Leadership skills are important to learn if you’re becoming a sea kayak guide or instructor, or if you’re a sea kayaker who will find yourself in a position of responsibility for others on the water.

Gary Doran leading a group of kayakers through Victoria Harbour.

I teach sea kayaking courses for guides, instructors, and others who will be in leadership roles on the water. But, leadership skills can be difficult to teach, so what are some strategies for teaching leadership skills in kayaking courses? One of the best ways I’ve found is to use role modelling and scenarios.

After introducing the concepts of leadership theory, I demonstrate practical examples through role modelling. It’s beneficial to point out to students that they should think about how I am acting as a leader. The students can then practice their own leadership skills through scenarios, as they guide the rest of the students during launching, on-water, and landing exercises. This provides the opportunity for each student to practise what he or she has learned and observed. During these scenarios, I become a ‘special’ member of the group, and act out various behaviours to challenge the student who is leading the group. I’ve developed a list of over 50 roles from my past experiences as a leader, from becoming seasick to getting my first bee sting, ever!

Providing feedback to upcoming leaders during a Guide Training course.

These scenarios are valuable because both the student leader and the other students can observe the effects of their leadership, and I can provide feedback. Many times I’ve heard students say, in disbelief, “Oh, that would never happen.” The fact is, all my scenario roles are based on real-life experiences. I’ve had many course graduates tell me this was a powerful exercise because it prepared them for the real-life experiences they encountered after the course. Here are a few examples of scenario roles I play, so watch out for these if your enrolled in one of my courses!

Sea Sick

More than a few times, I’ve been in a leadership role when one of my group has become seasick. When you’re seasick, you become nauseous, and may even throw up. But the worst part is you lose your sense of balance; so, if you in a kayak, you can easily capsize, making matters worse. I know all of this because I’ve been really seasick: when I guided on Motherships on the rough West Coast of Vancouver Island, I experienced the incapacitating effects of seasickness first-hand. All I could do was lay on the deck and moan and groan. For me, and others who have been seasick, the best cure is to get to solid land. Wow, the symptoms go right away! Therefore, a good leader would support a seasick paddler from capsizing and get him or her to shore as soon as possible. A little bit of ginger can help, too.

Buried Grab Loop

A sprayskirt with its grab loop (photo courtesy Snapdragon)

One of the hardest things for novice paddlers is to get their sprayskirt secured around their cockpit. During this struggle, they often inadvertently bury their grab loop so that it’s not available to pull to release their sprayskirt if they capsize. Needless to say, this is a safety risk. ‘Buried grab loops’ happen so often when I’m guiding that I don’t check to see if anyone has buried their grab loop; rather, I check to see who has buried their grab loop—each time we launch! A good leader will develop the critical eye to check for buried grab loops and other safety issues.

Bee Stings

Okay, this one’s not too frequent, but it has happened to me—and it can be very serious. As a leader, I’m trained in wilderness first aid. A percentage of the population is allergic to bees, and if stung, will swell up, constricting their airway and their ability to breath. If this applies to them, they carry an epi pen and antihistamines as a treatment. I’m not allergic myself, but what I suspect eventually happens is this: they carry their bee sting kit with them everyday—for years—and never even see a bee. Eventually, they don’t bother to bring their bee sting kit with them all the time. Then they go out kayaking with me, into the wilderness, where we stop for lunch on a scenic point with wildflowers and, guess what, bees. Ow, they get stung! They’re allergic to bees and they left their bee sting kit at home.

Now, a medical form should indicate if anyone in your group is allergic to bees. If none of the medical forms indicate any severe allergies in your group, does this mean that you won’t need an epi pen and antihistamines? No, it doesn’t. In my experience, a young member of a ‘non-allergic’ group suddenly started hopping around in a lot of pain and surprised confusion. He had just been stung, and had never, ever, been stung before. So, was he allergic to bees? I got my epi pen and antihistamines ready just in case. A good leader will carry an epi pen and antihistamines in his or her first aid kit.

So, if you’re on a course with me, keep your eyes peeled on my sprayskirt grab loop, carry some ginger, and if I’m hopping around in pain with a surprised, confused, look on my face, suspect that I’m role playing and I just got my first bee sting. Grab your epi pen and antihistamines and calm me down. Good leaders are made through leadership training.

New leaders graduating from an Instructor Training course.

