If you just go for a paddle than you can stop thinking about wanting to go for a paddle.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

2013: Post 56 – Paddling attentively

This morning Tony and I decided to meet at St. Philips.  Tony had initially suggested it would be a good day to play around the cove, but I was in more of a mood to do some paddling.

I woke before my alarm clock went off and had arrived at St. Philips almost a half hour before our meeting time.  So I got ready and paddled into the cove.  The waves were crashing at Wester Point and North West Point.  I decided I would have time to paddle over to, and back from, North West Point before Tony arrived.

While there I sat and waited for the chance to paddle between the shoreline and the rock that is there.  Once through I turned around and could see Tony pulling into the parking lot.  I turned to face the rock again and took a picture... 




Just as I took the picture a wave tried to knock me over and I had to drop my camera and grab up my paddle to brace.  I pulled on the tether and my camera came out of the water. Then I tried to get another picture of the waves spraying up as they hit the rocky shoreline and had to drop my camera and grab my paddle for another brace... 



I figured I better stop fooling with my camera before I finally did get knocked over and head back to the slipway.  Tony was nearly ready when I got there.  



I told him it was gonna be a bumpy paddle up to Topsail Beach.  So off we went.  I wasn't wrong.  In fact it was so bumpy I didn't take any more pictures until we reached Topsail Beach, although I did see Tony take a few...  I think he is more comfortable than I am sitting in gnarly waters taking pictures.  

At one point I took my camera out and was attempting to turn it on, but the clapitus was bouncing me around and I remembered almost being knocked over back at North West Point... so I pushed my camera back into my PDF and put both hands on the paddle. Today was not the day or place to get knocked over and blow a roll.  With just the two of us on this paddle, a swimmer meant there was only one person left to do a rescue.  

It was so bouncy in the waves, swell, and clapitus that at about halfway we questioned whether to continue or pull the plug on going all the way to Topsail Beach.  We had been paddling mostly one in front of each other and it was difficult for the guy in front to have to turn his head around to make sure the one following was upright.  

Tony suggested we paddle more side-by-side so we could keep an eye on each other.  We also moved further away from shore to get out of the rebounding waves.  We decided we would paddle in this way until one of us decided we had gone far enough.  But when we got a little further, and were out of the worst of the clapitus, things settled down more and we were able to find a better rhythm to the paddling.  It also seemed that the wind had dropped a little as well. And so we were able to go all the way to our desired destination.

Tony got ready to go into the beach while I waited with my camera.  He sat for while, letting a few waves pass...




... then he saw his chance and paddled on the back face of a wave....



... then hoped out and walked his kayak in...



My landing wasn't quite as neat as Tony's.  I ended up getting broached and landed parallel to the shoreline, with Tony grabbing my stern to steady my kayak as I got out.

Since we had been here last the beach had taken a pounding, widening the river where it dumps into the ocean, leaving a little bit of an island...




We each had a granola bar and had a chat before getting back on the water for the return trip.




But this time we paddled farther away form the shoreline to avoid most of the clapitus, mostly paddling across from one another so we could monitor each other's progress...





When we got back to the cove Tony checked his watch and it only took us about three-quarter's of an hour to get back...  




The trip back was a little easier, since we stayed away from the shore and we were getting a push, and there was less wind.  But we still had to throw in a cautionary brace now and then whenever a bigger wave came along...  

Once back at St. Philips, we both agreed we were glad to be back in the cove, but were both happy we had decided to continue all the way to Topsail Beach... Sometimes you just gotta push things a little bit... you know, paddle a little above the comfort zone.

The coffee afterwards was greatly appreciated.




Thursday, November 21, 2013

2013: Post 55 – Paddling to a rainbow

The forecast was good for a morning paddle today.... So Julie and I paddled from St. Philips to Portugal Cove.

Julie bought a new kayak earlier this year, a kevlar NDK Pilgrim, and Tony dubbed it the "Purple Pilgrim."  The kayak fits her much better than her previous one and we've noticed her skills and comfort level have been elevated since she got it... Just goes to show the importance of having a kayak well-fitted to it's paddler....

Anyway, here's some pics... 


The Purple Pilgrim at the put-in

There was a rainbow with one end near Portugal Cove...

... and the other end at Bell Island.

The water was calm allowing easy passage at Sailing Point

Beachy Cove

Having a snack at Portugal Cove

Back at St. Philips

I don't mind doing a solo paddle now and then, but I much prefer to have a paddling partner or two or three... Thanks for the company today, Julie.  It was a very enjoyable morning on the water. 


Sunday, November 17, 2013

2013: Post 54 – Chores can wait...

