Here is the 'list' of Islands that I was talking about last post that, I or John & I have kayaked around...

If you are wanting to check a map, most of these islands are in the area from the San Juan Islands north to Desolation Sound, quite a few are in the Gulf Islands, some very small others were big enough to pack a lunch and spend the day paddling around.  The scenery is beautiful everywhere.

this is in Princess Louisa Inlet

This is south of Saltspring Island, Satellite Channel area, if you take the ferry to or from Swartz Bay you'll sail through this area.

Look at the hitch hiker I picked up!

OK, now the list (no particular order):

• Patos Island
• Succia Island
• Wallace Island
• Portland Island
• Turn Island
• Satellite Island
• Curlew Island
• Cabbage Island
• Tumbo Island
• Fox Island
• Copeland Island
• Frost Island
• Jones Island
• Coyote Island (Baja)

Now that I have started to record these trips I'll be adding more - there are a few in Conception Bay (Baja) that I will get the names of and add.  And since we'll be there again soon! there will be additions posted.  Oh and, this was all done in this 9 foot Necky polymer open cockpit kayak. Now that we have new to us 14 foot Necky Manitou kayaks with covered hatches and skeg, we'll go faster.....and maybe even further?

Summer 2012

Here is a summary with pictures of our Spring and Summer and Fall of the year.

In May, actually a good weather weekend, we participated in Telus Day of Service.  Our job this year was grounds cleanup at 'The Raptors' in Duncan.  This flying birds of prey attraction was amazing - after our morning's work we were invited to watch the show, wow.  These two bald eagles are 26 days old, super cute don't ya think?

In anticipation of the cruising season the 'annual haul-out' was planned, and Puffin got her bottom paint, new zincs, and more sanding and varnishing! phew! a 24 hour work-a-thon. All shined up and back in the water.  Then wait until summer finally arrives so we can go sailing.

Off to the Gulf Islands - Portland Island (aka Princess Margaret Marine Park) is added to the list of islands I have kayaked around!  I'll publish the list later.

Picture perfect day - you can see Mount Baker way off in the background -

Could be my imagination, but I'm sure this guy kept sneaking up on me.......

Winter Cove on Saturna Island - John can't resist the opportunity to sail around in the walker bay dinghy.

John loves his sunset shots!

 

Some time during our at home time we finished painting the house trim, replaced the big table with this little bistro set, and John got a new barbque! More room on the patio now.

                 
    

Fall harvest time!

 kale chips 

apples, tomatoes 

Zucchini and our share of plums, (seems the resident squirrel got plenty!)

the neighbors grapes (yes on our side of the fence of course)





loads of blackberries!  yum yum

And the rest of the yard work!

October brings a trip to the interior.  Great visit with friends in Merritt, Thursday pub night at 'The Grand' is as good as ever, great company makes it even grander! Thanks everyone.

A trip out of town to our friend's little piece of paradise - so beautiful and welcoming - thank you Wayne, Rhonda, Wyatt, Garrett

 Top it off with a visit with daughter Jacque  in Kelowna - perfect weekend!

Jacque  John  Deb hiking at Okanagan Lake

That sums up our summer 2012!  Now to get ready for the winter plan!

Part six..........

The last days on the road - We leave Lake Powell and head to Zion National Park - it's on our route home so we stop for a couple of days now that we have discovered how special the parks in this area are.

Zion is another beautiful area, more unique scenery all so amazing..... driving into this park the oversize vehicles must have a special permit and wait for the road to be clear before travelling thru the tunnel! yes, we are oversize and wait our turn to enter the tunnel, we must keep to the center be careful not to hit the low curved ceiling.  Another little adventure on its own.

We find a camp spot and get settled in this beautiful area, Watchman peak in the background 

is over 6500 feet.

More hiking and biking for us .........

 hiking under a waterfall on the way to the Emerald Pools

 This little fellow was busy drinking out of the creek until we came along...

 still in the high desert where we find cactus all around

Back to the west coast now - we stop at an Oregon State park near The Dalles, on the Columbia River

The rain has just stopped and left everything very shiny and clean, daffodils included.

The next day was the final leg of the trip home, I won't tell you about how we didn't make a reservation for the (super special rate) Anacortes ferry and couldn't get on for 3 days, so drive to the border crossing and sail BC Ferries at twice the price! 

Part five.........

What? there is still more?  ok we will pack up and move today - only about 5 miles north to another spot on Lake Powell - Lone Rock Camp, this is where we will launch the kayaks for one more slot canyon trip.  Norm and Jerri have already been there a day and made it sound way to good to pass up.  We decide to stay for 'one more day'  we've already been 3 days longer than planned........that's what it's all about right?  MANANA!

You can see two rigs on the beach here, this was taken as John and I left (finally)....beautiful place to camp.

 heading into another slot canyon - this one gets very narrow, no room to paddle, it's hand over hand along the canyon walls for a few hundred feet until we can go no further - ha ha ha - have to back out the same way

much laughing at this process and a lot of bumping walls and other boats........

 Norm and Steve get quite the scare as a coot (duck) flies out of one of the holes in the wall right beside them.....then a few minutes later it happens to John!  Time to get out of here.

 looking for another canyon to explore!

Part four..........

Ok, now we are supposed to get back on the road for home,  but wait...one more day.........ok, now we sign up for a raft trip down the Colorado, we pick the easy flat water one, nice and relaxing.  Once again the four of us, Steve Nan John Deb, head to town, register, listen to the orientation, hop on the bus and ride to the bottom of the Glen Canyon Dam through a 2 mile tunnel (yikes its dark) where we load into the rafts - our group fills three rafts (this is the slow season).

looking up from the bottom of the Glen Canyon Dam

with our river guide Paul

 a nice easy relaxing 4 hour trip down the river

The canyon walls get higher and higher as we wind our way 15 miles down to Lees Ferry, 

where we end our trip

 Cold and Clear

we manage a quick step into the Colorado River

the end of the day we return home - for Chips and Beer of course!

Part three......

That was supposed to be all, and we were to head home.  Nope, tomorrow we will hike 'Upper Antelope Canyon' - we sign up for the 2 hour photo tour with Steve and Nan.

A quick dusty bumpy ride in this open truck to the entrance of the canyon...

 WoW!  here we go!

 the slot canyon is wide at the bottom - very narrow at the top, most places you cannot see the sky 

 Our guide, Leon, has our hike timed so we catch the light rays beaming down into the canyon as the sun passes by an opening

 what a sight!

Nan, Steve, John 

coming out of the canyon at

the far end where it opens up into a wash.

Seasonal flash floods keep eroding and 

changing the walls of the canyon.