DAY 58 TO DAY 61: KAH SHAKES COVE TO MEYERS CHUCK

12th July 2023

7th July: Day 61
Caamano Point to Meyers Chuck 
Distance 36.5km

Day of days! This has to be one of the best days of kayaking ever!! Where to start? This day was filled with magic, awe and wonder! The depth of the mountain ranges lining your left and right! The infinity pool effect in all its glory! Polished glass to paddle on, flow helping you gently, the mist on the mountains so fine it looks like a blanket spun by a million spiders! One mountain getting dwarfed by the four mountain ranges behind! Snowcapped peaks, the cliffs towering over this rugged landscape! Paddling in silence, the flotilla of kayaks carving their way through the water, the sound your paddle makes when you skim it across the surface, the glimmer as the water droplets fall from your paddle! That feeling of being in the wild! Then the excited shouts! Whales! Whales! 12 o clock from your position – this massive tail crashing down, water spraying into the air! Then another then another then another! Seeing these beautiful creatures breaching then diving – their massive bodies gliding through the water! A pod of four humpback whales! Coming together their massive jaws opened breaking the surface! The sound they make reverberating through your core! Echoing through the channel! We sat in silence taking in this spectacle! Stopping for lunch we saw these gentle giants of the deep just play and feed up and down the channel! Lunch done, slurp of coffee and back on the water, we followed the coastline, our paddles breaking the surface, these little silver fish just out of reach under our kayaks – next moment a flash of white and yellow eagles take the opportunity to try and bag an easy lunch! Swooping down without a sound! The amount of salmon we saw jumping out of the water the sun, shimmering of their scales. Two sea lions barking at us as we paddled past! We are making good time – next moment a shadow catches our eye! Whispering to each other take a hard right let’s go investigate! Have to be certain! A massive black bear just turning over boulders looking for food! Using your paddle to signal! On me! Close in on me! Approach from downwind, dip that paddle in as softly as possible don’t make a noise! Arc your way in! Take your time don’t rush your stroke! We just sat and looked at the raw power this massive paw just swiping boulders out of its way! Camera at the ready! The bear notices us looks at us with no care in the world and continues looking for food! After about ten minutes the bear just saunters back into the forest! The smiles on everyones’ faces!!! Back to paddling we still have a couple of hours to go! The glee and joy is indescribable! You forgot about the whales didn’t you? Well so did we until they breached about 50 foot away from us! The noise they make is like music! Catch your breath! Take in everything! This is memories!! This is beauty, poetry and music rolled into one! Sitting on a washed up log for dinner looking out – this was a day of days! Today was a great day!!!

6th July: Day 60
Ketchikan To Caamano Point Cleveland Peninsula 
Distance 32.5km

Leaving Ketchikan it was pure madness on the water! Seven Cruise Liners, countless speed boats, one hovercraft, one helicopter, four tug boats and five seaplanes! The noise was deafening!! To get out we had to paddle through the channel which just funnels the wind! So yes we had another couple of hours just putting that paddle in and again and again! I stopped looking at my watch and just kept on paddling – before you know it we paddled 13km and stopped for lunch. A little rest – we have a 12km open water crossing next!! At this time all of the team hates open water crossings! Once you start there is only one way and that is forward! You are tapping out a tempo and you keep that going until you have a water stop an hour in! Then it’s back in formation and keeping that tempo and your mind wonders your body aches! Keep moving forward, keep putting that paddle in! 

5th July: Day 59
Ketchikan 

The day was spent doing admin – washing and drying of kit and clothing; sorting out immigration at passport control; working out the next eight days routes and picking up food supplies. Whilst we were sorting out our kit and equipment we had a visit from a very soft spoken gentleman! Wilfred – now that man can fill a room with his presence and the way he tells a story; I hope I can do him justice whilst I retell the story he shared with us!
All the elders and the tribe sat around a fire and discussed how they can get trees on the mountain. They had loads of ideas so the first tree was planted and the wind blew it down the mountain! A little girl pulled on her grandmother’s gown – “I know, I know what to do!” “Go away child” was the reply! The tribe placed another two trees on the mountain – the rain swept them away. The little girl pulled harder on her grandmother’s gown! “I know what to do!” The reply was the same: “go away child!” The tribe planted three more trees on the mountain and the snow swept them away! This time the little girl was pulling harder on her grandmother’s gown and getting louder! “I know what to do! I know what to do!” Eventually the grandmother had enough! And asked that the little girl be heard! This little girl stood in front of the elders and the tribe and said with a voice that boomed! “Why don’t we just hold hands with the tree spirits so we can support and nourish it whilst the roots take hold into the soil of mother earth!” The tribe did this and the trees took hold! There is a valuable lesson in this! Take someone’s hand, give them love and support and help them grow into this giant that will be able to weather all storms! Taking someone’s hand, creating that connection, giving love and showing kindness! I am a better man because of the people I have met on our journey!
This led onto another story: every time, before he gets onto the water, he washes his face with the water! I asked why? The response was water flows everywhere, it connects every living thing! It creates new pathways, it connects us with the past and the present! It is like for me when I dip the paddle in the water for the first time in the morning! 

4th July : Day 58 
Bold Island To Ketchikan 
Distance 21km

When mother nature doesn’t play the game, today was one of the hardest paddling days we experienced! The wind was howling – I can only describe it as relentless sadness! The feeling of pushing a pea through custard – that was our whole day! From when we started until we ended in the harbour! Every inch was fought for, every inch gained was earned! Every fibre of your being crying out! Every sinew and muscle stretched to breaking point! Every callus on your palms tells a story, every scar nick and cut adds to your story! Then that human kindness from the American Legion Post number 3! Hunter, Deb and Jonesy! That making of relationships and our shared military past and hearing stories, sharing laughter! Thank you so much for hosting us!
You are amazing – all this was done whilst sorting out all the 4th of July Independence Day Celebrations! 
Ketchikan was Alaska’s first town and seeing it all decked out in red white and blue was a sight to behold! And the fireworks – wow!! It was such a great feeling to not put up a tent and sleep on a level floor! I worked it out the last time I slept in a bed was the 17th April!! 

3rd July: Day 58
Kah Shakes Cove to Bold Island 
Distance 41.2 km 

When you went to bed after watching a beautiful sunset, bonding with the team over dinner, hearing their stories and sharing the laughter fighting the plague of mosquito’s you go to sleep that zzzzz as you zip up the sleeping bag the moss underneath the tent creating a little cosy mattress! Then it’s time to write! You are alone in your thoughts and processing the day’s adventure, the challenges of being on the water, being away from friends and loved ones! Dealing with your most inner thoughts! You look back at the day and it brings a smile to your face! You have just kayaked 41km’s through this beauty! All you can see is snowcapped mountains! Islands that blend into one! You can’t help but fall in love with the surroundings, the peace and tranquillity that you experience after a draining day on the water! And it was a draining day! Unworkable camps, boats that were racing up and down! Then you are pushing out an extra hour on the water to find another campsite! A valuable lesson I learned: always keep something in the tank and don’t eat all your snacks!!! The highs you get on the water are immeasurable – however the lows! The lows are soul destroying! Then a something happens that rips you back to reality! Shouts go up and down the formation: we have a problem with one of the rudders on the double! Then everyone switches to a higher gear! A towline gets hooked onto the bow, spray deck gets popped, cut the line and tie another knot – let’s go!!! Quick check and it is fixed on the water! Then you look up and the last bit of sun creates this golden staircase and shimmering sparkles on the water! Turn the headland and there is your campsite!!