Island Paddlers

Riding Capital Forest on Christmas Eve

2011-12-27T16:56:00.000-08:00

Riding Capital Forest trails on Christmas Eve from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Under sunny skies and unseasonably warm, 55 degree temperatures, after a long I-5 drive and handfuls of holiday cookies later, we eagerly grabbed our mountain bikes and headed for some of the Pacific Northwest's finest single track trails in Olympia's Capital Forest to go for a muddy holiday ride...

Armed with our new Santa-delivered, action cameras fresh out of the boxes, we clicked in and excitedly mounted up to see what kind of adventures we could film over 10.5 miles of ups, downs and rooty arounds...

*Includes fast & fun, expert rider Jim views, testing out his new Contour ROAM camera bombing down narrow sections at speeds near 20 mph! And Nadja with her new Nikon pocket waterproof camera! = :) + :) !!

Additional holiday gift appearances by a couple of our nation's most well-known volcanoes surprised us and enhanced the clear cut views when majestic Mount Rainier and neighboring sleeping giant, Mount Saint Helens appeared on the eastern Cascade mountain horizon, with possibly a sleigh and reindeer overhead...

~ Happy Adventuring Holidays 2011
from us @ Island Paddlers! ~

Kayaking at Deception Pass

2011-10-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

Playing at Deception Pass from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

From practicing peel outs in a tandem Necky Nootka Plus, to surfing standing waves to sea caving and then being surrounded by Dalls porpoises...

You just never know what adventures are possible until you spend a few hours playing at 'the Pass'!

Capitol Punishment 12 hour Relay Race

2011-09-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

12 hour Capitol Punishment Race from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.
3 friends spend 12 hours mountain bike relay racing nearly 100 miles together between 10 laps over a super fun, flowy and steeply sweet technical single track course to finish 1st (and only;) in the 3 person, co-ed class. With 20 miles of 'hard time' put in by Nadja, 30 from Jesse and 50 ridden by ironman Jim...
Lap after lap Team 'A-town Pirates' raged on, super pumped as they continued to happily escape crash and injuries in their first group endurance race together on this unusually hot fall day.
Challenges instead came in the form of a chest cold for Nadja, a loose wheel for Jesse, and a light failure for Jim to deal with- which left him stranded alone in the dark forest for about 30 minutes after he was bombing down a super steep section of the rooty trail at speeds near 20 mph, took a jump and middair before he landed his new bright light suddenly went out!...
*Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers who come along and share their extra lights! And great event organizers and volunteers...We're looking forward to next year's 12 & 6 hours of Capitol Punishment Relay Race race already! :)

Mountain Biking Crystal Mountain

2011-08-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

Mountain Biking Crystal Mountain from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Follow along with Team Jolly Roger- husband and wife, expert & beginner level mountain bikers- as they spend a weekend at Crystal Mountain Resort, under the shadows of majestic Mount Rainier, riding the Northway Trail...

On a grueling, 3 steeeep miles ride/ hike-a-bike ascent up a gravel service road to reach the 6,856 feet summit ridge trailhead before being rewarded with the best 7 mile, high alpine, singletrack ride *with the ultimate Cascade mountain volcanic views* in the Pacific Northwest!

Lower Inside Passage paddle journey

2011-07-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhh = First shower in 9 days. First sleep in own bed in 16 nights. First day our swollen, blistered, sunburnt, water-logged hands and/or sore shoulders get to rest since pushing each stroke of the watery way back

from the north end of Vancouver island to Fidalgo island in two very loaded, kevlar Necky Nootka Plus tandem sea kayaks.

And what now feels like a luxury most of all, the first morning without having to scramble out of a tent, over uneven rocks, driftwood, to find/ filter/ boil water for our morning coffee!

(photo credit Kathleen M.)

326 mostly sunny miles later, 4 t-shirt & sunglass-tanned Sound Rowers kayak racing friends happily return home a bit stronger and a few pounds each lighter.

After 13 islands kayak-camped on (22 this year so far for Jim & Nadja:), humpback & gray whale blows, a false killer whale, a black bear,

Steve & Greg seeing 3 wolf, Jim & Nadja a pod of white-sided dolphin, and as always lots of up close curious eagles & seals...

With only a few days of paddling/ getting swallowed by/in big seas-
fought some strong headwinds the first day in Johnstone Straits.

Then one day we got caught unexpectedly by unforecast gale headwinds with accompanying big open fetch swells while trying to round Neck Point into Nanaimo

and our last day was big & messy while crossing Rosario Strait near Lummi island...

Inspiring encounters with people and nature while pushing the limits through high mileage in loaded boats at faster-than-average-touring speeds as we navigated through the unknown,

more often than not against strong currents, through rapids, a few rainstorms, tide rips, reefs, shoals, rocks, gales, sunrises, sunsets,

to set up paradise home-for-the-night camps again and again each day at the next beautiful island destination,

which was always "just around the next point"...

What a freaking adventure!!! For 3 of us at least, Steve is currently continuing on another approx. 40 miles solo from Anacortes to Tulalip Bay. While us here at Island Paddlers have already got next summer's adventure paddle journey planned... :)

Mountains to Sound Relay 2011

2011-06-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

Mountains to Sound Relay 2011 from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

One man, One day, One hundred miles!!

Pacific Northwest native and adventure sport expert Jimmy Z. earned himself some impressive bragging rights as he dug deep for a good cause, doing what he does best from Cascade Mountain trails to Puget Sound waterways...

While racing in Seattle's 6th annual Mountains to Sound Relay, an event which has "contributed over $50,000 towards improving trails and recreation along the Mountains to Sound Greenway, for the I-90 Corridor from Thorpe to the shores of Seattle."

In a 17 mile mountain bike, 46 mile road bike, 12 mile kayak leg, 13.1 mile/ half marathon run and a final 10 km 'sprint' race to the finish...

With many liters of water, Gatorade, Gel Shots & caffeinated power gummies later...

Through leg cramps and into the pukes...

He surprised himself (but not us supporters:) with a strong, 1st place IRONMAN finish at 8 hours and 20 minutes in Seattle's finest fundraising, multisport relay race!

WAY TO GO JIM!!!

Bavarian Bike & Brew 2011

2011-06-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

We rose at 4am to depart our Fidalgo island home by sunrise

and head East over the Cascade mountains to our favorite lil' Bavarian town of Leavenworth for Jim's second year in a row of participating in a grueling, 24 mile mountain bike race...

To give it all on an incredible race course that starts off with 1800 feet of elevation gain in the first 4 miles, grinding racers up to the top of a high alpine ridge

with rewarding spectacular craggy-peaked views, before bombing it back down into the forest through creeks and over rollers to the finish line far below.

At last years race just months after having back-to-back spinal surgeries for a rough water paddling injury, it was difficult and painful for me to even walk up the hill to where the start line was to watch Jim's race...

