Warm welcome to new participating members Wilma & Neil Steinke and Darwin Gagne.
Sunny evening with light breeze and full tide. Water in Estuary was so high that group agreed to make it an exploratory paddle. Started with a short warm up, practicing basic strokes and techniques under Christine's expert watchful eye; thanks to Christine for her coaching directions.
The group began exploring the grassy side channel on the south side of Estuary. Discovering all the nooks it led us to Discovery shopping mall and later into the Nunns Creek all the way to Island Hwy.
After returning to the river we entered the usually paddled channel along the north side of the river.. Towards its end where it forks back to the river (left fork), the route usually taken, the full bed of water in channel to the right was inviting. Everybody curious, we sneaked under the little bridge and entered. This narrow channel has a steeper bed so the current was stronger there, but with high water level everybody passed with flying colors and ended up back in the river beyond the Highway bridge.
Easy paddle back in the river. After almost two hours on the water we landed and watched Ken V. performing Eskimo rolls well commented by Christine and wishful thinking on our parts...
Lovely evening in pleasant company and good paddle. As Tom says: Life is good.
Report by Emily Toman
