Between Giants and Waves - Meet the Giants

Map (Expedition GPS track records)

TIP: Click on the rectangle icon in the upper right corner to open the map in a new tab. Then, click on the three dots and choose Show map in Google Earth. This action reveals a detailed 3D map, enhanced with textures derived from aerial photographs, offering an immersive and comprehensive view of the environment.

In the morning, we woke up to a rainy day. It was pouring heavily, and fog formed on the hills. In such weather, all we could do was paddle. Even a short break brought the chill. Our spirits were lifted by porpoises that kept us company for several hours. In the afternoon, we reached a more exposed area, and the wind joined the rain.

After thirty kilometers of paddling, we anchored on the leeward side of a small island. Miraculously, we found ourselves in calm weather, and soon the sun came out. The tide was peaking, so we parked just a few meters from a small grassy area where we set up camp. The ground was waterlogged, but there were blooming plants, so we stayed.

We took advantage of the luxurious weather and not only set up camp but also managed to relax a bit. Although the day didn’t look very inviting, I felt great. As the water started receding back into the sea, the island began to expand. A world of rocky pools full of marine organisms opened up.

We also found an endless colony of giant Pacific mussels. Smaller pools could be used as bathtubs or swimming pools. The water quickly warmed up in the sun. When we reached the other side of the island, it started raining again and continued for two more days. Gradually, I began to realize that this was really happening. I was wandering by kayak in the Pacific Ocean amidst the wilderness.

The fifth day at sea began thrillingly when we packed up our wet camp in the morning. The ocean had dropped more than 5 meters, separating us from the water with rocky terraces covered with razor-sharp mussels and slippery seaweed, which remains waterlogged after the tide to avoid drying out. Just walking on such rocks with fully loaded kayaks was challenging. I could see that the girls were afraid of the launch. I sighed with relief and thought of using driftwood to move the kayaks closer to the water. We also used them to lower the kayaks. I slipped several times and once landed on sharp mussels, cutting my palm in the process. I rinsed the deep wound with water and taped it up. Step by step, we finally managed to get back on the water and paddled another 30 kilometers in the rain.

We stopped to refill water. It was the only time we used a pump filter. Otherwise, we only used water directly from streams and chlorine tablets. In the rainforest, running water is always found somewhere. In the narrow channels between the islands, we almost got trapped because water was flowing into a hidden lagoon from both sides with the force of a large river. For a long time, we couldn’t find any suitable place to sleep. Finally, we found one inside a fjord, where there were only wet stones. It didn’t look very inviting, but we didn’t want to continue in the rain and darkness. At the edge of the forest, we managed to clear a spot for three tents.

The emergency spot turned into a luxurious camp. For the first time, I heard sounds of a large animal from the forest. Above us was only vertical jungle. We started talking louder, and whatever it was, it went away. That evening, we received a satellite warning about a possible tsunami. Completely cut off from the rest of the world, we agreed that there was nothing we could do about it and went to sleep. Much later, we learned about a strong earthquake in Alaska, thousands of kilometers away from us. The Pacific Ocean is truly the largest place on Earth.

Another rainy morning immediately turned into a giant marine aquarium after launching. At low tide, the cliffs were densely covered mainly with amoebas and starfish. Above and below water, it was an epic display of life. There are really few places like this on Earth. One day, I will return to dive here. The rainy day was highlighted by the loud tail slaps of whales, echoing across the ocean for kilometers.

Later, we saw numerous geysers from whale breaths. On a rainy day, they do not dissipate immediately, so they can be seen like airplane contrails. Later, a family of humpback whales approached us. Paddling in the northern Pacific with whales – a feeling that is indescribable. However, the pressing bladder interrupted the euphoria.

After a brief landing, I got back into the kayak, and an incredibly huge whale swam underneath me. I wanted to tell the girls about my encounter with this gigantic creature, but they were already admiring another one. The last few kilometers took us several hours as we simply enjoyed the company of dozens of whales around us.

We found a beautiful bay with a luxurious campsite right next to a mountain stream. I remember not everyone liked it there. What someone considers luxury, another may see as a struggle for survival. We also used the stream for an ascent through the impassable rainforest. With determination, it was possible to get almost 2 kilometers above the camp, to a northern botanical garden.

Plants grew there that I thought only grew in the tropics. The forecast for the next day warned of strong winds. We also received a message from our friends in Victoria that we should not paddle. So we decided to take a break. The girls went out to sea for a while anyway. They wandered around and watched the whales.

I watched them from the shore. They made circles and released bubbles to gather a school of fish in one place and then gulp them down. It was a fascinating sight that reminded us once again how amazing and unpredictable this place at the edge of the world is.

The last three days were a struggle with constant rain, headwinds, and challenging terrain. Encounters with whales, discovering marine organisms, and quiet moments in the wilderness showed us the raw beauty of the northern Pacific. Each day brought new challenges, teaching us about the power of nature and our resilience. At the edge of civilization, where human presence meets the relentless force of wilderness, it feels like stepping back in time.

Between Giants and Waves - Wilderness Wonders (Chapter 2)

Share Your Thoughts! Your Comments Matter to Me.

(You can only post comments when you are logged into Facebook.)

Adventure series about expeditionary paddling in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Moving playground to the tidal zone. Exploring remote places on Earth. Paddling with whales. True wilderness. Nordic paradise on Earth.

A captivating tale interwoven with authentic photographs, interactive 3D maps with real expedition GPS data, and video documentaries.

New chapters of the story every two weeks.

	Sea Kayaking in British Columbia’s Untamed Beauty Dive into the untamed beauty of British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest.	Úvod Prvý diel rozprávania o epickej expedícii na morských kajakoch.
	A Journey of Transformation Experience a remarkable transformation from a capsized kayak mishap to epic Arctic expeditions.	Zrod myšlienky Pokračovanie rozprávania o tom, ako som sa ocitol sám na kraji sveta.
	Navigating Lofoten I Embark on a riveting sea kayaking journey across Lofoten’s archipelago.	Vysokohorská turistika na morskom kajaku I Po expedíciách som začal snívať o ceste na ďaleký sever.
	Navigating Lofoten II Confronting Arctic North Atlantic’s extreme paddling challenges.	Vysokohorská turistika na morskom kajaku II Prekonávanie extrémnych výziev pádlovania v artickej časti severného Atlantiku.
	Navigating Lofoten III The final third part of the story about an adventure in the Arctic part of the Atlantic Ocean.	Vysokohorská turistika na morskom kajaku III Posledná tretia časť rozprávania o dobrodružstve v arktickej časti Atlantického oceánu.
	On the Edge of Civilization The introduction to the first of seven chapters about a great adventure in the North Pacific.	Na hrane civilizácie Úvod prvej zo siedmich kapitol o veľkom dobrodružstve v severnom Pacifiku.
	Meet the Giants Exploring ocean life above and below. First paddling with whales. Continuing the great adventure in North Pacific.	Stretnutie s obrami Objavovanie oceánskeho života nad i pod vodou. Prvé pádlovanie s veľrybami. Pokračovanie veľkého dobrodružstva v divočine severného Pacifiku.