This is a registry of trips made through the Inside
Passage (Washington, British Columbia, Alaska) by small, human-powered
vessels (kayaks, canoes and rowboats). You'll also find a variety of information
sources if you're planning or dreaming about an Inside Passage trip. The page is
generally divided into six sections:
Registry & Trip Reports - Names, dates and
links to trip reports. Upcoming/In Progress Trips - Planning or embarking
on a trip? Mention it here. Books - An essential bibliography for the Inside
Passage paddler/rower. Free Information Sources - Links to free charts,
coast pilots, ferry schedules, weather and more. Gear - Info about charts, maps, GPS, food, and other
stuff you might need. Classifieds - Finished an IP trip and now
have a boat or gear you want to sell? Need gear for an upcoming trip? Free ads here.
Just like the Inside Passage there's a lot to see here, so
spend some time exploring.
If you have a link to a trip report, related information,
or want your
name added to the registry, send an email to joelm at eskimo dot com
Happy and safe paddling (or rowing)! - Joel McNamara
Last Updated - May 3, 2008 - Update History is
here
Randel
Washburne
lots of dates - lots of places
single kayak - I feel a bit remiss for not mentioning Randy earlier, but I
didn't know he had a Web site. Randy is one of the pioneers of IP kayak paddling
with a boatload of experience. I first met him at a West Coast Sea Kayak
Symposium eons ago, and he was one of the most genuine, down-to-earth, humble
people I'd encountered (I haven't seen him in years, but his Web site tells he
probably hasn't changed). Anyway, spend some time reading The Burnett Bay Cabin Journals,
Kayaking and The Alaska/British Columbia and his other writings. Good stuff.
Amanda Babson
2007 - Seattle to Glacier Bay
single kayak - Amanda has a great trip account Web site, including a
Google Maps depiction of the route with photos. Check out the For
Kayakers link, with lots of information on gear, food and extensive
corrections/updates to Robert Miller's Kayking the Inside Passage.
Joe
O'Blenis
2007 - solo Vancouver Island circumnavigation
single kayak - 23 days and 10 hours. Wow!
Mikko Suominen and Mari Impivaara
2007 - Seattle to Petersburg
single kayaks - Mikko just sent me the above link to a gorgeous, very large
collection of IP photos hosted on Flickr. Check 'em out.
Denis
Dwyer
2007 - San Juan Island to Port Hardy
single kayak - Denis' excellent trip report blog, including lots of photos, is a must read for anyone planning
an IP trip. The narrative and level of detail is first rate. He also just added
a very thorough gear
list and evaluation discussion. (Stay tuned for his second leg Port Hardy to Skagway report in
2008.)
BC
Rimbeaux
2007 - Anacortes to Skagway
single kayak - Check out BC's blog for lots of photos and trip info.
Nick
Gigere and Becky Peace
2007 - Glacier Bay to Bellingham
single kayaks - Another great trip blog from a pair of serious adventurers.
(There's also a newspaper article about their trip here.)
We just finished our adventure, pulling in on July 4. Thanks for all the useful
information you supply on your site, and the connections are great. We met Karen and Rob who
did the trip in 2000 on the ferry on our way up, and also BC who was paddling northward this year,
and I was able to find their contact info through your site. There are a few people that are doing
the trip and looking for info, and I'd be glad to talk with them if you want to pass my email on to
them. Our website has never been that informative, and we didn't keep it as a
blog, so I'm afraid it won't be of any assistance to them. Better if they contact me if they'd like to talk
to someone.
It was a fantastic adventure, and thanks so much for supporting trips with your site!
I'm in paradise, rowing through BC, and as Ed Abbey said - Enjoy
yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached
to your body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much: I
promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those
deskbound people with their hearts in a safe deposit box and their eyes
hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this: you will outlive
the bastards."
Keirron Tastagh and Jeff Norville
2007 - Vancouver Island circumnavigation
double kayak - Speed record attempt with a goal of 700 miles in two weeks (they
did it in 19 1/2 days - impressive).
