The Adventures of Mike and Sonja

Mike's first flying video

2010-08-28T08:35:00.004-06:00

In April I started learning to paraglide at the Point of the Mountain Flight Park, a long ridge extending off the larger Traverse Mountain, about 20 miles south of downtown Salt Lake. This footage was shot on the South side of the ridge, which usually has good flying conditions early in the morning. This is the first video of me flying, so I'm keeping it simple. This is about a 30 minute flight, edited down to a couple minutes just to give everyone an idea of what it feels like!

Dexter

2010-02-10T06:37:00.007-07:00

Here are some photos of our puppy!

Buckskin Gulch Story in the Utah Adventure Journal

2009-09-13T14:24:00.008-06:00

Check out my latest feature story about Buckskin Gulch in the fall issue of the quarterly magazine, Utah Adventure Journal. The magazine is new this year, it's free, and can be found at many of the outdoor shops in Salt Lake City like REI, IME, Black Diamond, Christy Sports, Canyon Bicycles, etc. They go fast, so pick one up soon! If you're a Salt Lake local, it's definitely worth checking out. You can also read the story and see the photos on-line at their new website www.outdoorutah.com/adventurejournal.

Seattle here we come!

2009-08-20T15:20:00.004-06:00

New House Photos

2009-08-18T19:35:00.016-06:00

Hi Everybody,

There's been some interest in seeing some photos of our new house.

The specs are as follows:
0.25 Acre lot
3 Bedrooms - yeah, it's about time you came for a visit
1.75 Baths - you get your own bathroom
1,300 Square feet + 400 square feet of partially finished basement - lots of beer on tap in the basement for visitors!

Here's the front of our house:

Here's the living room:

Living room:

The kitchen:

The master bedroom: (someday we'll get our bed off the floor)

The spare bedroom:

The office:

The 3/4 bathroom:
The full bathroom:

The garden:
The patio:

The back of the house:

Headed back to Stanley, Idaho

2009-06-30T12:07:00.008-06:00

Sonja and I will be headed up to Stanley, Idaho for the 4th of July weekend. I'll be working some, guiding on the Salmon River for the Sawtooth Adventure Company, but mostly we'll just be getting re-acquainted with one of our favorite places in the Rockies! I'll be in Stanley for much of July and parts of August, so if you're interested in dropping in for a visit - it's an incredible place!

Here's what Stanley looks like in early morning when the fog has settled in the valley below the Sawtooths and there's frost on the sagebrush. (Above)

Here's a shot of SAC guide Colin cruising buffed single track on the famous Fisher Creek Trail just last week. After weeks of rain, the trail was so tacky...and fast!

And here's a couple more shots showing off all the fun stuff there is to do in and around Stanley.

This shot is of Sonja rappelling off the Finger of Fate, a rock spire above Hell Roaring Lake in the Sawtooths. The Finger of Fate is (Right)

This is me absolutely dwarfed by the scale and the mountains. (Below)

Stormy Skies in Salt Lake City

2009-06-18T12:29:00.002-06:00

Its been very Seattle-like in Salt Lake lately. I haven't looked at the figures, but I'd be willing to bet we've received way more precip here than Seattle has this month. Which is kinda cool, 'cause it feels like home, but at the same time, we moved down here to get away from all that. But regardless, we've been having these dramatic clouds moving through so I thought we'd have a little fun and try to make some punchy, dramatic photos. Here's a portrait of Sonja, done-up Strobist style.

Park City Lightning Show

2008-07-25T15:44:00.003-06:00

Check out this lightning show we experienced at Deer Mountain on Tuesday night. One of the most spectacular electrical storms I've ever watched roll by. Came over the Wasatch and then right over our heads. Great fun!

Scenics of Buckskin Gulch

2008-07-03T14:25:00.003-06:00

Hiking into the slot canyon / Group photo

2008-07-03T14:21:00.004-06:00

Buckskin Gulch

2008-07-03T14:19:00.004-06:00

Thanks to everybody who helped make this day so special for us!

2008-05-23T19:33:00.005-06:00

2008-05-23T19:30:00.003-06:00

We're Married

2008-05-23T19:26:00.002-06:00

Belize

2007-12-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

Highlights of our Belize trip:

- Snorkeling the Hol Chan Marine Reserve (part of the second longest Barrier Reef in the world) and seeing nurse sharks
- Our family's safe return from their Blue Hole Near Death Adventure
- Fly byes from huge gray and yellow pelicans
- Swimming and snorkeling in an idealistic setting all by ourselves at Geoff's Caye
- Buying Lobster and Grouper from Local Fisherman near Caye Caulker for only $3.50 per tail
- Eating conch and drinking Belikin Beer, Panty Rippers and Panty Removers at Lloyd's Bar on Caye Caulker
- Barbeques on the deck of the Cataraman "Tropi-Cat"
- Paddling in a glass bottomed sea kayak with Blue Herons, Green Herons, Egrets and Dolphins
- Eating a lobster omelette with local habanero pepper sauce while sailing North on our last day
- Spending time with the Duenwald family!

