hiked 800' vertical feet up to the
Lightning Creek trail with it's spectacular views down lake. We took
over 70 photos on the trip. The trail, carpeted with leaves, rolled
gently along the south facing slope through a forest of quaking
golden larch and long needle pine. We returned to camp for lunch and
then paddled across the lake to Skymo Falls and then across again and
into the icy cold, narrow and dark Devil's Creek Canyon. With the
welcome warm sun on our backs, we paddled back to camp. There we met
three brother's who were camped for the night on their six day hike
from Manning Park to Mt. Baker. They had scheduled a boat to shuttle
them across the lake the next morning. After a cheese fondue dinner
by the light of my new Candlelier (3 candle lantern which stores
snugly in an OR padded bottle jacket) Mesmerized by our big fire, we
then scooted into our mummies and gazed up at the many shooting stars
in the dark new moon sky. Leaves floated down through the starry
quiet softly upon us.
Day three was again calm and sunny. I napped in my hammock while
Greg and Linda hiked the level trail going towards Desolation Peak. I
will search out the excellent views to be had from hiking further up
this trail on my next visit. Meanwhile, back at camp, while leaves
settled on my chest as I hammocked, a chipmunk ran across my lap as
if to announce "hey I've cleaned up your camp and I'm still hungry".
On our return to the boat launch, we paddled across the lake and
into Arctic Falls Canyon, Ross Lake's most spectacular waterfall I've
seen. A little further north we were hit by a wintry blast flowing
down Little Beaver Creek Canyon. We found a sunny sheltered site for
lunch with the lake's best view of Mt. Jack. It's a steep rocky
landing at the Little Beaver site, but there are good campsites and a
five mile hike with little elevation gain through old growth forest
to Perry Creek Shelter. The shade covered us shortly after finishing
lunch and we enthusiastically paddled back out into the warm sun.
The late afternoon drive back through the Skagit Valley was
spectacular. Red and gold leaves, glowing in the sun's last rays,
were silhouetted against the dark sheer rock tusks of Mt. Forbidden.
Suggestions: Go after first frost which discourages both the bugs
and the power boaters. You can check the water level by calling Ross
Lake Resort at 206-386-4437 or on-line at
http://www.nps.usace.army.mil/hh/hh-text/images/graphs/ros.gif.
Because of the dry summer, the water level was down 16 feet this
time, twice as much as when I've gone before. It's wasn't as pristine
looking, but plenty of beaches were exposed for easy landings.
As for all backcounry adventures, it's good to leave a detailed
trip plan both with someone at home and on the backcountry permit
just before you launch. In case of Emergency, your contacts at home
can call the Marblemount Ranger Station., which has radio
communication with the Hozomeen Campground Ranger, at 360-873-4590.
Cell phones don't work on the lake.
The Fifth Awesome Desolation Sound Trip
As I saw it-John Janney
Wed. 9 Sept. 1998 I headed north (to Canada) and met the
Internationally Known Kayaker, Merv Davies.
We packed and transferred kayaks, then repacked and, as usual,
took to much food. Early (4:00 AM) Thurs, we arose and headed for
Horseshoe Bay, north of Vancouver where we found out the early ferry
was an hour later than we planned, so we were plenty early.
The rest of the 19 people arrived (19 from Wisconsin), well not
all of them as one vehicle arrived at the ferry terminal a minute
after the gate closed and they had to catch the next ferry, so we had
a 2 hour wait at the put-in.
About halfway to the campsite (a six mile paddle) one of the
kayakers decided to hitch a ride on the power boat that was carrying
the wheel chairs. It didn’t work out too well and after the person
did a wet exit and got the water out of the kayak, we finished the
trip without further incident (his camera did get a saltwater bath).
As we arrived at the campsite the first group got to see a bear,
which promptly left for quieter surroundings. There was a lot of
evidence of bear around the campsite (and on some of our shoes).
The weather was great until evening when it started raining as we
finished setting up our tents. It was the only rain of the trip so no
one complained. Dry weather was with us the next morning (and for the
rest of the trip). We paddled each day and explored the area, had
lunch breaks at some of the rocky beaches. In our spare time we built
steps at the corner of the house up to the deck.
During the evenings, we learned more about Wisconsin and sang some
neat songs around the pseudo campfire (a lantern).
We also discussed the possibility of a kayak trip on Lake Superior
in the Apostle Islands, Boundary Waters or the Painted Rocks Area
next fall.
On our last day, we awoke early (thanks to Merv) and broke camp,
had breakfast, and packed the kayaks. The six mile paddle back to the
put in/take out was scenic, enjoyable and had a few stops for group
photos.
As the B.C. Ferries went on their winter schedule (half the number
of ferry runs) we had plenty of time for Lunch and visiting before
boarding for our return ride on the ferry.
Another trip with good company, good food and a great adventure!
