The best laid plans ...

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry they say.  But sometimes they don't.  I suggested a paddle from Colliers to Conception Harbour.  That gave us protection from NW winds paddling out Colliers Bay and have it behind us after we got around the peninsula heading down Gasters Bay into Conception Harbour.

The wind turned out to be westerly and light so we scraped the original idea and paddled from Colliers to Brigus return.  It proved to be a more scenic route.  The group of eight on the day's paddle were Brian, Cathy, Dean, Derrick, Gary, Shane, Terry and myself.

Leaving the beach we headed north on flat calm waters paddling under the hills of volcanic rocks of the Harbour Main Group consisting mainly of basalts, andesites and rhyolites.

Shane and Terry explore a crevice.

We arrived at Turks Gut where a fault runs up the valley separating the volcanic rocks from sedimentary rocks of the Conception Group.

The paddle up to Turks Gut was uneventful but beyond it got more interesting with a few sea stacks and ...

... places to grab a shower if so disposed to do so.

At this sea arch its clear to see we were now paddling along sedimentary rocks with its defined beds dipping from east to west.

A rocky sentinel stands off alone in the sea and ...

... another (I have no idea why the camera made this shot darker under the same lighting conditions) which, when we passed through opened up into a cove where the scenery dramatically changed to ...

... Lower Cambrian age red and green slates of the Brigus Formation.

Its a peasant surprise emerging from the slot guarding the shoreline entrance the first time I was here.  We were also here earlier this year and I knew what awaited but kept quiet to allow Cathy to be surprised.  This time it was Derrick, who has sailed past here before but because the sailboat runs further offshore, it escaped him.

The red rocks are laid down in shallow water allowing oxygen to essentially rust the iron hematite.  The green rocks indicate deposition in anoxic (devoid of oxygen) waters preventing oxidation of the hematite.  Though I have to admit some confusion where the red beds fade to green within the same bed.

We arrived at South Point at the entrance to Brigus.

Inside the point at Great Cove in Brigus Bay we stopped to play in a bit of wave action in the rocks.

As we continued on to what would be our lunch beach we spotted a minke whale.  It was feeding.  I paddled out from the cliffs a little into the cove where I noticed the water boil up around the kayak.  I looked down and while I couldn't see the whale pass under it had surely done so.  After that bit of excitement we ...

... pulled out to stop for lunch.  Those who brought coats donned them to keep warm in the cool wind flowing west out of Brigus Harbour and mitts or gloves to keep the hands warm.

Dean found there was no wind on the other side of the beach and slowly people abandoned the main group to join him.  We didn't stay long before beginning our return south to Colliers and a waiting hot beverage and a bite to eat at the local restaurant.

Another awesome day on the water and thanks to the gang.