News

June-July 2000

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

Congratulations to the organizers of the Vancouver Island PaddleFest, held in Ladysmith, April 28-30, and to Sea Kayak Guides Alliance for their successful Guides' Exchange held on Quadra Island the same weekend. The Ladysmith event saw over 500 people on site and, despite challenging weather conditions, everyone had a lot of fun.

Okanagan PaddleFest

See you in Peachland, BC June 16-18, on the shores of beautiful Okanagan Lake, for the second annual Okanagan PaddleFest. Presenters include Alan Wilson and Laurie MacBride with a slideshow called "Mothership/Mother Ocean" as well as industry leaders from around the sea kayak community in Canada and the USA. Featuring kayaks and canoes, trade show, slide shows, workshops, music, food and fun. For more information, contact 250-767-2225 or wphillips@silk.net

Marine Trail Fundraiser

The 10th annual BC Marine Trail Association Ocean Kayak Marathon is scheduled for July 9th, Jericho Beach, Vancouver, BC. Race Starts at 9:45 am. Registration at 8 am. Register at Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre 888-4 C KAYAK or 604 689-7575. For more info contact Tara Rolston at 604-689-9204 or t_rolston@yahoo.com.

Last Chance to Win

The Georgia Strait Alliance still has some tickets left at just $10 apiece, for their spring Raffle. 1st prize is a kevlar Galapagos sea kayak donated by Extreme Interface; 2nd prize is a beautiful framed Robert Bateman lithograph; 3rd prize is a 14 kt gold salmon pendant. Only 1000 tickets were printed so the odds are good. Drawing for the prizes will be held July 22 at the Georgia Strait Alliance 10th Anniversary Reunion on Newcastle Island, near Nanaimo, BC. Contact GSA at 250-753-3459 or check out their site at www.georgiastrait.org

Kayak Regatta 2000

On August 18th, two hundred paddlers will journey a grueling 60 miles through the pristine waters of Penobscot Bay. This formidable armada of dedicated individuals will overnight in Camden and Stonington, Maine before returning on the 20th. To participate each kayaker will have raised $1,000 to be used to create 25 kayaking clubs benefiting young people in 25 communities across the state. For info check out our site at www.rippleffect.net or call 207-791-7870.

Wood Kayak Rendezvous

The 2nd annual West Coast Wood Kayak Rendezvous 2000 (dubbed R2K) is a gathering of wooden kayak builders, owners, and wannabes. Events scheduled to take place are glassing, stripping, paddle making, stitch-and-glue, skin-on-frame, hybrid, as well as paddling techniques and on water sessions. Scheduled for August 19-20 at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. For more information contact: Joe Greenley 208-344-7116 or Joe@redfishkayak.com (www.Redfish Kayak.com)

Bamfield Sea Kayak Festival

The little Vancouver Island town of Bamfield, population 250, turns host on September 8-10 for the second annual Bamfield Sea Kayak Festival. Participants can take part in races and events for all ages (with cash & prizes totaling $5000), as well as clinics, kayak raffle, dance & BBQ. For more information, contact the Bamfield Chamber of Commerce 250-728-3006 or bamcham@cedar.alberni.net. Or contact the Bamfield Kayak Centre toll free at 877-728-3535.

West Coast Kayak Symposium

The Trade Association of Paddlesports is presenting GOPaddle!2000, a paddlesports festival series of events around the USA, featuring the West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium in Port Townsend, the world's biggest sea kayak event, September 15-17. Early registration discounts are now available online through their secure server. Class schedules, speakers, and vendor information will be available soon. Contact: info@gopaddle.org or visit www.gopaddle.org

Website scores!

WaveLength's award-winning website hit a high of 185,000 hits for the month of April. Visitors from around the world visit www.WaveLengthMagazine.com to download the latest issue and check out our extensive links to trips, lessons, kayaks, gear, accommodations, rentals, our enormous archive of articles from past issues and much more.

WaveLength's new Webmaster If you have been to our website recently you will have noticed many changes. Ted Leather, Wave- Length's new webmaster, has been upgrading the look and content in our constant effort to be the highest quality paddling site on the net. Thanks to Ted we now boast more than 650 pages of original material on our site, including many back issue articles. Whether you're interested in paddling destinations, finding a tour operator or learning more about paddling safety, it can easily be found. We also highly recommend Ted for anyone needing a webmaster. He can be reaching through our site by clicking on the webmaster link or by going directly to his site at members.home.net/clayrose/ or email him at clayrose@home.com

WaveLength's Cartoonist Berry Wijdeven is WaveLength's new cartoonist. Berry describes himself a 'reformed urban planner'. He has lived in Tlell on the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii for the last five years with his wife Josina, two dogs and a cat. Paddling and discovering the islands in his wooden kayak (Queen Charlotte model, of course) remains one his greatest pleasures. Berry's cartoons have appeared in numerous publications and he is currently working on a cartoon book about life on the Charlottes.