Sven & Michelle, city streets of Ambergris Caye, Britta & Michelle tanning, Goff's Caye, Sven & Sonja lounging...

2007-12-16T20:34:00.001-07:00

Brendon BBQ'n, Jeff buying fish and lobster tails, brown pelicans, a perfect sunset, Britta snorkeling and a dolphin swimming by

2007-12-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

Sven & Sonja exploring Goff's Caye, Conch shells piled on the beach, traditional Belizean mixed drinks and the family hanging out on the catarman

2007-10-25T15:05:00.002-06:00

Final Words

2007-10-17T16:13:00.000-06:00

Sept. 17th

We just finished taking a cat nap on the ferry deck under perfect skies and a warm, dry sun. From our comfortable perspective even Cape Caution appeared friendly, if not calm and welcoming. It's been fun getting to talk with some of the other adventurous souls aboard the Malaspina. It makes you wonder... Is one trip like this enough? Or is there much more to be done? These are questions that can only be answered by the passage of time. I suspect we have more big adventures in our future, having tasted the sweetness, how can we not return for more? But for now, the civilized city life sounds appealing, so that's where we'll go. (Mike)

Malaspina

2007-10-17T16:02:00.001-06:00

Photo by Deb Bayle

Sept. 15th

Our tent pad has a slight up and down vibration. Its actually part of the solarium deck aboard the Malaspina, one of the boats in the Alaska Marine Highway Fleet. We're headed home and our journey is coming to an end. That's weird to say as we're only 50 miles from Juneau, but in 2.5 days we'll be back in Seattle. What a trip! It doesn't feel like very long ago that we left Seattle bright-eyed and bushy tailed on this journey. Now the summer is wrapping up and so is this trip and Sonja and I have shared an unforgettable experience together. (Mike)

The Calm Before the Storm

2007-10-17T15:54:00.001-06:00

Indian Point, Auke Bay

2007-10-17T15:47:00.000-06:00

Sept. 14th

Our last night "out"! How fitting, it's blowing crazy hard out there right now. They're calling for 25-35 knot winds tonight and they've arrived. In anticipation of this storm, we paddled to within a couple hundred yards of the Ferry terminal. We're as close as we could possibly be and not be at the terminal. Our ferry departs tomorrow at 5:00pm which leads to thoughts of finishing and closure... (Mike)

It was super windy last night. Our night of sleep was sporadic. Luckily, we were poised for a short paddle to the terminal. Although, I was extremely surprised by how hard it was roaring in our little protected bay. We launched and were quickly blown to the other side. I'd say it was the worst conditions we paddled in all trip and I'm happy neither of us capsized. What a final paddle... (Sonja)

Coghlan Island

2007-10-17T15:43:00.001-06:00

Our second to last night out. We camped at a beautiful, sandy beach!

Mendenhall Bar

2007-10-17T15:28:00.001-06:00

Sept. 13th

Our last paddle day. The ferry terminal is in Auke Bay which is about 14 miles north of Juneau. We navigated slowly through Mendenhall Bar, waiting at times for the water to arrive so there'd be enough water beneath us in the channel.

Mount Roberts

2007-10-17T15:23:00.001-06:00

We spent a day hiking up to the top of Mount Roberts. We were treated to spectacular views of the Inside Passage from above. Perfect weather day...

Our porcupine friend

2007-10-16T16:18:00.001-06:00

We met this prickly little guy on the trail to the Mendenhall Glacier.

Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau

2007-10-16T15:09:00.000-06:00

Day 85, Sept. 7th

We've decided to end our trip here in Juneau. We ran out of good weather, motivation and time. It's just too cold, wet and windy for us to paddle out into Icy Straight. It wouldn't be safe or smart. Now we have time to explore Juneau. Here's some photos of our hike up to the Mendenhall Glacier.

