Caving in Middle Cove

Friday is usually shoulders, lats and traps day in the gym but when Shane mailed Thursday about a paddle in Middle Cove, I couldn't pass it up.  We met at 12:30 and after putting in we made our way along the east side of the cove.

Shane has paddle once before in Middle Cove but not the east side where there are a number of caves.  I'm going to tag this cave as "Split Rock Cave".  I don't believe its been named yet so now it has a name.  Its apt because ...

... you can go in one side and loop around to come out the other.  We didn't today due to a bit of swell that was running and the sea has been known to cause an unpleasant surprise especially in a narrow cave.  We moved on to ...

... one more substantial one but its not ...

... ,thought similar to, The Molar where I shot a similar photo.

We paddled into the imposing cliffs of Ship Cove.  Leaving there we poked our noses into Outer Cove where a stiff southerly wind was blowing and decided to cross Middle Cove over to the west side and through ...

... Motion.  Motion is a place to be avoided at times because it comes by its name honestly.  Today when we were there it was low water so the rocks afforded some protection.  The rocks broke up the waves dissipating their energy but still interesting.

Near Torbay we checked out another cave.

Entering Torbay the cliffs out of the sun still harboured a few icicles.  We carried on into ...

... Torbay proper.

At this point we began to retrace our steps to Middle Cove.  In the back of my mind I knew what we were going to face as the wind was forecasted to increase and sure enough when we left Torbay we were face and eyes into 35 km southerly winds gusting to 50.  Breaking wind waves sprayed salt water into our faces.  We paddled the remaining 2.5 kms back at what felt like a snail's pace but the thing about padding into the wind is, just paddle.

Thankfully back on the beach and our gear stowed we stopped for a cup of java, a super way to end the day.

A glorious day is finished at Middle Cove

Finished lunch in Flatrock we set off on the return leg too Middle Cove.  A man was taking pictures of us.  Turns out he was from the Netherlands.  For me, "een kans om een beetje nederlands te praten", a chance to speak a little Dutch.  I dallied too long while the group paddled on.  I said my good-bye and dug in to catch the crowd which I did a kilometer further at the Beemer.  They were playing riding the surge of the submerged extension of Flatrock Point.

Done playing we paddled back down the channel south of the Point and ...

... check out the iceberg again.  Some of us grabbed some of the chunks floating around.  I threw a good size piece into the cockpit hoping its size would help it survive in the heat.

As we passed by the cliffs we noticed a group of climbers had arrived to climb.  I zoomed and ...

... caught one on the rock face.

Massive slabs of rock loom over Cathy in this cave.

Terry and I check out another cave paddling over indigo coloured waters.

As we approached Torbay the sun highlighted the petrified ripples of and ancient seafloor of the Neoproterozoic.  You would need to click on the image to enlarge to see the ripples just at 11:00 of Brian's cap.  Sedimentary rocks are dated by reference to fossils they contain.  As these rocks date from before the emergence of complex life they cannot be dated with accuracy and are ascribed to a period from 1 billion to 541 million years ago.  That's a long time for ripples to survive.

As on the paddle to Flatrock we crossed across the cove and did not go down into Torbay.  We explored some of the caves between Torbay and Middle Cove.  This one was a beauty that ran ...

... deep into the rocks.  Hard to get a good clear shot because there's not enough light for the camera to auto-focus.

Running out of caves we round a bend and catch sight of the beach at Middle Cove.  When we left in the morning around 9:30 there were only a few people to see us off but ...

... when we returned the beach was crowded with people out enjoying the super weather.

I checked my piece of iceberg I had collected and 90% of it had turned to water.  Realizing what was left would not survive the trip home, I spotted  group who would appreciate the ice for their drinks.

Brian, Cathy and Des had to leave directly.  Gary, Hazen, Terry and I stopped for a coffee before heading home.  It was a most fantastic day along a spectacular coast with high cliffs, caves and this day, one iceberg.

A waterhaul in Flatrock for pumpkin chutney

Saturday Brian Cathy, Des, Gary, Hazen, Terry and I met at Middle Cove for a paddle to Flatrock.  As we readied the kayaks to put-in Cathy said her sister Julie would be waiting for us in Flatrock with pumpkin chutney.  Not only was the day starting out with the anticipation of a fantastic paddle along a stunning coastline but also the exotic taste of pumpkin chutney.

Under blue skies without a cloud we left Middle Cove.

The sea was perfectly still even at Motion between Middle Cove and Torbay where the slightest swell causes challenging conditions.

We crossed the cove at Torbay without going int the community and reached our first cave of the day which of course ...

... we had to probe and explore.

Where we put-in at Middle Cove we could see there would be an iceberg in our day and soon we came a bergy bit.  Brian went over and chipped off a chunk.

The sun beat down on the imposing cliffs giving the black slates a purplish tinge.

As we entered Church Cove the grey to black slates gave way to the conglomerates and sandstones of the Cabot Group of sedimentary rocks stretching all the way to Flatrock.

The group ahead is dwarfed by vertical cliffs.

Near Flatrock Point a small, tabular iceberg floated.  Small chunks hissed effervescently as air bubbles trapped in the ice for thousands of years escaped the melting ice.  It was the same fizzle of bubbles when a soft drink is poured into a glass.

