Colin’s first day went well!He left from Comox just a little past 4 am and rowed for almost 12 hours, travelling 90 km and setting up camp north of Rock Bay Provincial Park.

Leif and I went up to Campbell River and saw Colin at the marina where he filled up his water jug. That’ll be the last time we see him until Tofino. Thank goodness he has the Iridium satellite phone! He called this evening after setting up camp, and described his day.

The highlight was the two killer whales he saw near Comox and zipping through Seymour Narrows. Seymour Narrows is an 18 km section near Campbell River that is known for epic whirlpools and strong currents. Captain George Vancouver called it “one of the vilest stretches of water in the world”. Colin rowed through it at what he called “good speed”, which was about 8 knots! The water was roiled and churning, but the boat handled it well.

After Campbell River, the landscape became wild and he left the fishing boats and waterfront homes behind.He says he feels good, which is great because often the first day can be the hardest.