2012: Post 27 - A Foggy paddle in Bay Bulls

Gerard put an open invitation on the paddling newsgroup to see if there was enough interest to do a paddle out of Bay Bulls today.  Counting Gerard, there were just six of us that met for the put-in.  It was foggy, almost no wind, and a bit of swell that made for a little bit of paddling fun...

Some pics to share....

Heading up the South side of Bay Bulls...

Julie

Ron and Clyde

 ... and then there were caves to explore....

Lesley and Julie

Gerard in a bit of a tight spot

Julie

People coming and going...

... and of course we had to take-out for a lunch break...

Ron giving Lesley a hand on the landing

Getting ready to get back on the water

... and then there were more caves...

Ron and Julie

Everyone backed into a corner of this cave...

When we arrived at Bear Cove, in Witless Bay, Ron decided he would paddle solo onward to the community of  Witless Bay where he lives; the water was calm in the bay and he felt comfortable paddling the couple of kilometers on his own.  The rest of us, now a pod of five paddlers, all using Greenland paddles I must add, turned and retraced our path back to Bay Bulls...

Lesley (foreground) and Julie (background) finding some headland swell...

Clyde and Gerard, both paddling Nordkapp LV's

Julie and Lesley

...and then, five hours later, we were suddenly back where we started...

Julie

Lesley

Clyde

 ... and of course the guy who started this paddle in motion...
  

Gerard

Thanks Gerard, for suggesting this paddle and opening it up to everyone.  It is these types of paddles that allow paddlers to try new things, like different kayaks and Greenland paddles, and to have some fun in a bit of active water under the gaze of others who are ready to help out if the need should arise.  And thanks to Julie, Ron, Lesley, and Clyde as well for a really fun, fun, kayaking day... 

 

2012: Post 26 - Cape Spear

I have only been to Cape once before... You have to pick your day when you do this paddle.  But the weatherman promised a good day so Tony, Clyde, Hazen and I met at Quidi Vidi for a 9:30 am put-in...

We hand-railed the shore, stopping in Freshwater Bay where a salmon jumped for us near the little river emptying out of Freshwater Bay Pond.  We contined along the shore and took out in Deadman's Bay for an early lunch.... Then back in the boats, crossing Blackhead Bay and Cape Bay to Cape Spear.

While mulling around at the Cape, Des, Linda, and Gerard showed up.  They had put in at Petty Harbour and were doing a one-way paddle to Quidi Vidi. 

From the Cape we made a bee-line back to the entrance of Quidi Vidi.

Pics from the day....

Hazen seal launching off the slipway

Hazen and Clyde crossing the entrance of St. John's Harbour

Tony paddling through what I believe is called 'The Chest"

A 'behind-the-back' shot of Hazen and Clyde

Hazen and Tony heading for Spriggs Point

Lunch in Deadman's Bay...
"C'mon Hazen, were ready to go!"

"Clyde, how you gonna get that new FG kayak of yours off this beach"?
"Well Hazen, I'm gonna wait to see how Tony does it...."

"Do it like this Clyde...."

"No, I'm just gonna seal launch... no point wasting a perfectly good keel strip!!"

And at the Cape....

Clyde

Hazen



Linda and Tony



Des
(Hazen, Gerard, and Clyde behind)

 

Gerard

...back at Quidi Vidi, safe and sound... 

Tony paddling past the stages

Clyde and Hazen back on the slipway

It was a great day with sunshine and enough wind to make it a fun day on the water.  Thanks guys for another great paddle.

2012: Post 25 - Club Paddle: Aquaforte

For one reason or another I managed to miss all of the club paddles this summer.  But I had nothing to keep from  today's club paddle in Aquaforte... 

I had forgotten how fun club paddles are...   I think we had twenty-four kayaks and twenty-five paddlers, some sunshine, a light breeze, a few seals along the way, some laughter, and a whole lotta smiling faces...

A few pics to share...

Big thanks to Gerard for leading the paddle (always great fun to paddle with the G-man) and thanks to all those who turned out. 

Hope everyone enjoyed the day as much as I did...

2012: Post 24 - A Nordkapp in Ferryland

Today we paddled from from Ferryland to Cape Broyle Head and back.  Other than a ten minute test, today was the first paddle for Clyde in his new-to-him Nordkapp.  He has been paddling a Nordkapp RM for the last few years, but an opportunity came up for him to buy a used fibreglass Nordkapp LV earlier this week....

Pictures from our paddle....

Hazen doing a bit of a seal launch off the beach

Clyde in his Nordkapp LV... "Hey fellows, watch me
paddle it with one hand while eating this banana..."

Tobias paddling past the lighthouse

Looking good, Clyde

Hazen and Tobias

Hazen and Clyde

Tobias

Clyde in search of rougher water

Tobias

Looks like a good beach for lunch

It's not everyday that we have a nice lawn to take out on...

We've watched Clyde paddle his Nordkapp RM for the last few years and now his LV today, and we've watched our good paddling buddy Tony and Stan paddle their full size Nordkapp's the last few years as well...  Just before we were ready to leave who should we see but Malcolm and Des walking toward us (they had just ended their day's paddle in Ferryland as well); they both paddle Nordkapps as well... 

There was a lot of talk today about the Nordkapp...