Monday, November 03, 2014

Jersey Canoe Club 40th Anniversary Dinner

The Jersey Canoe Club was formed towards the end of the summer of 1974 and so the Club is holding its Anniversary Dinner,  at the Corbiere Phare, the scene of the meal at this years Jersey Sea Kayak Symposium.  We need a range of resources and images, which reflect the history of the Club.  Whilst looking through some of the thousands of slides, which I carefully labelled over many years I decided to scan a few, as they reflected the paddling scene of over 20  years ago.  
Here are a few taken on the west coast of Canada as the explosive growth in sea kayaking in North America was just to take off.
 Sea-Trek Sports were based in Sidney, on Vancouver Island.  Gord Hutchins was the owner and over a few year years I visited on numerous occasions to run BCU courses.  This is the shop fron in September 1994.
 Gord had some great kayaks.  This is the Nordkapp HM I used at lunch spot on Sidney Spit.
 Gord also had a number of Inuk kayaks, designed by British paddler Rob Feloy.  Fast and easy to roll.
We also paid a visit to Race Rocks, at the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Built from Scottish granite in 1859-60 it was still manned when we paid this visit, not becoming automatic until 1997.  I was just amazed by the number of sea lions and Turkey Vultures that we saw that day. 
The following autumn saw another visit to Canada after going to the Port Townsend Symposium.  This is Lisa and Sarah on an overnight trip to Rum Island.
Another family visit in 1997 and on a six day trip around the Gulf Islands we saw a number of pods of Orca's.  This one is sneaking up on Pete Midwood, paddling a double with one of his young daughters.
 We also headed north up Vancouver Island and in one long day trip of 30 nautical miles visited the old settlement of Mamalilikulla, complete with old totem poles.

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