2014: Post 10 – My new camera

Yesterday we paddled out of Colliers.  It was an excellent day but I was not able to take any pics... my camera died the week before during our paddle at Cape Broyle (see previous post).  I found myself looking at many things thinking "... now that would make a good pic..."  But Tony took lots of pics and you can see them on his blog entry of the day... click here.

Anyway, after Cape Broyle I spent some time on the internet looking at camera's and finally settled on the Olympus TG-850.  I ordered it from Olympus Canada on Tuesday April 22, and it shipped on Thursday April 24.  I received it today (Monday April 28)... That was fast!  I checked my Visa statement on-line and still have not been billed for it.  Maybe they forgot!

My old one was an Olympus Tough 3000 and I admit that I used it pretty hard for the three years I had it.  It was on all my kayak paddles (except when I forgot to bring it a few times), and was on all my camping trips, and a few Thursday evening practices as well.  I even took it on a few job-sites with me too.  Every picture on this blog prier to this entry was taken with it, and many, many more that I did not post.  I did not baby the camera but did not intentional abuse it either.  There were a few times I found it dangling on my tether, bouncing against the side of my kayak as I paddled away trying to figure out what that funny sound was that I was hearing...  I did make it a point to rinse it with fresh water after each paddle.

Anyway, here is the very first picture that I thought would be a good one to take with my new camera... it is a picture of my old one...

Olympus
Stylus Tough
3000
Rest in Peace

I hope my new one serves me as well as my old one. 

2014: Post 9 – Breaking stuff in Cape Broyle

I've heard people say that Cape Broyle is a paddling destination equal to anywhere.  I do not know if that is true, but it is a great spot...  Brian suggested Cape Broyle as he had not been there in two or three years. I later checked my log and the last time I had been there was in spring of 2012... once in April and a couple weeks later in May.

So yesterday six of us headed down to Cape Broyle for a few hours on the brine.  The winds were pleasurable and the swell was benign.  The air was still quite chilly though and I decided to wear my middle-of-the-winter-clothing under my drysuit.

I did not take many pictures... my camera broke !!!  Well, actually it just kind of stopped working.  It had been doing funny stuff for a while now and at home later that evening I checked it out and there was water inside; not sure if the seal failed or if I may have bumped it and loosened the door...  

Anyway, here are the pics I took before my camera decided to retire...


Clyde getting ready at the government slipway...

The falls at Horse Chops River is always a fun spot to check out... 

My camera wouldn't turn on after the pic above... but later I tried it and got one more pic out of it....

 

Along the way our paddling buddy Clyde broke his Greenland paddle!  He had been paddling with it like it was a new-found religion for the last two years.  He paddled into a slot and it looked like one end of the paddle was planted onto the rocks below (the water was shallow) and when he took a stroke he snapped it off.  As soon as it snapped my heart was filled will jubilation... for now Clyde had joined the Broken GP Club.  He quickly found his balance and continued to paddle through with one of the broken pieces.  I paddled in behind him and retrieved the piece floating in the water... no GP's get left behind...

When I came along side Clyde he was putting together his Euro bladed paddle that has been serving as his spare.  I told him he could use my spare GP but he declined, and we all carried on.  After a short while Clyde called out to me to come over and asked if he could use my spare GP after all.  He had become accustomed to the GP and I think the Euro just did not feel 'right' in his hands any more; I get the same sensation when I use a Euro paddle as well.

When we stopped for lunch Tony took a pic of Clyde and his broken Greenland paddle and sent it to us, so I have decided to include it (even though the same pic will likely end up on the others guys blogs). Notice the big smile...

If you don't break a paddle now and then
you just aren't trying hard enough!

It was a glorious day despite the camera and paddle fatalities.  Thanks Tony, Brian, Sue, Ron, and Clyde for sharing another memorable day on the water.

(Be sure to check out Tony's blog entry on the day...)

2014: Post 8 – Now this is spring paddling...

This morning seven of us meet to do a one-way paddle from Conception to Colliers...  A few of us did part of this paddle (up to Collier's Point) back in early December... see 2013: Post 57 - Avondale.  Unlike the day in December, the waters today were calm which allowed us to get into the nooks along the shoreline.

Anyway, here are some pics...

Getting ready at the slipway in Conception

Hazen was the first to get on the water

Neville with the rest of the kayak pod in pursuit

Derrick and Tony

When water falls off the cliffs
you just gotta rinse off the bow...

Tony

Derrick and Hazen

Tony took the crew on a little
'geological walk' at Bacon Cove

Brian and Hazen

Derrick and Neville

Just around Collier's Point there is
a nice little spot for a lunch take-out

Neville

Brian

Tony

Sue

At the take-out in Colliers we had to walk our
kayaks a little way due to the shallow water 

A local dog quickly befriended us (I think
mostly because Derrick gave her treats)

The kayaks had to be carried a  little way
to the cars due to the low tide

The pics pretty much show the kind of day we had.  What else is there to say other than thanks to Brian, Sue, Derrick, Hazen, Neville, and Tony for another great paddle.

2014: Post 7 – Some more winter paddling

On Sunday of last weekend we paddled from Brigus South to LaManche (see Tony's entry here).  It was the end of March and in my mind I was thinking spring.... and so I decided to wear my lighter layers of clothing under my drysuit...  

I guess the owner of this boat did not learn to roll...

Tony doing some clean-up work while we waited for the guys

Neville getting on the water

The air temperature wasn't very cold (somewhere around 0 C) and the wind was from the North at about 20 km as we paddled up to LaManche some ten kilometers away.  We paddled mostly into a North wind, hiding from it in little coves along the way.  

Neville

Hazen

I wasn't paddling hard and was starting to feel chilled in the North wind at about half way into the paddle.  I began to think that I should have worn my heavier winter paddling clothing.  I also thought about pulling on my cag for the extra warmth but decided against it... 

About two-thirds of the way up I needed to pee and the bouncy water wasn't helping. So I decided to pick up the pace to get to Lamanche quicker.  As I paddled faster I began to work up a sweat and tried to find a balance between sweating less and paddling quicker...  but I was becoming more chilled as I got closer to the take-out.

After my bladder thanked me I pulled on my cag; I did not want to get any more chilled as I cooled down sitting on the shore.  The sun came out, which was a welcome sensation, while we had our lunch.

Neville and Tony

 I decided to keep on my cag on the way back and could pull it off if I became too warm, but the chill never fully left me and I kept it on.  

Back at the cars Clyde looked at me and mentioned that I did not have on my neoprene skull cap, which could have likely made the difference between being chilled or not. Funny thing is that I had it in my PFD pocket the whole time but it just did not occur to me to put it on... like I said, my mind was in spring paddling mode...

Forward a week later....

Yesterday some of us paddled in similar conditions to the previous weekend... the air temperature was about the same as last week and there was a North wind, although not quite as strong, and we paddled in a lesser exposed coastline from St. Philips up to Brocks Pond Falls (the same distance as last weekends paddle).  Remembering last weekend, I decided to wear my regular winter paddling clothing under my drysuit, and I wore my skull cap as well....  

Tony

Clyde

... at the falls.

Take-out in Portugal Cove

Obviously, your clothing makes all the difference when it come to outdoor pursuits.  I stayed nice and warm the whole time.  

The calender is saying " it's spring time" but Mother Nature is saying "hold on guys, not just yet..."  so it seems I'll have to stay in winter paddling mode for a little while yet before switching over to my lighter spring attire...