Well hi there, yes it’s been a long time, and with time comes a big responsibility to satisfy whatever expectations you have of what prevented me from writing all this time. If I wasn’t fighting crocodiles or scaling glaciers or walking across the god damn universe, what excuse do I have for leaving you hanging in the balance, tapping the refresh button, waiting for this update to finally arrive? You were waiting for it though, right?
Unfortunately I don’t have any real excuses or a lot to report. I spend about 90 hours a week in front of my laptop, and the remaining time is spent paddling or lying horizontal. I see this year as my ‘head down get shit done year’, and if it doesn’t kill me I’m hoping next year will be my ‘let’s get as far away from my laptop as possible year’.
But until then, my next adventure is a 9-day sea-kayaking trip along the Salish Sea Marine Trail. For those of you who followed some of my paddling adventures last year, you may recall my failed attempt to cross the Salish Sea from Nanaimo to Vancouver in one hit. This trip is not that! We’re taking 9 days to go double that distance. It’s a vacation, and it’s meant to be fun!
So in addition to the story of my sedentary-soon-to-become-active-life for 9 days, I’m documenting my trip preparations for those of you who may also want to jump in a boat and go on a multi-day trip, or on an overnight trip, or at least just start dreaming about it!
Whether it’s a 9-day trip or an overnight excursion, your gear pretty much stays the same, (like hiking, but totally different at the same time). You just need to take a hell of a lot more food, but the nice thing about travelling in a boat is that provided it fits in your hatches, the weight doesn’t make all that much difference!
When you’re travelling on water (unlike hiking), you also need to keep an eye on currents, tides and the wind. I’ve just downloaded a new app called AyeTides, which I’m excited to test out. There’s nothing worse than waking up to discover the tide is out and you now need to carry your heavy boat 500m to the water, or even worse, waking up to find your boat has been washed away because you didn’t carry it above the high tide line or tie it up!
You can click on the links below to review my:
The biggest difference on this trip compared to other multi-day kayak trips I’ve done is that we’re rolling our boats onto the ferry to get from the mainland to Vancouver Island. This means I’ll be taking a set of kayak wheels that I’ll need to strap to the deck of my boat, which won’t be ideal but I’m sure I can manage. I’ve seen my friend paddle with a two-burner stove on their deck so I know it can be done!
Then once we arrive in Swartz Bay we’ll roll our kayaks off the ferry, head to the water, strap the wheels to the deck and start paddling!
You can read more about the Salish Sea Marine Trail here. We’re doing a 165km portion of the 260km trail, which goes all the way from Victoria to Vancouver, and when I say trail, I mean there’s official campsites you can pull up to on the islands you paddle past on the way. If we make good time we may even paddle all the way to Squamish to drop off my friend Dave. That would mean one less ferry trip coming home, but we’ll see how we do!
Happy paddling! 🙂
Serial Nomad 
That sounds like an awesome trip Muk Muk. Glad to see you getting back out there. Good paddling.
Thanks Derrick! I so need it!
Welcome back! Looking forward to following your trip!
Great to hear from you Susan! Thanks for your patience!
Of course! I for one have been impatiently awaiting what the next step in the evolution of Muk Muk would bring! This sounds like another epic trip…but more to the point it feels like something more is brewing. 90 hours a week on your laptop seems like a clue. I’ll have to wait (again impatiently) to find out why the suddenly sedentary (your words) serial nomad has been so stationary. Send postcards (online.), and have a wonderful escape!
Hey Gromit!! Glad you’re still here! I’ll try and send some pics and updates from the trip for sure!
Good to hear from you, but you should never think you have to keep your life full of exciting adventures because of us, just you! We all need to take time to do what we need to do in life and fit in the adventures when we can. Glad you will be getting out, I am sure you need it after that many hours a week behind your laptop! Have fun and be safe!
Thanks Noryne! Much appreciated!
Greetings from old friends are always a welcome joy…Thanks for the pick me up and the update.
I, for one, am always happy to hear from you.
You put a smile on my face and in my heart.
Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy what’s next !
From Lyndella
(whereever she is/ she sings)
Great to hear from you Lyndella! I’m curious to know what you’re up to!
Great to hear from you, Muk Muk!! Sounds like a great trip and it will be fun!!
Thanks Jana! It is already!
Yes! I do check your blog regularly for updates, but I do not expect an explanation at all for your quiet times – after all, it is a gift you are giving us in the form of sharing bits and pieces of your life here. And that plan looks fantastic! I have never done any sea kayaking (well, apart from short stints when I was a kid, but really only 1 km or so, since the waves were quite tiring back then), but I love your pics of the gear and food – adventure! Wishing you and your friends a great time, have fun and enjoy the laptop-free days!
Such lovely words, as always!
Hey, in the gear list I think you forgot to take your on-board pee pot or did you ditch it after the Yukon Quest? He he.
Paddle safe and have a refreshing break from that laptop and work.
Haha the urinal stayed behind! I can actually get out of my boat on this trip!
Hi darling, those 9 days will be wonderful. How lucky are you to have all that time off work. You look well prepared with all the equipment and all that lovely, energy giving food. I wish , that I could be with you in the boat. You put together a good list for those people who will try this trip for the first time. Those wheels, for easy carrying the boat, sound a great idea too, I hope that they stay safely on the boat when you are paddling. Enjoy this adventure darling, how lovely to be in that beautiful nature. Looking forward to some great photos.
Love, Mutti xx
Thank Mutti, will send as many as I can! Lots of love x
Hey Girl,
How about I give you a chance to enjoy your current adventure. Then in a couple of weeks I will write and bring you up to date on The Traveling Wilburns and our own journey.
Hint hint…We are not in Alaska anymore !
But I think I can see Oz from my Gypsy House !
As always
Your friend
Lyndella