Newfoundland kayaking with Neil

Kayaking in Croatia, Part 3

2010-09-06T20:27:00.006-02:30

Ysabelle and I took a hike up behind Sipanska Luka. Lots of olive groves and great views.

This was looking out at the harbour from our B&B window.

We paddling southeast down the seaward side of Sipan. Marko and I stopped to look at some of the sea life.

Exploring one of the many caves.

Here is a huge archway on Sipan.

Paddling into Uvala Prtusa, we approached a blue cave. We knew this was going to be amazing!

Ysabelle swimming inside the blue cave. The entrace is below the surface of the water, so you have to dive down to enter. Once inside there is a "room". All the light comes in underwater, so it's blue. Very special!

Entering the harbour of Sudurad. We met a Scottish couple who had kayak the whole length of Croatia in 5 weeks. They loved it!

Ysabelle inside a cave with a skylight.

We paddled around Ruda Island and then continued on to Lopud Island. Here Ysabelle paddles past the wall of the monastery in Lopud.

On the beach in Lopud, where we spent the night. We were very lucky to eat supper at the house of a local chef. It was probably the finest meal of the trip. Fabulous seafood! Thanks Marko for taking us there.

The next day, Marko entering a big cave on Lopud.

Ysabelle inside the cave.

We stopped on Lopud for some cliff diving. It was high and scary but a great thrill!

Then we paddled out to the offshore island of Sveti Andrija (St. Andrew). Nothing but a lighthouse. We couldn't land as the island is now privately owned.

Exploring the cliffs on the seaward side of Sveti Andrija.

Our last island on the tour was Kolocep. Ysabelle paddling past more limestone cliffs. We stopped at a second blue cave here and enjoyed another swim.

We continued past this lighthouse at Rt Bezolanj on Kolocep. Dubrovnik is in the background.

Ysabelle and Marko heading into Zaton, our final destination. Both of us felt sad to be finishing our tour. It was such a wonderful experience that we didn't want it to end.

Kayaking in Croatia, Part 2

2010-09-05T22:17:00.008-02:30

Back in Croatia, paddling north up Stonski Kanal. Another calm and sunny day.

Marko and Ysabelle are pulling into our lunch spot northeast of Przina. We had a good scoff of mussels.

This is the village of Broce, our first B&B overnight.

A relaxed breakfast at the B&B. It's common to grow grape vines over the terrace for shade at houses in Dalmatia.

Paddling just north of Broce, we came to the walled town of Ston. You can see the walls going up the hill and over to the next town of Mali Ston. It's the longest medieval wall in Europe and second only to the Great Wall in China. The walls barred access to the Peljesac Peninsula from the mainland. Tolls were charged to travellers and trade goods passing through the walls.

Ston is also famous for its old salt works. The salt lagoons are on the right in the photo. Stonski Kanal is on the left. The town was very pretty. We had a great supper of seafood!

A flower-lined alley in Ston.

A cooling lemonade in a cafe before we get back on the water and head south for the Elafiti Islands.

Ysabelle paddling past some beautiful geology on the north side of Olipa Island.

When we stopped for lunch on Olipa, Ysabelle practised her roll in the warm, clear water.

Here I am passing underneath the lighthouse on Olipa facing Veli Vratnik.

Ysabelle on a leisurely crossing of Veli Vratnik, heading south towards Jakljan Island.

Marko and Ysabelle exploring the cliffs on the seaward side of Jakljan.

Ysabelle cooling off in the narrows between Jakljan and Sipan Islands. It was 30 degrees C, sunny and no wind.

Approaching the town of Sipanska Luka on Sipan. This was one of the most beautiful island towns we visited.

Kayaking in Croatia, June 2010, Part 1

2010-09-05T13:01:00.010-02:30

In early June, Ysabelle and I travelled to Croatia for a week-long kayak tour on the Mediterranean with Adriatic Kayak Tours. We chose their Paddling Dalmatia tour, which included boats and gear, a guide, meals, camping 3 nights and B&B accommodation for 4 nights.

Marko, our guide, picked us up at the Dubrovnik airport and took us to the first campsite in Zaton, just north of Dubrovnik. Next morning we packed the kayaks, planned our route, and set off. We would be paddling north from Dubrovnik for 3 days and then south through the Elafiti Islands 4 days back to Dubrovnik.

The weather was hot, sunny and calm. All week the daytime temperatures were 25 - 30 degrees C, with the nights around 16 - 21 C. The water was a luxurious 20 C, perfect for swimming! Our first stop was Daksa Island, the site of an old prison for political prisoners during the communist era of Yugoslavia.

The Dalmatian coast enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate: hot, dry, calm summers and rainy, warm, windy winters. The vegetation reflects the hot, dry climate.

This is the beautiful harbour of Trsteno, our second campsite. Everywhere you looked there were crystal clear, turquoise waters, old stone buildings, and towering cypress trees.

In Trsteno, there is a peaceful Renaissance arboretum, dated back to the late 1400s. A stone aquaduct carries water to this fountain.

The first two days, we paddled northwest up the mainland coast from Zaton towards Slano. It took a little getting used to paddling in the heat and the blazing sun. Lots of water, gelato and sunscreen!

A delicious shore lunch on a small island along the way. Paddling in just a T-shirt and bathing suit was fabulous!

Here is a new luxury hotel in Slano. There were only a few along this coast. For the most part, it is wild and undeveloped. We stopped here for a gelato break. Tough life!

Here was our camping spot the third night in the tiny village of Krucica. The camp site was just behind the buildings in the trees. Very relaxing.

We crossed to Sipan Island on our fourth morning and continued north. The sea was glass calm.

Ysabelle is floating in front of a deserted vacation resort on Jakljan Island. This once belonged to a large Serbian company during the communist era. Company employees enjoyed cheap vacations here with their families.

Marko Grubisic was our guide with Adriatic Kayak Tours. Marko was the best! A great paddling companion, who knew the best restaurants in each village, and all the remarkable sites to visit along the coastline.

More photos of our trip and Dubrovnik in coming posts.

Bellevue Peninsula -- What a Day!

2010-07-05T21:07:00.020-02:30

This day is a perfect example of fabulous paddling in Newfoundland! Tony and Leslie organized a paddle around the Bellevue Peninsula in Trinity Bay. About a 90-minute drive from St. John's.

We started out in a calm lagoon behind Belluvue Beach. After a getting around a shallow gravel bed, we headed out through the gap in the beach into Trinity Bay. Below are Ysabelle and Leslie waiting for Dave Mac and Melissa to launch their boats.

The shoreline started out with rocky bluffs and stunted spruce. Below is Darren.

It was a warm day, so Ysabelle used my bow to cool off.

Soon the cliffs started to get higher.

Below is Tony Lee. He took some nice photos of the day, which you can check out on his website (http://www.kayaktherock.com/)

Soon after we started out, a minke whale came by to check us out. The whale came in for a close look. Then we started bumping 3 or 4 bald eagles up the shoreline. Below Darren takes a close look at an adult eagle.

And the cliffs just got higher. Brian provides good scale below.

