| Activity | kayaking |
| Destination | Granite Bay to Small Inlet |
| Date | Saturday, 7 Sept 2013 |
| Trip Coordinator | Tak Ogasawara |
| Contact Info | 285-3012; tak.quadra@gmail.com |
| Description | Tour Granite Bay and Small Inlet |
| Meeting Place | Granite Bay dock |
| Departure Time | 9:00 |
| Difficulty |
moderate |
| Costs | $5.00/ car launching fee |
| Trip limits | none |
| Dogs? | no |
| Notes: | Bring lunch. Expected return time mid-afternoon. |
| Activity | backpacking |
| Destination | Landslide Lake – Elk River Trail |
| Date | Saturday-Sunday, 24-25 August 2013 |
| Trip Coordinator | Debbie Quigg |
| Contact Info | 3710, qioutdoorclub@gmail.com |
| Description | 11 km each way |
| Meeting Place | Quadra ferry |
| Departure Time | 08:00 |
| Difficulty |
Easy |
| Costs | $10 per night per person camping fee |
| Trip limits | none |
| Dogs? | no |
| Notes: | 1 hour drive to trailhead. Second campsite is 9.1 km in. |
On Saturday, six members hiked into Carrington Bay, checked out the narrows to the lagoon at a low tide and the campground. Everyone continued on the Rave On trail to the Grandmothers’ Grove for lunch. It’s a great forest with lots of old growth cedar, moss and bracket fungi. After visiting the Gorge Harbour Marina, three returned to Quadra and the others stayed at the newly renovated campground at Smelt Bay Provincial Park.
Sunday dawned clear and calm at Smelt Bay. The group hiked up Green Mountain for excellent views in all directions and took a side trip to Nutshell Lake, a lily pond/bog with some unusual plants in the area. With more time and energy, the group carried on to Easter Bluff, a quick hike to great views to the east, and then on to Brigitte’s and Hank’s Beach. There was even time for a walk on the beach at Seavista.
Six members took the Paddle Canada Level 1 course from Albert Keller of Coast Mountain Expeditions. The weather was great for the course and the water temperature at the lakes was surprisingly warm. The first day at Mine Lake focussed on strokes and rescues; the second day near Surge Narrows concentrated on safety, trip planning, braces and rescues. There was only one unplanned capsize!
It is surprisingly hard to get back into a kayak from the water if you’ve never tried it. But it becomes much easier after training and practice.
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Eight members took an impromptu trip to Mitlenatch Island Nature Reserve. They travelled from Heriot Bay to Mitlenatch aboard the sailboat Knot Again under mostly sunny skies and moderate southeast breeze. The group walked the trails on the island nature reserve, talked with the resident naturalists and took lots of photos. There were Stellar Sea Lions on a nearby islet, many tiger lilies and other wild flowers in bloom, and Sea Gulls mating and nesting. If you are interested in participating in a repeat of this trip, please e-mail to qioutdoorclub@gmail.com
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Six people and two dogs hiked to Nugedzi Lakes. The day was sunny with northwest wind and a perfect temperature for hiking. There have been a lot of trees blown down in the Nugedzi – Mt. Seymour area over the winter, so progress was a bit slow, but there were no major obstacles. The trail committee has cleared most of the problems on this trail and flagged detours around the rest. The group had lunch at the lakes and made the side trip to the viewpoint past the beaver ponds on the way down.
Five paddlers enjoyed an outing on Quathiaski Cove on May 26. It was mostly sunny with a light southeast breeze. The day came with very big tides and currents, which made for interesting paddling even in the relatively sheltered waters of the Cove. We explored the Cove and enjoyed the pony on Grouse Island, sea urchins, Harlequin ducks, and baby jellyfish.
Kayak Quathiaski Cove 26May2013
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Eight hikers took advantage of the Kellerhal’s generous offer to hike on their 160 acre property. The route followed mossy bluffs over Raven Crag and out toward Hyacinthe Point with great views of Hyacinthe Bay, Sutil Channel, and Chinese Mountains. The lunch stop at Coast Mountain lookout added views to the east. We also walked to the pond, the beach and the old Schoolhouse. Rolf and Heather provided excellent commentary about the history and natural history of the area.
Hike Hyacinthe Point and Ridge 18May2013
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Twelve paddlers participated in QIOC’s first ever trip on May 5, 2013. The weather was perfect – warm, clear and calm. The route included a tour of north and south Gowlland with a lunch stop on Vigilant Island. There were … Continue reading
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Four people made the trek from Granite Bay to Newton Lake to Small Inlet to Waiatt Bay in light drizzle. It was warm and atmospheric. There was a pair of loons on Newton Lake and a pair of Canada geese … Continue reading
