This kayak trip feels like it was last year. I've had the photos ready to post for ages and just never got round to writing anything to go with them.
During the summer my days off were Tuesday and Wednesday and it was often (not always) difficult to find a fellow paddler to go with me, as most people work weekdays and have the weekend off.
Finally I found a friend and decided to launch from Brooks Cove. The water in the cove was mirror calm - you can see the change in the water below, it wasn't rough just not as calm as the bay. It looked like a good swimming day, but when I walked into the water with my kayak my feet burned from the cold.
This was a cove we paddled past that if it had been warmer would have made a great place to stop for a swim and a snack.
It was fun to paddle through these islands and explore. I could see the sand on the bottom, and fish and starfish, and lots of birds and sea lions.
The last time I was in this area was the night of our full moon paddle. That beach you see ahead of us? It was completely covered in water, and we were able to paddle right through. On this day, not so much. The tide was out.
Instead of just portaging our boats across, we decided to land and enjoy the sun. We layed out in the sun for a bit. Look how suntanned my legs are? Make the most of it, Autumn has set in now, and they are almost back to their lily white state.
We also took a walk to the top of island. It was covered in
Arbutus trees and multi coloured soft moss. I just wanted to curl up and take a nap.
View from the top:
This is one of my favourite photos from the summer. It was hot and sunny, the water was calm, there was pretty much no one else out on the water except us. It was so quite I could hear the leaves falling from the trees and the bark peeling off the Arbutus. This is the screen saver on my laptop now.
Arbutus trees. I love the red bark, the squirly trunks, the smooth branches...
I love paddling to Frenchman's Cove. I've been a couple of times now. It's close by. Not to far to paddle to, but far enough away that you're not surround by people and boaters.