Bauline to Pouch Cove Newfoundland

Fog and Such…….

On one of the northern sections of the Avalon Peninsula there is a range of rock hills with steep cliffs that plunge deep into the waters of Conception Bay. It amazes me the numbers of trees that mange to thrive right down to the waters edge. 

When paddling in weather other than say fog, it can get monotonous because there is little change in the scenery with scattered wildlife mostly Bald Eagles.

When however you do get to paddle with fog and rain the scenery changes dramatically, almost at every stroke.

As the fog decides where it shall roll it covers and uncovers like ebbing and flooding tides leaving behind or in its midst the changes of the surrounding environment that are nerve really altered just exposed to varying degrees depending on natures brush of fog strokes.

The rolling hills can dwarf a kayaker and the fog ever changing the landscape can make the paddle quite mystical and magical and every new headland approach, a waiting discovery to be had. It is hard during times like this, not to think on what ocean explorers must have felt when they once sailed through the fog, a fresh opening, only to discover some new piece of geography or hidden cover or even treacherous coastline.

Sometimes you may even get a momentary hint of blue sky or total breaking of the fog’s thickness. It sometimes during these breaks that Bald Eagles are seen soaring from treetop to treetop in the distance watching our seemingly stealthy approach but knowing full well that they saw us long before we would ever catch the first glimpse of  them.

But on really foggy days you know that total open exposure is a transient relief and the fog rolls back in to mask your way and to muffle and baffle the sounds of the sea but keep close to the surface the smells of the waters. For the denseness of the air is too thick to allow the water scents to dissipate too far from your senses and everyone comments on how well they love that smell …the smell, of the briny sea.

Sometimes just stopping to take in the surroundings is all one needs to be grounded or watered so to speak….and be whisked away in thought or imaginations of spent time and time yet to be delivered.