Dream Destination: Vargas Island

Ellen

What brought us to Vargas Island (which was ultimately the reason we wanted a double) was the presence of a small pack of wolves. The island lies off the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, and is generally accessed from the small fishing village (aka "charming tourist trap") of Tofino.

After a three-hour drive to the ferry terminal from our home in Duvall, we missed the ferry by two or three cars, and it was a two and a half-hour wait for the next one. It's a good thing we decided to stay the night in Nanaimo and get a room at The Pine and Pickett B & B. Though our lodgings were only a block from the ferry terminal, we had several miles to drive from our ferry terminal, Duke Point. We didn't realize there were two terminals. We went Tsawwassen to Duke Point, rather than Horseshoe Bay.

We arrived at the B & B an hour early at 3:00, and our hosts were not home. We walked down to the harbor and had a beer and some veggies and dip at a pub. We returned at 4:00 and got settled into our room. Time to head for the boardwalk to Penny's Palapa, an authentic Mexican restaurant on a boat in the harbor. We shared the ceviche appetizer and then the fish tacos.The dinner was pretty good, and I am a tough critic, especially when it comes to Southwestern or Mexican food. However, it was nothing special.

Meanwhile,we realized we definitely had a problem and it couldn't wait: our Forester announced its arrival loudly with the grinding of metal on metal. In short, we needed a brake job. We asked our hosts, Ana and Ingvar, for an early breakfast (which was a delicious raspberry brioche, fruit, and local sausage, all dairy and sugar-free), and arrived at the Subaru dealership about ten minutes before the service department opened. Though they were completely booked, they managed to replace our rear brakes (along with the broken caliper) and get us out the door by 12:30. We still had a chance of making our 4:00 launching time in Tofino.

Near the library in downtown Nanaimo, John awaits 

     our shuttled back to the car dealership.

The drive from Nanaimo to Tofino was not pleasant. While it is scenic, the road is windy and in terrible condition. It would not have been a good road to drive when in need of new brakes! It took nearly four hours for us to get there and we managed to launch by 5:15. We were a little late, but the conditions looked good and we didn't have far to go.

We started off with a little navigational trouble; none of John's waypoints were showing up on the GPS. There are many little islands out there and we started off in the wrong direction. John got himself situated, though, and we were on our way to Vargas. We made camp just before Milty's Beach. We walked the small beach for quite a while before deciding to stay; it was hard to tell if there would be any beach at high tide. It was a little isthmus and most of the neck was under water during high tide, but it looked liked there was an area big enough for us up against the tree line.

Since there are wolves on the island, we cooked out on the rocks on the tip of the isthmus, knowing that the water at high tide would wash over our kitchen later that night and be less likely to attract predators.

   High tide covers most of the beach beyond our tent, as well as our cooking site in the 

                                                rocks beyond our tent.

I made the mistake of planning an over-elaborate dinner for our first night. We had cedar-planked salmon, roasted potatoes, and corn on the cob. It took a long time and a lot of fuel to cook it all, though it was delicious.

After our late dinner, we scurried into the tent to watch a movie on the iPad. Who knew we were such glampers? We finally watched My Week with Marilyn (after two tries at home when our blu-ray player needed an update).

What an incredible night! We were surrounded by the lapping of the waves on three sides. It also rained, so we also had the patter of raindrops on the Mikos. We woke to drizzle and had a wet morning packing up. We decided to eat an energy bar and get moving, planning to make our breakfast at our next campsite.

John

The Vargas trip has been on the back burner for over a year. We feel we can manage the conditions while in the double. It will open new areas for us to explore. Vargas Island will be the first new area. 

We missed the Tsawwassen ferry by four cars. With that, we had a two and half hour wait for the next ferry and then a two hour ferry ride to Nanaimo. Once on the ferry we spent much of the crossing outside on the deck. The sun felt great and it was surprisingly warm out of the wind. 

When we were driving off the ferry, we heard a grinding noise from our rear left wheel. It got louder as we drove to our B&B. It became even louder as we drove to our dinner. It sounded as if some brake component was locked up and grinding the brake drum. I used the tire jack to hit it hoping to dislodge the part. It didn't help but I did get more than one stare from people walking by us. Once back at the B&B we informed the host that we needed to have our later breakfast moved to 7:00 am so we could get to the Subaru dealership when they open. We sat on our small deck outside our room and drank some wine as our host watered his plants and sang. His voice was beautiful. It was the highlight of a very long day.

After breakfast, we used the Nuvi to find the dealership a few miles from our B&B. We waited for the man responsible for scheduling the day's repairs work. Once Jay arrived we pleaded our case to him. The first thing he said was "It was a busy day" and I immediately thought we would have to wait for the next day for the repair. He arranged for a repairman to examine the wheel before he got started on any of the scheduled vehicles and sure enough a component had broken off and lodged itself in such a way to grind against the brake drum. Jay worked us in and told us it would be done around 12:30 and then he arranged for a driver to transport us to old town Nanaimo. We spent the remaining hours walking and peering into various shops. The time flew. Once back at the dealership we paid the bill and watch the car get a wash. We were back on the road by 1 pm. 

