Editorial

Winter 2007

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by Alan Wilson

The beginning of 2007 marks the beginning of some changes for WaveLength Magazine and an exciting new role for me. Regular readers will know that Alan Wilson, who founded the magazine and nurtured its growth and development for the last sixteen years, has now retired. His kayak no longer has to compete with the magazine for his time, although, as you will read later in the magazine, his garden may step in as major competition. The ownership and management of WaveLength has been transferred to Pacific Edge Publishing, Ltd., which essentially means to my husband Ron and me. Having worked in the WaveLength office with Alan for some time, I am well aware of how much our readers love this magazine, and what an awesome responsibility it is to carry on his dedication to promoting safe paddling, to attracting new paddlers to the pastime, and to raising awareness of ecological and political issues that affect the marine environment. We look forward to carrying on his good work and hope that WaveLength will continue to inform and delight you with the endless possibilities for exploring the Pacific coast under paddle power.

As this is the first issue of WaveLength to be produced under our direction, it’s a good time to introduce ourselves. Ron and I have been publishing longer that we have been paddling, but we are dyed-in-the-wool coastal islanders. I grew up rowing what we called “row boats” in my childhood days, off the beach in front of the cabin where my family spent the entire two-month summer holiday, every year from when I was three years old to when I was sixteen. Ron spent his summers as a child catching crabs on the beach at White Rock. We each raced and cruised on various sail boats throughout our teen and young adult years, and have cruised the coast in power and sail boats together for the past twenty odd years.

I started working part time with Alan, helping to produce WaveLength several years ago, and that’s when we got hooked on paddling. We’re lucky to live above a flat and protected shoreline on Gabriola Island, where we can carry our kayaks down our beach stairs and launch them right in front of the house. Turn right and we can paddle up the coast of Gabriola or Mudge Island for an hour in the evening. Turn left and endless Gulf Island excursions are possible, whether we want to go for a quick spin or a day-long adventure. Camping trips are also an option, but so far, the comforts of our mothership have overruled paddling expeditions when we have time to get away for more than a day.

Although we have always loved being on and near the water, we are completely smitten with kayaking. I love the independence of being the skipper of my own boat, the intimacy of the relationship between kayak and water, the complete peacefulness I feel each time I climb into my boat. The addition of kayaks to the deck of our big boat has enhanced the cruising experience and provided a new focus for our trip planning.

Our still-at-home family includes our fifteen-year-old son, who keeps us young and keeps us moving, insisting that we take him to all the places on the coast that we visited years ago with his older brothers. Our means of transportation these days is a lovely old 35 foot Chris Craft, Loafer II, pictured on the cover with David launching his favorite kayak, the Enigma.

So, whether we’re paddling from home, or mothershipping our kayaks to more remote locations, we’ll be sharing with you the love of paddling, watching the wildlife that inhabits our part of the world, and renewing our spirits as only being on the water can do. If you see Loafer II on your travels, with three kayaks lying off her stern like a brightly colored floral bouquet, please come by and say hello.