Three kayaks toured Main Lake to appreciate the last day of official summer and it was a perfect day, with sunshine, warm but not hot, a light breeze and very clear water. Very peaceful and only a few other people there to enjoy it. 12.1 km; 4½ hours.
Norris
Our paddling trip got off to a slightly rocky start with an overload on the 9:05 ferry to Cortes and a further delay on the next sailing. Eventually, however, we launched at Squirrel Cove about 1:30 and headed for the Curme Islands. We were a bit anxious about finding camping space as two commercial outfitters had trips in the same week and we knew that the Curmes are a popular destination. Fortunately, East Curme was ‘vacant’ and, with four tent pads and a comfortable kitchen area, was exactly right for our group. After supper and a dramatic moonrise, we headed for our tents and set out the next morning for Prideaux Haven. The weather was perfect, calm and sunny and we had a lovely paddle to Laura Cove where we stopped for lunch, and then explored Prideaux Haven and Melanie Cove, returning to camp about 3:30. We faced some patchy headwinds in the afternoon – very localized (apparently to wherever we were paddling). After a short tea and rest break, four of the group headed over to Tenedos Bay for a “tour de Tenedos”. The moon was even brighter on Thursday evening despite some light cloud cover.
We had hoped to stay out until Saturday, but the forecast promised rain and wind, so we packed up Friday morning for the return trip, arriving at Squirrel Cove about 15 minutes before the rain started in earnest. Fortunately, the ferry back was not crowded, and we easily caught the 1:50 to Quadra.
All in all, a short but very enjoyable trip. Over the two half days and one full day, we paddled 54.5 kilometres.
Darcy
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For the effort it takes to get to the top of Mt. Albert Edward, you want to get the reward, the great view. The weather forecast was for hot and sunny. Up until the last moment and then it changed to cloudy and rain, so we moved the trip a few days earlier so we would only have rain on the walk out, with luck. So four of us packed up our backpacks and headed in to Circlet Lake via Helen Mackenzie Lake. It was 34°C in Campbell River that day, but not so hot at the higher elevation we were at. But we went swimming in Circlet Lake when we got there. We got a couple of the tent pads near the lake since we beat the weekend crowds. The next day we got up to clear sky and headed up the mountain a bit after 8:00 to beat the heat. That was the theory anyway, we drank all the water we carried that day and wished we had more. It melted our chocolate. The hike starts with a steep gravel gully, but after that it’s a wonderful hike across sub-alpine meadows and up and along a steady ridge to the summit with great views to both sides. You can see the top of Albert Edward from just about anywhere and so from the top you can see just about everywhere. We had lunch on the summit. There are spectacular mountains all around. Luckily, it was a very clear day and neither we nor they were in clouds. More swimming once back at Circlet Lake. The next day dawned sunny and we put on our backpacks again and hiked out via the string of lakes, pausing to pick and eat blueberries along the way, to Battleship Lake, where we again paused to put our toes in the water. By this time clouds were building up, but the rain held off until the next day when we were home.
In to Circlet Lake 11.1 km, 5 hours, approx 100m elevation gain. Up to Mt. Albert Edward and back 14.7 km, 9¼ hours, approx 900m elevation gain to 2101m. Return via the Lakes 13.0 km, 5½ hours.
Norris
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Five of us set off to see some of the Stramberg big trees. It was going to be a very hot day, so we moved the start time of the trip an hour earlier and we were thankful that this was a trip in the shade of the forest. So we started down the deactivated logging road called Little Main Road, which is now part of Main Lakes Park. It’s a pleasant stroll apart from being prone to the occasional attempt by huckleberry bushes to retake the path. The road probably goes all the way to Shadowbrook Creek, but the last 50 metres are definitely overgrown. Instead, the path crosses Stramberg Creek, a very nice gravelly stream this season. After that, the flagged route turns back south and winds gently up hill through the old forest, passing one huge big fir tree and reaching a lovely grove of old fir trees where we had lunch before returning home. This grove is just a bit north of the Stramberg big trees we go to more often. These trees aren’t quite as big, but the grove itself is nicer. 11.7 km; 4½ hours.
