2016: Post 20a – Tack's Beach - Day 1

In August of 2012, four of my good buddies and I circumnavigated Merasheen Island in Placentia Bay - click the following links if you are interested in reading my entries on that trip... Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, and Day 6).

We camped the last night of our Merasheen trip at Tack's Beach (on nearby King Island) and we all liked the place so much that we sometimes talked about going back to spend another few days at Tack's Beach.  Well, after four years we finally decided it was time to "start the truck" and make the trip happen.  So a few of us picked a date and rounded up a few paddlers and off we went for a four day trip from July 21st to the 24th.

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Twelve of us met at the TCH Irving.  Some had to gas up, some had to get a coffee... but then we were finally ready and off we we went.  We arrived in Davis Cove and immediately began to load up the kayaks.

With many helping hands we carefully carried the loaded kayaks down the steep and rocky 'beach' where they were tied together until all of the kayaks were floating and then, one by one, we dropped our butts into the cockpits and began the crossing.

There was some wind and the occasional wave washing over the deck but nothing that was unmanageable; the more experienced kept a watch on the less experienced as we paddled along.

We crossed by way of the White Islands and found ourselves at Tack's Beach after about a two and a half hour paddle in a beam wind.

Four to a kayak makes the lifting fairly easy

Once all the kayaks were well above the high water line the tents and hammocks went up and then someone declared the hour to be 'happy' and so we had a drink or two.

On this trip Hazen and I decided to bring supper for each other for the first two days.  I brought hamburgers for our first meal and we made them over the cooking fire.  Others cooked over the fire but some opted for their gas stoves...

Dishes were cleaned up and then people congregated on the beach.  Someone started our campfire and we settled in for the evening.

This following picture completely explains why we do these trips....

As the night went on Shane decided to make some Jiffy-Pop popcorn.  Neville started the tradition of making Jiffy-Pop right on this very beach four years ago!  Since then on every trip he come on we eagerly wait for th epop corn we know he has stored in his kayak...

Since Shane started paddling regularly with us last year, he has diligently been practicing the craft of popping Jiffy-Pop on our campfires.  On this night Shane did an extremely fine job under Neville's gaze.... I think the student has now graduated to Master Jiffy-Popper and there was a ceremonious shaking of the hands between Neville and Shane...

Eventually all hands shuffled off to their tents, content with the events of the day. 

2016: Post 19 – Introduction to Kayak Camping

The overnight 'Introduction to Kayak Camping' club trip occurs at Pinchgut due to its very sheltered topography.  However, this year Hazen and I decided to lead participants into a more challenging and interesting location... we decided on Great Colinet Island in St. Mary's Bay on the weekend of July 9th and 10th, with nearby Pinchgut as our alternate location if the weather did not cooperate.  Great Colinet Island is certainly above Level 1 conditions for exposure and landing sites... I would put it at Level 2 and into 3 for parts of the trip. 

As the weekend drew near the winds were within Level 1 allowances, and with the depth and breadth of experience and skills of many paddlers within the group, and half of the group having been to the island previously, we decided the trip was a go.

Red arrow points to Great Colinet Island in St. Mary's Bay

Sixteen paddlers of various skills and experience unloaded kayaks and loaded up camping gear on the beach in Admirals Cove.

Hazen generally likes to have a little talk before leaving the beach when he leads club paddles.  As for me, I just figure people already know what they need to know via the e-mails that are sent out before the trip starts...  I just like to get going and let things develop as we paddle along...

There was a Beluga whale that had been hanging around the beach and we were well entertained by it's friendliness while we waited for everyone to get on the water.

The locals have named this little guy Dave

We made a bee-line for Bluff Head on the northern end of the island, only about 1.5 kilometres away, and then paddled into Regina Cove.  It was lunch time and we pulled up on the beach and enjoyed the sunshine while we ate.

After lunch we headed back to Bluff Head and turned south into Colinet Passage, with the bit of wind in our backs giving us a little push.

One of the ladies in our group had a connection to Mosquito Cove so we made a stop along the way to our campsite at the south end of the island.  Before long we rounded Wild Head and paddled into Wild Cove.  Wild Cove is quite exposed to the south and I can well imagine in a good south wind with unlimited fetch the cove is aptly named.

Taking out in Wild Cove

There's lots of room for tents along the beach and it didn't take too long to get camp set up.

Someone suggested we take a walk out to Wild Head and so off we went...

Looking back toward the campsite

When we walked back to the campsite it was Happy Hour and we lounged around for a while...

