DIY: Gear Retention Webbing For The Klepper Aerius II October 24, 2008
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A fjord near Stavanger, Norway, circa 1988:
Capsize! I always wondered what it would be like. I never had a realistic chance to experience one in the Kolibri . Short, wide, cheap, tough and made in East Germany, the Kolibri was a hard boat to flip. This was a good thing because of its designers’ highly optimistic assumptions about built-in floatation (none). I had stuffed an inflatable killer whale pool toy into the bow and a life ring into the stern, for luck. I was nearing the put-in at the end of a day’s paddling. How bad would it be? The time seemed right to find out. It took a lot of leaning to starboard until she finally went over. The large cockpit filled immediately. The whale and life ring dislodged and floated free, to be driven off by the wind. The Kolibri wallowed, gunwales awash. Hauling everything ashore felt like a very long swim.
MTW Kolibri 3
49°19’32.71″N, 121°46’57.90″W, circa 1998:
Rescue. It had been a splendid sail. We were reaching on a port tack, with a brisk Northerly stirring up white horses on the lake. The canoe was ahead, a heavily loaded 16 footer with two paddlers. They did not capsize: We watched as they were slowly swamped by following seas, fully upright, paddling frantically. The entire canoe vanished. For a moment, sleeping bags, a tent, mats, a cooler and anything buoyant floated on the surface in the exact positions where they had been stowed on board. A Coleman two-burner stove, an axe, pots and pans and sundry other items went to the bottom, never to be seen again. The canoeists were in the water for about 15 minutes but said that it felt like a very long swim.
Having become paranoid about loose gear in boats, I recently fitted retaining straps to frames #2 and #6 on the Aerius, as described very helpfully by the folks from Atlantic Kayak Tours:
This should keep drybags, floatation bags, etc. safely in place. The quick release buckles make for easy access. I may even get another inflatable orca and keep it trapped in the bow, “Free Willy” style.
Indian Arm: Camping & Touring Guide to Granite Falls and Berg’s Landing August 2, 2008
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It’s not strictly speaking a guide, but it well might be.
Steven posted a great write-up and pictures of a tour to the North end of Indian Arm. This is a very nice overnighter right at Vancouver’s doorstep. The post describes camp sites, how to get there and adventures along the way.
Spot The Eagle August 2, 2008
Posted by insidevoyage in Burrard Inlet / Indian Arm.add a comment
… from last weekend’s trip to Jug Island.
Narrows October 26, 2007
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A long time ago came a man on a track
Walking thirty miles with a sack on his back
And he put down his load where he thought it was the best
He made a home in the wilderness
he built a cabin and a winter store
And he ploughed up the ground by the cold lake shore
And the other travellers came riding down the track
And they never went further and they never went back
Then came the churches then came the schools
Then came the lawyers and then came the rules
Then came the trains and the trucks with their loads …
“Telegraph Road” (Dire Straits / Mark Knopfler). Gil Biderman photo
Dressing for off-season paddling September 27, 2007
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Fall is coming to British Columbia. Glorious days can have three to four seasons wrapped in one, anything from bright sunshine to torrential rain within a few hours. The crowds are gone and the land feels wild and empty once more. Wildlife abounds. There is no finer season to paddle. It’s also when weather and water get colder and hypothermia is an ever present threat. From almost 5 years as a volunteer with a BC Provincial Emergency Program Search & Rescue team I do not recall a single water rescue where cold wasn’t a factor, a far greater danger than drowning. If you don’t own specialized paddling gear like a wet- or dry suit, paddling jacket, etc., what can you do to minimize the risk?
Voyages On The Edge 
