Here we are round two on Vancouver Island. For those that don’t know, and most don’t, Vancouver Island has some of the best creeking you will find anywhere! After a recon mission about a month ago I came back but this time I brought a little friend with me, Mr. David Nieuwenhuis. Now you are probably aware that Dave isn’t exactly what you call a ‘creeker’. That part I was willing to teach him. What I didn’t know was that Dave also isn’t exactly a very good roommate, especially when you are living in a van together. So a quick little summary, Day 1- pick up Dave from the Airport, buy all the gear he needs to creek (pin kit) catch the ferry and sleep on the side of the road in the van. Day 2- Drive to the Gordon river (after Dave sleeps in until about 11:30), arrive late decide to sleep there and boat with some of the locals the next day. In the meantime Dave learns a valuable lesson about what type of leaves to wipe your butt with. Actually he didn’t really learn his lesson until three days later when he finally changed his underwear and realized his folly. Gross. Day 3- We finally get on some water when some of the locals (Lewis, Bob, Steve, Gill, and Matt) come and run the Upper Gordon with us. Taking our time Lewis and I gave our 2 cents to Dave about creeking and he was running the Gnar in no time. My little guy is all grown up. Day 4- Dave and I stepped it up a bit and ran the Upper and Middle Gordon. The Middle Gordon is probably one of my favourite creeks of all time. It has lots of fun drops in a committing canyon with water that you can drink (and not pay for it two weeks later). With rains on the way we decided to head up to Tofino and let the rivers rise while we played in some of the amazing breaks. On the drive there I noticed a ‘drifting’ sensation. I looked at the tires and they seemed fine so we kept on keeping on. After awhile though it was getting a bit scary so we wheeled into a gas station to check the tire pressure. One was only about 20psi too low and the other didn’t register on the gauge. Sweet. We topped up and spent the night in a small camp spot near Port Alberni. Day 5- In the morning (after another night of Dave trying to spoon with me in the van) dave went for quick rinse in a lake (which was surrounded by the highway, allowing lots of drivers a pretty good view of, well, not much) and I tried to make breakfast. Luckily dave managed to break my stove so we packed up and resorted to some chocolate for breakfast. Before leaving we had to, of course, pump up the tire again. Off to Canadian tire for yet another patch. Luckily it only took about 20mins. Unluckily we left and noticed 10mins later that the other tire had a small rock puncture in it as well. Déjà vu. Repeat previous steps. Finally on our way to Tofino where Dave surprised some of his University pals. They sure looked surprised but strangely not in a good to see you kind of way. Awkward. Day 6- begins with a load of rain and heavy wind warnings which translates into some big ocean waves. Dave and I unstrap the playboats for the first time of the trip and get dished some epic beatdowns. We both got some good waves and at the very least provided some entertainment for those watching from the warmth of there hotel rooms that overlook the break. Check out just a few pics and keep tuned for more. Yee Haw. Okay off to the next mission. After another day in the ocean with both of us getting some really great rides (sorry no pics or vids too hard to handle) Ben shows up sans gear just in time for us to head back to Nanaimo. With Ben waiting on gear we decided to check out Englishman River Falls, and Little Qualicum. Both were on the high side of good but with fading light we accepted that we weren’t going to have time to run them safely. Just as we were leaving our scout from Qualicum I hear someone yell across the canyon at me “hey Dan, you got an extra paddle?”. I look up and realize it’s one of the locals I met on the trip before Shayne. After catching up he tells us the Puntledge will be releasing for the next three days and invites us over for the night. Sweet score. Shayne gives us the skinny on all the features and bright and early we are off for a run. At the put in I go over with Ben, who was driving shuttle, the directions one more time. The conversation goes “turn right at the first road, right at the next road, and right at a third road and pick us up at the bridge.” Ben seems to comprehend. After a quick run (which was fun but way too one shot to be a great playboat run) Dave and I take out at the bridge and look for a van with kayaks on it. No dice. We talk to a few ladies who are working construction and they tell us they saw him drive by there awhile ago. No really its fun to stand in the cold rain for half an hour. Honest. So Dave and I paddle down to the next bridge and luckily Ben was there. “Sorry guys, I thought you said here.” I must say though, compared to Daves’ navigational skills Ben is way more on the ball. It’s funny because at first Dave seems to know what he’s doing until after about 30 minutes when he will state, “yeah, I really don’t know where we are” at which point I’ll have to pull over and tell him. It’s really kind of sad not being able to read a map. He’s young, he’ll learn. So tomorrow we are hoping to get on the Cameron for some more creeking. Ben still doesn’t have any gear but I’m sure he’ll have fun hanging out on logging roads. Good times. Dave and Ben are out scouting the puntledge for another wave to see