Food cooking in Jetboil cooking stove aboard JRH
One of the most popular questions we are asked as a crew is, “What do you eat?”. Well, the simple answer is: a lot
For the trip around Vancouver we packed 468,000 calories condensed into over 125 Kg (275 lbs) of mostly dry, organic food. This averages out to Continue reading »
Immature Bald Eagle Soaring
Eagles were screaming as I walked down Market Street in Port Hardy. Something caught my eye. I looked up and a huge immature Bald Eagle flew overhead. He was brown and covered with white flecks. His bald white head had not yet blossomed. Seeing this majestic & young bird of prey reminded me of two things: 1) An old Christmas present from my mom and 2) A key reason for this adventure.
Number One: My mom gave me a pair of boxer shorts when I was 18 years old. The shorts were printed with a eagle flying through a lightning storm. My boxer shorts lasted a decade before they finally disintegrated. The present was a favourite of mine, but it’s also a reminder that parents really can inspire our love of nature and wildlife in simple ways. Not only did I have eagle boxer shorts, but plates printed with bears and moose hung on my bedroom walls. Those walls were bordered with orcas. If we create children who Continue reading »
Markus and Jordan Singing in a Rain Shower in Johnstone Strait
Right now, we are anchored in Humpback Bay in the Johnstone Straight. The tidal current is too strong to row against so the name of the game is to wait. Wait in the rain.
Earlier this morning at 0200 (2:00a.m), Rick and I weighed anchor in the rain at blubber bay. While the others slept, we rowed through eddies and currents in the dark as tugboats pushed and pulled their loads. As morning light broke, the wind and currents picked up.
It is rainy right now, but sprits are good. I’m thinking I may jump Continue reading »
Crew at Vancouver Rowing Club dock 4 11 2012 ...waiting on alternate photo.
Right now, the smallest task feels 10x harder than it should be. Filling a water bottle, putting on sunscreen, writing this blog all require herculean stores of discipline, will-power & effort. We are adapting. That’s my mantra of the moment. We are adapting. New sleep schedule, finding sea legs, rowing 12 hours a day, new chores & habits. We are adapting.
Hope remains. Intermittently, feelings of euphoria will overcome me. I will see two Golden Eagles swirling over an island, meditate on the moon rising over the Strait of Georgia or a pack of playful seals will poke their heads up during a great song on the radio. These bursts give me hope to Continue reading »
Adam Kreek here.
Yesterday, I woke up at 4 am to go on an adventure with a bunch of my friends at the Whitehall Spirit Rowing Club. We have white, slide seat rowing boats that have a copolymer thermoformed plastic hull made to look like the old whitehall boats rowed on the river Thames in London England.
We rowed out into the dark night, awed by the neon green phosphorescence that lit the water as our oars and hulls cut through the water. It was beautiful. Two “Tango” whitehall shells. Myself and Andrea in one, and Dianna and Sarah in the second.
To be safe we were accompanied by the trimaran Physis (seen at the bottom of the post), captained by Harold Aune and his longtime partner Mea Hutchins. Both are owners of Whitehall Rowing and Sail. Jan, a whitehall rowing club member was also on board Physis.
Just past halfway into the 16.7 mile row, we were in fog, 20 knot winds and 6 foot swells. For safety reasons, we had to turn around. The weather combined with inexperienced oarspeople and poor clothing choices to cut our row short.
Because it was Sarah’s first time in big swells, she did not feel comfortable. This is a good sign to turn your adventure around. Sarah and Diana pulled their boat out of the water onto the deck of Physis. Andrea and I kept going for 45 more minutes. However, Andrea was wearing lycra spandex and a thin top. As the waves crested and soaked us both, I could hear that the swear words and chattering teeth from my bow woman were only getting worse.
We should have had warmer gear on board because we were getting splashed bigtime. I was wearing a merino wool top, which kept me warm in the wet. Another suggestion would be a dryfit top to keep in the body heat.
I had a track & field coach in highschool who always said “You cant put on what you dont have.” This is a lesson for coastal rowing adventure. Be prepared for the various microclimates that exist on the open water.
We returned from cold foggy, wet, windy ocean to the harbour in Victoria BC. It was warm, sunny and calm. Go figure. Be prepared for Neptune and Mother Nature. Pack for the worst, expect the best.
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