DESOLATION SOUND, B.C. — It was on the third day it really hit home for me that a few more arm exercises at the gym wouldn't have hurt.
We're paddling back to our campsite on the Curme Islands in Desolation Sound, after a beautiful day of swimming at a freshwater lake nearby, and we're paddling against the current.
Although it's a beautiful day and the waves are very tame for the Sound this time of year, by the time we reach camp I'm feeling every single stroke in the burning knots tied between my shoulder blades, my biceps and my side abdominals.
But the sight of the sun setting over the ocean, torching water and sky with streaks of orange and pink, quickly makes me forget the ache. On a rock nearby, my travel companions share a bottle of wine, mesmerized by the Pacific sunset.
Desolation Sound Marine Park, on the Sunshine Coast 170 kilometres north of Vancouver, winds its way around the twisted shoreline. The park, established almost 40 years ago, is the largest marine park in B.C. and a popular destination for boaters and kayakers.
From the water, the majestic coastal mountains rise up abruptly from sea level to more than 2,400 metres, high enough to provide a stunning snow-capped backdrop for paddlers and help them stay cool on even the hottest of days.
According to legend, it was Capt. George Vancouver who dubbed the area Desolation Sound, after his first voyage here in 1792, struck as he was by the remote and forbidding landscape. But the stunning beauty of the place — not to mention some rather significant improvements in access, gear and facilities — mean it's anything but desolate now. At times during the peak season, the biggest problem kayakers and boaters might experience is finding a place to pitch a tent, even with the plethora of campsites built and maintained by the province.
After setting out from the small town of Lund, we paddled to a provincial campsite on the Copeland Islands in Thulin Passage, a serene spot only about an hour's kayak away, where I set up my tent on a ledge overlooking the water.
A narrow spit of land separates small bays on either side of the island, where massive coastal trees have washed up on shore to provide the perfect spot to sit and watch the curious seals as they in turn keep their eyes on us.
The next day, we paddled to the provincial campsite on the Curme Islands, where the salt water beckons after our longest day of paddling — six hours at a leisurely pace _ and most of us take a swim before dinner.
The paddle to Roscoe Bay on West Redondo Island on the third day was a relatively easy crossing and included a chance to skirt along the coastline at lower tide, taking in the vibrant marine life that lies just below the surface: starfish, crabs and abundant oysters clinging to the rocks. Black Lake is a short walk from the bay where we land our kayaks and take a welcome chance to freshen up and enjoy a picnic lunch.
Then we had to get back, against the current, but I may have mentioned that already.
The trip was organized by Karin Sibilo of the Vancouver Regional Outdoor Club. This non-profit club aims to get people outside and enjoying nature, with activities ranging from hiking and squash in the summer to snowshoeing in the winter.
With sister clubs in Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto, the Vancouver club under Sibilo's care has made the week-long kayak trip in Desolation Sound an annual event. This is her eighth trip to the Sound, her sixth with the club.
"I love it,'' she says. "I love the kayaking. I love the area. I love sharing it with old friends and new friends. It's generally easy paddling, in an area that rivals any foreign location for scenery. It's a week away from real life but only a couple of short ferry rides from home.'"
This time out, Sibilo has a group of 12 with her, ranging in experience from the relative novice (that would be me) to expert kayakers and club members from Calgary, who are doing the trip for the second and third time.
"It's like herding cats, pretty much sums it up,'' Sibilo jokes in an email, well after we've hung up our paddles and had time to rest.
But she says the time she puts into researching ferry and tide schedules, organizing meals and carpools and arranging the kayak rentals is all worthwhile.
"I love to see the wonder in people's faces when they see the beauty in their own backyard, and the grin of accomplishment when they reach a goal they thought was far off or even out of reach.''
Her travel companions agree.
"I thought that the trip was incredible _ being out in nature and on the ocean in such a beautiful part of the world really was great. It made me want to explore more of British Columbia,'' says Denise Buote, 42, of Vancouver.
Buote says five days of kayaking was not something she would have tried before joining the club but she certainly enjoyed getting away from the pace of everyday life for a while.
I agree. Kayaking Desolation Sound has long been on my to-do list but, like many people, a lot of my travels involve a plane ride to more exotic destinations, rather than a half-day journey up the coast from my couch. I'm glad I've broken with that bad habit.
