The Early Days of Comox Outrigger Club
In 1993, former False Creek paddler Annie Boulding launched the club with a small but enthusiastic group using an OC6 borrowed from the Canadian Outrigger Racing Association. Sarah Mclennan and Annie, drove to Victoria and picked it up from the Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club location. They tied the canoe on inverted on a borrowed truck with a big kayak rack from Strathcona Lodge. They drove carefully and slowly back to Comox as the beast of a boat weighed at least 600 pounds. Sarah arranged to have the canoe reside on a private beach near Little River, close to the Powell River ferry terminal. The paddlers did not yet own a cart so it was rolled across small logs down to the water and back, sometimes 100 metres at low tide. It was really a tough day if only five paddlers showed up for practice so we would recruit the neighbors to help launch. Launching and returning the boat to its resting spot was back breaking, and on occasion a harder workout than the paddling. A huge thank you to Tina Clarke who fronted the money for our first cart 350.00 $, it was a godsend.
Early on we had Jackie Webber up to give a technique clinic to our club in spectacular weather which was huge success. This really helped build the interest and sometimes we had enough ladies paddling for two crews in the first couple seasons. Don Irvine, former Olympian and False Creek dragon boat coach (also Annie's husband) got involved when he started coaching some kids from Highland school in 1995. One of them Jonas Hudson still races today. Early on we had some great people show up to paddle so it was a lot of fun. We did have some obstacles to overcome such as the Burrard loan was over so we had to purchase a new boat. Two generous club members Carol Millar and Tina Clarke came forward and purchased one Calmar for use in Comox and one that we had the option to buy from Strathcona Lodge. We also had to move the club off the private beach so we moved it less than a kilometre to the King Coho resort. That spot had a great little set of surfing waves coming into the edge of the ferry terminal until sadly they built condos there and we got the boot. Luckily Jackie Bell found us a spot at Bates Beach ten minutes drive North. This location was good but in the winter as it was a bit exposed to the storms and at times the OC6 paddles were survivor wild. Over the years the main team that prevailed through thick and thin was the Wahines attending many races around BC as well as the USA.
As time has passed we have had a few setbacks such as the enormous loss of our good friend and beloved outrigger coach Rick Nu'u last year who had moved here with his family from Maui four years ago. Additionally, we had some serious problems with the first race that we hosted. In June of 1995, we held our first race off of Airforce Beach which was running smoothly until the third heat when one of the Victoria boats filled with a novice crew had their ama fall off out in the middle of the strait. This turned into a serious situation as it diverted the Powell River ferry and involved several water craft including a large cutter and a Coast Guard helicopter. Luckily, there were no fatalities but one woman got quite serious hypothermia. It turned into a very expensive rescue so we were fortunate to not be charged. We tactfully avoided hosting an event for quite a few years after that. Thankfully, despite the stress of this canoe capsizing many club members stayed involved or we would of folded as so much energy was put into race preparation only to have an upsetting finish to the day. We are still feeling the emotional effects of losing Rick but we feel closer to him out on the water with the winds blowing.
After Laurel Archer moved up to Comox she used her float plane connections to help get us a compound in Courtenay at the Air Park which has been a great location for winter and foul weather paddling. Jackie, Laurel and Lyse Fortin and the rowing club representative Cheryl took turns meeting with the Town of Courtenay to get the actual compound. Laurel even helped pay up front for the fencing and gate which was much appreciated. We now have three OC6s including one of our original Calmars and two Mirages stored in a lockup shared with a local rowing club. It is great to be near the launching ramp, heated washrooms, Comox Valley Kayaks and the Air Park cafe. We now have men's, w omen’s and mixed racing crews. We are hoping to keep growing by recruiting some younger paddlers in the next few years. At our Tuesday night small boat races at the Goose Spit we have really enjoyed having the SUP paddlers, surf ski paddlers and kayakers come out to join us.
Even though we are a small club our members have really got the racing bug. Over the years our adventurous members have attended a wide variety of Canoe races stretching around the globe. Some countries that our club members have raced in are New Zealand, Australia, Europe, United States, Central America, Hawaii and the Cook Islands. We even have at least one member participating in the World Sprints in Rio, Brazil.
