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Published: December 3rd 2005
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The weather has once again been fine, although cold and frosty. We decided to make the most of the weather and our time left in Bamfield by going kayaking. We took the boat to the dock in West Bamfield and walked ashore to get kitted out. Unfortunately, Pippi and I decided not to wear our gumboots. An important lesson I have learned here is, if in doubt always wear gumboots! We had to lug our kayaks down to the dock and carefully sidle in without toppling over and falling in. We were inside a dock that is surrounded on three sides and I was facing the wrong way. I kept trying to turn around but would just paddle back and forth into the dock! Eventually I found my way out and Pippi and I got a head start into the inlet on Quin who was launching from the shore. We headed north up Bamfield Inlet towards the ocean before turning southeast down Grappler Inlet.
Grappler Inlet is amazing. We were surrounded on both sides by pine trees that came right down to the rocky shore. Straight ahead of us in the distance were snow capped mountains. As we were paddling
up the inlet, a seal popped up out of the water. It seemed very curious and followed us, bobbing its head out of the water and porpoising back in. I tried to get my camera out but it disappeared just as I was about to take the photo. A bit further up an otter a big splash and then surfaced in and out of the water. We entered a big bay and then started heading up a smaller part of the inlet. There was a big grey heron standing right near us on the shore, watching us float by. Along the bottom there were giant starfish, including carnivorous ones, with heaps of legs. We couldn’t go as far as we hoped because it was low tide so we decided to turn around before it got dark. It was much quicker paddling out the Grappler Inlet because the current was going with us.
We got back into the Bamfield Inlet with where it was a bit tougher going. Near the marine station we saw another seal. Once at the West Bamfield dock, Pippi climed out of her kayak to take the boat home. I continued to Burlo Island with Quin
not far behind, towing Pippi’s kayak. Once at our home dock we hauled the kayaks up, turned them upside down and tied them up. It was just about dark and getting colder, and my hands were freezing.
Wednesday morning it was overcast, although not raining. However it was freezing. I dressed in lots of layers and was ready to tackle the cold. We went down to the dock to launch our kayaks. As we turned them over, big chunks of ice fell out! There was icy water in the bottom of our kayaks which we had to sponge out. My hands were so agonisingly cold, I jumped around, waving them, feeling as if they were about to drop off. We launched the kayaks and started paddling south down the Bamfield Inlet. As we were paddling around the bay outside the house, a seal popped up. He snorted and belched before diving back in.
It was an ultra high tide which meant that we could kayak into the small inlets and bays. The water was amazingly calm and flat. We paddled along at a very leisurely pace until we reached the end of the Bamfield Inlet. We turned around
and started paddling back. When we turned back, a magnificent view suddenly sat before us. The inlet spread before us with tree-lined peninsulas and outcrops lining the edges, and in the background were snow capped mountains.
We were planning to stop at home for lunch but it was nearing 2pm and our kayaks had to be returned. We paddled north up the Bamfield Inlet. Once we got past Burlo Island the water was a lot less calm there were small rolling waves to contend with. We paddled into the shore at West Bamfield and pulled our kayaks up. As we didn’t have the boat, we had to wait for the tide to go home so we could walk home. By this time we were starving but the range of food at the store is rather limited. We sat outside in the cold eating packets of chips, talking to some locals and being harassed by a senile, drooling, incontinent dog! After about half an hour it was too cold and so we started the walk home, low tide or not!
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Darwin Chiong
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Discovery Channel
Reading your entries, makes me feel as if I'm watching Discovery Channel on cable. Go Nat! A beautiful world is waiting for your embrace. :)