So this year at the last minute I decided to also compete in the 14th annual Bavarian Bike & Brew , in the 8 mile (1 lap) beginner class race simply for my own personal, huge sense of feel goooood accomplishment of being able to cross the finish line on my bike instead of in a back brace and a cane...

(Who knows what next year's race will bring:)

Jim loves this course because it reminds him of the kind of terrain he grew up riding back on his home alpine slopes of Mount Rainier.

With temperatures in the 80's, it just kept getting better ane better when we went exploring for a place to set up camp and found more than we hoped for down Icicle Creek Road...

*Not pictured are the 4 foot long snake and young bear that I saw close up, but fumbled with my camera in excitement and missed taking pics of either!

All in all another great weekend playing with friends in our adventure sport paradise home o' the Pacific Northwest. And an awesome endurance cross-trainer with only three weeks to go until Jim's 100 miles in one day, ironman efforts in Seattle's Mountains to Sound multisport relay race.

Whidbey island circumnavigation

2011-06-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

90.5 miles in 18 hours of paddling over 2.5 days.

We had the time of our lives this past Memorial Day weekend, with the weather and current goddesses aligning for once and giving us the absolute perfect travelling conditions to accomplish our latest (big ass;) paddling goal in the least amount of pain possible- circumnavigating Whidbey island in our tandem Necky Nootka sea kayak, the largest isle in the Puget Sound and one of the longest in America.

The night before embarking on this ultra marathon paddle journey, I overheard Jim answering a friends inquiry as to why we would want to take on this uber endurance challenge. I chuckled to myself as I heard him reply simply with the classic line made famous by early Everest mountaineer George Mallory, "Because it is there."

And so after months of training, the last few evenings of pre-departure gear pile-making and dry bag packing, we excitedly launched on Saturday morning a little later than planned at just after 8am from Cornet Bay, into flat water with a slight drizzle and gentle headwind breeze. Within a few miles we passed Ala Spit and began getting a good speed boost from favorable currents. We rode that for miles gratefully down into Saratoga Passage and kept going comfortably at a good pace until about 20 miles in, when we stopped for lunch next to Cama State Park.

Then as forecast we watched the seas start rippling and waves appearing (we didn't believe it could be happening since how often is our PNW marine forecast actually accurate?!;) We sat on the warm beach rocks savoring our PBJ sandwiches as we watched the winds change direction and increase in intensity, giggling at the afternoon possibilities...

So we pulled out the sail and suction cupped it on the deck before launching again, for what would turn into the kayak sailin' ride of our lives, a freaking awesome 20 mile downwind sail & surf run! We flew by Langely, Camano Head, Getney island & Clinton, laughing away as we were connecting set after set beautifully at speeds of 7~9 mph!

Tired as we were, we figured it was a no brainer that we weren't not going to use the perfect kayak-sailing conditions given to us, so we rode the winds all the way to the south end of the island for an incredible 43 mile first day!

We would have probably kept going another hour or two if we could have continued with the help of the sail, but rounding the south end of the island we were met with a wall of headwinds, so with our screaming muscles and roaring bellies we instead pulled out onto a ruggedly homeless beach and set up pirate camp for the night. Exhausted and giddy we enjoyed our instant jasmine rice and Indian curry while watching the most beautiful sunset over the Olympics and Mount Rainier.

Sunday morning we were woken early by barking sea lions near 5am, and jumped up to get water boiling and gear packed and on the water as quick as possible. Again currents were with us as soon as we launched, so the miles and hours flew by enjoyably...

Until we hit Admiralty Inlet just south of Fort Casey. The strong currents then changed and started kicking our tired tooshes. By the time we made it to the State Park we'd already planned at stopping at for lunch, we were at 25 miles for the day, 68 miles total, and both ready to be done.

So we grabbed the second to last available campsite amongst a city of RV's, and treated ourselves to a lunch of hot sandwiches and Mike's hard lemonades from the Keystone Cafe. Then spent the rest of the afternoon napping in the sun in the grass on top off the bluff at the old military fort as crowds of tourists frolicked around us.

Sunday morning we again rose at 5am and got on the water just after 6am. Launching off of the beach next to the Keystone ferry, we got sucked right into a raging rip and up to speeds over 10 mph for a few miles. Not yet fully caffeinated I wasn't quite awake yet or as ready for the sudden bucking bronco raging rip ride as Jim was, but who needs coffee after that wave-slapping, coooold watered good morning!

We stayed offshore a half mile to a mile for a lot of the morning up the westside, as the military has restricted waters and we didn't feel like getting chased. The swells from the wide open fetch of Strait of Juan de Fuca were gentle and kind, and pushed up our speeds each wave as well, so we made it back to Deception Pass just after max flood and in time to get rocket-shot through the Pass at over 11mph to end our trip back at Cornet Bay by 11am on our third day!

We were so happy to get home early, get the salty gear rinsed and hung to dry. Barely back on land an hour Jim took off on a couple hour mountain bike ride. Already getting into the zone for next weekends race while we'd both alternate smiling at each other knowingly over the next few days, overflowing with endorphin-fueled inner rainbows from this mega mission accomplished trip. :)

Unleash the Beast Triathon 2011

2011-05-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

For the second year in a row we eagerly packed up bikes & boats and headed down beautiful, Pacific Northwest back roads, across a few islands and onto a small ferry

to take us to the Olympic Penninsula, for the 2nd annual Unleash the Beast Adventure Sports Festival in the historically lovely lumber town of Port Gamble on the Kitsap Peninsula.

This year we excitedly cross-trained for months for a new addition to this two day, adventure sports demo & racing bonanza line up, an adventure sports triathlon.

The first leg, the Paddle the Dragon 6 mile kayak race.

Then those brave enough could opt to go on solo or switch out with teammates

for two more muddier than muddy legs in the nearby Port Gamble trails- jumping out of their wet kayak gear and onto their bikes to get dirty on a 14 mile sport class,

single track slip & slide mountain bike leg followed by a 5km run...

With the grand finale finish line bringing the hardcore multi sport racers back to the waterfront to finish amongst rain sodden & windswept crowds with vendor booths

proudly displaying colorful array of kayaks & SUPs.

Ambitiously we both pre-registered in the iron man/woman solo triathlon divisions-

with Jim using this as a warm up for his super endurance solo efforts in next month's '100 miles in 1 day' Mountains to Sound race and I as the next major fitness challenge goal I'd hoped to check off while still cautiously on my own personal spinal injury rehab journey...

