A Pocket Full of Paddling Adventure…read more
Many of the guide-led trips offered by Sea Kayak Adventures feature tent camping in British Columbia or along the coast of Baja California - which, of course, is a great way to sample all that a place of natural wonders has to offer. But there's also something to be said for a daily adventure that ends with a gourmet meal and the warmth of a comfortable bed.
Hence, the allure of the trip they offer to God's Pocket Provincial Marine Park off the northern coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It combines daily guided trips to the islands and along the shorelines of B.C. with the comfort of evenings at the God's Pocket Resort owned and operated by Bill Weeks and Annie Ceschi.
It was Bill and our two Sea Kayak Adventures guides, Serina and Ellie, who greeted us at the outset of our adventure, on the boat dock in Port Hardy, at the northern tip of Vancouver Island. There were eight of us signed up for the trip, and we quickly got acquainted during the 20-minute ride on Bill's water taxi and scuba dive boat to God's Pocket.
The seven others on the trip included two physicians, a college professor, a research physicist and a hotelier, with the group ranging in age from mid-30s to early-70s. All of us had sea kayaked before, but for several this would be the first multi-day experience, and the 70-year-old worried about keeping up. However, as the week progressed, we learned to trust the efficiencies of tandem kayaks as well as the good planning and good pairing of our attentive guides. Ultimately, we all seemed to get the level of outdoor adventure we sought.
As soon as the cabins of God's Pocket came into view, we knew this would be a special week. Tucked snug against a hillside and into a sheltered cove, the resort projects a homey charm that became more evident once we unloaded our gear and assembled around the fire ring built into the long deck that connects a row of wood-paneled rooms.
After meeting the only other permanent residents of the island - Annie, our chef Shona and an exuberantly affectionate black Lab named Lewis - we took a quick tour of the lodge. The cabins are comfortable, cozy, devoid of ostentation - perfect for a place that exudes a wilderness feel. The isolation of God's Pocket remains its most enticing feature. Often the only sounds to be heard are the calls of eagles and ravens overhead and the Pacific lapping at the pilings below.
Our breakfasts and dinners were served family style in a dining room just below Bill and Annie's quarters, as we planned the day's excursion in the morning and then deconstructed it later that evening. The food was never short of outstaning, emphasizing local favorites such as salmon and halibut as well as desserts such as lemon cake with fresh strawberries and pecan pie.
The only other guests we saw during the week were a pair of scuba enthusiasts from England who had come to dive in nearby Browning Pass, an area known for offering some of the best cold-water diving in the world. All of our exploring would be at surface level, but we felt as if our experience was just as deep.
Our pattern was to paddle several hours in the morning, enjoying the scenery and each other's company en route to a secluded spot, at which we would nosh on a lunch prepared by Shona and packed by Ellie and Serina. One of the joys of lodge-based exploring is not having to pack and unpack loads of camping gear each day. After lunch, we would paddle home in our sleek fiberglass boats, stopping to see petroglyphs or natural wonders along the way and arriving just in time for wine and cheese around the hot tub each evening.
Our day trips yielded many highlights. One morning we paddled through waters teeming with moon jellies, whose fluid movements seemed choreographed to unheard music. On another, a pocket of fog accentuated the playful streak in an otter, who popped up where we least expected, clearly winning a game of aquatic hide and seek.
And always there were the bald eagles, soaring majestically in numbers none of us had expected. During an afternoon paddle, we reached 67 before giving up on our quest to count all that we saw. It felt like they were our constant aerial companions, eager to join us on each of our journeys.
By the time departure day arrived, we appreciated all the local lore and paddling expertise our guides had imparted. We had dipped a paddle into the wild Northwest and enjoyed a multitude of flavorful moments.
