Trip Report: Moody Inlet: Sun Apr 5th
Trip Report – Moody Inlet to Jug Island
On Easter Sunday, April 5, a group of seven Beavers enjoyed a delightful spring paddle in a mix of canoes and kayaks. Dave Westell organized the day trip and Rob Atkinson stepped up to act as trip leader and paddle the single canoe. Others were Ron Webster and Corrine Roesler in their lovely new single kayaks, Rich Unger and Sue Todd in a 16 foot Prospector, and Shong Chow who canoed with Dave initially and then Rob.
We launched from the beach at the south end of 1st Avenue, at Ioco Road, a couple of hours after high tide. Rob led us in a round of introductions, a safety talk and a gentle warm-up. The water in Moody Inlet was calm and the temperature was chilly, with a promise of warmth to come. We initially paddled west through a small marina and past the Burrard Thermal Generating Station. As we approached the Barnet Marine Park, we noticed a large community festival was underway and the loud dance music accompanied us most of the way to Admiralty Point. We went at a moderate pace to ensure the single canoe could keep with us.
Cherry trees in full bloom welcomed us as we came ashore at Belcarra Beach for our lunch break. The sunshine and views were gorgeous. Planning notice: the washrooms were still out of service (replaced with port-a-potties).
After lunch, Dave Westell took over the single canoe. We left Belcarra bay and rounded Hamber Island to head north into Indian Arm, marvelling at the spectacular homes in the area. As we neared the beach across from Jug Island we spotted a few sea stars. We lingered a while near the beach to enjoy a break but didn’t go ashore.
On the return trip we had some gentle waves. For a long weekend, there was relatively little motorized boat traffic to concern us. At one point we were hailed by a small power boat. It turned out that they recognized Dave Westell’s canoe and he dropped back for a chat with them (friends Chris and Julie from Quesnel). After their visit, they offered him a tow to catch up and we all enjoyed the spectacle.
Shong Chow ensured that we kept an eye out for seals on the trip. We also spotted sea lions at two locations on the return from Jug Island, one quite close to us near Hamber Island.
As we turned east past Admiralty Point, the party at Barnet Marine Park was still in full swing. The wind picked up, giving us a nice assist on the final leg, all the way to our beach. All in all, a delightful spring paddle. Thanks to Dave for organizing, Rob for leading, and to all for such good company.
Submitted by Sue Todd