Introduction
Dear <<First Name>>,
Thanks to those members who contributed photos and materials. After enjoying a SISKA event or paddle, please consider sending a short (100-150 words) summary article; for more information, contact one of us. If you would like to start a regular column, please let us know!
Michael Jackson (SISKA president) and Tony Playfair (editor)
PS: You can find SISKA on Facebook at this link.
PPS: SISKA has a Meetup site for "impromptu" and other paddles organized by club members. For more details, go to https://www.meetup.com/SISKA-Meetup/. To join this, you have to be a club member.
PPPS: You can find the SISKA newsletter archive here: http://goo.gl/VUkafR |
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Membership Renewal
by DaveO
Thank you to everyone that has already renewed their membership for 2019. If you haven't please goto http://siska.ca/membership/online-registration-3 to fill out the online registration form. Payment can be by PayPal (preferred) or by cheque. You do not need a PayPal account to pay by PayPal.
If you haven't already signed our electronic waiver the email confirming that your renewal has been received you will find a link to sign the waiver. Your registration renewal can not be completed until your waiver has been received.
If you have any questions please contact membership@siska.ca
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General Meeting - February 27 2019
Pole to Pole
Mike Jackson (our president) will talk about his recent experiences travelling to both the Arctic and the Antarctic as a naturalist on board the National Geographic Explorer. He will share some of the natural history highlights as well as some of the kayaking experience to be had in these amazing locations.
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SOUTH ISLAND SEA KAYAKING ASSOCIATION & BC MARINE TRAIL PRESENTS
SPRING FORUM – A CELEBRATION of OCEAN KAYAKING - APRIL 13, 2019
by Fred Pishalski
South Island Sea Kayaking Association and BC Marine Trails are co-sponsoring a day long Spring Forum. The purpose of this event is to celebrate ocean kayaking and to promote a greater awareness of the value of creating and preserving a network of BC coastal marine launch points and public recreation sites.
MORNING SESSIONS
GET READY TO BE THRILLED! In the morning the key-note speakers will be Justine Curgenven and Jean-François Marleau.
Justine is an award-winning film maker from Wales. She has filmed kayak expeditions around the world and won numerous awards for her work. Jean-François is a certified Level 4 Guide and Level 3 Instructor Trainer and author of books and training manuals. When JF is not having fun on the water, he runs SKILS, one of Canada’s premiere sea kayaking training centres.
They will talk about their expeditions around the world and how paddling on their door-step in British Columbia has as much to offer as traveling the four corners of the globe. They will be sharing award winning videos and photos from Kamchatka, the Aleutians, the Canadian Arctic, Antarctica, Mexico, Wales, Vancouver Island and The Great Bear Rainforest. For a preview check out http://www.cackletv.com/
AFTERNOON SESSIONS
NOW, GET READY TO BE INFORMED AND EXCITED! Participating in information sessions and a panel discussion are some of BC’s best-known kayakers including: John Kimantas (journalist and author), Brian Henry (Ocean River owner), Paul Grey President BCMT), Mike Jackson (President SISKA), plus Justine Curgenven and Jean-François Marleau.
WHERE & WHEN & MORE:
WHEN: April 13, 2019,10 - 3 P.M.
WHERE: The Gym at the Salvation Army Citadel, 2030 Douglas St, (North of McKenzie Blvd)
COST: JUST $12.50, which includes lunch!
MORE: Online pre-registration is required by April 6, 2019 (we need to know how much food to prepare).
