The following is a passage from my work in progress, The Kayak Chronicles, about a kayak trip through the Salish Sea during the summer of 2020 -Woody The ocean is a desert With its life underground And a perfect disguise … Continued
Lying in bed, begging to sleep, my mind was consumed by a deep, torturous throbbing emanating from the tip of my left thumb. A couple days before while pitting plums, I cut the nail bed, and now a small wound … Continued
Listen to my first ever Three Gems Podcast about the trip. Looking forward to posting more in the coming weeks.
The following is a (mostly) true story from my time in the early 2000s as a sea kayak guide in the San Juan Islands. This story appears in the Summer 2021 edition of The Mount Baker Experience. Martine was dead … Continued
It’s barely summer in the PNW and we’ve already had three days with temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Thankfully, Giovannina and I had previously planned to spend the weekend on Orcas Island to celebrate her birthday, visit some friends and … Continued
Fifty days of skiing this winter, and I still wanted a long day of ski touring. A big day. The kind you can brag about. It pushes your limits of endurance and skill but you know you can handle it. … Continued
Background – My wife and I are two weeks into our six-week kayak trip around the Salish Sea during the summer of 2020. These events occur just south of Washington Park in Anacortes, WA along the rocks to the west … Continued
This short essay is a reworking of a piece I wrote earlier about our kayak from Langley to Camano Island State Park. -Woody We were sad to say good-bye to Giovannia’s parents, but the sea was calling and we had … Continued
Here’s another excerpt from the Kayak Chronicles. This one focuses on the most famous of all kayak skills: the roll. -Woody “Ok,” Bob said. “Remember what I told you: feel for the surface with your blade, sweep the paddle, snap … Continued
You have to notice the madrones. Even an ardent arborophobe is persuaded to gaze with satisfaction upon a madrone (or madrona, if you like adding syllables to your words). Your eye is drawn to them as you pass between the … Continued