Adventures of Rosie and Mel 2011, Episode 2

On Monday Rosie and I had our first overnight kayak trip of the year. we headed out to Deep Cove in Vancouver to go up Indian Arm (which with all the aboriginal renaming of things I would have expected it to have a multi syllable vowelfilled name.. but nope).  We set out from Deep Cove and headed north up the fjord (I love that word).  The clouds were low but no rain =), It was an interesting place to go; a  place of strange contradictions-  its the ocean but narrow so it feels like a river, when you face one way it looks like you are headed out to the great unknown.. but if you turn around you see the city and million people that live there, and your kayaking.. but the scenery is like you are hiking- all evergreens and moss covered rocks.  We had expected to make it all the way down to the end of the channel but after 2 1/2 hours and only making it halfway up the channel fighting an strong outgoing tide and wind (read swept back 50m for a 15 second chart check). We decided that rather than beat our way up only to fight our way back down the next morning we would camp at on an island we had already passed.  We did continue up a bit further though to check out a cave that was on the map..yeah.. the cave was not exactly as fascinating as promised. We then crossed to the other side and scoped out the old power stations.  We camped for the night on a little island that we had all to ourselves and then the next morning headed back down to Deep Cove. One bonus to the "back country" not inthe back country is that when you are done with the outdoors there is plenty of shopping and coffee shops.

Our trusty wheels.. for once in my life I actually wished the van was older so at least it would be a funky VW van. Lets just say we garnered a few looks for the people in swanky North Van =)

Rosie

The "CAVE" we went to go see.. yeah.. not really a cave.

The old power station. It looked like Scottish Castle from far away.. but bit like a scary haunted house up close.

Lots of massive rock faces covered in pretty moss and lichen

Bits of wild life.. the ever present sea gulls and Canadian geese. But we did have some cute spotted seals following us for a while.

We had to had to access the island by dock ( i know.. really backwoodsy) because there were no beaches to pull up on. Its not actually that hard to get out of kayak at a dock but I was doing a wobbly pose for Rosie for fun.. unfortunately that quickly turned into a very very precarious situation!!

On our private Island

Bonus 2 of kayaking.. gourmet supper. Step 1. Cut all food and carefully stage it for the photo!

Step 2. Cook on little stove.. stir lots because there is not ten heat levels just three. Off, almost off, and HOT!!

Step 3. Once again stage food for picture. Step 4 Eat!!

Friendly, or not so friendly crib challenge.

Room with a view. The next morning was exactly identical to the previous evening. Low grey cloud.  but NO rain!!