When we rounded the north end of the peninsula, out came the sun! The day became even more beautiful.

We headed for lunch on a cobble beach, just southeast of the point.

Nothing whets the appetite like warm sun and an enjoyable paddle with friends.

Basking on warm rock.

After lunch, the rock hopping got better on the paddle south to Thornlea.

Towards the end of the afternoon, a bit of a head wind came up, which made us work a bit more to reach Thornlea. I highly recommend this location for a day paddle (25 km), when the seas are calm and the winds low. We saw whales, eagles by the dozen, mink, osprey, and lots of seabirds. Great rock hopping in a gentle swell, pocket beaches, high cliffs and clear waters. You just have have to love it!

Paddling Around Cape Spear on Canada Day

2010-07-02T09:14:00.012-02:30

July 1st is Canada Day, so we decided to paddle around the easternmost point in Canada to celebrate the day. Luckily Hazen brought his camera along, so all these photos are his.

We set out from Maddox Cove and paddled north around Cape Spear. As we past North Head and approached Cape Spear, the swell was rebounding off the cliffs producing big, confused seas. Some of the group was getting queasy with all the bouncing around, but we continued bravely on.

Here's the view of the Cape Spear lighthouse as we paddled by.

We stopped for lunch at Blackhead. It was a good chance to get ashore and let the queasy stomaches settle down.

Here's the group with our Canada Day smiles (l to r: Joy, Neil, Hazen, Gary (in back) and Ysabelle).

Here's the stern of Hazen's kayak emblazened with the Canadian flag.

We got back on the water and set off for Freshwater Bay. Luckily, the seas were much calmer after passing Cape Spear.

Here are Ysabelle and myself paddling from Blackhead toward Freshwater Bay.

Here we are paddling towards Signal Hill and the Narrows. The Fort Amherst lighthouse is on the left and Cabot Tower is on top of the hill.

We noticed a major improvement in water quality outside the Narrows now that the St. John's sewage treatment plant has started operation.

We finished up in Quidi Vidi, the historical small harbour at the north end of St. John's.

It's also home to Quidi Vidi Brewery, in the background of the photo of Ysabelle.

Thanks to Hazen, Joy, Gary and Ysabelle for a great Canada Day paddle!

Kayaking in Venice, Italy

2009-05-12T22:51:00.017-02:30

In mid-April, Ysabelle and I travelled to Venice for a holiday. Luckily for us, Rene Seindal had just opened his kayak tour business for the summer and he took us on a magical day paddle. Rene took the photo above of the two of us in front of Piazza San Marco.

Rene is from Denmark but he speaks Italian and English well. He knows Venice's history, its canals and the rules of the road for the many types of boats. Lucky for us!

Piazza San Marco with the Doge's Palace on the right and the Campanile or bell tower on the left, and gondolas everywhere.

We paddled down the smaller canals with the gondolas, passing many homes, palaces, churches, towers and more.

The beauty of Venice was hard to miss. To be honest, so was the smell. Sewage from some of the older buildings still goes directly into the canals, so kayaking is not for those with delicate sensibilities. I was just glad we visited in April and not August! In any case, the aroma did not detract from our appreciation of the amazing surroundings.

Here is Ysabelle near the Rialto bridge on the Grand Canal. The boat traffic on the Grand Canal was intimidating at first. It felt like trying to cross highway 401 on a motor scooter ... at rush hour! But Rene was an excellent guide and boldly led the way.

The variety of different boats was astonishing. Everything is done by boat in Venice: garbage collection, fire fighting, ambulance, delivery, taxis, and weddings! The multi-person gondola above is from a local rowing club.

Like I said, lots of traffic on the Grand Canal but what a view!

And paddling in Venice is very civilized when you can just pull over and stop at a canal-side cafe.

I highly recommend paddling with Rene if you get to Venice. You will have the trip of a lifetime. Check out his website at http://www.venicekayak.com/

Kayaking in Sea Ice

2009-04-04T17:07:00.011-02:30

After watching the wind take the sea ice in and out of Flatrock Harbour all week, Isabelle and I finally got the kayaks in the water on Saturday to have a closer look. The shot above shows Isabelle at the Flatrock wharf with chunks of sea ice.

We paddled along the shoreline, which was lined with big blocks of ice.

Here is the view looking out the harbour towards Redhead, which is obscured in the fog. The sea ice was out beyond Redhead today.

We stopped by Murdering Gulch to check out the waterfall, which is running strong with all the spring run-off.

We paddled out around Redhead through some mild clapotis and rounded the corner into Redhead Cove. And there was the sea ice! Check out the ice on the cliffs behind Isabelle, too. There were also several thousand eider ducks and some long-tailed ducks, too. Unfortunately, I didn't get any good photos of them.

In the background of this photo, the sea ice is solid to the horizon.

We headed south in a stiffening breeze towards the Beamer. Here is Isabelle checking out the northwest side.

Paddling back along the Beamer to the wharf, we saw a group of purple sandpipers on the rocks. These little guys are tough to survive the winter here.

We were very lucky today. The air temperature was 8C and the ocean temperature was OC. Off to the pool tonight to help coach a rolling clinic. Should be a little warmer there, I hope!

Sun & Ice

2009-03-29T11:32:00.002-02:30

Nice sunny day, so we're going for a walk along the sea cliffs.

Sea Ice Arrives in Flatrock

2009-03-28T17:46:00.003-02:30

Every winter, sea ice forms in the Atlantic Ocean off Labrador. Each spring it drifts south towards Newfoundland. It brings with it breeding seals, fog and for those who see it, a reminder of the annual cycle of the ocean. This week the sea ice arrived in Flatrock and Torbay. It is great to see!

If we are lucky, the icebergs will start showing up in a short while.

Bringing Kayaking Courses to Labrador Inuit

2009-03-28T13:00:00.016-02:30

At the beginning of September 2008, Richard Alexander (the president of Paddle Canada) and I flew to Nain, Labrador to teach a Level 1 sea kayaking course. This course was special because we were going to be teaching Inuit youth. The course was a partnership between us and Heather Angnatok, who is the youth program coordinator for the Nunatsiavut Government in Labrador.

There are many reasons why a sea kayaking program is wonderful for teenagers: it develops physical skills and fitness, presents a mental challenge, promotes self-confidence and teamwork. For Inuit youth, it has added dimensions like connecting them with their cultural heritage and giving them a new way to explore their homeland, wildlife and coastline.

We had a great group of youth, adults and one elder. We covered all the Level 1 paddling skills and added an overnight trip. Three of the participants even learned how to roll their kayaks!

It was a wonderful weekend for everyone. Richard and I had an absolute blast and we look froward to getting back to Nain in 2009.

For more information on the course, check out the article I wrote for the winter/spring 2009 issue of Kanawa magazine called "Full Circle: bringing sea kayaking back to the northern coast of Labrador." www.paddlingcanada.com/kanawa.asp

Level 1 Course

2008-06-23T19:07:00.011-02:30

This past week, the Newfoundland Kayak Company put on a Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Level 1 Skills course. I helped out Richard Alexander with the instruction, along with Craig Burden and Jon Walsh. We spent Tuesday night in the pool learning rescues, Friday evening on the pond learning the first few strokes, and all day Saturday on the pond learning more strokes, practicing rescues and learning about gear, weather and navigation.

