The Paddler ezine Issue 53 Late Spring 2020 | Page 130
ThePADDLER 130
JF MARLEAU
BROKEN GROUP AND DEER
GROUP ISLANDS, BRITISH
COLUMBIA, CANADA
When the legal and social
norm restrictions are lifted or
softened and kayak touring
will become socially accepted
in relation to the evolution of
the status of COVID-19 in
our area, we have a few plans
to enjoy the freedom of the
sea again.
Weeks ago before COVID-
19 transformed the world as
we used to know it, my
partner Justine Curgenven
and I were planning two Easter adventures. First a
seven-day trip where we will leave from a beach
beside our house in Ucluelet on the west coast of
Vancouver Island for the Broken Group Islands and
Deer Group islands in Barkley Sound.
The Broken Group Islands has over 100 islands by
itself. This is currently on the path of the grey whale
migration and the area between our place and the
Broken Group and the Deer Group Islands is very
wild and beautiful with so many whales around. This is
just a start.
We were also planning to take a float plane to go kayak
fishing trout to a remote alpine lake called Pretty Girl
Lake for a few days. This Lake is only accessible by float
plane. When things return to normal, in addition to guiding
and teaching in remote areas, we are planning to
circumnavigate Haida Gwaii for a personal holiday from
guiding and teaching sea kayaking:)
JF has taught kayaking and guiding expeditions full
time across Canada since 1998. He is a certified
Level 4 Guide & Guide Trainer and Examiner with
the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC (SKGABC).
He was vice-president of the SKGABC for 14
years, He is also a certified Level 4 Instructor and
Level 3 Instructor Trainer with Paddle Canada. He
runs SKILS, Canada’s premiere sea kayaking
training centre. For details see:
https://www.skils.ca
SEAN CLARKE
WHITE NILE, UGANDA
Escaping from lockdown and
an imminent winter, I’d love to
be on a river anywhere. But if
I have to choose, then the
White Nile, Uganda – even in
spite of the recent Isimba
Dam, everything about Jinja,
Bujagali and surrounds, it is
my favourite place on earth.
April is the rainy season but
other than bodas and
mutatus sliding everywhere in
the mud, paddling continues
year round. Freestyle paddling is much reduced
without the Nile Special section but the river is still
mighty and holds the attention of any paddler
unawares on it. Ingenuity and a genuine love of the
river is what draws people back each year for the Nile
River Festival (Jan/Feb each year) and I can’t help
myself in answering the call and heading back.
There’s not too many places in the world you can get
to the river holding your kayak and paddle on the
back of a motorcycle sliding through mud. Adventure
and social interactions (sorely missed in the isolation)
is what draws me back year on year. God damned I
wish I could get there right now.
Sean is the Chair of British Rafting, the rafting
discipline committee of British Canoeing and
Head of Marketing and Media for the
International Rafting Federation. He is also a
kayak and canoeing coach.
www.britishrafting.com