Kayaking West Vancouver Island, British Columbia: Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Day 1

26 09 2012

Toquart Bay

I have lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1993. Yet I have never explored the big backyard to the north – British Columbia! In that time I have been to Thailand 7 times, Cambodia twice, Laos, Indonesia, Singapore twice, Hong Kong, Bhutan, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico. Yet a world class destination lay at my doorstep. I was not going to let another summer pass without visiting BC. Time to go!

Early in 2012 a bunch of my friends decided to kayak camp in and around Vancouver Island. By May, the group was whittled down to three. Myself, Lisa and Bill. Round and round we went on the length of drive (which might include two ferries) and which venues were most interesting. We settled on the Broken Group which is in Barkley Sound, on the west side of Vancouver Island.

The Broken Group consists of at least 100 undeveloped islands scattered in the sound – and it’s a national park. There are several island campgrounds. The outer islands, nearer the Pacific Ocean, are exposed and require a higher skill level whilst the inner islands are not unlike freshwater lake kayak camping, with the exception of seals, sea stars, kelp, and other saltwater fauna and flora which abound. Not to mention humpback whales, gray whales, and orcas!

I live in Portland, Oregon. To get to Toquart Bay we’d have to travel 12 hours by highway, back roads and ferry. We’d spend the evening camping there. Then launch the next morning with the outgoing tide and explore the islands.

 

The adventure includes a ferry from Port Angeles, Washington to Victoria, British Columbia. We arrive early and wait in the staging area. Countless cars and trucks, some with kayaks like us, pile in. I’m excited for the ride! Once underway the splendor of the Pacific NW was visible everywhere!

Lisa and Bill on the deck!

Once at sea, we glimpsed the Olympic Mountains, which form a backdrop for Port Angeles.

Along the way spectacular sights abound.

Way off to the right is towering Mount Baker. In the middle sit the San Juan Islands. And directly ahead is Vancouver Island and Victoria!

The day’s weather is sunny and warm. Our forecast is optimistic – light winds with dry days ahead!

We arrive in famous Victoria Harbor. It’s busy with sea planes coming and going, ferries, yachts, kayaks and tourist boats plying the waters.

 

It’s really pretty. People are walking about. And the British heritage is evident everywhere.

Customs…yes…everybody’s got to wait and go through customs…yet another delay.

So we sit and wait while the agents do their thing.

But our visit with customs officials goes without rigorous inspections or interrogations.

We sail through and are on our way.

Then it’s several more hours on the road. We’ll have to pick up some supplies at a grocery store somewhere on the way, then register and camp at Toquart Bay campground.

The road is full of fantastic scenery. Countless mountains and fjords line our path. We make it to our destination about 6:30 p.m. and settle in for the night.

Toquart Bay Campground is not what I’d describe as a “communing with nature” experience. This is a spot for fishermen – period. Ninety percent of the folks here have trucks with trailered fishing boats – so fishing is their primary interest, not the camping amenities! Trucks and boxy hunting tents sit

On the beach at Toquart Bay

shoulder to shoulder along the waterfront.

We’re happy to be at the starting point for the paddling adventure.

Can’t wait for tomorrow’s launch!

 


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : Life Outside, Paddling, Travel

Million-Year-Old Buddha Image found in Utah Canyon

11 05 2012

Morning broke bright and clear in our canyon. Some of the deepest blue skies I’ve ever glimpsed. At one end the canyon is watched over by the Gooney Bird rock. However this morning we see a column strikingly resembling a sitting Buddha at the head of the canyon! Could it be that this is a sign?

Buddha image from my collection.

I gazed upon it with awe.

Uncanny!

Hmmm. We also had other ideas. Perhaps it was a gigantic monument to the morning constitutional?

I could not help but think how it could have been that Mother Nature could sculpt such a figure. It sat facing southeast. In the sun most of the day.

It is another crystal clear morning to wake up to. I fixed the coffee and then we got the breakfast going.

In contrast to the canyon where we spent last night, there wasn’t any trouble finding a camping spot.

And here the canyon walls crept way skyward. So beautiful, all the different bands of colored rocks.

 

 

Even here there are a number of arches in the canyon’s rocks. It looks like there is something about this region that favors forming these arches.

This might be a box canyon. The end looks as if there might not be a way out. We walk up there.

Today, there are only two other cars camping in the canyon.

It’s desert. The sun quickly becomes warm and as we’re storing things for our trip back to Park City I can already see my skin turning red!