Within reach of Flatrock Point we paddled through this channel.  The sea was calm but on a day where it is more active the rocks to the right provide protection from the maddening waters.

The rocks at Flatrock Point extend out under the water and is known as "The Beemer".  There a little bit of swell provided enough surge to catch surf rides for 10 minutes or so before paddling down into Flatrock for ...

... our lunch stop.

At this point we were hoping to see Julie and the *lol* pumpkin chutney that would add spice to our fare but, alas, there was no Julie.  Cathy tried texting but evidently she had gone hiking and we came up with a waterhaul (known as pulling a fish net without catching anything).

No matter, we didn't come for the chutney.  Our reward was lunch under warm blue skies and the sharing of companionship.  It doesn't get any better than that.

Clyde's first retirement paddle

Today's (Saturday) paddle was late developing Friday.  By 8:30 pm nothing definitive had been arranged.  Afraid that there'd be no paddling I suggested a paddle from Middle Cove to Flatrock return.  I mailed Clyde, Dean, Hazen, Neville and Terry.

Everyone was in except Clyde who decided to pass on the paddle the day after his retirement, and Hazen.  When I arrived at Middle Cove I was pleased to see Clyde changed his mind and joined us.

There was no wind but a swell was running into the bay crashing into the cliffs at Middle Cove.  It was going to be a bumpy, open ocean paddle.  To put it into perspective, Greenland is the next land encountered north of where we were.

We headed for Torbay to the west.  Half way between Middle Cove and Torbay is an area called Motion.  It comes by its name justifiably.  Swell reared up as the bottom rose, piled up, curled and broke over the rocks.  We stayed outside of the break zone.  To be caught inside of it meant a side surf right up onto the rocks.

We turned the corner into the cove at Torbay.  Yes, it still looks like winter on the shade protected cliffs.

Further along in the cove we heard a woosh where the swell rushed into a hole at sea level and sent spray and water back.

The cliffs dominate the seascape between Torbay and Flatrock with no place to get off the water.

To port cliffs leap from the sea.  To starboard, the open ocean all the way from north on the compass to east.  Once the decision is made to leave Torbay one is committed.

Massive forces of nature are frozen in the rocks as the sedimentary beds curve up at water level and dip steeply upwards.  I think Clyde was happy he change his mind to join us!

Coming around the bend out of Church Cove the land stretched north with the end of the peninsula, and the entrance to Fatrock, in sight.

We reached "The Beemer" at the end of the peninsula at Red Rock Point.  The Beemer is a low shelf running north from the Point and with a bit of swell it is a sight to behold and stay well clear of too.  The larger waves in the set broke at about 2 meters.

We made it around to the other side and got surprised by waves approaching 2 meters with wave faces almost vertical.  We turned perpendicular to the waves and got out of there pronto.  Once back in calmer water I said to Dean it would have been great to get some pictures of that.  He said he hoped I had taken out my camera.  No, they'll only be etched in my memory.

A stop at the slipway in Flatrock and the return paddle to Middle Cove netted us 23 kms.  Felt more than that in the conditions.

I see i-c-i-c-l-e-s

Ever since January 20th when "Frozen" movie theme photo was reported on CBC News people have been flocking to Middle Cove to see the huge frozen wall of ice for themselves.

Today myself and seakayak "Stardust" went to have a look ourselves.  We were not disappointed as were ...

... these three ladies.  It wasn't the only ice clinging to the cliff at Middle Cove.

I was by myself as no one else was able to make it for various reasons.  It was cold when I arrived at 10:00.  There were a number of people on the beach.  Some said I had a nice day for a paddle.  I coudn't agree more as I set out towards Outer Cove on calm seas.

Salt water was frozen to the base of the cliffs and rocks and fresh water percolating through the rock crevices froze into long elegant icicles.  Here, I approach the sea cave known as "The Molar".

I made a swift entrance into the cave crossing my fingers that none of the icicles would break lose as I slid in.

In Outer Cove I got myself into a bit of a predicament when I got in behind a wall of ice to take a shot and found it difficult to extricate myself.  But I did escape to retrace my steps to Middle Cove where ...

... the flow of people continued unabated to the "ice castle".  Everyone wanted photos.  Some were more serious about it bringing tripods.

I crossed along the beach and paddled past the area known as "The Motion" between Middle Cove and Torbay.  Some of the little coves were filled with slob ice that felt like paddling through cement.

I was comfortably in the wind shadow of the land until I entered Torbay where I ran into an incoming snow squall and a stiffer wind.  My plan was to paddle to the beach in Torbay.  I made no concession to the wind to touch the pebbly beach before ...

... turning to have the wind at my back.  In Torbay the cliffs were also clad in sheets of icicles, the reflection in the water catching my eye.

As I approached Motion again I spotted an eagle perched on top of the rock in the center.  I stopped paddling and let the kayak glide hoping it would bring me close enough to take a picture of it before ...

... flew away.  Click on the photos to enlarge to get a better look.

Back at Middle Cove two and a half hours later I took out after a wonderful short paddle.  I could have been using a black and white camera.  The only colours being the the drysuit I was wearing and the mango of the kayak deck.