2016: Post 6 – A fantastic day in Holyrood

Derek sent an e-mail yesterday suggesting a Saturday paddle in Holyrood.  I had been ill during the week and still had a sore throat so decided I would have to wait until this morning to decide if I would paddle. 

When I awoke I was feeling better and  got my gear together and headed out to meet the guys.  I was the first one there and shortly after John and Derek arrived.  Shane had to deal with a flat tire so was a little slow arriving...

When we arrived at the marina in Holyrood it was packed in with ice, so we drove around the cove and found a (mostly) ice-free put-in location.

It didn't take very long to gear up and get on the water.

The water was flowing well at North Arm River and Shane and I stopped to play a little.

Derek and John and continued up the shore but it didn't take us long to catch up.

When we arrived at Chapel Arm we decided it was such a nice day we would carry on up to Harbour Main Point.  No one spoke about turning back so we just carried on.

It was a little past lunch time and so we paddled a little ways down into Harbour Main and took out on one of the little beaches there. 

Shane just had to seal launch when we were ready to get back on the water.

We followed the shoreline back the way we had come...

... until we arrived back at North Arm River where we had to play just a little more...

All hands agreed it was a fantastic day to have been on the water... one of those paddle days that will kind of stick in the memory bank for a while...

2016: Post 5 – A Fun Morning

Today we paddled from St. Philips up to Topsail Beach.

Some pics to share...

St. Philips marina with a skim of ice

Derek and Brian

Cathy

Tony and Derrick

Shane... high and dry

Brian and Terry

Terry stretching his legs

Tony, Derrick, and Cathy

 

Shane practicing towing Cathy (with Terry helping out)

And a few video clips...

Tony

Shane crossing over to whitewater

Cathy doing her second ever saltwater roll

(I missed her first one back in December)

Derek doing his very first salt water roll

Well, what else is there to say... the pics and video clips kind of says it all!!!

2016: Post 4 – The Austrian gets back on the water

Tony suggested we paddle over to Bell Island this morning.  It's been a little while since we paddled there... click here for that paddle.  

Seven of us were gathered at the slipway in St. Philips for the prescribed meeting time.  There were a couple more people that were to come along... one did and one did not.  Cathy showed up a little late; we surmised she slept in a little but she protested far too much to the contrary.

We weren't delayed to long and soon we were underway.

The Austrian (Tobias) and The Tardy Teacher (Cathy) at the slipway

We crossed over to Dominion Pier...

Brian

... and then turned east to follow the shore.

Tony

Tobias

We sat at this spot for a while, mesmerized by
the swell crashing into the cliffs

We didn't have any set plan in mind but decided to go as far as Eastern Head to get a look at the sea state on the outside of the island.

Derek rounding Eastern Head

Tobias

Tony and Cathy

We hung around at Eastern Head for a while watching the swell and waves.  Cathy tried to talk us into paddling around the island, but we explained we were lacking proper supplies for such an excursion - not the least of which were a good supply of tissues.  She reluctantly conceded to a circumnavigation of the island for another day.  So we turned our bows around and headed back the way we had come.

Tobias

Cathy

Tobias

You may have noticed I have a few pictures of Tobais from today's paddle... he used to paddle with us quite frequently a while ago until the stork deposited a few little future paddlers on his doorstep!!!.  Today was the first time in about fifteen months since he had been in his kayak!!  It was good to see you out on the brine again with us, Tobias.