Water-based activities are always fun. Whether they take the form of canoeing, kayaking, water-skiing, or frolicking in a hose, they're a great reminder that summer is right around the corner, and a great way to get into the spirit of it. It's because of this that I heartily enjoyed both the learning and the demonstrating of new kayaking skills.
THE COURSE
The learning portion, for me at least, took place at Jericho Beach. Having kayaked on numerous occasions previous, I felt ready to expand into new skills, and hopefully ultimately receiving a certification for doing so. On one of our very first courses, we learned of the infamous "wet exit". Basically, it's a procedure to follow when wearing a spray skirt if the boat flips upside-down. I was expecting it to be bad, and in all honesty, I don't know if it was worse or better than I expected. It was, in a way, both. The first task is something of a mental paradigm. One must flip their boat. Although this step would be taken care of in a real situation, knowingly trapping yourself underwater is something that takes a few moments. When ready to flip, and a few deep breaths are taken, one can, with more ease than there should be, flip the boat. Underneath the water, for me, was a strange mix of sensations. Top of my list would probably be the cold. Although the cold shock is expected, it is a cold shock, and therefore a shock is what is gotten. The water wasn't that bad in temperature, and it was generally quite warm weather, but it hampered with my pace. It kind of impairs your thoughts for a bit, and messes with your perception of things. Next, was the dark. Because this all occurs underwater, my eyes had to be closed. This made a lot of things seem weirder than they should have. Coupled with the strangeness of being upside-down, it made knowing which directions were which quite difficult to pinpoint. For me, it felt like the boat was constantly sinking nose-first, though it obviously wasn't. We had, however, practiced the techniques on the shore beforehand. We practiced normally, with eyes closed, and if the strap was on the inside. Underwater, I was grateful for the practice. I had to ignore everything my brain was telling me (in regards to the need to get the flipcrumbs out of the boat as soon as possible, and the fact that it felt like I had no oxygen), and tap the boat, but my hands to the sprayskirt at my hips, and move forward to the tab. I then pulled forwards, back, and with a bit of kicking, I could exit the boat. As I practiced the procedure a few times, I came to realize that taking a second underwater to let the cold and directional shock fade away allowed me to be far more calm as I did it. It also made me feel as though I had more oxygen, thus relaxing me and allowing me to conduct the procedure more precisely. Unfortunately, I eventually forgot to tap the boat in my procedures, though I managed to get out nonetheless.
Other than the wet exit, we also learned a few new useful paddling strokes, including the draw stroke (to pull the boat to the side), how to turn by leaning the boat to the opposite side as the desired one, and how to stop a boat from flipping if tipping. All of this came in handy (save, thankfully, for the wet exit) at the kayaking camp a few weeks later. After the course was complete, I received the email stating that I had received my Level 1 Certification by Paddle Canada. It was a fun course, and I would like to expand on my knowledge gained in the future. Luckily, I managed to put those skills to the test at the kayaking camp.
THE CAMP
On the eleventh of June, we set off to put our skills to the test. Split into three groups, I ended up in the third group. This had us setting off from Deep Cove, and journeying north through Indian Arm. As it would turn out, we left from a dock just outside of Deep Cove, and made for the campsite at an area called "Granite Falls" for the waterfalls that entered the arm, and subsequently the ocean, from there. Luckily, I managed to get one of the two available single kayaks for two of three legs of our total voyage (the longest two, as well). This was what we learned with in our lessons, and for me it gave me a greater connection between myself and the water. It gave me the ability to directly control my progress as we traveled, and it made for a greater overall experience. In my kayak, we paddled through the arm. There were beautiful houses and even more beautiful natural features that we saw on our journey. We passed waterfalls, towering mountains, and luscious vegetation. After around three hours of paddling, we landed at a small flourish of land off of a mountain (we were paddling up the west side of the arm). On this piece of land, the trees were a more vibrant and light green, and as we landed we noticed that the place was actually a campsite. We met campers, took a break, and eventually set off again. At this point we were paddling between the west side of the arm and Croker Island, which extended and split the arm into two. After passing the island, we turned, and crossed to the east side. In our sight line were the Granite Falls, a campsite and boats adjacent. We docked, and carried all of the gear and boats we had carried to the water up with us. Over the course of the evening, we cooked dinner, and played games in the twilight. As the moon rising over the mountains illuminated the site with a surprising strength, there was a special connection to the nature surrounding me - one I would never have had the ability to experience at home in the city. The next day, we packed up and moved camp. Again in a single kayak, I paddled along the east shore with the group, and came quite close to the nature alongside it. We also passed the houses along the shore. They had no road access, and yet were spectacular in architecture and beauty. There were many boats of all shapes and sizes along the arm, on vacations or pleasure cruises, as well. Anyway, after stopping for lunch, we paddled and landed at the dock at the "Twin Islands". Just across from Deep Cove, the main island (where the campsite was located) was spectacular. A rocky hill/mountain, perfect for climbing, provided stunning views. Lower, rocks sat perched on the edges, and down by the water, the light from the setting sun made for reflections in more ways than one. That, in addition to the fact that the tent sites there were wooden, allowing for a less rocky ground for the tent. The following day, we packed up once more, and set off for Jug Beach, located just north of Belcarra. After a quick hike and lunch there, we commenced the last part of the voyage - from Jug Beach across Indian Arm once more to Deep Cove proper. After pulling our boats into the sand, we unloaded everything and washed the boats before a bus came to take us back to Vancouver.
Overall, I really enjoyed the camp. When rafting up as a group (and during other directionally demanding times), I could use the draw stroke I had learned in the lessons greatly. I even tried adapting it to suit my needs in regards to speed and dryness. I also found use in the rudders equipped and functional on most boats on the trip, which we weren't taught to use but were quite handy while turning. Throughout the camp, I became more confident in paddling. Having calculated our route online, I found that we paddled over 31 kilometers total throughout the voyage, and I grew quite fond of kayaking throughout. It's a great feeling to be able to propel yourself and all you need through the water at relatively high speeds. I plan to kayak again on at least one occasion this summer.
Overall, the year in OEE was a great one. I passed the sailing, rock climbing, and kayaking course, allowing me to expand on the skills I have learned both next year and throughout my life. The activities we conducted were fun as well, and I feel as though I managed to put many of the hard and soft skills I have learned into practice throughout the year. I wasn't so fond of a couple of one-time OEE sessions, though for the most part, what we did was enjoyable and useful. Cross-country skiing was a specific example of a skill which I felt was a lot of fun and that I improved greatly in. I also enjoyed rock climbing far more than I had expected, especially in the certification and the ability to belay classmates to the top. My relative fear of heights, however, is something that I will have to work on toning down.
Regardless, OEE was a lot of fun, and I will definitely miss it's regular sessions next year. I will, however, get to demonstrate my skills throughout the expeditions, though nonetheless, we won't have quite as much. For now, have a great summer, and thanks for an amazing year!
PICTURES FROM CAMP
On the dock before leaving.
My first boat Nanook as we paddle north to Granite Falls.
Me, with Indian Arm and Twin Islands in the background.
The first night at camp, bathed in the bright moonlight.
Granite Falls by morning.
Me in Granite Falls by morning.
The water from Granite Falls going into Indian Arm.
Paddling to Twin Islands.
My second boat as we paddle south, into the wind to Twin Islands.
Our trip.
