Gig Harbor Kayak Club
Newsletter
November 1999
Paddle &
Events Schedule
December 1999
Sunday December 5th, Gig Harbor to Fox Island
Leave GH boat launch @ noon,
need to arrange car shuttles for pick up at FI, Potluck to follow @ Oskar’s
approximately 3:30, RSVP to Oskar Oskar.Hinz@PSS.Boeing.com
December 11, Lighted Boat Parade, Meet at Launch, Time 5:30 pm,
Leader Berlin bignewf@aol.com
Sunday December 19th, Christmas Carols by Kayak
Meet at Launch, Time 3pm
Leader Liz & Marty Sebren msebren@krl.org
January 2000
Saturday January 1st, Annual American Lake Paddle
Meet at GH Park & Ride
9:30am, Leader Jim & Thom Davis jim.davis@weyerhaeuser.com
Friday January 7th, Gig Harbor Night Paddle
Meet at the Gig harbor boat
launch at 7:30pm, Leader Jim Davis jim.davis@weyerhaeuser.com
Saturday, January 15th, Skagit Rafting Trip with Boeing Club, the fee is
$40. It includes a bus trip up and
back. It is required that you pre
registr with Oskar, so be sure to call him – first come first serve. Leader Oskar Hinz Oskar.Hinz@PSS.Boeing.com
February
2000
Sunday, February 6th, Lake Washington paddle
Meet @ rest stop on I-5 just
before Hwy 18 @ 9am
Leader Jim & Phil & Oskar philip.m.lynch@boeing.com
Friday February 11th, Thea Foss Night Paddle
Meet at Thea Foss Park,
Tacoma Waterfront @ 7:30pm
Leader Jim Davis jim.davis@weyerhaeuser.com
Saturday February 19th, Dyes Inlet
Paddle
Meet at the Gig Harbor Park
& Ride at 10:00am.
Leader Berlin’s bignewf@aol.com
March
2000
Saturday March 4th, Seattle Locks Paddle
Meet at the rest stop on I-5
just before Hwy 18 at 9:00am. Be sure
to call first, since Jim is just back from Belize. Leader Davis jim.davis@weyerhaeuser.com
Friday March 10th, Gig Harbor Night Paddle
Meet GH Launch @7:30 pm,
Leader Berlin bignewf@aol.com
March 18th & 19th
Weekend, Weathers’ Property Camping
Trip
Meet at the Gig Harbor boat
launch, Time TBA. If interested, call
jim or Thom.
Leader Jim & Thom Davis jim.davis@weyerhaeuser.com
______________
Remember to check the club
website for updates to paddles and trips. Website address is: www.harbornet.com/kayakclub.
Your input is also valuable:
suggestions and links
Blake Island Trip
Report
Well, three of
us made the trip. It was our duty to
continue the club tradition of always ending the camping season with a trip to
Blake Island the third weekend in October.
Thom Davis, Eric Pollard, and
Jim Davis represented you well. There
was supposed to be four of us -- more about that later.
We left about 11am. The
weather was great. The three of us
paddled the long way around to the main campground. About noon, the wind began to blow. Rounding the jetty was a bit of an effort.
Jim's memories ---
(1) I remember that my son got
very mad at me when I simply asked for some help landing in the pounding surf. I got my seat wet. He even yelled at his father.
(2) I remember getting a call on the VHF radio from Phil. "Hey Jim…it is a little windy over here
at Southworth…I see white caps out there". I told him to use his best judgement.
(3) We ate diner in the rain
about 5:30. (4) The rain gave me a perfect excuse to go to bed at 6:30pm. --
Yep 6:30 -- it was wonderful.
Thom's memories --- (1)
You know how fathers are. Here I am
unpacking my kayak and he expects me to drop everything in the sand and run to
his aid -- well I guess not! Then, he gets wet and starts yelling at me. Well, I yelled right back. (2) I brought some old (very old apples) to
feed the deer. But I had second
thoughts when feeding time came, so we fed them our good apples. That is such a kick. But the story continues. I left the old apples on the table when we
went to bed. In the morning, the deer
had cleaned us out of all our apples, new and old. The moral of this story -- deer love apples. (3) Eric and I stayed up until about
8:30. Do you all know that my dad
snores (although he says he does not). It
was hard getting to sleep. (4) Sunday
morning was sunny and wonderful. We all
had a leisurely breakfast, before we packed up for the trip back to Southworth.
Eric’s memories --- (1) I think I need a rudder. That wind coming around the jetty was a bit
more than I liked. (2) We did get our
tents up in the wind and before the rain -- a good thing. (3) This was my first trip to Blake. I did enjoy the walk. I think I will have to
do Blake again. (4) I thought the trip was going to be a bit unpleasant, when
Thom and Jim were yelling at each other.
But father - son tiffs end quickly.
(5) Jim brought firewood. I am
an excellent fire maker. I burnt up all
of Jim‘s firewood before bedtime. Do
you know that Jim goes to bed at 6:30 -- I couldn't believe that he was telling
me the truth!
Missing Kayaker’s memories
--- (1) I got away from the house late
about 2:30. (2) When I got to
Southworth, the white caps were really up.