And a little fooling around with balance!

Then a day trip on the ocean on Sunday to put it all into practice on salt water. We launched in Cupids on Conception Bay. The sun was out for the first time in two weeks and the wind was light. It was perfect for a Level 1 paddle!!

A few kilometres east of Cupid, we came to the Arches, which is a spectacular archway to paddle through. There was less than one metre of swell but it was noisily crashing on the surrounding rocks, so this was an exercise in trust and confidence-building. But the smiles afterwards were worth the anxiety. Craig took the photo below.

We stopped for lunch and Richard put his pastey white legs on display! We managed to keep our lunch down, while he told tall tales and did funny things with rope.

We got back on the water and paddled around the Brigus lighthouse and into Brigus harbour.

Eventually Craig caught up with the class (boy, is he slow!!!) and I took this photo while he caught his breath.

Seriously, it was a great course and a lot of fun to instruct. We had a super bunch of students and they all progressed significantly during the course. It was very enjoyable teaching with Richard, Jon and Craig! Looking forward to teaching the Level 2 course with Craig next week in Gros Morne!!!

Safety Lessons

2008-06-23T18:59:00.003-02:30

After the capsizes on the KNL Cape Broyle paddle, several of the trip leaders met with the KNL Safety Committee to de-brief the proceedings. We gathered descriptions of what happened from most of those involved. Seeing the situation from different points of view is enlightening. There is always something to learn from rescue situations. We'll apply the lessons to future club paddles. This way the club works to promote safety on our paddles and our trip leaders gain valuable insights for next time.

KNL Father's Day Paddle in Cape Broyle

2008-06-23T18:30:00.007-02:30

Every year Alex McGruer leads a club paddle on Father's Day to Cape Broyle. This year we had a good turnout and a great day for an adventure. Greg Stamer had a arrived in St. John's a couple of days before and was getting ready to circumnavigate the island. He decided to come out and join KNL members for the day. Above is Greg in the waterfall near the start.

Here's Isabelle wearing a big smile next to the falls.

This iceberg was just off Lance Cove, so Greg and a bunch of us went out for a look. Below is Kam who was visiting from New York and came along for the fun. He loved the icebergs.

We landed at Lance Cove for lunch. Below is Greg wondering if it's safe to join the lunatics by the damp fire?!

You couldn't find a better crowd of paddlers anywhere. The smiles tell the story. Well ... almost...

After the lunch stop, the group split in two. The more experienced crowd headed out to Church Cove and found big swells and excitement. There was no wind, so it was a perfect learning environment for those with less big-water experience. Despite a bout of sea-sickness by one paddler, there were big smiles all-round once we got back to calmer water and the adrenaline subsided. Stretching your comfort zone in a safe situation with capable mentors provides long-term benefits in terms of paddling experience and self-confidence.

The other half of the group headed straight back for the launch site. On the way, a couple of paddlers capsized and were quickly rescued. One swimmer was wet, cold and unable to continue. Alex took him ashore in Freshwater Cove and got him into dry clothes. Alex called the Coast Guard as a precaution, and they dispatched a power boat from Cape Broyle. The Ocean Predator was on the scene in a very short time and took the mildly hypothermic swimmer back to the wharf. A happy ending to the incident. Honour is due to Alex, Malcolm and Peter for their leadership and sound decision-making. And a big thank-you to the Coast Guard Auxillary Boat Ocean Predator and its crew.

With water temperatures here around 5 degrees Celsius now, even a brief swim in a wetsuit and paddling top can seriously chill a paddler. Rapid response by rescuers ensures a rapid recovery.

Atlantic Paddling Professionals Symposium

2008-05-28T19:52:00.002-02:30

On Friday, I'm off to the Atlantic Paddling Professionals Symposium in Port Mouton, Nova Scotia. It is the first regional event aimed at paddling instructors and guides from all three disciplines: canoeing, sea kayaking and river kayaking. The symposium is bringing in instructor trainers from across Canada. It should be a great learning experience. And a great chance to paddle with a super group from all parts of Atlantic Canada. Paddle Canada and the provincial paddling associations are major sponsors.

Placentia Sound

2008-05-26T19:39:00.009-02:30

Last Sunday, seven of us headed out for a paddle from Argentia Harbour into Placentia Sound. Argentia is where the longer ferry to Nova Scotia begins its journey in the summer. The photo above shows us getting ready to go. The former US Naval Air Station is in the background. No longer an airport, it is now an industrial site.

Paddling around Broad Cove head and turning east into Placentia Sound, we left the industrial Argentia behind. But not all traces of the American presence. The photo above shows Alison Dyer and an old American property sign. Nationalist sentiments reared their ugly head, and I felt compelled to remove the offending sign.

Entering Shalloway Cove, we found this beautiful brook cascading down into the sea.

Here's Stan MacKenzie with a headland in the background. The high hills along the shoreline of the Sound reminded me of the fiords in Gros Morne Park on the west coast of Newfoundland. We stopped for lunch at the ruin of an old cabin across from Witless Head. Then we fought our way out of the Sound against southwest winds towards Fox Harbour.

We finished up the paddle in picturesque Fox Harbour. Above is Peter Armitage passing by a fisherman and his family unloaded nets and gear from their speedboat. This paddle was my first contribution to KNL's Circle the Avalon Challenge for 2008. We're hoping to complete the Challenge this year. For better photos from this paddle, check out the link to Stan MacKenzie's blog at the right.

Iceberg Paddle

2008-05-25T21:15:00.007-02:30

This spectacular iceberg was the goal of our paddle on Saturday (photo credit: Dave MacDonald). Fifteen KNL members launched from Turks Gut, just south of Brigus in Conception Bay.

Paddling north we found the archway above, which Paul Benson is paddling through with a big grin.

Here's the pinnacle iceberg with my partner Isabelle.

The other side of the iceberg with Dave Dobbin and Laura ?

From the iceberg, we paddled north into Brigus Bay, where we stopped for lunch. Then we headed north towards Cupids. Coming around around the headland we passed through The Arch above.

Where else but Newfoundland could you have such a great paddle, just an hour's drive from St. John's.

It's May and it's snowing!

2008-05-11T20:42:00.002-02:30

You just have to love the weather here in the so-called spring. Today is May 11 and it's snowing out! I was out to Gull Island in Witless Bay for work today with two other Canadian Wildlife Service biologists. It was a bumpy ride out in the Zodiac. Lots of icebergs about. Just when we started our seabird work on the island, the snow started. It was cold and windy but we finished the work quickly and headed back in the Zodiac. It was snowing so hard, we could not see the shore. It was good to get the work done today, since there are big winds and seas forecast for tomorrow and another storm coming up from New England later this week.

I sure hope all this cold weather is gone for next weekend's Retreat in Terra Nova!!!!