Map of Our Campsites

2007-10-15T22:05:00.000-06:00

Paddling into Juneau, Alaska

2007-10-15T20:09:00.001-06:00

Day 94 - Sept 6th Taku Harbor

The journal has been stored into a damp dark corner of our VE-25 (tent). Neither of us has the desire or will to face it. We're depressed, frustrated and worn out. I'd say the weather is the main cause of these feelings. Its been rough, both the sea conditions and our emotions. We're ready to be in Juneau, but the strong SW winds keep slowing us down. We're trying to be smart and patient. We aren't ready to give up yet, we're proud of ourselves and can't wait for the ferry ride home. (Sonja)

Tiny in Comparsion

2007-10-15T20:01:00.000-06:00

Sea Lions

2007-10-15T19:55:00.001-06:00

Endicott Glacier

2007-10-15T19:44:00.000-06:00

Huge Iceberg

2007-10-14T10:45:00.000-06:00

Humpbacks!

2007-10-14T10:42:00.001-06:00

Stephen's Passage

2007-10-14T09:37:00.001-06:00

Day 91 - Sept 3rd
Today was incredible. Paddling in heavy fog with Mike navigating solely with the GPS. Winds calm, sea rippled. It stayed that way all morning until the sun came out in the afternoon. We saw SO many humpback whales today, they gave us some unbelievable shows. They're my favorite, what a kick to watch them play. We also saw a pod of orcas across Stephen's Passage. Not as close as when we were at Cape Caution, yet still a rush to see and hear them. (Sonja)

Shooting Bergy Bits

2007-10-13T21:06:00.000-06:00

These are beached bergy bits. What the hell is a beached bergy bit? They are pieces of a tidewater glacier that have broken off into the ocean, floated with the currents, and then finally been left high and dry by a low tide. What's really crazy is you can actually see the layers in the ice from when they were layed down who knows how long ago (look closely at the lower shot).

Bergy Bits

2007-10-13T20:47:00.001-06:00

Day 87, August 30th

After a day drying out in a cabin we paddled a short (15 mile) wet day to a perfect camp spot on Grand Point. The weather is the big challenge now - how do we stay warm and dry enough to finish this trip? More importantly though, will the weather stay good enough for us to want to finish? I hope so... We also both feel that by now we've accomplished something huge and our exact end point isn't so important anymore. We've paddled to Alaska together, as a couple, as friends, lovers, adventurers! We've cranked 1,000 plus miles, 3 states, 2 countries and countless bald eagles. As long as we continue to stay safe and make good decisions I don't feel like anything can tarnish this accomplishment. (Mike)

Devil's Thumb

2007-10-13T20:42:00.000-06:00

LeConte Glacier

2007-10-13T20:33:00.001-06:00

The small white bits on the surface of the water are icebergs that have broken off from the LeConte Glacier (also known as bergy bits).

Day 83, August 26th

Another awesome weather day this one with incredible mountain views. We also saw our first bergy bits in LeConte Bay. We're getting to the super cool part of this trip. I'd like to go play in these mountains. Our sunset tonight was one of the best on this trip. The light on the mountains, the reflection of the color on the clouds and the glassy water. Now the moon is shining in our tent. I hope the weather and sea conditions would stay perfect like this. (Sonja)

2007-10-13T13:31:00.002-06:00

Anan Creek Bear Observatory

2007-10-13T12:52:00.000-06:00

Day 81, August 24th

We made it to the Anan Bear Observatory and it's so worth the 910+ miles of paddling. We pulled into the bay yesterday, sorted out the cabin option and then paddled into the lagoon. We saw one black bear and lots of spawning salmon. We were lucky that the cabin wasn't reserved for the night. We set up camp in the cabin - putting our therm-a-rests on the perfectly sized bunk and cooked ourselves rice and black bean burritos. We paddled back into the lagoon and watched a black bear devour a salmon. Things were looking promising for the next morning at the viewing platform. We arrived just in time to be the first group in at 8am. As we listened to the safety talk, a black bear with a huge, gross tapeworm wandered by and than someone spotted a brown bear fishing in the lagoon. What an incredible spot. We got some amazing close-ups in the photo blind and from the platform. It's interesting to watch the bears fish as their ears flatten back and they look so focused at the task. Yet also appearing lazy as they don't want to get too wet in the river. They're incredibly beautiful and fat! Of course, there's the gruesomeness of watching them crunch on the fish as the fish continues to flap around. I sure don't feel like eating salmon tonight. (Sonja)

