Last fall Sean Morley broke the solo kayak record for the fastest circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. He was able to pull off the feat in a blistering 17 days 4 hours and 49 minutes, beating the old record held by Joe O’Blenis by nearly 6 days.
The 2009 MEC Paddlefest is approaching with 2 events happening in BC. TheVictoria Paddlefestis taking place Saturday, June 27 at Gyro Beach, Cadboro Bay.
This is a family event. The event will offer opportunities to test boats and equipment from various watersports manufacturers. MEC Paddlefest will have something for every paddler, from the beginner to the expert.
Registration
Pre-registration begins Monday, June 1, 2009. Please contact the Service Centre at 604.876.6221 or toll-free at 1.800.663.2667 to reserve your spot today. Pre-registration is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment.
Instructors and guides will include staff from SKILS (Sea Kayak Instruction & Leadership Systems), Deep Cove Kayak and MEC.
Presenters/Guides/Vendors/Retailers
The 2009 Paddlefest attendees, clinics and presentations are still being confirmed.
2009 Confirmed Attendees
* Aqua Lung, Stohlquist
* Baja Kayak
* BC Hydro
* Current Designs
* Deep Cove Kayak
* Dogwood Initiative
* Ecomarine
* Fraser Riverkeeper
* Georgia Strait Alliance
* Jericho Sailing Centre Association
* Kayak for a Cure
* Mountain Equipment Co-op
* Sea Kayak Instruction & Leadership Systems (SKILS)
* Seaward Kayaks
* Teva
* The Vancouver Aquarium
* Wavelength Magazine
* Western Canoeing & Kayaking
The final presentation / clinic schedule isn’t complete yet, but check their website for updates. Here is a quick video of last year’s Vancouver event to give you a taste:
The Big Chop Summer Paddle Series is kicking off again next week, April 30. For those of you who are new to the Big Chop, its a series of 10 paddle races that take place in English Bay every second Thursday throughout the summer. Its a great event for beginners and novices alike, with free demo clinics before each race hosted by MEC, and food and drinks afterward for the racers.
The Mountain Equiqment Co-op Big Chop Summer Paddle Series is a 10 race series happening on Thursday evenings in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The race is open to OC 1 & 2, Kayaks, Paddleboards, and Canoes. The 2009 series starts on Thursday, April 30th, at 7pm.
Imagine. It’s a Thursday evening and you just got off work. It was a stressful day and you need a release. You head to the beach as the sun is setting. 100 boats are lined up off of the shore of Vanier Park. Kayakers vs canoers vs outriggers are all set to battle the 7-10km course. Think Cannonball Run on water. The gun goes off, the race starts, the paddles churn the water, and the bow of the boats stir up the wake. Sweating, heart beating, adrenaline flowing. You finish. You smile. New friends, cold drinks, and tasty food awaits you. What a night. The long workday is now the last thing on your mind. That’s what the Big Chop Summer Paddle Series is all about..
Our population of killer whales in the region is endangered. They’ve suffered declines in the past years and we’re hoping they will recover as the salmon stocks recover and our ecosystem recovers, and this is a good sign that they’re trying – Ken Balcomb, executive director of the Centre for Whale Research
I’ve wanted to go whale watching for a long time now. I’m born and raised on the west coast and have never seen a killer whale in its natural element. This especially bothers me when I have friends come from other countries and they brag about how amazing it was to go see the orcas around Vancouver Island. I’d suggested going on a tour to my girlfriend and she brought up a very valid point of how boats with loud motors chasing a species of animals on the brink just didn’t seem entirely ‘moral’. Don’t you hate it when those things get in the way? I was discouraged for all of half a second before suggesting kayaks. Non-polluting, quiet, and unobtrusive. We both love kayaking, but just hadn’t thought of this before. So after hearing the news of the new orca calf today, I’ve done some quick Google research and there are actually plenty of opportunities to go whale watching by kayak in and around Vancouver Island. A few examples I found:
I guess the one problem you have to worry about is having an orca jump on you. Kind of like Free Willy if he didn’t make it over the rocks:
Okay okay, I found that video on Youtube while searching “Vancouver whale watching by kayak” and I was a little bit suspicious that it wasn’t real. So I did some more digging, and surprise! its fake:
So anyways, here’s a real video posted by Out For Adventure:
A group of very brave kayakers pulled off an amazing stunt the other day, by ‘kayaking’ down the UK’s tallest dam (300ft tall, 1,150ft long). You can read the news article here, or just skip down below and watch the video. Pretty crazy stuff.
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir
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