Steven Brouwer, Molly
Bill, Ben Brouwer (and others)
2006 - Lopez Island, WA to Ketchikan and back
24' open wooden boat/sail and oar (Ben has an excellent account in words and
pictures of this epic expedition in a hand-built craft)
Christopher Pope
2005 - Olympia to Prince Rupert
single kayak (Chris' narrative has lots of information and great photos)
Bob Saunders and Graham Brown
2005 - Vancouver to Prince Rupert
single kayaks (Bob graciously provided an extremely detailed trip report with
GPS coordinates, camping sites, and general observations - I highly recommend
you spend time reading the above link; excellent information)
Mike and
Ida Clarabut
2005 - Ketchikan to Prince Rupert
single kayaks (the original Web trip report is gone, but this link is to an
excellent PowerPoint presentation with gorgeous photos)
La
Nina Expedition
199? - Alaska to Vancouver, BC (Outside Passage)
single kayaks - 5 women take the more challenging route - Sea Kayaker article
from August 2000
Randal
Queen
1994
Juneau to Ketchikan (John Muir route)
single kayak - check out the Book link above for a Word document Randal wrote
about his trip - a good read
Scott Davis
1994 - Port Townsend to Glacier Bay and back
25' custom rowboat
Jim Chester
1992 - Anacortes to Juneau (~90 days)
kayak
Ed Gillett
1980s - Glacier Bay to Seattle (55 days)
single kayak (from a mid-80's SEDA magazine ad - Gillett later solo-paddled
from California to Hawaii in a double)
Camp Ta-ha-do-Wa
1961 - Tacoma to Juneau (53 days)
five Willits canoes (kids and counselors on an expedition led by Dr. Alfred
Schultz - See Willits Bros. canoe book below)
Betty Lowman Carey
1937 - San Juans to Ketchikan (66 days)
dugout canoe - rowed (see Bijaboji: North to Alaska by Oar book below)
Ken Wise (and two others)
1936 - Seattle to Skagway
two Willits canoe (one eventually was taken overland and went down the Yukon
River - documented in the book Cruise of the Blue Flujin, see below)
Jack and Sasha Calvin
1929 - Tacoma to Juneau (53 days)
single Willits canoe (described in the July 1933 issue of National Geographic
magazine, see below)
John Muir
1879 - Wrangell to Haines, Alaska (and back)
Departing in October, Muir and party journey on a 35-foot canoe to Glacier Bay
and beyond.
Tlingit
Way Party
1857 - Kake, Alaska to Whidbey Island (and back)
Ten warriors led by a woman paddle a war canoe down the Inside Passage to
Whidbey Island where they kill and behead Isaac Ebey in revenge for the deaths
of Tlingit and Haida tribe members by a U.S. gunship the previous year. They
successfully return to Kake.
Aya Reiss and a friend are planning on rowing
from Skagway to Bellingham in 2008.
J.J. Kelley and Josh Thomas are planning on
paddling from Skagway to Seattle starting July 1, 2008 as part of a documentary
called Paddle to Seattle. Check out their Web
site (and YouTube video) for details.
Denis Dwyer is planning on doing his second leg
of the IP (Port Hardy to Skagway) in 2008.
Mike Clarabut is planning a 2008 summer trip from Prince
Rupert to hopefully Skagway with a side trip to Glacier Bay. If you're thinking
about doing this part of the IP during that time, drop me an email and I'll put
you in touch with Mike.
Chris Cooper has done an extensive amount of
travel through the Inside Passage since the 1970s, paddling kayaks and canoes.
He currently organizes trips using a 42-foot open craft called the Spirit Dancer
Canoe. His Web site has
IP photos and info. Chris and a number of Canadian paddlers will be taking the
Spirit Dancer to Europe in 2008 to paddle around the British Isles. Looks like
an amazing trip.
If you're planning an IP trip in 2008 and want
to get in touch with other paddlers doing the same route, drop me an email.
Spirited Waters: Soloing South Through the Inside Passage
Jennifer Hahn
Kayak guide and naturalist paddles between Ketchikan and Bellingham over several
seasons. This is a pretty good book that
captures the spiritual (not religious though) and practical aspects of kayaking
the Inside Passage. The author adds a lot of natural science and history to her
story.
Homelands: Kayaking the Inside Passage
Byron Rick
Husband and wife kayak from Glacier Bay to Seattle. Just finished reading
this book and I highly recommend it. An excellent introspective account of the
challenges and adventures of paddling the entire route in a pair of Mariner IIs.
Rick is an excellent writer and story teller and I'd consider this book a
must-read for anyone planning to paddle all or part of the IP.
Bijaboji:
North to Alaska by Oar
Betty Lowman Carey
Personal account of a woman's 1937 IP solo trip to Ketchikan in a 13' 10"
long dugout canoe (rowed not paddled). Very detailed information including a
trip log. A good story.
Row to Alaska By Wind & Oar
Pete and Nancy Ashenfelter
A retired couple's story of their 70+ day trip up the Inside Passage (done
during a year with no summer, and more than 50 days of rain).
The
Only Kayak: A Journey into the Heart of Alaska
Kim Heacox
Another Alaska kayak book. Written by naturalist Kim Heacox, a
longtime resident of Glacier Bay. More of a
conservation-oriented account of Heacox's time as a kayak ranger in the 1980s, versus a trip guide.
Travels in
Alaska
John Muir
Muir's accounts of trips in Southeast Alaska, including his 1879 canoe journey
from Wrangell to Glacier Bay and Haines. (This link goes to the free eBook
version.)
Out of Print Books
Cruise of the Blue Flujin
Ken Wise
Four Sea Scouts, circa 1936, start out in Seattle and paddle the Inside Passage
in two canoes. Review coming when I get
around to ordering a
copy.
Oar
& Sail
Kenneth Macrae Leighton
A doctor in his 60s rows from Vancouver to Prince Rupert. Found a copy in a used
bookstore the other day. This is a special book that's really written from the
heart. The stories and accompanying woodcut prints are wonderful. Kenneth has
since passed away and this short, little book is a legacy to his adventure and
the type of person he was. I would have liked to have met him. Not a whole lot
of practical trip information, but worth trying to find.
Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddling Guide from Olympia, Washington to Muir Glacier, Alaska
Robert H. Miller
Published in May 2005. This book is a must for anyone paddling the Inside
Passage. The first complete guidebook for kayakers paddling the IP, it
identifies campsites, water locations, hazards and more. Well written, with
maps, photos, and practical advice. (It uses the Calm Channel route to get to
Johnstone Strait through Yaculta, Dent and Green Pointe Rapids versus the more
direct Seymour Narrows route. The author says it's more scenic and safe.
Ballpark measuring with Google Earth shows this route to be about 30 miles more
paddling than going through Seymour.) There's an October 19, 2005 review comment
on Amazon from a kayaker who used the book as his guide for paddling the entire
route. Pay attention to what he has to say about campsites mentioned in the
book. Also see Amanda Babson's trip account Web site for commentary and updates based on her 2007 IP trip.
The Wild Coast ( IIIIII )
John Kimantas
The author put in over 6,000 miles of paddling on the BC coast during a five
year period, so is pretty qualified to discuss the Canadian parts of the IP.
These guide books have been recommended by a number of paddlers. Kimantas' Web site also has
a large amount of valuable information for the IP paddler, including a
collection of trip reports. This is a very good resource.
Best
Anchorages of the Inside Passage. Anne Vipond and William Kelly. This is a
relatively new cruising book that looks promising for IP paddlers. More info
when I get a chance to see it in person.
Other Books of Interest
Beyond The
Outer Shores
Eric Enno Tamm
OK, it's not about kayaking the Inside Passage, but I really enjoyed this book
and wanted to list it. This is the story of Ed Ricketts, one of the pioneers of
marine ecology. It's a fascinating account of a maverick marine biologist with
no college degree who was way ahead of his time. Author Eric Enno Tamm brings to
life Ricketts and an amazing cast of characters from the 1930s and 40s including
novelist John Steinbeck (who used Ricketts as a model for "Doc" in
Cannery Row) and scholar Joseph Campbell (the famous mythology scholar who's
work was influenced by Ricketts). There's lots about BC and the Inside Passage,
including a 1932 collecting trip that Ricketts and Campbell took from Tacoma to
Juneau in the 33-foot Grampus (captained by Jack Calvin, who earlier paddled the IP in a canoe with his
wife three years earlier).
The Willits Brothers and Their Canoes: Wooden Boat Craftsmen in Washington State, 1908-1967
Patrick Chapman
I'm a self admitted kayak guy, and although I've done some canoeing in the past,
have always preferred the closed deck, double blade mode of transportation. I've
got to admit it though. After reading Patrick Chapman's excellent historical
account of the Willits Brothers and the wooden canoes they made for over 50
years, I've got a lot of new respect and appreciation for these decidedly
old-school boats (and their creators). From the 1930s to the 1960s a number of
Willits canoes did the IP, and the functional, yet work of art boats are now
treated as collectors' items. Chapman does a great job of describing the
Willits, their manufacturing operation, the boats they produced, and even presents some
untold accounts of IP trips such as a 1961 boys' summer camp trip from Tacoma to
Juneau. Check out this article for more about the Willits
brothers.
The
Curve of Time
M. Wylie Blanchet
Yet another non-kayaking title, but a classic story of 1930s life on the IP (I'm
a sucker for period historical works). A recently widowed woman and her five
children spend summers cruising the IP in a 25-foot boat. Wonderful descriptions
of people and places in a simpler time. A must read for anyone planning an IP
adventure.
Old Magazines
Nakwasina Goes North - National Geographic, July 1933 -
Jack Calvin
A Man, a Woman, and a Pup Cruise from Tacoma to Juneau in a 17-foot Canoe. Jack
and Sasha Calvin paddle and sail (12 hours out of 53 days) a Willits
Brothers canoe up the Inside Passage in 1929. Lots of photos. Worth tracking
down at a library or on eBay.
Coast
Pilot 7
NOAA has all of their latest Coast Pilots online as PDF files. For the
uninitiated, a coast pilot contains written descriptions and information about
waters and landforms - they're meant to be used with charts. Coast Pilot 8
covers US coastal waters between Mexico and British Columbia (including the
Puget Sound, where you'll either start or finish your trip).
Coast
Pilot 8
Coast Pilot 8
covers the British Columbia border up into Southeast Alaska. (I wish the
Canadians were online distributing their version of the Coast Pilot, called Sailing Directions, but no such luck
for now.)
NGA
Sailing Directions - Pub. 154
The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency is responsible for creating defense
related maps for the United States government. They also provide quite a bit of
maritime information, including Sailing Directions (similar to a NOAA Coast
Pilot) for non-US waters throughout the world. Pub. 154 is for British Columbia
and is freely available as a PDF file. (The NGA has lots of other cool online maritime
publications worth checking out.)
NOAA
Online Charts
As of early December 2005 NOAA has put all of their charts
online for viewing or download; both the RNC/BSB raster versions, which are
scanned charts, and the ENC vector versions, which look computer-generated
instead of hand drawn. Nice for planning and reference or when you're bored at
work. You can use the free,
Windows Sea Clear program to view
downloaded charts or use Maptech's free Chart
Navigator to view, plan and print RNC/BSB charts. Chart Navigator is the
same as their commercial Offshore Navigator program, but lacks the GPS
connectivity and real time navigation features (which you don't need for
kayaking anyway.)