BEARS

2007-10-09T23:10:00.000-06:00

Frosty Bay Cabin

2007-10-09T18:36:00.001-06:00

Day 79 - August 22nd
Yesterday was a peak experience for the trip. I totally struggled in the morning, my body stretching slowly after back to back 20 mile days. My attitude was in the dumps until evening settled in, the winds calmed down and I found my groove. As we pushed on into darkness, the day went from an average day to a special once in a lifetime experience. The night was nothing short of wild. As we paddled through near complete darkness we watched transfixed as the bio-luminescence lit up the waters around our kayaks. In the perfectly calm water we could make out little wake lines pushing off our bows. With each paddle stroke an explosion of light would mark the disturbance made by our paddles, then slowly fade away in a faint trail behind each boat. The night grew darker when the moon set around 11:00pm and the fog slowly obscured the stars. As our eyes adjusted to the inky black surroundings, we began to notice the movement of hundreds of little fish around our kayaks. Their bodies leaving little tracers of
green-white light in the water. When we reached Frosty bay and paddled into the shallow water, hundreds of spawning humpies (pink salmon) splashed around our boats, their bodies thumping against the kayaks plastic shells, and scaring us half to death. It took quite some time to find the mooring dock and cabin, but we settled in to our sleeping bags by first light. The only night spent outside of a tent on the trip. (Mike)

2007-10-09T18:20:00.000-06:00

Meyers Chuck

2007-10-09T18:05:00.000-06:00

Day 77, August 20th

We met a nice couple who invited us in for biscuits and coffee in Meyers Chuck. They were from the Seattle area. We talked about our trip, how long we'd been out and our experiences. They told us it takes them 4 1/2 hours TOTAL to get there from Seattle. A little different than our 77 days out. (Mike)

Admiring the Native Art near Totem Bight Park

2007-10-08T21:50:00.001-06:00

Ketchikan

2007-10-08T21:34:00.001-06:00

Sonja and Deb paddle up Creek Street and by a 15 story cruise ship as we head out of Ketchikan.

2007-10-08T21:18:00.000-06:00

What a stellar day! The weather was beautiful, the paddle mellow and uneventful. The water here is amazingly clear. Visibility to at least 30 feet down to a sea floor that's teaming with life.

2007-10-08T21:15:00.001-06:00

Navigation

2007-10-08T20:39:00.001-06:00

Kah Shakes Cove

2007-10-07T23:09:00.001-06:00

Gilanta Rocks Cove - Day 71 August 14th

2007-10-07T23:04:00.001-06:00

The trip is fun again. We found a gem of a camp spot. My favorite of the trip. With Thailand white sand beaches, rocky protection from the open ocean, and a beautiful open forest this spot stands out as one of the best. We had an early paddle day and knocked out 13 easy, gently rolling miles by 11:30 am. The rest of the day we chilled, ate, and hydrated. We've been going pretty hard, and my right shoulder is feeling tender, but the weather is the best we've had all trip so we'll keep kickin it out. (Mike)

"Gray Beach"

2007-10-07T22:59:00.001-06:00

Day 70 - August 13th - We made it to Alaska. We're back in the States. I asked a seagull if it was American or Canadian because there isn't a set border here like most everywhere else in the world. We did see a USGS geological coastal survey marker that told us we were officially in the US. The beaches in this section are spectacular. I'd like to do a trip through here again, jumping from sandy/shell beach to the next. (Sonja)

The Man Who Fell From Heaven

2007-10-07T22:38:00.000-06:00

An ancient rock carving just above tide line an hour's paddle north of Prince Rupert.

2007-10-07T22:32:00.000-06:00

Day 68, August 11th
It was tough for me to depart Prince Rupert. Its a fun town and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. We even treated ourselves to a hotel room. It was the perfect birthday present. Plus we got ourselves a new stove and our broken tent poles are repaired and like new. All of our clothes and bodies are clean as well. Oh! Does it ever feel wonderful. I'm now back into wilderness trip mode.
In a couple of days Mike is going to arrive in Alaska for the first time in a kayak. (Sonja)

Day 66 August 9th

2007-10-07T22:20:00.000-06:00

Paddling into Prince Rupert - Finally!

Bald Eagle Swims a Fish to Shore

2007-10-07T15:17:00.001-06:00

Waiting out the N winds

2007-10-07T13:56:00.001-06:00

The helicopter delivered food drop. Photo by Deb Bayle

Day 59 - August 2nd
We peaked out at 7-8mph paddling today. I never thought we'd move so fast in sea kayaks, that's sailboat speed! This long, narrow channel really has to cook to move all that water in and out in 6 hours and we've been lucky enough to ride the Current Express. Yesterday and today have been the most effortless 30 miles of the trip. (Mike)

Day 60 August 3rd Nabannah Bay in Grenville Channel aka "The Ditch"
We're stuck in our tracks again. The wind blew hard all last night and all day today. The NW winds slowed down briefly but now it looks like the whole ditch is coated in whitecaps. The weather is once again in control. (Sonja)

Day 61 August 4th
Moving camp today was not an option. The gale force winds are still blowing...