The Registration Link in the image above does not work, use the link right here -
Registration Link: http://bit.ly/springforum2019
Alternate Registration Link - PDF with Registration Link
Thanks to all our sponsors especially SISKA (Victoria BC based ocean kayak club http://www.siska.ca/ ) and BC Marine Trails (registered non-profit society and a charity organization dedicated to creating and preserving a network of BC coastal marine launch points, public recreation sites and protecting of the environment https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/ )
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More Siska Events -
Saturday, February 02nd, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Spirit Bay to Cabin Point Paddle
Tuesday, February 05th, 2019 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Charts & Compass: Basic Navigation by John Abercrombie
Thursday, February 07th, 2019 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Charts & Compass: Basic Navigation by John Abercrombie
Sunday, February 10th, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Brentwood Bay Ferry Wharf to MacKenzie Bight Paddle
Sunday, February 10th, 2019 - 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM - SISKA Rolling Clinic and Pool Drop in
Tuesday, February 12th, 2019 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Charts & Compass: Basic Navigation by John Abercrombie
Thursday, February 14th, 2019 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Charts & Compass: Basic Navigation by John Abercrombie
Monday, February 18th, 2019 - 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Trip Planning - Brooks Peninsula with Alan, Jennie, Debbie, Lynn, John, Heather , Tony and Edgar
Tuesday, February 19th, 2019 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Weather, Wind & Waves by Don Tunstall assisted by Vic Turkington
Wednesday, February 27th, 2019 - 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Monthly Meeting Pole to Pole Mike Jackson will talk about his recent experiences travelling to both the Arctic and the Antartic as a naturalist on board the National Geographic Explorer
Saturday, March 02nd, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Cooper Cove to Sooke Basin Paddle
Monday, March 04th, 2019 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Electronic Aids for Kayakers by Edgar Hulatt & Alan Campbell
Tuesday, March 05th, 2019 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Tides and Currents by Anne Graves, Session One Part 1
Thursday, March 07th, 2019 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Tides and Currents by Anne Graves, Session One Part 2
Saturday, March 09th, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Telegraph Cove to Discovery Island Paddle
Tuesday, March 12th, 2019 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Tides and Currents by Anne Graves, Session Two Part 1
Thursday, March 14th, 2019 - 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Tides and Currents by Anne Graves, Session Two Part 2
Monday, March 18th, 2019 - 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Kayak Trip Planning by David Maxwell & John Minkley
Sunday, March 31st, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM - Island View Beach to James Island Circumnavigation Paddle
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Community Events of Interest
If you are aware of an event that should be included in the next Newsletter, please email Alan Campbell at alanglencampbell@shaw.ca.
Tuesday, January 29th, 2019 - 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Ocean Acidification - VNHS
Sunday, February 03rd, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Winter Birds of Witty's - CRD
Saturday, February 09th, 2019 - 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Tower Point Sea Watch for Winter Birds - CRD
Wednesday, February 13th, 2019 - 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Littered with Lizards - VNHS
Friday, February 15th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM - Wildlife Photographer of the Year - RBCM
Saturday, February 16th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - Seedy Saturday
Saturday, February 16th, 2019 - 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM - Family Fun Hike - CRD
Sunday, February 17th, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Moss Landscapes of Vancouver Island - CRD
Thursday, February 21st, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Who's Hooting - CRD
Friday, February 22nd, 2019 - 6:45 PM to 9:00 PM - Camino Voie D'Arles - Robinson's
Saturday, February 23rd, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Moss Landscapes of Vancouver Island - CRD
Sunday, February 24th, 2019 - 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM - RBCM Fieldtripper - CRD
Tuesday, February 26th, 2019 - 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM - Shellfish Archaeology in BC - VNHS
Saturday, March 16th, 2019 - 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM - Embracing the Wild - Gardening with Native Plants - CRD
Wednesday, March 20th, 2019 - 6:45 PM to 9:00 PM - The Great Trail - Robinson's
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What’s in a Name?
GONZALES BAY
Gonzales Bay lies between Ross Bay and McNeill Bay and has a lovely sandy beach. It was named after Gonzales Lopez de Haro (also of Haro Strait fame), who was a pilot aboard the Spanish sloop Princesa Real (captured from the British), which helped to chart the waters around Vancouver Island in 1790. It was the first European ship to explore the Juan de Fuca and Haro Straits.