Industry Updates

Middleton's Canoes, Kayaks and Dinghies of North Vancouver, BC announces new Formula Kayaks, just arrived from Ontario. Contact David Middleton at 604-984-8020 or boats@direct.ca (www.norf.net/middletonsboats) Debbie Erickson of North Island Kayaks has just opened a new beachfront location in Port Hardy on northern Vancouver Island for rentals and tours. Contact her toll free at 877-949-7707 or nikayak@island.net (www.island.net/~nikayak/) The Vancouver Canoe & Kayak Centre has opened at 575 Pembroke Street in Victoria, BC to offer sales, rentals, tours and repairs for canoes and kayaks. Call 250-361-9365.

GPS Accuracy Enhanced

In May, US President Clinton ended Selective Availability for private users of GPSs which had degraded accuracy in favour of 'national security'. Since then, accuracy has been enhanced by a factor of 10. For further information see: www.igeb.gov

Outdoorable.com

Www.outdoorable.com, is a highly detailed and efficient search engine specifically designed for those outdoor enthusiasts and adventure travellers wanting to quickly find their way in the jungle of information on the Internet. The up-to-date address and links database is managed by flesh and blood editors. Search for specific outdoor shops or travel organization. Or visit the employment database with jobs, CVs, the latest news and events. Six different sports (Climbing, Snow Sports, Paddle Sports, Travel & Adventure, Biking and Horse riding). WaveLength's Alan Wilson is providing articles and information for the Paddle Sports page.

On-Line Books

Tamassee.Com of Walhalla, South Carolina now has Travel and Recreation Guidebooks and Maps available including topographical maps, and maps for paddlers, divers, climbers, business travelers, etc. Toll Free: 888 770-5463. Email: guides@tamassee.com

Campaign to Protect Prime Paddling Property

The Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC) recently announced the launch of a campaign to purchase an impressive 130-acre waterfront property on Indian Arm-a spectacular 18 km-long fjord close to Vancouver, BC. Known locally as Thwaytes Landing, the property has excellent recreational potential as a destination site for kayakers and canoeists. Its close proximity to Deep Cove in North Vancouver and Belcarra Park in Port Moody also makes it a favourite anchorage area for many boaters. The Thwaytes Landing property includes a system of well-marked trails through a forested landscape, with waterfalls, moss-covered rocky outcrops and spectacular views of Indian Arm. It is immediately adjacent to Mount Seymour Provincial Park and to the newly created 7000 hectare Indian Arm Provincial Park. The Land Conservancy is campaigning to raise funds to purchase some or all of the $2.2 million property. Thwaytes Landing is the last residentially zoned large oceanfront property left in Vancouver. TLC needs to raise $450,000 by July 14th in order to purchase the first seven waterfront lots and is working with the support of local communities and recreation and wilderness preservation groups such as the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society as well as the Deep Cove Canoe & Kayak Centre. Tax-deductible donations can be sent to the Land Conservancy of BC at 5793 Old West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC V8X 3X3. For more information contact Bill Turner at 250-479-8053 or the Vancouver office at 604-733-2313. Thanks to Alison Spriggs and Tamsin Baker

Boreal 2000 Canoe Expedition

This summer, four young paddlers will set out from the heart of Canada's boreal forest in northern Saskatchewan on a 4,500 kilometre journey of discovery. Their final destination is Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The goal of the Canoe Expedition is to raise awareness and support among the public for the plight of Canada's threatened boreal forests. Approximately 65% of the northern boreal forests have been leased to logging companies who are clearcutting on a massive scale. Most Canadians live far from northern forests and so are not witnessing the damage directly. For more information, contact the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society: 604-685-7445, 800-333-WILD, info@cpawsbc.org, www.cpaws.org/chapters/bc.html

Oil and Gas Threats

The Living Oceans Society of Sointula, BC is warning that any attempt to lift the moratorium on offshore oil and gas development in BC would endanger existing industries such as fishing and ecotourism which are dependent upon healthy coastal waters. In Norway, Britain and California, fishermen have launched damage claims and court action for pollution and other impacts. In Newfoundland, the promised job boom has been limited and many jobs are filled by foreign workers. For more information contact the Living Oceans Society at (250)973-6580 or oceans@livingoceans.org

Fish Farm Massacres Sea Lions

At least 14 recently killed sea lions were found heaped in a pit near a fish farm at Indian Bay in Clayoquot Sound, on a rocky beach, half buried. It is confirmed that Creative Salmon, a local fish farm company, has taken credit for the slaughter under the management of Bill Vernon. Ironically, Vernon and Creative Salmon just received a BC Aquaculture award for their leadership in following the new Salmon Farming Code of Practice developed by the fish farm industry. For more information contact Edward May: 250-725-4218, focs@web.net or Howard Breen of the Georgia Strait Alliance at 250-247-7467 (hbreen@georgiastrait.org) or visit the GSA site at www.georgiastrait.org

Paddle to a Cure

Four women, all respected outdoor education facilitators, are leading a seakayak expedition through the Canadian Great Lakes in July and August to raise funds for breast cancer research. The event invites breast cancer survivors and those that support them to become involved in adventure-based experiences which encourage group support personal growth and physical challenge. The participants will be supplied with equipment by Columbia Sportswear and Seaward Kayaks. The project aims to raise at least $200,000 for the Breast Cancer Society of Canada, a private funder of Canadian breast cancer research. If you would like to make a donation or need more info call 1-800-567-8767.