Day 62 August 5th
The winds are continuing to howl. We've basically set up permanent camp in Nabannah Bay. I had trouble sleeping through the wee dark hours of the morning. I was worried about our trip progress, food supply and whether my mom was worrying about us...
Today we had another big adventure. We wandered around Morning Point across rocky beaches to a floating logging camp/barge. This time we swallowed our pride and told them we were short on food. I was amazed at their response. They packed us up a box and paper bag full of goodies. There was cheese wiz, frozen chicken, frozen sausages, crackers, dinner rolls, bananas, apples, strawberry jam, cocoa, chai, canned pears, nanaimo bars, carrot cake, broccoli, onion, tomatoes, butter, dates, evaporated milk, tuna, and cheddar cheese...and all this was delivered to us via helicopter! (Sonja)

Deb's Message in a Bottle

2007-10-07T13:50:00.001-06:00

August 1st, Day 58 Lowe Inlet Cabin

Deb chatted with a guy from Sandpoint, ID today. He asked where we were off to and she told him we were going to cook some food as we were getting low on snacks. As Mike was down at the water tidying our boats for the evening, the guy came over with a bag full of snack food for us. Raspberry fig newtons, caramel Dove bars, Tillamook cheese, trail mix, etc. People continue to amaze me. Thanks! (Sonja)

Rain and more rain

2007-10-07T13:11:00.000-06:00

July 31st, Day 57

The train is back on the tracks! I thought we were derailed for awhile. Sonja and I both had thoughts of throwing in the towel. The weather has been generally miserable for the last 2 weeks, culminating in 5 days of solid rain. Things finally broke this morning, and not a moment too soon. Today's weather was picture perfect and moral is on the mend. We hooked back up with the main route after a fun and worthwhile detour to Bishop Bay hot springs (sweet) and Monkey Beach Trappers Cabin (Godsend). (Mike)

Butedale

2007-10-07T13:04:00.000-06:00

Sonja Pulling into Butedale late in the day on her B-day.

July 25th, Day 50
Sven and Sonja's Birthday!

It's definitely a big day today. Sven and I both turned 30. Mike and I have paddled 601 miles so far and it's Day 50. We enjoyed a Thai tofu dish for dinner, and a kind fisherman shared a fillet of his 97 pound halibut and Deb grilled it over the fire for us. The meal was finished with gooey, rich, fudge brownies which Mike pan fried. I'll never forget this birthday spent paddling in Graham Reach followed with dinner and camping in Butedale, B.C. A town that's seen better times. (Sonja)

Song and Dance

2007-10-07T12:47:00.000-06:00

Potlatch

2007-10-07T12:38:00.001-06:00

These beautiful totems span the entrance to the Big House. We met a fun cast of characters in Klemtu. From Randal the whale bone collecting BC Ferry captain, to Tristan the Australian Inside Passage southbound solo paddler, to Jon from Ballard who was doing a 5 week kayak tour of BC's inner channels, to Pamela and Angelo, two sailors from Port Hardy who were full of stories and enthusiasm for the Inside Passage. All great interactions and good inspiration for us and our journey.

Klemtu Big House

2007-10-07T11:56:00.001-06:00

We were lucky enough to arrive in the native town of Klemtu just in time to sit in on a Potlatch celebration. We were warmly invited by the locals and got to watch an amazing ceremony! This is the beautiful Klemtu Big House glowing at dusk.

City Lights of Klemtu

2007-10-06T23:19:00.000-06:00

Early Morning Rapids

2007-10-06T23:11:00.000-06:00

Shearwater Rain

2007-10-06T23:04:00.000-06:00

We're taking a rest / catch-up day here in Shearwater. It's been raining all day and it's challenging to pack up everything in the rain and leave the comforts of civilization. But even it's raining tomorrow we're heading out. Mike is route planning as I'm writing in our journal. (Sonja)

July 17th, Day 43

2007-10-06T22:49:00.001-06:00

We're on a crazy camp spot - it's actually a helicopter landing pad on a tiny island at our northernmost point in Fitz Hugh Sound. There used to be a maned lighthouse here, yet now it's automated so we had the pad to ourselves. This marks the end of 4 days of amazing whale watching in what has to be the most densely populated Humpback waters in the world. We've been seeing between 10-20 whales a day! We've seen displays that you could never imagine without being here yourself.

