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.

"Bauline"

The put-in for last Sunday's paddle.

"The Paddler"

I really like this shot. I've become so critical of my pictures I sometimes loose sight at what they can mean not only to me, which is important, but to what I might want others to see or imagine they see. It is good when you feel you are there. Though it is called the paddler, there is no paddle in the picture but because Tony is in his boat you can probably imagine that it is on his deck, or maybe you never even thought about a paddle. Maybe you just saw the fishing boats at their mooring, maybe you just wandered why only part of the bow of another kayak was in the side of the picture. Maybe you thought it was just to offset the fishing boat that only has part of its bow in the picture. Maybe you wondered why the slip was so dry and maybe it was just the fog at the harbour entrance that you caught. Maybe your eyes just took you first to the stern of Tony's boat and you didn't realise why. The eyes are attracted to the brightest spot of a picture first. But I bet you thought about something!

"Holding Pattern"

Holding inside the very small harbour at Bauline as Clyde prepares himself on shore.

"Course, Bearing, Heading"

Our course last Sunday was from Bauline to Cripple Cove at Cape St. Francis. We didn't quite hit our target because of conditions. The bearing was about close to due north 350 degrees the heading the same, no current and 15 to 20kt winds with gusts. The course, bearing and heading not all quite the same on this day. I was elusive as Tony pointed out to me later on, during this paddle. Sometimes I am. I get a better emotion for my environment then and kind of blend in and feel everything better. I was feeling the wet fog in my nostrils, the coolness of spray on my cheeks, the water beneath my hull, the tingle in my ears of ocean sounds, the warmth of my paddle, the ever slight chill in my bear hands that I like on the water, the familiarity of friends close by and if I were an eagle I would have been soaring,enjoying the currents of air and the vibrations of and resistance in friction. Oh I was, but mine was liquid, fluid and accompanying in every way. There was no where else!

"Land Fog"

When you paddle with land fog out of Bauline you are treated to some captivating scenery as the fog hugs the hills and moves undulatingly as you do to the tune of an ocean swell. Music to my ears and candy for my eyes. Tony and Clyde enjoying the paddle. Clyde is in a bit of a trough.

"Our Return"

Tony "railing" on our return from Cape St. Francis. Though we did not quite make it to the Cape, the conditions there that Sunday were not what we wanted that day for sure, we settled for a safe return.

"Looking Out"

For my archives. Mulling around in Bauline/Conception Bay last weekend.

"Paddling In The Rain"

 I guess paddling in the rain is not for everyone. After all you may already be sitting in a pool of water in your kayak seat, hopefully from the water you are paddling in ;).

Kayaking is a water sport and I believe I consider that from above and below. Of course the proper gear keeps one dry and comfortable most times, even in torrential down pours. I find it kind of fun actually knowing that all my gear is water tight and secure. My map case is sealed and secure, no water sneaking in to ruin the maps, my head is dry, and so is the rest of my body. Still some just don't like being out in those kind of elements. I find it actually therapeutic and kind of neat watching it pit the water's surface as it falls from the sky. The only issue I guess is if you stop for a break you can feel the coolness of the rain and its wetness being idle. At any rate paddling to me in the rain is as good as singing in the rain I guess and if you can do both then perhaps you really are in the right place in time.