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.