Expedition planning: Johnstone Straits

 T minus two days to go until we take off to disappear 'into the bush' of the most remote Canadian wilderness
with just our cameras, kayak,
and paddling companion,
Sound Rower's President Steve Bennett... 

 To help ensure our comfort and survival we have been busy
with many trip preparations:

~Making lists,

charting maps,

shopping,

dehydrating fruit,

packing/ piling gear and re-checking those lists and marine forecasts!

Pulling out our paddling trip journal,

I look back and reflect on the incredible memories

 from our last journey to Johnstone...

and linger on this WHALE sightings page!

As an ultra marathon paddling, racing & nature photography team, we spend most of our free time sea kayaking thousands of miles a year around the San Juan islands-

Which like the Broughton Archipelago is also home to resident Orca whale pods, but Man's impact in our islands has been taking a much more silencing, Endangering toll...

And so we must journey far northward to be amongst wildlife still abundant as our yesteryear....

From the sounds of near constant whale blows to

 beach rocks rolling around under bear feet,

 ~You just never know what will be waiting for you
around the next corner
when paddling Johnstone Straits...

 but you better be ready!!

 ~        ~        ~

*Additional strategic planning has been necessary
on this years paddling expedition due
 to my rehabilitating a recent, paddling-induced, spinal injury.

In the past six months I've required two spinal surgeries
to remove pieces of bulging L5 disk which blew out
while we were on a big training paddle last year -

In gnarly, messy 3~5 foot waves,
fighting a brutal 20mph+ headwind,
I didn't notice my foot pedals become uneven
as Mother Nature continued to beat us up
for the last 30 miles of (what unexpectedly turned into)
an ultra-storm paddle...

The damaged lumbar disk severely pinched nerves
and  increasingly compromised my sanity
until surgery became the only option. 

In order to be able to return to the water
this year while still in healing mode
yet without causing re-injury-
many modifications have been required...

I've replaced my paddle to a smaller wing size, switched out
my plastic seat to a more foregiving back band,
added layers of gel & foam
padding in my cockpit,
and made bombproof adjustments to my foot braces.

While I am still unable to bear much weight-
cannot yet dream of paddling a single kayak,
or even rotate my body enough to
make a 'proper' forward stroke...

~I remain eternally grateful for Jim's endless 'sherpa boy'
support which allows us to continue
living, laughing and loving
an adventurous lifestyle
in spite of Gimpy restrictions...

And to Steve as well- for helping make this trip possible for me
through carrying my boat & gear with Jim! :)

Sea Kayaking with Orca whales

This short clip is a glimpse of what we experienced one day while on the water on a week-long paddling trip in Johnstone Straits during the summer of 2008.  Jim is taking photos from the rear cockpit while I'm using the video option on my camera from the front of a tandem Current Designs Libra XT, to capture this encounter with these amazing Northern Resident Orca whales. 

If you've seen our Orca whale photo gallery collection currently on display, or placed in the top three in your paddling division in last year's Orca Challenge Race, you'll recognize some of the shots!

**On this particular day this Northern Resident Orca whale sub pod included one big bull with six females and juveniles.  With not one other boat in sight for miles, this small, tight knit family of whales continued to follow us for nearly an hour.

This unbelievable experience we shared, of spending a whole hour alone together out on the open waters with just us and a pod of wild 'killer' Orca whales, while they played with us in our kayak as if we were their 'mousey'- Along with nearly two decades of similar encounters for Jim from paddling with the Endangerd Southern Resident Orcas in the San Juan islands- Puts us in the camp of thinkers who believe there is no disputing these fellow mammals' hyper-intelligence and sensitivity to their surroundings- including their acute awareness to the 'quietest' visitor such as us-  the paddler.

Please be Whale-wise when in the presence of these great friends. 

- Stop paddling.
- Give them space. (Meaning = they're really big, can travel super fast, and are wild animals!)

- If they want to come close to you, let it be their choice.

- We recommend maintaining a minimum 200 meters/ yards distance between you and them.

- Raft up if there is more than 1 boat in your group.

- DO NOT position your vessel in the path they are travelling.

- DO NOT point your boat bow towards the whales.

-DO NOT swim with, touch or feed any marine mammal, even if they look like Flipper or Shamu.

-DO take your camera out and attempt to capture a few great shots for the folks on their sofas back at home, while trying not to wet yourself with the overwhelming excitement and fear in the event one of these big bulls bears down on you hard, head on.  (Yes, it is possible to laugh and cry at the same time:)

And do your part in making a difference to save and protect their quickly deteriorating marine environment homes.  From our industrial toxins and sewage dumping to noise pollution from the constantly closely following power boats- both private and commercial.  Every Action has a Reaction.

~ Paddle Quickly, Think Slowly~

Anacortes Art Walk ~ March 5th

On the first Friday of every month
the

Art Galleries of Anacortes

stay open late for a

Gallery Art Walk.

Join us this Friday for

First Friday Art Walk

in the small island town of Anacortes.

Stroll around our lovely downtown galleries

from 6-9 pm.

View naturalist paddlers Jim & Nadja's

10 piece photo gallery collection,

"Orca Whales of the Pacific Northwest"

Our most favorite

Northern Resident (Johnstone Straits, Canada)

and

Endangered Southern Resident (San Juan islands, USA)

Orca Whale encounters.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On display through the month of March at the

Opulence Salon & Day Spa

Located in Old Town Anacortes, on the corner of 9th and Commercial Ave.

~Come on in this Friday, take a stroll around, and pick out your favorite captivating wild Orca whale print to bring home!

*For more information on the Anacortes Artwalk, as well as this month's featured local artists, check out http://www.anacortesart.com/

Anacortes Artwalk ~ Feb 5th

On the first Friday of every month,

the art galleries in Anacortes stay open late

for a Gallery walk.

We'd like to invite y'all to join us for February's

First Friday Art Walk
from 6-9pm

Enjoy a 10 piece photo gallery collection

of our most favorite

Northern Resident (Johnstone Straits, BC)

and

Endangered Southern Resident (San Juan islands)

Orca Whale encounters.

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN FROM LAND OR KAYAK

Jim & Nadja's s 'Orca whales of the Pacific Northwest' photo collection can be

viewed for the month of February

at the

Opulence Salon & Day Spa

on the corner of 9th & Commercial Ave.

~Come on in this Friday, take a stroll around, share a toast with us & pick out your

favorite print to take home!