Top 10 paddles of 2009 - #6

Middle Cove was choked with ice

My ice paddle on March 27 was one that was certain to be on my list of top 10 paddles. I set out to paddle with the ice floes in Middle Cove but when I got there the cove was choked with ice. Not much room for a kayak in there, so I moved one cove over to Torbay. There I found enough open water to have a paddle about.

X marks the spot

Above the water line the rocks and ice formed a V. The clear water reflected the scene to give the hint of an X. X marks the spot and it was the spot where I found treasure on this day.

A good patch of open water to paddle in

The right side of the cove was fairly open when I got there but I had to be alert for shifting ice.

There were leads opening and closing

The left side of the cove had more ice in it and I played here for a couple of hours manoeuvering around ice floes using bow rudders. In open leads, a couple of powerful forward strokes and glide past the floating ice. At one point I went out in the cove a bit further, the ice shifted and I thought I might have to haul the boat over the ice to open water.

Now, where's that lunch?

After paddling around a while, I got hungry. I took a good run at an ice floe and got on top where I sat, had a snack, looked around and generally felt pleased with the day's outing.