THE SEA KAYAKING EXPERIENCE

In the spring of 1988, while working for the Forest Service in Gold Beach I asked for two weeks off  in August to go on a sea kayaking trip in Barkley Sound on the westside of Vancouver Island in British Columbia.    In May I ended up transferring to Cottage Grove and they honored my request for those two weeks off in August.  

The trip cost me $600 for a week of sea kayaking with all equipment and food furnished, including a guide and her helper.  They did everything from getting the equipment and food organized, providing transportation from Port Alberni to Barkley Sound, plus they did all the cooking.   I had to drive myself to Port Alberni by crossing from Vancouver to Nanaimo on the BC Ferry.   There may have been 15 of us in the group, including myself and a married couple from the U.S. and all the others were Canadians, mostly from Vancouver.   The oldest man was 60 and a retired forester from the BC Forest Service.  There was some teachers, health care workers and a few retired people.  

The kayaks were made for two people and the person in the rear had control of the foot peddles that operated the rudder.   We were asked to pick partners for these two person kayaks.  Before I had a chance to look around for a partner, a woman asked me to share a kayak with her.   Being polite, I committed my self and she agreed to let me take control of the steering rudders.   I don't remember her name, but remember she was a social worker from Vancouver and a recovering alcoholic.   On our first night out everybody set up their tents and my partner told me we could share the same tent.   I got the feeling she wanted to share more than the tent and kayak together.   At the time I was still legally married to my fist wife, but we were separated and I was hoping to get back together.  It never happened and probably for the best, plus I was not attracted to this woman for any intimate exchanges.  I was happy to have my own tent.   After a few days I noticed the retired 60 year old forester was sharing a tent with an older woman, who was a retired teacher.    Who else was sharing tents I don't remember.   

Some of the highlights of the trip were camping out on some islands, bottom fishing and having the guides clean our fish and cook them.   After dinner every night we sat around the campfire getting to know each other better.   Being an early riser it was a treat to have coffee made as the lady guide was up early with her helper preparing breakfast.    

At the end of the week we returned to Port Alberni where I took the ferry back to the main land along with my kayaking partner.  She invited me to spend the night at her apartment in Vancouver which I did without any mishaps.  The next day I drove back home to Cottage Grove.