Greg Stamer returning to Newfoundland

2008-03-29T17:24:00.004-02:30

Greg Stamer has announced that he is coming back to Newfoundland in June 2008 to paddle around the island solo. Check out Greg's plans on his website at http://www.gregstamer.com/

Greg and Freya Hoffmeister were guests at the KNL Kayakers Retreat in May 2007. Their Greenland paddling and rolling clinics were an inspiration. After the Retreat, Greg and Freya did an 8-day trip from St. John's to St. Bride's around the southern Avalon peninsula. I took the photo above of Greg when they started their trip at Quidi Vidi Gut. You can check out Greg and Freya's photos from their trip at http://www.gregstamer.com/?page_id=17

Later in June & July 2007, Greg and Freya paddled around Iceland in record time. That trip included a 110-kilometre day that lasted 22 hours on the water. Amazing endurance!

I am looking forward to Greg's return with a big smile. Greg is a fantastic paddler, mentor and down-to-earth guy. I'm looking forward to paddling with him again in 2008.

Going Political

2008-01-28T11:27:00.000-03:30

Every once in a while, I am jarred out of my kayaking daydream by reality. Let me explain ... St. John's is "blessed" with a mayor known best for his bombast and bullying. His name is Andy Wells. Mr. Wells has accepted a new full-time job as head of the provincial Public Utilities Board (PUB), starting in March 2008. Unbelievably, Mr. Wells has indicated that he is debating when to step down as full-time mayor of St. John's. He is seriously considering staying on as mayor until late September 2008. During that period he would receive his PUB salary (reported to be almost $180,000 per year) and his mayor's salary (more than $90,000 per year). The mind boggles at the arrogance of this greed!

Anyway, I was compelled to send a Letter to the Editor to the St. John's daily newspaper, the Telegram. You can read my letter here:
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=101625&sc=87

The Editorial in the paper the same day explored the same topic:
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=101624&sc=80

And now back to kayaking ...

Paddling Around Bell Island

2007-11-02T22:39:00.000-02:30

Paddling around Bell Island is a classic day paddle near St. John's. Once you've done it, you can safely call yourself an intermediate sea kayaker. It tends to be a popular paddle for groups and the local crowd usually does it a couple times a summer. For some reason, I had never been around Bell Island before. The photo above shows the high seacliffs that characterize the island. There are few good landing spots, the swell from the north can be huge, and Bell Island Tickle has a nasty reputation for sudden rough water when the wind opposes the tide.

The weather gods smiled on us on 22 Septemeber 2007. David Carroll organized the trip and a dozen people jumped aboard.

The map shows the route of 25 km. We loaded our vehicles and kayaks aboard the Bell Island ferry at 8:30am.

The crew were a little puzzled by the sudden invasion of kayakers.

Since the sun was out, we headed for the observation deck. Here's the gang with David and his father Joe Carroll in the front.

Here's the put-in not far from the ferry dock on the island. There was almost no swell on this side.

We headed north along the towering cliffs.

After a few minutes of paddling, we came to this 100 metre tunnel through the cliff. The swell was bigger here and crashing inside the tunnel. So we debated and then decided to give it a pass.

Ralph is paddling strongly through the increasing swell on the north side of the island. The lighthouse is on top of the cliff in the background.

Here's the swell breaking on the shoals and seacliffs.

We started south down the back side of the island. Here is David with some nice waves behind him.

More swell breaking on shoals. Below the seabed here are tunnels from the large iron ore mines that operated on Bell Island for decades. During the Second World War, these were the largest iron ore mines in the British Empire.

Here's Stan MacKenzie taking photos near the Grebes Nest.

Continuing south, we came to the Bell which gives the island its name. The folks in the distance are sprinting for the lunch beach.

The channel between the Bell and the main island offered some interesting swell, which Alison took advantage of.

David at the lunch beach. Little Bell is behind him. I should probably title this photo "Spot the Knob", but I don't want to get David cranky with me.

Here's Little Bell, the Bell, and the lunch beach. Spectacular spot!

Continuing on around the south end of the island, we came to the Clapper.

Here's Stan paddling by Lance Cove. This is where a German U-boat sank four ships during World War II. One of the U-boat's torpedos exploded on the beach in Lance Cove. Things were not quite as exciting the day we were there. But the sun was great!

We finished up around 2:30pm. A bunch of us set off in search of an ice cream cone to celebrate the day, before heading back on the ferry. A great trip with a great bunch of friends!

Dream trip around Cape St. Mary's

2007-10-28T12:48:00.000-02:30

One of the most popular ecotourism destinations in all of Newfoundland & Labrador is the gannet colony at Cape St. Mary's. Thousands of people take the short hike every summer to overlook the tens of thousands of breeding gannets. The sights, sounds and smells of Bird Rock are simply overwhelming.

Far fewer people have visited Bird Rock by boat. Many fisherman and the odd group of kayakers have marvelled at the panorama of a sky filled with northern gannets and the overpowering noise of all their squawking. I won't even try to descibe the odor!

Paddling around Cape St. Mary's has been a goal of mine for many years. The headland juts out from the south coast of the Avalon into the northwest Atlantic. It is usually battered by winds and huge swells ... but if you pick your day, you can enjoy brilliant sunny weather, calm seas and no more than a gentle breeze.

September 18, 2007 presented just such a day. I contacted several experienced paddling buddies, and Ian Fong of St. John's and Jonathan Walsh of Placentia were interested. The forecast looked excellent.

We decided to start from St. Bride's and finish at Point Lance, 25 kms in all (click on map and photos to enlarge).

Here are Jonathan (aka pastey white guy on left) and Ian Fong (aka the Fongman) getting ready to go in St. Bride's. We began at 11:30am.

Almost the whole coast along our route was seacliffs (200 - 300 feet high). Here we are approaching Island Head, south of St. Bride's.

Here's the narrow passage through Island Head. We were lucky to have ideal conditions. The swell was less than 1 metre, the winds were very light, and the sun was splitting the rocks.

We carried on to Norther Head and played in the swell running through the rocks and stacks. In the distance you can spot the Cape St. Mary's lighthouse on the cliff top. We stopped for a quick lunch just inside Lears Cove.

In Lears Cove, we found this excellent camping spot, which had 2 streams and level areas for many tents.

Nearby, we found this very narrow passage between the cliff and a tall seastack. The swell was magnified going through the passage to several metres. You can just see Ian's yellow shoulders disappearing in front of the surging wave in the photo. Exciting!

The seacliffs were amazing all along the route. Here's Jon in Brierly Cove.

This photo, looking north into Brierly Cove, shows how calm it can be on a good day.

As we pulled further south, the Cape St. Mary's lighthouse came into clear view.

The Fongman just had to celebrate the moment with a few antics!

And here we were at last, paddling around Cape St. Mary's!!!

Just under Bird Rock, we discovered these towering caves.

Here's the view looking out of the cave. The sky is full of flying gannets. It was silent in the back of the cave, except for the swell. As you paddled out of the cave, you were hit by a wall of noise from the gannet colony just above. Incredible!