Gonzales Bay was originally named “Foul Bay”(1847), in reference to its poor anchorage holding qualities. However later, local residents felt that the name”Foul” implied an rather unattractive foul smell. Letters to the newspapers described the name as “disgusting” and argued that it ridiculed the residents and diminished the value of their properties. Following ten years of persistent petitions and many angry citizens “raising a stink” in the newspapers, the Geographic Board of Canada finally conceded in 1934 to change the name to “Gonzales Bay”. (nevertheless, the boundary between Victoria and Oak Bay still remains as “Foul Bay” road.) Nearby Gonzales Point was the site of a Songhees First Nation village called Kukeeluk, meaning “place of war” Today however, Gonzales Bay offers paddlers a tranquil sandy beach, ideal for a restful lunch spot, after excursions from nearby Trial Island and beyond (complete with convenient washrooms atop the access stairs to the beach”). The accompanying photo (courtesy Fred Pishalski) shows SISKA members relaxing and enjoying a restful lunch on the beach during a summer paddle (doesn't get much better!). Gonzales Bay lies within the Environment Canada weather forecast area “Juan de Fuca – East”.
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Being Seen at Night
by Lynn Baier
Here’s a great article by Tom Watson and appropriated from paddling.com.
The options available to add running lights to a kayak involve several factors including what type of lighting, effective colors and positioning about the kayak. There are also critical navigational requirements that affect the use and placement of lighting on watercraft.
The official status of navigation lights as they pertain to kayaks is documented in U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rule 25, Navigational Lights, which in part says: “…a sailing vessel, or one under oars, of less than 7 meters in length shall if practical exhibit red and green sidelights, and a stern light visible from at least one mile away. However …, she can have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.”
Simply put, kayaks don’t require running lights. However, a light (either fix or hand-held) is key to paddling safety during night/low-light outings.
A white light mounted on the aft deck of a kayak should be visible 360º and positioned, nor so bright, so as to affect the visibility of the paddler. There is strict protocol on the position of standard green/starboard - red/port running lights in relation to any white/full view bow or stern light. Their placement will indicate directional maneuvering and intent to other crafts and infers that the craft in view knows the Rules of the Road as well.
Other “light” factors to consider:
- Blue or red flashing lights are restricted to use by law enforcement vessels only;
- Red or white strobe lights are emergency only;
- Each paddler/passenger should have a flashlight/headlamp;
- Use full-view deck light if at anchor.
Another useful aid for being seen at night are reflective strips on your boat deck, paddle blades and PFD. Be Safe; Have Fun!
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Gnocchi
by Lynn Baier
Here’s a simple recipe that I quite enjoy. The gnocchi comes in a shelf stable package and cooks up very quickly, so there’s not much fuel involved. Remember that you can use one third ocean water when boiling up gnocchi or pasta. One package of gnocchi will feed two.
Boil a couple of litres of water, then drop in the gnocchi, a couple of handfuls of dried mushrooms, some dehydrated or fresh garlic, and about a half a dozen chopped sun dried tomatoes. When the gnocchi float to the top they are done. Drain all, then add in two good dollops of butter (coconut or olive oil should work too). Stir it all together with a tablespoon of dried basil and half a cup of chopped cashews. Let the whole works sit covered for a minute or two to soften the basil and blend the flavours.
Enjoy!
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Trip Reports
Cadboro Bay to Glencoe Cove - January 13, 2019
by Delcie Mclellan
11 paddlers launched from the beach at Cadboro Bay on a bright sunny day with temperatures about to hit 9 degrees. Sailflow had predicted light winds but as we headed towards Cadboro Point and 10 Mile point we found ourselves in about 10 – 12 kts of wind coming from the north with quite a bit of chop. Once around the headlands, we followed the shoreline to reach the beach at Glencoe Cove for our lunch spot. We sat in the warm sunshine and were reluctant to leave but we had to drag ourselves back into our boats and returned along the route we came. When we got to Cadboro Point a light current was building so we had a chance to practice our current skills. Finally we headed back to the beach at Cadboro bay. A good day was had by all with a debrief sitting outside at Olive Olios.
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