Ocean River Adventures offers leadership training in many of it’s kayaking courses, including our Guide Training Courses, Instructor Training Courses, Sea Kayaking Level-2 Skills, Sea Kayaking Level-3 Skills, and Sea Kayaking Level-4 Skills. Wilderness First Aid training courses can be taken through Slipstream Wilderness First Aid.

Gary Doran
Head Instructor/Guide and Programmer, Ocean River Sports
Paddle Canada Instructor Trainer
SKGABC Guide Trainer

Mike Sunderland has passion for rivers and has paddled extensively in Europe, Scandinavia, US, BC, Nepal, New Zealand, Australia and recently in India.

Mike Sunderland, trip co-leader, Scotland

Parallel to this river paddling, Mike, a school teacher, has spent the past 30 yrs of school holidays exploring the coast of West and East Scotland developing an impressive knowledge of the islands off the Scottish coast – Orkneys, Shetlands, Mull, Skye, Barra, Uist, Harris, Lewis etc.  Researching the history is passion Mike has developed from the Jacobite rebellions to the “village clearances” onto island survival of modern day history.

He is Qualified as a BCU Level 5 whitewater coach and a BCU Level 4 sea kayak leader.  Mike has had the pleasure of guiding for a number of U.K. west coast commercial companies, leading school “Adventure Groups” and has explored much of the Northern British coast, NZ South Island and Canada’s BC coast.

Scotland's Hebrides Islands

With a love for wilderness camping kayak trips and the enthusiasm to share both his knowledge and skills with others, Mike is an added asset to “Ocean River Adventure Team” – once met never forgotten.

Mike will guide round the sheltered waters of Oban and through the turbulent “Falls of Laura”, breaking at points of historic or architectural interest.

Once on Colonsay the ornithology and island reserve of Oransy will influence what we see and where we go – paddling to a “clearance village”, tracking wild goats and searching out the shy otters.  Paddling and walking the west coast cliff tops will uncover a profusion of wild flowers and nesting sea birds, allowing close quarter observations and photography.

Mike Sunderland Kayaking Scotland's Hebrides

Grace’s cooking will be a real treat and evenings in the Lairds Hotel a must, not forgetting a tour of the islands brewery!

Once on Islay we will be in “malt whisky territory” and plan on a number of distillery tours and visits, to take in the true “taste of the Hebrides” with all its history, traditions and peaty flavours.

The coastal paddling will be supported by the background of  the Jura Mountains and the remote Islay coastline, with opportunities to spot dolphins and basking sharks, not to forget the atlantic seals, that bask on the rocks at low tide.

The Calmac Ferries will take us through the straights of Jura, past the famous Corrivecken whirlpools, close to the Scarba “Grey Dogs” overfalls, viewing islands such as the Garvallachs, Lunga, Linga – all classic coastline and exciting stretches of sea we could explore or just observe in the distance, off the Southern Hebrides coast.  The short ferry journeys are a treat in themselves.

This tour will take in 3 of the most remote, contrasting and mystical Southern Hebridian Islands – Colonsay, Islay, Jura – populated for centuries by their hardy communities with a historic thread of fishing and farming through the generations.  Local folk that will relate to the Canadians, as many of their for-fathers emigrated during the “clearances” -  and will be keen to engage in conservations and share island tales and folklore.

Scotland's Hebrides Islands

Scott Benton of Ocean River Sports

Scott Benton is Ocean Rivers Sports latest staff addition.  Scott has been helping people get out there for over 30 years formerly working in both field operations and the executive offices of BC’s Provincial Parks. Scott grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has lived, worked and explored much of British Columbia experiencing some of the wildest places that our province has to offer.  Scott brings a significant passion for land and water based outdoor activities and a wealth of knowledge and experience in a range of outdoor activities.  When he’s not working in retail operations, he’s likely out on the water or for a hike.

Scott comes to Ocean River through the Third Quarter http://www.thirdquarter.ca; a two-year pilot program running in 14 Canadian communities. This is a national collaboration focused on addressing business and volunteer skill shortages involving the Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and the Atlantic Provinces Chambers of Commerce.

By Jacques Sirois in Victoria,  B.C., Canada’s Kayaking Capital.

