2013: Post 16 – Another weekend short paddle

This morning Tony and I paddled from St. Philips to Topsail Beach.... Some pics to share for those who could not paddle....

 

After yesterday's paddle, Clyde had a plate of fries while the rest of us had coffee.  I had been thinking about those fries, and thinking they would be good with a piece of fish beside them.  So after this morning's paddle I just had to have some fish and chips with my coffee...

2013: Post 15 – A weekend short paddle

Clyde, Neville, Hazen, and I paddled from St. Philips to Portugal Cove this morning... Here's some pics to share....

Put-in

The boys

Clyde

Neville

Clyde

Neville

Hazen

Clyde and Hazen taking out in Portugal Cove

The ferry was pulling in as we were getting back on the water

Before we knew it waves created from the ferry were
coming on shore making things a little interesting

This is what fellow looks like just a few
days before his retirement from work

And this is what a fellow looks like
who is just chillin' after a paddle...

St. Philips to Portugal is only about five kilometres each way.  But it is always a fun little paddle when your with a few good-natured paddling buddies...

2013: Post 14 – Spring paddling

The forecast was calling for double digit temperatures today, but also for higher winds.  It looked like a day for playing in the cove at St. Philips.  

When we arrived at the slipway the winds were not anywhere near what was forecasted.  So we decided we would paddle to Topsail Beach and if the predicted southwest wind came up it would be in our back and we could simply turn around and surf it back.  Off we went.

A few pics to share....

A pod of kayaks on the slipway

Gary was the first one out of the little marina.

As we turned out of the cove there was sufficient wind to make paddling along the shore a bit of fun...

Brian

Neville sporting his brand new Kokatat drysuit...

I have to say that I am likin' the 'lichen' colour of Neville's new drysuit

Tony

 When we got to Topsail Beach we took-out for a little break...

 ... and then got back on the water for the return trip...

We had the wind behind us on the way back to help push us along, but it was still nowhere near what was forecasted.  Today was the first time this spring that I did not wear my neoprene mitts or gloves for the entire trip.  Perhaps today's warm temperature is a sign of warmer paddling days ahead... 

2013: Post 13 – Middle of the week paddle

On the afternoon of Tuesday past, Tony sent an e-mail to see if anyone was interested in a short paddle to Portugal Cove.  It was a very nice afternoon and I had nothing on my plate after work... so at the end of the work day I headed home, loaded up my kayak and gear, and headed out to St. Philips...

A few pics...

When we arrived at Portugal Cove, Tony sat and waited for a chance to do a little rock-hopping.  He mis-timed and soon felt his hull touching the bottom as the water sucked out from under him...

After snapping the above pic I could see the swell coming in behind him and hit the video button and got this short clip...

We only logged just over nine kilometres but it was a great bit of fun on a nice spring evening...

2013: Post 12 – Avondale

It was shaping up to be a very good paddling day.  Today it would be Tony, Peter and I.  Tony had car trouble yesterday so I picked him up at his house this morning and then we meet Peter at a nearby Irving station.  And off we went to Avondale.

We put in at the river…

We paddled along the shore on the west side of Gasters Bay.  Today was Peter’s first paddle for this year.  Along the way there somewhere he joked about not paddling with our crew because it seemed somebody was always ending up capsizing or in the water...  Was he looking at me when he joked about it?  “If you don’t capsize now and then you’re just not trying hard enough” I told him….

We rounded Ballyhack point, and then down into Conception Harbour to the site of the old boat wreck...  

 The trees are growing rather nicely…

As we progressed out of Gasters Bay the swell continued to pick up as we passed Mugfords Head, Kitchuses, and Laracys Point….

After about ten kilometers of paddling we rounded Bacon Cove Head and took out for lunch in Bacon Cove…

As we ate lunch we watched the waves come into the little cove, larger ones and then smaller ones…

 

After lunch we walked around the shore looking for trilobites…

Then it was time to get back on the water.  I made sure I was off the beach first so I could take a couple pictures of the guys as they got on the water... 

Peter was next…

Then Tony was last.  A larger swell came in and he was close to shore...  

I guess he was trying hard enough because next thing he had capsized! Being close to shore he was in shallow water, but he set up to roll anyway.  The stern of his kayak was kind of elevated and angled (Peter later said he figured it was up on a rock) and then he was out of his kayak.  It looked to me like maybe his body was grounded and the water simply pulled his kayak from him.  Anyway, now he was standing beside his kayak... 

He pulled the kayak back to the beach, dumped the water out, and got back in...  

Then he paddled back along the shore where he had capsized to retrieve his beloved hat before paddling out of the cove. 

Other than having a wet head he was none the worse for it… And so we continued back down into Gasters Bay, crossing over to Salmon Cove, and following the shoreline back into the bottom of the bay...  

We washed the salt water off in the river and then loaded the gear and kayaks onto the cars.  Of course we had to go for a coffee, very pleased with having of had such a fine day in our kayaks.