USGS
Topographic Maps
For the Washington and Alaska legs of the trip you can use USGS 1:24,000 scale
topographic maps (called DRG or Digital Raster Graphic, these are scanned paper
maps in GeoTIFF format). A list of where to get free DRGs for each U.S. state
can be found at the above link.
Natural
Resources Canada - GeoGratis
1:50,000 scale digital topographic maps of Canada. These are scanned paper maps
in GeoTIFF format that you can open with any graphics program and print. Here's
a link to an index
so you know which ones to download. The entire BC portion of the Inside Passage
spans 56 maps (sizes range from 10 to 48 MB a piece, so you definitely need a
broadband connection to download). Thanks to the Canadian government who made
this resource freely available in 2007. Other maps are available at the site and
it's worth looking around.
Garmin-compatible
GPS Canadian topo maps
If you have a Garmin GPS receiver that uses Mapsource
maps, check out these free
1:50,000 scale maps Dale Atkin makes available that you can upload. (Other free
Garmin compatible maps for locations all over the world are here,
but unfortunately nothing for the Alaska portion of the IP yet.)
Magellan-compatible
GPS Canadian topo maps
The Magic Maps project plans to convert Canadian topographic vector data to free
maps you can load on a Magellan eXplorist or Triton GPS receiver. Not much of BC
is done at this point (3/31/08) but it's worth checking back as maps for the
entire country are planned.
Canada
Centre for Topographic Information
1:250,000 scale digital topographic maps of Canada. A good navigation resource
for British Columbia waters, especially for locating stream water sources.
(These are vector maps, not raster-based scans of paper maps.)
Google Earth
An amazing program that displays satellite imagery. Much of the same data is available
on the Web at maps.google.com, but Google
Earth allows you to display terrain in 3D and measure distances. This is a cool
planning tool that will give you more of an idea of what the IP is like compared
to a paper chart. Highly recommended and free! (For online topographic
maps of Alaska and Washington, visit TerraServer
USA.) High-resolution satellite coverage unfortunately isn't available for
most of the IP, but Google is incrementally adding data and hopefully one day
we'll have access to 1-meter (or less) resolution data for everything between
Puget Sound and Skagway.
Maptech
Map Server
Free Web-based nautical and aeronautical charts, terrain maps and aerial photos.
Mostly for the US and definitely not meant for use on the water, but a handy and
quick reference; especially for planning. (See below in the Pay Information
Sources for more about Maptech's commercial software.)
Light Lists
Light lists are lists of navigation aids such as buoys, lights and fog signals.
Handy to have if you pass a navigation aid and want to know where you're at (for
example if you cruise by a white cylindrical tower with a green band at top and
a green light that flashes every second, you can consult the list to help you
zero in your location). Click here for US
waters and here for Canadian
waters.
Lighthouses
of Canada - Lightkeepers have a pretty friendly reputation to kayakers.
Here's the definitive list of lighthouses, with maps, photos and even the
ability to send some lightkeepers email.
Weather
Western Regional Climate Center -
Historical weather data for the Western United States. While the past doesn't
necessarily predict the future, having good statistics can give you a better
sense of the weather you'll be facing during different parts of the year.
Climate
Prediction Center - NOAA's generalized temperature, precipitation and hazard
forecasts for the US. Outlooks range from 6 to 10 days to 3 months in the
future.
Environment
Canada - Canadian weather, including historical, for the BC leg.
Route and General Info
Waggoner Cruising
Guide Web site. Annually updated, the Waggoner is considered the Bible of
northwest cruising. The Web site had a whole lot of useful information for
paddlers and rowers, particularly in the Interviews & Articles and Reader
Questions section (one gem is to check the West Sea Otter ocean buoy hourly
report on your weather radio - if it's 1 meter or less, Queen Charlotte Sound is
going to be nice and flat.)
Hiking Trails for
Boaters in Coastal British Columbia and Alaska. Bruce Campbell has been
compiling this list since 1998 and it's an excellent resource for places to stop
and stretch the legs a little bit (or perhaps even for locating a possible camp
site).
The Wild Coast -
Author and paddler John Kimantas' Web site has quite a bit of valuable IP
information.
Wavelength
is a Canadian kayaking magazine with lots of information about various parts of
the route (from past issues), freely available online.
West Coast Paddler
- One of the best Web resources available for British Columbia
paddling. Spend some time in the forums to glean a tremendous amount of
local, IP-related knowledge.
WaterTribe - Hard
core paddlers in Florida who do serious, expedition length races. Yes, I know,
wrong coast, warm water, and snakes, but some of the gear and safety
recommendations are applicable to the IP (plus the stories are entertaining).
Free Tide and Current Software
Knowing the tides and current in the IP is essential for
planning as well as day-to-day travel. In addition to the numerous printed tide
and current tables that are on the market, there are also a number of excellent
free software programs for providing this information. Here is a list of some
programs to download and check out.
Windows - Your two choices are WXTide
and WTides. Download both to see which one
you like the best.
Mac - The Unix version of XTide should
compile and run
on an OS X system. Mr.
Tides is another tide program based on XTide that is already compiled and
ready to run.
Linux - XTide
is a very popular Unix tide program. In fact most of the other tide programs
listed here are based on the open source code.
