Bellevue Beach club paddle

Off you go!

Saturday Kayak Newfoundland and Labrador club paddle in Bellevue Beach was on the calendar. We met at 10:00 to prepare for a 10:30 put-in. The first order of business was to get everyone safely on the water off of a dumping beach. Co-trip leader Tony did a great job.

A pod of kayaks

As the last were being launched we huddled up before heading towards Chance Cove.

Looking for action

There was a gentle swell running into the bay that provided interest where the water got shallow and around stacks. Alex checks it out.

Steering wide

Most of the group steered wide and stayed in open water.

Leading

Tony took the lead but even the leader has to stop to take pictures and enjoy the scenery.

Rough stuff

Alex seeking our the rougher stuff again.

The tail end

Co-trip leader Paul was the sweep and never let anyone get behind him, except me to take a picture. It wasn't lonely at the back though as Sean keeps Paul company.

What's in here?

Gary peeps into a cave. The paddle didn't feature many caves but lots of eagles and a few seastacks and rocks to paddle around.

Stopped for lunch

Stopped for lunch in the brilliant sunshine. Lunch is a chance to catch up on news with club members we may not paddle with regularly.

Caplin

Caplin were rolling in on the beach on the surf and some of the group collected a meal of the small fish for supper. Caplin are not only eaten by two legged mammals but also codfish and whales. This resource I'm afraid is being over exploited and it tells on the size of the caplin. The stress on the species is evident as they are much smaller than they should be.

Chance Cove

After lunch we headed up the coast and into Chance Cove. Group speed slowed a bit as the wind picked up.

Hunkered down

Stopped on the water for a short break in the shelter of Chance Cove harbour.

Return leg

Leaving Chance Cove to return to Bellevue Beach the wind was behind us. That made things a little easier.

Interesting geology

Herb enjoyed the the action to be found close to the cliffs along the shore, includng the interesting geology. Maybe not the geology but it was interesting. Not sure what the red band of material is but it sure stands out against the grey. Herb had a few encounters with large waves that he excitedly explained in detail.

Colin visiting

Colin and his son were visiting from Central Newfoundland. I hope they enjoyed the scenery on the Avalon but they also have great paddling at home.

Surf landing

Back at the Beach at Bellevue the last thing was to get everyone off the water safely. The gentle swell rolling into the bay made for a dumping surf which is always a challenge. Its something I need to practice because, though I made a safe landing, it wasn't very elegant.

Thanks Tony and Paul for organizing a very enjoyable paddle and also to the other 16 club members who showed up to share the day.