The drive to Tofino is a long one. You have to have a very good reason to make that drive. The road is narrow and slow. I didn't like it.

When we finally arrived in Tofino, my nerves were frazzled. The town looked like something out of a movie about a big shark. It was a tourist trap with never ending signs that indicated there was "No Parking." We searched for and finally found the kayak launch site. We unpacked the car and moved everything to the rocky beach which was near low tide. Once the kayak was packed and ready to go I spent time finding a place to park our car. The "No Parking" signs stopped appearing nearly a half mile out of town. I parked, changed to my paddle clothes, and ran back to Ellen. It was 5:00 pm. Ebb tide was finishing and the flood would start soon. Maybe we could ride it. We pushed off before I checked my GPS. I never do that. 

Once away from the harbor, I became confused by the numerous bays, inlets, channels, and islands. I turned on the Garmin and could not see the map because of the glare. I finally took the GPS out of it's dry bag and angled the screen so I could see something on the screen. Not much. I did notice the waypoints were not showing up. The Garmin map doesn't render names of islands. I think Garmin hired a bunch of middle school geeks to code their software. Seriously. I zoomed out and found Vargas Island by recognizing the shape of the island. I informed Ellen we were going up the wrong channel. She steered us in the opposite direction. Finally, we headed east alongside the south shoreline of our target. 

We made good time around the southeast corner of the island and the sun was still high enough to allow us to continue to Milties Beach. The scenery was stunning. The many high mountains surrounding the area seemed to step on the shoreline. The views took my mind off the brakes, the drive, and my frustration with the Garmin. We encountered a double kayak. They were fishing. They didn't acknowledge our presence. We continued on and found a beautiful beach that allowed for an easy take out. We climbed out of our seats and walked the beach. Was this Milities? I looked west and saw many kayaks on the next beach. It was a tour and there must have been two of them, maybe eight or ten doubles and a few singles. I informed Ellen that I did not want to camp "over there." 

We settled for our beach. I set up the tent as high up the beach as I could can manage and Ellen set up her kitchen on the rocks at the north end of our small beach. Soon after the tent was up, Ellen invited me out to her kitchen and told me I'd better put my boots back on for the return to the tent after dinner. The flood was nearing max and would soon cover the small neck of sand connecting our kitchen to our little orange castle. The wine tasted great in the fresh air. 

The food for our trip hangs in a dry bag from a tree, keeping it and us safe from wolves,

                                                black bears, and grizzlies.

I cannot begin to explain how great salmon tastes while kayaking. It just made the day's frustrations disappear. We waded through the water as we carried the kitchen components back to the kayak for storage. The sun was beyond the horizon. The food was stored in the large dry bag for the tent and hung high from a branch. We watched the last light leave the west horizon and crawled into our tent. Once inside, we watched our first movie on the iPad. What a way to end the day! Throughout the night I could hear the flood approaching the tent. We were finally on Vargas!  It was a beautiful beach campsite.

                  A beautiful campsite on an unnamed beach on Vargas Island.

Inaugural Ocean Paddle

Ellen

We usually begin the summer with a quick paddle to Cypress Island in the San Juans off the coast of Washington state. We launch from the Guemes Island ferry terminal in Anacortes and cross Guemes Channel, then Bellingham Channel over to Cypress to camp at Pelican Beach. It's a short trip, and we know its hazards, so it's a good way to test out the gear and re-remember all the little things that make a longer excursion more of a pleasure.Thus, we took our Eddyline Whisper out for its first ocean voyage.

We made the crossing of Guemes Channel in no time at all, and we zipped across Bellingham Channel and past Cypress Head, arriving at Pelican before we knew it. We actually had a moment of "No, that can't be Pelican already, can it?"

We also wanted to try out a new tent, the Nemo Moki, a bullet-proof, suited for expeditions, three-person, four-season, backcountry tent.

The Nemo Moki tent is roomy and solid. The addition of the vestibule (not attached in this photo, which is why the doorway looks droopy) provides added space for gear storage. The tent does not have a fly--doesn't need one--and has some pretty cool other features, too: a "Paw Print" in addition to a footprint that attaches on the inside and keeps the floor clean, numerous vents, 

                                           and skylights in the ceiling.


We had a tasty dinner of an appetizer and pomegranate cocktails, green chile buffalo burgers, potato salad, and wine. We read and talked into the dusk.

We slept in until 8:00 the next morning and did something else we never do: we hiked the trail to Eagle Point. We are usually there during the closure for eagle nesting, but this time we were there a few days after, around July 17. The hike took about an hour, and we were delightfully surprised by the ruggedness of Cypress Island. Looking out over the terrain, it was steeply hilly and cloaked in trees. We returned in about 45 minutes and then had a salmon, egg, and potato scramble.

