Theory of C

Derrick B took this picture of me on a recent paddle in Long Pond

The shortest theory yet!

The roman numeral for 100 is C. C is also the constant for the speed of light in Einstein's Theory of Relativity - E = MC2.

I had my first paddle of 2008 on the 10th of May last year. Today, on the 9th, I had my 100th paddle since then. It was a couple of hours paddling around in St. Philips cove in the wind and waves but I was determined to get the boat wet to reach that mark.

I know there are people who paddle more but still I consider it a decent milestone. Some were long ocean paddles, some were practice sessions in conditions and some were just practice sessions in fresh water. They all count towards time in the boat and learning.

So, C stands for 100 and it also stands for the speed of light, which seems to be how fast time has passed since May 10 of last year. Its all a blur!

Tony :-)

Theory of halite

St. Philips harbour at low tide

Halite is the mineral form of sodium chloride (NaCl) commonly known as salt. Salt is sold as unrefined (sea salt), refined (table salt) and iodized salt. I don't know why we don't just call it halite as in "pass the halite, please".

Yesterday, I gave my new Nordkapp its first taste of salt. I'd spent a few hours in fresh water getting the feel of the boat. There was no wind and calm water, a perfect day to make another baby step. Maybe all this care is unnecessary but it was a great feeling let her stretch her legs.

Personally, I'm on a low sodium diet in an effort to control my blood pressure. The best thing for a kayak - a steady diet of salt.

Tony :-)

While my kayak is not as stealthy as Stan's all black Nordkapp, I was able to creep up and catch these seagulls before they took off.

Pocket beach between St. Philips and Topsail. The Topsail fault runs through here and you can see the rocks have been mangled in the fault zone. It appears there's been some remelting of rocks.

Theory of faults

Stan, Neil and Ysabelle paddling out of Flatrock

We all know what faults are; Lord I have many. But the English language is quirky in that the same word describes different ideas. Geologically, a fault is a break in the earth's crust along which there has been movement parallel with the fault surface. There are different types of faults, which I won't explain here. On our paddle last Friday from Flatrock to Pouch Cove, Newfoundland, I got a picture of two types.

Here, the older grey siltstones of the Conception Group are overthrust (thrust fault) upon the younger red Signal Hill Formation sandstones and conglomerates. You can see the edges of the red beds were bend upwards as the siltstones were overthrust. The fault runs at about 45 degrees from the right top corner down towards the lower left.

Here Neil, Stan and Ysabelle paddle past Red Head north of Flatrock. In the foreground are the red beds of the Signal Hill Formation and behind them, the grey siltstones of the Conception Group. When we rounded Red Head I expected to see the darker rocks of the St. John's slate which lie stratigraphically above the red sandstones and conglomerates. Once I got a closer look I recognized the Conception rocks and realized that a fault (strike - slip) had displaced the correct sequence of rocks and positioned the older Conception rocks against the younger Signal hill rocks.

I must have rocks in my head because I find this stuff interesting. All the more interesting when you add a few kayakers in the pictures.

Tony :-)

Theory of nordkapping

"Stealthy" Stan in all black Nordkapp and gear

If you're going skiing you need skiis. If you're going bowling, you need ... bad example. If you're going nordkapping you'll definately need a Nordkapp.

I feel like I've graduated from some kind of school now that I own a Nordkapp. Stan was buying one and that planted the seed and got me to thinking. For me it was a leap of faith moving from the semi-hard chined Necky Looksha IV to the soft chined Nordkapp. Stan had tried Malcolm's twice last fall but I didn't ask to try because at the time it hadn't entered my mind. I trusted Malcolm to do the research and if Malcolm had a Nordkapp then that was good enough for me.

A couple of times in fresh water and my choice was vindicated. I am so going to enjoy paddling this boat over the summer. I'll miss seal launches though and running the boat up on the beach to land. You just can't do that to a clutured lady like the Nordkapp.

Tony :-)

Here I is, picture snapped by Stan. Just after Stan and I picked up our boats we had them "christened" in Long Pond. The wind was blowing at 45 kms with gusts close to 70. Not a problem paddling into the wind but after paddling downwind, its was a challenge (I don't mind saying) to get turned back into that kind of wind. Some more time on Sunday at Topsail Pond and I feel comfortable and ready to resume ocean paddling. Looking at the picture, maybe I should have saved the money and used it for a hair transplant *lol*!!!