There are too many people to thank for our club's existence without boring you to death but suffice it to say we have had a lot of help from the local community, the devoted executive, the generous club members and paddlers from other places helping us reach our goals. Mr. Awesome, Steve Butcher has been the commodore for the last couple years and he has brought us to a new level of organization, small boat racing and positivity. That pretty much sums it up our history but we are looking at a bright and sunny future with some fabulous surfing waves. Aloha and Mahalo!
Early on we had Jackie Webber up to give a technique clinic to our club in spectacular weather which was huge success. This really helped build the interest and sometimes we had enough ladies paddling for two crews in the first couple seasons. Don Irvine, former Olympian and False Creek dragon boat coach (also Annie's husband) got involved when he started coaching some kids from Highland school in 1995. One of them Jonas Hudson still races today. Early on we had some great people show up to paddle so it was a lot of fun. We did have some obstacles to overcome such as the Burrard loan was over so we had to purchase a new boat. Two generous club members Carol Millar and Tina Clarke came forward and purchased one Calmar for use in Comox and one that we had the option to buy from Strathcona Lodge. We also had to move the club off the private beach so we moved it less than a kilometre to the King Coho resort. That spot had a great little set of surfing waves coming into the edge of the ferry terminal until sadly they built condos there and we got the boot. Luckily Jackie Bell found us a spot at Bates Beach ten minutes drive North. This location was good but in the winter as it was a bit exposed to the storms and at times the OC6 paddles were survivor wild. Over the years the main team that prevailed through thick and thin was the Wahines attending many races around BC as well as the USA.
As time has passed we have had a few setbacks such as the enormous loss of our good friend and beloved outrigger coach Rick Nu'u last year who had moved here with his family from Maui four years ago. Additionally, we had some serious problems with the first race that we hosted. In June of 1995, we held our first race off of Airforce Beach which was running smoothly until the third heat when one of the Victoria boats filled with a novice crew had their ama fall off out in the middle of the strait. This turned into a serious situation as it diverted the Powell River ferry and involved several water craft including a large cutter and a Coast Guard helicopter. Luckily, there were no fatalities but one woman got quite serious hypothermia. It turned into a very expensive rescue so we were fortunate to not be charged. We tactfully avoided hosting an event for quite a few years after that. Thankfully, despite the stress of this canoe capsizing many club members stayed involved or we would of folded as so much energy was put into race preparation only to have an upsetting finish to the day. We are still feeling the emotional effects of losing Rick but we feel closer to him out on the water with the winds blowing.
After Laurel Archer moved up to Comox she used her float plane connections to help get us a compound in Courtenay at the Air Park which has been a great location for winter and foul weather paddling. Jackie, Laurel and Lyse Fortin and the rowing club representative Cheryl took turns meeting with the Town of Courtenay to get the actual compound. Laurel even helped pay up front for the fencing and gate which was much appreciated. We now have three OC6s including one of our original Calmars and two Mirages stored in a lockup shared with a local rowing club. It is great to be near the launching ramp, heated washrooms, Comox Valley Kayaks and the Air Park cafe. We now have men's, w omen’s and mixed racing crews. We are hoping to keep growing by recruiting some younger paddlers in the next few years. At our Tuesday night small boat races at the Goose Spit we have really enjoyed having the SUP paddlers, surf ski paddlers and kayakers come out to join us.
Even though we are a small club our members have really got the racing bug. Over the years our adventurous members have attended a wide variety of Canoe races stretching around the globe. Some countries that our club members have raced in are New Zealand, Australia, Europe, United States, Central America, Hawaii and the Cook Islands. We even have at least one member participating in the World Sprints in Rio, Brazil.
There are too many people to thank for our club's existence without boring you to death but suffice it to say we have had a lot of help from the local community, the devoted executive, the generous club members and paddlers from other places helping us reach our goals. Mr. Awesome, Steve Butcher has been the commodore for the last couple years and he has brought us to a new level of organization, small boat racing and positivity. That pretty much sums it up our history but we are looking at a bright and sunny future with some fabulous surfing waves. Aloha and Mahalo!