Have you seen or heard any “Quilliquliaq” “Ahaanliq” and “Ookpik” out there lately ? This is how the Inuit call the Black-bellied Plover, Long-tailed Duck, and Snowy Owl, respectively. These Arctic breeders winter along the Pacific coast for a few months every year, or every five years or so for the Ookpik. In fact, millions of  Arctic birds of  at least 40 species winter or migrate along our coast each year. You can’t miss them if you pay attention when you kayak around Vancouver Island in winter.

Snowy Owl hunting - Oak Bay, Victoria B.C.

“PLEEooee, PLEEooee” !  I love the call of the “Quilliquliaq” or Black-bellied Plover. I hear it each time I go out at this time of the year. It reminds me of the wild and wide-open Arctic tundra where this plover nests and where you often hear and see it. In winter, its prominent black belly disappears and only black “armpits”, which are easy to see when the bird flies, remain. The black belly reappears during the spring moult, usually before it heads back to the Arctic, in Canada, Alaska or Siberia. I once had a “Quilliquliaq” fly at full speed in panic mode right above my kayak. No wonder, a Peregrine Falcon was pursuing it. This is why these plovers hang out in large flocks with turnstones and other shorebirds. They are seeking safety in numbers against predators.

Ookpik or Snowy Owl, JJ Audubon

“AhAAnliq, AhAAnliq !”, another call that I often hear locally in winter ! No wonder the Inuit call them Ahannliq, a perfect onomatopoeic name for them. To speakers of English, the melodious, three-part yodel of the Long-tailed Duck sounds like “Owelep, Owelep ”! To speakers of French: “kakaWI, kakaWI”, hence its French Canadian and partly onomatopoeic name “Harelde kakawi”. At any rate, this common, small, diving duck nests near Arctic freshwater ponds and lakes where you often see and hear it. Huge flocks of Ahaanliq move south to winter in the North Pacific, North Atlantic and the Great Lakes each year. I usually see them at the same locations off  Victoria, week after week, calling, courting intensely and constantly diving for krill and small molluscs, sometimes right under my kayak. They add a cheerful “Arctic buzz” to our Pacific waters.

Long tailed Duck, J.F. Landsdowne

Speaking of Arctic buzz, a substantial irruption of Ookpik, or Snowy Owls occurred in southern British Columbia this winter like five years or so ago. These owls usually winter in the Great North but when lemming populations plummet there hunger forces them to wander much farther south. Hence my face-to-face encounter with an Ookpik perched on a beach log a few weeks ago, as I kayaked around a headland. We both reacted with surprise,  a surprise soon compounded  by a sudden attack on the owl by a Peregrine Falcon defending its regular hunting territory.  Snowy Owls routinely hunt for small mammals and birds during the day, as there is 24 hours of daylight in the Arctic in summer. Here in coastal British Columbia, they will try to catch gulls and ducks, among others and as I witnessed myself while paddling over a belt of kelp. But in that case, the owl missed the Mew Gull and flew to a nearby island in total silence and resignation.

With accelerated climate change, melting permafrost and receding sea ice now in full swing in the Arctic, the long-term future of these birds is arguably uncertain.

Othe articles by Jacques Sirois for Ocean River Sports | Adventures:

Going Wiild in My Kayak #2 – A Perfect Winter Day

Going Wild in My Kayak #1 – James The Human Otter & Eskimo Roll Master

About the author

Black Bellied Plover JJ Audubon

Tuck forward toward the front deck. Set your blade with the 'power face' up.

Learning to Roll

Rolling is the ultimate self-rescue technique for kayakers. There is no real mystery to learning how to roll; it is simply a matter of making the right movement at the right time. As the saying goes, ‘a kayak roll is easy to do, but hard to learn.’

I’ve been teaching rolling for the past 12 years, but I can remember back to the time when I was first learning to roll. During a layover day on a kayak tour in Georgian Bay, Ontario, the lead guide, Gary Morgan, offered to teach me rolling. I didn’t get it at the time, but continued to try on my own afterward. I found a quiet spot on the lake at my brother’s cottage to practice. Seeing me from the shore, a sunbather called out to me. I paddled over, and he said, “Want me to show you how to roll?” Before I could respond, he had commandeered my kayak and began flipping over and rolling. He said, “See, it’s all in the hip flick.” Well, that didn’t help me much, because I already had heard that from Gary.

Capsize toward your paddle.

Later, I participated in a rolling course at the pool here in Victoria, and, although I improved, I was still wasn’t quite rolling. I did, however, understand the technique and knew what I needed to work on. Shortly after, I snuck away to Thetis Lake and began practising in a secluded corner of the lake. Low and behold, another kayaker saw me and scooted over. “Want me to show you how to roll?” he said. Before I could respond, over he flipped and up he came. “See,” he said, “It’s all in the hip flick.” He did a couple more, then took off. Well, again, that didn’t help me much because I had already heard this. What I needed was some time to practice—uninterrupted!

Push your paddle toward the surface, maintaining your tuck.

Shortly after, a friend and I were discussing rolling while poring over Derek Hutchinson’s Guide to Eskimo Rolling. With newfound determination, we headed off to Thetis Lake again for more practice, where we encountered another ‘helpful’ kayaker who wanted to show us how to roll. We watched and listened politely, then continued our practice, and voila, we both got it—Mark first, then me. What I learned from the experience is that there is no secret to rolling—it’s more than ‘just a hip flick’—it’s the correct technique, good timing, and proper practice!

Sweep out while keeping your working blade near the surface.

There are other misconceptions about rolling. Physical strength is not the key to rolling. If you try to use your strength to lift yourself out of the water, you’ll simply sink back down because the support you use to lift yourself up is liquid. As well, novice kayakers are sometimes given the false impression that they should learn to roll as a first step toward kayaking. However, if you are a novice kayaker, you may have difficulty learning to roll because you don’t have the prerequisite building blocks yet. I recommend you be able to perform basic kayaking strokes and rescue techniques before trying to learn to roll. You should also spend time becoming comfortable in your kayak and competent holding and using your kayak paddle.

Hip flick (yep).

Rolling is counterintuitive: when you are upside down, your intuition tells you to bring your head up out of the water first so that you can take a breath. However, proper technique requires you to first turn your kayak upright (using your lower body—yes, the hip flick!) and bring your head out of the water last. In the photo sequence, you’ll see the steps for rolling. In the final photos, you’ll see my head comes out of the water last.

Recover with your head coming out of the water last. Maintain support using your paddle.

Teaching Rolling

Because learning to roll requires prerequisite building blocks, this skill is best introduced in intermediate-level courses and clinics. I teach rolling in Sea Kayaking Level 2 Skills courses, Sea Kayaking Level 3 Skills courses, Rolling clinics, and Personal Coaching sessions. I have found rolling more challenging to teach than other skills because students consider rolling a ‘make or break’ skill; i.e., students often feel discouraged if they haven’t successfully rolled during a program. Comparatively, when I teach other skills, such as the draw stroke, many students are satisfied by only moderate success in their performance of the stroke (“My boat’s going sideways . . . I’m good with that’). I try to encourage rolling students by letting them know if their technique is good, and suggest further time and practice.

Learning to roll with the aid of a paddle float in the pool.

People often need different amounts of time to learn to roll. So, when I teach rolling, I give students ways to continue to practice on their own, such as using a paddle float as an aid to keeping their blade near the water’s surface. Alternately, students can repeat a clinic if they prefer to practice further in a class setting, or they can arrange personal coaching.

I train up-and-coming instructors how to teach rolling in our Sea Kayaking Level 2 Instructor course. During this training, I explain that there are many different kinds of rolls. Therefore, if a student is having difficulty learning one kind of roll, a competent instructor should able to suggest an alternate roll to allow the student better opportunity for success.

So, whether you’re learning to roll or learning to teach rolling, allow the time needed to practice this important skill. Learning to roll is a journey, not a destination, so have fun with it!

Ocean River Adventures rents Crystal Pool to teach Rolling clinics and other programs on select Saturday nights in the spring and fall. On these nights, we also offer space in the pool for kayakers to practice on their own. This is a great opportunity for you to learn in a heated pool. For information on our upcoming Rolling clinics, Instructor courses, Personal Coaching, Pool Space (for Independent Practice), and other programs, please visit www.oceanriveradventures.com.