Here's Jon below Bird Rock.

Here's a close-up photo of the adult gannets (white) and the large gannet chicks (brown).

From the big smile on Ian's face it's not hard to tell he was enjoying the trip.

We paddled further east and entered Golden Bay. There we found a sandy beach with gentle surf. We couldn't resist. We each got in a few runs in the surf before stopping for a break.

The beach at Golden Bay is beautiful, but not very accessible. It's a long hike from Cape St. Mary's. Unfortunately camping is not allowed here, as the beach is located within the Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve.

Paddling east out of Golden Bay with Bull Island Point in the distance.

Rounding the point and entering Lance Cove, the village of Point Lance came into view.

Luckily, there was another long sandy beach in Lance Cove, so we did some more surfing to end the paddle on a high note.

About all we could say after such a marvellous day was Wow! This paddle was definitely a highlight of the 2007 season.

If you are interested in looking at more photos from this trip look here http://205.251.50.54:3500/neilcape07/index.htm on my buddy Tony Lee's great website http://www.kayaktherock.com/

Including our stops, the paddle took six hours (11:30am - 5:30pm). There were only the 3 spots mentioned that were good for stopping. There were many other small pocket beaches that could be used as landings (only on a calm day), but the cliffs above do not provide any escape.

The sea conditions and light winds on this day were well within Level 2 conditions, but the high seacliffs with very few landing spots make this a Level 3 or 4 paddle under ideal conditions. On average, there are only one or two days each month with ideal paddling conditions at the Cape.

Notre Dame Bay

2007-10-21T11:15:00.000-02:30

Here is a map of our entire trip. Start and finish at Pilley's Island. We paddled 136 kms over 6 days. I will post a more complete trip report, listing campsites and water sources on the KNL website later this fall.

It would be easy to paddle from this area to the west towards White Bay or to the east past Leading Tickles towards the Bay of Expoits. It would all depend on the weather.

I highly recommend a trip to the Triton area for Level 2 sea kayakers. The rewards are many.

Thanks again to Colin Hiscock and Harvey Rice for providing valuable tips beforehand on good campsites and places of interest in this area.

Notre Dame Bay, final day

2007-10-20T13:51:00.000-02:30

Our last day began with light rain as we packed up our camp at Triton East. We were philosophical about it. We'd enjoyed good weather all week, so a little rain on the last day was tolerable. The lack of wind made it better.

We crossed Little Triton Harbour passed the fish plant and over into Brighton Tickle. We found this keyhole as the rain picked up.

Across the tickle a couple of fisherman were pulling their lobster pots.

We paddled under the Brighton Causeway and came upon this growler, floating in calm water.

With the overcast lighting, we could see down to the bottom of the growler underwater. It was a great example of an iceberg in miniature ... and small enough to approach safely.

Two icebergs had floated into Brighton Harbour. The one on the left was threatening the town wharf.

The rain let up and we turned south and paddled up Pilley's Tickle, passing Horse Chops Head and Dogfish Point. We explored the narrow channel on the south side of Big Island with its steep sides and dark passage.

Then we retraced our strokes under the Triton Island Causeway and back to our starting point in Pilley's Island Harbour. Our last day was short, only 14 kms. With mixed feelings, we packed our gear into the car and strapped the kayaks on the roof. Finishing the paddling early was a good idea, given the 6-hour drive back to St. John's.

I vowed to make time for a least one extended kayak trip each summer. Newfoundland has so many areas to explore by kayak, and trips like this are the best way to do it.

Notre Dame Bay, Day 5

2007-10-14T13:45:00.001-02:30

Day 5 of our 6-day paddling trip was outstanding. We started from our magical campsite at Julies Harbour (no sign of the rumoured ghost) and ended at Triton East after paddling 33 kms.

Here is our Julies Harbour camp. A great spot (sheltered, level and lots of freshwater) with lots of history to explore.

This is the view paddling out of Julies Harbour and into Badger Bay. We paddled south by Gull Island and into Wild Bight.

On the southeast side of Wild Bight, we found Pissamare Falls (above), a dramatic waterfall on Badger Bay Brook. This was the scenic highlight of our trip. We decided to stop and hike up the falls for lunch.

The view was breath-taking.

We continued paddling north up the east side of Badger Bay under ideal conditions. We found several good beaches suitable for breaks. We stopped at Locks Harbour, which was another good camping spot (but lacking a stream). The photo above shows Isabelle at the mouth of Badger Bay, with White Point on the right and Triton Island on the left. We paddled north to Triton Island and took a short break on a cobble beach on the north side of Great Denier Island. We paddled on across Grand Dismal Cove (no place to land). When we came around Ragged Point and turned west, we found half a dozen huge icebergs directly in our path.

The icebergs were sculpted into wild spires and drydocks. They were slowly breaking up and in places the water was full of frazzle ice, crackling and fizzing as it melted.

We kept a safe distance from the unstable bergs.

As we passed this berg, a loud crack rang out. The berg wobbled slowly in the water, sending off big waves. A huge bergy bit floated to the surface, broken off underwater. We paddled hard in the opposite direction, half expecting the iceberg to roll.

We paddled by Big Triton Island and into Little Triton Harbour. The old community of Triton East offered a sheltered landing spot and good camping behind the cabins. A brief rain shower started just as we finished pitching our tent.

What a memorable day! A huge waterfall, awesome icebergs, sun, rain ... a bit of everything. After all the paddling, we gobbled down supper and slept like logs.

Day 4, Notre Dame Bay

2007-10-10T21:27:00.000-02:30

On Day 4 of our trip (4 July 07) we started out from Stag Cove, just south of Sunday Cove Island, and we paddled 21 kms to Julies Harbour in Badger Bay (click on map & photos to enlarge).

We packed up our tent on the wharf and headed out.

Here's Isabelle paddling towards Haywards Head in ideal conditions.

We entered Charley's Cove (2 kms northeast of Robert's Arm), and I heard the high-pitched call of a bald eagle. After scanning the cliff in the cove, we spotted the eagle nest in the photo.

We then crossed to Hayward Gull Island and onwards through Flat Rock Tickle (which separates Pilley's Island from the mainland). A moderate head wind came up late in the morning, just to keep things interesting. We stopped for lunch on Raft Island (next to Pretty Island). As with many of the afternoons on our trip, the clouds darkened and we could see isolated showers nearby.

We crossed Sops Arm and paddled around Burton's Head, passed south of Duck Island, and entered Badger Bay.

We headed southwest along the shoreline in Badger Bay. Crossing the first cove, we discovered this osprey nest. An adult osprey flew in, carrying a fish in its talons.

We arrived at our campsite in Julies Harbour in mid-afternoon. This spot was recommended to us by several paddlers. What a memorable spot! A long gravel spit (shown above) protects the harbour. The wreck of an old Bombardier snow machine sat rusting in the sun. Two streams provided an abundance of freshwater. There were dozens of houses here a hundred years ago, as this was once a bustling fishing community. An old road led into the forest, past an abandoned cemetary. One cabin was set back in the woods. The siding had been ripped off it in several places by black bears. We found fresh bear scat in a couple of spots closeby. We quickly decided to pitch our tent across the harbour on the spit. Taking advantage of the afternoon sun, we had a quick bath beside a stream, filled our water bottles, and feasted on supper. A day to savour.

Notre Dame Bay, Day 3

2007-09-30T14:00:00.000-02:30

On Day 3, we paddled 34 kilometres from Little Bay Islands to south to Sunday Cove. (Click on the map and photos to see larger views.)

We awoke to glass calm in North Harbour on Little Bay Islands. We had a favourable weather forecast, so we decided to complete our circuit of Little Bay Islands, and then head south.

As we paddled out of North Harbour, we passed these icebergs. So big, they took our breath away. We continued north around Northern Head and then west along the rugged north side of Little Bay Islands. The swell was bigger on this exposed coastline. We rounded Burnt Head and paddled south.

At Western Cove, we found this excellent campsite with a wonderful view.

Here's another great campsite at Murcell Cove on the west side of Little Bay Islands.

Paddling south down the west side of Little Bay Islands was an enjoyable mix of rugged headlands and coves.

Leaving Little Bay Islands at Hynes Point, we steered southwest into an archipelago of small islands. We decided to land on Red Island above for a short break to stretch our legs.

The view to the north from Red Island was captivating with the fog shrouding the islands and ridges towards Beachside.

Here is the ferry "Inch Arran" that runs from Shoal Arm to Little Bay Islands. You can see the fog bank in the background. The ferry passed by Red Island on the way to Little Bay Islands, while we were taking a break.

We left Red Island and paddled south into Halls Bay. We followed the west shore of Halls Bay towards Saltwater Pond Bay.

Here's an interesting rock we passed along the way. Indian Beach offered a good campsite.

Here's the view looking south into Halls Bay, with Sunday Cove Island on the left and Indian Beach on the right. We had a beautiful sunny day with little wind. We took another break at Saltwater Pond Bay. Then we crossed Halls Bay, going south to Sunday Cove Island.

Here's Isabelle in front of an odd two-floor cabin on a small island near Sunday Cove Tickle. We paddled through the Tickle and on to Nippers Harbour, in search of a campsite. Unfortunately Nippers Harbour was muddy and mostly salt marsh. No suitable campsite there. We continued on to Stag Cove. Again good campsites were at a premium.

In a pinch, we decided to camp on this dock. There was no cabin here, but there was a first-class outhouse and stream. Another unusual but comfortable campsite. After a long day and 34 kilometres of paddling, we did not complain. A hot supper, a quick bath beside the stream and we were quickly off to sleep with the water lapping gently on the dock.

Back from northern Labrador

2007-09-11T20:24:00.000-02:30

Sorry for the delay since the last posting. I was up in northern Labrador doing wildlife research since mid-July.

I was monitoring the effects of PCB pollution from a military radar site on seabirds breeding in Saglek Bay (220 kms north of the town of Nain). The Department of National Defence cleaned up the PCB-contaminated soil around the radar site about 7 years ago. I was working this summer with a larger scientific team assessing the effectiveness of the clean-up in reducing PCB levels in the terrestrial and marine ecosystems nearby.

One day we were working on a small seabird island and one of the crew came running up, saying there was a polar bear swimming towards the island. We packed up our gear in hurry and jumped in our Zodiac. We drove the boat back and forth and encouraged the bear to swim back to where it came from. A co-worker Tom Sheldon took the photo above when the bear climbed out of the sea.

An amazing animal! So big and powerful, yet so agile. It ran up the hill and then paused to look at us. Then it ambled off slowly in the other direction.

Saglek Bay is the southern boundary of the new Torngat Mountains National Park. The Park has an incredible abundance of polar and black bears, caribou, seabirds, arctic char, seals, whales and much more. One of the seabird islands we worked on had a pair of immature peregrine falcons regularly hunting the black guillemots we were studying. It was facinating to watch the falcons swoop down after the guillemots. They often missed, but we found several guillemot carcasses that the peregrines had killed.

I will get back to posting about my paddling adventures soon.

Day 2 in Notre Dame Bay: Part 2

2007-07-12T22:29:00.001-02:30

The icebergs were incredible. Here is the view from our campsite on the second night. Impressive!

After crossing to Little Bay Islands, here Isabelle enters the harbour of the only village on the island.

Here is one of the older houses near the entrance of the harbour.

No danger of missing this house when you paddle around the harbour!

We continued north to North Harbour. We had to paddle past this iceberg to enter the harbour.

North Harbour is totally protected from the wind and sea. Here is our campsite for Day 2. A great spot. A stream and picnic table were located in the background of this photo.

Day 2 in Notre Dame Bay: Part 1

2007-07-12T08:39:00.000-02:30

On Day 2, we paddled from Pilley's Island to Oil Islands and then on to Little Bay Islands, for a total of 24.5 kms.

Here's the cabin we stayed in at Fox Cove on Pilley's Island. Boats are packed and we're ready to head out for Day 2.

As we paddled around the north end of Pilley's Island we entered Long Island Tickle. Long Island is on the right.

I discovered this old wooden trough or slide coming down the side of a cliff on the north side of Pilley's Island. I asked a nearby lobster fisherman what it was and he said it was a slide for loading firewood cut on top of the cliff into a boat.

From the Tickle, we paddled north to Oil Islands, where we stopped for lunch. Harvey Rice and Colin Hiscock had both suggested it was worth a visit. The cobble area had a dozen food pits dug into the rock by Beothuks. The views up and down the bay from this narrow bar were outstanding.

Here's the view to the north with Little Bay Islands on the left and the Baie Verte peninsula in the background.

The crossing from Oil Islands to Little Bay Islands is 5 km. Conditions were ideal for us.

There were 7 icebergs visible across Note Dame Bay on this crossing.

For those of you away from Newfoundland, this is the best year for icebergs since I moved here in 2000. The abundance of icebergs varies a lot from year to year. Northeast winds in spring help bring the icebergs (floating down from Greenland) closer to the Newfoundland coastline. Without those winds, the icebergs follow the Labrador current out around the Grand Banks, never getting close to shore.

I'll post the rest of the photos from Day 2 soon.

Six-day paddling trip in Notre Dame Bay

2007-07-11T23:33:00.000-02:30

Last week, Isabelle and I took off for a six-day sea kayak trip in the Triton area of western Notre Dame Bay (see the blue box on the above map). I highly recommend this area for Level 2 paddling trips. The many islands and channels offer protected water in any wind. You can adapt your route depending on the forecast.

On Day 1, we launched in the mid-afternoon at Pilley's Island and paddled under the causeway to Triton Island, and then on up Pilley's Tickle in a moderate to strong headwind. We called it quits at Fox Cove and camped out in a small woodcutter's cabin, which was unlocked (Thanks!). Freshwater was available from a stream just a few steps behind the cabin. It was a short day because of the late put-in (just 10.3 km). Below is Isabelle at the put-in as we packed the boats.

