NOLS WSA 2016 Day 9 and 10

 After "Dual Head" camp we crossed the fjord over to Chenega Island. We made our first stop at an abandoned village the was hit hard at the earthquake 1964. 27 people died that day from the tsunami that hit the village and the survivors left the place. Now its a place for remembrance.

After that we proceeded to the east side of the island to a campsite opposite Squirrel Island in Knights Passage. Hard to find a good spot above the high water tide line. Me Tom and Toby did some calculations and thought we ad a foot to spare for the nights high tide. We were right! But both me and Tom went up in the night to be sure we didn't flood our tent. There was some waves hitting the beach and they came within inches of the tent. But we stayed dry and didn't have to move.
There was a full moon that night so I stayed up for an hour to film and take photos. Magical night!

A lot of bear tracks along the small river behind our camp. Also as it was maybe the hottest day most of us got int the water to have a swim after arriving. That was nice!

The next day we crossed over Knights Passage and to "Herring Point" where our next camp would be. Again a very beautiful place! All our campsites are beautiful but some just a bit more so.
I had the chance to go with Josh that day during the moving to paddle along the shore and in between small reefs and islands. Very, very nice day in the kayak.
In the evening i did some rolls in the Chilko kayak, but it is a kayak with a too high back for me to do nice rolls. But I still managed to do a few. I went to bed early that evening.

More posts from my Alaska trip:
Anchorage
Day 1 and 2
Day 3 to 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8

This beach was hit hard by the earthquake 1964

New buildings on the site of the village

A shrine 

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A class? This was after all a course.

"In the midnight hour"

Sun on the way upp over Knights Island

A hot day a I needed a swim. God temperature in the water, about 20° C.

The tents are very close to he high tide line.

We tried to have a big logg on our tarp to use as a bench

Crossing over to Knights Island

Curious sea otter

Me and Josh was exploring along the shore

Toby and Tom are cooking dinner

Long and hot day!

Bald Eagle

Sunset

NOLS WSA 2016 Day 8

Upp early to make Swedish porridge out of oats. Nice with the new rations. This day we made a day paddle to "Humpback Cove " a fjord in "Whale Bay". I paddled a double kayak this day with Amy, kind of nice to paddle with some like that once in a while. We saw a river otter getting into the trees close to shore. It was a bit too fast for me to have the camera out.

At a nice waterfall I got to wash out the salt from my shirt and Amy filled our "dromedars" with water. Beautiful place, and just after we found an even better waterfall and then one even more beautiful!

In the end of Humpback Cove was a small river where it was a small salmon run and some of the guys went fishing. I took the chance to wash myself in freshwater and walked up around a bend in the river. Undressed and took a nude dip in the cold water like "näcken". While I was standing there in the water a big salmon passed just inches from my feet and I reached down and grabbed it by the tail. I managed to get it out of the water before it slipped out of my hand. Lucky no one saw me standing there naked with a big salmon in my hand!

This was a magically beautiful place, like in the Discovery nature films. I was just waiting for a live commentary by David Attenborough! The guys got some salmon and we are going to eat nice fresh fish this afternoon. Josh also got a bunch of rockfish.
Sadly we had to leave this place and go back to our camp. While some made a fire for a barbecue Amy lead me through a yoga session. Rather nice, it was my first ever, good to stretch out my body after all the kayaking and sleeping on the ground.
In the evening we sat on the beach and just watched out over the water when a big humpback whale came along and dived down just in front of us. It was like he wanted to show himself for us.

A great day again!

More posts from my Alaska trip:
Anchorage
Day 1 and 2
Day 3 to 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9 and 10

On our way to "Orca Bay"

Josh got a rockfish.

Ugly one!

Nice waterfall

Amy is getting fresh water from the waterfall

The kayaks are headed for the bottom of the bay where a small river is coming down

Beautiful! The grass is trampled down by bear but we didn't see any.

Fishing in the small river

Lynn got one!

Dinner!

Arthur fishing

Part of the days catch

This is one reason I love Alaska

Me and Amy are collecting firewood on the way back.

Crown-of-thorns starfish

Yoga with Amy.

Whale spout

Humpback whale

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Here it's diving deep down.

Evening trips

I have done a few evening trips the last week between work.

August 17 with Friluftsfrämjandet in Lidköping. Nice tripp with some who are testing kayaking for the first time.

August 23 a solo trip in the bay of Vänersborg (Vänersborgsviken). Nice weather and I paddled a bit faster to have a good exercise. 

August 24 with Friluftsfrämjandet i Vänersborg (Sorry Lidköping, I couldn't make your trip in time). They set a new record with 55 kayaks!

August 25 was with a friend, Fredrik, to the small islands Kräcklingarna outside Mellerud on the Lake Vänern. It started with rain but by and by the weather got better. It was a lot of fun to maneuver through all the small passages in this seldom visited archipelago.  It is a bird sanctuary and you are not allowed to be there before July 31. No wind and we are past that date so we took the chance. 

It really tests your technical skills to go through the reefs and islands. Very good practice and a beautiful place.

Magnus at Friluftsfrämjandet in Lidköping

Some new kayakers are testing at paddling outside the islands. (FF Lidköping)

Me doing a solo trip

It was total 55 kayaks out this nice evening

On our way back to Vänersborg

Many nice passages at Kräcklingarna

Fredrik is doing sharp turns

Beautiful bird islands

Nice for playing with the kayak

Fredrik

Too narrow!

On our way back it was dead calm