[TSOJOURNER]

Before you guys laugh Yeah I'm talking about sea kayaking and not sailing. I need to find good intell on conditions and info from people that have first hand experience with local area. I'm not talking about those people you see poking around in those little things. I'm A BCU (British Canoe Union) 4 star level paddler. I have extensive experience in paddling in high winds 30-40mph and 12-14ft seas and also tidal races. To get my 5 star certification I have to plan a short range expedition 80-100 mile that includes open water crossings that requires dead reckoning navigation, also high winds and currents. I pretty much have to do a write up to show my Coach before I can do my 5 star expeditionary certification which is highest level you can get.

Here is the planned route I'm planing on taking. I was going to post a plotted route from Google earth but ended up being to large. I'm also having trouble finding a place that has the correct chart that covers this area. So one or two of the islands I have no names for or possibly the wrong name for one or two.

1. Starting at Dunk Road beach south east of Tobermory
2. middle island
3. flower pot island
4. bear rump
5. moon island
6. lonely island
7. club island
8. unknown island 4.62 miles 327 degrees from Club Island
9. cross over to Manitoulin Island heading south west along the shore then
cross over Owen channel
10. cross over to Fitzwilliam island over to wall island or snake harbour then heading down owen channel then around the western side of fitzwilliam crossing over to Unknown name island south of Fitzwilliam then cross over.
11. down western side of Cove island making my way south to Tobermory and back east around to the Dunk Road beach.

This isn't going to happen soon. I still have alot of time to train and get all the equipment I need. I just want to get info on conditions I most likely will incounter and warnings. I will check back time to time with other questions. That's if people are willing to help me out.

I'm looking at May time frame of year not this year but a year possibly two from now. what kinda of water, storm and wind conditions will I mostly likely incounter Late spring. What kind of VHF coverage does Canadian Coast Guard have in this area aswell. From what I've gathered I will be crossing over well used route for Sailboats making their way to the North Channel from Tobermory. If you can help me out now and in the future I will be greatly thankful!

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Thank You!

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Well two things that concern me about what you said. the 5-6 currents is a big one. Yeah I've delt with tidal currents that fast but do an 8 mile crossing in them well it isn't done by even the top Expedition paddles in the world. You can cross to an island maybe 1.5 miles but that's a tide that you can predict the speed and time on general schedule. That kinda of current is unpredictable. IF I'm half way through the 8 or the 10 mile crossing and the current picks up and I have no shore references to even see this. I can be in big trouble and I'm hoping having my Gps with me with pre plotted route using bluecharts could possibly give me warning if I'm starting to be pushed off my plotted course So can adjust my course angle. At 5-6 knot I really don't have a chance. I think the key things is listening carefully to the forecast on the VHF. The key days will be the first two days which are compriced of the longest most exposed crossings. My original plan was to make the cross from tobermory, bears rump, half moon and Lonely island in one big push the first day 27 miles. After thinking about it making such a big push the first day would mostly like burn me out way to soon and at the beginning of the trip. So I've decided to stop at halfmoon island and prey there are no storms with large waves or it's going to be like standing outside on the deck of a sub during a crash dive. LOL I don't see alot of elevation on that island at all.

The next thing is the Handheld VHF radio 0 signal you said you were getting in Rattle Snake Harbour and in Ownes channel. Are the weather and water condtions reports broadcast from Tobermory and Fitzwilliam island is blocking them Signal? I could stay on the Southeastern side of Wall island to get a clear line of sight to get radio reports before making the push through Owen channel. Most likely I'm going to push the trip to first part of July or last week of June. I want to avoid the higher lodging prices for support team i.e. my wifey. I don't want go when it's hot either.

Oh I'm going to be doing about 15-17miles a day. This will give me time to setup camp and still explore every place I plan on stopping at. Paddling sun up to sun down just won't be fun if you can't enjoy where your at everyday aswell!

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Well it depends on the conditions winds and how large the waves are when making the crossings. With 60lbs of gear packed into the boat 30mph winds and 10ft seas with a speed of 3 mph at minimum for suchs conditions Yeah it could get to be a push. I've done 45 mile days but that's because there was no place to land other than to spiderman a vertical cliff. I unually maintain a good touring speed of 4.0-4.3mph in good conditions but always use 3mph to plan out slowest possible speed the conditions could push me down to. IF I had an 18ft 21.5beamed long hall Expedition boat yeah I could move faster and cover more ground but my kayak is 16'7" 22"beam so it's alittle slower for the long range low drag trips.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

I appreciate it that you went out of your way to help me out Scott!

 

[TSOJOURNER]

halfmoon

Thank you for the great info and I'm really surprised that I've gotten so much help. I was sure that because i was a sea kayaker not a sailor with nice boat I wouldn't get anything but a laugh and a get lost punk attitude. I was surely mistaken and I'm so appreicative for the time and detailed help you have all given. It would have taken me a long time to just get a small fraction of the intell you all have provided me. I was actually shooting to do this trip June/July 2010 because of the extra training, gear to be needed and the travel cost for me and my wife that would include bordering for her during my paddling. I found out this past Friday the company I've worked for no longer needed me and let me go. Sooo I don't know when I will do the trip now but I hope this doesn't stop the help. I would like to keep chatting and planning the trip to keep my hopes up and my moral right now. I've spent the past three days looking for a job and it doesn't looked job wise and me being able to stay in my home.uke Unless I win the Lottery!