Theory of dice

Iceberg off of Pouch Cove

OK, I know the dangers of paddling too close to an iceberg. But Friday I rolled the dice and got away with it.

The way I see it, rolling the dice is gambling and so is buying tickets on lotteries. The odds of winning the Lotto 649 Canadian lottery is 1 in 14,000,000. That's about the same as being struck by lightening.

Now, I've bought Lotto tickets occasionally when the prize has gotten obscene. I figured a quick paddle close to this berg would be a chance worth taking because I haven't won the lottery and I assumed the chances of something bad happening were about the same.

The berg could have rolled or the iceshelf that extended from the berg could have let go and come up under my boat. I could have been hit by lightening too. In hindsight I should have bought a lottery ticket on the way home because I was obviously lucky today!

Tony :-)

Neil with the berg. Here the ice ledge sticking out from the berg turns the water turquoise in colour.

Stan having a close encounter with a gigantic ice cube.

Theory of Good Friday (2)

And, we're ready to go after putting in in Flatrock

A few more pictures to add to yesterday's blog entry of our paddle from Flatrock to Pouch Cove. Today its windy and wet so its nice to reflect in the afterglow of a great paddle. I can't say enough about this paddle destination but if you put it on your paddle calendar this year, be careful to get the right forecast - light winds from the west and swell 1 metre or less. Other conditions can make this a risky paddle for all but the most experienced.

Tony :-)

Neil leads Stan around Red Head and into Red Head Cove around the point.

Stan, Neil and Ysabelle (ltr) paddle into Styles Cove where we stopped for a break. Neil told us that local fishermen had fixed a ladder to the cliffs here in case they were forced to seek shelter here from bad weather while they tended to their cod traps in the area.

Neil, and Stan ahead of him, venture into one of the sea caves. The salt water has leached the rocks hot pink.

Stan and Neil after exiting the sea cave.

Neil, Ysabelle and Stan (in order) prepare to paddle inside of some offshore rocks. There was a little sea action so we had to time our run through in some places.

Neil, Stan and Ysabelle check out one of the waterfalls along our route.

Flatrock to Pouch Cove is a very scenic paddle but you have to pick your day. There are massive cliffs and isolated sea-stacks. Add in a blend of sunshine, blue seas and skies, good paddling mates and I got an unforgetable day. Here, a seagull soars overhead as Neil and Ysabelle paddle past one sea-stack.

Theory of Good Friday

Neil, Ysabelle and Stan (ltr) paddling to Red Head NW of Flatrock, Newfoundland

In the Christian world, Good Friday is the day Jesus Christ was crucified. I've never been able to figure out what was good about that, but it was always a holiday. Because it was a holiday I always called it "Best Friday". Every Friday is good and when you have it off then its "Best Friday" for me.

Lucky me, I'm retired. Neil and Ysabelle were on the last days of their holidays and suggested a paddle from Flatrock to Pouch Cove (pronounced pooch). Stan couldn't resist and took a vacation day too.

This coast is very exposed and can be dangerous if the conditions are not right. Today they were and we took advantage. The cliffs were massive in places, starting out as red conglomerates and sandstones and then grey siltstones. There's more info on this paddle destination in a trip report on the Kayak Newfoundland and Labrador website at www.kayakers.nf.ca

All Fridays are best Fridays for me now but this was a particularly good one. Thanks to my paddling companions today. It was hard to choose from the pictures I took today but I'll post more later.

Tony :-)

The almost right angle jointing in the sandstones of the Signal Hill formation here resulted in this Egyptian looking cave. At least it reminds me of Egyptian temples.

Neil (and partner Ysabelle) was just back from a holiday that included paddling in Venice. Today's paddle was a little bit different but I can imagine seeing Venice from the seat of a kayak must be pretty sweet too.

Stan decided to use a day of his vacation time; it was a wise decision!

Ysabelle enjoying a good Friday.

In the Cathedral of St. Conception Siltstone. It was calm enough to get through the opening and back into the vestibule. There was very little light but the camera flash hit off of the reflective tape on paddles and Stan's dry suit. As awe-inspiring as any man-made cathedral I've been in.

Neil and Stan in the turquoise waters, in the shadow of the berg. Another gift from Greenland. This was my second berg of the year and because its only May 1, there's a good chance I'll bag a few more yet.