2019 - Post 13 - Camping in Rantem Harbour

I had a hiking overnight trip in my mind for this weekend.  However, on Friday Clyde suggested  another kayak camping trip (second weekend in a row, see previous post)... "The weather is good for paddling," he had said.  

I contemplated passing in favour of the hike, but decided it was best to get in the paddling when the weather cooperates since August month is nearly gone!  He sent out an invite to a bunch of people but we only ended up with two more paddlers.  Four is a very good number for a little kayak trip.

We drove to Chance Cove for the put-in Saturday morning.

There was some swell along the way to Rantem Harbour, so paddling in very close to the shore to Rantem Harbour wasn't an option. 

Once inside the harbour we were protected from the bigger swells.

We made our way down to Rantem to have a look..

We carried on...

Off the headland going into Little Southern Harbour a whale was spotted and we sat for a while waiting and watching..

Further along the shore I was ahead and spotted a nice beach for a little snack and a stretch.

Still further along there were eagles to be seen above...

... and caplin to be seen below.  If my Grandfather was on this trip he would of cocked his head to one side and said, "Dean b'y, I tink der's millions of caplin down der..."  and then he would of lowered his voice and, nodding slowly, said "... an' praps der's t'ousands too..." as he tried to contemplate how many more thousands was than millions...

Somewhere around mid-afternoon we landed at our campsite.

Per usual, the first order was to put up tents...

... but I brought my hammock on this trip and my new set of summer quilts to try out.

After supper we pitched in and gathered up some firewood for the evening.

Clyde

Allison (The Lady of the Woods)

Ken

I awoke for the last time during the night just a little past 5 am, but stayed in the hammock, listening  to the morning.  I finally had to get out to pee and walked toward the beach to see if anyone was up....

I had the place to myself! I so love these mornings when I'm the first one out.  I walked down the beach, then up the hill, following a game trail.  It took me to a spot above our campsite... 

Where there were blueberries trying to get ready... 

And Partridge berries hanging around...

... trying to figure out where the blackberries went.

When I came back down I got my breakfast on the go.  I like watching water boil in the great outdoors almost as much as I like looking into fire..

I noticed Allison's kitchen area, her artistic nature evident...

Not long after I had eaten, my companions were up and getting their own breakfast. 

We left the beach camp at 9:30 am and paddled straight across the harbour.  I was hoping to be able to handrail the coast between Chance Cove and Rantem Harbour and poke in here and there on the way back this morning.  The wind had been forecast to be low, and it was,  but the swell had intensified since yesterday.  Six minutes and an hour later we were back at the slipway in Chance Cove.

Clyde and I did this trip last year and invited a bunch of people then too, but we had no takers!  This year we had two.  Perhaps they will spread the good word about how great a trip this is and next year we will have a couple more...

Back in town I dropped off Clyde, and I headed back to the house to deal with my wet gear...

2019 - Post 12 - Camping, Clyde, and Caribou

Clyde and I have done a bunch of impromptu camping trips (paddling and hiking) over the last couple years... We both are able and willing to step out of The Matrix on spur moments and immerse ourselves into The Real World on little overnighters.  This weekend was no exception.

Later Friday evening Clyde texted me with a simple question. "How about an overnight trip to Barhaven?"  

I replied, "Or maybe Gulch... decide when we get there."

"What time you want me to pick you up in the morning?" he asked.

"As early as you can stand it" was my answer.

"I'll be there at 7 am..."

This is a typical conversation of how we plan our little trips...

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By 10 am-ish we were in Garden Cove and unloading our kayaks, and packing in the gear.

By 11 am-ish we were on the water and crossing over to Sound Island.

On the northern end of the channel the water was calm.

The further south we paddled the more wind and wave we paddled into.

Taking our time, we landed at Carroll Point one side or the other of 3 pm.  [Later I was told by a Garden Cove local that the name is really Carroll Sandy Point.]

It was warm and sunny and it didn't take long for our paddling clothes to dry.

We put up our tents.  Clyde's (closet in picture) is a Tarptent Moment DW, and mine is a Tarptent Scarp 1... both great little tents.

After we had made camp ready it was time to relax with a cold one.  Clyde had brought a little cooler to keep our beer on ice...

With the relaxing over with we set our attention to getting some supper.  Clyde fried up some hamburgers and I made some rice to go with them, and supplied a couple fruit cups for dessert.

Cleaning up supper dishes is hard work, so it was time to relax a little more...

...before the chore of collecting firewood for the evening had to be done.  We had a little trouble getting the fire going in the evening wind but soon had a mesmerizing blaze to stare into...  

The evening wind had dropped out during the night, and the morning was still when I crawled out of my tent.  

I packed up most of my camping gear and had my breakfast on the beach by myself; Clyde was a sleepy head this morning.  After breakfast I walked around a little bit, sizing up the day.  Before long Clyde emerged and soon had his breakfast shoveled down.

As we contemplatively sat on the beach a caribou came around the little headland down the shore.  Apparently they have keen eyesight (I Googled this fact) but I guess it wasn't bothered by us as it ambled its way closer and closer so we could get a good look it, or perhaps it was getting a better look at us...

It was right around 10:30 am when we left the beach.

We crossed over to La Plante Cove for a look around, and then took our time handrailing the shore.  I say "took our time" but we received a pretty good push with the southerly wind in our back.  

At Ratting Brook Falls (I believe that is the name) the water was flowing rather nicely. 

We took-out in the cove and tramped up the trail to have a look from above...

... and decided to walk up the river a little ways to have a look at a smaller falls. 

On the way back I took time to small the flowers.

We walked back to the cove and made some lunch.  I warmed up some bottled Deer meat and canned peas, and Clyde broke out the bread and butter and put on the kettle to have a cup of tea with our lunch.  We topped our meal off with a cookie that Clyde fished out of his kayak...

I didn't take any more pictures after we left our lunch spot.  There was no need to - I had taken over a hundred pictures since the morning before and had taken nearly forty minutes of video to add another vlog to my YouTube Channel... you can see more of  Rudolf's kin by clicking here...

2019 - Post 11 - Sunday Solo Paddle (mostly)

I woke up Sunday morning with no way to hold my head, that didn't hurt... and the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad, so... Oh wait now!  That's not what happened....

I woke up Sunday morning and checked the weather.  My legs were a little sore from hiking Spurwink Island Path the day before.  I thought about going for another hike, but when I checked the weather I decided it was a good morning for paddle instead.

I quickly emailed a bunch of people to let them know I was going to be in Bay Bulls if they were interested in joining.  It was short notice so I didn't expect anyone to show, but you just never know.

Arriving at the slipway there were kayaks waiting.  The Outfitters operates tours in the area and I knew I would likely encounter them on my way back.

Stillness...

I handrailed the southern side, checking out some caves along the way...

Fowl company...

A little waterfall....

A bigger one...

Ah yes, my destination.  I paddled and weaved among Baboul Rocks for a while, preoccupied with my thoughts....

... and watching the Puffins...

.. and the cod jigging persons...

... and then made my way around the headland to have a look at Gull Island in Witless Bay.  I thought about paddling over to the island, but decided to turn back.

I chatted with some of the fishermen in the vicinity for a while and watched a fellow haul in a pot-bellied, sizable cod, but most were smaller sized.  I finally started making my way back along the way I had come.

In the distance I could see the touring paddlers and suspected who might be guiding today...  

Yep, it was The G-man.  Been a while since I've him.

They weren't going much further out and so I decided to tag along to add a couple more kilometres to the morning.

What a splendid morning on the water!