Making it real

Is there anything more authentic or true about kayaking than paddling in the cold with snow falling?

No!

Friday was a series of snow squalls.  They were mostly light until just after 1:00 pm when a steady snowfall came through.  I looked at the weather radar and saw another band of snow coming in behind it.  I sprang into action and wasn't long before I had myself at the slipway in St Philips.

As I put in a light snow began to fall.  I thought the band of snow was coming in from the northwest so I headed for Portugal Cove.  There didn't appear to be any chance of snow in that direction but south I could see where it was falling.  I turned for Topsail.

There wasn't much wind and the snow was light but it still stung where it got behind my glasses.  But, it was cold -7C and -10C with the wind chill so what did fall stuck to the rocks and ...

... me.  Do I look like I'm having fun?  In fact I was.  I just felt as one with the kayak as it rode over the bit of chop on the water.

I was a bit disappointed though as I couldn't catch the band of snow which gradually pulled away from me.  No matter.  I paddled on going inside of the rock, henceforth to be known as, Harald Bluetooth.

The game was up as looking towards Little Bell Island and Kelly's Island a patch of blue sky opened up.

Daggers of ice added to the ambiance.

I got out for a short break at Topsail Beach.  One vehicle was parked there so I didn't stay long for fear of them calling the psychiatric ward to come and have me committed.

I rode a stiffening breeze off of the rear port quarter back to St. Philips.  The push was gratefully accepted as I was flirting with the chance of being overtaken by darkness.

It was about as real as it gets given the ancestry of the kayak.  There could have more snow but I was pleased nonetheless.