Mothership Kayaking from Gabriola

June-July 1998

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Ken Capon

No kayaks aboard this day, but plenty of deck space for a fleet

The idea of a charter boat business was the remotest thing from our minds. We just wanted to live on a boat for fun and thought it would be cheaper than a house.

We would need a large boat, as I play the acoustic bass which takes up lots of. room, and Cherryl is a jewelry designer who needed a studio. Plus we are both big people! In February 1980 we found our boat in the marina in Silva Bay on Gabriola Island. Her name was The Arasheena.

We made a deal with the people selling her at a time when interest rates were very high, and off we sailed to Vancouver.

Arasheena was built at the Nanaimo Shipyard for Captain Bert Davis, formerly the Captain of the Gabriola Ferry until the government took over the run in the early sixties. It was his retirement dream to sail around the world. Arasheena is truly a dream boat. 'Ara' mean beautiful and 'Sheena' is Gaelic for Jean... beautiful Jean. Berts wife's name was Jean.

The Arasheena is a 59' sailing yacht with a ketch rig, built for comfort and safety and weighs in at fifty tons. She sleeps six and if the settees are made up into berths, can accommodate thirteen people. One of the main features of the boat is the wheelhouse and stern castle (the aft on-deck cabin) which allow for comfortable cruising in all kinds of weather and 360 degree visibility.

She can carry a maximum of forty people on a day trip. The galley is fully equipped for hearty seagoing meals. The forward deck features a dining table and barbecue, and there is plenty of room for kayak storage on the roof and railings.

The chartering business started innocently enough, bringing out friends who would chip in for fuel. Then, we told two friends, and off it went... everything from birthday parties to weddings to cruising Desolation Sound! Over 18 years we have developed a steady following, particularly with community centre groups.

It took a lot of getting used to handling such a large boat. Cherryl is from Calgary and when we bought the boat 18 years ago she had to learn from scratch. Now she's the best co-captain on the coast and can park the Arasheena on a dime!

My introduction to boating and the islands came earlier, when my parents bought two lots on the North end of Gabriola in 1948. I spent many idyllic summers with my brother and sister exploring and relishing in every nook and cranny of the wild and nagged island. We learned the ways of the sea from Dad. Sometimes whole days were spent out in the "kicker", as our 12 foot clinker built inboard was called. A bond with the sea and this rocky island was created.

Last year Cherryl and I realized a dream and moved to Gabriola. We bought a home nestled amongst the trees on an acre and a half of land. With Arasheena back in her home waters we are now able to offer her as a Mothership for Kayak Support and Nature Tours.

Situated at the North end of the Gulf Island chain, a 20 minute ferry ride from Nanaimo, Gabriola is a great place to start a Gulf Island Cruise. Kayaks can be rented on the island and it is possible to do without a car when coming from Vancouver. There is a shuttle bus service between the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal and the Gabriola Ferry Wharf in downtown Nanaimo. You will be met at the ferry wharf on Gabriola.

Of the sixty-one islands that make up the Gulf Island chain, only nine of them are accessible by road. In the countless bays and channels there are many locations where only a boat like a kayak can navigate. Here, only a few hours travel from Vancouver, one finds some of the best kayaking on the West Coast. The combination of kayaks and a yacht allows for the adventure of exploring out of the way places yet maintains a level of safety for local knowledge is obviously important when boating in intricate waters. Still relatively undeveloped, the islands provide us with a setting that re-awakens the spirit. You can experience perfect moments in nature that will nurture your soul.

For information about Arasheena contact: Cherryl Reed and Ken Capon RR 1 Site 11 C4 Gabriola Island, BC VOR 1X0
Home Phone: 250/247-0079 Vancouver Voice Mail: 604/736-0938
E-mail: cruises@nanaimo.ark.com Web: www.nanaimo.ark.com/~cruises