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From: John Waddington <waddinj_at_recorder.ca> subject: [Paddlewise] trip report (Canada east coast) Date: Fri, 09 Oct 1998 09:25:00 -0700 · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:32:52 PDT

I have just come back from a couple of weeks of car-topping
my CLC Chesapeake through Prince Edward Island and
parts of Newfoundland.  Unfortunately, a storm killed much
of the paddling, but the area is beautiful with lots of great
paddling areas.  The storm lasted 8 of the 11 days that I had
for paddling and featured winds in the 60-100+ kph (40-60+
mph).

In PEI I paddled mainly on the north shore where there are
miles of beaches and fishing villages that provide many nice
photo opportunities.  The island itself is easy to get around
on and its scenery is well known.

In Newfoundland I drove up the west coast to Gros Morne
Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The place is
spectacular with amazing geological features.

I stayed a few days in the Rocky Harbour/Norris Point area
with lots of good paddling.    I paddled first from Norris Point
in Bonne Bay, which is actually a fjord rather than a
traditional bay.  Commercial boat tours and sea kayak
rental tours are available in season.  Even though it was off
season and the kayak rental place was closed, its owner
generously offered me the use of his put in anytime that I
wanted.  The fjord was quiet (before the storm) to paddle in. 
The scenery was varied with gently sloping shores that
surround small  villages to towering cliffs rising up to forests
that contained the nests of bald eagles.  I saw only  two
eagles, or maybe the same one twice.  In the right season
minke whales come into the fjord to eat.  At Rocky Harbour
there is a long beach where I was able to put in beside the
shelter of the fishing dock.  The harbour is sheltered by a
natural breakwater several hundred metres out.  Unless it is
very windy there are only gentle waves rolling into the bay. 
The headlands feature a scenic lighthouse.  I stopped just off
the end of the submerged rocks, that shelter the harbour, to
get a photo of the lighthouse by shooting across the
breaking waves.  I popped my spray skirt and opened the
waterproof bag to get out the two cameras that I was using. 
I just finished getting what I hope are some nice pictures
when I noticed that the rising winds had caused me to drift
too close to the rocks.  The shallower water cause the rolling
waves to rear up and break quite sharply.  Suddenly there
was a large wave just off my bow and just above eye level.  It
was certain to flood my cockpit (and open camera bag) if it
broke down on the deck.  I hastily dropped the camera into
my lap and paddled  backward as fast as I could.  The wave
picked up the bow and I surfed backwards right across and
back into the deep water on the other side without a drop
getting in.  Very exhilarating and no real danger, except to
my camera gear of course.  Even if I had flipped and couldn't
roll back with the undone spray skirt, another fishing dock
was only about 300 metres away and I had a wet suit and
PFD on.

In much of Gros Morne Park the scenery is amazing.  A one
hour drive can take you to spectacular mountains and fjords
and wonderful sand or rocky beaches. Put in places are
plentiful and the people are friendly.  Many were curious
about the kayak (one man, not a native Newfoundlander,
asked what the boat on my car was and when I told him
that it was a kayak he informed me that it was too long and
too narrow to stay upright if I was to try paddling it) and
would have been quite willing to let me put in anywhere.

This is an incredible area for kayaking, hiking and just
driving to see the scenery.  When it was too windy to paddle,
I drove around looking at the scenery, moose, and cariboo.  I
would recommend it thoroughly.

John

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