2019 - Post 5 - Cape Broyle

A pod of kayakers drove down to Cape Broyle for a paddle yesterday (May 11).  Upon arrival, icebergs could be seen in the vicinity of the headland...

Some people seemed to be very exited about the 'ice cubes' as we started getting ready.

Per usual, we paddled along the north shore...

...and then hung around the falls while we waited for Terry to catch up (he was late arriving).

Terry caught up and we carried on.

We crossed over to the south side when we arrived at Sheeps Head.

The further we paddled out the harbour the more we felt the effects of the well along the shoreline.

It was after lunch when we arrived at Lance Cove where we pulled up on the beach...

Damn sand!!

We refueled our motors before getting underway.

There was a fish box in the surf that Terry decided he would bring home with him.  He used his short tow-line to secure it to his back deck!!!

From Lance Cove it was a shortish paddle to get a little closer to the icebergs.  Brian, Sue and I chose to maintain a safe distance while the others ventured closer.  Luckily, I was one of only two that had brought a camera and so I took a bunch of pictures of Brian and Sue with a berg-background, trying to get a good one...

C'mon Sue, move closer...

Closer....

A little more...

That's the shot....

We bobbed about for a while and then made our uneventful way back to the cars.  We all had coffee/tea and eats in the nearby restaurant... A great little paddle.

(For local paddlers that might be reading this, our total trip out and back was under 16 km... so unless the bergs have moved off, it is not a long paddle for you to go have a look...)

2019 - Post 4 - Bay Bulls

Yesterday was a fine day for paddling.  Hazen emailed and said that he and Paul were going to Bay Bulls for some paddling.  Some of our paddling buddies opted to do a bike ride instead with plans of paddling on Sunday (also called for to be a good day on the water).  But Clyde and I chose to head to Bay Bulls in support of Paul's first paddle this calendar year.

Some pics from our paddle...

Puttin' in

The water was pretty flat, and we hugged the shoreline as we paddled out the bay....

... and paddled inside of rocks...

Hazen

Now and then I put my camera behind me and click, just to see what I get...

Paul

 Still some ice hanging around... 

(BTW, I hiked Mickeleen's Path a couple weekend ago, which is above where we paddled today, and there was lots of ice and snow still hanging on then...)

Does this qualify as a 'burgy bit'?  Probably not... 

There were more waves and action at the headland...

We rafted up in pairs and had a little on-water rest at the headland before heading back. 

We took out on a little beach a couple kilometres from the put-in so legs could be stretched and bladders emptied....

It was an awesome day for a first paddle.  This was only my sixth time in my kayak this year.  Today was an awesome day for a paddle as well... I wonder how the rest of our paddling buddies made out on the water today.  I was tempted to paddle again, but instead I chose to go for a hike....

The great weather we had this weekend gives me hope we have turned a corner and real spring is upon up...

2019 - Post 3 - Chocolate Chip Cookies...

I paddled three times in January.  I intended to paddle more this winter/spring but it seemed whenever the weekend came it was either too windy for sensible paddling, or there was something that kept me off the water.  Between paddles though I have done seventeen day hikes and five bike rides to date, so I am keeping on the move... However, I paddled the last two weekends in a row! 

On April 13, I picked up Clyde and we drove out to Avondale to paddle with Tony, Brian, and Sue... We unloaded the kayaks and when I went to suit up I realized I had forgotten my drysuit!!  Doh!  Well shit happens now and then.  So Clyde and I loaded our kayaks back on the car and drove to my house and then we went out to St. Philips for a run down to Topsail Beach... I just couldn't fathom driving back out to Avondale... There were no pics from that day as I also forgot my camera.  Seems the lack of paddling had caused me to forget how to put all my paddling gear together.

On Saturday past (April 20) I woke up, checked the weather and emailed a few people to see if anyone wanted to paddle... I was going regardless but company is always good.  Hazen and Terry showed up at St. Philips and we made for Topsail Beach...

A few pics to share....

Per usual, we pulled up on Topsail Beach for a little break...

... and were treated to some home made cookies that Terry's wife (Sharon) sent along for us...

Geeze they were good!  Thanks Sharon; keep that up and you may become Julie's replacement... Julie, if you are reading this, you are still missed but have yet to be replaced by anyone yet, however, now and then, we end up with a treat but haven't seen a big tray of gooey brownies magically appear from the hatch of any kayaks.... hint, hint to all the paddling bakers out there...

Calm wind, good buddies, and home-made cookies... just about as perfect a day as you could want on the water.

2019 - Post 2 - Tors Cove to LaManche

Last weekend I sent an email to see if anyone wanted to paddle or hike... Cathy begged to go paddling and so we plied the waters from St. Philips to Portugal Cove and back. I didn't take any pictures though.

This past weekend Tony sent out an email saying that "it was time that (he) got back in his kayak..."  So four of us - Stan, Tony, Cathy, and I - paddled out of Tors Cove, brushing by Fox and Great Islands, then heading back to Bauline East, and then making our way to LaManche... 

The last time we paddled to LaManche (April 28, 2018) one of our paddling partners slipped and hurt his shoulder on the shore, causing us to put our towing skills into action and tow him back to the put-in.  No such incidents yesterday though...

Here's a few pics to share.... 

Last year in January I had only paddled once!  This year in January I have done three paddles.  The wind is cooperating so far in 2019... 

2019 - Post 1 - Starting off the paddling year

Generally, on the first day of the New Year, our local paddling club does their first years club event by meeting at Quidi Vidi Harbour for a little social float.  I did not see it advertised on the Calendar of Events, nor did I see it posted to the local paddling newsgroup.  However, yesterday Shane sent an email saying he was gonna paddle out of St. Philips at noon for the first day of the New Year in the afternoon and was looking for company.  Later he also suggested to meet at Pippy Park at 9:30 am for a little bike ride before the paddle...  A full day of things to do on the first day of the 2019...

We met at Pippy Park and Shane said he wasn't gonna paddle in the afternoon (it was a chilly day and he has issues with cold feet).  Hmm.. Psych me up and then let me down! 

After about an hour and a half of peddling around, we had enough and went for a coffee to warm up.  It was such a nice day - the sun was up and the wind was low - and I told Shane he probably would be sorry if he didn't paddle this afternoon.  He goes back to work the day after tomorrow, and tomorrow is gonna be a windy day and he would not be able to get out to paddle... The seed was planted and he finally came around.  The power of suggestion sometimes works very well.

Ashleigh was also interested in paddling but couldn't get free until 2 pm. So that gave us enough time to get home, get the gear ready, and head out to St. Philips.

I don't have any pics from our bike ride, but here's a few from this afternoon's little paddle...

Ashleigh's very first winter paddle

Shane

By the time we got back to St. Philips, Ashleigh had little icicles formed on the front of her cockpit...

Back at the slipway we had to re-negotiate the ice pans still hanging around in the boat basin...

After loading up our gear, Shane admitted that he was very happy he changed his mind and paddled.  Ashleigh said she had a great time paddling in the colder season.... And I was feeling quite contented, having spent the day doing a couple of activities I enjoy.  The only way to have made this day any better would have been to go for a little hike as well... but then there are 364 more days left in 2019...

Hope everyone else had a great first day of this New Year.