Ready for the off Tuesday, July 17, 2007

It's nearly 3pm and we're still here in Queen Charlotte City. You wouldn't believe how difficult it is proving to get my small waterproof camera system which I mount on my kayak delivered to me here. It was meant to be here at the start of the trip 13 days ago now and it's still not here. Apparently it's finally on the island in Masset, about an hours drive from here, but geting our hands on it is proving difficult. As Shawna says in her positive way, adventres aren't always in our kayaks! I'm hoping to be able to be reunited with it soon so we can get underway, or arrange to have it delivered to us tomorrow and we'll still be by a road for part of the day ( if we don't paddle too far!). I have been filming with a handheld camera on the water and have got some lovely wildlife and scenery shots but I look forward to ( hopefully ) having the exciting action shots to go with it as we go around Moresby island.

It's been fun in Queen Charlotte City ( which is really more like Queen Charlotte village). We've stayed at the Premiere Lodge where we've been looked after well and allowed to spread out all our kayaking stuff all over the lawn! Amazingly I met a guy, Alwyn who lives 2 miles away from me in Wales, and we've chatted to lots of great local people. Yesterday I hitched a ride to Skidegate where my camera was meant to have been delivered. Doug picked me up, a guy who has lived here since 1968. I told him we hadn't caught any fresh fish because we decided $110 was too expensive to buy a fishing license, but we hoped to be able to buy some from local fishermen. Next thing I know, he's taking me to his workshop where he had just cut up 6 huge salmon that he'd caught that morning. He opened the chest freezer and the entire bottom was covered in huge chunks of pink fish. He handed me one of the biggest pieces, which was enough to feed a small army, and wouldn't accept any money for it ( or give me a smaller chunk). So we cooked it on the BBQ at Premiere lodge with some baked sweet potatoes and salad and it filled the stomachs of 6 of us. Thank you very much Doug if anyone happens to tell you about this blog!!


Eating has been high on our agenda for the last few days - actually on the whole trip, but back in town we're eating 2 big meals a day and lots of snacks. We've just returned from a huge plate of food at the Sea Raven restaurant. There are also loads of fantastic shops here packed with interesting Haida artwork and books. In Skidegate there is a new herritage centre where they are building 4 replica Haida canoes at the moment. We saw the men at work this morning and it looks amazing - they were just getting the basic outline on these huge cedar logs by chipping away with an axe. When we get back we'll have a proper look around all the shops and the museum. I probably won't post again today - unless we end up staying here, or I end up hitching to Masset and back to get my camera... I'll post again once we're in a new location!

5PM UPDATE - I got my camera!! Thank you so much to John Gamba, Philip Mutton, Mike DuPas and Mook at the Heritage Centre for all their help with that. We're just about ready to go now and will be on the water by 6 or 7pm. We're just going to paddle about 4 or 5 miles East to Torrens Island where we're told there's a tombolo we can camp on! The forecast for the next few days is good so we'll head on down the East coast of Moresby! Bring it on!!!