We've almost finished another section of this trip, we pick up food tomorrow, and our very near our midpoint in miles and days. I have mixed feelings about this place in our journey. We're far enough in that we miss some of the pleasures of everyday life: the hot showers, the Cuisinart (thanks Sven and Michelle), refrigeration, fresh produce, beds, the securities of civilization, the Internet , lazy days of no exercise... Yet, the second half of the trip beckons and should only get cooler as we go. My resolve to finish what we started is starting to build. It's been an amazing journey so far, but the full journey, that will be the treasure. (Mike)

Namu

2007-10-06T22:38:00.001-06:00

A near ghost town. But a welcome break from the wilderness.

June 15th, Day 41

2007-10-06T22:36:00.001-06:00

The Camp that went under

2007-10-06T22:31:00.001-06:00

Our guidebook described this site as "camping doesn't get any better this", it failed to mention that during extreme high tides it's underwater...

Oyster Catcher

2007-10-06T22:22:00.000-06:00

2007-10-06T21:33:00.000-06:00

After so many days of not seeing people it's interesting to see them again. Although we do see traces as we move along such as footprints in the sand, old fire pits, and garbage washed ashore. We do think we saw Deb's camp on Brown Island with her yellow kayak. She's the only other person we know who is paddling the Inside Passage (south to north) this summer. Maybe we'll get to meet her someday! (Sonja)

Paddling around Kelp Head was a bumpy ride. Not quite the gigantic swells of Cape Caution, but still rough. It's crazy to watch the waves crash around us and sometimes they seem to crash out of nowhere. It feels like what I'd imagine a land mine field would be like. You paddle lightly hoping you won't be in the path of a crashing wave. (Sonja)

Immature Bald Eagle Model

2007-10-06T20:29:00.001-06:00

2007-10-06T20:09:00.001-06:00

Day 38 - July 12th
It probably would have been pretty amusing to see us watching the high tide approach at 11pm. I woke up to Mike outside the tent fully dressed watching the GPS tide prediction table. We quickly and reluctantly packed up most of our gear preparing to move the tent up to higher ground. While we waited Mike decided to shoot some headlamp photos (left). I guess if you aren't sleeping you might as well be spending your time wisely. Soon the tide started to retreat and we were able to crawl back into our sleeping bags. Although the loud, crashing waves sure made you wonder if we were entirely high and dry. But we were. Once again not the best night sleep. (Sonja)

Riding the rockin waters of Queen Charlotte Sound

2007-10-06T19:58:00.001-06:00

2007-10-06T19:44:00.001-06:00

Not a good day for our alarm clock to malfunction. I woke in the middle of the night and the clock read 3:30am. Then later it read 6:00am and it was still completely dark. Come to find out it had reset itself. Mike did wake up at 4:47am which still gave us plenty of time. We were determined paddlers rocking and rolling with the swell. I even felt a little seasick at times. Finally we rounded Cape Caution and my thoughts went to calmer waters which we will hopefully reach tomorrow. It's the real deal out here, just watching the waves crash against the shore and the boats in the distance appear and disappear with the swell. After a rough start things were looking up when we both thought we saw dorsal fins coming out of the water. Minutes later we were surrounded by orcas. We could hear and see so many. The black of their fins standing out distinctly against the fog and the trees. They put on a show for us, breeching and slapping their huge bodies against the water. It was absolutely spectacular. They are beautiful and graceful creatures. (Sonja)

Orca Pod near Cape Caution

2007-10-06T19:33:00.000-06:00

Day 37 - July 11th

Another wild ride. We paddled out and around Cape Caution today. According to Robert Miller's guidebook and everyone we've talked to this is the crux of the entire Inside Passage. We are in the thick of the Pacific Swell here but in 5 more miles we should reach calmer waters. I had a bit of a blunder launching into surf this morning. I hurried and mistimed my launch before I could get my paddle skirt on and a wave broke over me, knocking me sideways, filling my boat and thoroughly soaking me. Not fun. Especially before 6am. After this foreboding start, things improved drastically, though not without challenge. Light fog cleared in the first few hours and we could see huge rollers crashing into Wilkie Point and Cape Caution as we paddled well clear of land. The swell built as we neared the cape and it wasn't small to begin with. Winds stayed calm though and our early morning start paid dividends. I'll let Sonja describe the rest... (Mike)

Foggy Queen Charlotte Straight

2007-10-06T19:20:00.000-06:00

Another early morning paddle. Neither of us really woke up until we had paddled for awhile. But we paddled our heavy boats across Queen Charlotte Straight. There were lots of fishing boats out on this foggy, chilly Sunday morning. We watched a cruise ship approach from the East pass by and quickly disappear into the Sound, leaving a distinct, dark, yellow cloud of pollution in it's wake. It reminded me how low impact we're on this trip. (Sonja)