We waited for slack tide in the afternoon to make our way back to Anacortes. It turned out to be a bit of a mistake, as we had wind and rough conditions. At first, the water was like glass as we headed east up the north side of the island. The rip off Cypress was huge, though we paddle quickly around it and across a corner of it. We continued our crossing of Bellingham Channel in some chop due to the wind. However, it was Guemes Channel that really had a surprise in store for us. We had lots of boats coming down the channel, and then wind and chop, and it really made for a bit of a washing machine. It took quite a bit of time and energy to get back to the ferry terminal.

Anyway, we loved how the Whisper handled in the rough water, and we were pretty smitten with the Nemo tent as well.

John

After spending two weeks at home and getting the fence around the garden finished and sorting through the gear and clothes from the Missouri trip, we decided to paddle to Pelican Beach for two days. It would be our first time in the double on salt water. It was a quick ride to Anacortes and the launch site at the Guemes ferry on the south side of Guemes Channel. We arrived at low tide and quickly packed the kayak. We headed across the channel in great weather, no wind, and somewhat flat water. It is a mere one mile crossing and because of the double we made it across in little time. We did straight-line the crossing and then headed west around Guemes Island and up Bellingham Channel.

The conditions held so we started our diagonal run toward Cypress Head keeping an eye out for the notorious rip tide off the point. We always keep in mind the death of a kayaker who got caught in that rip tide. As we passed Cypress Head we started up the north side of Cypress Island. We seemed to be making good time. The water actually flattened out more as we progressed to Pelican Beach. It was near perfect conditions. We started at the ferry around  pm and arrived at Pelican Beach at pm.  It seemed like a short paddle.

There was only one campsite being used.  It had a two kayaks and one Pelican boat on the beach in front of the campsite. There was one boater on shore using one of the campsite's tables for his maps. He told us he was not camping but only waiting for his friend to return from a walk. We settled in on a site of our choosing. The Moki went up easily and quickly after being in storage for over an year since our purchase. Ellen hauls it in her cockpit where it fits nicely without being in the way of her rudder controls. We needed to try the tent out for preparation of an upcoming trip to Vargas Island off of Vancouver Island. It is a four-season, three-person tent without a fly. It is supported by two poles inside as well as two poles outside. It is a castle. http://www.nemoequipment.com/product/?p=Moki+3P

Once the sun sets, Pelican Beach is in the shade. It doesn't get cold but you do miss the sun's warmth at that time. Mt. Baker always appears in shades of pink as the sun sets. It really is a beautiful sight from Pelican Beach. Dinner was wonderful. I am always amazed at how well we eat on our kayak trips, thanks to Ellen's expertise.

                                    Behind John's shoulder is the soon-to-be pink-tinted 

                                                                   Mt. Baker.

I slept well that night. There was no morning dew and we climbed out of our sleeping bags mid morning knowing we would ride the afternoon tide to Anacortes. We were barely awake when we headed up to Eagle Point via a well maintained trail. The views from the point were of the island and west toward Orcas Island. It was worth the effort. We promised ourselves that we would run the lower trail to a bay next time. Breakfast was served when we arrived back to our campsite and then we settled in for some reading time. We had a very relaxed morning, something we seldom do while kayaking. It seems we are always up early and packing the boat in order to catch the current. 

Once we were back on the water and headed toward Cypress Head, Ellen mentioned how flat and calm the water was. Usually in the afternoon we encounter wind. It seemed weird. I did see the two kayakers leave about an hour or so earlier. At the time I wondered why they were leaving so soon. According to our currents guide, they were too early. I kept it in the back of my mind as we paddled the north shoreline on mirror-like water.

We sighted Cypress Head and noticed kayakers had set up in the campsites there. One seemed to be waving his arms at us as if to direct us. I noticed the rip tide off the point beginning to form and soon it was extended far out and in our path. Ellen steered us around it and into the middle of Bellingham Channel. The water was rough due to the rip and a slight south wind. We continued on without problems. Things changed when we were mid channel of Guemes Channel. The waves were bigger, stronger, and occurring more often. We were not sure why it was happening although there were lots of boats passing through the channel. It was the worst condition we have ever encountered in Guemes Channel. The double handled it well and Ellen did a great job steering.

I was glad to be off the water, out of the channel, and on shore. What a way to end a great paddle. Did we miss the timing of the currents? I kept thinking about the kayakers who left early. It bothered me that we ran into such horrible conditions in the channel and the rip tide off the point. What is it that we don't understand? We better find out before our Vargas trip.

Taking the Plunge

After discussing the idea of getting a double for years, we finally decided to do it when I joined John for the last 200 miles of his 800 mile-journey on the Missouri River (http://www.jarvinenj.blogspot.com/). The double would allow us to paddle farther each day, and it would open up new opportunities for more challenging ocean kayaking. It was time.

The learning curve was steep for me, as I was the one in the stern controlling the rudder. To say I had some trouble in the beginning was an understatement, but I quickly learned to use a light touch on the pedals--or else! It took four trips for the rudder control to become second nature and something I didn't have to mentally focus on all the time.

Having a double meant we could set out on some dream trips, and thus, the summer of 2014 became the summer of kayaking. Ellen

                              John buttons up big blue on Vargas Island.