[ Home ] [ Meetings ] [ Trips ] [ Documents ] [ Links ] [ Contacts ]

Meetings are held the last Tuesday of the month
(except June, July, August, and December)
7:00 p.m. at the Seattle R.E.I. flagship store.

This Month's Meeting:  January 31, 2012 7:00 - 9:00PM at REI Main Store, 2nd floor meeting room

Program: Kayaking at 78° North - The Svalbard Archipelago

Svalbard, a territory of Norway located some 400 miles north of the mainland, has the most northerly regular airline service in the world. After a visit to Longyearben, its largest town, SSKC members Gerry Bashein and Diane Reeves paddled for 5 days and camped 4 nights in this arctic desert. Trip highlights included a visit to an abandoned Russian mining town, staying in an established camp with research scientists, visiting 3 remote trapper cabins, paddling along a huge tidewater glacier, and standing 2-hour polar bear watches while the sun shone all night.

Once again, the Seattle Sea Kayak Club will offer a kayak skills lecture open to all, followed by on-water classes for our members -- by none other than local legendary instructor George Gronseth of the Kayak Academy in Issaquah.

Always one of our favorite presenters, George will discuss the theory of forward stroke, which we use at least 95% of the time we paddle. He will focus on the many different paddling styles and equipment, including Greenland-style "sticks". Attendance at the lecture is mandatory for the on-water classes to follow.

We'll have sign-up sheets at the meeting for the on-water classes to be offered on Saturday and Sunday October 8 and 9, at George's kayak facility at Lake Sammamish State Park. There will be about 40 slots available, as we are aiming to have 2-hour classes, at 4 class times each day, for 5 students per class. Cost to each member will be $20, and the club will subsidize the rest. You'll get to try a number of different paddle styles and lengths.

Join us for a full evening of trip reports on "where I kayaked last summer". Often the favorite part of our meetings, members share information about their trips large and small, far and near.

(FOR JUST THIS MONTH, WE ARE MEETING ON A MONDAY)

We'll gather in a circle and tell stories -- no visuals expected, but feel free to bring along your charts or guidebooks or photo prints, to share with those who may be interested in more details.

(And if you do have digital slides, for a whole hour-long program, or even a half-program . . . the co-chairs of Programs will be all ears, and will talk to you about doing a regular club program at another meeting!)

Just like in the old days, there also might be a "tall tale" or two! Were you the kayaker in the mouth of the whale, in that oft-circulated internet photo?!

Now is also the time to share a tip about gear that worked great, or that flubbed. Tell us about that great camp recipe you discovered, too.

New folks are welcome . . . you can just listen, or tell us a story about where you kayaked on the East coast, or on a lake in Montana!

Fun with crabs and kelp, sea stars galore... and getting the evil eye from an ornery octopus! This was all part of a sea kayak vacation at Spring Island, in Kyuquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, enjoyed by Jeff Larsson and his family.

They stayed at an ecotourism base camp, where guests of all ages had experienced guides, for sea kayaking trips both in the protected waters, and testing the outer-coast swells. The accommodations were walk-in tents, with beds! Adventures on land included tidepooling, hiking around huge cedar trees, and watching glorious sunsets after salmon dinners. They accessed Spring Island by water taxi from Fair Harbour, near Zeballos B.C.

Independent travelers can have similar experiences while camping at other parts of this same large island, which features extensive sandy beaches. They may likely combine a stay at Spring Island with trips north to the Bunsby Islands or to the Brooks Peninsula, or trips south to Rugged Point. Kyuquot Sound can also be accessed by the passenger and freight vessel MV Uchuck III, departing from the town of Gold River B.C.

Jeff especially invites other paddlers with children to attend this meeting, and then possibly help plan some family outings for next year through the club. He's got a third-grader, but the club also includes some families with teens. And if your children are all grown up, but you know of some great places for family trips, or would like to be involved in such trips, come and share your tips!

January 31st, 2012 - Kayaking at 78° North - The Svalbard Archipelago

Svalbard, a territory of Norway located some 400 miles north of the mainland, has the most northerly regular airline service in the world. After a visit to Longyearben, its largest town, SSKC members Gerry Bashein and Diane Reeves paddled for 5 days and camped 4 nights in this arctic desert. Trip highlights included a visit to an abandoned Russian mining town, staying in an established camp with research scientists, visiting 3 remote trapper cabins, paddling along a huge tidewater glacier, and standing 2-hour polar bear watches while the sun shone all night.

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

The Social Event of the season is on Tuesday, June 28. We gather between 5:00 and 6:00 P.M. and the pizza arrives at 6:30 P.M. (Hint: don't be too late or it will be all gone). Come to Magnuson Park on Lake Washington and look for shelter #1. Some of us will be coming early to hold the table.

 Jul-Aug, 2012 - Gone Paddling!!!! See you in September.