Well anyway looking at Google maps halfmoon looks like it has alittle more tree coverage and dryer than discribed and I'm getting like 8 miles from halfmoon to lonely using the measuring option on googlearth. How far off over the horizan do you think you would see the trees of halfmoon or lonely island if your in a kayak? Like maybe 6 miles out?

I was trying to post a pic I cropped of Halfmoon island showing the tree coverage but it won't load up for some reason

 

[TSOJOURNER]

LOL ok thanks for the Horizon info that means I should be able to see Lonely island pretty easy from Halfmoon island. I'm sure my trip will workout just have to keep my head down and keep pushing on. I'm from the Atlanta, georgia area.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

ok here is VHF operational question. In the US channel 16 is Coast guard channel that's used for emergencies and Hailing then you have to change over to other channels like 9, 1, 68, 69, 71, 72, and 78. What are the channels used in Canada?

 

[TSOJOURNER]

I'm about to post up my zodiac and motor for sale and see if I can find a good home for my trusty dive boat. Does the forum have a sale page?

 

[TSOJOURNER]

By the way, you can't post pictures or use PM on sailnet until you have at least 10 posts. You are almost there. If you want quick posts, go to the song chain in Off Topic and you'll quickly get to 10.

You may also want to have a quick look in the sailnet How-to Forum - Tips for Newcomers. http://www.sailnet.com/forums/sailnet-how-tos/39379-newcomers-get-more-out-sailnet.html

If you ever here the call Sign "Devil 505" on the VHF It will be me but most likely you'll know I'm starting my Expedition on here first.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

what kind of camera did you use? Those pics are really clear! I've never been on a sailboat and told my wife that I always wanted to learn how to sail. I see them all the time on the lake. With the wind at force 5-6 today gusting to force 7 with front moving through I'm sure I'll see them out today while I'm training in the high winds here.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Update

I'm making plans to change my trip from 85 miles to 150miles. I'm going to start and end from Lions Head.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

well I guess I've decided to do this trip right. I'm not going to come to just do a week long trip because I'm driving really damn far for just 7 days. I'm going to stick with first part of my route but I'm going to head up eastern side of Manitoulin island. go around cockburn island and then back track my way back to my orignal route to Tobermory. This route will be 300 miles and will take about 20 days to complete if U add a couple bad weather lay over days. This will be an a easy 20 mile a day pace which will allow me to sight see and actually enjoy the Expedition. I actually played with the idea of take the north channel up and head around the island then head back the eastern side of Manitoulin island back to my staring point at Tobermory. this would add another 60miles to the 300 already plotted which is another 3 days.

The big thing is the kayak I have now is good for 7 maybe 10 days gear carrying whys. So I'm going to get a NDK Explorer which is alot faster and made for long rough water expeditions just like this. A good excuse to convince the wife I need to get a new kayak huh. Most of the worlds longest expeditions like circumnavigation of England, Japan, greenland, iceland, south island of new Zeland and many others have been done with this very kayak. I've tested one out and for being 13 inches longer and 1/2 inch narrow than my kayak now, this boat is very deseaving. It's crazy how much gear u can put into it, loaded or empty it actually handled better than my smaller nimbler kayak I have now. The rougher the water got, better the kayak seems to paddle. I was pretty much sold on getting one! I was going to post pics of my planned route but said they were to large.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Well I'm really thinking about making it a Charity event to raise money for Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical research foundation. I will increase the distance though to raise more money. I have no idea how to get started though.

EBMRF - Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Well I got the charity fundraiser started. The end of October is the Recognition week for EB in the US and I thought I could start the Expedition at the Beginning of the Month and try to finish in time. Can U guys give me the heads up on the weather and water conditons I should expect during October. I have a pretty good idea what to expect but I want to get more intel from U guys that see it year round. I'm going to be doing a 500mile round trip that will probly take me about 25 days depending on weather.

I'm working on getting some celebrity support because people like Courney Cox, Brad Pitt and Adam Sandler support the EBMRF. I'm going to start a facebook page to get the word out and hopefully get donations. I'm starting to get the direction I need to go in just need to get the momentum going. This cause is something important to me because I and majority of my family suffer from a mild case. This is still very painfull and life changing form of this disease that affects our hands and feet instead of our whole body. I'm going to be reminded of this everyday of the trip because my hands will always be on the paddle and it takes 1000 paddle strokes to paddle a mile.

Thank You for your help!!!

Les Laxson

 

[TSOJOURNER]

I was studying the data the Welshman posted and the average reading are even higher than I was expecting. I think I would be fine first part of the trip at the beginning of the month. ON the return trip back I would be asking to much from body when I'm already running on reserves. It would open me up to making mistakes. Appreciate the feed backs guys. IF you guys don't mind I'm going to keep open communicaton so I can get any other help in the future.

thanks again!
Les Laxson