Dreaming in NuchatLitz

About the Book

Dreaming in Nuchatlitz is a chronicle of kayaking a little known corner of the West Coast of British Columbia, known as Nuchatlitz. Told from the paddler’s point of view as he take the reader down a slippery slope of what it is to tag along with four good friends on an outer coastal kayaking trip.

Written over the period of two separate excursions to the area at the north tip of Nootka Island the book depicts some of the true ruggedness of the west coast and the humbling affects on a kayaker that only Mother Nature can produce. There are descriptions of some of the antics they get up to along the way. Blended with reminiscences of the author’s coming of age on a small island, and the watchful eyes of the local spirit people the book takes the reader on a journey of discovery. A journey not just of discovery of new paddling territory, but seeing it with new eyes and the discovery of what lies within.

If the idea of silly kayakers drinking, worshipping pagan gods of their own creation, smoking pot and engaging the employ of fictional child labour while fending off sea otters with flashlights is abhorrent to you, or your beliefs I beg that you read no further. However, if you want to come along on the last trip to be taken by four good paddling buddies living the last moments of being Peter Pan before life and work get in the way, joined by an assortment of resident spirits you may come to find some measure of enlightenment by the last paddle stroke.

About the Author

David Barnes has lived on the west coast of British Columbia his entire life. Most of that time spent on Salt Spring Island forming into a creative, slightly eccentric writer and self-proclaimed kayaking bum. After working for other artisans, he has dabbled with pottery and woodworking, but returned to his first interest of writing after too many years doing other things.

Living on an island, he has found endless inspirations for all this creative endeavors however the accidental introduction to sea kayaking was the first push on a snowball that rolled and over the past half-dozen years has grown in size and given him something to write about. Teaming up with four good friends, he has paddled the rugged shores of the west coast of Vancouver Island and learned a few life lessons along the way.

He now is writing occasional articles on the subject of kayaking for paddle sports magazines and is beginning a new book on the intricacies, joys and reminiscences of solo kayaking.