2014: Post 6 – Two more paddles under the bow

My last paddle for this winter occurred on March 2nd.  I had intended to post pics but just didn't seem to get to it.... Anyway, on that day Tony, Neville, and I paddled from St. Phillips to Topsail Beach.  We had had some cold weather then as you can tell by the pictures.....

After my last paddle I was ill for a couple weeks and then my non-kayaking life kept me off the water last weekend...

But today Tony and I decided to paddle out of St. Philips.  There was supposed to be higher wind and the intent was to just fool around near the cove in anticipated waves, but when we arrived the wind was low and so we pointed our bows toward Topsail Beach, taking our time as we poked along the shore.  

The shoreline was quite a contrast from just three weeks ago... most of the ice was gone and the air temperature made for a pleasant spring paddle...

There was some fun wave action along the shore in places (Tony was side-surfed into some rocks at one place).  Somewhere along the way Tony made a comment that Clyde would be sorry he missed this paddle; Clyde really loves getting in close to the shore when the water is active...

As is typical when we do this paddle, we took out at Topsail Beach for a little stretch before heading back. 

Within minutes of leaving Topsail Beach we could see a paddler coming toward us.  I could see the paddler working a Greenland paddle and went through the list of potentials... Just a little closer and we knew who it was...  Clyde had decided to join us after all, but had left St. Philips about forty-five minutes after we did... 

And so, with the wind picking up on the return leg, three kayaking amigos headed back to the cove...

At the nearby restaurant Clyde treated us to coffee over talk of politics, pensions, and future paddling plans...

2014: Post 5 – Some ski progress

A few weeks ago I tried cross country skiing with my paddling buddies... see Post 1.  Well since then I had bought my own skis but then we lost all our snow.  Then we had more snow but I missed an opportunity to get out with the guys last weekend.  But this afternoon I was able to finally try out my own equipment at Pippy Park...

We started off at one location but the trails were narrow and twisted among the trees.  I fell down twice right at the start and the guys decided it wasn't the best place for me to learn so we decided to jump in the cars and go to a more flatter area where there was a track laid down, it was much more open, and the hills were more gentle.  

In my concentration of trying to ski, I had forgotten I had taken my camera but then remembered near the end of the day...  Neville and Tony had gone up ahead a little way and I took one of Gary who was hanging back with me...

Neville and Tony were having a chat while waiting for us, and when we caught up to them I got another pic of all three guys....

If I gauge my progress by the number of times I fall down I did really well at my second ski outing today.  The first time I tried skiing back in January I fell down at least a dozen times (I think it was more like fifteen) and hurt my ribs the second last time I fell.  Today I only fell down just five times; granted the hills we less steep at today's location but it is progress.  I felt much more comfortable on the skis, and my balance was much better.  I also wore less clothing than before, although it was colder today, and so did not overheat as much.

It was another great day to be outdoors.  In fact, it was a great weekend for outdoors... a paddle yesterday and a ski today...  

2014: Post 4 – Bay Bulls

Clyde, Tony and I went to Bay Bulls yesterday.  It was -11 C on the car's thermometer but it did not feel cold since there was no wind and the sun poured down on us from the cloudless sky.

With plenty of snow on the ground we were able to load up the kayaks near the cars.

We tried to seal launch but there just wasn't enough grade to get the kayaks moving on the snow but it was easy to pull the kayaks down to the slipway.

There were some ice pans at the put in...

We decided to paddle up the north side of the bay. There was some slob-ice in the bottom of the bay for a few hundred feet but it thin so it was easy to push our way through.

Of course there was a little bit of rock-hopping here and there...

... and there were lots of icicles hanging from the cliffs...

We paddled around North Head and continued to Freshwater Cove before turning around.  Once back at North Head we crossed the bay to the south side in a little bit of a snow squall.  On the way back down the shore we encountered some hikers on the trail above,and then some more slob-ice further along...

We were not too far from the put-in but, as per our usual routine when paddling, we found a little beach and took-out for a little snack and a stretch...

... before finishing our paddle back where we started...

In his quest for warmer feet, Clyde tried wearing a pair of
rubber boots over his drysuit socks.  He said it was the warmest
time his feet had been so just maybe he is on to something...

Thanks to Tony and Clyde for sharing another fantastic winter paddle. 

Be sure to check out Tony's account of the day and of Clyde's as well...

2014: Post 3 – The best paddle so far

Maybe I don't remember the other paddles from this winter very well, or maybe it's simply from lack of paddling since Christmas, but today's paddle felt like it was the best paddle I've had so far this winter.