Unfortunately two weeks before race day I frustratingly got struck hard by case of acute bronchitis. Even though I'd brought all my gear along just in case I miraculously began feeling better overnight, at registration I had to stubbornly admit defeat and follow doctors orders to scratch my race and save my health...On the bright side, it then left my day open to be Jim's personal cheerleader and support person at every transition :)

While Jim had also been fighting a spring cold all week, luckily it didn't take him down nearly as hard, and with what he attributes to super hydrating the week before, Jim had the race of all races, months of training paying off as he led the way to an incredible
*ironman* 1st PLACE OVERALL finish!

Proving that he and the skies could both be beasts that unleashed, Jim held a sweeping lead from the kayak leg all the way through each of the following sport legs in the triathlon race- beating the 2nd place finishing team by nearly 12 minutes! AND in and through some pretty unforgiving weather conditions at times-

Sea kayaking across the Hood Canal against 10 knot and increasing gusts o' headwinds while fighting ebbing currents on the return. Then onto mountain biking and running along super-soaked trails...

Doug in a super beautiful, kevlar Necky Looksha 2

finished the Paddle the Dragon kayak race in first place overall,

Followed by a Mens Double Sea Kayak with Jim close behind in third place overall, in his older & not-as-beautiful but definitely his most favorite boat, a kevlar Necky Looksha 3.

Jim then took over first place in the triathlon as he ran outa the cold Puget Sound salt water up the rocky beach, down a few hundred yards along rain-wetted grass to the kayak-bike transition zone to quickly change into biking clothes, while simultaneously refueling with Gu and downing gulps of Gatorade.

Oblivious to the passing spring rain squall that was not helping his shivering as it turned briefly into even more unforgiving sideways hail, Jim grinningly took off in a screaming first place solid lead on his next most favorite piece of gear, a tested, tried true & trusted, old school GT Zaskar LE mountain bike.

By his time estimations, I made sure to be at the next bike-runner transition zone, in a grassy field just outside of town about an hour and a half later. Again it was awesome for a small crowd of us to see Jim come flying out of the forest this time, covered in mud from head to toe to the point of being nearly unrecognisable...except for that grin!

With one final, quick shoe change again, a few sips of water & a few Power Gel gummies he was off again, to next be seen until he came cruising down the trail just under the flagpole back in Port Gamble, 20-something minutes later, still looking as happy & strong as when he started, as he came down onto the waterfront and around a final loop in the race course that hid him briefly out of sight behind a building before a final 200 yard straightaway sprint to finish at 3 hours 16 minutes...

As the endorphin high still fuels that grin, he's already looking forward to next weekend's endurance cross-training plans, a 60 mile open water, kayak camping island adventure.~

Fidalgo island spring circumnavigation

2011-04-04T19:49:00.000-07:00

Training for spring racing and summer expedition

paddling goals, we've been slowly ramping up

our mileage on the water lately and inviting friends

to join us as we venture out into the

unpredictable Salish Seas...

This past Sunday 3 of us met on a
blustery spring day to push ourselves
hard together with an endurance trainer,

7 hours of paddling around Fidalgo island

covering sections of the Orca Challenge,

Deception Pass Dash and La Conner race courses,

in big winds and strong open water currents...

Launching mid-Guemes Channel into
raging ebbing currents we shot out into
a rippin' wild Rosario Strait,

travelling at speeds of 7~9 mph

nearly all the way to the south end of Allan island

before strongly opposing currents

Strait of Juan de Fuca currents slowed us down

to a painful 3 mph for a few miles

as we crossed Burrows Bay to Biz Point....

SE/ Sw 10-20 knot headwinds prevailed
for the first 20 miles.

Lunch stop at Rosario Beach to

stall and let the flood build...

Top speed of 12 mph reached going

through Deception Pass with max currents...

Passing Hope island we arrived

before the seas at our shortcut channel

so had a short portage in thick mud

to enter the Swinomish Slough.

Strong tailwinds boosted our spirits
and speeds with our sail up from

Rainbow bridge at La Conner

all the way back to Anacortes...

34.3 miles later...
screaming muscles, laughing souls~

Mt. bike racing on Whidbey island

2011-03-27T21:43:00.000-07:00

Our "What did you do this weekend?" adventure

includes a tale of 4 friends who

camped on nearby beautiful

*windy* Whidbey island

under a rainshadow & backdropped

by spectacular shows of Nature,

to giggle,

hike & bike

along Fort Ebey State Park trails one day,

be met by more friends the next

to spend another awesome day together racing...

(*A first race in a new sport for 2 of us, who'd
only planned on being spousal chearleaders :)

Jones island Equinox 2011

2011-03-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend 15 PNW watertribe friends

gathered via kayaks, power and sailboats

on the last day of winter for their annual
Jones island Equinox campout celebration...

10 travelled a distance of over 40 miles under
human power in bigger than forecast winds
and strong full moon tides.

3 sailed from La Connor.

5 more, including kids & dog, came in a
power boat from Anacortes.

And the other 7 brave pirate paddlers departed

Fidalgo island shores for the long haul,

a 23 mile Salish Seas paddle across a big &

messy Rosario Strait, then on through

beautiful inner island channels to
rendevous at a favorite campsite...

To laugh, hike, eat, drink and be merry
together on a remote island

around a campfire, sharing delicious food
and tales while frollicking under a Super full moon
in 'Natures Disneyland'...

All so we could wake up and do it all over again!-

Getting soaked, surfing, cold,
windblown, blistered, chaffed

and totally spoiled by rugged island

wildlife on another amazing San Juan island

adventure paddle journey back home!

Here's a short video of the weekend highlights...;)

Jones island Equinox 2011 from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

From Burrows to Baker

2011-03-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

The first weekend in March

brought blissfully warm,

springlike weather for us

to playfully paddle

around several San Juan islands

on Saturday morning

before switching gear,

and snowboarding all day Sunday

at Mount Baker!

Neah Bay Nature video

2011-02-25T18:30:00.000-08:00

Neah Bay Winter Getaway 2011 from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Enjoy this touching compilation of inspiring Nature photography and short video clips from our annual, cold weathered escape to hike and paddle out and around the farthest reaches of where the roads end and adventure begins along the very ruggedly remote, Northwest corner of beautiful Washington State...

Neah Bay Winter Getaway

2011-02-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

For the 4th year in a row we enjoyed

escaping to where the roads end in the very farthest

Northwest corners of our beautiful
Washington state

for our annual
Neah Bay *winter* Getaway...

Every year we so look forward to these four days when

we get to hike our favorite coastal trails

along beautiful boardwalks

visit the special site of an old Makah village,

explore miles of untouched Pacific Coast beaches,

share sunny picnics on cold winter days...

and paddle in open ocean waters!!
This year we were super stoked to

launch our tandem Nootka Plus from
the Neah Bay marina

and head about 5 miles down the Strait

around Cape Flattery

to Tatoosh island where we found

some nice 4 to 6 foot Pacific Ocean swells

to ride back in half the time on!