... until it was time to get some supper on the go.

Later in the evening we all pitched in to gather up some driftwood and had the customary fire, complete with a few drinks, roasted wieners, and some joke-telling.

The next morning was calm in the cove as we were protected from the northerly wind. Breakfast ensued and we watched as a couple whales (I believe they were Minke) feeding on the caplin that were hanging around, not quite ready to come ashore to spawn just yet.  Then we got the kayaks loaded up and paddled out of the cove, with the plan to round South Point and paddle on the west side of the island.

As we rounded South Point I wondered how the newer paddlers would fair with our bows pointing into the wind.  People were just fine but one of the ladies was in a shorter, slower kayak and so some of us decided that we would get a tow going just to keep her moving at a better pace, as well as for the practice.  It was actually more of a half-tow as she kept paddling, and the distance was only about six kilometers, but it was good experience for some people to get an idea of what is required for a longer tow.

Some guys figured the lead tower

should be doing all the work

We changed out towers as we went along and towed until we reached Back Cove (just before Dalton Point at the north end of the island) where we took out for a light lunch and a little rest.  We would have a beam wind as we paddled across Regina Cove and across the passage and so towlines were put away.  

We finished lunch and got into our kayaks for the last leg of the journey.  Everyone was in good spirits and nobody seemed to be in any real hurry to get back across Colinet Passage to the waiting cars.

After we had the kayaks pulled up on the beach, Beluga Dave came to ask about our trip. Some people took to the water to try to get some underwater pics of him, or to just look at him underwater as he swam around...

All the cars were loaded up with kayaks and gear and good-byes were said and off people went, very pleased with having been on the trip, thankful for the weather, and giddy with the chance to have been so close to whales.  

Well, that's another Introduction to Kayak Camping club trip in the books.  I hope people enjoyed this years location, but I mostly hope the newer paddlers were challenged and learned some stuff about kayaking and kayak camping that they did not know before... after all, this trip is as much about learning as it is about the social aspects of paddling and camping.

Thanks to all the participants... you each had a part in making this a most enjoyable trip.


--> Just a couple things to keep in mind in regards to safety on future trips:  Be extra careful around the campfire, and don't lift loaded kayaks by yourself. 

2016: Post 18 – Lackadaisical Me

It's been a while since I put entries on my blog.  The excuses.... I had gone on a mini-vacation out of town and then a longer one out of province a couple days later, had to go out of town for a few days for work, and then had a flu for a couple weeks (still not quite over it yet).  

Between things I have managed some water time, and a couple hikes as well.  I have been taking pictures too, but I have just been quite lax in posting them.  So following is a summary of my paddling and a few pics since my last post on May 16th!!!

June 5:  The Swim

Shane, Terry, Ron, Neville and I went to Placentia to play in the current under the bridge.  During play-time I dropped my edge, got knocked over, and did a successful roll.  About a half hour later I found myself upside down again, blew my first roll attempt, swallowed some water, didn't get any air, blew my second attempt, and then popped the skirt. 

Shane came to my rescue, paying back for the rescue training we've imparted on him over the last while.  I could be wrong, but I do believe I was Shane's first 'real' rescue.  Glad I was able to help him out...
   

June 12:  The Infamous Cape Broyle Shower Scene

Clyde suggested Cape Broyle for the day.  Tony, Cathy, Julie, Derek, Gary, and I joined him and we had a fantastic day on the water...

What happens on a paddle is supposed to stay on a paddle, unless someone posts it to their kayaking blog!!!  So send your young children out of the room before playing the following gratuitous shower scene's in Cape Broyle...  

June 26: Club Paddle

Hazen decided to get a club paddle on the go and we had 19 paddlers partake!!!  I believe this was the first club paddle of the year as The Father's Day Paddle was cancelled due to wind...

June 24: On the pond

Hazen's roll had become rusty so he and I went to a warm pond after my work day to work  on things. I forgot my camera so no pics...


July 1: St. Philips

Good 'ol St. Philips.  Brian, Cathy, Hazen, Gary, Tony, and I met in the cove.  We mucked around in the cove for a while and then got in a short paddle.  We only meant to go for a couple hours but I think it was more like fours hours by the time we called it a day.  As we were paddling back to the cove we mat Dave who was out for a little paddle of his own.  It was a very nice and relaxing way to spend part of Canada Day...

July 2: The Assessment

Four of my paddling buddies and I have decided to pit our skills against an upcoming Paddle Canada Level 4 course coming up in August in Burgeo, Newfoundland.  However, the five of us did not have the prerequisite Level 3 certification! 

