All aboard
Sunday morning the plan was to paddle in the lower end of Conception Bay from Holyrood to Harbour Main. We arrived at the Holyrood Marina with the intention of using the slipway to put-in. All the yachts had been lifted out of the water for the winter.
The puddles of water were frozen solid in the -5C degree temperature but there was no wind. Looked like a perfect day.
Marina
Inside the marina the water was mirror calm as we looked up at the yachts and other pleasure craft on our way out.
Target in sight
Out of the marina we made our way along the shore of Holyrood. In the distance Blow Me Down Bluff was our first target.
Boulders
The shoreline along the west side of Holyrood Bay started out with boulders and trees down to the salt water. It soon gave way to ...
Headland
the massive cliffs of Blow Me Down Bluff that dwarfed my fellow paddlers.
In the distance, smoke rising from the stacks of the Holyrood Hydrothermal Generating Station rose gently into the sky. There was hardly a breath of wind.
Red Rock Cove
The dark grey rocks at Red Rock Cove gave way to the sedimentary red rocks of the Lower Cambrian. A series of faults shifted them against the volcanic rocks of the Harbour Main Group.
Lunch beach
We paddled on across the mouth of Harbour Main towards a small beach dominated by a church where we stopped for lunch.
Cave
We intended to make Harbour Main, at 12 kilometers, our destination for the day before turning back but decided to paddle up to Salmon Cove Point and the entrance to Avondale. On the way this lone cave for the day was awash in bright sunlight.
Salmon Cove Point
The calm sea allowed us to paddle through the slot at Salmon Cove Point and into Gasters Bay. We didn't stay long before returning to Holyrood for a total distance on the day of 27 kms.
It was cool as the temperature hovered near freezing all day but the absence of wind, brilliant sunshine and the blue sky made for a great day on the water. Thanks Dean, Gerard and Sean for the company.
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