With abundant wildlife constantly
surrounding us- at least 100 bald eagles,

families of sea otters, deer and
more keeping us company everyday

on our blissfully remote land & sea adventuring....

Exploring. Photographing. Learning. Laughing we go....!

Crystal Mountain Birthday Boardin'

2011-01-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

For Jim's 36th birthday we returned to the slopes of his home mountain to shred it up with friends on snowboards down some of our most favorite & fast mountain runs...

Crystal Mountain Birthday Boardin' from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Share laughs and turns with us as we pass the camera back and forth while quickly carving down the hills of Crystal Mountain on a late January day, picking our lines through crazy crowds, low visibility fog and spring-like snow conditions.

Eagle Cliff ~ Winter Paddle & Hike

2011-01-23T15:48:00.000-08:00

Eagle Cliff ~ Winter Hike & Paddle from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

4 friends spend one winter day adventurously sea kayaking just over 16 miles in strong Salish Sea currents to reach a remote island so they can hike a few miles up a muddy forest trail and lunch atop a steep cliff with dramatic 360 degree, panoramic views of a rugged island archipelago and multiple mountain ranges, before returning to their small boats for a sunset, channel paddle home...

A PNW 'Seas to Slopes' New Years Eve Countdown!

2011-01-01T22:42:00.000-08:00

From a sunrise sea kayak circumnavigation around

a couple of Salish Sea islands

to an evening of shredding on snowboards

down slick Steven Pass, Cascade mountain slopes...

*Filming Seas to Slopes was our funnest, wave chasin',

line pickin', New Year's Countdowinin', fast-paced,
double header, frollick yet!! ;)

Seas to Slopes ~ A PNW New Years Countdown! from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Happy Holidays 2010!

2010-12-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

from our family to yours

and a

Solstice Moon

2010-12-21T03:26:00.000-08:00

From Fidalgo island we've enjoyed

watching a nearly-Solstice,

near-full moon rising

over nearby Mount Baker

AND then hiding

again during a lunar eclipse!

Tight race, every stroke of the way!

2010-12-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Gary Luhm for these great DPD race photos,

of our tightest, funnest race yet as tandem team;)

For more great paddling photography

visit http://www.garyluhm.net/.

Deception Pass Dash 2010 ~ Race start video

2010-12-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

Deception Pass Dash 2010 ~Race Start~ from Island Paddlers on Vimeo

A trailside view of this years Deception Pass Dash race start with 150+ paddle sport competitors sprinting out of Bowman Bay on one the finest December days of the year.

A lot of fun was had by all at this years Dash. For the second year in a row, marine weather conditions couldn't have been calmer for this 6 mile popular, paddling sprint race through these notoriously turbulent currents...

In my first kayak race in over a year since requiring two back-to-back spinal surgeries for a paddling-related injury, Jim & I were pretty excited to be able to duke it out together again in our trusted Chiquita Nootka in a tight race in the mixed doubles class against Werner Paddle's Andy Bridge and his paddling partner, to finish 36th overall in a time of 60:38.

Debbie feeding the gratefully hungry masses!

We extend a big thanks to Bill Walker, OAC and all of the awesome volunteers who make the Dash possible!

*Race photos & video courtesy of one of the youngest 'Island Paddlers', 11 year old A.V.

Final Countdown to the DPD 2010 race!

2010-11-28T16:24:00.000-08:00

Final Countdown to the Deception Pass Dash 2010... from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

T minus one week to go!

Thanksgiving Kayak Sledding!

2010-11-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Kayak Sledding 2010 from Island Paddlers on Vimeo.

Fidalgo island neighbors enjoy friendly sled races together whenever Nature allows. Excitedly we gathered early this year on the steepest slope in Old Town thanks to a fresh dump unexpectedly Thanksgiving morning- AND with a new and fast racing craft for competitors of all ages to take turns testin' out = kayak sledding!

La Nina, La Bamba!

2010-11-21T07:58:00.000-08:00

With winter storm winds gusting from

the arctic NE at over 30 knots

bringing chilly temp's to match,

we bundled up and grabbed
the day's gear of choice...

- our cameras-

Then set out for our favorite nearby

vantage points to capture the wave-dancing fury
from this late autumn, 'La Nina' storm...

From watching gale winds

blow ferociously over the Salish seas,

to watching a full moon rise peacefully over

nearby volcanic Mount Baker...

The constantly changing dramatic backdrops that

surround our Fidalgo island shorelines are

truly amazing!

The road to recovery....

2010-11-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

Exactly one year ago today I was laying in a Seattle area hospital, recovering from the first of what would unknowingly turn into two back-to-back spinal surgeries.

Waking this morning one year later, I was beyond excited to be able to celebrate the rebirth of reclaimed mobility through a very long and painful healing journey by joining a group of my energetic & encouraging co-workers

along with a few hundred eager others on a chilly November morning in beautiful
Skagit Valley for Skagit Runners
2 mile & 10 km 32nd annual Fowl Fun Run

Words can't describe the feeling of excitement as I lined up for my first road race in nearly two years. Ever since sustaining a debilitating, paddling-related, back injury and being diagnosed with progressive degenerative disk disease, I've been forced to completely change my adreline junkie ways and give up many of my favorite athletic pastimes, including running...but not today!
While my finish times might not be stealing blue ribbons anymore, the fulfillment in the simple act of doing to me is now the greatest prize of all. And thanks to random drawings, I still went home a winner....of a turkey!!

Jim having also been forced to take the past year off of running to heal a training-related injury of his own today was equally eager to 'go for it' it in the 10 km race, finishing strongly with an impressive time of just over 44 minutes!

While neither of us on Team Gimp plan to reincorporate running regularly again into our training routines anytime soon, it's simply food for the soul to be able to get out there and have fun laughing with friends, testing our fitness levels like the good ol' days on flat racing courses along the sometimes bumpy road of sports injury recovery...

Autumn Alpenglow

2010-11-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

Sunset alpenglow illuminates

volcanic Mount Baker

beautifully behind Padilla Bay islands

Island storm paddling in the PNW

2010-11-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

Strong winds announce

autumns arrival

here amongst our Pacific Northwest islands,

giving us great excuse lately to get out on the water,
storm-chasing along the
unpredictable Salish Seas
we affectionately call home.

Whether just after a weekend sunrise, or strategically before yet another amazing San Juan island sunset-

Eagerly we set out searching along familiar island

shorelines for surf-able

& sail-able waves.

From Whidbey island
to Rosario Strait,

down Guemes and
Bellingham Channels,

up Padilla & Burrows Bays-

Launching from Fidalgo island
on fun, fall

circumnavigation paddles

around nearby Guemes, Allan
and Burrows islands.

We've giggled with friends

the past few
blustery weekends,
sneaking in awesome
15 milers just hours

before the next
big storm arrived!