Norris
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Eight of us and a dog hiked the lake loop at Forbidden Plateau. The spectacular scenery was made even more wonderful by the absolutely perfect weather. The day was cloudless. We were worried about the heat, but the breeze and optional swimming kept everyone comfortable.
We hiked the loop counter-clockwise beginning at the Visitor Center and moving through Paradise Meadows up to Helen Mackenzie Lake. We hiked up through the rooty, quite wet and somewhat steep forest to the sub-alpine plateau. We had lunch at Mariwood Lake, where it wasn’t even hot enough for anyone to swim. We visited Kwai, Croteau (stopped for swimming), Lady, Kooso and Battleship (more swimming) Lakes, before descending to Paradise Meadows and the car.
There were some mushroom in the forest and a surprising number of wildflowers still in bloom up on the plateau. It was nearly 30° C on the return to Campbell River, but up on the mountain it was perfect. 18.4 km; 7½ hours.
Debbie
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On August 10, five club members and three guests paddled from the beach at Len Road to Village Bay, launching about 10 a.m. The original destination for the day’s trip was Granite Bay/Small Inlet, but a forecast of strong winds suggested we switch to a more protected area. Weather was mainly sunny, with a headwind on the way out, and a corresponding boost on the way back (and a bit of favourable current). We were inspected along the way by some mother seals with pups (as well as gulls, eagles, loons and mergansers). With a lunch break at Village Bay, the trip took 4½ hours with a distance paddled of 16.8 km.
Darcy
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Nine of us walked the trail to Maud Island on a beautiful, warm, summer day. We arrived at the Ripple Rock viewpoint on Seymour Narrows at the maximum on a flood current of 14.2 knots. We met a hiking group from Comox on the trail and another group of seven on the trail that day too. We went out over the Mt. Lolo bluffs and returned by the Salt Water Lagoon. 9.9 km, 4 hours.
Norris
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The nine of us had a perfect day for the hike to Nugedzi Lakes and lookouts. We started a bit earlier to get up the old logging road before the heat of the day. We stopped at a viewpoint just before the end of the old road with great views to the northeast and then continued on to the Lily Pond and the viewpoint looking southeast. We hiked through the ancient forest arriving at Nugedzi Lake in time for lunch and a swim. We continued on to the viewpoints over Discovery Passage and then retraced our steps, making the loop to Little Nugedzi on the return. We were quite warm and fairly tired when we reached the parking lot, but had a wonderful day. 11.9 km; 6½ hours.
Debbie
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Thursday dawned clear with summer in mind, so five of us set out to Noel’s Pizza Lookout. We started up the steep old logging road between the two Chinese Mountain peaks and continued up along the ridge which forms North Chinese Peak following a lovely flagged route. When the route reached an old Nugedzi logging road we resumed the steep rough hike to the north side of Beech’s Mountain. From there another flagged route took us to the Noel’s Pizza viewpoint, with great views overlooking Morte Lake and points from south to west to north. We then took another flagged route to the summit of Beech’s Mountain for more views, including to the east. From there, the official trail takes us back down the ridge which forms South Chinese Mountain. 8.3 km, 5 hours.
Norris
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The weather forecast for Wednesday wasn’t great, but when we woke up in the morning it was raining pretty hard. Since the scheduled hike to Noel’s Pizza Peak is a hike to a viewpoint, we decided to postpone that for a day and hike some of the Morte Lake area mountain bike trails instead. The rain stopped and five of us had a great walk on these wonderful trails. Lower Deadfish, Upper Deadfish, Lost Rider, Stinky Beaver, Straight as a Dime, Back Door, Plaything, Yellow Mud, and Jack Rabbit. 11.0 km, 4 hours.
Norris
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Quadra Island Outdoor Club 