2009 Nootka Island
The process of moving to Campbell River constrained my 2009 kayak trip to just a week, so I made Nuchatlitz a focal point for a circumnavigation of Nootka Island and a trip towards Rugged Point.
I launched at Little Espinosa, and paddled to Rosa Island, where I met 3 paddlers.
The next morning, I took my leave and paddled to Ferrer Point & Louie Bay.
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an exposed beach near Ferrer Point.
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Since I would be paddling through an ebb, I was on the water just before 7 am. The water had a few bumps off Ferrer Point, but was quiet after that.
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Hikers at Third Beach.
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The sweeping sand beach at Calvin Falls.
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A fresh wolf print.
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no surf at Calvin Creek
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While it made for an easy landing, the lack of surf at Calvin dashed my hopes for playtime.
The next day, I was again on the water at 7 am.
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Calvin Falls.
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Good conditions enabled me to paddle on the inside of the Bajo Pt tidal flat. Beano Creek came & went, and I made a beeline for Maquinna Pt.
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Oopsie! A stray boat east of Maquinna Pt.
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The lighthouse at Yuquot/Friendly Cove.
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An interesting concrete foundation near the village of Nootka.
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sailing in Tahsis Inlet
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At Strange Island, I stopped to rig up my sail, and proceeded to sail up Tahsis Inlet to Blowhole Bay. With only moderate winds, it took 2 hours to cover the 9 nautical miles, but the R&R enabled me to continue paddling through Tahsis Narrows to Haven Cove, for a total distance of 33 nautical miles.
After camping on island 44, I continued on to Yellow Bluff as I wanted to be in position for a daytrip to Grassy Island.
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The Uchuck steaming back from Kyuquot.
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Grassy Island.
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The view from Grassy Island.
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While the light winds & low cloud / partial fog made for great travelling weather, sunshine was intermittent during the week. So I wrapped up the trip a day early & paddled back to Little Espinosa from Yellow Bluff.