~Seasons change and winds invigorate. Adreline rushes from chasing chilly
wind waves keeps us smiling

into the twilight much earlier each week. As our layers get thicker, adventurous autumn paddles

add inspiration to our expedition planning

for next summer's

island paddling journey...

Mountain biking on Mount Rainier

2010-10-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

Long before Jim discovered the joys of
paddle racing, flying off roots at
mock speeds along narrow trails

while racing in expert class, mountain bike

competitions was his passion for years.

Having grown up under the shadowy slopes

of majestic Mount Rainier,

a recent mountain cabin getaway weekend

for Jim to 'return to his roots'

took on a whole new meaning!

From hiking, biking and boarding the
Cascade & Olympic mountains to
paddling & sailing the Puget Sound & Salish seas....

Weekends for this Pacific Northwest native

mean 2 days a week full of endless adventure sport quests- playing hard, staying fit & having fun with friends while seizing the seasons in Nature's perfect outdoor lovers playground!!

Headin' to the Westside...

2010-10-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

Another fine fall weekend spent

paddlin' 45 miles

while sea kayak expeditioning

& pirate camping

from Anacortes to James

& San Juan islands

and everwhere

yet nowhere really

in between...

Going to Church...

2010-09-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

‎....means different things to different people.

In our family it means rising before dawn

and dressing &/or packing in our finest

polypro, fleece & goretex,

to go for a hike with 3700 feet of elevation gain

in 8 1/2 steep, roundtrip miles

up & down a high alpine,

switch-backed trail.

As we laughingly celebrate autumns splendid arrival

one late Saturday in September,

while frollicking with friends

and scrambling to reach the narrow-ridged summit

of a beautiful 6,100 feet

North Cascade mountain.

Read more about the Church mountain trail and hike at http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/church-mountain

Kayak Surfs up!

2010-09-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

With only a few weeks left o' summer

Jim couldn't resist the calling of some bigger wave action.

So we packed up our toys (aka boats:)

and headed for the Oregon Coast.

From paddling with pelicans

under glorious sunshine,

to introducing new family vacation activities...

like SAND DUNE SURFING!

The Oregon Coast has somethin' for

paddlers of all skills & sizes!!

~Happy end o' season adventuring!~

Island Paddlers Nature Photography

2010-08-17T03:07:00.000-07:00

It's official! We've excitedly founded a business doing what we love together...

Escaping amongst the wildness

of Nature's wilderness.

100% BLUE ~ Ocean Powered Photo Art

(How do you like our office?!)

Calendars, canvas prints, cards, custom-orders...

Coming soon to a gallery, farmer's market, holiday bizarre,
friend's coffee shop, website near you!! ;)

~Island Paddlers Nature Photography~

Proud Sponsors of the 2nd annual

San Juan Orca Challenge

Expeditioning to Race

2010-08-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

As naturalists addicted to the wilderness world,

paddling loaded boats around rugged islands

is definitely our most fun form of cross-training for races.

At times however, the cost of a personal trainer
and warmth of an inside gym may seem a better deal
than the cost of another life lessson brutally learned
from Mother Nature....

On our first day up in Johnstone we made a few crucial mistakes

leading to just such a lesson. After a near sleepless night driving to

get to our planned launch site of Alert Bay, then hours of dealing

with the logistics of unloading & loading
the over-loaded boats (*we eat well! :)

Spaced out from sleep deprivation

mixed with adreline and deceived by the
flat calm waters the morning we arrive,
we forget to listen to the updated marine forecast on our VHF.

We also launch uber late in the day for prevailing-wind-country,
unintentionally allowing gale winds to pick up while we were
in the middle of the biggest, most exposed crossing of the trip-

Blackfish Sound with merciless, funneling gusts coming down Queen Charlotte Strait...

And so within the first two hours on the water, we found ourselves getting our ***es kicked by 6 foot beam seas in extremely loaded boats. At the end of the nasty crossing an island reef was visible in our original route plan- but we could see it was kicking up some enormously mean looking refracting waves!

With me desparate to avoid a spinal fusion-beatin' from the seas,

we decided to abort our original plan and turn to ride
out the steep swells for miles until we could find a tiny beach to
haul out on next to an abandoned lodge.

(Unknowingly setting our top speed for the trip surfing the steep swells at 13.2 mph!)

We squatter camped on the outside deck in between two ol' lodges,

spoiled with constant, multi-species whale passings-

a humpback,
then an orca, then a minke,

then a humpback, then orcas for hours well into the beautiful sunset

colors....Stimulus overload just on the first day!...
Needless to say the rest of the trip

was just as amazing...
~ ~ ~

Overall, the prevailing winds hit early this year and
threw gales at us about every third day.

Still, we journeyed well,

did three 20~25 mile days,

a few 10~15 milers,
and sat parked on a tiny rock of an island the last few nights
not paddling much, just enjoying 'Orca-smic' days

camped across from the Robson Bight Orca sanctuary.

We had the intense pleasure of meeting a few local legends,
including one of the world's leading whale research scientists,

Paul Spong, who gave us a tour of his research center, the Orca Lab.

~ ~ ~
As well as a 75 year old lifetime local

Billy Proctor of Echo Bay,

who shared some unreal stories from his younger years....

While the Alert Bay race truly was the
ultimate grande finale of the trip.

We already can't wait to return.

Alert Bay 360 ~ Race Results

2010-07-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Unofficially official Race Results

2010 Alert Bay 360 Eco Paddle

courtesy of Alert Bay 360 Race Chairman Eric Gregory

compiled by village administrator Madeline McDonald

*double click on images to enlarge

**There are a few errors in these results.

If you are aware of a discrepancy in your time/place,

please send a kind email to the Alert Bay 360 race chairman

Alert Bay 360 ~ Race Report

2010-07-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

Arriving on tiny Cormorant island for the
2nd annual Alert Bay Eco Paddle Race,
one can't help but quickly become peacefully overwhelmed
by the incredible natural and cultural beauty
combined with the unbelievably unending kindness of the
extraordinarily friendly locals.

That is until another sense is jolted as one listens to the
updated marine forecast on the VHF radio!

With gale force winds forecast for the morning of the race,

many paddlers were left nervously pondering
or excitedly anticipating their final boat choices
for this very off-the-beaten-path

and now potentially
prevailing windy paddling race.

Most in town rose early on this blustery, blue sky summer
Saturday morning to join hundreds of other
fellow paddlers and spectators
gathering at the waters edge for a
rootsy fun race around this ruggedly small island.

Sharing smiles, we all watched in awe at the vast array of colorful boats continuing to line up along this gem of a Johnstone Straits islands shorelines.

