"B-Day Paddle To Bell Island"

Yesterday my B day fell on easter again. I liked that when I was a kid. I got a day off. Turns out those feelings haven't changed as I morphed (kind a) into adult hood, never thought my name could be used in the same sentence as adult. I'm digressing more like regressing these days....enough already!

Anyhow I hooked up with our regular crew and we had a great paddle from St. Philip's to Bell Island and around her backside. Please don't take that the wrong way. She is a nice Island. A great bunch of guys and a great day. Maybe it was "Great Friday". Who knows? We were on the water. I will post more but I'm out the door now paddling again today. This is Tony and Dean coming into Conception Bay.

"One Bell Of A Day"

Then there were Five! Always great to start and finish with the same numbers. Our group often finishes with more but that is OK too. Great paddle guys and thanks. Thanks for the hospitality for the coffee at your house Sean. Wicked!

"April 2nd and Bell Island"

It was a superb day to paddle, to paddle Bell Island and to be lost in doing that, which others can take forever to find. Bell Island in the foreground. We put in at St. Philips' , our normal haunt, but decided to cross over that day. It only takes about an hour to do that and sometimes the wave action can slow down or speed up that considerably depending on which end of that you are on.

"Cameras...check!"

We all have them. Doesn't everyone in the world now own a camera. I think if you took a shot from everyone who owns a camera in the world and pasted them together you would have a "photo wrap" of earth itself, like an earth photo blanket. I got the Bell Island shots. lol The mainland is aft by the way.

"Beach Lodging"

Lots of beaches on Bell Island and rentals right at the shore line. I included this shot because the guys were all together. Sometimes that is a difficult feat.

"Past The Dock"

Passing the Bell Island Ferry terminal dock.

"The Bell Tolls"

We were being enticed forward by the beauty of the day but realized that we weren't quite prepared for a whole circumnavigation of the Island.

"A Bell ISland Sea Stack"

Doing what kayakers near stacks do.

"Light AT The End Of......."

Well it is what it is. Just a little tricky to pas through on this day though. It looks like they were thinking on it though.

"The Bowl"

All kinds of unique cliff strata on Bell Island and small beaches.

"Rest Stop"

Looking towards Portugal Cove from Bell Island.

"Return From Bell"

So much for photo order. On the way back fro Bell Island you can see the community of Bauline off near the distant headland and shrouded somewhat in a low lying cloud. Very nice.

"Bell Bent.."

Tony cruising near Bell Island on April 2nd.

"Remnants"

A beautiful day to be paddling Bell Island but just trace quantities of ice. For Newfoundland in April, that ain't bad.

"I'll Take It.."

An aberration in most anything is usually unwanted. So when you get one of those blasted water droplets on your lens and you think you just had the shot of your life...........until you get home. You see the droplet on the image and no amount of anything is gonna make that picture better. Well in this shot the water droplet may not have made the picture better but it sure made the sky most interesting. One for me, minus one for water droplets everywhere. Wind the kayakers nightmare, water droplets, the photo kayakers nightmare. As if wind wasn't enough.lol Oh yes Tony is in that shot too. lol

"The Bell Tolls"

 Unloaded on Bell Isalnd my kayak is ready for a trip around the Northeast side with Tony. It was just a spectacular day for this little jaunt and it is hard to believe that there is very little if any wind to contend with especially for Jan 31st. You can see the Bell Island Ferry plying the tickle in the distance. We took the ferry over today and for six bucks return you can't beat the worth of it.

"Frozen Shore"

 These spectacular frozen falls are typical of some of the frozen pieces of ice we encountered along our paddle around a small part of Bell Island Newfoundland on a Saturday afternoon on Jan.31st, 2009. It is hard to believe that as I type this I have shoveled 4 times already and the storm continues outside unabated. Amazing what one day can bring.

"Scooped"

 Scooped from the earth below these rocks are some 300-400 million years old says Tony. They look like some ferros oxide bunt cake sprinkled with bakers sugar.

"The Northeast Headland Of Bell Island"

 A foreboding site are the shores of Bell Island. Her architecture is one of vivacious curves, steep cliffs and sharp stacks. Yet there are small pockets of beaches that dot her coastline and some look as dangerous for landing as any may expect for the northern exposure and the long fetch from Conception Bay coupled with lots and lots of shoaling on the Northwest side makes for extremely big waves just before they crash either on shore or against the steepened cliffs. So when you paddle Bell Island you have to be constantly scanning the horizon for building waves and breaking crests lest you be unexpectedly devoured. The thing is , is that they are not constant and can unpredictably seemingly come out of no where but you sure feel them when you sart to lift skyward. The other part of this is the clapotis that envelopes the whole of the Island as wind and waters make their way around her shores. A fun Island to paddle but you have to be vigilant is all.

"The Bell Island Light"

 The Bell Island Light almost seems to sit too snuggly upon the cliffs edge providing it's guidance. I am not sure how bright this light is but it has been in operation since 1940 and provided information to iron ore carriers during WWii that the Convoy was waiting to escort them to England.