But we must get moving. It’s another bumpy ride back out over the rutted dirt/rock road back to the highway.

We’ve got a deadline back in town! Ed’s a goalie on one of the local amateur hockey teams and it’s playoff time!

The game takes place at the Park City Hockey arena.

This was actually a nail biter.

It went into double OT.

Then there was a shootout to decide.

It didn’t turn our way. But the players were still stoked as it was such a great game!

Our last day, Friday, Alex and I skied at Park City Resort, which is walking distance from Ed’s house. This was a real spring skiing day. Upper slopes OK, lower slopes too slushy – snow grabbing at your skis sometimes. But SO MUCH FUN!

 

 


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , ,
Categories : Green Planet, Life Outside, Travel

Arches National Park Utah

6 05 2012

I wake up incredibly refreshed and stoked to visit Arches National Park! The downstairs of the van is super comfy and the desert air dry! I’m the first to awake. I step outside and fix myself a nice hot cup of coffee. Sipping the nectar, I witness the cascade of sunrise light gradually bathing the banded redrock walls of the canyon.

Ed and Alex begin to stir. I take a stroll along the canyon creek wending its way around our site. It’s interesting checking out the details of the canyon, the rocks, the cactus, and smelling the clear air.

Today’s breakfast is eggs, bacon, onion, peppers, with cheese mixed up. A good hearty breakfast! We make toast by sauteing bread on a pan.

As the sun’s warmth makes us comfortable, it becomes hard to want to pack up and get moving. But we’ve got big plans – to visit Arches National Park. I have been to Utah at least ten times, but incredibly I have never been to the canyon country! I’m very excited to be here! We are also meeting two women Ed knows from Park City. Rhoda and Susan.

Driving back down the dirt road we took to our campsite, we re-criss-cross the creek many times. I’m still amazed how the road clings to the rocks with the river just beside. There’s no room for a car coming the other way!

View to the mountains in the distance…

After an hour we reach the park. There are sandstone formations everywhere, and we personify each! Some look like furniture, others like a person sitting. Then there are the arches themselves. They’re everywhere!

We are here about lunch. So we avail ourselves of the camper’s kitchen! And, since we’re in the parking lot, we’re obvious to those who know us – Susan and Rhoda! They show up and join us. Perfect timing!

Okay. All fueled up, we head out on the trail.

Like elsewhere, it’s high season down in canyon country! Spring is the time to visit here. It is anything but a secluded experience. It’s spring break plus vacation time for those escaping winter’s grip.

Ed emerges from the kitchen!

Here, it’s going to reach 80 degrees fahrenheit.  There are single arches, double and triple arches, collapsed arches, and towers sometimes impossibly balanced in the air.

Rhoda and Susan check out the valleys beyond…

Some have incredible views of the valleys beyond.

We hike through arches and climb around.

Then, we head to another area where there is a super long arch that looks like it’s not going to last a whole lot longer.

It’s called Landscape Arch, and it’s the longest natural arch in the world.

Landscape Arch

Once we had our fill of all those arches, we engaged in another search-for-a-campsite adventure – Ed knew of a special spot, off the tourist track, called Gooney Bird.

To get there, we had to head off the highway and then 800 feet up this dirt road clinging to a cliffside! The van held on, though, and we made it.

See the trail? 800 ft below that cliff is the hwy!

This road descends and then comes through a little valley, which is totally empty. Inside, there are side canyons with camping!

Ed’s target is a canyon where the entrance is marked by a tower named Gooney Bird. It really does look like a Gooney Bird!

We quickly settle in to a new spot. Well, we’ll see about tomorrow!


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , ,
Categories : Life Outside, Travel, Uncategorized

To Moab Utah and Camping Near Arches National Park

24 04 2012

Monday was skiing in fresh snow. Tuesday we awoke and set upon packing up Ed’s camper van for our trip to warmer climes – the canyons of Southern Utah, Arches National Park, and Moab!

The Wasatch Mountains give way to desert. It’s very flat, but there are escarpments nearby, small hills, and groups of 12,700 ft mountains like The La Salle Range, looking like islands, in the distance. With so few cars it reminds me of Patagonia.

We are literally driving right through geologic history. In some places, the flat plain dives hundreds of feet to rivers below. They’ve cut through epochs of time and the rocks down deep might even be a billion years old!

Layer after layer of sandy colored, rose colored, black rock. Sometimes, the rock has been weathered into intricate shapes that remind us of people or things like boats or wagons.

After three hours we come to Green River, Utah, and then the canyonlands are visible in the distance.