Joining 'Team USA' this year as a volunteer race photographer,
I happily jumped aboard one of the safety boats
with Alert Bay locals Herman and Sandy and gave
last minute, pre-bumpy race seas departure
cheers to my fellow Sound Rowers companions-
Seattle rowing and paddling racing club president Steve Bennett,
former Olympic rower Sherri Cassuto,
and my ultra adventure lovin' athlete hubby, Jim Zimmerman.

One last look back at them on the beach and I could tell they were pretty pumped up.

But then again, who wouldn't be totally jazzed to be racing

for a chance at $12,000 in cash prizes and random draw donation giveaways, eh?!

As the start of the race neared the winds had steadily increased to about 15 ~ 20 knots, with white caps dotting the sheltered bay where approx. 130 racers bounced up and down while lining up in preparation to sprint into a strong and unyielding headwind until they made the first turn at a blink horned point. ~ NBZ

Going into the shallow waters, dodging rocks and beam seas

I couldn't wait to make the turn so the wind would be on my back.

Within a few good rides I find my rhythm- synchronizing my breathing, my strokes, connecting waves and reading the water ahead of me...I fall into the zone.

Then suddenly a blow from a gray whale
quite close by grabs my attention
and puts a smile on my face!
I usually spend a good deal o' my free time attempting
to photograph whales in the wild from my sea kayak...

but today I'm on the water with a different purpose-

so don't allow even one extra second to

linger with this massive marine mammal.

Instead I immediately go back to focusing on chasing down

the next paddler in front of me.

As we continue circumnavigating tiny Cormorant island,
the wind subsided and the currents collided!

Paddling as tight to the shoreline as possible while finding the right line between the thick kelp beds and numerous rocks becomes the predominant strategy
for this years Alert Bay 360 kayak race.

With opposing currents and a headwind making the final push to the finish seem further and further away, I found the break I needed in the last stretch provided by the pilings from the old docks as I returned to finish line.

Fueling me on even more is a loud thunder from a roaring crowd... ~JZ
~ ~ ~

Kudos to 'Team USA' for all finishing in the top 20,

with Jim placing 10th, Sherri 14th and Steve 18th overall! ~

We also really enjoyed watching
Sherri make us proud
as her victory

earned 'er $1000 in cash for finishing
FIRST PLACE FEMALE OVERALL!

CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS Sherri!!

We offer big thanks
to 360 Race Chairman Eric Gregory,
to Donna and Norman Stauffer for exceptional catering
of the freshly caught traditional seafood dinner,
and to the Gwa'wina Singers & T'sasala Cultural Group
for extending a special invitation

to a once-in-a-lifetime cultural performance
in the Namgis Big House.

And an extra special thanks to our new friend
and most graciously kind and talented host,

Bear Dancer.

*More race photos at
http://picasaweb.google.com/expeditionpaddlers/AlertBay360#/

Expedition planning: Johnstone Straits

2010-07-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

T minus two days to go until we take off to disappear 'into the bush' of the most remote Canadian wilderness
with just our cameras, kayak,
and paddling companion,
Sound Rower's President Steve Bennett...

To help ensure our comfort and survival we have been busy
with many trip preparations:

~Making lists,

charting maps,

shopping,

dehydrating fruit,

packing/ piling gear and re-checking those lists and marine forecasts!

Pulling out our paddling trip journal,

I look back and reflect on the incredible memories

from our last journey to Johnstone...

and linger on this WHALE sightings page!

As an ultra marathon paddling, racing & nature photography team, we spend most of our free time sea kayaking thousands of miles a year around the San Juan islands-

Which like the Broughton Archipelago is also home to resident Orca whale pods, but Man's impact in our islands has been taking a much more silencing, Endangering toll...

And so we must journey far northward to be amongst wildlife still abundant as our yesteryear....

From the sounds of near constant whale blows to

beach rocks rolling around under bear feet,

~You just never know what will be waiting for you
around the next corner
when paddling Johnstone Straits...

but you better be ready!!

~ ~ ~

*Additional strategic planning has been necessary
on this years paddling expedition due
to my rehabilitating a recent, paddling-induced, spinal injury.

In the past six months I've required two spinal surgeries
to remove pieces of bulging L5 disk which blew out
while we were on a big training paddle last year -

In gnarly, messy 3~5 foot waves,
fighting a brutal 20mph+ headwind,
I didn't notice my foot pedals become uneven
as Mother Nature continued to beat us up
for the last 30 miles of (what unexpectedly turned into)
an ultra-storm paddle...

The damaged lumbar disk severely pinched nerves
and increasingly compromised my sanity
until surgery became the only option.

In order to be able to return to the water
this year while still in healing mode
yet without causing re-injury-
many modifications have been required...

I've replaced my paddle to a smaller wing size, switched out
my plastic seat to a more foregiving back band,
added layers of gel & foam
padding in my cockpit,
and made bombproof adjustments to my foot braces.

While I am still unable to bear much weight-
cannot yet dream of paddling a single kayak,
or even rotate my body enough to
make a 'proper' forward stroke...

~I remain eternally grateful for Jim's endless 'sherpa boy'
support which allows us to continue
living, laughing and loving
an adventurous lifestyle
in spite of Gimpy restrictions...

And to Steve as well- for helping make this trip possible for me
through carrying my boat & gear with Jim! :)

A sea kayaker's archaeological discovery!

2010-07-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed spending this 4th of July holiday weekend

paddling and playing

with a friend at their Puget Sound seaside cabin...

To our surprise and delight we also made an

unexpected archaeological discovery...

This old boat blendin' in with the weathered beach fence is nothing other than an ol'...

Eddyline Heron

....once upon a time dubbed the fastest sea kayak in the world!!

I smiled nostaligically at the flaking, fiberglass hulled skeleton as I remember paddling my father's fast Heron during this sleek crafts heyday back in the 1980's~

Rock and ROLL!

2010-06-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Jim decided to practice his rolls while enjoying a sunny, summer

afternoon paddle in the San Juan islands

*While rolling is more a river and ocean surf paddlers skill requirement, if you want to sea kayak around these unpredictable island waters, having a self-rescue method you are comfortable and confident with is essential.

**And just in case anyone ever told you you can't roll with a wing paddle...tell 'em to try again! ;)

Kayak Kelly

2010-06-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

Once in a while a person comes along whose superior talents,

determination and skills redefine a sport.

In the world of sea kayaking, we have a dear friend who does just that....

Kayak Kelly

*photo courtesy Trina Nation of Alaska Glacier Adventures

About 5 years ago, after spending some time

adventure paddling around Washington states'
San Juan islands while working for Eddyline,

Kelly left the PNW and began paddling north.

He's still paddling.

His home is an Eddyline Falcon.

His supermarket is the ocean and forests of Alaska....

~We look forward to sharing more of Kelly's amazing life journey in the coming months.

Happy Summer Solstice!

