Anyone kayak?

[Persephone]

My boyfriend and I kayak fairly often; we own 1 as of now but are looking for 1 for me, right now I just rent.... and all I have to say is *ferry waves are fun*!

We have *yaked* down to Decoursey Island, through both false and dodds narrows and camp over there too........
When he is on holidays next month, we are thinking of going up to Telegraph Cove for a few days with the kayaks....

Does anyone else paddle around the Nanaimo area, I think it would be fun to find some others to kayak with; we usually are just the two of us or one of his friends comes along sometimes.

[Mr. Flibble]

I kayak. I have been paddling for a long time. I teach Sea Kayak rolling courses, as well as whitewater courses. Ironically I have done MUCH more whitewater kayaking than sea kayaking, but then I lived in the interior for quite some time.

If you would like a laugh, check out my whitewater kayaking pictures: www.walford.ca/whitewater

George.

[Persephone]

Hey George!

The pictures are awesome
Unfortunately, I dont have any pictures on the computer. The disc which holds them is in my boyfriends car and he is at work for 4 days now out of town!...........

We have tried to teach ourselves how to roll the kayak up at Westwood Lake and I believe he has attempted to do it out in the harbour........
Alberni Outpost has courses but because my boyfriend works a 4 day rotation out of town, we have not found a set of days in which he is off that offers the course. He is always gone for one of the days offered.......... OH well, one day!

[Mr. Flibble]

A bunch of other people in Nanaimo kayak. You can meet a number though Alberni Outpost...

As to rolling lessons if you can't make them at Alberni Outpost - let me know. I am the guy who teaches them.

[riverrat]

Hi guys, I have never kayaked but I mean to someday - I feel kinda stoopid living in Nanaimo and not kayaking. Like living in Rio and not dancing! Or something.
I'm wondering what people would say about kayaking on Nanaimo River. I've never seen boats on there...
I think a good spot for a kayak on the river would be downstream from the Boar's Hole (also called Yellow Gate and Painted Rock), all the way downstream to the Gun Barrel.
Then also, if you started from the Trestle, you could go down to the highway bridge. You'd hafta portage just upstream from the power lines, but it's doable.

[Persephone]

heh, the Nanaimo River scares me but id like to go tubing down it.....

It would be awesome if we could meet up with you or something if we cannot get the *right* dates with Alberni....... We actually bought his kayak there and working on getting one for me as well............

[Mr. Flibble]

As to kayaking the Nanaimo river, it is good. I have done it a number of times. However, I kayak more upstream, down from (near) Nanaimo Lakes, down to an area called "the pipeline". You can see where the put-ins and take outs are on the Backroads Mapbook (page 16).

The water is usually only at a kayaking level when there has been significant rain. (Generally, when 3 feet or higher according to the logging bridge put in.)

Beginners could do it from the bungy zone down. Experienced kayakers start much higher, by the lakes. I however, would caution anyone who is NOT trained by a whitewater instructor, and has friends along with them who are also trained to run this section.

While in comparison to some of the other rivers around (Koksilah, Upana River, Puntledge) it is not a difficult run persay, there is due to geography a high risk of entrapment in some areas due to the type of rock that surrounds the Nanaimo's banks. In some areas the rock is severly undercut - and this can be fatal to kayakers (and innertubers even more so). A friend of mine nearly died on the Nanaimo while being trapped in an undercut.

Now, I say this not to frighten anyone, but since I have been trained as a Whitewater instructor, I feel it is my duty to caution you about the dangers on the river. Personally, I find the Nanaimo quite safe, and quite fun. This is, however, because I know where the dangerous areas are and I avoid them.

The Nanaimo is a great river for beginners really, better in many ways than the Similkameen, which I learned on.

As for the areas you name riverrat, I can't say as I know them, but then I am new to Nanaimo, and I have all my information on the river from other kayakers and the guidebooks I own.

George.

[Devlin]

Hey Mr. Flibble, i'm going kayaking May 27th - 29th in Barkley Sound