It was a balmy -4 C when I arrived at St. Philips,  it was snowing a little, and there was little wind to speak of.  It was shaping up to be a good day on the water.  Within a couple minutes Tony pulled up, and then Clyde.  Just a few minutes more and Hazen and Neville showed up.... I could feel the anticipation as the guys prepared kayaks and gear.

And then off we went to Topsail Beach, taking our time... 

Hazen

Tony

Clyde and Neville

Da boys

It was high tide and when we arrived at Topsail Beach and, with a little bit of work, we were able to paddle up into the lagoon...  

Clyde

Tony

I've only been able to paddle up the river once before (you've got to hit the tide at the right time) but I was by myself then.  This time I was able to share the fun with friends... and I do believe this may have been the first time the rest of the guys paddled up into the lagoon.  We paddled across the little pond and took out for a little snack... 

Clyde trying out my cag

Hazen and Tony, with Neville in the background

After our snack and chat, we were cooling down and so it was time to get back in the kayaks and warm up on the way back to St. Philips... 

Tony

Clyde and Hazen

By the time we arrived back at St. Philips the snow flakes were bigger and more intense, adding to the enjoyment of winter paddling... 

Tony said he didn't want the paddle to be over and could just keep going up to Portugal Cove... and it was a tempting proposition.  But instead we paddled up the river, cleaned up, and went for coffee...  

Hazen sent me this pic he took of me during today's paddle so I thought I would add it to my entry....

Thanks Hazen, Tony, Neville, and Clyde for making today another memorable paddle.  

be sure to check out Tony's entry of today's paddle...

2014: Post 2 – First paddle of this year

For this year's first paddle we had almost no wind and a temperature of right around 0 C...  It would of been a good day to paddle anywhere around our neck of the woods, but we decided to do a short paddle close to home - we chose our familiar route from St. Philips to Topsail Beach. 

A few pics to share...

Brian

Neville

Tony
(this is one of those 'put the camera behind the neck and click' shots)

Tony

Three paddling amigos

The river flowing from the lagoon at Topsail Beach

Tony and Brian

The young boy within each of us compelled us to carry our kayaks over the beach into the lagoon and then ride the little river back to the salt water...  Brian went first (so I did not get a pic of him), but I was second and waited for Neville and Tony  with my camera ready, just in case someone took take a spill... 

Neville

Tony

... with the bit of swell coming in and the water rushing out it created some waves now and then that could have knocked a fellow over... but all paddlers made it safely out of the little rivers current without incident, and so we poked our way along the shore back to St. Philips where Tony treated us to coffee.

Thanks Neville, Brian, and Tony for a fun and relaxing paddle this morning. 

Well there you have it... our first paddle for 2014 is now under the hull.  Neville's truck has been started, and this year's paddling adventure has begun!!

2014: Post 1 – It ain't quite like paddling, but it'll do...

December 26th was the last time I paddled.  We've had wind and some poor weather during the weekends which is the only time I can paddle unless I take time off work during the week... yeah, I have done that on occasion.  It was supposed to be windy again today.  Soooooo.......

A bunch of my regular paddling buddies are cross country skier's and they decided to get together this afternoon to do some skiing.  One of them had some older gear and offered it to me to come along to give it a try.

We only covered about six kilometres.  I was overdressed and fell down on every hill except one. It certainly wasn't anything like paddling.  But as I was huffing and puffing along in the back of the pack, doing my best to stay upright, and keep up, my mind often drifted back to when I started kayaking...

About five and a half years a go, without ever paddling a stroke, I decided I was going to be a kayaker.  I went to one of the local outfitters, got a kayak and all the basic gear, and began my paddling journey.  I was skill-less and didn't know a thing; I couldn't stay up-right in the kayak, couldn't keep up with others, couldn't go in anything that resembled a straight line.... I sometimes wonder what the other paddlers thought of me in those early stages of my paddling life.  But I stuck with it, and I learned.

And so now I have decided to become a cross country skier.  In fact, even before today, I had ordered up a set of skiing gear from the same place I bought my kayak(s) from!!  During the winter days when it is too windy to paddle on weekends it will offer a fun alternative to getting out there.  And if I am skiing with my paddling buddies it will give us something else to talk about when we do paddle or go on camping trips.

I can see it now...  We'll be sitting around a campfire during a paddling trip somewhere this coming summer, or the next... and someone will say "hey, remember that time when Dean tried skiing with us for the first time and he kept falling down..." and we'll all have a good laugh.  Well, that's what it's all about.... getting out there in the great outdoors and sharing some laughs with some good buddies, whether it be paddling, or attempting to ski...

Thanks Hazen, Tony, Gary, and Neville for the fun, tiring, and even a bit painful ski trip this afternoon.... oh, my poor ribs!

Wish I had remembered to bring my camera.