THE NEWSLETTER OF KAYAK NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR Spring 2004 Volume 4(1) Ebb & Flow
IN THIS ISSUE:
Paddling Smith Sound, Water levels & white water paddling, Duffett’s skin boat, Chapel Arm trip report, Ruth Gordon biography, and more Meet your Executive Dan Miller - president Lots of paddling [email protected] Peter Buckingham - vice-president [email protected] events this season Peter Armitage - secretary [email protected] Louise Green - treasurer [email protected] President’s message Richard Alexander - past president [email protected]
Members at Large Spring is finally here, and if you are like me, you are getting itchy to get out on the water and into some real paddling rather than roll practice and Neil Burgess careening into each other at the Aquarena. Your club executive has been John Knight hard at work organizing some great paddling events for the coming season. Mark Dykeman Alex McGruer Two of the best paddling events of the year have already occurred. First off Mark Simpson the mark was the Piper's Hole white water rodeo organized by Chris Letters to the editor Buchanan. This was a tremendously successful event again this year with exceptionally high water levels and a superb surfing wave for the Address your letters to competition. The next big event was the annual Woody Island sea kayaking [email protected]. Published letters weekend organized by Jim Price. The weather this year was the best in the may be edited for length and clarity. six years that this event has been held, and three days of exceptional paddling were enjoyed by 31 participants. Cover photo - Susan Duffett, Sherrill Knight & friends, Minchen’s Cove (photo Dan KNL's biggest event of the year, the annual Kayaker's retreat in the Miller). Glovertown/ Traytown area, will be held May 21-24 this year. Organizers, Betsy Willson and Geoff Minielly, with help from many club volunteers, Newsletter Submissions Kayak Newfoundland and Labrador is a have put together a great program for both whitewater and sea kayakers. provincial kayaking club representing the Special guests from the Canadian Freestyle Kayaking team, Ruth Gordon interests of both sea and whitewater and Tyler Curtis, will give clinics and demonstrations at the Ruins and a kayakers.Ebb & Flow is the club’s official presentation at our retreat banquet. newsletter and is published 2-3 times per year depending on the executive’s available Scheduled club paddling events are planned during every month of the time. paddling season. Organizers are working on some special events such as a women's paddle, a knot tying clinic and a geology interpretation paddle. We welcome your submissions to future There are always adhoc weekend paddles going on during the summer so issues of the newsletter. However, we can’ t keep an eye on the nf.paddling newsgroup for details at: guarantee we’ll publish them all. We reserve the right to edit submissions for http://groups.google.com/groups?q=nf.paddling&btnG=Google+Search style, spelling and length. If you have an article you would like to contribute, please Get out there and paddle and be safe!! Dan Miller, President KNL contact Peter Armitage at the email address above. Hot off the press! Around the Rock: A Sea Ebb & Flow production Peter Armitage (editor in chief), Richard Kayaking Journey Around Newfoundland. Like Alexander (copy editor & layout assistance), a geological afterthought, the rugged island of and Peter Buckingham (advertising). Newfoundland juts into the wild waters of the North Atlantic. Summer storms, icebergs, whales and the imposing rocky coastline are Interested in joining Kayak just some of the images presented in this Newfoundland & Labrador? captivating account of a 2,700 km sea kayak journey around the island. Beginning and Membership renewal- April 1st (one year) ending in St. John's, Ken Campbell's 13-week voyage took him to tiny outports and deserted Drop us a note by snail mail at: Box 2, Stn. “C”, St. John’s, NF, A1C 5H4, windswept beaches as he made his way around or pick up an application from our website - this ancient shore. Copies on sale now at www.kayakers.nf.ca. Downhomer, etc. 2 Square Dancing with Eagles: A Chapel Arm - South Dildo Trip Report By Alison Dyer Trip length: 17km. NTS Map: Dildo, 1N/12, scale 1:50,000. Nautical Chart: Trinity Bay, Southern Portion, scale 1:60,000
When an armada of kayaks (particularly a root cellar. Although we had paddled prerequisite for vegetative maintenance or one in the pink, white and green) surge for only a little over an hour, this was an growth. And some of the rocks, with into a small Newfoundland community, it ideal location for lunch and a cook-up. It their jagged edges and faces a smooth is not unusual for a few locals to gather was also obviously a favourite with steely grey, appear like two-dimensional and hurl questions and suggestions to the locals, and we found several old fire pits paper cutouts. Although we didn't stop, group. On a trip to Chapel Arm (1), on the beach. Paul toed one, found it still there is a particularly inviting pebble Trinity Bay, a Mr. Otto Warren went one smouldering, and quickly got a fire going beach just before Matyrs Cove Point with step further. While scrambling to zip up, for a rabbit and tea boil-up. a brook. buckle shut, and snap down, I became absorbed by Mr. Warren's description of We had only the slightest of waves, good eagle preying behaviour (we had spotted visibility, and could clearly see the partly one hardly a stone's throw from the wooded Dildo Islands off to our left. As slipway). Within moments, he was we paddled over to Burn Point in the reversing his car with a promise to bring middle of Spread Eagle Bay, I saw a dark the group some frozen mackerel. Before mark high above some paddlers out in our entire group of lucky 13 had launched front and remembered the thawing bait from the slipway, Mr. Warren handed me behind me. I was too far away to go for the bait in a plastic shopping bag. Tying it. it on behind the cockpit, I slipped into the Arm, looking forward to some eagle Between Burn Point and Southern Spread training. Eric Knight in front of some pillow lava Eagle, the shoreline rocks change from (Photo Alison Dyer) Cambrian to Proterozoic across an The group had met at 10:30 am at the important geological unconformity. From Chapel Arm slipway and was on the water here around Spread Eagle Bay to Old at 11:20 am. Dan and John Smeda had We pushed the kayaks back in the water Shop Point and south to South Dildo, the left one vehicle at South Dildo enabling a around 1:20 pm and paddled north toward shoreline consists of late Proterozoic