“Scratching The Surface"

A paddle out of Witless Bay yesterday to Camel Beach and Witless Bay Head saw for quite a bit of excitement on the water. This was not our sometimes typical paddle to a destination and return trip. This was:  Hey! We’re on the water, lets play.

Put-in in Witless Bay. You always need these shots. We still have snow but it was about 5 degrees Celsius. Not bad.

• 1675, the population of Whittlless Bay is 34.
• 1700s, Irish fishing servants begin arriving in the area and quickly start to outnumber the English
• 1755, as Roman Catholicism is still outlawed in Newfoundland, priests disguised as fishermen, minister to the spiritual needs of the community.
• 1836, the first official census of Newfoundland puts the population at 542, of which 540 were Roman Catholic.
• 1845, Roman Catholic Church opens.
• 1860, the Presentation Sisters open a convent and a school for girls.
• 1871, population reaches 928.
• 1960s, people are re-settled from Gallows Cove at the southern headland of Witless Bay to the community of Witless Bay.
• 1986, Witless Bay is incorporated
• 2006 Census Population: 1070 
• 
  

Oh that preparation. 

Getting out to the ocean is as  fun as being there sometimes.

Some fog of Gull Island. Oh that’s OK , we’re not going there anyway. We have more compasses on our persons than Richie!

Gerard and Gary travelling out of the Bay. Today like so many days was or at least seemed about waves.  

I guess because we are not only constantly on them but in them and enjoying them, playing in them, studying them and their effects on our boats before getting the line, the nerve, to indulge them.

Just a high ride sometimes. Believe me! There is altitude at sea level.

I turned around to face the guys behind me when we hit Witless Point. Out here the waves had intensified as did the wind. We were exposed and though not visible here Green Island was behind my right shoulder. Why is this significant? It’s not! Just that Gull Island and Green Island are part of the ecological bird sanctuaries in Witless Bay and soon they will be making their way here once again.

The headland in the distance behind these boys is South Head even though it is pretty much due north. Or Mutton Cove.  Waving it up and waving it down.

Sometimes being on a roller coaster is as entertaining as……well….being on a roller coaster, that’s what this kind of felt like, but much more gentle. Tony is heading down in the distance while I am going up out of the trough.

After a bit of lunch and energized. We are ready for play. But that will be another post. I have to stick with my wave thingy.

Some of them were rolling in and some seemed like they were rolling out. Clyde here got his eyes on this one.

And like so many things, sometimes it is not the quantity but the quality that delights. You know we got a good bunch of paddlers here and good friends, and always the coffee and tales afterward.