"Harbour Mille Return"

 

As I paddled into Harbour Mille upon our return there was a sense of fullfilment because just a couple of days before this Sunday the trip was put together. I had never been to the Fortune Bay area but when I checked on my Blue Chart maps I liked all the coves that were accessible. The fact that our weather held to forecast was spectacular and the VHF weather channel was a major utility during our trip as were the locals we met when we left.

The harbour was ripe with activity when I glided in. First off though I just sat outside the harbour entrance trying to savor every last moment. The sun was shining, I was sweating in my dry suit, my face was crusted in salt, as I dunked my cap in the bay many times to cool off during the crossing. Enjoying my trip wind-down thoughts.

I sort of did what felt like a victory lap around the harbour. Nothing was won, just such ease of enjoyment as I passed the guy that was hold up in the trailer on the side of the road when you enter Harbour Mille. Russ the auxillary Coast Gaurd help was getting in his boat for another burn around, so I thnaked him for all his concern. Two old timers were sitting on some coiled ropes chatting in the sun and looking at me as I waved as I slowly slid by. There was a fisherman outside his wharf shack who looked to be baiting some line and who occasionally engaged the old timers but mostly kept his head low to his labor. A young boy on a small bike passed near the dock where I came in and stopped to check me out. Then a gentleman from the south end of the harbour came by to say that he saw us up in Long Harbour when he was out after the cod yesterday. A missus came walking down the road near the harbour front just as another young lass went over to the old timers to inquire about our presence. And one of the old timers came by to ask where we came from as he must have talked to Russ who saw us packing up on the beach early Sunday morning in Long Harbour at Lobster Cove. He, I guess, wanted to make sure we were the ones Russ saw and tell me that we made awefully good time on the paddle back. It was like they were waiting for us and I had the feeling they were. We talked and laughed and he sauntered back to his pal and shared a chuckle as they looked back approvingly at my boat and I could hear them say that, "they sure hold a lot of gear".

What a friggin' great day.