The village of Pilley's Island in the afternoon sun.

Paddling up Pilley's Tickle in the rising wind. The area had several mussel aquaculture operations (the yellow and blue floats in the photos below).

More mussel growing operations and Nogood Island behind Isabelle. The island didn't look so bad to us?! The iceberg in the background posed a risk to the mussel lines.

The next post will feature some of the highlights we encountered on Day 2. This part of Notre Dame Bay has many interesting natural and culture sites worth visiting.

More Icebergs!

2007-07-09T13:49:00.001-02:30

Isabelle, Alison Dyer, and I paddled from Alison's cabin in Capelin Cove (Hant's Harbour) to New Melbourne in northeast Trinity Bay. We ran into several bergy bits at New Melbourne, which gave Alison a big smile above.

Here we are passing the lighthouse at the entrance to Hant's Harbour. Below Isabelle and Alison explore the rocky shoreline.

Near New Chelsea, we found this interesting archway.

We stopped for lunch at Alison's favourite picnic beach at New Chelsea. Below is a the view of an old house near the beach.

We paddled on to New Melbourne where we encountered the ice. This was Alison's first ice experience for 2007.

There were more bergs in the distance.

A very pleasant day on the water. And another section of coastline covered for the Kayak Newfoundland & Labrador's Circle the Avalon Club Challenge.

Paddling out of Old Perlican, Trinity Bay

2007-07-09T13:16:00.000-02:30

On Saturday, June 23rd, four of us paddled from Old Perlican in northeastern Trinity Bay to New Melbourne. It was a windy day, so things we interesting. There were many icebergs in northern Trinity Bay, so we had lots to look at. Above is Dick Wardle in his Capella. Below is Brian Duffett in his latest cedar-strip creation.

Below is Alex McGruer in his used and abused Explorer.

As we approached the beach at New Melbourne, the wind shifted around to the north and increased rapidly. The seas responded immediately and grew rough. We put ashore at the most sheltered spot we could find. Brian's truck was close by, so a quick car shuttle and we were done.

I decided to stay overnight at friend Alison Dyer's cabin near Hant's Harbour for more paddling on Sunday. The rest headed home to St. John's.

Paddling La Manche & Great Island

2007-06-20T22:18:00.000-02:30

Last weekend, four of us went for a paddle on the Southern Shore (an hour south of St. John's) from Brigus South to Bauline East. We stopped at La Manche for lunch and then circled Great Island, which is one of the seabird islands in Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. The photo above shows paddling buddies Des Sullivan, Malcolm Rowe and Isabelle Hubert.

This shot shows the group under the East Coast Trail bridge at La Manche. It's a gorgeous spot. There was a fishing village here one hundred years ago, with stages, fishing rooms, and fish flakes for drying salt cod.

Here is the view to seaward from the La Manche bridge. We had a great day for paddling: sunny, hot and swell less than one metre.

As we approached Great Island, the numbers of puffins, murres, kittiwakes, and the occasional razorbill grew overwhelming. The seabirds were in the water all around us diving and feeding. The air was FULL of birds, flying back and forth to the island, carrying fish. As we got closer to the island, the smell and noise of the nesting birds reached a fevered pitch.

This rock has common murres standing on top and kittiwakes sitting on nests below.

Here is a tunnel on the seaward side of Great Island. The swells are always bigger on this side of the island, and this day they were surging through this tunnel. We had a close look but played it safe and didn't paddle through.

Here's a group of murres and razorbills on the water beside the island. It's amazing how close you can get with a sea kayak.

We enjoyed a fantastic day on the water. The paddle ended on a bit of a sour note in Bauline East. Some thoughtful soul had left a chest freezer full of rotten meat (or fish?) near the wharf. The smell was truly appalling. We didn't linger long.

Another great reason to paddle!

2007-06-18T17:18:00.000-02:30

Here's a fantastic photo of my partner Isabelle Hubert, taken by Tony Lee on the KNL Father's Day Paddle at Cape Broyle on June 17. Isabelle is a real joy to paddle with. I'm a very lucky man!

You can see more photos of the Father's Day Paddle (and dozens of other Newfoundland paddles) on Tony's Kayak the Rock website http://www.kayaktherock.com/

Just look under Gallery and scroll down.

Tony's website is so popular that some people have been recognized by total strangers across the island from Tony's paddling photos. You've had your 15 minutes of fame now, Paul, so step aside!

Making a Greenland Paddle

2007-06-14T22:14:00.000-02:30

In early May, I helped organize a workshop for KNL members interested in making a Greenland paddle. Darren McDonald generously arranged access to a wood shop for us to work in. Brian Duffett, who has made many Greenland paddles of different designs, joined us and shared his experience and advice.

Most of us started with the paddle design instructions of Chuck Holst (available free at http://www.qajaqusa.org/QK/makegreen2.pdf) and the free instructional video by Matt Johnson (at http://www.carvegp.com/). Thanks to Chuck and Matt for sharing their knowledge and helping others.

We bought our wood, calculated the paddle dimensions in relation to our body size, and laid out the dimensions on the wood. We made the rough cuts along the outline of the paddle. Then started the slow and steady use of a plane, spokeshave and/or drawknife to carve the wood to the right shape.

Being a glutton for punishment, I decided to laminate several different kinds of wood together to make my paddle (spruce, cedar and virola). Why do it, when you can overdo it! I glued the pieces together with epoxy resin (left over from kayak building last year). Below is the paddle, cut out in one dimension, with the dimension lines marked on in pencil. It looks pretty square!

You can see the lines that mark the shape that needs to be planed to. In this photo, the bottom side has been planed to the line, and the board flipped over. I now need to plane the top side to the line.

Below you can see the start of the process of planing the bevel into the face of the paddle blade. I used a block plane for the paddle faces and a spokeshave for carving the shoulders and the loom (round part in the middle of the shaft).

I will continue this in a later post and show you how the paddle turned out.

Icebergs in Trinity Bay

2007-06-13T21:31:00.000-02:30

Here is Paul Benson approaching a bergy bit (a house-sized chunk of iceberg) near Shag Rock in Whiteway Bay in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. A group of 10 paddlers made our way from Greens Harbour to Islington last Saturday. It was sunny, warm ... fantastic!

The geology along the way was striking. The colour of the shoreline bedrock went from gray to red to green. Here's Paul again in front of a striking red outcrop.

Back to the bergy bit: Tony Lee, Paul and I couldn't resist sliding into a small fissure in the ice. Yes, this is risky paddling behaviour. Icebergs are unpredictable and potentially dangerous; chunks break off and bergs can roll over. Here's Tony happily risking his neck.

The sea stacks and rock hopping was great in a small swell and little wind. Below is Sue Duffett.

Dan Miller paddling past more interesting rock formations.

Paul Simmons exploring the shoreline cliffs.

We found another iceberg off Long Point (near Islington). Tony and I paddled out to take a closer look. On days this nice, it is always a disappointment to reach the take-out and the end of the paddle.