Sea Life

2007-10-06T19:08:00.000-06:00

Day 32, July 6th

Another doozy of a day! Long, hard and successful. We're tired and worn thin, exhausted from a sprint to pick up our packages at the Port Hardy P.O. But we made it, sorta. We got our packages and that's what matters. The NW wind bared it's ugly head at 10:30 this morning, a couple of hours earlier than we thought it would, leaving us several miles short of our goal. Knowing we would never make the PH P.O. by closing time we pulled out near the airport, thumbed a ride into town in a Mini-Van packed full of locals and picked up our stuff. (Mike)

Seal Start

2007-10-06T18:37:00.001-06:00

The animals that were so cool to see in Puget Sound have become ho-hum. Harbor Seals and bald eagles don't even turn our heads unless they are particularly close or in large numbers. (Mike)

Bald Eagles Everywhere!

2007-10-06T18:28:00.000-06:00

A group of at least 50 bald eagles hanging out near Qualicum Beach Wildlife Refuge on Vancouver Island, B.C.

Fourth of July Sunrise

2007-10-05T16:37:00.002-06:00

Misty Morning

2007-10-05T16:20:00.000-06:00

Early Morning Paddle

2007-10-05T16:06:00.000-06:00

Day 20, June 24th

Nothing quite compares contemplating slipping into wet, cold neoprene at 3:30am. Having been to the top of a few of Washington's higher points, I'm not completely unfamiliar with the pleasures of an alpine start. However, the major difference between starting in the wee hours with the summit within reach and an early morning paddle date is what you have to look forward to as the day wears on. This morning my motivation was completely lacking, instead of a possible "peak" experience, my best case scenario was making the 6:30am ferry (a 5-mile paddle) which would in turn bring my closer to breakfast and having a future to this trip. Not making our ferry would lead us to a less rosy reality which I'd rather not even consider. We busted it out, made our ferry, humped our kayaks out of the water onto a much larger boat, down the length of the ferry, off the ferry and down the marina dock in Powell River. (Mike)

First time Mike's in the lead

2007-10-05T15:56:00.001-06:00

The questions and doubts I had about whether or not we could handle this trip have started to slip away. It's obvious Sonja can crank out the miles, her body is a machine. I seem to be learning to keep up especially when she stops and waits for me. Our biggest challenge seems to be knowing when to say enough is enough for I think we tend to push too many miles too often. The immensity of the trip is starting to feel like something we can handle. One fifth of the miles have been paddled and we still want to go on. Right now, just off shore from our campground someone is playing Amazing Grace on the bagpipes. (Mike)

She's quiet as a seal

2007-10-05T15:39:00.001-06:00

Day 16, June 20th

And we keep paddling on and on... We ate the yummiest orange creamisicle I've ever had! Today was one of our warmest days yet. We finally got the shower we were both looking forward to. It was very short, but the water was hot and full powered. We saw so many seals this morning as well we passed our bald eagle group which we camped near last night. They still amaze me when I see their white heads sitting on a branch or flying above. (Sonja)

Eagles and seals are here in an abundance, neither Sonja or I have ever seen. It's really cool to have so many of these wild animals around us, sharing our environment everyday. Both these species would not be here if our governments hadn't enacted strong protective legislation for them. And for that I'm thankful and proud. (Mike)

2007-10-05T15:35:00.000-06:00

Day 13, June 17th

Ah, a cold beer! Nanaimo, our first big city since Seattle. It's a little weird to paddle into a city with cranes and paper mills in the skyline. It was fun drooling in the grocery store, trying not to buy the whole store, yet still get what we needed. We looked a bit silly shopping in our paddle jackets and PFD's. (Mike)

Drying Out Gear

2007-10-05T12:02:00.000-06:00

The Anatomy of a Northwest summer rainstorm: The night before on the radio you hear, "Chance of showers, SW wind 5-15 knots." The day starts off overcast, gloomy, but dry. You try to be hopeful, "Ah, there's only a chance of showers." But deep down you're skeptical, you've heard this report before and the results weren't pretty. A light rain starts to fall, just noticeable by the rings on the water's surface. You hope it'll pass just like it started and you look to the SW to see what shade of gray the clouds are. The rain slowly builds. Now your jacket is soaked and you stop and add a layer. The rain drops start to "pop" a little on the water, dragging a tiny air bubble down from the surface. You see thousands of these climbing back up in the dark green that surrounds you. Another hour passes as the "showers" unleash themselves and soak everything that is not under a man-made roof. Your hat which held out for the first couple hours now drip, drip, drips onto your face, acting more as a sponge than as a shelter. You keep telling yourself this can't last all day and crank out the miles to keep warm. You notice a lighter patch in the clouds and hope returns...the rain goes from a downpour to gently, slowly easing off. There are gaps showing in the clouds in the southwest sky, they must make it to you eventually. Somehow, while its still drizzling, your jacket is getting dryer, slowing being cooked dry from the inside out by the thousands of calories you're burning. Finally, in an act of mercy and forgiveness, the rain stops, the water is no longer coming down from above, the transition is so subtle you didn't even notice the moment it actually stopped. (Mike)

