Local ancient legend says that it was once a Great Tyee, ruler of the Salish Sea, the Tyee of the West Wind, original ornery resident of  Point Grey; and his storms and tempests were so mighty that the Sagalie Tyee Himself could not control the havoc he created. He warred upon all fishing craft, demolished canoes, and sent men to graves in the sea "See how powerful I am, how mighty, how strong; I am as great as you" he brashly proclaimed to the skies.

The Sagalie Tyee Himself, not surprisingly irked by such defiance, came in the persons of the Four Men in the great canoe up over the rim of the Pacific, in that age thousands of years ago when they turned evil into stone and the kindly into trees.

 ``Now,' said the god of the west wind, 'I can show you how great I am, I shall blow a tempest that these men may not land on my coast. I shall wreck them and send their bodies into the great deeps, and I shall be Sagalie Tyee in their place and ruler of all the world. `` And he huffed, and he puffed and he tried to blow that great canoe down. But the canoe containing the Four Men rode upright through all the heights and hollows of the seething ocean. No curling crest or sullen depth could wreck that magic craft, for the hearts it bore were filled with kindness for the human race and kindness cannot die.

All his mighty forces, the Tyee of the West Wind, now brought to bear against the oncoming canoe; but the canoe came nearer and nearer, as invincible as those shores. As the bow touched the land the Four Men rose and commanded the West Wind to cease his war-cry. His voice trembled and sobbed itself into a gentle breeze, then fell to a whispering note, then faded to exquisite silence.

The Four Men in the great canoe acknowledged the West Wind too great a god for the Sagalie Tyee to obliterate forever but determined that he should live on from that day, in this place, SW of what we now call Point Grey, steeping in the Salish Sea off Wreck Beach, as a stone filled with good medicine; which ancient people named Homolsom Rock; to serve, not hinder mankind: and for thousands upon thousands of years to come, those who touch the former Tyee of the West Wind with their paddle-blade shall have their desire of a breeze to carry them home.

Homolsom Rock: solid geographical evidence that Vancouver paddler's rock, have always rocked, and will always rock, off of Point Grey.

"in the wind" wishes to profoundly apologize to Pauline Johnson and her many admirers for the preceding pirating, & editorial butchering of her work which can be more properly and fully appreciated at: http://www.robirda.com/legends/grey.html

You can go for a test paddle, participate in a hands-on skills clinic, browse exhibitor's booths, and hunt for deals at the MEC Paddleswap. There'll also be live performances, entertainment, food vendors and kids' activities. Bring your friends and family, and come celebrate the fun of floating!

For full event info., paddle over to:

http://events.mec.ca/event/15764/mec-paddlefest-vancouver-2014