2012: Post 18 – Waves and Whales

Anyone want to go to Middle Cove to check out the iceberg?  That was the hook Tony used in his e-mail a couple days ago.  So three of us took the bait and we met in Middle Cove this morning.

Well, the iceberg that was there had moved off.  But the water was active and we could see humpbacks spouting from the shore.  Excitement took over at the prospect of seeing some whales.

A few pics from the day:

Tony was the first one off the beach

Tobias heading toward Tor Bay

Clyde likes to get in close

But there were areas that you had to keep your distance 

Look! A whale!

The guys waiting for another whale appearance

There's one!

Look, another!

Tony in a trough

Torbay Point

Heading into Outer Cove

We had a snack on this little beach in Outer Cove

Almost back to Middle Cove

Today was this year's first whale encounter for me.... Thanks guys for another exciting day...

Check out Tony's blog entry on today

2012: Post 17 – Great Sandy Harbour

This past weekend four of us went on our first camping trip for this year.   The forecast for the Placentia Bay area was for sun and clouds, but no rain, although there would be wind from the northwest.  The plan was to drive to Davis Cove in Placentia Bay and paddle up to Gulch Pond to camp for the night.  Along the way we would go into Great Sandy Harbour and maybe try our hand at a few sea run trout while there. 

It was about 10 am when we pulled into Davis Cove and we had the kayaks loaded and were on the water about an hour later... 

Clyde decided he would use a Greenland Paddle for the weekend so he could give it a really good test…

Our first stop was at Prowseton... 

We sat behind one of the little sheds there to stay out of the wind... 

Before getting back in our kayaks we decided we would find somewhere in Great Sandy Harbour to camp instead of continuing to Gulch Pond.  The day was moving along and we figured by the time we explored Great Sandy Harbour (our main goal of the trip) it would be about time to set up camp... 

Clyde and Neville

Once in Great Sandy Harbour we followed the shoreline (north side) and looked for possible camping sites along the way...  

We got all the way to the falls and did not find anywhere suitable for camping.  We hung around the falls for a while…

Hazen

Neville

Then we followed, and scouted, along the south shore of the harbour until we found a place that would be suitable for four tents, but we would not be sheltered from the wind.  It was about 5:30 pm then so we decided we would paddle the few kilometers along the shoreline and chance we would find a suitable place to set up camp in Little Sandy Harbour. The distance to Gulch Pond would have been farther and we would have had to paddle into the wind as well. So off we went with our decision made…

Along the beach in Little Sandy Harbour Neville spotted a couple places that, if we removed some branches, would make a suitable spot for the tents.  Although we had paddle approximately 25 kilometers at this point, Clyde decided he would continue further along just to see if there was anywhere else for camping; I think he was just in GP mode and found it hard to stop... When he returned he reported there wasn’t anywhere further along but he did come across a moose.  So Neville and Hazen broke out their saws and quickly cleared away a couple spots for the tents...

This spot would become the location for mine and Clyde's tents

Before too long we had the tents up and supper on the go... 

Clyde and I are canned food campers - beans for Clyde, chicken and rice soup for me... just open the can, warm up the contents and you’re eating within minutes... I think Hazen and Neville like to eat a whole lot better though….

Hazen

Neville

After our late supper Hazen made some Irish coffee…

Cheers

… and then we got a fire on the go... 

... and had a few drinks…

Neville produced some jiffy-pop popcorn and soon had it ready... 

Clyde checked the time.  It was 2 am.  Time for some sleep.  We woke up to a blue sky and sunshine.  The wind was still blowing but we were protected from it...  

We did not have far to paddle back to Davis Cove and so we took our time with breakfast and breaking camp…

We left the beach at about 10 am to head back to Davis Cove, a short paddle away.  Once we paddled far enough from the beach the wind was in our back and really pushed us toward Dunn Cove where Clyde jumped out to look at another potential camping spot.  We rounded Nan Point and the wind continued to help push us along...

Hazen and Clyde

Neville

At one spot along the way Neville asked me if I could see the eagle sitting in the trees.  I could not.  He told me where to look but I just could not see it.  He finally gave up and told me I would be no good to take hunting.  Well, good thing I am not a hunter.

