My Inaugural Kayak Trip with Talaysay Tours
A Quiet Moment on the Salish Sea
I sat quietly in my kayak, eyes closed, swaying gently with the Salish Sea, listening to a lone loon song echoing off the towering granite cliffs beside me. The sun was hot. I was grateful for the warm breeze and occasional shade brought by the puffy cumulus clouds high above us. I opened my eyes and tried my best to savour this moment between refreshing sips of cool water.
Kayak Manager, Jonathan, demonstrating self rescue procedure to our guests.
Image courtesy of Trent Maynard
A Rainy Blessing
Our adventure began the previous afternoon with a gift from the sky. I lifted my face to greet the rain, choosing to accept it as a blessing for a safe journey, grateful our group was in good spirits despite the downpour. I think getting all of our gear sorted and packed before the skies opened up definitely helped.
A rainy start for our journey to smait.
Image courtesy of Blythe Wilde
Kayaking Into smait
I know these waters better than I know the land. However, during all of the SCUBA dive trips I had been privileged enough to be part of in Jervis Inlet, we would navigate with digital charts, radar, and a depth sounder, powered by twin 150-horsepower Yamaha outboard motors. This trip was completely different.
I held my paddle in my hands inviting a union. Become an extension of my arms, I silently asked. Help me safely explore smait (Hotham Sound) by kayak, under my own steam. I think it worked.
Enjoying all the shades of grey.
Image courtesy of Trent Maynard
Mornings Filled With Song
I cherished the first hours of each day, waking to the sound of a dawn chorus that made me feel as though I had been magically transported in my sleep to the tropics. I quickly learned from my friend, ornithologist and co-guide Blythe, that many of the birds I heard were indeed from tropical places, visiting us along their migratory path.
I don’t recall ever hearing more birds singing to the sunrise here in the Pacific Northwest, and it was a welcome change to the seagulls, crows, and mourning doves of East Vancouver.
Listening to Frail Falls while and overlooking smait.
Image courtesy of Rena St. Clair
Spirit Baths at First Light
I found solace taking spirit baths at first light, our emerald ocean holding me gently for a quiet moment before our camp began buzzing with anticipation and activity. A cool dip in the sea is the perfect way for me to start any day.
Ruby delights in an early morning spirit bath.
Image courtesy of Trent Maynard
A Feast in smait
I had heard stories of places along the Salish Sea where the fish were so plentiful it appeared as though the water sizzled. I didn’t realize when we set out for the day’s paddle that I would have a chance to witness this natural phenomenon with our adventurous group.
Fueled by freshly foraged berries (salmon, Saskatoon, and huckleberries), a hearty hot breakfast, and the pure joy of cooking outside, we made our way out into smait to visit the ancestral forest garden at the head of the inlet. We’d been gifted permission to respectfully go ashore to meet the many medicines lovingly cultivated there by countless generations of shíshálh ancestors. All 10 of us were excited for this opportunity, but none more so than plant aficionado, Trent, my friend and co-guide. I was thrilled to be guiding this trip with Blythe and Trent, two incredibly brilliant and beautiful souls whom I have the privilege to learn so much from.
Delicious foraged breakfast berries.
Image by Ruby Banwait
The Herring Frenzy
After a couple hours of paddling we could see the ancestral forest garden off in the distance, the foreshore swathed in brilliant shades of white that transitioned to earthy brown hues, which gave rise to vibrant, deep greens nestled under a blue bird sky. Blythe and I lingered at the back of our small flotilla, which I needed after leading the group to our camp the day before alongside an extremely fit gym owner. As we floated there trying to spot an osprey which we could hear high up in the trees but couldn’t see, my ear tuned into a different sound altogether…sizzling! My eyes raced down the mountainside until they found the surface of the sea and a mess of ripples all around our kayaks. Herring!
These waters are rich in plankton and I was sure the algal bloom earlier that day had sparked a great feast for animals like mysis shrimp and our Pacific herring. A giant school of silvery blue, juvenile herring were breaching the surface all around us in a full blown feeding frenzy. We watched in awe for several long minutes while the young fish filled their bellies. I peered over the side of my kayak, grateful to be sitting so low to the surface and watched as the school raced under us in what looked like an endless stream, flashing teal-silver as they caught rays of sunlight.
I was in sensory overload. Bird songs. Coastal breeze. Majestic mountains. 50 shades of green. Before I knew it my eyes welled up, tears spilling down my cheeks making their way home to the sea. Overwhelmed by gratitude, I engaged all my senses to help tattoo this beautiful time on the canvas of my mind. I was happy to be at the back of the pack, sharing this quiet moment with Blythe and the sea, taking our time to soak it all in while we waited for the others to make their way ashore.
Oyster city in the ancestral sea garden.
Image by Ruby Banwait
Approaching the Ancestral Forest Garden
We had to be very careful not to disturb the large bed of oysters that had built a city of skyscrapers in the intertidal zone as we pulled our kayaks up along the beach. The shoreline was full of lush beds of silverweed, tall grasses, and the fluffiest yarrow plants I had ever seen. As I gazed across the beach to the forest beyond I tried to imagine how fruitful these gardens must have been generations ago with all the care that was so generously given by shíshálh ancestors who stewarded these sacred places.
I could hear the excitement in Trent’s voice as he regaled our group with stories of the many plants, trees, and their superpowers they so readily shared with their caregivers in the form of medicine.
Three Days of Beauty and Connection
Our entire 3-day adventure was so full of incredible experiences: stunning landscapes, delicious food, captivating stories, joyful laughter, and beautiful connection to nature and each other.
Launching from and returning to the Backeddy in Egmont holds a special place in my heart after many cherished dive trips with dear friends. I’m forever grateful to my team at Talaysay Tours for allowing me to add this kayak trip to my repertoire of fond memories. I wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to the owners of Talaysay Tours, Candace and Talaysay Campo, for trusting in my skills and experience to help guide this journey and to my co-guides Blythe and Trent for their expertise, amazing communication skills and awesome vibes! I can’t wait for the next trip!
About the Author
Ruby Banwait works as a Cultural & Land Ambassador with Talaysay Tours. She is deeply passionate about restoring abundance to our ocean and encouraging everyone to create enduring relationships with nature. Join Ruby for a kayak trip or Salish Sea & Me tour in Vancouver or on the Sunshine Coast!
“Something For All My Senses
Touch
My paddle in hand
I invite a union
Become an extension of my body
A journey beginning with a gift from the sky
I lift my face to the greet rain
Please let this blessing be brief
A reassuring soft breeze
caressing my cheeks
bringing a smile to my lips
Sound
An echoing loon song
bouncing off granite cliffs
The call of an osprey
heard but not seen
The sizzle of herring
at the surface of the sea
While the ocean laps along the shore
Laughter shared between mother and son
Sight
50 shades of greys and greens
Reflections of cumulus clouds on sea
Breaching herring surround
our colourful kayak fleet
Orange algal blooms
rivaling the summer wildflowers
Smell
Ripe berries linger in
salty ocean air
Fragrant, rich earth
Moss beds on the forest floor
Intertidal mud flats baking at low tide
Taste
Sweet foraged berries
Saltwater on my lips
Olives served in oyster shells dishes
Banana boats around a warm fire
”