one-way paddle. The weather was high the tip McCleod Point on the topo, sedimentary rocks that are more than 570 cloud cover, unseasonably warm, with a Southern Point on the chart! Paddling million years old according to the light SW breeze. along, one can clearly see, across the Arm, Geology of the Avalon Peninsula map the steep cliffs stretching from Norman's (Map 88-01 compiled by A. F. King, Directly after leaving the slipway, I Cove to Chapel Head. Like a bad case of 1988). paddled over to the eagle's perch, and sunburn, the cliff has a wide horizontal flung out some bait. An immature slipped strip of red. The sedimentary rocks at Long Spread Eagle (3) is cabin country, but it into the air eyeing it and us. It circled, Cove are a designated site of interest (noted used to be a permanent settlement until took stock and returned to its perch. in the Newfoundland & Labrador 1967. As we continued paddling between Obviously, I was too close. Trainer zero, Traveller's Guide to Geology). The rocks Spread Eagle Island, a small island, bird zero. exposed in the cliffs comprise westerly partially wooded of low relief, and Old dipping Cambrian quartzites, sandstones, Shop Point, the houses of Dildo, Broad We paddled up the eastern side of the conglomerates with apparently excellent Cove were clearly visible on the other Arm, which for the most part has fairly crossbedding overlain by red and green side of the bay. We paddled parallel to steep cliffs without any decent take-out shales, and red and green limestones, all the coast to Old Shop, over to Lynch's places until the barasway at Little Ridge apparently deposited on a shallow Point, and down to South Dildo (4). A Rock. But the rocks are worth a closer continental shelf. Both sides of Chapel few locals were out in the water picking look. There are many examples of pillow Arm are bounded by Cambrian rocks that mussels. We finished the paddle at 2:50 lavas a volcanic rock that is deposited were deposited about 525-550 million pm. Arriving at low tide, we had a bit of from submarine lava flows. There are also years ago. As you paddle along the shore, slippery rockweed to navigate across. a couple of interesting sculpted overhangs there are numerous faults and igneous Finally, cramming into Dan's van, we and one or two arches that are not intrusions. ferried back up to Chapel Arm. passable at low tide. Rounding McLeod or Southern Point, one What happened with the eagle training About half way up the Arm, is Little has a good view around Trinity Bay. The you wonder? Paddling around Lynch's Ridge Rock, a narrow rock formation, coast from Southern Point to Martys Point, it dawned on me that I had tied that offers more places to scoot around. Cove Point is bounded by more Cambrian onto the back deck rigging a shopping At the tip of it, we turned south and sedimentary rocks, has several pocket bag of rapidly thawing mackerel, but no headed for the pebble and slate beach. beaches, and offers more in the way of winged takers. With Sue's help, we Once the community of Little Ridge (2), rock-hopping. There are also good released them into the water. In the site now has a hillside cabin on an examples of the Newfoundland evergreen conclusion, then, trainer zero, bird zero, ATV trail, old meadows, hidden stone bonsai perched on a pinnacle of rock, but marine biomass five! foundations and a large pit the remains of giving the impression that soil is not a con’t page 4 3 Chapel Arm - Dildo trip report con’t
Safety Considerations: More like a sea than a bay, Trinity Bay move from Little Ridge to the Little Gut There are few take-outs on the east side has compelling vistas, steep cliffs, an area of Chapel Arm in 1939. By the end of Chapel Arm except around the Little indented coastline (particularly at the of WWII, only a handful of people were Ridge area. East of South Point there are bottom and north side) that presents left and they relocated soon after. more take-out options, and the lower numerous day paddle options, a long topography presents the possibility of cultural history; small outports, resettled (3) Spread Eagle. Community was paddling in close to the shoreline in communities and coves of cabins; and located in western bight at the head of deteriorating conditions. The area is very enough wildlife (eagles, osprey, whales) Spread Eagle Bay which was noted for its accessible, close to communities and to to keep it interesting. fine beaches. Residents fished for salmon, cabins (Spread Eagle is accessed by herring, and cod. Population reached 30 road), and has a fair amount of in 1891 Reid, Hillier, Smith. School built recreational marine traffic. The water in 1901 for children of these families. temperature in Trinity Bay is generally Logging supplemented shore fishery and always cold. Knowledge of wind by 1930s there were 2 sawmills providing direction in this bay is critical. local employment. Pothead whaling took Predominant southwesterly winds in place in area. Spread Eagle also enjoyed a summer can channel up these inner arms. reputation as a fine trout fishing area. Headlands are particularly exposed to With a population never exceeding 80, westerly and easterly winds. The area is Spread Eagle was resettled in 1967. subject to swell, particularly after More of Chapel Arm’s spectacular Since Spread Eagle remained accessible northerly winds, and is open to the entire Geology (photo Alison Dyer) by road from Old Shop, several families bay and to the effects of a long fetch. continued to keep summer homes there. Footnotes:(from the Encyclopedia of Trip rating: Newfoundland & Labrador) (4) South Dildo.. Population of 272 in An inner bay day paddle with 1991. Nearby communities of Dildo and accessibility to communities, cabins and (1) Chapel Arm notes. Entry in Lovell's Old shopqqv were settled by the early several take-out spots makes it suitable 1871 Directory: “A fishing settlement at 1800s no record of settlers in South for beginners to expert paddlers the bottom of Trinity Bay on south district Dildo prior to 1866 when family of depending on the conditions encountered of Trinity; New York Newfoundland and Edward Lynch was recorded. Most men (see safety considerations above). London Telegraph Co. has an office here; worked chiefly in lumbering, but there Distance from Dildo 8 miles by boat; was at least one schooner from South Comments: Mail Weekly; Population 230.” The Dildo involved in the Labrador fishery. Chapel Arm is about a one-hour drive census lists all as fishermen except one Turn of century small lobster factory from St. John's. The community has a gas telegraph operator. The family name began and