From: Sheila_Craig@Newbridge.com (Sheila Craig) Newsgroups: rec.boats.paddle Subject: 4 days of Georgian Bay Sea kayaking (long) Date: 21 Jul 1995 12:43:14 GMT Organization: Newbridge Lines: 99 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: 138.120.104.93 It was wilderness canoeing that first addicted me to paddle sports a dozen or more years ago... Then I took up white water kayaking with a passion... I've been back a couple of weeks now from my first sea kayak excursion and I guess I'll have to add that to my list of obsessions. A month or so ago I posted a request to r.b.p asking for info on outfitters, places to paddle etc. in Georgian Bay and I got about 5 responses - thanks to all for your recommendations. Ian (fairly new to paddle sports) and I took 2 evening SK lessons from Trailhead in Ottawa before we set off - Jean's training well worth the $40 each. When we got to White Squall to pick up our rented Current Designs Libra XT, they asked me where I'd heard of them. It was the first time they'd written down "the internet"! White Squall got us off to a great start with excellent equipment, suggestions on where to go, and with helping us load the 21 foot, 90 lb tandem kayak on my truck - no mean feat. We set off from Snug harbour after a half hour of arranging and rearranging food and gear until everything fit into the three compartments of the kayak. Loading a kayak is quite spectacularily different from loading a canoe! In honour of Canada Day weekend, we had purchased a small Canadian flag in Parry Sound and Ian mounted it as an ensign on our stern deck. Georgian Bay was a surreal glassy calm as we slipped along on our way to the South end of Franklyn Island. I learned very quickly to appreciate the dynamics of our boat. The sleek hull sped through the water under our relaxed paddle strokes - a far cry from my Pirouette S! We spent our first night on a small island near the south-west end of Franklyn Island, protected from the Bay by a rocky point in a small sheltered cove. We were thankful for this when Georgian Bay woke up that night and showed its true colours. The wind began at sunset, and gathered force all night. For the rest of our trip, we had what my Dad, the sailor, calls a "three-day blow". It is this frequent weather, of course, that explains the characteristic shape of the pine trees on the east shore of Georgian Bay. The strong wind did keep us (novices erring on the side of caution) from making the crossing to the Mink & McCoy islands about 3-4 kms offshore - but we found plenty to amuse ourselves over the next 3 days - and there were NOOOOOOOO mosquitos! We'll just have to go back and explore the McCoys next time. On the second day, we pushed off from our secluded cove into a very different Georgian Bay. Now we'd see what a sea kayak was designed to do. I was absolutely delighted by the experience, although it took Ian, to whom such conditions were new, a bit longer to admit it was "fun". We paddled upwind across open water for nearly an hour before resting behind one of the thousands of pink, rocky islands dotting this shore. Our trusty Libra cut placidly through the seas, as steady as a rock. We spent most of the day exploring inlets and islands where only a kayak could travel. We camped on the west side of Franklyn island that night, about 100 metres from a rock on which an Osprey had nested upon a platform set there expressly for that purpose. With Ian's field glasses, we had a great view of the nest and the 2 downy babies within. The next morning we turned our backs to the wind and surfed the metre seas as we returned towards the south of Franklyn Island. Ian definitely thought that was fun! Our camp site of the first night was still vacant, so we returned there to enjoy the protection of the cove. It was early when we arrived, so after setting up camp, we followed our topo map to some lovely hidden inlets and pools on Franklyn Island. This is where solo kayaks would have been an advantage. Making tight turns with our enormous tandem in constricted passages took alot of effort. That evening we had a tense 45 minutes or so when my MSR stove refused to work. I replaced every part, cleaned every opening and still nothing. It was looking like cold cereal for dinner, when in desperation I tried a second replacement jet - and IT WORKED! So, on my list of "things to buy before my next trip" is a new repair kit for my MSR. Our chili & tortillas were a little later than planned, but all the more appreciated when they were ready. On our final morning, after a very quick swim (brrrr!) we prepared the traditional last day pancake breakfast before packing our kayak for the last time. At a leisurely pace, we made our way back toward Snug Harbour, with a detour to explore yet another inlet on Franklyn island. Loading the 90 lb kayak onto the very high roof of our 4-Runner proved quite a challenge. Fortunately, we were not the only kayakers taking out at Snug harbour and some one came to my rescue! Thanks! So if we decide to take this sport up seriously, I'll have to get a 3rd roof rack mounted at the very back of the truck for loading boats. I can't imagine a more enjoyable weekend than we had. How will I ever find enough time to enjoy all these wonderful wilderness activities? How will I ever find the money or storage space for all these boats?! End of ramble! Now back to work... -Sheila Some day I will burst my bud of calm and blossom into hysteria