Day 7 Nuchatlitz/Nootka Island Sea Kayak Trip

May 24th/07 22.10 Day 7
Calvin Creek, Nootka Island!

We made it. We got up an hour early today & when we got on the water it was calm & visibility was pretty good. Snuck into a little slot in the rocks to get out & pee before going round Ferrer Point, where it gets committed.

There were sea lions on Ferrer Point. They made Sarah pretty nervous. it took us pretty much how long we figured -- left at 10 and landed around 1:30. We were really proud of ourselves. I'm too tired to write. I'll catch up tomorrow.

So we picked a good day to do our first leg down the Nootka Coast. Around 11.45, we still had a ways to go and I really had to pee. The swell was big, but we were outside the break zone. Sarah stabilized my boat and I hung off the edge & peed. I had a little bit of stagefright but eventually did it b/c I'm comfortable with her. It's hard, the cold watter slapping up on me, then after, arching up in the cockpit to pull my pants back up. Kind of crazy, but easier than landing on that section of coast.

Once we made it to Skuna Bay, there was only another mile to go. They were in the middle of logging there, or maybe log salvaging, so I was glad we weren't camping there. Also, Lennie had it marked on the chart as Big Surf, although I think anywhere around there is big surf. Our surf landing was sure big.

I was so proud of myself for that landing! I volunteered to go first. Sat outside the break zone for a while, watching, pretty intimidated. When I thought I had a smaller set, I went for it (Sarah called to me to go, too, so she must have thought it was smaller as well).

It was so exhilarating, and I had to draw on all my skill. I'm really glad I'd had the training I'd had before attempting it with a loaded boat and no one else around.

There were multiple breaks, and that made it really hard. I went in on the back of the first one, but the next one came right behind, and I had to rudder & sweep hard to stay perpendicular. Braced a little, backpaddled to avoid surfing, then went hard, jumped out of my kayak & dragged it up the shore and let out a big woohooo! I did really well. It was big, and everything was getting thrown at me all at once, and I had to react with the right stroke/action every time, and I did it. I felt great.

Then Sarah went. It looked as big & crazy watching her come in as it had felt to me while I was doing it. A big wave hit her and turned her broadside. All I saw for a bit was her white hull, and I totally thought she'd dumped. She disappeared, and I was trying to decide how I could help her; if I should paddle back out or if I could even do anything from there. But suddenly she was upright and paddling again. I was like -- she rolled! That's sweet that's awesome, that's skills.

She spent the rest of the time coming in chasing her gear that got knocked out of her bungee cords & off the deck, chasing it while trying to stay upright at the same time. Her paddlefloat, her poagies. I waded in chest deep & got her paddlefloat the 2nd time it got away from her.

But she made it, and although she lost one poagie, it washed up later, luckily. Not a major piece of safety equipment, but sucks to lose it. I'm glad we got the paddlefloat back.

So after that we revelled in Calvin Creek. Long sandy beach, and the sun came out. I was skipping & twirling & running all over the place in my bare feet. But first we got a hug long carry out of the way, and ate lunch. We found wolf tracks, and we walked to the waterfall, which is really big. The creek's too wide to cross except at low tide right at the mouth. We chickened out for swimming b/c the sun went away again & the wind picked up. Went back & put our layers on & sat barefoot & bundled up drinking hot chocolate & reading. But then the sun came out again, so we did the glass balls photo shoot we'd been planning to do for days. Sunny & sandy; it was perfect. Took the big green ball & all 3 little balls out on the sand & took a bunch of shots.

While we were doing that, a Coast Guard helicopter flew around the point & over the bay & beach. It swooped down, closer & closer, & flew right over us, so close we waved & they waved back.

We knew they'd think we were hard core for being out on this part of the coast at this time of year, too early even for hikers. And we probably looked like we were having a lot of fun, too, which we were. And I'm sure they could see that big glass float. Cool. That got me thinking about coast guard and other coastal work, and all the different stuff I'm interested in, and how I'm going to do it all & how I'm going to choose a career. I'll think more about it when I"m back in town again, but I definitely want to do what I said before & line up my actions w/my values.

Then that evening I got kind of annoyed w/my tent & the meal I cooked (cheese pancakes & it all stuck to the pan), but I think I was just tired. It had been a really full day, as most of our days are out here. It's great.