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

Sunday, June 15, 2014

2014: Post 16 – Fathers Day club paddle

Per usual, Alex led the annual Father's Day club paddle today.  Twenty people in eighteen kayaks met this morning in sunny Cape Broyle....

A few pics to share...  


Alex pulled up a full half-hour before
the predetermined meeting time!!!

Getting ready

Alex (far left) gave a little safety
speech before getting underway

Paddlers listening attentively to the
leader, but anxious to get  underway
 
The falls is always a favorite place to
stop when doing the Cape Broyle paddle

Barb

Julie

Mike

Just up from the falls, where the land is the narrowest,  is...

... where we generally cross over to the south side.

When there is a big rock you are
just compelled to paddle around it

Eugene in his new Torngat

Julie is becoming a bit of a rock-hopper 

I believe this was taken at Gallow's Cove point

Sean and his son


It's always important to stop for lunch...

Old Wobbly

Another rock to paddle around

Sharon and Chris

And I thought I would add in a pic of my soon-to-be supper that was waiting to go into the pot me when I arrived home....

Since all three were lady lobsters I decided
to name them Julie, Barb, and Sharon...  they went
well with a variety of salads and a glass of wine.

Despite today's paddle being cut a little short, and a watch and a camera being lost overboard, I think people enjoyed themselves... at least I hope they did.  thanks to Alex for leading the trip and thanks to those who showed up to share the day.


Saturday, June 14, 2014

2014: Post 15 – Miss PJ goes for a paddle

Hazen (a.k.a. Old Wobbly) had been thinking about getting a fibreglass kayak for some time.  Earlier this year he finally put in an order for one... he ordered a Torngat from Eastern Island Kayaks, but decided to get it in kevlar so it would be a little lighter... after all, Old Wobbly is not a spring rooster any more.  Jokes aside, I picked up Hazen's new kayak after it was off his car and it is just a nice weight.  Not that my Nordkapp is overly heavy, but whenever I pick up someones kevlar kayak I am impressed with the lightness.  If I ever decide to replace my fibreglass Nordkapp it will likely be with a kevlar kayak, and probably another Nordkapp.  But anyway...

Hazen picked up his new kayak yesterday, which he named Miss PJ, and was interested in a shortish paddle today so he could get the feel of her.  So we met at Quidi Vidi and decided to check out the icebergs hanging around in the area.  Four of us decided to join Old Wobbly and Miss PJ for the maiden voyage...



Hazen arrives at the put-in

Old Wobbly and Miss PJ on the water together for the first time

While paddling from Quidi Vidi to the entrance to 
St. John's harbour, our paddling buddy, Tobias, 
was on signal hill and snapped this picture of us... 
we are at the bottom toward the left... 

Clyde and Tony

Hazen

One of the tour operator's was out with iceberg spectator's...

A shot of the group heading toward Freshwater Bay

Spriggs Point

Gary

Clyde

Cape Spear

Gary and Clyde

Old Wobbly

Tony

Fort Amherst between the bergs

Back at the slip way in Quidi Vidi

Well Hazen, that's the first paddle in your new kayak.  I hope you and Miss PJ enjoy many more days together on the water...

P.S. Here's a pic Hazen sent of me in North Cape Jenny from today's paddle...



Sunday, June 8, 2014

2014: Post 14 – A three week paddling hiatus

It's been three weeks since I sat in a kayak!  I caught a bad cold a couple days after my last paddle that just did not want to let go of me.  It still has not completely left me but it was time to get back on the water...

Seven of us paddled from Tors Cove to Lamanche yesterday.  The day started in some rain on the drive to the put-in, and fog at the start of the paddle.  The fog lifted before too long, and the sun came out to reveal another fantastic day on the water.

Here are 22,000 words to describe the day...

























Here's a pic Old Wobbly sent to me he took from the bridge....




What else can be said?  Well, it was really good to be back on the water with good paddling friends...