The weather looked good for another weekend paddle. Today it was just Tony and myself again, others had chores they could not ignore.  But we both decided to put our chores aside and paddle when the weather was good.

I checked my log and the last time just the two of us paddled was back in July... that was a Sunday as well... Anyway, we paddled our routine location from St. Philips to Topsail Beach, adding another few kilometres to the years total.

Although these will look familiar to any avid readers I may have, here are a few pics from our paddle this morning...














It was lunchtime when we were loading the kayaks back onto the cars, and I asked Tony how he felt about having some fish and chips.  He said he was just thinking the same thing...  Well you know what they say about fools and great minds...  those who know us may have an opinion as to which of the two we may be, those who do not can hazard a guess...   

Mmm mmm, good

Now c'mon people, wouldn't you much rather paddle and eat fish and chips than do chores?



Saturday, November 16, 2013

2013: Post 53 – Geological paddling


On Thursday past, Tony suggested a paddle to Gallows Cove with the put-in at Indian Pond.  Of the other people Tony e-mailed, only Neville and I were able to join him. Tony and I have done this paddle before (new territory for Neville) but Tony had a special reason to want to do it again.  

Tony has already done his blog entry so no need for me to reiterate things... Whew! There was no way I would remember the geology stuff he explained to us today!!!.  See his blog entry and you'll see what I mean.... click here.

I'll just post some pics from my perspective to add to those of Tony's...


The put-in

Neville 

I was ahead and think I was the only one to get a pic of this eagle

The guys nearing the jetty

Crossing over to Chapel Cove

Paddling along an interesting shoreline 

Tony


Neville
Much to my dismay he switched over to his Euro paddle
since he was paddling so close to shore and amongst the rocks.
I kept telling myself it was all for the benefit of preserving his
all-cedar Greenland paddle....

Tony ran out of water in a few places along the way...

Lessons in geology at Gallows Cove

Tony trying to get as close as he could to
cobbles embedded into the cliff face

More lessons in geology

Salmon Cove Point

Neville

Tony

Neville playing on the kelp covered rocks, letting the bit
of swell push him back and forth in a little slot 

The take-out


I did a geology course in high school but it's all just mostly rocks to me.  But Tony has a university degree in Geology, and I have to say it is very interesting to have him along to explain to us some of the geology that we see on our paddles. 

Thanks Neville and Tony for the paddle today.  



Sunday, November 10, 2013

2013: Post 52 – A monumental paddle day

At the end of our trip around New World Island and Twillingate (see post 31 at the end of June this year), Tony and I each had slightly over five hundred kilometres accumulated from our day paddles.  We do not count distances that we put under our bows during Thursday practices; we only count actual paddles...  

On a paddle shortly after our trip Tony suggested that maybe we could shoot for one thousand kilometres for this year.  Tony came pretty close to hitting the thousand mark a couple years ago; and I think that same year I had just over eight hundred (my highest in a year).  A thousand kilometres seemed quite monumental to me. But we decided we would just keep paddling and see where we would end up.

Today we paddled from Tors Cove to LaManche, by way of outside the islands, and early on in the days paddle we each crossed the one thousand kilometre mark since January 1st!!!  I had seven kilometres left and Tony had eight. Since we paddle so much together we thought it fitting that we should hit our lofty target at the same time.  So, just to keep things official-like, Tony jumped into his kayak and made up the one kilometre deficit before I got on the water... 

Anyway, it was a very good day to be on the water.  The wind was low, there was some swell, and the air temperature was cool.  And we had some good paddling friends to share the day with.

Some pics to share...


Tony

Hazen and Ron


Julie

Ron and Tony

Hazen and Julie

Tobias

Hazen

Julie


The group
I was watching my GPS and when I hit my 7th kilometre of the day to put me at my goal I held up my hand in triumph... Tobias was near me and snapped this pic of the moment...



Hazen and Tony were paddling to my port side and I took a picture of them at the point that Tony and I reached our target...


Then Tony came over and we congratulated each other on our reaching our goal...


We then we carried on to LaManche....


Tobias

Tobias (at LaManche River)

Lunch at LaManche

Tony

Julie, Hazen, and Tony

We hung around at Bauline and I got a few pics of Tobias playing...




... he was nearly pitch-poled on this wave!!!


Tony caught a really good wave but I missed the shot... 

Tony just before he got his wave...

Here is the wave he was on, but I was in too much of a
hurry to get the pic and I missed him (he was
to the right) and blurred the shot too


All hands back at the cars

It was another really good day to be on the water.  Thanks to Ron, Julie, Tobias, and Hazen for sharing this monumental day with Tony and I.