"Kayaking At Cape Spear"

Tony and i AT cAPE sPEAR.

"Cape Spear-The End"

Well I have to finish the Cape Spear posts this evening. We did a 26km paddle today almost around Bell Island but not quite. So soon there will be actually kayaking pictures. The weather in St. John's today and for this weekend is supposed to be super. Paddling weather by any other name.

At anyrate I'd just like to finish up my Cape Spear exploit by saying it is about a 20 min ride from St. John's if you seek it out by land. If you paddle to it from Quidi Vidi I guess it would be closer to 3-4 hours there and back depending on conditions. It is always gnarly around the Cape, something it shares with most Capes I guess. We like to throw around that it is the most easterly location in North America, not the end of the world, but I suppose at times, the Cantwells' felt they could see it from there. The shores around the Cape are rugged and steep in most parts but it always amazes me that we loose one or two tourists a year as they get too close to waters' edge for photos and get caught by a rogue wave. It seems to me that the "rogues" are more common than "rogue". Tourist beware, signs are now posted, no matter they still get claimed by the sea. The odd jumper as well. There are also boardwalks that take you close enough to feel the salt water spray from waves hitting the rocks of the cliffs as they seek to loose their energy on something, it might as well be you matey!

There is also a trail that is part of the spectacular East Coast trail that meanders around the shores of the Avalon Peninsula and passes by the Old Cape Spear lighthouse, ya might as well drop in, that my friends is another story. The trail is awesome and not for the faint of heart. Very beautiful though. I love this light it reminds me of my home town in Canso Nova Scotia which is the most easterly location "on" the North American Continent. I was destined to live in the "far" east I guess. The header post this evening was one of a few trips made to the Cape by kayak. Tony and I, after all this is a kayaking blog! *lol*

"And So It Goes......."

With Emmanuel Warre's death in 1845, James Cantwell took over as the second light keeper since the light was first lit on September 1st, 1836. He brought with him his wife and ten children from Trepessay NL to live in the cramped quarters and on the wind-swept cliffs. Right away the Cantwells had misgivings about the strength of the structure and ten years of powerful winter storms had loosened the joints however they hunkered down and made do their peaceful routine.

Their peace would be shattered within a year after they moved in. In Sept.of 1846 a tremendous hurricane struck the east coast of Newfoundland. It would effectively demolish the frail lighthouse at Cape Spear. In the height of the storm with his family huddled together in the kitchen they watched as the house lifted several inches of its' foundation. Every pane of glass was cracked and shattered and the fright that family received on that night at the edge of the cliffs can barely be imagined. The House of Assembly decided it had to be fixed and contracted the original builders of Croake and Parker to do the job and that they did adding chains and cable to anchor the lightouse on the cliff at a cost that far exceeded the original construction.

The lighthouse suffered repeatedly in the decade that followed from the storms that would be known to pound The Cape.

"Modern Cape Light"

In the first session of the House of Assembly in Newfoundland in 1834 the small colony of St. John's took out its' first loan of 1000 pounds to build the first lighthouse at Cape Spear (Header Image). Governor Thomas Cochrane at the time choose the site at the very top and precipice edge of the sandstone cliffs some 240 vertical feet above sea level. Construction began in 1834. The firm of Croake and Parker were contracted to build the light at a cost of 440 pounds. The design was based on similar plans developed by The Northern Lighthouse Board in Scotland.

The wood frame house was built fairly lightly and would have disastrous results a decade later. It was regency style architecture popular in Britian at the time.

"The Modern Cape Spear Light"

Still using the Dioptric lens from Inchkeith Scotland in 1955 the lighthouse above was built at Cape Spear to replace the the old one. It was built of concrete when it was constructed and stands 75 meters I believe above sea level and after consulting the Iceberg finder data, from that elevation you could see out to the horizon at 31.2249...kms. Not a bad vantage point for looking at icebergs. If only you were allowed up in the new light. During the war years from 1941-1945 there were big guns implanted into the red sandstone cliffs. Two to be exact that fired 600 lb shells and could reach 6 miles out to sea. They were part of a defense system to protect against German U-boats that patrolled the area lurking for convoys heading over to Europe. No guns were fired in defense of the bay it was protecting, but three soldiers died here during the period. Two in swimming accidents and one on board a military ship that ran smuck into the cliffs right below the lighthouse during a cold black night. The 103rd Coastal Defense Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery were stationed at Cape Spear during this period.

