Friends and fellow paddlers cheered Alaina McNeil and into Majestic Ocean Kayaking on Monday evening as the pair triumphantly crossed the finish line of their Vancouver Island circumnavigation.
The local kayak guides left Ucluelet in a two-person kayak on May 7 and completed their roughly 1,150-kilometre voyage around the Island in 28 days.
B次元官网网址淲e had really good weather. We were lucky. I expected there to be more impossibly challenging days, we did have a couple but, all-in-all, it went pretty smoothly: no epics, no capsizes, no crash landings,B次元官网网址� McNeil said. B次元官网网址淚t went by really quick. I feel like we left here last week and now weB次元官网网址檙e back.B次元官网网址�
Jensen said the experience was much more substantial than she had expected.
B次元官网网址淭his was ElenaB次元官网网址檚 dream and she needed someone to come with her. It sounded like a cool idea so I jumped onboard and had no idea what I was really getting into,B次元官网网址� Jensen said. B次元官网网址淚t turned out to be more than just paddling around the Island. It was actually a really powerful spiritual journey. It was amazing.B次元官网网址�
She said the solace she found travelling and camping around the IslandB次元官网网址檚 remote landscapes was bursting with opportunities for reflection.
B次元官网网址淭here was so much time in each day, as youB次元官网网址檙e sitting for 12 hours in a kayak, to reflect on everything in life,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淲e met fear a couple of timesB次元官网网址nd came out of it stronger and with the opportunity to grow and move on from that. It was so much more than just paddling. IB次元官网网址檓 very happy that I did this.B次元官网网址�
McNeil and Jensen are both guides with Majestic Ocean Kayaking and said navigating unfamiliar waters while keeping well-rested and well-nourished along the way is an impressive feat in itself, without considering the amount of paddling needed to get around the entire Island.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of concerns about water hazards, currents, storms, boat traffic and wildlife,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淥nce they got up to Port Hardy and they started coming around the top part of the Island, especially around the Brooks Peninsula, we were all going, B次元官网网址極h my goodness, this is the part thatB次元官网网址檚 really going to be challenging for themB次元官网网址� and they handled it so wellB次元官网网址 was really proud of them.B次元官网网址�
Eeftink said adding the circumnavigation experience to their guiding resume has brought McNeil and Jensen B次元官网网址渓eagues above where they were at,B次元官网网址� and added the B次元官网网址済rit, determination and bravery,B次元官网网址� the two women showed is inspiring.
B次元官网网址淚 can say that theyB次元官网网址檙e hardcore now because of what theyB次元官网网址檝e done. This isnB次元官网网址檛 something people just do everyday. This is completely amazing,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址楪irl Power.B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 empowering for them to do this. This is a big thing in their life.B次元官网网址�
