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...)