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Kayak-camping Haida Gwaii

Like a needy toddler just wanting their soother, after eight full days of radio silence I called my mother at North Beach on Haida Gwaii relieved to hear her greet me with these words, “I survived without you.”
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Like a needy toddler just wanting their soother, after eight full days of radio silence I called my mother at North Beach on Haida Gwaii relieved to hear her greet me with these words, “I survived without you.”

I had left an arsenal of family members and friends to check up on her while I was away adventuring on a two week kayak-camping trip around Louise Island. It was more for my own comfort than hers.

As I left behind the world of accessibility and convenience, I would come to learn on this trip that even for an eccentric person like myself, gumption only goes so far.

We were blessed to have good paddling weather, considering we were crazy “babes on boats” (our radio handle) deciding to kayak an average of six hours a day.

For a 54 year old avid adventurer, and a 24 year old story-teller, I’d say we were just that physically fit and lacked choice when a black bear claims the beach of your campsite.

See-ya!

Day three would find us camp-ridden due to unsafe paddling weather, wringing out the water in our tents, unsuccessfully drying out our clothes, fighting off depression and me nursing my foot after slicing it on rocks and barnacle.

What I would do differently next time? Buy the paddle boots.

I’d also pack the heavy duty rain coat my friend let me borrow. But since we have limited space in the kayaks, I figured I could do with the other one I had, and use the additional space for food.

With one tiny half full jar of nutella, and food that would have last us a month, we also should have spared no expense on good quality rope.

I could never sum up the value of the adventure I had for my first time visiting Haida Gwaii in such a short editorial. So instead of telling you the details of the two black bears we had to chase off with a bear horn that was less effective than a fart, let me tell you what made the trip for me.

Sharing every bit of it with my friend. Learning together, working together, and learning to work together.

Yes, I’d do it again.