Iceberg off Salvage

2007-06-12T11:52:00.000-02:30

A highlight at the KNL Retreat was a half-day paddle out to an iceberg near the town of Salvage. For Freya and Greg, this was their first close encounter with an iceberg. And were they excited!

Here's Greg with a big smile!

Freya had to get her hands on some ice.

Since the iceberg was grounded on the bottom, we dared get close. But this is risky, since the chunks could break off or the berg could split and roll. However, we could not resist the magnetic pull of getting close to one of these ice giants.

The shades of brilliant blue in the veins of the iceberg were simply gorgeous. The warmth was melting the berg into undulating curves of beauty.

It was a great day! Here's Dirk having some fun on the way back to Salvage.

KNL Retreat 2007

2007-06-12T11:21:00.000-02:30

Well, it's been a dog's age since my last post. Lots to catch up on.

The Kayak Newfoundland & Labrador Retreat in late May was a huge success once again. More than 100 paddlers participated in Atlantic Canada's biggest kayaking event of the year. Our special guests this year were Freya Hoffmeister from Germany and Greg Stamer from Florida.

Here is Freya helping Dirk Muir with his coaching skills. Freya has a great progression for teaching rolling in her Greenland-style super-low-volume kayak. She had many paddlers rolling for the first time in her clinics. She also mentored Dirk and myself in teaching rolling using her methods. It was a rewarding experience for all of us. Many thanks to Freya for sharing her love of Greenland rolling with us.

Greg Stamer taught Greenland paddling clinics that were a real eye-opener. Most of us had not used a Greenland paddle before, so this was our entrance into a new paddling world. Through a combination of onshore lecture, on-the-water demonstrations and coaching, Greg introduced us to the basic strokes using Greenland technique. The subtlety of using a Greenland paddle efficiently was immediately obvious. I am hooked on my Greenland paddle. Many thanks to Brian Duffett and Dirk Muir for letting us use their collection of Greenland paddles for Greg's clinics. It was incredibly helpful to trade the many paddles around, so we could see how slight changes in design influenced performance and fit. Greg's enthusiasm for Greenland paddling was infectious. He is a great teacher!

Back at Last

2006-09-19T17:03:00.000-02:30

It's been a very busy summer!

I took a 6-day advanced sea kayak course (Paddle Canada Level 4) with the Newfoundland Kayak Company in Gros Morne and Burgeo, Newfoundland in early July. Had an absolute blast. The conditions were perfect with high winds, rough seas, 7-knot currents and great surf on the Big Barasway near Burgeo. I managed to learn a lot and push my paddling limits. Many thanks for the great instruction I received from Richard Alexander, Ian Fong and Doug Alderson (from BC).

In mid-July, I assisted the same instructors in teaching week-long intermediate sea kayak courses at Gros Morne (Paddle Canada Level 2 and 3). We had a super bunch of students this year, who really made the course a joy. It was an intense week but watching the students develop their paddling skills, confidence and judgement was a great reward. It was a special treat to see the rapid progress of my girlfriend, Isabelle, who took the Level 2 course.

After that Isabelle and I were joined by a paddling friend from Halifax, Krista Wuerr. We set off on a 4-day paddling trip along the remote southwest coast of Newfoundland. We started our journey in Rose Blanche in late July. We paddled east, passing several small outports: Petites, La Poile and Grand Bruit. We camped out in the wilderness along the way. There are no roads in this area, so the villages are connected by a coastal ferry. We took the ferry from Grand Bruit back to Rose Blanche to finish up.

After that, I was lucky enough to get out to the Magdalen Islands (Iles de la Madeleines) in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence for two weeks at the end of August. Isabelle grew up here, so I had the greatest possible guide to show me around. The Islands have miles and miles of white sand beaches that are incredible. The headlands are red sandstone (similar to PEI) that are carved into a wild variety of sea stacks, caves, tunnels and gullies by wave action. We spent incredible three days exploring by kayak, including a trip out to Entry Island and back.

Like I said, it's been a very busy summer, with some amazing paddling. I'll get some photos posted of these adventures as soon as I can. And I'll bring things up to date with reports on recent day paddles all around the Avalon.

New Kayak - Avalon Explorer

2006-06-23T19:29:00.000-02:30

Well after a lot of hard work and many hours in the workshop, my new kayak is on the water. I've called it the Avalon Explorer. The name reflects my home paddling area, the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, and the design roots of the boat. The hull lines are adapted from the popular Nigel Dennis Kayaks Explorer made commerically in the UK. I say "adapted" from the NDK Explorer because I had to modify the lines in designing a multi-chined stitch-and-glue boat to be made out of marine plywood and fiberglass. The deck is modified even more from the original lines of the NDK Explorer, since I had to make some changes to the curves at the forward end of the cockpit.

Check out what she looks like in the photo taken on the June 2006 KNL Father's Day Paddle at Cape Broyle.

I am extremely happy with her performance, turning ability, and weight. I'll have more to say on that once I get her out in rough conditions and surfing. The differences between her and my first boat, a Pygmy Arctic Tern, are noticeable. The Avalon Explorer turns and edges much more easily. Her speed is about the same as the Arctic Tern, despite being 6 inches longer. In current, the Arctic Tern's hard chine would be grabbed by the current on the upstream side when doing eddy turns. The multi-chine Avalon Explorer is better behaved in current.

The Avalon Explorer is a dream to roll (due to the pronounced upward sweep at the bow and stern). The Arctic Tern is not an easy boat to roll in comparison (due to the flat profile of its deck). The Avalon Explorer has consistent secondary stability as you increase the degree of edging. In contrast, the Arctic Tern had increasingly strong secondary stability that made edging beyond 30 degrees real work. This was due to the strong flare in the hull below the shear. This makes the Arctic Tern a great boat for beginners and folks who aren't too worried about extreme edging. But I had outgrown this and was looking for a better boat for edging and rolling.

I'll talk a little more about designing and building the Avalon Explorer in future postings.

Neil

Catching up on things

2006-06-23T19:15:00.000-02:30

Finally back to the blog. Things have been so busy that I haven't been posting often.

Anyway, the new sea kayak that I have been working on is nearly finished. Once I figure out how to post photos I will add a few. I've had it out on the water several times. The hatches and bulkheads are finally installed so all that is left is the finish sanding and the deck lines. I am taking all of July off work to paddle, so I will worry about adding the spar varnish in August.

I had planned to co-lead a club paddle and beach clean-up this weekend, but high winds have forced us to cancel the trip. Instead, I'll see if there is interest in getting out for some surfing south of St. John's. Stayed tuned for photos of that.

More later,
Neil

Welcome

2006-05-03T15:12:00.000-02:30

This blog will feature sea kayaking around the coast of Newfoundland on the Atlantic coast of Canada. It's a big island with 30,000 km of shoreline to explore. I'll post highlights from recent paddling trips. I am the President of the provincial kayaking club (Kayak Newfoundland & Labrador), so I will mention the odd KNL event (and some of them are quite odd!) Finally, I'm halfway through building my second stitch-and-glue sea kayak, so I may bore you with stories of boat building success and catastrophe.

Stay tuned.

Neil Burgess