Another Kayaking Adventure

[Grant Lamontagne]

Anyone familiar with last year's kayaking failures knows that Birch Cove has been a challenge for me.  After failing to make it a few times I finally got there and got a massive sunburn.  I haven't been back since.

Until now.

Today I decided to give it another shot with my 13 foot boat.  This run is about a two and a half kilometer hike, first through traffic, then along a highway, then through the woods, in places where I wouldn't take a Jeep without a winch and big tires.  Here are some of the photos from the hike.

On the highway:



Once I got off the highway it was a big mess as I had to drag my boat through some swamps and up some serious rocks.  Luckily I have a small cart that fits under the boat, but there are a lot of spots here where the cart just couldn't cope.  The boat rolled over several times on the trip, oten dumping my paddles, Gatorade and other stuff into the mud.









Finally I made it to the lake:



Unfortunately after taking that photo and trying to get to a spot where I could get the boat in the water I flipped it again.



Finally I made it to the lake and while it was a little windy I was once again surprised at just how beautiful it was down here.  It made pretty much the whole ordeal to get down there worthwhile.



What can I say?  It was a beautiful day in a very beautiful spot.  The rocks also remind me very much of the terrain where my parents live- they are in an area that is all glacial rock, and this place kind of makes me feel like I'm home, even though I am nowhere near there.

Here's a bunch of photos to show what I mean.



























Some of you may remember from last year that we found a chair sitting on a rock in the middle of the lake.  My friend Christine sat in it for this photo:



Apparently the next person who sat in it did so after fajita night.





It is such a beautiful area here, and well worth the pain in the arse to get to it.  The trip back out though was a bit of a nightmare- I had to do it all over again except that this time I was exhausted and a little dehydrated.

I won't stop paddling here, but I'm pretty certain that in the future I'd only paddle here with someone else.  If I could unload my trailer at the side of the highway (and leave someone there to watch it while I parked the Jeep) that would make a huge difference, as would having some help getting the boats through some of the tighter spots.

Def

[scattergun13]

Very nice. Beautiful scenery. Thanks for sharing brother.
Stew...

[Grant Lamontagne]

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoy it. I was going to do some fishinh while out today but I forgot my fishing stuff.

I'm going to have to go snorkeling there some time too.  It's just a beautiful place to be, except for the spots where stupid kids drink and smash bottles. 

Def

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[MadPlumbarian]

Looks great,, glad you had a good time, just kinda sucks that you have to drag the kayak two miles not only there, but then also back after you workout paddling around! I feel bad enough just walking four miles yesterday and another six today and with only loaded pockets.. JR

[Grant Lamontagne]

The boat is 57 pounds by itself. Add in some Gatorade bottles, pfd, safety kit, paddles and so on and you hit 100lbs pretty easily.  Trying to carry that over rough terrain between trees is not an experience i'm in a hurry to try again.

Def

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[MadPlumbarian]

Yeah, add all the little things and sooner or later it's going to be heavy, and uneven terrain is going to make it twice as hard! At least I can say I didn't have any steps, 100% flat, only disadvantage, 100% all concrete, at least with walking off-road the dirt will absorb some of the shock when you step.. JR

[Syncop8r]

Great photos Def, and what a great place!
You're lucky to live near so many lakes.

I'm thinking of moving to a place where there are some awesome lakes next year... 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Thanks.  There are a huge number of lakes here without even leaving the city. Plus I am a few hundred yards from the ocean so I really don't need to go far at all to put the boat in tbe water.

Def

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[Chako]

That looks so much like my neck of the woods, I could have sworn you were visiting around here again Def. Nice photos. 

[derekmac]

Great pics!  That trail going in looks fun!! 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I wouldn't take a stock Jeep on that trail Derek- not if I planned to get back out!

Def

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[Grathr]

Looks like a great trip, except all the pulling the kayak through the woods and along the higway part.
Damn it, now I want a kayak even more.
 I have a huge canoe wich is ok if I have someone with me, but is near impossible to handle alone.



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[David]

Beautiful!!!

[Grant Lamontagne]

I highly recommend a canoe/kayak cart.  It really does make things a lot easier, and can turn a lot of two person journeys into a one person journey so you can still go if no one else is available.  I could have carried my boat in here, say if my life depended on it, but in reality I doubt I would have even attempted it without the cart.

Here's the one I have:

http://www.wheeleez.com/kayakcanoecart-tuff-tire.php

I've thought of ordering the big balloon tires for stuff like this as I think they will go over the mud better, but there were places where the tires I have were too wide to go through and I think the balloon tires would just get in the way more.

Def

[comis]

Not a kayaking guy myself, but definitely enjoyed the serenity from the pictures and what a beautiful day that was.

And man, my arms sore just by looking at the terrain you have to drag the boat thru, I don't even know I can ever do that with a boat load of gatorade. 

I don't know whether it is relevant, but I am into RC model racing, and often time I have to drag all my goodies in and out of a RC track.   I do find the big wheels I have on my luggage bag, the easier it is for me to drag that 60 pounds around. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

RC model racing is something else I'd love to get into but I have too many hobbies already for the limited amount of time and funding I have available!

There are bigger wheels available for my cart but I'm not convinced they will be puncture proof enough to traverse some of the jagged rocks and broken glass I encounter.

Def

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[MadPlumbarian]

R/C rocks! I've always been into them, but like you said after so long you end up with limited time, but I've got three r/c sitting in the basement in a box, one OLD battery one, one newer battery, and one gas. JR

[kirk13]

Looks like the paddling was worth the pain of the yumping!

[Grant Lamontagne]

It was...  Sort of.  Monday I almost went to the hospital as I had a very sharp stabbing pain in my groin.  I thought maybe dragging that boat through the woods had caused me to give myself a hernia!

Must have been a cramp or something though as I didn't bother going to the hospital and eventually the pain went away on its own.

Was scary for a few hours though!

Def

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[comis]

RC model racing is something else I'd love to get into but I have too many hobbies already for the limited amount of time and funding I have available!

There are bigger wheels available for my cart but I'm not convinced they will be puncture proof enough to traverse some of the jagged rocks and broken glass I encounter.

Def

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R/C rocks! I've always been into them, but like you said after so long you end up with limited time, but I've got three r/c sitting in the basement in a box, one OLD battery one, one newer battery, and one gas. JR

I often felt the same way, too many hobbies, and too much spending with too little time.

RC racing could get pretty competitive, and for some absurd reasons, despite the sky rocketed land prices, we do have 4 private tracks, and 2 government tracks within 1 hour of driving...and if I were to attend most races in local tracks and mainland China tracks, it will be a freaking full time job for me(but probably no pay with my mid level skill) 

It was...  Sort of.  Monday I almost went to the hospital as I had a very sharp stabbing pain in my groin.  I thought maybe dragging that boat through the woods had caused me to give myself a hernia!

Must have been a cramp or something though as I didn't bother going to the hospital and eventually the pain went away on its own.

Was scary for a few hours though!

Def

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That's a whole new level of pushing your envelope!  Do be careful but the dedication well derserve my

On a second thought, I was once told by one of my best buddy, whom was told by his highschool teacher that--man too do have PMS too.  Though he never did tell me under what circumstance he was taught...    

[JAfromMn]

Looks like the scenery was worth the effort.

I've never owned a boat of my own.

awesome pics Def