A KAYAKING ADVENTURE

An old camp song kept going through my mind as my kayaking tour guide and I paddled across the serene water of the Indian Arm.
"My paddle's keen and bright,
flashing with silver,
swift as the wild bird flies,
dip, dip and swing..."

It's actually a canoing song, but it helped me keep the rhythm as we glided through the water.

Before we had set off for our adventure at the old heritage settlement of Woodlands, near Deep Cove on the Indian Arm inlet, Peter, the guide, gave us the basic instruction for paddling and kayak safety. Kayaking was a first for me. I'd so often watched kayakers plying the waters around Vancouver but had never imagined myself out there exploring the coastline.

I was given the opportunity by Peter Loppe, who guides nature adventures around Vancouver with his Lotus Land Tours. We're lucky here on the coast to live in such a nature lover's paradise. Lotus Land offers personalized guided tours for nature lovers of all ages, even if you're inexperienced like me. Besides kayaking, you can also go on whale watching safaris, floatplane adventures, wildlife viewing excursion and guided tours around the city.

From our starting point at Woodlands, we paddled across the Arm and along the shoreline while Peter explained the eco-system and sea-life. A few curious seals popped up around us checkiing us out but not coming too close. We had a little lesson about the various types of star-fish that clung on the rocks, and the types of algae and sea growth. It was a beautiful, sunny September day. There was hardly a ripple on the water which made for a pleasant kayak journey up the Arm.

We came ashore on one of the tiny Twin Islands. A lot of other kayakers were there, some of them splashing in the water enjoying the mild day for a last of the season swim in the sea. We beached the kayaks along with all the others that were there, and hiked to a secluded spot where our guide prepared us a delicious salmon barbecue.

I can't think of a more pleasant way to spend an afternoon. This kayak adventure was one of my most memorable experiences and now I've tried it once I'm sure I'll go again.

You can book tours with Lotus Land Tours by checking their on-line site at
http://ww.lotuslandtours.com or email info@lotuslandtours.com

You'll be picked up from your hotel or residence iin Vancouver and on your way to your adventure destination your guide will give you a guided tour of the region. In all the years I've lived in Vancouver I hadn't heard of Woodlands, one of the earliest settlments on the Indian Arm. There's always something new to learn and plenty of exciting adventures await you here on the Pacific Coast.