Not a great day for kayaking!

We took our friends to the ferry a tad early as a big wind was forecast. Earlier in the day we had talked with a bunch of kayakers hauled out on the beach at the end of our bay. A group of young "cadets" from Saltspring Is, they had planned a trip here and up north a bit, but the weather turned so they were staying closer to sheltered waters. They walked around the island a bit and roamed our beach. When we got back from delivering our friends they were just launching from the beach to go around this point and over to the park on Galiano (not far). We had just gotten tied up and grateful for it as it started blowing like stink and I got ever more nervous watching their 11 kayaks slow down into the wind. One flipped and I REALLY got nervous - but there was no way we could help with our boat and they were near a rocky shore so I watched with my camera and trepidation. I think 2 managed to get around the point and head back to the right, but the rest ended up on the rocks....I tried to get a good view but our dock pilings were messing it up. I think most didn't have wet suits. They carried the boats up one by one to a tiny secluded beach on the back of this rock, to presumably wait for calmer water. The white boat just to the right of the yellow double was the one that flipped, and was not righted, (he just hung on to the hull and managed to get over to the rocks while my heart was thumping!) So I was really happy to see him get up on land. The water never looks as rough in a photo as it is (any sailor can tell you that). They waited too long and left at exactly the wrong time.....we would not have left our dock right then....in our motor boat.

Will try later to add some other photos to flickr but the internet is being very slow and fussy so I'm lucky to get this one off. Anyway, we know the ferry ran so our friends got to the mainland. and we have electricity. And the kayakers got to safety. so we are thankful! We are planning to leave in the morning and trust the wind will have died down. (Otherwise, hey, we're retired, we can just stay!)