I did raise Jim on the VHF radio to tell him about my concern with the
wind and water. I did try it
though. I got about 1/3 of the way
across and turned back. So I spent the
night in a nice warm - soft - comfortable bed.
Not a bad way to finish the camping season. I did think about Jim, Eric and Thom a lot during the night…
Guess who?
Jim, Thom & Eric
________________
Trip Report Bowron Lakes: Sept. 1 – 11
It
was a dark and stormy night, The three weary paddlers did their best to ignore
the scratching and chewing sounds that were coming from several areas of the
pitch-black room. We were spending the
night in one of the little cabins that are scattered along the 72-mile
shoreline. We knew full well The night
is full of marauders, and the old cabins are notorious hideouts for the granola
stealing, pan rattling, floor scampering mice.
We had learned earlier in the trip to secure all our snacks and anything
that would clank or rattle while we slept in one of the cabins. We were warm
and snug in the little cabin half way around the 72-mile circuit of lakes. It was day 4 of our 8-day Canadian odyssey.
Let us start at the
beginning. The 650-mile car trip up
there is a beautiful drive. The road
takes you through different landscapes every few hours. Lots of open spaces, small towns, meandering
rivers, Rolling hills and steep mountains.
We arrived about noon the day before we were scheduled to depart. A quick check with the Ranger Stationed got
us permission to leave a day early if we wanted to. We did.
Like all adventures there are
some good news / bad news scenarios. We
were about to have one of our bad news ones.
We found out we were only allowed to carry 60 pounds in the boats while
doing the portages. The rest had to be
carried on our backs, arms, legs wherever.
We were WAY overweight. Some of
you may have heard our (Jim’s) motto of “Stuff is Good” Or if you are on a
camping trip with Jim and Phil And loose all your “stuff” between the two of
them you can be completely re outfitted with some of their extra “stuff”. Well some repackaging was in order. Stuff had to be reevaluated and some stuff
left behind and other stuff rigged up to allow it to be carried while towing
our Kayaks. Oskar Talked the Ranger
into allowing us some extra weight, We left some stuff behind and off we went,
but not far…
The first two portages are
the longest and they took their toll.
Not on the three of us mind you, but on our wheels. Oskar had his good, German made, wheels with
the straight stainless steel axle, no problem.
Jim and I both had the rather nice, rated for 200 pounds, aluminum tube
units. ¾ the way through the second
portage, Jim’s wheels were starting to fail.
We made it to the next put in and Oskar volunteered to go back and rent
two sets of heavy-duty wheels for Jim and I while we set up camp.
The rest of the trip went
very well. We had rain a few days and
sunshine a few days. This is a
wilderness area full of wild life. We saw
a total of 5 moose including a cow and calf, did not see any bears, but did see
a lot of water foul, Osprey, an eagle, and some otters. Waterfalls were too numerous to count.
There was one other exciting
time on the trip. I hit a dead head log
in the Caribou River and went over.
This is the only stretch of water that is running fast enough to be a
potential problem. We found out later
that several canoes had gone over also.
Oskar and Jim said it was only a class one section of river I would rate
it closer to a class seven. It is not
my fault the rating system only goes to a class five. Oskar caught my boat and Jim helped me get back across the
river. By the time I made it down
stream to where Oskar had my boat he had it pumped out and had a dry set of
clothes ready for me. This was the
first time I have gone over in the kayak.
Pretty scary, I can do an Eskimo roll, but to be honest, the thought
never entered my mind. All I wanted was
OUT! This is the second time I have
seen Oskar in action when the chips were down for someone. He is a good person to have in your corner
when you need help.
I would rate the trip at a
10! We had a wonderful time, saw some beautiful scenery, ate well and met some
really nice folks along the way.
Phil Lynch
________________
Gig Harbor Kayak Center Information/Classes
Pool schedule for reentry/rolling classes:
12/11 @ 2-3:30pm
1/15, 2/12, and 3/18 @ 1-4pm
BCU (British Canoe Union) classes
1/22&23,
2/19&20, 3/TBA
Call 851-7987
to reserve a spot or for more info
________________
Membership/Treasury Note:
New members and renewing
members may now make their $20.00
annual membership checks out to “Gig Harbor Kayak Club.” We have a savings account and a post office
box. If your address label is
highlighted in pink it means that your membership is due within the next
quarter. Please mail your check for
$20 to:
Gig Harbor Kayak Club
P.O. Box 2264
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
www.harbornet.com/kayakclub
Regular Club Happenings
Club meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at
7:30 pm at Mik’s shop. All members are
welcome.
Paddles are usually held locally the first Saturday or
Sunday of the month.
Night paddle is Friday evening following the first Sunday of the
month at 7:30pm.
On the third weekend we plan an overnight trip or a
longer, out-of-the-local area paddle.
Gig Harbor Kayak Club
Officers
President: Jim Davis jim.davis@weyerhaeuser.com
Event Coordinators: Phil Lynch philip.m.lynch@boeing.com
& Oskar Hinz Oskar.Hinz@PSS.Boeing.com
Treasurer: Paul Berlin pberlin691@aol.com
Membership: Jenny Berlin
bignewf2@aol.com