there was one full-time farmer. station with a corner store and there's Warren is also listed. Pothead whaling also played a part [as plenty of parking at a slipway near the well as shore fishery] in local economy boardwalk. Other day paddling (2) Little Ridge. Population 53 in 1935. until industry ceased in 1972. Whaling destinations, depending on the wind, Likely that the first settler, John Cooper, station opened in nearby Dildo in 1947 include a visit to Dildo Island where there came to Little Ridge from New Harbour [processed primarily Pothead & Minke have been archeological excavations of area. Little Ridge first appears separately whale meat and oil in part to provide food Beothuk artifacts; paddling on the in census in 1884 with population of 15. for local mink and fox farms]. South western side of Chapel Arm to see the The Coopers of Little Ridge were Dildo received families from Spread interesting geology north of Norman's supplied for the inshore fishery by Eagle and Harbour Duffett during Cove and continuing into Long Cove or merchants of Norman's Cove (“on a dead resettlement programs of the 1960s. Collier Bay. calm day you could bawl back & forth” across the Arm). First families began to
Did Labrador Inuit roll their kayaks? (Thanks to Hans Rollmann, Memorial University, for this information) "The men, and boys too, for that matter, are complete masters of their kajaks, wonderfully speedy and remarkably safe, but they are not so versed in what I might call acrobatic kajaking as the Greenland Eskimos. Nothing delighted my Okak neighbours better than to be told about the Karâlit (Greenlanders); they listened open-mouthed to any news of these Innuit [sic] over the water, and feasted their eyes on the photographs of the fleets of short kajaks or of the people in their quaint costumes; they stared with wonder when they heard how the Greenlanders can turn themselves and their kajaks right side up if they happen to upset, for the Labrador men have forgotten how to do that." (S. K. Hutton.Among the Eskimos of Labrador. London: Seeley, Service & Co., 1912:246). 4 Interview with Ruth Gordon KNL Retreat Invited Guest & Clinic Instructor, May 21-24, 2004 By Geoff Minielly
Kayak Newfoundland and a spontaneous, fun-loving and 2nd Place2002 Canadian National Labrador is pleased to announce outgoing bunch will certainly Freestyle Team Trials Ruth Gordon as its special guest fulfill this expectation. She also 2nd Place2002 Liquid Skills for the May 24, 2004 Retreat. hopes to see some beautiful Showdown Even though Ruth will be kept scenery, and of course, some cold, 1st Place2002 Wilderness Tours busy on her trip to Newfoundland, refreshing whitewater to play in. Garberator we hope that you'll have a Word has it, her co-workers at 1st Place2002 Shushwap/Enderby moment to get to know her. She Liquid Skills back in Ottawa are Rodeo and her partner, Tyler Curtis jealous, having seen some of 1st Place2001 Shushwap/Enderby (another Canadian team member), Mark Simpson's video shot Rodeo will be offering instruction at the locally. 5th Place2001 Teva Mountain Ruins, and running some of the Games/Vail Invitational local rivers with the group. Ruth will also be presenting her When questioned about her most experiences as a whitewater important kayaking paddler at the Sunday night accomplishment, Ruth cited her banquet. As such, we thought we experience training for the World would give the readers of Ebb & Freestyle Kayaking Flow some background about our Championships in Austria last guest before they meet her on the year. Although her final water. placement was not what she had hoped (33rd place), she learned a very valuable lesson: it wasn't about the 90 seconds in the competition but the journey Ruth grew up and started her leading up to it that was important paddling career in the heart of the to remember. In her training time Ottawa Valley, in Burnstown, leading up to the “Worlds,” she Ontario. While most of us would had grown to become a better wake up in St. John's to a view of kayaker through skills the ocean, Ruth would roll out of development, but especially in bed to look out at one of the maintaining the drive and Ottawa River's best whitewater commitment needed to qualify play spots, McCoy's Chute. After and compete at that level. pursuing and completing a B.A. in Besides competition, Ruth has economics from Queen's also enjoyed a bit of time as a university, she followed her heart “film star” on the water. You can Ruth is already excited about her to her river-based career as a see her in action in the whitewater trip to the province. She had the professional whitewater paddler. videos Playboating with Ken (mis)fortune of paddling with This calling has taken her to many Whitingand Girls at Play . some of our whitewater paddlers places around the globe including on the Ottawa River last August, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, and has some idea of what to Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Chile, expect. Apparently, she is looking USA, and naturally, across forward to being surrounded by a Canada to compete and play. close group of paddling friends Ruth's hard work has paid off in who are determined to have a many ways, as a partial list of her good time - no matter what! The competition results will attest: reputation of Newfoundlanders as 5 Just Add Water By Mark Simpson
It's obvious to everyone - water is key looking at some personal landmark and weather conditions and forecasts, to a successful day of river running or comparing it to one's mental record of scanning topographic maps for put- playboating. Unlike our sea kayaking past river trips. These days, as the in/takeout locations, and many other friends, for whom having enough water weekend approaches, my Internet sources of information are assimilated is not a consideration, a whitewater browser serves the same role. With prior to each WW trip. Nonetheless, the paddlers' season is spent in the endless today's Internet, paddlers can find water Internet and its access to information pursuit of water. For KNL, the lack of levels for many rivers at either has helped. This online information water last year caused the re-scheduling www.gov.nf.ca/wrmd/ADRS/30DGRA helps augment other sources of of the first Piper's Hole River Rodeo PH.htmor at scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/ information available to WW paddlers Festival, and this year's higher than waterweb/. No longer do we need to be it from guidebook descriptions, normal spring water levels resulted in drive to our destination river only to topographic maps, photographs or even changes in