Gary Doran
Head Instructor/Guide and Programmer, Ocean River Sports
Paddle Canada Instructor Trainer
SKGABC Guide Trainer

Briar Meade-Semel joins Ocean River

Alberta born but hailing from Ontario, this paddling and camping, shredding and jamming wild woman has been in and around the Outdoor Industry for most of her pretty young life. Formerly the Hardgoods and Paddle Sports buyer and manager for Wild Rock Outfitters in Peterborough ON, Briar brings a wealth of industry knowledge and specialty retail operations skills. All that combined with the enthusiasm of a mainlander freshly set loose on the West Coast, Briar and her two dogs are as thrilled to be here as we are to have her!

Mathew Ferguson

This past Spring I moved to Victoria with my girlfriend, Allie who was finishing her degree at University of Victoria, and because I wanted to experience the summer on the Island. I was very excited be hired to work at Ocean River Sports. Before starting work at Ocean River, I had heard about this great local store that hosts HUGE annual outdoor sales (Gear Up & Gear Grab)! From May to December I enjoyed fantastic weather for kayak trips, hiking adventures, and a back-country ski trip.

My favorite Vancouver Island adventures were:

-Taking the Level 1 SKGABC Guiding Course (http://oceanriveradventures.com/guide-training-kayaking/level-one-guide.htm) with Ocean River Adventures’ amazing guides and instructors Gary Doran and Jordie Allen-Newman

-A 4-day sea kayak tour with Allie around the Southern Gulf Islands, a lovely trip with Eagles, whales, and great weather. Check out this trip with Ocean River (http://oceanriveradventures.com/overnight/escape-gulf-islands.htm).

-Training for the Victoria Marathon, running along Victoria’s scenic sea-side roads and trails

-Hiking up Mt. Arrowsmith, the highest mountain on Southern Vancouver Island on a clear sunny day

-Skiing this winter’s first powder snow at Mt. Cain Alpine Park (www.mountcain.com) on Northern Vancouver Island and lodging in a rustic cabin with a sauna

Between trips I enjoyed helping customers at the store find that perfect kayak or accessory to make their next adventure as safe and fun as possible. The community and values that belong to Ocean River Sports are impressive. I feel lucky to have been a part of them.

Thank you to all of the amazing staff and customers at Ocean River Sports for so many great memories, lessons, smiles and opportunities. I will be spending this winter in Fernie, BC – ski coaching and ski touring in the back-country of the Southern Rockies. I welcome everyone to visit for a ski lesson or a back-country trip together! Next spring I will be going to my homeland, Pond Inlet, Nunavut for a 5-week ski touring adventure- stay tuned.

Thanks & Good bye Ocean River! – Matthew Ferguson

Follow Matthew on Twitter (twitter.com/@MatthewNunavut), and LinkedIn (http://ca.linkedin.com/in/mwferguson)

See Matthew’s Vancouver Island Adventures through photos on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/sway-z/sets/72157627947613293/show/

The southern Salish Sea and its myriad islands offer some the most rewarding winter paddling experiences in Canada. Fine weather, marine conditions and wildlife often combine to provide remarkable outings. This was the case during the recent winter solstice, the shortest day of the year (8 h. 16 min. from sunrise to sunset at this latitude) and a day with a powerful King Tide (3.1 m in Victoria Harbour).

Rock Sandpiper by Mike Yip

At midday, on December 22^nd, in the Oak Bay islands, winter conditions were exceptional: dead calm, very high water levels, mild (7^oC) with a full sun. The low winter sun flooded the sea with glorious light. The big blue sky and sea were on fire. Two chains of snow-capped mountain peaks and dormant volcanoes dominated the panorama to the east (Coast Range) and south (Olympic Range). Isolated, lenticular clouds high above the Olympics indicated that strong winds were blowing way up there; a sharp contrast with the tranquil conditions at sea level. And there was wildlife, not obvious at first but very present upon closer inspection.

Hundreds of loons, grebes, cormorants, ducks, geese, auks, gulls and shorebirds, 36 species in total, quickly reminded me that the south coast of British Columbia is one of Canada’s best wintering areas for migratory birds. Despite declining numbers in recent years, the Victoria Christmas Bird Count typically records 130 species, with a Canadian record of 154 species in 2004, and more or less 100,000 birds.

