"The Whole Picture"

The part of the story behind these images besides the beauty of the day and the sea state, is the person and the talent. Brian is without a doubt one of our most excellent paddlers in Newfoundland and besides having a level 4 PAddle Canada certification, that I know of, he is also very talented at kayak construction. I wonder what you think the boat in these pictures is made of? Brian has made a Greenland style kayak out of ballistic nylon, which I have pictured in a previous post, he has made a beautiful wooden strip, a surf kayak out of wood and this boat pictured. He may have more but this is what I know. This boat is made of wood as well and painted white with a marine type paint I think, he told me once what kind but having a mind like a sieve, I prefer to think of it as baline just to maintain the nautical connection lol, but I am drifting from my point. Which is that we have very talented paddlers in the province as most places around the world do. Those paddlers that stand out for more reasons than is ever in some cases known. Most seem to like it that way and exhibit their skills through their accomplishments on the water and off. Our club is fortunate to have such people and even though they do not seek the limelight, they do radiate the essence and infrastructure of kayaking and when you are witness to it......you just know something good is happening around you.

"When One Is Not Enough"

 

Well sometimes two paddles are better than one, that is, after one outing maybe another will satiate that kayaking palate. After our group paddle yesterday in Tors Cove Tony and I decided on the way back home to stop in Mobile Newfoundland and have a close encounter of the frozen kind with a berg sitting grounded in Mobile Bay. Might as well we got the boats with us. Great paddle Tony, great day buds!

"Bergging"

 

Bergging to me is hunting down bergs and snapping as many pictures as you can of them while enjoying the paddle. A docile hunt but not without some quick skills to get the right image. We're learning Tony. This is also an excellent practise for balance drills while in your boat. What we also learned....keep the camera tethered.

"How You Cut It"

No matter how you cut it when you take a shot of an iceberg from varying angles or positions they will always look characteristically different. Not many things you photograph have that morphing affect with the camera. So every shot makes like a new berg ....kinda! That's one of the reasons they are so fun to be around.

"Berg Environment"

 

Bergs develop their own sea states when they arrive at a location. They are so big usually that they affect and can disturb the waters around them by creating their own clapotis and cascading sea flows by altering incoming swells , wind waves or both, so paddling near them in these conditions makes a paddler be weary of how close to get because sometimes the water movement around them isn't that predictable. So we always exercise caution when conditions dictate. This one was grounded, flat and close to shore so it was a bit less of a hazard but one still need be weary.

"Fire and Ice"

 

Not a huge berg by Island standards but some neat curves. Bergs are always cool o watch when the sun shines on them as you see lots of greens and blues mesmerizing like watching a fire. Very opposite ends of the spectrum I would say, how ironic though.

"Getting An Angle"

 


Tony and I both like taking pictures and when you are jockeying for that shot you are also jockeying for that angle. Not always easily obtained when the water is constantly in active motion. Sometimes you are not even aware of conditions cause you just want that shot, until of course you feel it........that tipsy motion!

"Sun Paddling"

The Tors Cove Crew.

"Great Island"

 

Our Nautical Destination yesterday.

"What -A-Day"

 

What more be said?

"Tors Cove Put-In"

 

A kaleidoscope of colors as we put-in in the late morning sun of Saturday April 25th, in Tors Cove Newfoundland for a group of ten paddle under near perfect conditions. Thanks to all who planned and successfully completed a wicked group paddle.

"Beautiful Day"

 

An awesome day heading out of Tors Cove yesterday for about a 2-3 hr paddle. The sun was out the temp was about 14 degres celsius with a 2 meter swell in 11 sec periods. Sounds like ingredients for a paddle to me.

"Great Island Bound"

 

Heading for Great Island yesterday. A beautiful day for a paddle. There were lots of people on the waters paddling in Newfoundland yesterday. Taking adavantage of the three straight days of sunshine is a must if a paddler here. About ten of us headed out Tors Cove for this paddle to Great Island, and Ship Island.

"The Great Island"

 

Great Island is part of the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve for Seabirds. They are nesting and danceing in the skies as we paddled in their backyard today. Lots of little Puffins swimming around as well as we plied the waters near Tors Cove yesterday.

"Paddle On"

Great Island. Dan navigating Great Island waters.

"We'll Be Coming Round THe Island When...."

 

Always great paddling near Pete as you get to hear him sing. Though he wasn't singing this tune, I was.

"The Great Island Challenge"

 

Just a sweet sunny paddle yesterday around Great Island. Lots of wave action as dpeths vary from 109 meters to as low as 0.9 meters in some places and rather quickly. This irregular seabed and position of other Islands creates lots of lop when the swell is 2-3 meters, but we were blessed in that there was no wind. So the padle was riding crests and troughs for the duration. We were bobbing like the proverbial corks.

"Relaxing Near The Great"

 

Brian making sure everyone is accounted for as we round the SW side of Great Island.

"Rounding Great Island"

 

Dan, Alison and Corey rounding the SW side of Great Island. No let up in the wave action from swell. Heeee Haww!

"Derek and Pam"

 

This paddling duo have two of the most remarkably crafted kayaks I've seen. Derek is a wood working phenom and it certainly is visible in his wokmanship he put into constructing their kayaks and paddles. I hope to participate in his Greenland PAddle clinic he plans to host. Makes wicked paddles as well. Great paddling with you guys again.

"Landing on Ship Island"

 

What a fun exciting paddle to this point. Lots of water motion today.

"From The Top"

 

Break on SHip Island. What we probably look like to Seagulls.

"Snacks"

 

Ya just can't have a paddle without food. Snacks on Ship Island yesterday.