"Skinning A Cat"

You must have heard the expression, "How many ways can ya skin a cat?" Well I'm gonna skin a LightHouse. POst a new image of the Cape Spear Light in my header for the next week and then archive the previous days' in a post. Yeah, I'll be kayaking soon. Kinda related ain't it?

"Cape Spear Bound"

 

Leaving Quid Vidi today for Cape Spear. Sun was in our favor, winds were low going out a bit testy coming back in following seas. All in all a nice paddle to The Cape.

"Fort Amherst, ST. John's Bay"

 

Passing Fort Amherst at the entrance to St. John's Harbour. The tide was ebbing so there was those characteristic choppy waves for the first stop at Freshwater Bay.

"Cape Spear"

 

Our destination today from Quidi Vidi.

"Deadman's Bay"

 

Sunny today and favourable winds to the Cape there and back. Tony leaving nothing behind but sunshine.

"Freshwater Bay"

 

Looking North to St. John's from Freshwater Bay.

"Under Cape Spear"

 

Many visit, few get under!

"Nordkapp and A Cape"

 

Nordkapps are known for rounding Capes. No different today as Tony and and I rounded Cape Spear in Newfoundland. Beautiful paddle, beautiful day. The Nordkapps speak for themselves in terms of performance. Don't look too bad in the sun either. : )

"From The Sea"

 

Tony entering Quid Vidi harbour from our paddle today.

"Securite, Securite, Securite"

 
"Securite, Securite, Securite", "all stations, all stations, all sations", this is "ocean paddler one, ocean paddler one, ocean paddler one", switch to channel 06 ,safety message concerning Cape Spear Head to follow. Out. [Channel 06]"Securite, Securite, Securite", "all stations, all stations, all stations" this is "ocean paddler one, ocean paddler one, ocean paddler one",of Cape Spear Head, in reduced visibility, compass bearing 015 degrees, in transit to Cape Spear Parking Lot, ETA 60minutes. Ocean paddler one out.

Halfway thru the VHF course thought I'd practise in the fog so to speak. Cape Spear light is about 60 meters above sea level you can just see it to the right of the picture above. I guess I was about 60 minutes from the parking lot. This is what fog can be like along the coastline of NL.

"Plateau At The Cape"

I just like the rusty colors in this shot. Crossed over this to get to the next series of pics on a hike at Cape Spear, Mar. 22nd, 2008. Just heard that we are supposed to have 6-8 weeks of unseasonably cool weather, OMG!!!

"Frozen Distant Falls"

I had to check on these falls . It turned out that getting back up this cliff edge was a lot harder than I had ever expected. I had grass to pull on but it was frozen and very slippery, steep and difficult to dig in my boots. Worth it though once I got my lung tucked back in my chest.

"Frozen Falls"

On a hike to Cape Spear yesterday I spotted these falls on the way back in a little cove down by the seaside. It is always with trepidation that one goes near the close shores of Cape Spear because there is often rogue waves we always hear about, mostly in the summer, washing someone out to sea. It happens every year. But the frozen falls were captivating and I wanted a closer shot and there was not much wave action at anyrate.

When I got down close to the falls which was a $%$*& in itself I could see that there was actually little spaces behind the frozen falls that I might be able to fit in regardless of the intense melting. The next photos show that it was worth the effort.

"Inside-Out, Frozen Falls"

I wanted to see what the view would be from the inside -out of these frozen falls. They were melting quite profusely so it was a slippery operation but I managed to get inside with water pouring all over me. The view was amazing with the sounds and the smells of the ocean beside me. The only issue was now getting out without breaking any of those sharp daggers off and impaling myself.

"Cape Spear"

The Cape today. It was quite cool but a brisk hike kept the chills at bay. There was pack ice in the distance that was being blown around St. John's Bay and Conception Bay for the past week or so. Today was sunny and afforded some good spring/winter shots. Some interesting ice falls I'll post tomorrow.