Hikers Reunion cont.

The next phase of the adventure was a kayak/canoe trip and so the next day was spent getting ready.  It would be Terry, Michael and myself on this outing, Terry with his big, motorized canoe, me with a good sized ocean touring kayak and Michael with his little kayak. We piled the boats and provisions we'd need for four days into and on top of the cars and made the 60k drive north to Campbell River where we caught the ferry to Quadra Island, drove across the island to the launch site at Harriet Bay, loaded the boats and off we went, Terry and Michael in the canoe with the little Honda 2hp engine doing the work, me being towed behind and behind me, Michael's little boat loaded with gear.  We were quite a procession.  

As a kayaker, it was a little embarrassing being seen by other kayakers, towed behind a motorboat.  But, a trip that would have taken a couple of days to paddle, took us a few hours, and no wear and tear on old joints and muscles.   

 From Harriet Bay we headed northeast through a group of islands until we reached Rendezvous Islands. 
 

These are a group of islands within the Rendezvous chain and the southern most is a provincial park having achieved that status largely through the lobbying efforts of a canoe/kayak group that Terry and Diana were part of.  Once they were successful and a park was declared, the group set about clearing away the homestead that had been there, and creating a wilderness campground. It's a very pretty spot and very tranquil campsite.  

When we arrived, there was a large tour group already setting up camp there, ten or twelve people, so we had to make do with improvised tent sites.  But they were nice people and we had some good chats.  In fact, it turned out that one of the women in the group graduated from the same high school as me in a small town in the south San Francisco Bay Area.  A cosmic confluence. They left first thing the next morning and we had the site to ourselves so relocated our tents and set up a proper kitchen.  

The next three days went by in a tranquil haze.  We each went out fishing separately in our own boats during the day and might reassemble at tea time or maybe not until dinner time.  The fishing was good............. if you like rock fish.  And don't get me wrong, rockfish are fine but it would have been nice to mix it up with some salmon or ling cod.  In any case, it was enjoyable to paddle slowly around the island fishing here and there.  The scenery is really spectacular with the mountains on the mainland rising right out of the sound up to the high peaks. 

Humpback whales were all around and we constantly heard their big breaths.  

Once a pod of orcas passed by.  

Michael pitched his tent on what was an island at high tide, and connected to the beach at low tide.  So at high tide he had to ferry over to us.  Interestingly enough, his regular home is on an island in a river.

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Our little camp buddy, Siggy the squirrel as he was dubbed.  His territory seemed to be the maple tree over our kitchen but he showed no interest in our food.  He spent his time furiously collecting maple seeds and chasing away interlopers. 

  

It was a very peaceful few days and we left with some reluctance but feeling more at peace than when we set off.  Those times of immersion into nature can be so healing.