2010-06-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

~Here's to a summer paddling season of long days on the water full of endless adventures~

de Fuca Downwinder

2010-06-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

We at Island Paddlers Nature Photography are proud to be among the sponsors of the

1st annual

PNW's newest 13.5 mile paddling race.

June 12th

from Freshwater Bay to Port Angeles, WA

There will be two start times:

11:30 am start for: Sea Kayak, Outrigger, SUP

12:30 pm start for: Surfskis, OC2s, OC6s, All Rowers

Complete race info. at:

http://www.raftandkayak.com/de-fuca-downwind-race

Sound Rowers 2010 Race Schedule

2010-05-22T21:15:00.000-07:00

(Click image above to enlarge.. then find the nearest open water racing event to your town and make 2010 the year to

'Race or Rally'!

Make your local race directors day by joining in on the fun- either on the water or on land....Jump in a boat & race or jump on board & VOLUNTEER ! ;)

1st annual NW Adventure Sports Expo ~ Unleash the Beast!

2010-05-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Having grown up on the Kitsap Penninsula, I couldn't help but be intrigued when I saw the press release for a new multi-sports event, 'Unleash the Beast!', being thrown out there for a weekend in the most beautiful little logging town around, historic Port Gamble.

So we marked the calendar and Jim began strategically training...as he eagerly took the opportunity to register for not one, but two different sporting races being offered at the NW Adventure Sports Festival.

New this year on the Puget Sound paddle racing schedule was the Paddle the Dragon 5 mile kayak race- in the venue of all venues, absolutely beautiful Port Gamble.

As well as three Dirty Dozen mountain bike races. Jim signed up for the 25 mile 'expert' class, single track race as well as the paddle race. *To this multisport ultra-athlete, this was a great warm-up, racing double-header as part of his Mountains-to-Sound, ironman trainining.

We arrived a few hours before the kayak race on Saturday morning to allow plenty of time to check in,

as well as check out the different race courses.

Along with the numerous colorful and assorted vendor displays of mountain bikes, rec plastic kayaks, sea kayaks, stand up boards, canoes, pedal sail boats... all available to demo on trails & seas! We were in true Northwest adventure sport lover's heaven!

Boats and bikes, bikes and boats = so many toys, so little time....

Start of the Paddle the Dragon ~ 5 mile kayak race

Race Report by JZ~ 2nd overall,1st place kayaker- "Before the race conditions were as calm as can be, then a slight breeze came in across the bay...

The field was small with a lot of non-rudder rec boats, a few triples

and a double.

Also a couple of fast outrigger canoes. By the time the race started we had a stiff 10 to 15 knot headwind with up to 1 foot chop. It was a grind to the turn around buoy at the Dragon but knowing we were going to have a downwind run to the finish made it worth it.

At the turn around the fast double missed the turn around buoy so it was 2 outriggers and me. The wind waves were small but perfect to connect one after another. The wind was blowing us right to the finish. Awesome! Overall it was a great course- Great for beginners and also in just the right conditions for the experienced racer."

Start of the Dirty Dozen -Expert class- 25 mile- single track- mountain bike race

Race Report by JZ

"The sign up was a bit unorganized, but for the first year is understandable. The expert field had some awesome riders...some were so fast they never even got dirty? (*reference to the 20 guys who never passed him, yet somehow finished ahead of him) Could have had a check point half way so riders could check in (* Reference to reference above)...The course was excellent, roots, tight trees, steep down hill and really fast rolling terrain made it an awesome warm-up for the season."

Rainbow display of plastic kayaks ~ recreational boats

The British have arrived in Port Gamble...and taken over our waterways?!

(*I may be 1/2 Pom myself, but the other Kiwi half of the gene pool in my family taught me that if you wanna paddle far and/ or fast around the PNW waters, you need a RUDDER!!)

Kayaks, SUPs, canoes, pedal sail boats-

you could demo just about anything that floated!

Jim finishing in 2nd place to a smokin' hot OC-1 & 1st kayaker overall

Jim was the only bi-athlete racer of the day to participate in both the kayak AND the 25 mile mountain bike races

Olympic mountain peaks and floating Hood Canal bridge backdrop

Olympic Outdoor Center's new Port Gamble retail store location
OOC and it's extremely friendly helpful crew deserves a big kudos for all the hard work they did in helping making this great Multi Sport Adventure Expo event happen!

Cheers to all of the race organizers, volunteers & vendors who helped put on the
1st annual NW Adventure Sports Expo!

EVENT PHOTOS @: http://picasaweb.google.com/expeditionpaddlers/NWAdventureExpo2010#/

Unleash the Beast!

2010-05-04T07:32:00.000-07:00

NW Outdoor Adventure Sports and Film Festival

NEW Multi-Sports EVENT THIS YEAR!:

"Unleash the beast from within May 8-9th, 2010 at the Northwest Adventure Sports Expo in historic Port Gamble, Washington. Whether you are a beginner or advanced, young or old adventurer you will appreciate the weekend of fun filled demos, classes, vendors, films, food and the festival atmosphere..."

**including New Races!!

KAYAK: 6 mile Paddle the Dragon Race

BIKE: Dirty Dozen Moutain Bike Races

Full event info @ http://www.unleashthebeastnw.com/

Alert Bay 360 Eco Paddle Kayak Race

2010-05-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

Alert Bay from Robin Thacker on Vimeo.

North end of Vancover Island, BC, Canada ~ July 24th, 2010

Salish Sea mammals ~ Harbor porpoises

2010-04-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

While enjoying a lazy, sunny Sunday afternoon picnic from atop our favorite (secret:) Fidalgo island, rocky clifftop look out spot,

we were spoiled with the pleasure of enjoying the sights and sounds of several harbor porpoises

feeding gracefully in the boiling currents of the Salish Sea waters just below us for several hours...

*To receive reports of up-to-date sightings of local marine mammals such as these, as well as of the numerous transient and resident whales who visit and travel all around our Puget Sound waters....

Or to report Salish Sea sightings yourself.....contact Orca Network and/or sign up for their regular marine mammal sightings report @ www.orcanetwork.org

Alert Bay 360 ~ Eco-Paddling Race

2010-03-25T21:53:00.000-07:00

www.alertbay.ca

Sea Kayaking with Orca whales

2010-03-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

This short clip is a glimpse of what we experienced one day while on the water on a week-long paddling trip in Johnstone Straits during the summer of 2008. Jim is taking photos from the rear cockpit while I'm using the video option on my camera from the front of a tandem Current Designs Libra XT, to capture this encounter with these amazing Northern Resident Orca whales.

If you've seen our Orca whale photo gallery collection currently on display, or placed in the top three in your paddling division in last year's Orca Challenge Race, you'll recognize some of the shots!

**On this particular day this Northern Resident Orca whale sub pod included one big bull with six females and juveniles. With not one other boat in sight for miles, this small, tight knit family of whales continued to follow us for nearly an hour.

