Overland to the Spout

If you read my last post the sea was frozen solid where I intended to paddle on Saturday.  Today wind kept us on shore.

I know this is not a kayaking post but it is an out-of-doors adventure and I hope I'll be given a bit of latitude to show a few shots from a ski and snowshoe trip to a sea run geyser.  Its a stretch but I'll use the excuse we went out to scout for a kayak trip later this summer.

Hazen, Neville and I started our trek at Middle Pond on the Southern Shore highway.

The first section is steeply uphill.  Before long we stopped to address a couple of equipment issues - Hazen's poles and some kick wax for me.

After the terrain leveled off a bit we came out into the open barrens where the northerly wind blew bitingly.

Four kilometers after starting we caught sight of the sea and it was down hill the rest of the way.

Hazen and I took off our skis and walked and snowshoed as we descended.  Neville continued to ski which amazed me.  My glide wax made my cross country skis too fast and made for harrowing skiing so I took them off.  Neville has done a lot more bushwacking than us whereas I'd rather ski on a groomed trail with a classic track laid in.

A shot of happy Tony (thanks to Hazen), featuring my multi-coloured hat knitted by my daughter Lisa.

As we descended we entered the trees and got cover from the wind.

Hazen crawling under a windfall over the trail.

Spout reached.  We were disappointed.  There was no show running today.  Only a snow and ice cone of the sea run geyser's previous work.

A sea cave lies directly under our feet with a hole extending down into the roof of the cave.  Water runs down the blow hole and as waves compress the air in the cave a spray belches out many meters high depending on the sea action.  Today, the sea did not cooperate.

We had a lunch and made the two hour trek back to the cars in reverse order.  Again uphill, along the level barrens and then downhill.  A coffee was our reward for a day well spend outdoors.

I'll start looking at the long range forecast tomorrow with an eye on my next kayak adventure.  Fingers crossed.

The breadcrumbs.