Route Planning

2007-10-05T11:55:00.000-06:00

Deer in Camp - Stuart Island

2007-10-05T11:36:00.000-06:00

We cruised the bulk of the San Juan Islands in a day! Man, 17 miles feels like a long distance sometimes. We had great weather today to make it two days in a row without rain. Caught glimpses of both the Olympics and North Cascade Mountains as we paddled, the ranges that make Washington so cool, though I don't think we'll see much of either of them this summer as tomorrow is our last day in Washington. (Mike)

Our bodies seem to be getting stronger yet our lower backs and rear ends haven't quite adjusted to the kayak position. There always seem to be many distractions to keep us going such as wildlife, currents, navigation and of course lemon drops! In a couple days we'll be in British Columbia. It already feels like quite a feat to paddle from Seattle to B.C.. (Sonja)

Strawberry Island Camp

2007-10-05T11:31:00.001-06:00

2007-10-05T11:25:00.000-06:00

Day 7 - June 12th

We were on the water early for the slack tide to cross the first half of Rosario Straight. The weather gods smiled on us, but a huge oil tanker was bearing down on us for our crossing. It was far enough down Guemes Channel that we couldn't even tell it was moving... So, we went for it. Young, free, and stupid. We cranked out the first half of the crossing and luckily the shipping lane was on the east half of the channel, but we came about as close as being run down by a monster as I ever want to be. (Mike)

Riding the current through Deception Pass

2007-10-05T11:20:00.000-06:00

Cooking in our Shelter

2007-10-05T11:09:00.000-06:00

Today was truly crazy, scary, shit. We cruised pumping out 20 miles with a helping wind at our backs, but the last 2 miles the wind became too helping, pushing 20 knots plus and trying it's hardest to take us down. We stayed afloat and established our comfort level. 15 knot winds tops please. We made it to Ala Spit and we're poised to squirt through Deception Pass and into the San Juans. (Mike)

Eagle Attack

2007-10-05T11:00:00.000-06:00

Day 3 - June 7th

I think this trip will be challenging most, if not everyday. Today we work up to super saturating mist and an outright depressing morning. So wet! Strong headwinds and a fighting current made us feel like we were battling a giant all day long.

I was struck today by the amazing forests that blanket the SE part of Whidbey Island. As the fog cleared in the late morning it had a magical feel. There are SO many bald eagles in these islands. Hard to believe they were once on the brink. They definitely appear to be thriving. (Mike)

2007-10-05T10:54:00.000-06:00

Day One: The first day is in the bag. We paddled from Elliot Bay Marina to Meadowdale. And what a first day it was. From downpours, to headwinds, to chilly conditions, to currents and swells... But we made it - paddling over 16 miles. You know it wasn't so bad. Although I think we might be a touch sore in the morning. (Sonja)
I've never seen so much wildlife in a single day... And this is only urban Puget Sound. A dozen harbor seals, at least 8 bald eagles, 4 osprey and the grand prize, Hershel: the California sea lion, who is famous for feasting on Lake Washington salmon, was snoring away the morning on a huge buoy near the Ballard Lockes. (Mike)

The Trip Begins

2007-10-05T10:44:00.000-06:00

June 5th, 2007

It's finally here, our trip begins today! We planned and schemed, worried and wondered, and thought this trip through in every way we could imagine. Now we're ready to depart on our journey... The Inside Passage. It's scary really, to commit ourselves to a trip of this proportion. It's so big. That's what makes it so cool and so terrifying all at the same time. (Mike)

Whose idea was this anyway? To paddle the Inside Passage and spend 3 months living the simple life with only our possessions which fit into our kayaks. It's been crazy getting prepared for this trip in both fun and challenging ways. But tomorrow we're headed out from Slip M77 at Elliot Bay Marina. Our first camp spot is Meadowdale. Here we go... (Sonja)

Engagement Photo

2007-10-05T10:20:00.001-06:00

This is when we got engaged in our favorite National Park / climbing area - Joshua Tree.