Clara Hughes

THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME: THE INSIDE PASSAGE

Spring 2006

The Inside Passage, to Skagway, Alaska

Last spring, after the Olympics were over, my husband Peter Guzman and his good friend Andrew Rose set out on a kayak trip that made the Games seem like a walk in the park. The plan was to begin paddling just south of the Canadian border and make their way up the 2000km length of what is considered The Inside Passage, to Skagway, Alaska.

Even I could not get the real story out of Peter before he left. Because he is so humble, coupled with deep respect and possibly a bit of fear of what lay ahead, Peter refused to talk about the enormity of the trip. He would just say ‘we’re just going to start paddling and see what happens. It could be a few weeks; it could be a few months’. It’s safe to say that Andrew was the same: quiet yet completely focused. For me, coming from the boastful world of sport, it was refreshing to see two guys pursue such an awesome endeavour, yet feel no need to broadcast to all of those around what they were going to do. Instead, they just did it, paddling the 2000kms in three months. Even now, it took some prodding to get the story of the trip. I had to go to Andrew with these questions, knowing Peter would never put his recollections to print.

What their trip represents to me is much like what the Olympics mean to me: the ultimate pursuit of a very personal dream. I hope you enjoy some of the insights into their trip as much as I do.

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THE INSIDE PASSAGE according to Wikipedia:

The Inside Passage of the Alaska Panhandle and coastal British Columbia is a coastal route for oceangoing vessels along a series of passages between the mainland and the coastal islands. Ships using the route can avoid some of the bad weather in the open ocean, and visit the many isolated communities along the route. It is heavily travelled by cruise ships, freighters, fishing craft and ships of the Alaska Marine Highway and BC Ferries systems. The name Inside Passage is also used to refer to the ocean and islands around the passage.

The Alaskan portion of the Inside Passage, in the north, extends 500 miles from north to south and 100 miles from east to west. The area encompasses 1,000 islands, 15,000 miles of shoreline and thousands of coves and bays. British Columbia’s southern portion of the route is of similar extent, and includes the narrow, protected Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland, as well as the wider and more exposed Hecate Strait near the Queen Charlotte Islands.

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Interview with Andrew Rose

Clara: Where did the idea of this kayak trip come from?

Andrew: Like most trips, the idea for this one was dreamed up while on another journey. My long time travel partner, Peter Guzman, and I were taking the ferry up the Inside Passage to Skagway, AK, to begin a paddling trip down the Yukon River. That was in 1999 and we were very green paddlers. Our technical skills were non-existent and I think that while on the ferry, looking down at the ice-cold blackness of the Passage, we were both terrified. It seemed so out of reach, but the enormity of the ocean got us talking late into the evenings about how great it would be to one day paddle up this great body of water.

Clara: What were the first few days on the ocean like?

Andrew: Our first time ever kayaking on the ocean was the first day of this trip. So the unfamiliarity left us feeling a little nervous. At the same time, it was incredible to be out there on a trip that had been dreamed about for so long. All of our kayak training in lakes and rivers, studying of ocean currents and tides and researching of gear was done. Our dream of paddling the Inside Passage had officially begun. We were grinning from ear to ear.

But, our confidence was still low at this point on the trip. Navigation was a big concern the first few days. The currents along the Passage are some of the strongest in the world and we really wanted to make sure that we didn’t wander into an area that we had no business being in. More than anything, we wanted to give the ocean the respect that it deserved.

We kept the mileage low for the first week and spent more time in camp than on the water. We practiced rescue procedures in the water near camp and spent time fine-tuning our gear. On the water the abundance of marine life was overwhelming. I felt like a child, asking incessant questions about what I was seeing. It was an incredible period of the trip.

Clara: Do you have a different view of the ocean after a trip like this?

Andrew: I didn’t set off on this trip with many preconceived notions of what I was going to experience, I really didn’t know. I suppose I was like most people before this trip, perhaps in awe of the mystery of the ocean, but lacking any real knowledge.

The ocean is more personal now. Because of this trip I certainly have a deeper love and appreciation of all that it is and does for this earth. You see and experience things in a kayak that you never could in a larger craft. You feel the swell of the ocean underneath you, the hand numbing cold of the water and are eye level with any curious creature that decides to check you out. In short, you feel very, very small at times and that makes you highly attentive. So, with time you begin to learn the character of the water. Eventually the fear of the unknown waned and a profound respect grew. I’ve only scratched the surface. I’ll spend the rest of my life learning about the ocean and how to kayak along its surface.

Clara: What is your favourite memory from the trip?

Andrew: That’s a tough one. There are so many warm memories. I just loved being out on the water, day in and day out. The Passage is an incredibly beautiful spot on earth. We met some great characters in villages along the way and always were lent a helping hand when we needed it. There were fond encounters with wildlife also that I will never forget. The best memory is thinking of the trip in its entirety. It was an incredibly special summer in a very brief life.

Clara: Did you have any frightening experiences with weather?

Andrew: Not really, primarily because we were focused on safety more than any one thing. If the weather radio called for bad weather we stayed in camp. And if the weather kicked up when we were on the water, to the point that we were nearing the limit of our abilities, we immediately headed for shore. We were always looking at our maps and charts for places to land should the weather turn bad. There was no deviation from this; we wanted to always respect the power that the ocean has. It was a conservative approach and it worked really well for us. Watching the storms from shore was humbling. I was very content lying in my tent, waiting out the weather.

Clara: What kind of animals did you see?

Andrew: Much of the Passage is a garden of wildlife. There weren’t many days on the water without a curious harbour seal surfacing behind our kayaks or a bald eagle flying high above our heads. Peter is a passionate birder and was always pointing out a species that I had never seen. Wolves shyly visited our camp a few times. In the northern reaches we kayaked near massive Humpback whales and porpoises. Sea Lion colonies were a real treat, from a distance. Their “roar” commands instant respect but somehow always made me smile. We saw Grizzly and Black bear… it’s an endless list.

Clara: What was the most difficult aspect of the trip?

Andrew: Keeping myself from binging on food when in a resupply town!
      
Clara: Do you have plans for another ocean kayak trip?

Andrew: Peter and I call and email each other weekly with future trip ideas. Once the savings account is full again, I’ll be knocking on his door with paddle in hand. I have so much to learn. I would just like to continue to grow as a paddler and experience nature while on the sea – wherever that may be.