Top 10 paddles of 2016 - #6

Counting down my top ten paddles and I find the first kayak camp trip, but not the last, on the top 10 list.  On the weekend of July 9th and 10th the kayak club had its introduction to kayak camping trip.  This year the guys organizing it went further afield from the usual place and decided on Great Colinet Island.

I blogged about the trip in three posts.  Now, its just a bird's eye view of the trip using some shots not previously used.

We met at the gas station on the Trans Canada Highway and convoyed down to Admirals Beach in St. Mary's Bay.  We hovered while some of the tardy finished loading their kayaks.  While we hovered we were entertained by ...

... a friendly beluga.  We did not chase it, rather it had been a regular in the harbour for some time and sought us out.

Once everyone was afloat we made the short 3 km crossing to the island.

After a quick stop in Regina (pronounced Regeena) we paddled down the west side of the island stopping at the abandoned community of Mosquito.  Sarah's grandmother was from the former community so we had a guided tour of the graveyard and bones of Mosquito.

Our destination was at the southern end of the island at Wild Cove.  It wasn't hard to guess how it came upon its name as it is open ocean all the way south to the Caribbean.  We set up the tents and went for a hike.

After eating supper we collected some wood for the evening fire and happy hour ensued.  Eventually people drifted away to their tents as we called it a day.

The trip was only a one night affair so in the morning we made breakfast and packed up the tents and loaded the kayaks for the return to Admirals Beach.  Some again were faster than others and had to entertain themselves while waiting to depart.

We left Wild Cove behind paddling along the dark westerly dipping slates and siltstones.

Rounding the south end of the island we pointed our bows north.  As we did we were paddling into a northerly wind occasionally seeking shelter hop-skipping our way back

The buildings of Admirals Beach came into view and we were a short 3 km crossing from the end of our trip.

I enjoy kayak camping though more so of the extended trip variety.  For a number of reasons that didn't happen so I had to make do with a few one-nighters.  This one was memorable as it was a large group of, if I remember correctly, 16 persons.  It was a pleasure to participate and enable a few to experience their first kayak camp trip.

As I earlier indicated, the original posts were in three parts.  A fuller description with more pictures can be found here, here and here.