On Saturday past, we went to Placentia where instructors from The Newfoundland Kayak Company provided a full day Level 3 assessment and training course.  We all passed the requirements of the assessment/training... handshakes all around and pats on each other's backs!!  And a big thanks to Richard Alexander and Ian Fong for the instruction, guidance, and knowledge imparted upon us, and for the 'fun factor' you guys put into the day as well.

The five of us are very much looking forward to spending five days pitting what we have learned so far on courses and on our own, as well as our paddling and tripping experiences, against the Level 4 coursework, and we also look forward to acquiring some new paddling skills and knowledge.  

If you happen to talk to Richard about the upcoming Level 4 course you are likely to walk away thinking that he is just as excited (perhaps even more) about getting us on the course in Burgeo as we are to be doing the course ourselves.

I did not take many pics as we were pretty busy during the day, but here's a couple...

Left to right: Hazen, Ron, Ian (Instructor), Neville, Terry, and Richard (Instructor)

The student's headed to the local Tim Horton's restaurant for supper and a chat after the long day, and the instructor's just grabbed a coffee to have on the drive back to town.

Hazen and I had decided to stay out in the area overnight for our first camping trip of the year instead of driving back to town that evening.  We found a little spot by the water's edge in Ship Cove, set up our tents, had a few drinks and a fire, and turned in after midnight.

So there you go... I've been alive, busy, and well (except for the flu) since my last post in the middle of May....  Must try to keep up to date on future posts; this one has taken me a while to put together...

2016: Post 17 – Chance Cove

I was out of town last week and, passing Chance Cove on the drive back to town, I thought to myself that it had been quite a while since I had paddled there.  When I checked my e-mails later Hazen had e-mailed suggesting a paddle out of Chance Cove for Sunday's paddle.... funny coincidence.

I checked my log and the last entry I found of a paddle out of Chance Cove was in August of 2013!! 

Ten of us congregated in the little community of Chance Cove and had a spectacular paddle.   Some pics from the day...

Anticipation

Clyde

Shane

Cathy

Tony

Brian

The group

Tony rounding a sea stack

Ron

Lunch beach...
Shane explaining to Brian and Hazen the hazards of being in the surf zone
(See http://islandkayak.blogspot.ca/2016/05/chance-cove.html )

Sue

Derek

Hazen

Tony checking out the rig at Bull Arm

The pictures really do not do the day justice... but when those of us who were there look at them we will remember how fantastic the day's paddle was....

2016: Post 16 – To paddle or not to paddle?

Last weekend there were plans to paddle to Brocks Pond Falls... but then Hazen suggested a hike from LaManche to Cape Neddick.  Decisions, decisions...

I have paddled to the Falls several times, and have paddled to LaManche a few times as well, but I have not hiked the trail there.  The decision was not hard to make.  Hazen picked me up and off we went...

Here's a few pics from that hike...

The bridge at LaManche

Old Wobbly

Cape Neddick

From where we parked the car to Cape Neddick and back is 9.5 kilometres.  Just a nice distance for a novice hiker like myself.

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Today's hike found me on Deadman's Trail... from Freshwater Bay to Blackhead.  Some pics....

Slightly more than 2 kilometres from the
car puts you at Freshwater Bay

Looks like prime hammock hanging real estate to me

There were about two dozen students
doing an overnight trip in the area

If only I could fly.... sometimes I think I might be able to!!

Signal hill is in the distance 

I expected to see Little Red Riding Hood
coming down this part of the trail

And I expected to hear a voice from under this bridge
asking "Whose that tripping over my bridge?"
as I walked over it.

I walked until I touched pavement at Blackhead and then turned around to take this pic...

I immediately started my walk back and didn't stop until I got back to Freshwater Bay.  My knee had been bothering me the last few kilometres though, so I stopped at Freshwater Bay to have a granola bar and drink some water and have a proper rest...  I had only been stopping to take pictures along the way.

After twenty minutes I strapped on my pack and proceeded to finish the walk but discovered the rest actually caused my knee to hurt more than it did before I had stopped... should of just kept going perhaps.  I trudged along the last couple kilometres to the car at a slower pace, leaning more on my poles than before.  

I was glad when I reached the car.  I drank some more water and checked my GPS; the tally was reading 15.2 kilometres.  Okay, so I can do that distance then without too much trouble.  I wonder if I have a twenty kilometre day in me yet?  I'll have to keep working at this hiking thing... but I think it's time to get back in Jenny and ply some water...