We take a road which eventually leads us to the Colorado River.

Mile after mile of canyon unfolds before us. It’s late in the day, so the rocks are very pretty.

There aren’t any big rapids here. Mostly riffles and moving flatwater. But there are a couple of rafts riding these pretty canyons. It’s a major difference from yesterday!

Instead of snow, we have beautiful, dry, summer-like weather! Well summer to us. Here, this warmth is spring.

In the distance lots of spires and mesas. Right out of an old west movie! There are way more people here than anticipated! Ed has a spot picked out for us. We drive off the highway a few miles and surprisingly every camping spot is spoken for!

Ed knows of another spot a few miles down the road. Here, we drive up another dirt road. This road goes right over a small brook at least ten times. We drive right through the river.

The road winds along, in many places with no room for passing cars. River on one side, cliff face on the other. Yet even here, for mile after mile, all the camping spots are taken! Just after yet another river crossing, when we are giving up hope, we find a spot! Whew!

And it is a good one. The river meanders around the site and we have a sky view.

Finally here, we make ourselves home. The van’s pop top goes up, I start a campfire, and Alex sets up his tent.

The camp stove comes out, and the car stove is prepared. Some beers are opened! Tonight we’re going to have salad, mashed potatoes, and pork chops. Making dinner is all part of the fun of camping.

And so is eating! Not so much cleaning up. But we deal with it. One thing I cannot stand is the Utah beer. We got the Utah legal 3.2% Budweiser. I just don’t understand why, but it doesn’t taste the same, and I find myself wanting to put the beer down instead of having a few more!

Ed’s van is a little home on wheels. It makes up for gas guzzling by providing comforts. Two burner stove, two beds, reversible front seats, nice stereo, and even a fridge. Lots of storage. Tonight I slept on the “ground floor” which is a fold out couch. It was totally comfy.

Our visual entertainment tonight is the fire and stars, and the full moon. It’s really pretty out here!

Other signs of the desert were cactus! Prickly Pear Cactus, Barrel Cactus, and more.

In the morning, the desert quiet was beautiful. And the sky so blue!

A patch of Prickly Pear Cactus!

We’ll be heading to Arches National Park today…

 

 

 

 

 

Barrel Cactus


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : Life Outside, Travel

Spring in Buenos Aires – Beautiful!

10 02 2012

Eray in Parque 3 de Febrero

One element of our Patagonian odyssey that has been consistently spectacular has been the weather! And these last two days in Buenos Aires are no exception. We have two consecutive clear days in the mid-80’s with low humidity.

I’m still getting the most of the breakfast buffet at Castelar Hotel! I ensure I get down there early and enjoy my favorite meal of the day. Saskia arrives, as do Elwin, Angelique, and others. Orange juice, fresh fruit, sausage and some scrambled eggs are something I’ve missed.

There are no plans for today. Tonight, we are all headed to the airport for mid-evening flights. So my usual crew of Angelique, Eray, Elwin and I look at the options and make plans. Christoff has departed for a few days visiting with acquaintances in Chile.

Eray is extending her time in Argentina, and she has arranged for lodging at Home Hotel, in the Palermo neighborhood. She says it’s really nice and encourages us to check it out for a late morning coffee or cool beverage. Sounds good! We also look at options and because it’s late spring, we decide to walk back through some of the beautifully designed parks in Buenos Aires.

We catch a taxi and head to the Home Hotel. The Palermo neighborhood is completely different from any we’ve seen. While it’s urban, it’s very residential. It’s quiet. There are cozy, European style and up and coming neighborhood restaurants and cafes. The Home Hotel is nestled in amongst all of this. If you didn’t know it was there, you’d miss it. Once past the front counter, one walks through a tall atrium and into a rear area complete with patio, garden and pool.

We settled into some chairs out by the garden and ordered some cool drinks.

Angelique and I get a shot of ourselves out back…

It’s very contemporary and refreshingly relaxing. Some of teh guests had bathrobes supplied by the hotel. The menu actually had breakfasts with eggs!

It was tempting to stay there for hours. But we only had today. So, we departed to walk amongst the lovely parks and the blooming jacaranda trees.

Walking past the Centro Islamico, a large Mosque, we reached Parque 3 de Febrero. This is one of the famous parks designed by French architect Carlos Thays. His handiwork is everywhere as it is so familiarly European. Carlos Thays not only designed the parks but had trees and shrubs brought in from all over. Today, these parks and the flora he planted are testament to his genius. Portenos enjoy his creations each day.