the event locations on the find the water level too low to run, or footage from local kayak videos. river. RULE #1 of whitewater - rivers arrive at the put-in to find unsafe flood change. level flows. Bottom line - even as I write this, the water level on Piper's Hole which was However, there is a limit to the value of at 3.2-3.5 cubic metres per second this information. For example, as I write during the Rodeo weekend has dropped this article, the Main River is running at to 1 cubic metre per second, which is 46 cubic metres per second, the Terra runnable, but on the low side for many Nova River is running at 134 cubic of our favourite waves and play spots. metres per second, and Piper's Hole is Here's wishing for RAIN, to keep the running at 1 cubic metre per second. To Terra Nova and Main Rivers above 100 understand what the levels mean for the KNL retreat weekend and the requires the same mental record we west-coast paddle weekend Dave MacDonald, almost airborne at needed in the old days - which only respectively. Piper’s Hole. personal experience, or at least the experience of someone you're paddling Two pictures of the Roostertail on the Needless to say, water levels influence with can provide. Terra Nova River at low and high water. the quality of a day on the river. Which Slightly different angles but the rocks is better - high water or low water? It If neither of those benchmarks exist, if on the shoreline will help with viewer depends. Changing water levels can no one in your group has run the river, orientation. First, Jim Price (low water: influence the dynamics of the river an additional WWW resource is still photo M. Simpson), second, Darren features, so that a hole that is dangerous available for paddlers in the province to McDonald cartwheels the peak (high at low water levels may disappear at assist in determining what relative water water: photo G. Sherwood). high water. A waterfall that has a nice levels mean and in trip planning. clean line at high water may be a rocky tumble at low water. That sickening At http://www.kayakers.nf.ca/riversnl/ sensation of reaching the lip of a main.html, local creek boat aficionado waterfall, boof stroke ready, and then to and Piper's Hole rodeo organizer, Chris have your momentum stop as you run Buchanan, has gathered data on many aground is cause for an awkward of our rivers for whitewater kayakers. moment, to say the least. This website catalogues water levels, provides river difficulty ratings, A high water spring run on the Terra gradient information and many other Nova may be the perfect day of vital statistics on many of our local paddling for a group of experienced rivers. This provides the whitewater paddlers, while a low water summer run kayaking community with easy access is perfect for a less experienced group to the local knowledge of all the of paddlers. Bottom line - it's all in the paddlers who have contributed to the eye of the beholder. The character of database to help in planning a safe and rivers change with water levels, and it's successful trip on our rivers. the knowledge of what the current water levels are that can help in planning a While these WWW resources can help successful day of whitewater paddling. in planning, it's really only the start to the information a whitewater paddler Mark Simpson has been boating in NL Not long ago, it used to be that, outside needs to gather before pushing off from since 1996, has producedGet Wet , a of local environmental knowledge of shore. While water levels, and their whitewater video featuring local rivers water levels, the water level was influence on river difficulty, are one and paddlers, and is on the executive of determined after arriving at the river, aspect of the trip planning process, KNL. 6 Another Hairy Story By Bob Gagnon
Readers of the KNL newsletter may recall a I had a full dry suite on of course. Water at that couple of articles I wrote concerning incidents time of year around Bay Bulls is close to 0o C. that various paddlers have experienced, Tim came by, I handed him the bagged camera, running rivers in whitewater boats and sea and I then got back in my boat while he kayaking. Much can be learned from stabilized it. I pumped out the cockpit and tried reviewing these events, replete with the to put my spray skirt back on. That proved to be excitement (and terror) that often accompanies very difficult, due to stiffening of the rubber them. The writer's detachment makes it easy to rand from the cold water and the snugness of recount someone else's hairy episodes, the skirt to begin with, not to mention the especially when folly is involved, and I am coldness of my hands. We finally got it back on sure the readers are grateful to the owners of with great effort on both our parts. the stories for their candidness. The fact is, A spectacular iceberg at Bay Bulls. (photo Pat everyone who has spent any significant time in O’Neill) Then Tim let me go again, and thinking I was a kayak will encounter their own “little events” ok, I headed to pick up my water bottle floating in the normal course of moving up the learning We then came to a location where the wave nearby. But something wasn't right, my curve. Here is one of mine. action really appeared to be eating away at the balance was shot, and I flipped again. Now I ice, so we stopped while I prepared to get an was concerned about this lack of balance, It happened four years ago when a beautiful extended bit of video.At this outer location the something I had never experienced before. I iceberg was at the entrance to Bay Bulls for a iceberg was between us and the shore, and in exited again and Tim came to help me get back few weeks in May/June 2000, i.e., the iceberg direct line of the onshore swell and waves. in my boat. I told him something didn't feel that eventually developed the big doughnut- Wanting to minimize movement of the camera, right. We then discovered considerable shaped hole. It has since appeared on and lessen the discomfort of holding it, I asked amounts of water in the forward and rear calendars, postcards and web pages all over the Tim to raft up to my boat (a plastic Old Town compartments of my kayak. The bulkheads world. Icebergs happen to be a part of my Millennium) and stabilize me during the and hatches had leaked when the kayak was livelihood, being an ice scientist, and I was shooting. So for a period of about 10 minutes I overturned. monitoring the degradation of this iceberg held the camera steady while my boat was during its sojourn in Bay Bulls with a friend firmly held beside Tim's. We bobbed calmly up This change in the balance of the kayak was