I think the eagle was somewhere along this area...

Before very long we were rounding Calls Point into Davis Cove.  Again we had the wind in our face and had a last little push before we were back at our starting point...

The guys before reaching Calls Point

Before long we were all packed up and back on the road heading for home...  

  

Thanks for another great kayak camping trip guys.  I look forward to the next one. 

2012: Post 16 – An afternoon in Bay Bulls

Clyde and I decided to head to Bay Bulls – no real paddling agenda, just one of those mucking about type paddles.  The wind was blowing a little into the bay when we pulled off the beach about noonish. 

We paddled down the south side staying close to shore. 

We stopped in a little spot along the way and had a little snack and Clyde decided he would seal launch backwards off the beach.  I thought that could just be a photo opportunity but he got on the water without incident…

We continued on enjoying the afternoon…

Then we came to a little cove that still had a lump of ice/snow still clinging to the rocks (sorry the pic is out of focus)…

The swell picked up as we got closer to South Head making things more interesting (Clyde is in the first picture below)… 



Then my camera said the battery was dead so I did not get any more pics from this point.  The wind had dropped and we wished we had the time to continue further into Witless Bay.  We kept going up past the spout (there are two of them there around the head) until my GPS read more than 9 kilometres before we turned back. The trip back was a little shorter as we did not get into the nooks and crannies along the shoreline.

Along the way back Clyde asked if he could use my spare GP.  Now, those who know me know I’m not going to argue with a fellow who wants to try a GP…  We rafted up, I pulled the spare GP off my foredeck and Clyde stored his nice, expensive, carbon-fibre Euro paddle on my foredeck (his spare was already on his own foredeck).  I thought to myself that since I now had his paddle he would have no choice but to use the GP until we got back to the take-out; he is a good paddler and does paddle a Nordcapp, but I do not think he is proficient enough with the GP to have caught me if he wanted his Euro back!!!

Clyde has used my GP in the past and seems to take to it naturally.  I think if he had one sized properly to fit him he might use it more often for touring.

I had my camera poked in my life jacket and just had to check it to see if there was any life left in it (often when the battery gets cold it loses its charge and then if you let it warm up it will still have some life in it.  I was very pleased when it turned on so I could get some photographic evidence of the GP event…

I even had enough charge to take a little video of Clyde on a rock with a GP… He didn’t seem to be distressed not having his Euro paddle (sorry, Clyde, I just couldn't resist)...

Well, we spent about 4 hours on the water, paddled over 16 kilometres, and had a good bit of fun.  Thanks Clyde.

2012: Post 15 – Playing in St. Philips

Today the forecast was for a nice sunny day, but windy.  So Tony and I headed to St. Philips to try to catch some waves....



A couple hours on the water and then a coffee at the restaurant...  All good fun.

2012: Post 14 – Little paddles are big fun

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day.  So there likely will not be any paddling happening.  Tony e-mailed to see if anybody wanted to meet at St. Philips for a little fun in the waves.  Sadly, there was just myself and Tony interested and so we met at 10:30 this morning at the slipway.

Tony hit the water first and headed out into the cove.  Just as I got on the water Sean showed up with his new Black Pearl! 

I missed the inaugural wetting of his new kayak on Thursday past and was very pleased to see him show up with it.  Except in pictures, this was the first time I have seen it in person.  Very nice looking piece of work…

I paddled out to let Tony know we had a third and he was as pleased as I was that Sean showed up with his new boat.  When Sean got on the water we decided to put our bows into the wind and waves and headed toward Topsail beach for a little paddle.

Most of my pictures taken were of Sean...

Okay, I guess I should at least add one of Tony…

And here are both the guys together...

We only paddled about four kilometres toward Topsail Beach.  But it was a really fun four kilometres with the wind and wave action we had.  It was really fun to watch Sean put his new kayak through some paces too. 

Sean and myself followed the shore back.  Tony opted to paddle out into the bay to take full advantage of the wind in his back.  Just amazing how fast he flew back to the cove… just might have to get me one of those Nordkapp’s one day!!