Kayaking

May 14, 2016

Latitude 49°10’00.64” N
Longitude 123°56’04.96” W

Nanaimo

Dinghy Dock Ferry to Protection Island

Today was a play day.  First of all, Mary and I caught the first Dingy Dock ferry to Protection Island, across the bay to see the Great Blue Heron rookery.  We saw about eight nests and only one great blue heron.  He was borrowing nesting material from a neighbor’s nest and adding to its own.  We then walked through Pirate’s Park and down to the dock.  An oyster bed was awaiting us in the water.  I really wanted to go in there and pick up some oysters.  Unfortunately for me, I didn’t have a Canadian fishing license and we weren’t sure the oysters are in season.  Next we took another path, up a large wooden staircase, and down some quaint country streets until we reached another park.  This waterfront park was called Smuggler’s Cove.  It had a delightful beach covered in sandstone rock and driftwood.  There were picnic tables and benches to enjoy the scenery of a passing sailboat or ferry.  We even saw an outrigger canoe pass by. 

Great Blue Heron

Oyster Bed

Downtown Nanaimo from Protection Island

Getting some steps in today!

Tai Chi Class on the beach.

After a while I decided to take the Dinghy Dock ferry back to Nanaimo.  Mary wanted to enjoy the solitude of the island.  When I got back to the sailboat Vaughn was readying the kayaks for us.  He demonstrated how to get in and out of the kayak and then had me paddle around the harbor to get used to it.  After I demonstrated I knew how to paddle, we were off to Protection Island.  What fun it was to kayak!  I hadn’t kayaked since I visited Alyssa in Alabama at Auburn University. At that time it had been 30 years since I had been in one. 

Seastars!

We caught up with Mary on the island and spent a few hours at the beach.  Vaughn did a beach clean-up while Mary and I visited and then we explored on our own.  I even went wading up to my knees.  Afterwards, Mary came back on the ferry while Vaughn and I kayaked some more.  We kayaked along the island out to the navigational beacon.  I’m sure my shoulders and arms are going to be sore tomorrow.  It will be a good sore.  I love kayaking.  Stranded in Nanaimo is an awesome adventure! 

Kayaked out to the navigational beacon!