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Sunday, April 14, 2013

Looking for the Cambrian explosion


Saturday Dean, Peter and I drove to Avondale with the paddling destination of Bacon Cove.  I don't know how Bacon Cove got its name but one thing of interest there is an angular unconformity between the Late Proterozoic rocks of the Conception Bay Group and a basal conglomerate of Cambrian age.  The Cambrian period saw the explosion of various life forms that ultimately led to the evolution of the highly intelligent kayak paddler.


We put in beside the river that flows into Masons Cove that today was ...


... so calm it reflected the passage of my kayak colleagues.


We were soon out of Masons Cove and into Gasters Bay ...


... handrailing on the way to ...


... Conception Harbour to check out this sunken, rusting hulk.  Its not very scenic but its a must stop.  I don't think anyone paddling in the area misses out on having a look around.


We were soon on our way north again past Mugford's Head where we left calm waters to paddle in ...


... more active waters.  I had checked the ocean wave model before leaving and expected some swell but yet I was surprised by the amount of water rolling into the bay.  Nothing challenging just large, broad open masses of water.


We arrived at Bacon Cove landing without incident and had a lunch.  Afterwards we went looking for the outcrop with the unconformity but I couldn't locate it.  It was odd because I had been there before though its not unusual for me to have it right under my eyes an still not see it.

Dean and Pete launched untroubled.  I made a mess of it and had a swim but more on that another time.


Back on the water, still smarting from the blow to my pride, we crossed Gasters Bay to the east side.  In the distance the razorback appearance of the Blue Hills of Avondale rise 850 feet above the bay.


We set our sights on the white church in Avondale where we washed the salt out of our gear in the river, had a coffee and called it another glorious day on the water.

Check out Dean's Blog with his take on the day.

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