from work, Tim Curtis, who is also a paddler. and down on the big crested swell, and I didn't confusing, but that was only half the story. I Besides getting lots of great video and stills have to focus on my balance at all. The footage was now aware that my torso was very stiff due from shore, I wanted to paddle around the was great and when I felt I had enough, I let the to the adrenalin rush from the initial capsize iceberg from time to time to get the full picture. camera hang around my neck by its cord, and and the mental effort to stay calm. I had lost the Tim and I made our first trip around the iceberg asked Tim to let go of my boat. flexibility that is essential for balance in the on Thursday, May 11. It was an idyllic day, conditions we were in. Adding to those sunny, light breeze, and slight waves. The There is a connection between movements concerns, I knew the swell and waves were pictures and video we took were spectacular your body experiences and what your eyes and pushing us towards the iceberg during the time and we knew this was a valuable exercise, ears perceive. If the eye's perception is spent with my flips and rescues. It was a esthetically, and from the iceberg science point distorted for a period of time, such as when pinnacled iceberg with lots of ice high above of view. Being very pleased with that first day, peering through a camera, it can take a few the water, the type that you should NEVER get we decided to go again on Saturday morning, moments to readjust when you put the camera near since ice frequently falls from above. I felt and I took the video camera again to better down. It also takes a few moments after your I wasn't going to be able to calm down and document the action of waves against the boat has been rafted to another kayak, to regain torso flexibility for a while and I didn't iceberg. readjust in wavy conditions as your body takes want to go into the water for a third time, so I over the balancing act when you separate. told Tim we should stay rafted while we On Saturday the sky was gray and the wind had paddled away been up for a few days further offshore so there When Tim let go of my boat, no sooner had I was some swell. We paddled out to the iceberg put down the camera and picked up my paddle from the iceberg and back into Bay Bulls. That and found the swell to be quite significant at to continue our trip, than with no warning strategy worked fine, a bit slow, but effective. the site, and somewhat crested, though still whatsoever I found myself upside down in the By the time we were half way back, my posing no apparent hazard for our experience cold North Atlantic. In my startled condition I stomach muscles were beginning to loosen and level, so we were comfortable and confident. realized I had a video camera dangling we separated to paddle normally. Whenever the swell hit the iceberg, it created somewhere from a cord around my neck. My huge clouds of spray, and it was clear how the concern was divided between the video The video camera didn't survive but the ice was eroding as a result. We kept our camera getting wet and not getting myself videotape did. It's very revealing to play it. Our distance, as is mandatory for big icebergs, and tangled in the cord when trying to get upright. relaxed attitude and banter before my capsizes paddled part way around it taking stills and At that time my roll was pretty good, onside belie the confusion and struggle that followed video at various points. Basically, things were and offside, but the complicating cord made a few seconds later. going very nicely. The video camera was me decide, wisely or not, to get out of the boat, inside a protective plastic bag I had rigged up since Tim was close by and a rescue would be with a viewing window, and I was getting simple. some wonderful footage. 7 Kayaking and Geocaching We're giving credit to the first kayaking Geocaching.com website to log their judge and Dan (God knows what he related “geocache” in Newfoundland and visit. The site allows people to upload does). Thank God for the rum. Good Labrador to Patrick O'Neill who photos associated with the geocache. camp site too” - Peter Noel. established a geocache at the north end of Pinchgut Island in St. May's Bay on “Greetings geocache site finders. It's November 4th 2001. Pat's geocache is November on Pinchgut Island and it's called “2L Skippy Jar.” You can find its sunny and warm. Stranger things have geographic coordinates and other happened. Enjoy this place. We are information about the site on the (happy kayakers)” - Malcolm Rowe. www.geocaching.com website. Pat created the geocache while on an Piotr Trela found the cache on July 14, overnight trip with Dan Miller, Peter 2002. “A perfect camping place, while Noel and Malcolm Rowe. on a kayak trip. A bit windy. Loons in the morning. Great Place. Kayak What is geocaching? According to the Newfoundland and Labrador paddle.” Geocaching.com “geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for GPS Photo of Pat O'Neill taken with the “Paul Delaney and Clarke passed the users….The basic idea is to have disposable camera in November 2001. night here on July 5, 2003, Paul's individuals and organizations set up birthday. Predicted rain didn't come. caches all over the world and share the To find sites near you, Geocaching.com Well set up, good beer and a slog of food locations of these caches on the internet. allows you to search its database by on open fire. Calm and foggy next day GPS users can then use the location postal code. Dozens of sites surrounding for a tour around the tickle.” coordinates to find the caches.” your postal code will be listed. You can pick one, enter its coordinates into your While none of these messages will win a Caches are normally created using a GPS, and see if you can find the site prize for prose or intellectual content, waterproof container that holds a log during your hike or paddle there. they add greatly to the fun of finding a book, note paper, pen or pencil, and cache. And, while finding caches with “prizes” of some kind. Occasionally, Messages and a disposable camera from your GPS is pretty much a no-brainer, they also hold a disposable camera. Once Pat O'Neill's geocache were recently the messages are a record of our found, visitors are invited to record their retrieved. Here's what some of the kayaking adventures in the province. names in the log book, add a prize, and messages said. Why not create a geocache yourself the take a photo of themselves. Upon their next time you're on a day trip or return to civilization, they can visit the “Stuck here with a drug salesman, a extended tour?
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Its pale frame, sleek, symmetrical and many of them, the next boat they made line, which I'll also use to bathed in autumnal light, calls out to be was a skin on frame. I didn't intend to lash the cockpit rim to the skin. touched. Form and function of design build one, but then you follow the and a curious mind have combined to process of someone else building one, What's been the major challenge? produce a work of art. To be correct, it you watch it, and then say, maybe I Getting good wood is a bit of a is a work in progress, housed in a corner should do it. challenge. You need clear pieces of of a shed on a farm overlooking the wood without knots. I bought local stretch of ocean into which it will one What's particular about this design? materials and had a few problems with day be launched. Originally they were designed as hunting the gunwales, with splits. And then the boats, small and narrow. Not to carry rib bending. You need wood that has a The frame of pine, oak, and ash is that of large amounts of gear or go on long trips fairly high moisture content. Some a skin boat, a western Greenland kayak. but to go out hunting seals, that kind of worked perfect and others I did time and Brian Duffett is the craftsman, although thing. Traditionally you didn't get out of time again, soaked it and then steamed it. he is far too modest to call himself that. the boat, because one, they didn't have When it works, it's a joy to do, when it Brian is more likely to point out his few the dry suits we have now, and two, the doesn't work, it's terribly frustrating. mistakes: a wrong cut here, a reinforced water was so cold that you died if you split rib there. Nevertheless, the craft is came out of your boat. So they tied How long will it have taken you to build? a thing of beauty made more so by its themselves in the boat. Essentially, it I started about a month ago now with a handmade idiosyncrasies. was a piece of material that went over few breaks in between. All I've got left your head with a face cut out of it, tied to do now is stretch the material over the Brian and his wife Sue live in Portugal around your head with sinew…that was frame, sew up the seam with dental floss Cove - in a house that he too built. They tied onto the rim of the boat. and coat it with varathane, and once that started kayaking about five years ago. I dries in a few days, it's ready to go into spoke with Brian last fall about the What are the dimensions of your boat? the water. process of building a skin boat (he has It's 17 feet long and about 19 inches already built two strip kayaks and one wide. I bought a book by Chris What are you doing next? surf kayak), and why he is drawn to the Cunningham. The boat is built from the I don't think I'll make another strip boat task. book. The length is supposed to be three I've done that. We've got two boats that times your arm span, the width varies we're very pleased with so there's no from width of your hips plus two fists. If need to build another one. Try this one you want a narrower boat, it would be out, see what it's like in the water, maybe the width of your hips plus one fist, and build another one if I need to modify the if you want something in between you shape or something. I may be doing it use two fingers. The beams are laid out for the fun of it, I don't know. based on the length of your legs. It's all proportionate to your own body And Sue might decide she wants one. measurements. I'm afraid of that (laughs).
When did you start building kayaks? Where are you going to paddle it? I built Sue's boat last year, and my boat I don't know it's sort of an experiment in two winters ago. the sense of how sturdy will it be, what can it withstand. But people paddle them What's your interest in building kayaks? in all kinds of conditions. You don't just I hadn't done it before! We bought the look at sandy beaches. Abrasion wise, it plastic boats and did a little bit of should hold up almost as good as a kayaking and enjoyed it. As part of that fiberglass boat. whole process, we looked at Sea Kayaker Magazine…and saw a few ads What's the skin? Since this interview, Brian completed the for wooden boats, and came across a few I'm going to use a fairly heavy ballistic boat which weighs around 35 lbs. Web sites of people who had built nylon. I tended to go for the heavier “Sewing on the skin and cockpit rim wooden boats. They looked really nice. weight material because I wasn't quite were probably the most tedious parts of In the back of your mind there's a germ sure of what it could withstand. Then the whole process and took four or five of an idea and you start thinking, maybe you give it several coats of varnish or days of intermittent work to complete,” I could do that. We ordered a set of varathane (Brian used Varathane says Brian. Nevertheless, he's pleased plans, had a look at them, and then I Diamond clear wood finish) or some with how the boat turned out. And how started. I enjoy the process. The two other material. does it perform? “To date I've paddled it strip boats turned out well. I'm pleased three times, twice on ponds and once in with the performance of them. Another What's the joinery called, and what are the pool. The small cockpit makes it a bit reason why I started this boat is that you using in place of the traditional of a challenge to get in and out. It when you follow three or four people (on sinew? paddles well, is very responsive, easy to their Web sites) as they go through the It's called mortis and tenon. The frame is roll and is very lively.” process of building, it seems that for lashed together with waxed polyester 9 SUBARU ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AWAY SALES EVENT
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Born in Fröen, Norway, in 1861, Fridtjof To begin with, one may wait half or even the Nansen remains to this day a hero to the whole day and not get a bite. This is no The length of one of these lines is Norwegian people. Polar explorer, pleasant work in thirty or forty degrees of extraordinary. At last the end comes; you can ambassador, skier, and scientist, Nansen lead a frost, with a bitter north wind blowing, and see the cord twisting with the fish's six-person team across the Greenland ice cap perhaps in driving snow. Care has to be taken movements. The resistance increases, and it is in 1888, making him and his companions the or some part or other of the face will be all you can do to pull; hand over hand, first people ever to make the crossing. Nansen caught by the frost. however, the line comes in; the sinking-stone recounts the story of this pioneering appears, and then a huge head rises above the expedition inThe First Crossing . But what But if the bite does come at last, all hardships water with a mouth and eyes that are enough makes this book of particular interest to the are forgotten….You tug and tug and tug again, to make your blood run cold. You seize the readers ofEbb&Flow is his account of time after time, for it is necessary to get him club which lies behind you and give him a kayaking which he learned during his winter well hooked. You look like a lunatic all the couple of prodigious whacks in the region of layover in a small Inuit village on the west while this is going on, but if one has to his brain, but with a desperate effort he drags coast of Greenland, while waiting for a ship transmit the jerks the whole length of a his head under water and with the speed of back to Norway the following spring. hundred fathom line it is indispensable to put lighting darts off to the bottom again. Woe one's back into the work. betide you now if you have not your line clear Nansen greatly admired the Inuit people for and it hitches anywhere; you are upside down their hunting and survival skills, an admiration before you know where you are. As the fish which he passed to his acolyte, Roald reaches the bottom the pace slackens, and you Admunson, who made use of Inuit knowledge can begin to haul in again. A second time you and skill in his successful race to the South get him up, and perhaps a second time he Pole in 1911. Nansen marvelled at Inuit returns to the depths. To pull a big halibut up kayaking prowess. “[W]hen one sees the three or possibly four times from a hundred Eskimo dancing like sea-birds on the crests of fathoms of water is fairly exhausting work. the waves the whole performance seems When you really have him in hand at last you simply child's play.” give him a few well-directed blows, which make him somewhat quieter; then you let fly Despite the challenges of paddling in the at him as hard and fast as you can manage; harsh Greenlandic climate, Nansen soon At last you have him fast and you begin to perhaps he makes one or two more despairing became an expert paddler in his own right. His haul in. It is a slow business, as the fish resists attempts to break away, but as the blows descriptions of kayaking make for excellent and the line is long, and the strain tells on the shower down upon him he gradually grows reading, and the book in its entirety is a arm. The line is coiled up on the 'kayak' stupid and inactive. Then you drive your worthy addition to any library collection. meanwhile, and drenched with water from knife into his brain and spine till he is as dead Here's an excerpt to wet your appetite. time to time to prevent its freezing into a as you can manage to make him for the time mass. In case the fish should make for the being. You now attach the bladder to his “My chief amusement is to go halibut-fishing. bottom again and take all the line out, you mouth to make him float, and tow him ashore Pulling up these huge, strong fish, which are throw the bladder which is fastened to the end in order to fasten him properly to the canoe…. big enough to upset a boat, from a little canoe out to the side; if he does do this you simply This fishing is a sport well worthy of the is the best sport in the way of sea-fishing that I follow the bladder, which remains on the name. The fish weigh from two to four have yet come across. surface, and take the line up again when he is hundred pounds, and they make good food at more exhausted. a time when there is little else to be had.”
Another Hairy Story, con’t What was learned: temporarily altered, such as being rafted to strength and flexibility from your hands. another kayak, be sure to give yourself Be sure you can manage your spray skirt in ! Routinely check your kayak for leaky adequate time to readjust afterwards. such conditions. If it's a struggle to get it hatches and bulkheads, and then repair any ! If you can avoid it, don't encumber yourself on, buy a better fitting one. I did. you find right away. with video cameras/microphones etc. ! During this episode I realized that, had I ! It’s good practice in the pool or pond to Unless conditions are very tame, you don't not been assisted, using a paddle float with partially fill your boat with water and get need the distraction. one hand while putting my spray skirt on used to paddling, and rolling it, in that ! ALWAYS wear proper thermal protection with the other would have been condition. when the water temperature calls for it. impossible. And it would likely have lead ! Paddling with someone(s) is definitely ! Rafting up is an effective way to regain to another capsize. This is a personal recommended at all times, and is composure after a capsize, and the rafted consideration but I now own sponsons and mandatory in any conditions approaching configuration can be maintained even consider them a much better option to a 50% of your skill level. while paddling if necessary. paddle float. In case anyone is wondering, ! If in a situation where your balance is ! Even in a full dry suite, cold water will sap a kayak can be rolled with sponsons
KNL's Wilderness and Remote First Aid (WRFA) Course By Dan Miller
On a cold and wintry Thursday morning in late February, I was one of eleven nervous students who arrived at the Forest Ecology Research Center on Brookfield Road to take the four day WRFA course that KNL was offering to Participants at KNL's wilderness first aid course. its members from Feb 26-29 this winter. I had last been exposed to first aid training about 15 years ago as part of a management, muscular-skeletal A wide range of acting abilities soon Marine Emergency Duties training injuries, seizures and a myriad of other became apparent. The award for best course and I was feeling more than a bitmedical conditions that we might male actor went to Robert Seymour for rusty in my doctoring skills. encounter at sometime while kayaking his portrayal of an obnoxious drunken or hiking in the back country. We male victim with runner up Mark The KNL course was being taught by quickly learned effective stabilization Dykeman as a camper who had blown Blair Doyle of Doyle Adventure and methods for the wide variety of injuries off a hand while lighting a fire with Safety. I had met Blair at a CRCA sea we might encounter in a wilderness gasoline. On the female side, it was a kayaking course in Burgeo during the accident situation. Interspersed with all tie between Fleur Kenward as a past summer and knew that he was an this theory were real life accident hysterical deceased victim's wife and enthusiastic and avid first aid teacher scenarios in the nearby woods with an Linda Bartlett as an uncontrollable and practitioner. Blair made us all feel abundance of blood, gore, and convulsive seizure victim. right at ease but we still had some hysterical victims that would trepidation about the blood and gore overwhelm even the strongest of We all enjoyed the course immensely that awaited us in simulated accidents dispositions. We, the students, would but also came away with a thorough in the nearby woods during the next all have a chance to show off our acting grounding in how to treat victims at a four days. abilities as victims in these accident chaotic and confusing accident scene. portrayals. At the beginning of the course, we all Blair emphasized that the course would found the accident scenes not concentrate on a lot of details of A typical morning or afternoon would