We stroll through the greenery. There are lots of birds. Geese and swans ply the ponds. Gregarious parrots cackle above, perching next to their favorite nuts and seeds, which they consume with great pleasure.

Portenos make the most of the parks. Jogging, rollerblading, bicycling or walking, they are enjoying the open spaces.

There are rose gardens and so many flowering trees.

It seems to me that every tree is in bloom at once!

We are the lucky ones, we get to enjoy this.

 

In this video you get to hear the birds singing, see the flowers everywhere, and even catch some women with thermoses of Yerba Mate walking by. Not to mention my travel mates!

And below is one of the flowers on a magnolia tree. Really lush! Later in the day, our whole group gathered at a restaurant near the hotel to celebrate our time here. And to say our good-byes. We’ll be staying in touch. We had a memorable time in Argentina and Chile!

Gorgeous Magnolia Tree flowers.


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : Travel

Buenos Aires in Bloom…

8 02 2012

We depart Ushuaia for Buenos Aires in the evening. Aerolineas Argentinas has not recovered from the strike. Things are still backed up, and there is some confusion about which plane we are to board as now two are headed for Buenos Aires. Ours is an aging MD-80. There is an in-flight “meal,” but guess what? Opening my meal box, another dreaded ham and cheese sandwich is lurking inside. I cannot eat it, and give it away! In Buenos Aires, we’re staying at the Castelar Hotel again.

Morning dawns very warm and beautifully sunny. I scramble downstairs to the breakfast area. And what awaits is a breakfast feast for my eyes! The Castelar Hotel has a breakfast buffet with a much wider selection than most of our lodgings on this trip. Eggs, bacon, sausage, real orange juice, fresh fruit, all things I love in the morning! This day starts off nicely!

Today we’re going to explore Buenos Aires by bicycle and subway! There is a subway station right near our hotel. We pay our fare and wait for the next train. When it arrives, it sure is something! It’s positively ancient, a living fossil. I’d say right out of Victorian England! It’s outside is wooden, the inside is wooden, and the windows are open. Once inside, the doors clang shut – no warning whatsoever. It jerks forward, and is off to the next stop. Passengers are of many different niches. Professionals, blue collar workers and students.

We reach our stop, walk outside and into the warmth. It’s already over 70 degrees, headed to 85 degrees today. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Since we were here last time, the flowers, and flowering trees, have bloomed and are peaking! The avenues are lined with Jacaranda trees. These trees have beautiful purple flowers.

We walk the cobblestoned streets to the bicycle rental shop. Once there we perform the obligatory rental ritual and begin the process of adjusting the bikes for ourselves.

We’re to bike down by the Puerto Madero area, on the water, and then head to the Costanera Sur Nature Reserve.

The Costanera Sur Nature Reserve sits beyond Puerto Madero on the Rio De La Plata River.

A lot of adjustments have to be made…and I think it’s funny because most of us are Dutch, and the bikes have KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ads over the rear wheels!

We ride through the old section of town with narrow streets, and then have to cross the busy boulevard, over the canal and then to the reserve. The reserve has a number of trails which lead out to a view of the Rio de la Plata.

We see many Portenos enjoying the warmth and sun. Men jogging in Buenos Aires don’t wear t-shirts. They go shirt-less. I’m not entirely sure that’s a good idea. We reach the river and there is a 50-boat sailboat race going on.

So some folks have leisure time and money to spend in Buenos Aires!

There are some interesting creatures taking advantage of the refuge.

We see plenty of parrots. Green parrots are gregarious and noisy, as well as busy eating nuts in the trees!

Later on, we see some iguanas being heckled by birds. It looks like the iguanas were trying to steal eggs?

It was time to return the bikes. But it’s a Friday and now rush hour. Buenos Aires drivers are seriously aggressive, yet we’ve got to wind through many lanes and intersections. All I know is I want to stay behind Saskia, our leader, because she knows the route!

Many twists and turns later and with sweat beginning to run down my face, with all hands still safe, we make it back to the rental shop.

Tonight we see a tango show. I won’t go into too much detail, but while the dancers were athletic, gifted, and talented, the show was outdated and stale for my taste. I was impressed by the dancing, but everything else seemed like a put on.

After the show some of us went for a drink at a local restaurant. It was Portenos doing what they do. There was hardly a seat to be had, it was past midnight, and even children were in abundance! Late night festivities are a ritual!


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Categories : Travel

« Previous Entries Next Entries »