This column is dedicated to celebrating outdoor recreation in the Seymour area.
Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or a Sunday afternoon ambler, there’s a slice of nature waiting for you to discover in Deep Cove.
Every month we ask an outdoor recreation enthusiast east of Seymour to give us some advice on how to navigate nature in our backyard. For May, we learn more about the inaugural Indian Arm Challenge on May 13, from Amy Harris, communications manager at Deep Cove Kayak.
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We wanted to create a new event for 2017, one that would attract paddlers from all over the Pacific Northwest to Deep Cove to experience the beauty of the area by way of an exciting endurance race. This is the first time that an event of this length has been held in North Vancouver, and we can’t wait!
The Indian Arm Challenge is a 32-kilometre paddle that leaves from our rental location in Deep Cove, heading all the way up Indian Arm, around the distinctive Croker Island to the mighty Granite Falls, before heading back to Deep Cove.
Paddlers can choose to complete the race solo, in a multi-person boat, or as part of a relay team that switches at Granite Falls.
The event itself should be quite a spectacle (mostly for the participants) as participants wind themselves along the length of Indian Arm. We expect that the fastest paddlers will complete the course in around three hours, with our safety cut-off at six hours to ensure all racers are safe.
Following the race we are hosting a celebratory party at our store, where we will be awarding prizes for those who make it to the podium, handing out draw prizes, enjoying a barbecue and live music, and celebrating the success of the day.
We have previously held a race at this time of year called the Tour de Indian Arm, which was a shorter course, and wanted to change things up and try something new.
With this race we wanted to really showcase how stunning the local paddling can be, as well as provide people with a true challenge to kick off the paddle-sport racing season in Vancouver. We are getting really excited as it is attracting paddlers from places like Bellingham, Kelowna and Vancouver Island.
It is also a race for all ages. We have a team of two 15-year-old boys doing the relay option on stand-up paddleboards, so it is great to see the younger paddlers getting involved.
Our oldest paddler is currently a surfski racer from the U.S. who is 69. I don’t know many other sports that could bring such a wide range of ages together in the same arena.
Event details:
Indian Arm Challenge
When: May 13, noon
Where: Deep Cove Kayak Centre
Contact: Amy Harris at [email protected], or 604-987-2202
Info: deepcovekayak.com