if, with more water, it would be better since there is another, bigger release, in two days. That’s it for now. So the Cameron was a big old bust because the water was too high. At least we got to set up a carport shelter in the dark in the pouring rain for the first time. After a late morning again, we got about 5 kilometres up the logging road before that all too familiar pulling sensation took over the van. For those keeping score at home we are now up to 4 flat tires. This one, however, is different since after we pumped it up we only managed to go about a kilometre. Awesome. So to paint a more accurate picture I’m stuck in a van with Dave and Ben, in the middle of NOWHERE, in the pouring rain with no cell phone service. My lucky day. So after some soul searching I sat in the van while Dave and Ben tried to get the spare out from under the van. After a lot of struggling and choice words, we couldn’t get it. Luckily about an hour later a guy named Steve pulled over to help us out. We decided to take the tire off and pay Steve to drive us into town to get it repaired. I elected to sulk in the van while Dave and Ben ventured into the unknown. Upon their return it was nice to learn that Steve (who had no licence or insurance and a gun in his truck) was a okay. So after buying a used tire (the wrong size, but what do you expect when you send those guys) we were back on track. Unfortunately due to lack of light we didn’t get any boating in today. But at least we did a lot of driving for nothing and gas is super expensive. Alright, next day we are back at it and managed to get a couple park and hucks under our belt. After sleeping under a bridge at Mill Stream we woke to a great set of steep slides. Now, before I forget, you should know that Ben has been sleeping outside in a ‘carport’ tent thing that attaches to the side of the van. It seemed like it would be a good thing at the time however Dave and Ben still take about 37minutes to get it set up and it isn’t exactly a ‘stealth’ operation. Fun times. Did I mention that Dave has also been having issues with nocturnal emissions? I’m flattered but more than a little scared. Oh yeah, the slides, I’d love to show you some pics but unfortunately Dave and Ben can’t get it together. After running it 3 times I have a total of 0 video and 2 pics. Thanks guys, you’re swell. Keeping our gear on after our run we booked it to a sweet 25footer on Goldstream. After a long carry with the boats (because a gate was closed) we were looking at a super nice drop with a really ugly pile of logs at the bottom. Feeling good about it I managed to hike/scramble/rappel into place (having to swim with my boat across the top of the drop a few times) and was ready to go. With video and photo safety set up I dropped in. I went DEEP and managed to have my paddle get ripped out of my one hand. Luckily I had a quick roll just in time to lean on the logs and push myself over. Dave, after seeing my lovely line opted not to run. Probably a smart decision but it still has earn him the nickname of Gnarwalk (its like the virus). I, however, wasn’t too happy with my line so climbed back up and dropped it again, this time how I wanted to. Later that night we checked out the footage- in two runs no pics and 1 okay video shot. No really thanks guys, I really don’t like pictures anyway. Next mission, the drop on Banon creek that runs into the Chemainus. So when I saw it last it was a mellow 35foot slide into a placid pool at the takeout of the copper canyon run. When we woke up and checked it out it had become a massive behemoth of a rapid with big holes, chunky rocks, and landing into the uber flood Chemainus. Game on. After looking at it from shore and deciding there might be some wood in it, Dave and I made a tough ferry across to check it out. After some sketchy scrambling and rope work we had a really good look at her, and sure enough there was a tree right where you needed to be. Luckily I was smart enough to not bring my saw with me. I think Dave is rubbing off on me. So after going back and getting the saw Dave and Ben set up safety and I cut the tree out. One last look at my line and it was go time. I hit the top hole hard and managed to keep it upright until that last hole, and good thing too. A quick roll, a backferry away from some trees, and a refitting of my skirt (it half blew in the top hole) and I could finally get out a fist pump yeee hawwww. Dave stepped up next and after scouting together (he still wants me to hold his hand) he decided on a more right line, staying out of the first big hole (not really a gnarwalk but close). Daver styles it. Lets go looking for more. After a stop at the Laundromat (our new favourite hang out) we cruised back to the Gordon in hopes of running the 30 footers on Bugaboo creek. Another crappy logging road and snowy night later we awoke to discover that the water was way too high. We might have been able to run the drop but than would have been swept away by the Gordon river. Fun times. Alright, back to Duncan to regroup but lets not take the bad logging roads, instead lets drive a different way. This was probably my stupidest idea ever. We ended up driving by the Harris and on the worst road I’ve ever seen. We were literally doing 5km/h and I was losing my mind. It took us over 2 hours to go 25km. Can you say ‘waste of a day’? Luckily we arrived at the Cowichan and there was a fun little 15foot drop right at the takeout. Dave was living up to his Gnarwalk nickname (aka Luke Gnarwalker) and Ben didn’t feel like getting wet so I decided I’d fire it up for some pics. Run 1, decent line but really bony, Ben gets the Vid Dave gets no shots. Perfect, run it again. Run 2, Ben gets the vid, Dave didn’t have the camera on. Sweet, I love bony drops, especially when my boat is being held together with duct tape. Run 3, Ben gets the vid, Dave gets 3 out of focus shots. Wicked. I hate my life and my ankles are sore. After spending a night in Nanaimo and Ben making some interesting friends in the parking lot during his sleep among picnic tables in an open walled ‘building’ we were off to the Cameron. It was a sunny day and things looked promising. Ben finally had his playboat and the level looked good. Ben offered to run shuttle (yeah he’s not quite right or something, I mean seriously, who does that?) and actually got a ride from our very own buddy Steve. Yup, our no licence, gun-toting buddy was going snowmobiling up the mountain with the misses. Good times. Quickly after putting on I think Ben understood what I meant when I told him ‘ I wouldn’t want to use my playboat on a run like this. You could but, I wouldn’t’. Yup, the Cameron is a scenic, steep run with lots of ledges and boulder gardens that, every now and then tightens up her belt and starts to bang. About two drops in I had that old sinking feeling. Yeehaw, a new crack. A quick stop held the leak for a while but by the end of the run I literally had to empty my boat out every 2 minutes, no exaggeration. At the takeout I realized I had 2 more cracks I hadn’t seen. This might be the end of the old girl. Luckily for Dave and Ben, me getting out lots meant lots of pics for them. After a brutal hike out (the takeout really, really sucks) we were back in the venture and off to Port Alberni in search of a Laundromat. Walking up to the sounds of a peaceful lake and a rushing highway, we headed to little qualicum falls in hopes that the water dropped a bit making them a reasonable level. Unfortunately as is the case many times when creeking the levels didn’t cooperate. When attempting back to back 30 footers it is best to have the proper levels. We opted instead to go check out her little cousin, Englishman River falls. Englishman is a fun 25+ park and huck with an easy entrance and a boily runout. After we all ran it numerous times (with me claiming the only working) we packed up and headed to Naniamo one last time. After checking the internet and seeing a super cheap fairy for 6:30 in the morning, we slept, sitting upright in the parking lot waiting until morning. Now you might think that sleeping in a chevy venture, without being able to tilt your seat back, with 2 stinky guys is a good time. I’d like you to read this next line very carefully. Go to a motel and spend the money! Your sanity is worth it. Driving off one ferry and right back on to another and we were on our way to the might hamlet of Egmont. Egmont isn’t exactly party central. So far I’ve seen three people, one kid with squeaky shoes and either a seal or a piece of wood in the water. Part-a. For those that aren’t fortunate enough to know, however, Egmont is the launch point for the infamous skookumchuk narrows and tomorrow will be my first time on her lovely face. The water won’t be at great levels for a few days but at least it’s cold and snowy. What do you get when three idiots decided to head out and find a really popular, can’t miss wave? Three idiots paddling flatwater for 1.5 hours, going past the wave, finding the wave, waiting for it to get good, it not happening, than hiking out for an hour until the next day. Good times. So as it turns out our tide chart was a day off of the real one. (Dave’s fault…. No make that Ben’s). We learned some valuable lessons though : We found where the wave is, we found out that its more like paddle-a-lot-of-flatwater-play than park and play, and the scenic hike out takes about an hour. Hopefully my diet of granola bars, peanut butter, and a can of noodles will sustain all the activity. Alrighty, neato gang! Yesterday (our 3rd day out) skook finally started to give up the goods. The previous two days we didn’t really manage more than front surfs due to the level (not our abilities, honest). Our posse has also doubled in size with Marc, Johnny, and Sam making the trip to complete the Ottawa river reunion. It’s pretty safe to say that the BUK crew are the first to surf the ole girl this year (moleman and friend joined yesterday but other than that we were the first). After our first day of disappointing levels we went to the backeddy pub to catch up. Luckily someone remembered about the infamous skook burger and it was game on. Me, Marc, Johnny and Sam each got one while Ben and Dave filled up on a can of tuna and Peanut Butter and Maple Syrup sandwiches. Marc and Sam’s performances were admirable, finishing off there monster 10oz burger in good form (even though they only got salad not fries with it). Johnny struggled but pretty much did the job and I, the smart (and good looking) one of the bunch saved half of mine for breakfast so I didn’t slip into a food coma. Dave and Ben actually had puddles of drool at there feet as they watched us stuff ourselves. Hmmmm, Skook burger. Anyway, the wave. Yesterday she was a bit foamy but still good for air, and everyone having some good rides. Pics tell the story better anyway. By: Dan Caldwell Photos by: Dan Caldwell, Ben Fraiser and Dave Nieuwenhuis Vancouver Island
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