Kayaking Off British Columbia

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GEARING UP

Whatever type of vessel you choose to paddle, give some sober thought to your safety by making sure that you know how to handle the boat and that it's in good shape for an extended journey. (Take a couple of daylong jaunts-say, around the San Juan Islands or in the southern part of Puget Sound-to get a feel for what you'll be coping with, before you set out on a major cruise.) Then be certain that you obtain a Johnstone Strait/ Western Portion map (Canadian, No. 3568) from a boat store and because disorienting fogs roll in quickly and thickly off British Columbia-a compass. Of course, you'll also need Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices . . . a flashlight with extra batteries . . . a first aid kit . . . a tool kit . . . a watertight container of matches . . . and sturdy duct tape to patch leaks. And unfortunately, since it rains even in paradise, you should pack a parka, pants, and a hat designed for a deluge. (Speaking of moisture problems, double layers of plastic garbage bags-one inside the other-can be used to keep your stashed sleeping bag and extra clothes dry en route.) Above all, observe two basic safety rules: Always travel with at least one other boat, and never go out on the water without telling someone where you're going and when you expect to return.

LAUNCHING OUT

Once you've assembled all of your clothes and your gear, acquired plenty of food for hungry paddlers, and obtained a fishing license (for information on how to do that, call the Fisheries and Oceans district office number: 604/666-3169), you're ready to go! Port McNeill (on the east side of Vancouver Island, north of the Campbell River) is a convenient point at which to start your voyage. It has stores where you can pick up last minute supplies . . . and the local citizens can tell you about riptides, the fogs that materi alize suddenly, or other weather conditions you may be likely to encounter. They may even advise you not to try crossing the channel to such islands as Mamalilaculla if heavy boating traffic and choppy water are expected. If so, you might prefer to hire a charter boat to transport you and your craft to a landing point. (One popular landing site is Swanson Island on Blackfish Sound.)

Naturally, you'll respect the privacy of others during your island-hopping . . . since, like you, they're trying to "get away from it all". If you find that someone has already set up camp where you land, then-weather permitting-move on! And when you leave your camp, there should be no garbage or litter in the water or on the ground to show that you were ever there. Then, silent as the ghosts of the Kwakiutl Indians that haunt these islets and waterways, you can glide through this wilderness Edenleaving only the wake of your boat behind you to the adventures that lie ahead.

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