Pocket PC - Or if you're of the Microsoft
persuasion, check out cTide.
Inside Passage Motoring
Not human-powered, but still some good reference
information.
BoaterEd
Inside Passage forum (there is a very lot of good information here,
including many photos - motorboat oriented, but still useful for paddlers and
rowers)
Just as an FYI, here are distances between potential stops
on the Sydney BC to Ketchikan route (via Seymour Narrows). Distances are in
nautical miles and were plotted on electronic charts based on following a
typical kayak route more closer in to the shore.
Sydney to Ketchikan Legs (657.69 nautical miles)
Sydney to Nanaimo - 43.72
Nanaimo to Comox - 53.01
Comox to Campbell River - 30.08
Campbell River to Kelsey Bay - 46.00
Kelsey Bay to Port McNeil - 46.85
Port McNeil to Port Hardy - 22.69
Port Hardy to Wilkie Pt.* - 35.11
Wilkie Pt.* to Pierce Bay* - 35.01
Pierce Bay* to Namu - 27.73
Namu to Shearwater - 28.16
Shearwater to Klemtu - 42.59
Klemtu to Butedale - 38.27
Butedale to Lowe Inlet* - 46.12
Lowe Inlet* to Prince Rupert - 60.32
Prince Rupert to Maskeylene Pt.* - 29.02
Maskeylene Pt.* to Bullhead Cove* - 39.63
Bullhead Cove* to Ketchikan - 33.38
* = locations without services/moorages
And, see Bob Saunders' excellent 2005 trip
report for detailed information on a less-traveled, more scenic indirect route.
(4/7/08 Note: I recently converted the GPS coordinates that Bob provided
for his camp sites to waypoints in GPX format; right click this link
to download them. I also created a KML file
you can use with Google Earth that marks all of the waypoints. Google recently
updated its satellite imagery and there are many new sections of the IP that
have high-resolution photographs.)
This section contains miscellaneous notes on gear, equipment and kit.
First off, read the trip reports and blogs mentioned
above. There's a wealth of practical information on gear and equipment. Denis
Dwyer, for example, has extensive comments
relating to IP-suitable gear.
Boats
I think just about anything that floats has been
used to do all or part of the Inside Passage. While kayaks seem to be the vessel
of choice these days, a whole lot of canoes and rowboats have successfully made
the journey in the past.
I'm kind of a kayak purist, but recently read
about the Hydrovisions Raptor 16
Expedition and must admit it would make an interesting vessel of choice for
an IP trip. An outrigger canoe you can paddle and/or sail with a hydrofoil for
stability. What's also intriguing is the ability to rig a hammock between the
main hull and ama, allowing for sleeping onboard while anchored in some
protected spot. It's gone up quite a bit in price since it first came out, and
considering the limited amount of sailing time people have reported on IP trips,
there are a number of other suitable craft that are cheaper by the waterline
foot.
Radio
The Icom
M88 is kind of the gold standard VHF radio for kayak use. Small, rugged,
waterproof and full featured, it easily clips to a PFD. If you shop around and
use an Internet retailer (I like www.defender.com)
and then time your purchase with an Icom rebate, it's possible to get the radio
for right around $200. Remember to get a AA battery pack, unless you're planning
on overnighting at strategic places to charge the lithium ion battery pack.
Also, keep in mind that when the AA battery pack is installed, the radio isn't
fully waterproof. Either use a dry bag or swap in the AA pack when using the
radio on land, so you conserve power in the Li-ion pack while on the water. Note
- Radios suck juice quite a bit more when you're transmitting than receiving.
Power
I'm doing field testing with a Solio
solar charger to keep rechargeable AA batteries and various devices powered up.
The Solio is unique as it combines a solar charger with an internal battery.
Although not waterproof, the device could be stowed in a clear small dry bag and kept
lashed to the aft deck for charging during the day. Since the Solio has an
internal battery, you can charge your devices in the evening at camp, then
recharge the Solio during the day when you're paddling.
Preliminary
testing of a Solio charging Sanyo eneloop batteries with a USB charger
looks promising. (I highly recommend the latest generation of
low-discharge rechargeable NiMH AA batteries like the eneloops. These
batteries don't discharge relatively quickly when not in use like conventional NiMHs.)
A
number of solar cell phone/MP3 player chargers that could potentially
charge AA batteries through a USB connection are appearing on the
market. The biggest downside in using them on an IP trip is a lack of
sunshine. The relatively small solar panel size of these devices won't
generate very much juice on cloudy and overcast days.
To supplement solar charging, another possibility is to use kinetic energy production (such as Freeplay's
FreeCharge handheld crank charger). I've done a little experimenting
with these devices, and there are some definite drawbacks. I'm
patiently waiting for Freeplay and Potenco to commercially release their charging products for the OLPC XO laptop; which should have better ergonomics.
For
standalone devices, I like Freeplay's crank flashlights, lantern
and radios. Although not waterproof, they are ideal for camp sites and
you don't need to worry about power. The EyeMax WB AM/FM/weather radio
is especially worth considering, since you can listen to weather
forecasts on shore without powering up your VHF handheld.