This unbelievable experience we shared, of spending a whole hour alone together out on the open waters with just us and a pod of wild 'killer' Orca whales, while they played with us in our kayak as if we were their 'mousey'- Along with nearly two decades of similar encounters for Jim from paddling with the Endangerd Southern Resident Orcas in the San Juan islands- Puts us in the camp of thinkers who believe there is no disputing these fellow mammals' hyper-intelligence and sensitivity to their surroundings- including their acute awareness to the 'quietest' visitor such as us- the paddler.

Please be Whale-wise when in the presence of these great friends.

- Stop paddling.
- Give them space. (Meaning = they're really big, can travel super fast, and are wild animals!)

- If they want to come close to you, let it be their choice.

- We recommend maintaining a minimum 200 meters/ yards distance between you and them.

- Raft up if there is more than 1 boat in your group.

- DO NOT position your vessel in the path they are travelling.

- DO NOT point your boat bow towards the whales.

-DO NOT swim with, touch or feed any marine mammal, even if they look like Flipper or Shamu.

-DO take your camera out and attempt to capture a few great shots for the folks on their sofas back at home, while trying not to wet yourself with the overwhelming excitement and fear in the event one of these big bulls bears down on you hard, head on. (Yes, it is possible to laugh and cry at the same time:)

And do your part in making a difference to save and protect their quickly deteriorating marine environment homes. From our industrial toxins and sewage dumping to noise pollution from the constantly closely following power boats- both private and commercial. Every Action has a Reaction.

~ Paddle Quickly, Think Slowly~

Anacortes Art Walk ~ March 5th

2010-03-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

On the first Friday of every month
the

Art Galleries of Anacortes

stay open late for a

Gallery Art Walk.

Join us this Friday for

First Friday Art Walk

in the small island town of Anacortes.

Stroll around our lovely downtown galleries

from 6-9 pm.

View naturalist paddlers Jim & Nadja's

10 piece photo gallery collection,

"Orca Whales of the Pacific Northwest"

Our most favorite

Northern Resident (Johnstone Straits, Canada)

and

Endangered Southern Resident (San Juan islands, USA)

Orca Whale encounters.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On display through the month of March at the

Opulence Salon & Day Spa

Located in Old Town Anacortes, on the corner of 9th and Commercial Ave.

~Come on in this Friday, take a stroll around, and pick out your favorite captivating wild Orca whale print to bring home!

*For more information on the Anacortes Artwalk, as well as this month's featured local artists, check out http://www.anacortesart.com/

Whales and people: Tilly is not to blame for this avoidable tragedy

2010-02-26T07:04:00.000-08:00

The following article was originally published on Psychology Today.com 2/24/10

Marc Bekoff is a former Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and co-founder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. He has won many awards for his scientific research including the Exemplar Award from the Animal Behavior Society and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Marc has written more than 200 articles, numerous books, and has edited three encyclopedias.
"Tilly, a wild-born killer whale (orca), killed his trainer at SeaWorld Amusement Park in Florida. Many people have asked me about this tragedy so here are a few comments. Details about this most unfortunate incident are available in major media around the world but the accounts vary. First, let me be clear that this is a tragedy for all the animal beings involved. Second, let me be clear that in my opinion this could have been easily avoided if Tilly had not been "on show" and had been allowed to live out the rest of his life in dignity. Animals can be unpredictable, including members of our own species, and captive animals are often highly stressed to begin with.

That Tilly had a history of attacking humans does not mean that he was any more likely to attack again, but this should have been taken into account in how he was housed. In a TV interview I saw this morning her former trainer in British Columbia said it was his understanding that when Tilly was sold to SeaWorld, he would not be used in shows. But, unfortunately, he was. While the details remain unclear, it is totally possible that Tilly was surprised or "freaked out" by something that happened and responded as he did because he was afraid of something unusual.

This would be especially so if the trainer had actually slipped into the tank (rather than her being grabbed) as this would have been unexpected by Tilly. Many animals will run away from something that surprises or stresses them but TIlly could not because he was in a cage and there was no where for him to go. One of my companion dogs once grabbed my ankle when i jumped out of bed because I heard a noise outside my bedroom window and when I yelled "It's me!" she let go. She was a typical love-dog but was scared and startled when I did something out of the ordinary.

While we may never know the details of what happened this tragedy could have been avoided if Tilly had been kept apart from people (and perhaps other orcas) and allowed to live out his life in dignity. Perhaps attempts could have been made to reintroduce him to the wild from which was taken. Whether or not his "controversial history" was a factor also remains unknown, but this should have been taken into account when he arrived in Florida.

Unfortunately, killer whales and other highly sentient beings are shipped here and there from one zoo or aquarium to another to be used in shows that generate a lot of money. We need to respect these beings for who they are and not put them on display as if they're some sort of commodity or object who live for our own entertainment, because they're not. Indeed, many whales possess spindle cells that are important in processing various emotions and anyone who's been around orcas and other cetaceans know that they are extremely emotional beings. Some people argue that cetaceans may fulfill the criteria for being called "persons."

My heart goes out to the humans involved in this tragedy and also to Tilly. Let's take all measures to make these sorts of encounters become things of the past by keeping whales and people apart.
Let me add that the video, Luna is a must see for it shows how social orcas are and how friendly they can be. They need friends just like our companion animals.
It also is the case the "friendly" wild animals will attack humans who they know well. Let's remember that many of these animals still have "wild genes" and can be unpredictable and can easily be startled. Furthermore, we really don't know what is lurking in their heads (and hearts) so we must be careful and not assume that they always will be friendly or predictable. In many ways these are accidents/tragedies waiting to happen.

*I just learned that Tilly has produced 13 babies for SeaWorld who have not been on display and will not be "destroyed."

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions/201002/whales-and-people-tilly-is-not-blame-avoidable-tragedy

Neah Bay Getaway

2010-02-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day weekend, we spent 4 blissful nights

in the tiny seaside village of Seiku, WA

out on the very most NW point of the Olympic Peninsula.

...Just 2 months after requiring 2 back-to-back spinal surgeries from a paddling injury,

I was super-stoked to reach my first recovery goal-

of being able to hike (slowly & carefully but still:)

our favorite remote Olympic coastal trails~
*Which Backpacker Magazine rates among some of the top 10 trails of the United States!~On our 3rd annual Winter Neah Bay Getaway, ... we go out there to escape onto the trails

and enjoy all of the remote coastal vantage points like the Cape Flattery trail ( 1 mile r/t),
the Shi Shi Beach trail (6 mi's r/t)
and the Ozette-Cape Alava-
to Sand Point- and return to Lake Ozette (10 miles r/t)

...While Jim was super-stoked to play a bit

in the giant surf at Hoback Beach!~