We lucked out with the weather and had a perfect day on the water. With a 10:30 am casual start coinciding with high tide, we easily crossed to April Point. As we looped through the south end of the bay, Deb put her new Sterling Illusion through its paces. We met a local couple who were out for a lunchtime paddle, and admired some brilliant red leaves that Keith thought were Japanese maples. We stopped to soak up some sun and have lunch on a small island. I managed to roll Keith's Feathercraft K1, but decided that my Romany made a much better rolling machine. We exited the harbour between Steep Is and Gowlland Island, despite some opposition from the ebb. There was just enough current in Discovery Passage to make us ferry straight across, but we crossed an abrupt current line a third of the way over, and then it was easy paddling back. While I was chastised for not having a tour guide's knowlege of the ocean-front real estate north of the spit, I redeemed myself by knowing what the warning light at the end of the spit was for. Deb & Keith were reluctant to end the day, but a turkey dinner awaited them, so they headed back south.
report & pictures by Al.