Food
There's the tasty aspect to food, then there's the more essential caloric fuel component. Here's a link to one of the best papers I've read on calories consumed while kayaking (including long distance racing).
A friend of mine with lots of experience guiding, teaching sea
kayaking, and expedition paddling swears by NOLS
Cookery. I was planning the minimalist Ramen food route, but when I saw this
book I changed my mind. You dial in how many people and how many days, and it
helps you figure out caloric requirements and food quantities. Instead of
planning individual meals, you bring quantities of staples and prepare good for
you, yummy recipes.
Food "maildrops" - Maildrop care packages are fairly
common in the long distance, thru hiking world (see a great
forum post oriented to the Appalachian Trail, but also applicable to the
IP). BC Rimbeaux used food drops during his 2007 IP trip. Before leaving here's
what he had to say:
I've decided to give the mail system a try. One
Customs official gave me some instructions that should help my
cause, such as:
- Make as complete a list as possible of the contents on the Declaration form.
- Write on the boxes that they are being mailed to a US citizen for personal use.
- Attach a letter to Customs that explains the circumstances (kayak trip, food re-supplies, etc.) of the trip.
Include in the letter to Customs a copy of my passport photo page and a more complete list of the contents of the boxes.
I'll let you know when my trip finishes how it worked. Keep your fingers
crossed.
After he completed his trip, BC sent this update:
The food drops went without a hitch. Every box arrived
in time at the P.O. I sent them to. A couple boxes showed signs of having been
opened, but nothing looked disturbed inside so I think the Customs guys just
gave them a cursory look.
I recommend doing what I did in terms of listing all
the foods, attaching the letter to Customs, etc. I think the more out front and
complete you are in your descriptions, the less likely Customs would suspect a
problem with the packages.
Charts
Charts are a big deal for the prospective Inside Passage
paddler, and you've got a bunch of different options for what type to use on
your trip. Here's a brief rundown.
Traditional paper nautical charts
To provide complete coverage between Sydney, BC (or the US
San Juan Islands) and Prince Rupert via the main route through Seymour Narrows,
you'll need 23 Canadian, paper nautical charts. This is a mixture of 1:40,000 and
1:80,000 scale charts that provide a decent amount of detail (click here
to see the difference between 1:40,000 and 1:80:000 US charts to give you a
better idea). Canadian charts are 20 bucks (Canadian) a pop. With the current US
exchange rate, that means you're going to need to drop over $450 to get outfitted.
Add on another 2 US charts for the waters between Prince Rupert and Ketchikan (which also
cost around $20 US), and you're now up to around $500. Keep in mind this is for
a minimal amount of charts that provide good navigational coverage. There are
additional charts available of some areas that such more detail (such as
1:20:000 scale) that can optionally be purchased to provide full coverage of the
route. (Don't forget about copies of Chart 1 for both Canada
and the US
so you know what the symbols mean. The previous links are for PDF versions, but
it's not a bad idea to also have paper copies along for the trip.)
Keep in mind that these charts are pretty big, and you'll
need dry storage for the ones you're not using as well as a waterproof map case
on deck for wherever you're located.
The Canadian Hydrographic Service has an online chart
catalog as does NOAA
for US waters. In addition to these online resources, chart agents usually stock
free paper catalogs that list all available charts. These are in the form of a
very large chart, with chart numbers clearly associated with rectangular
regions. I find these master charts much easier to use than their online
cousins. If you don't live in Washington, BC or Alaska, and have easy access to
a chart agent, a number of online retailers will send you a copy of the free
master charts. I personally like the Armchair
Sailor in Seattle for Internet service. Bellingham
Chart Printers is also another good source for original and reproduced
charts.
Note: In Kayaking the Inside Passage, Robert Miller
mentions that Armchair Sailor offers "chart portfolios," which are full-size,
black and white reproductions of charts at half the normal price. This is a bit
misleading, since Canadian charts, which account for the bulk of the IP, are not
available due to copyright restrictions.
Digital nautical charts
What about digital charts and just printing out what you
need? That's possible for US parts of the route, since you can freely download electronic
charts and then use free programs like Maptech's Chart
Navigator or SeaClear II
to print them out. However, since the bulk of the trip is in
Canadian waters, you'll need to buy two Canadian
Hydrographic Service chart CDs to provide enough coverage for the trip, East Vancouver Island and
Queen Charlotte Sound. These CDs run about $175 US a piece (down from $299 when
NDI was running the show). Unfortunately the Canadian
government doesn't distribute their electronic maps for free like the US. So you'll be
investing around $350 US for the digital charts. Don't forget to toss in the
price of waterproof paper and printer ink, plus the time involved in printing
the areas you want. *Waterproof inkjet and laser printer paper runs anywhere
between .20 to .80 US a sheet, depending on size and type.)
Marine Atlases
A marine atlas is a spiral bound collection of reduced in
size charts. Designed to be a handy and economical alternative to full-sized
charts, marine atlases are popular with cruising sailors. In addition to the
charts, the atlases also contain photos or ports and other information. There
are two brands of atlases that a kayaker might consider for an IP trip that can substantially
reduce the hit on your wallet (or purse) compared to a full set of paper charts.
