TRAK Dispatches: Ted and Glo's Paddle to Alaska
This is the first dispatch of our TRAK coverage of TRAK Pilot Ted Tetrault and Gloria Roe's kayaking expedition. Matching drysuits, matching mullets!? Yep, seriously — Welcome to Ted and Glo's Salty Adventure:
a TRAK Guest blog post by Gloria Roe
A paddler, discovered: Gloria Roe
See Gloria's adventure unfold on Instagram »
My name is Gloria Roe and I'm a mountain guide, climber, skiier, Baker, sister, daughter, partner, and an avid crafter. I am many things. What I've never considered myself, though, is a paddler...
Although I grew up on an island in the Gulf of Alaska, spending the formative years of my life near the water and five years commercial fishing, human powered watersports have never been my thing. So when my partner Ted Tetrault and I started discussing paddling to Alaska, I was intrigued. I may not consider myself a paddler but the draw to adventure transcended my kayaking qualms. Two and half months later, after hectic planning and crash course in expedition sea kayaking we are cozied up in our tent in the Gulf Islands of Canada. We are two days into our journey north and it's quite clear that I have my work cut out for me!
TRAK Pilot and Guide: Ted Tetrault
Photo by Sammy Spence
Follow Ted's journey on Instagram »
My partner Ted is a kayak guide, coach and TRAK Pilot having experience paddling on the sea and in rivers all over. My time in the mountains has given me many transferable skills but I still have some work to do in the cockpit. Although I have some catching up to do I have great faith I'll make my paddle stroke more efficient and figure out a way into that damn sea sock! After all, I have 6 weeks to improve.
Join Ted and I as we paddle north through the inside passage towards our goal destination of Juneau, Alaska. We will be posting updates periodically on our social media channels, the TRAK Blog, and a series of audio clips straight from the field. Enjoy!
EXPEDITION UPDATE: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 16:11
Mullets at Sea, Part 1: "Fresh Cuts"
Don't worry. The racoons on Jones Island are still alive and want your food. Those things on our heads are just our funky fresh cuts from @black.cat.alley.cat.cuts
Expedition haircuts to remind us to not take ourselves too seriously but to take the trip and the sea seriously instead. Side bonus, our mullets have no bangs to be blown into our eyes even in a gale while still maintaining timeless style.
Ted Tetrault: We arrived in Powell River yesterday afternoon, knocking out the first 130 or so nautical miles from Anacortes in 6 days. We picked up our food resupply this morning from the post office and are ready to make moves into Desolation Sound and Johnstone Strait. Weather has been grand thus far though upcoming forecasts look a bit more challenging. We had sunshine and mostly calm seas through the San Juans, Gulf Islands, and Strait of Georgia. When there was wind it was usually on our tails, boosting our mullets onward, northwest. Currently eating more fresh veggies and drinking coffee while route planning the next leg to Port Hardy. More photos from the week to come.
2 Responses
Brent Browning
Was nice talking with you 2 this morning as you launched for your trip from Cluxewe to Port Hardy. Will keep in touch as you go.
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