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===== Polar Bear Marathon Swimmers? (Trip Around Whidbey Island) =====

**flypaddle** \\
10/24/13 #15076

Hey gang,

A while ago, I read an article about the usual global warming/ice melt issue, and that polar bears routinely can swim up to 60 miles a day in the arctic in search for food. Ordinarily this concept wouldn't affect me much, but I happen to think about it while en-route within my own 60 mile outing which occured last Sunday from Everett to Bellingham. This occured on the last of three days while circumnavigating Whidbey Island.

Last Friday morning I left Bellingham Marina amidst a pea-soup like fog shrouded course to go around Whidbey Island. The idea of heading out in the fog didn't appeal to Janice due to the potential boat traffic, let alone getting lost. I tried to reassure her that both the forward and aft compartments of my kayak are water tight, so even if a boat runs across the middle of the boat, and splits it in two, they'll remain floating for me to hang onto. For some reason this didn't calm her concerns.

My first stop was the Keystone ferry landing campsite, and although the weather was forcasted to have the fog burn off, it never did, although the visibility did increase to a couple miles, as opposed to the 50 yards I had leaving Bellingham. Leaving Keystone the next morning was also made in thick fog, and my departure was seen by a small crowd of fishermen that thought I was nuts leaving in the fog with only a compass and no navigable GPS system on board. Fortunatley having an over abundance of sanity has not been an affliction that I've been plagued with in my life, so doing this actually seems normal to me. Rounding the corner of Possession Point, the fog was still there, but I did enjoy at least a five mile visibility, so things were looking up.

After a while I looked for a spot where I could set up a campsite along the beach/bluff, preferrably away from any houses. The one advantage of paddling in 45 degree weather, and in fog, is that it essentially ensures you a private beach all to yourself. The total mileage of this three day course was 140 miles, as the crow flies from point to point. For some reason I decided to increase it the last day to make it an even 150 miles by including Hat Island, which is near the city of Everett. that would make my last day's outing a 60 miler, which would be the longest paddle I have ever done in a day. Unfortunately the next day I was plagued by bucking tides most of the way, followed by a headwind and 2' seas the last 12 miles from Samish Island to Bellingham Marina.

However, it was during this outing that I started having conversations to myself about the concept that polar bears covering 60 miles was completely ludicrous. I found myself even mentally calculating the speed it has to maintain while dealling with tide changes approximately every 6 hours. Then compounding that with the fact that 60 miles is a hell-uv-a-long distance to cover. It's amazing the thoughts that go through one's head when paddling aimlessly by oneself.

Oh well, if LG can have his poetry, I'll have my…er, never mind.

See you on the water,

Joost

**Reivers Dustin** \\
10/25/13 #15083

First thing: Hilde just called, there's four-way boot dryers for sale at Costco. These are good for marital harmony.

Next thing: it says polar bears can swim over 6mph and been seen swimming for several days w/o a break in open water. Mental note: bear in water can come get my ass if I'm not careful.

Joost: dude you are charting some territory. Does that rig catch waves at all? You are packed for self support right? There's some areas that get good swell along that route. Plus the heavy boats make some wave action at times. Fog is interesting. With no compass I got lost on Lk Whatcom. With compass I've been surprised how much the current and breeze took me off my line. But most important, theres no reference for distance. So I could hear the ferry really well. No idear how far or in which direction it was. That was bothersome.

rd
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