Sunday at the Cape

  Leaving Quidi Vidi

Today Clyde, Dean, Hazen and I were out to Cape Spear.  Its not Cape Horn but it is our Cape.  It also has a claim to fame; its the most easterly point of North America.  We launched from the quaint fishing village of Quidi Vidi on the doorstep of St. John's.

Out into the Atantic

Leaving Quidi Vidi and turning south towards Freshwater Bay we had the massive red sandstone cliffs to starboard with some swell beating up on the shore.

Looking in

About 20 minutes later we were at the mouth of St. John's Harbour.  Be careful to look both ways to avoid being run down by traffic exiting or entering the harbour!

Fort Amherst

Fort Amherst guards the harbour on the south side.  It was the site of gun emplacements during WW II, the big one.  The guns are all gone and all that's left now is crumbling concrete, which in my humble opinion is an eyesore.

 Barachois

Following the Southside Hills we arrived at the bottom of Freshwater Bay where there's  fine lagoon behind the boulder and cobblestone barachois.

 Spriggs Point

Spriggs Point separates Freshwater Bay on the right from Deadmans Bay on the left.

In Deadmans Bay

Hazen preparing to plant his paddle in the active water.  There was very little wind but out in the exposed North Atlantic the sea always seems to be in a state of turmoil.

 Passing Blackhead

The wind was forecast to pick up near noon and it did.  Nothing serious but the direction was right for a quick ride back from the Cape to Quidi Vidi.

At the Cape

We arrived at the Cape, the most easterly point of North America.  We paddled a bit beyond to have a look south.  As we did Des, Gerard and Linda appeared from Petty Harbour which is in that direction.  We rafted up and had a chat.  Linda will be relieved her picture is not posted *lol*

After hanging out for some time we turned our bows towards the north and Quidi Vidi.  We covered the 4 nautical miles in 1 hour but could have taken another block of time out of it had we applied ourselves.

A coffee at Tim's put the exclamation point on a fine day of paddling.