John Kimantas, author of the excellent Wild Coast series, recently (August 2007)
released two
new marine atlases especially designed for paddlers. BC Coastal Recreation Kayaking and Small Boat Atlas:
Volume 1, British Columbia's South Coast and East Vancouver Island
and BC Coastal Recreation Kayaking and Small Boat Atlas: Volume
2, British Columbia's West Vancouver Island. Splash-proof and spiral bound,
in 1:100:000-scale, these volumes appear quite useful.
Marine Atlas -
This two volume set has been published for over 55 years and comes in a 11 1/2"
x 14" format. I've got an older copy of the Puget Sound to Port Hardy volume and
the monochrome charts are pretty darn small and a challenge to read. I haven't
had an opportunity to see if the newer versions are different (where I live is
landlocked and marine suppliers are a bit of a drive), but if they're not, I
personally think using from a kayak cockpit wouldn't be that easy. Around $50 a
volume (59 and 63 charts, respectively).
Evergreen Pacific Cruising Atlas
- Covers the area between Olympia and Port Hardy (21 overview and 85 detailed
charts) in a 11" x 17" book, these charts are in color and are larger
and easier to read than those found in the competing Marine Atlas. I think this
atlas would be usable for an IP trip in place of standard charts. Unfortunately
there's not a companion volume for the Port Hardy to SE Alaska leg of the trip.
$49.95.
Before you buy, I'd recommend checking out an atlas in
person to see if it's going to meet your needs, in terms of detail and
readability.
Note: Atlases and any non-official charts usually have
a disclaimer that says "not for navigation." Theoretically (and
legally if you're involved in a commercial marine activity) you're only supposed
to use the most recently updated versions of official government charts for
navigation. The disclaimer is kind of a CYA on the part of publishers in case
someone does something stupid and blames their chart.
GPS
3/2/08 Update - I'm working on a second edition of GPS
for Dummies, which will be out in the fall. I'm including more content on marine
use of GPS and will be revising this section considerably (including
recommendations for handhelds).
Garmin and Magellan both offer handheld GPS units that you
can load up with nautical charts and topographic maps. Let's do a little math
problem to
start off with. If you don't have a GPS that supports maps, you can pick up a
Garmin Legend Cx for around $150 US (if you shop around). The street price for
the MapSource BlueChart Americas software is around $110 US. However that will
only unlock a single region and you'll need up to six regions for the entire
route, with each additional region priced around $85 US. (Here are links to the
Garmin charts for the entire IP - Region
US023-Seattle (Puget Sound), Region
CA001-Inside Passage, Region
CA010-Hecate Strait South, Region
CA011 -Hecate Strait North, Region
US024-Wrangell to Dixon Entrance, and Region
US026-Wrangell-Juneau-Sitka.) An alternative is to use
the US and Canada topographic maps ($85 and $115 US respectively). Click here
and then select the Topo Canada product to see the level of detail these maps
provide. There are free topo map alternatives that I mention in the Free
Information Sources section above.
Your handy, dandy GPS receiver should now be able to tell
you exactly where you are as well as displaying charts or maps of the route and
how far away your next destination is. Pretty slick. Just remember the downsides
to using a GPS for kayak navigation:
Battery powered, so be sure to bring lots of AAs.
Small screen can sometimes show too much detail,
especially with the nautical charts, and not give you a big enough picture
of a large section of the route.
If it breaks or gets lost and you're relying on it as
your sole navigation source, you're sunk (maybe literally).
Using a handheld GPS unit loaded with maps for the Inside Passage is certainly viable, but I'd want to have some
type of paper map backup (as well as a compass), just in case. The prudent
mariner never relies on a single navigation tool.
Paper topographic maps
In his book, Kayaking the Inside Passage, Robert Miller
suggests using 1:250,000 scale topographic paper maps. You can get up the
Canadian part of the route using 11 Canadian topo maps of this scale. These maps
run about $10 US and are readily available from Internet retailers (www.maptown.com
is a good source). I personally think this scale doesn't show enough detail for
decent navigation, but if you're going on the cheap, is better than nothing.
Keep in mind the primary limitation to using topographic maps is they
are created for land-users. That means no symbols identifying tide rips, beach
composition, current direction, aids to navigation, and other marine-related features typically
found on nautical charts. Paddlers and rowers have successfully used topo maps
for traveling up and down the Inside Passage though.
Digital topographic maps
Bob Saunders, who did the Vancouver to Prince Rupert leg
in 2005 and plans on doing Prince Rupert to Skagway this spring, writes in with
a suggestion to use digital topographic maps. He used the eTopo
topo maps and printed the areas he needed on plain paper. He carefully tucked
the maps he needed in a Ziploc bag each day and managed never to get any of the
paper wet during the trip. The eTopo maps retail for $99 Canadian for a region
(you'll need the Southwest and Central), so for under $200 you can have 1:50,000
scale maps of all of the Canadian waters for the trip. Add in the ink and paper
and this is a pretty reasonable investment. For more
information, check out Dave Patton's excellent Web page that compares
different types of commercially available Canadian digital topographic maps.
