Top 10 paddles of 2011 - #8

Waiting

On September 13, ten of us gathered at St. Philips for a moonlight paddle. The forecast looked good a couple of days before. We were looking at calm wind and clear skies, a perfect night for a moonlight paddle.

A late show meant we sat in the cove waiting to get everyone on the water.

Highlights

It got darker, the camera flash catching the fluorescent patches on the PFDs.

Nearing St. Thomas Cove

We set out but it turned cloudy but it was calm and pleasant. In the absence of the moon we only had the light from the facility at St.Thomas Cove shimmering on the water.

Sue and Derrick

No moon but it was a great night to be on the water. We each had glowsticks attached so we could keep track of each other on the water. I found the depth perception interesting in the dark as glowsticks bobbed along the shore.

Well, we didn't get the moon. Maybe next year? Nevertheless its a nice change paddling in the dark and we had a great bunch of people to share the night with. That's why I'm putting this paddle on my list.

More shots on the original post.

Top 10 paddles of 2011 - #9

The first few paddle strokes

On April 23 Clyde, Dean and I did a paddle from Dildo South along the shores of Spread Eagle Bay and back. It was the first day with the promise of warmer weather to come.

Here are a few more pictures not in, or slightly different, from the original post in the spring.

Bright sunny day

We had paddled throughout the winter months and fully enjoyed paddling in cold weather but the warmer weather was welcomed after months of cold.

Longshoremen

In Spread Eagle Bay we paddled along the shore and in spots we paddled by summer homes waiting to be occupied again. While it was warming up, we wore neoprene mitts because the water was still pretty cold.

Fine campsite

We stopped for a break and to check out this fine campsite for a possible future kayak camping trip.

I see a good spot

Back in the boats and moving along we spotted another possible campsite so Clyde got out to scramble up the hill to check it out.

Mamateek

On our way back we crossed the mouth of Spread Eagle Bay directly to Dildo Island where we had lunch. The wind picked up directly behind us as we crossed so when we landed on the island we looked for a sheltered place to sit. The island is an archaeological site as it was occupied by the native Beothuk Indians.

We found a small clearing occupied by a replica of a Beothuk Indian shelter called a mamateek. Sheltered from the wind we had our lunch before returning to the put-in.

It was a beautiful day that encouraged us with warmer weather to come and that's why its on my list of favourite paddles for the year.

Top 10 paddles of 2011 - #10

A cold day in February

The first paddle on my countdown of top 10 paddles was a solo paddle on February 12. Gerard and I were going to have a paddle from St. Philips to Portugal Cove but he didn't show up so after some debate I set off by myself.

It was -12C and with the wind chill it was -20. I had to navigate through the ice pans in the harbour to get out into the open sea. There was a fair bit of chop but manageable so I pointed my bow north and got into a rhythm.

The cold and conditions posed some risk but I felt comfortable and exhilarated. It was a short paddle of an hour and a half but because of the circumstances I had to put this one on my list.

Unfortunately, the camera didn't function well in the cold once I got underway so I had few pictures to share. Here's the original post.

Making a list

Gerard

Today is the shortest day of the year and the end of the year is in sight. Its time to take stock of the paddling year so I'm making a list and I'll be checking it twice. A list of my top 10 paddles for the year, that is. Lucky me that I have enough paddles to pick 10 from.

Starting tomorrow I'll start counting them down.

Port aux Basques to St. John's

Watery highway

Newfoundland is an island. If one arrives by ferry from North Sidney, the ferry lands at Port aux Basques. St. John's is at the other end of the highway 905 kms away. Its a long drive in one go.

Saturday Dean and I did a 17 km paddle in Conception Bay. When I added that total to the total for the year so far it came out to 908. Wow I thought. This year I've paddled a distance equivalent to the drive across the island. Good thing I did it on water because doing it on the highway would have been hard on the gelcoat.

The centenial paddler

Choppy seas

Today Dean was going to be spending his 100th time in his kayak this year. That's a large number and seemed to me that we should do something with a bit of pizzazz. The winds were supposed to pick up from the 25 kms at launch to 40. I suggested we paddle the 5 km to Bell Island and we'd have the wind behind us for the return trip.

Arrived

We arrived at Bell Island after 45 minutes. Not bad time in a port beam sea given that a flat calm crossing runs 38 - 40 minutes. Under the protective cliffs of Bell Island the sea flattened.

Dominion Pier

Dean paddled through the piles of the long abandoned Dominion Pier.

Jumble

The temperature hovered around the big goose egg celcius but the sun was out periodically. Here the sun highlighted the hematite stained rocks of Bell Island beyond the remains of Scotia Pier.

Hawaii?

This could be Hawaii with its waterfalls except the snow formed at the base of the falls gives it away.

Going home

We paddled almost to Lance Cove in the protection of the cliffs from the westerly winds before deciding to return across the bay to St. Thomas Cove. As we crossed we lost the protection of the land and paddled eventually in a starboard beam sea. In the distance Little Bell Island and Kelly's Island hovered on the horizon.

Refreshing

Back at the put in we performed our regular ritual of washing the salt water out of our gear in the fresh water of the river at St. Philips. Its really not that bad after working up some heat crossing from Bell Island.

Havin' a java

Another ritual is having a coffee at By the Beach Restaurant. After putting the gear away it sure felt good to wrap my cold hands around the hot coffee mug, to say nothing about the inner warmings of the drink.

Congrats Dean on a significant milestone. 100 times in the kayak is a large number by anyone's standard. Glad to be able to share it with you today.

Handcrafted craft

Three built boats

A number of years ago I considered building a strip built kayak but I ended up buying a used plastic boat as my first kayak.

Even though I bought a kayak I still admire the skill it takes to build your own and I may have a go at it one day to see if I have the skill. There are three choices (left to right above): stitch and glue, skin on frame and strip built - each with their own degree of difficulty.

Maybe Sean, Dean and Derrick are comparing notes?