overwhelming but after four days of specific treatment but would deal more begin with an hour or two of theory and learning to work as a team and assess with how to assess and stabilize victims treatment of a specific condition the severity of individual injuries, we at an accident scene making sure that followed by a trip to the woods to put were much more capable at managing victims were treated for life threatening our learning to practice. Accident an accident scene. conditions and put in a safe and stable scenes varied from a sky diving drop position for evacuation. zone mishap that had ended up with KNL is greatly indebted to Richard parachutists hung up and injured in the Alexander who put so much work into Over the next four days and one night, deep woods to drunken campers who organizing and running this course. His we were to learn about such varied had simultaneously chopped of a efforts have greatly enhanced the skill subjects as homeostasis, thumb, broken a leg with an axe and level of our club to provide emergency CPR, head and spinal cord injury dropped a tree on a fellow camper first aid treatment during club events. causing fatal head injuries. 13 A Paddle Down the Sound By Nick Donovan
The early morning sun, larger and more of the many bald eagles that make this colorful than it will be at any other time shoreline home. I slow the pace of my These small fish have no chance of today, is peeping just above the horizon. stroke and try to paddle within camera escape, hopelessly trapped between the Even at this early morning hour, I have range. I have just time enough to press razor sharp teeth of the predatory cod company. An osprey, also getting an the shutter when the eagle spreads his below and the ravenous gulls above. It's early morning start, is circling the sky massive wings and takes flight. The as if these two species have teamed up to surveying the water below as I launch whoosh, whoosh of air flowing through ensure them both an easy breakfast. I my kayak into the waters of Smith his beating wings threads another note gaze into the water below. From surface Sound. A large truck rumbles across the into the morning's quiet overture. His to bottom, fish are darting everywhere, Island Causeway as the ebbing tide ivory-white head and tail feathers are so concentrated they bump the hull of gently ferries me beneath. The only very pronounced. I suspect that his mate my boat. The size of this school of fish move on my part is a rear-rudder is nesting nearby. Other than humans, is truly a marvel rivaling anything that I manoeuver that keeps me headed eagles have very little to fear in the have previously experienced. As I straight as I harness the power of the tide natural world. I want to tell this wonder how anyone will believe me, a and silently move into open water- The magnificent creature that I mean him no giant cod breaks the surface and swims eastern sky, now streaked with hues of harm, that his claim here equals mine. I alongside my kayak. I grab at his tail blaze orange and salmon-pink, is slowly move offshore wanting to give with my gloved hand but soon realize reflected in the mirror-like water below. the nesting site a wide berth. the folly of my actions. It is early May, and despite the wetsuit I am wearing, it Today holds much promise for me. is too early for a dip in the Atlantic. Luckily, I have no schedule to stick to; other than a leisurely paddle down the This frenzy lasts about twenty minutes north side of the island. I have no fixed and ends as quickly as it began. The destination. I am literally going with the gulls now totally satiated settle on the flow. An exercise in moving meditation water. The cod disappear into the depths might best describe both my actions and below. Bird feathers, small bits of state of mind. For the next few hours, I digested fish, and an oily sheen cover will paddle with the outgoing tide. When the surface, the only traces left from the it reverses, I will let it take me back. frenzied activity of minutes before. Fishing state in Lower Lance Cove A kayak is a marvelous boat. It is by far (photo Thomas Clenche) My good fortune at having witnessed my personal preference as a watercraft. this majestic display of nature leaves me With skill and practice, the kayak can The effort of paddling and the growing breathless. I feel a profound sense of handle fairly rough conditions. It is warmth of morning are making me gratitude for the privilege of living in ideally suited to going on the water for a warm. I decide to touch ashore and this wonderful province where the few hours or, with careful storage of remove my outer jacket. As I sit on a potential for such ecological wonders is your gear, you can pack enough for a rock to take a cool drink, much further still possible. I can think of no other week. Little or no maintenance is down the shore the activity of hundreds place in the world where I would rather required, no ninety-odd cents a liter for of seagulls grabs my attention. I have be right now. gasoline, AND no pollution! seldom seen such a concentration of birds in one place before. I quickly The beeping of my wristwatch breaks I stare at my reflection and treasure the board my kayak and paddle in their my trance. It is only seven o'clock, and solitude as every degree of sunrise direction wanting to get a closer look. already my day has been a large one. breathes warmth and life into the early As I approach the flock, I see that they Having worked up a good appetite, I morning. A master painter would be are in a feeding frenzy. The water is head ashore. It will be a good challenged to capture the ever-changing literally teeming with fish. Fins and tails opportunity to try the gift of a new stove array of colors that continues to grace from a large school of cod slice the that my partner has just purchased from the morning sky. Songbirds along the surface in all directions as far ahead as The Outfitters. Bacon and beans downed shore strike a soothing melody, the eye can see. The gulls are plunging with a strong coffee seem like a splendid balancing the harsher cries of Terns, into this swirling water, mouths agape, idea right now. As I head for shore, I Saddle Backs and other seagulls that fly bolting the smaller baitfish that are wonder what else awaits me today! Yes, overhead. Farther down the shore, driven to the surface from the water It's going to be a very large day! perched on a dead spruce tree, I spy one below. 14 The Sea Kayaking Route Courses For 2004 Flatwater Level I - Safe Kayaking to Safer Learn the basics of sea kayaking safety, to and rescue during this weekend course. Roll Training Learn the most effective rescue there is Paddling during this two evening pool session. Level II Sea Training A day and a half to focus on improving your strokes, roll, navigation and confidence paddling on the open ocean. Level II - Exposed Coastline Paddling Six days of sun, sand and sea kayaks. B&B based with an expedition, flare demonstration, stroke improvement, advanced rescues and navigation.
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