The highlight of my day: a mixed and tight flock of 130 shorebirds, on the very top of two small flooded islets, because of the King Tide, comprising 60 Dunlins, 20 Black-bellied Plovers, 11 Surfbirds, 10 Black Turnstones, 3 Greater Yellowlegs and 25, yes 25, rare Rock Sandpipers. This Alaskan breeder is a rare winter resident in Greater Victoria. Also present: 300+ Buffleheads, a small, inland, tree-nesting duck and possibly the most common wintering water bird in this area. And dozens of gorgeous Harlequin Ducks, arguably Canada’s prettiest duck, and Surf Scoters, whose drakes have the coolest beak on the coast.

Last but not least,  I bumped into two massive (max. wt. of males: 1,120 kg) Steller’s Sea Lions, one of which came for a close and intimidating inspection, 50+ fat Harbour Seals (max. wt. of males: 170 kg) and two slim River Otters (average wt.: 6-9 kg), which constantly forage at sea along our coast.

Surf Scoter drake by J.F. Lansdowne

Pair of Buffleheads by J.J. Audubon

Despite declining populations of several coastal mammals and birds (and fishes) Mother Nature still manage to inspire and titillate if you pay attention and use your binoculars. Stay tuned for “A Perfect Summer Day” at the summer solstice.

 Other stories by Jaques Sirois: Going Wild in My Kayak #1: James the Human Otter and Eskimo Roll Master

Read Jaques Sirois’ BIO and message about kayaking around Victoria

Mike on the Medway, UK

I recently acquired a three piece Greenland Paddle from Northern Light Paddlesports and decided to take it and my Feathercraft Wisper to the UK this summer while I was visiting family. I managed to get the kayak, paddle, skirt, pfd and other safety gear into a single 50 lb travel bag as one of my two pieces of luggage. It was great to be able to paddle in a familiar boat and with a familiar paddle. Though I did not manage to get out on the ocean, I did get four nice paddles in on the Medway River between Tonbridge and Maidstone in Kent. The river is fairly level but has 11 locks spread over 30 or so kilometers to allow boats to navigate it. Each lock has a sluice and several of them have “Canoe Passes” to allow canoes and kayaks to pass easily downstream. The canoe passes ranged from fairly easy to fairly “exciting”. The last one I tried caused me to bury the bow of the Wisper almost to the cockpit before bouncing back! For the locks without passes and going upstream one has to get out of the kayak and portage 50 metres or so to reenter the river. It was nice to have a light kayak for the portages.

See the slideshow of the trip Here

Kayaking through a Medieval bridge in the UK

The river passes through the Weald of Kent, a beautiful rural area though only half an hour by train from London. As I traveled along sections of the river, I saw magnificent medieval bridges, lovely churches, and very suitably located (for lunch!) pubs! An unusual feature found along the north bank of the river are the Second World War “pillboxes”. These were constructed during the Second World War as a defense against possible invasion in 1940. The river was remarkably empty of traffic for mid-August. In four days of paddling over 60 km of river, I saw a few other canoeists, a few pleasure boats and barges, a handful of dog walkers and some fishermen quietly waiting for a bite. The bridges at Teston and East Farleigh date back to the 14^thcentury and were neat to paddle under.

Feathercraft through the UK

I had access to a car to transport my gear, but I could easily have done this river trip by train as the stations were never far from the river. Assembling the Wisper took 20 minutes to half an hour each time and dis-assembly took only 10 to 15 minutes. This was the first time I had traveled with my kayak, and based on this experience I will do it again! The Wisper and Northern Light paddle were a great combo for this kind of trip.

Mike Jackson with Northern Light Paddle

Ocean River | Sports | Adventures would like to welcome Mike Jackson as a new contributor / writer on our Blog.

Mike is a local high school science teacher who also has a love of natural history – especially marine. Born and educated in the UK, Mike moved to Canada 30 years ago to do a Masters in Environmental Science at the University of Calgary. He came to Victoria 26 years ago to start teaching and fell in love with the west coast, its kayaking and natural environment. He has also been involved with conservation and tourism in the Galapagos Islands for 31 years, writing one of the main natural history guides to the islands and serving as a governing member of the Charles Darwin Foundation. In his spare time he paddles a lot, takes pictures and tinkers with technology. Michael is a founding director of Victoria’s Sea Kayaking Club, SISKA and he also volunteers with Oak Bay Sea Rescue.  Michael was recently interviewed on SeaKayakPodcasts.com about paddling Vancouver Island. Mike also maintains a blog of his own kayak trips.

Read Mike’s first story for Ocean River Adventures “Have kayak – Will Travel“