I asked Bob more about using the digital topo maps and he
kindly replied with some very useful details:
"I printed 3 different sizes of maps (on
ordinary
8 x11 paper): 1:250,000 for
an overview; 1:50,000 covering about 16 x 22 km and another 1:50,000
set covering about 8 x 11 km. I'm not certain of the exact number of
maps I
printed as I gave some to Graham afterwards and have seemed to have
misplaced some others, but I believe it was about 30 of the 8 x 11 km
maps
for the Gulf Islands to Campbell River section, about 55 for the
Vancouver to Port Hardy section and about 100 for the remainder of the
trip to Prince
Rupert. Perhaps half that again for the smaller scale maps. I used less
than two cartridges of ink (HP 932 printer). So, I'm guessing the total
cost was about $280 to $300 Can (maps plus ink). I printed more maps
than I needed because I didn't have a fixed route in mind when I
started the trip -
there are all kinds of variations possible, so I tried to have enough
maps to cover some of those variations. I found that was all I needed."
Both the US and Canadian governments make digital versions
of topo maps available for free (see the Free Information Resources above). You
can view and print the maps with any graphics program or use reasonably
priced/free mapping programs like Ozi Explorer, MacGPS, or dlgv32
to view and access georeferenced data in the maps for planning (measuring
distances, creating waypoints, etc.).
This is a free resource for: (1) paddlers/rowers who have
done an IP trip and are looking to sell boats or gear they used, and (2)
paddlers/rowers planning an IP trip seeking specific gear. You need to be
listed on the registry to have a for sale ad posted. You just need to be
thinking about an IP trip to post a wanted ad. Send me an email with your ad and
I'll put it here. If you find a buyer or seller, let me know so I can remove the ad.
For Sale
PLB/EPIRB -
Sue and Robin brought an ACR AquaFix 406 GPS Personal Locator Beacon with them
on their 2007 trip that they didn't need to use. With the trip completed, it's now for sale.
$275 or offer. Send email to Sue at suedandridge at yahoo dot com for more
information.
Cruising Rowboat
- Scott Davis designed, built then rowed this 25-foot boat from
Port Townsend, Washington to Glacier Bay, Alaska and back. Pretty
slick. For more info and a photo, click here.
Wanted
Charts - Aya is looking for charts to buy, rent or
loan that cover between Skagway and Bellingham. If you can
help, send email to aya.reiss at gmail dot com
Waypoints - I'm thinking about adding a new section
to this page that contains GPS waypoints of IP camp sites, water sources,
hazards and other information. If you saved waypoints on your trip and want to
share them with other paddlers and rowers, please send them to me. I have
programs that can convert data from just about any GPS unit, to the common GPX
file format. I'm also happy to talk anyone through the process of getting
waypoints to and from their GPS receiver. Thanks! joelm at eskimo dot com
update history
last updated - May 3, 2008 - added Pope, kayaking calories, power
last updated - April 25, 2008 - added Babson, Crystal Vision ad, West Coast Paddler
last updated - April 7, 2008 - added classifieds section, reiss, dudes, muir,
kake and creative commons
notice
last updated - April 2, 2008 - section links
last updated - March 30, 2008 - Carey book, Blanchet book, Solio, digital charts
and maps update, free GPS topo maps
last updated - March 2, 2008 - Willits book, O'Blenis, Kimantas cruise atlas,
housekeeping
last updated - February 29, 2008 - 1936, 1961 trip references, free Canada
Garmin maps
last updated - February 21, 2008 - Washburne, Miko additions
last updated - January 26, 2008 - Tamm book, Rimbeaux update
last updated - December 11, 2007 - Dwyer trip report, Rimbeaux, Peacenic to
registry
last updated - July 25, 2007 - Gigere/Peace blog
last updated - July 8, 2007 - Dandridge/Clark, Tastagh/Norville
last updated - May 17, 2007 - added Vancouver Island circum blog, Suomeninen Web
site
last updated - May 9, 2007 - added Dandridge Web site
last updated - April 26, 2007 - added Rimbeaux blog
last updated April 19, 2007 - Garmin BlueChart
links, Gigere trip, Wild Coast books
last updated - April 10, 2007 - WaterTribe link, food maildrop
info, Climate Prediction Center link
last updated - April 9, 2007 - GeoGratis links,
Upcoming Trips section, misc. edits
last updated - November 2, 2006 - Oslund, Brouwer
and Heacox links
last updated - June 6, 2006 -
Tim Anderson link
March 31, 2006 -
Randal Queen link
March 4, 2006 -
added La Nina expedition link
February 26,
2006 - added Saunders trip report, Wavelength mag
February 24,
2006 - more from Bob Saunders, route legs
February 21,
2006 - added Bob Saunders and Canadian digital topo maps
February 18,
2006 - added hikes for boaters, marine atlas
February 1, 2006 -
Mike and Ida edit, added light lists, Chart 1 links
January 28, 2006 -
added lots on charts
January 26, 2006 -
added Waggoner, Sea Clear, Maptech, misc. edits
January 3, 2006 -
added Tom Stammer trip link, misc. edits
December 30, 2005
- added new gear section, noaa online maps, and some additional info to the
books
Truthful Disclaimer - If you click on some of the
above book or gear (GPS/software) links and then order whatever from Amazon, I get a teeny, tiny proceed from the
sale. I'm not pimping books and gear, just trying to create a comprehensive IP reference.
