Beautiful day in Bay BullsA paddle I did with Dan, Derrick, Leslie and Pete on August 14th is my #8 paddle of the year. I've paddled Bay Bulls lots. A couple of times we stuck our noses out past North Head but had to turn back because conditions were not suitable for all members of the group. Its on my list because on this occasion Derrick and I did get out of the harbour as we made our way to a natural attraction (the Spout) along a very exposed coast with no take-outs.
In Freshwater Cove A kilometer past North Head at the entrance to Bay Bulls we entered Freshwater Cove, an old abandoned fishing community. Years ago the predominantly Catholic community of Bay Bulls forced the Protestants to move to this location but they have moved on again.
Derrick haul out At the end of the cove behind some low rocks Derrick found a small take-out no bigger than a whole in the wall.
Room for twoThere wasn't much room but just enough for Derrick and myself. We had a lunch here and it was good that we didn't need this for an emergency exit because there it would have been extremely difficult.
I was using an old dry-use Canon kept in zip-locked baggie to take pictures on this paddle as my waterproof Olympus was in for repairs. I noticed the zip-lock baggie was no longer watertight so I had to stow the camera in a drybag in the day hatch. No more shots on the day but Derrick and I continued on to a sea-run geyser know locally as the Spout.
We were halfway to Petty Harbour and could easily have made it had we placed a car there. Reaching the Spout by seakayak was reason enough to make my top 10 list. Next year I'll do the entire stretch from Bay Bulls to Petty Harbour. I know a few guys who may be interested also!
The Spout paddle (Bay Bulls to Petty Harbour) is a good one, but choose you day! In any kind of seas there is nowhere to land for about four hours. In 2008, Linda, Des & I left Bay Bulls to do the Spout paddle. To my surprise, we encountered one metre wind waves from the South when we rounded the headland at Bay Bulls. The following sea moved us along more quickly, but it was "pushy" so you had to be alert. When we reached South Head (Motion Bay) and prepared to turn in to land at Petty Harbour, Des announced that he wanted to continue on to Quidi Vidi! So, on we went. The sun was setting as we reached Quidi Vidi. We had been paddling continuously for over six hours. A long day, but a good one.
ReplyDeleteNice to see sunny pictures Tony.
ReplyDeleteStan
6 hours in the kayak without a break is a long, long time Malcolm. Quite an impressive paddle Bay Bulls to Quidi Vidi. And, yes, care must be taken in choosing the day. I saw a couple of places where we could have gotten off the water but only on a calm day. In conditions you're committed once you pass the half-way point.
ReplyDeleteStan, that's the beauty of the pictures we take. We can enjoy them when we have crappy weather like we've had for day now. I'm really going to enjoy mine when I'm sitting in my rocker*lol*
Tony :-)