"BOO"

 
Happy Halloween!!

"Just Wanted To See"

 
I just wanted to see what a kayak and a paddle stroke looked like under water. So I thought I'd maneuver myself to take this shot....wasn't easy. But the thing I noticed most was that the picture looks like I am in a pool or at the very least tropical water. I am out in the Bay of Cape Broyle Newfoundland on Sunday Oct.26th, 2008.

"Cape Broyle, Newfoundland"

 Just so nice I had to get out today as It seemed such a nice day not to be on the water. As every paddle is always a new experience for me I am grateful always to be on the water. As I leave my land life behind I sometimes feel selfish for my lust to be on the ocean in a kayak but it is my soul food and my body feeds ravenously upon it.

"Lookin' Out To See, If Anyone Was Lookin' In To Me"

 Sometimes you just want to round every bend and keep fueling the adventure that may be around every turn. And sometimes there is just one cloud in the sky that you want to take a picture of!

"I Get Lifted"

 More times than I can count this happens a lot when I am gearing up to take a shot. The swell heightens to more than normal and you are caught of guard because my balance is in the shot and my focus on the view finder, in this case the screen. When you see it happen on the screen you are already in it.

"Cauldron Boil Cauldron Bubble...."

 Not quite what Shakespeare was thinking when he wrote Macbeth but it does look like a sky and water a witch might like. It is neat the effects you can create by paddling in and out of the shadow of cliffs from time to time. The fair weather cumulus clouds look a bit ominous and the froth from rebounding waves made me feel like I was just another meal in the mouth of the ocean.

"A Monolith, Of Sorts"

 I am always captivated by the geology of Newfoundland because you are paddling around some of the oldest rock in the world at times. Carved and sliced by the Ice Age you'd swear sometimes those glaciers just left.

"A Paddling Soul of A Solo Paddler"

 I guess Gerard was on the water for some of the same reasons today. I first saw him on the beach when I was coming back from Cape Broyle head and when I paddled to shore to say hello, I asked how his paddle was goin' he just lifted his arms to the sky as if to say "this is it". It really was. A beautiful sunny day, another solo paddler and so I left Gerard in his kayak space and paddled on. This is him headin' for Cape Broyle.

"Worn & Weathered, Cape Broyle, Newfoundland"

 Kind of had one of those days myself. A soul day. A day when nothing I could do would make a difference to anything I might have been able to make a difference to in the first place. Not even that really, more of a spiritual, not religious, day to reflect. A paddle just seems sometimes to make things right. To allow the mind to drift like the waters on which I'm paddling. Clear the head, shake away my demons and cleanse some of the inside while just floating, drifting, dipping and rising in the breeze and the waves as I meandered today in time I guess. The sun was intense and the wind cool fair elements for a fine paddle. Thanks Cape Broyle!

"Truely A Nordkapp Day"

 The start of a beautiful day trial for the Valley Sea Kayak The Nordkapp. Oct. 25th, 2008 an excellent way to start a day. Sun shining thru the autumn trees and happily anticipating a paddle.

"Nordkapp Trial, Torbay Newfoundland""

 I became interested in this boat after some research and asked a fellow NL paddler if I might be able to try his out. No problem and Malcom Rowe who has written reviews already on this topic, graciously allowed me to paddle for a few hours in one of his prize possessions. What A treat is all I can Say. This boat handles unbelievably well in worsening conditions as all the research will tell you but you won't believe until you actually try. Then you'll know what you've been miss'in!!

"Malcolm At Rest"

 Not often you get to see Malcolm in this state but being a seasoned paddler it is hard not to stay in motion. The conditions were perfect for trying the Nordkapp in Torbay today. What a delight to paddle so fine in fact that I almost forgot to take pictures. I actually was spending time daydreaming as I was paddling along. The boat handles so well it can lull you into different states of consciousness. The waters were choppy and there was a fair bit of rolling swell. The Nordkapp just shrugged it all off and pretty much handled itself.

"In Pursuit"

 Malcolm went whizzing by in the Romany and I pursued in the Nordkapp. What a fast boat. It was sweet of Malcolm to allow me to try one of his prize possessions, The Nordkapp. He just got a Nordkapp LV as well. Ya never know, I might get to try it as well.

"Roll'in"

 Ian watching John execute a roll. We did a few rolls today on the way in, the water is getting down there in temps though. The Nordkapp was fairly easy to roll and it is just an all around superb boat. Great paddling company as well.

"The Group"

 John Walsh "Johnny", Ian Fong "The Fong-Man", Malcol Rowe "Justise", Me "Paddlehands", Tony Roestenburg "Kuviatsuk". Another day another paddle, and a fun way to close out my Nordkapp trial. Totally love the boat so mine is on order.

"Our Quest"

 I thought I'd get schooled in the art of cod filetting before we embarked on some recreational cod fishing in Motion Bay, Newfoundland today. I wanted to feel the smell of a fresh catch. Glad I felt this before I left the dock. Well it looks like they are biting today boys? They said we should have no problem. Hmmmmm. Final last words!!

"PHP" Petty Harbour Put-In

 It was beautiful paddling out of Petty Harbour this morning at 1015h to fetch some cod. It proved easier said than done. For us anyways.

"Cod Fishing Grounds"

The cod fishing grounds today was Motion Bay Newfoundland.They had extended this day a couple of times now due to weather and we thought we would be eating cod by 5pm. I had a sub sandwich. These men were very successful in their catch and though we were optimistic......... we sucked!!

"Heading Out Of Motion Bay , Newfoundland"

 Steve having a bit of a paddle before we attempt to relocate to another spot to catch some cod fish as we participated in the "food fishery" today. Then cod season is over till next year. We were allowed to get 5 with a max of fifteen per fishing boat. They were pulling them in all around us. The lines were not out for 5 minutes it seems and they were pulling them in. We did not.

"Catchin' Any?" Motion Bay, Newfoundland

 Nope....we had fun trying in Motion Bay, Newfoundland. The rope for our anchor (100 ft) wasn't long enough. So we drifted way too much and had some line tangling. We didn't have the proper line either or the right spool. This was practise for next year. We thought we let them get nice and fat for us.lol

"Cod-Jiggin', Motion Bay, Newfoundland"

 Well it didn't take us long to figure out two things as we rafted up to jig for the cod. Number one was it was easy to understand how this Bay git its' name. It is constantly in "motion" lop, slop-de-bop. We were the proverbial bobbing cork. You can See Maddox Cove in the distance though. Since we didn't have to spend time taking cod of our lines we had lots of time to site-see :(

"Cod Fisher"

 Well Steve try we did. It was tough watching all those boats pull in their catch all around us though. Next year we'll have the technique.

"Maddox Cove, Newfoundland"

 Fall foilage in Maddox Cove on Oct. 19th.

"Rock Hopping"

 Pretty calm for Maddox Cove.

"Newfoundland, Petty Harbour"

 Entering Petty Harbour after our experience in the Newfoundland Recreation Cod Fishery. Unsuccessful in our attempts we learned what was needed for next time in fishing cod from a kayak.

"The Road Home"

 After a great paddle the road home. Oct.19th, 2008.