Well, my dears, today is the sort of day I wouldn't trade for a visit with the Queen. And to think I got to do both this week. I must be under a special star!
The Sweet Patootie and I planned to go canoeing this morning a few days ago. We knew that on Canada Day the waters would be too full of yahoos partying hard. And yesterday we wanted to putter on our various projects.
So, we woke up nice and early and packed a lunch from things we'd bought late last evening. We boiled up water and put it in a thermos for we like to make coffee on an island somewhere. It always tastes specially good. SP put the canoe on the truck (do you remember Mr. Canoe Head?) and in we jumped and went down the hill to the marina. We popped that baby in the water and off we went. Our first trip of the year. The water was 'right some cam you' and we thought we'd take a visit to all our favorite spots. I'll show you photos of the whole trip with this disclaimer - I won't take my good camera on the canoe until I get a sea-proof bag for it so the pics were taken with SP's point & shoot - nuff said.
First up was the wrecks. The wrecks are a couple of big fishing barges that have been disolving into the ocean for about 35 years now. Every year they look a bit different...
After visiting the wrecks we were on our way to Hern Island - on the way there I took this picture of Prospect Village.
then we rounded the bend to see if the beach was full of boats and people and if it was we'd just keep going.
But it wasn't. It was completely empty. We thought we'd entered a parallel universe. A better universe.
here is a bit of the beach...
we pulled up the canoe and had the first part of our picnic - pita bread with chicken slices and goat cheese
then we walked to the high part of the island.
SP was sitting pretty and I was taking his picture when all of a sudden we both
heard a noise. A noise we love. It is a big exhale - PUUH - and then we saw the best thing ever! Yes, better than the Queen.
A whale!!
now, I took a lot of photos from a long distance away but I'm only going to share a couple because they just don't do it justice.
We watched her fish by herding in a circle and then making this big tada! I'm going to show you the weird bubble thing she'd do when she had them all herded - here it is -
and here is one more from above ...
then we went back down the hill to the beach and got our stuff in the canoe - yep, we were going out to where she was. There was a sailboat under motor doing the same thing from the other side so we knew she'd probably go -they like canoes though -we look like fish too big to eat to her. It was thrilling to be in the centre of her circle but the sailboat freaked her out and she left...
isn't this so nice?
Then it was off to Rogue's Roost for the other part of our picnic. RR is a hidden little cove. There were a few sailboats mugged up in there but we went to our best spot and SP brewed up a pot of coffee...
then we went off again to Bone Beach
wild irises
and home
to eat chips and read the Globe & Mail!
I defy anyone to have a fatter Saturday than that...
19 comments:
Oh, that sounds like the bestest of the best Saturdays (any day!) ever!!! The whale definitely made me go "squeeeeeee!", I could smell that coffee (I agree - it tastes way better when made outside) and I loved the pictures even if they were taken with the point&shoot.
May we all have many, many days like this! :)
CC - thanks. I cannot adequately express my feelings around seeing whales. 8 summers ago, when I was just starting to date SP, we went out on his birthday - in the canoe. We left early in the morning and it was very foggy. We got to a place in the bay and heard that PUUH and there we were for about an hour in the midst of a humped back mama and her calf. I did feel as if our love was being sanctified. I know that is weird and new agey but I can't help it...
and yesterday was like re-doing our vows...
That is DEFINITELY a fat Saturday! The whale was WONDERFUL--and I can't believe you take a french press on a picnic *snort* The pics are gorgeous--maybe not the same quality as normal, but the scene carries them.
Thanks tartlette! I just went online to find waterproof bags and think I've found a reasonable one for about $120 that you can take pics through! That would be so cool. As to the coffee - the second date I had with Mr. Man was eight years ago. We went out in his canoe (now mysteriously 'our' canoe) and he made coffee with a filter on a little rocky island like where we were yesterday! I did not experience love at first sight but that single thing certainly moved me in that direction! And I'm proud to say, my potato salad did the same to him...what can I say? we're food nuts.
I am so jealous! These photos are beautiful. They don't look like you took them with a "point and click" camera.
I have never seen a whale up close and look forward to doing so one day.
Glad you had such a wonderful Saturday. I need more of your fat Saturdays!
What a fabulous, fabulous day! I am so glad you took pictures and that you shared them. I'm so envious.
Hi Chary - those fat Saturdays are yours to have! Just fill them up with activities that you live for and voila!
Helen - those are the days that I hide in an envelope under my pillow for the dead of winter. Then I pull them out and go over and over them until they are worn quite fine...
There is something about seeing a whale - magical - something soo big, and beautiful. Pity the boat guys had no sense to stay away....
ah Denise, those boat guys were just like us I guess - compelled to get nearer and nearer. The whale wouldn't be frightened by them just knew the fishing was over. My brother, who lives up North in Yellowknife, has gone kyaking in Baffin Island said they would be quite wary of narwhales because they liked to scratch their backs on the bottom of what they thought were ice flows but could be kyaks!
What a great spot! Love those pics :)
Beautiful pictures...and a lovely day. Your masthead picture is fantastic...
PHAT! Definitely phat. C.
What a beautiful day you had! The water is the best place to be here in New England this week, with temps predicted to be near 100 all week! Clicked over from Helen's to say hello :)
What great photos...and what a fantastic day!! I felt as if I were there..thanks for sharing)))).
When I was a kid we used to eat whale meat for dinner once a week.
My father bought big boxes of frozen whale beef. It was about the cheapest meat you could get. Now it's rare and expensive, but the whale-carpaccio that the serve in the restaurants in the north is delicious >:)
Cold As Heaven
Tabitha - it's my favourite spot in the world. Yes, it is.
Liza - thank you! The masthead is a picture I did of a tender in the back harbour of Chester. I like it too.
Oh, dear anonymous C - whatcha up to? I miss your face...
Joanne - I've been in the lake and in the French River but not quite in the ocean yet. I'm hankering to do so though! thanks for dropping by.
Brenda - and you could've!Didn't you get out the bay this weekend?
Cold - so I've heard. I don't think I'd like the texture though. Where up north? My brother lives in the NWT - has his whole adult life and my guy is from Labrador.
Jan, I live on the other side of the ocean, in Winterland >:)
Cold As Heaven
Looks like you had such a great day. The photos are beautiful!
Yes, but where is Winterland? If I do a google search I come up with references to some famous roadhouse in the states. I have mosied about on your site but still it is mysterious. I imagine that you like that...and then I wonder if I am like that too - assuming everyone might know where Nova Scotia is but no - I celebrate Canada Day...I remember in my fiction writing that readers get uneasy when they don't the where of where they are - even if it is a made-up place. Ah well, I can find you I'm sure!
Lynda - thanks, I did and I hope I have lots of them this summer and fall. I'm also looking into a contraption for my good camera to keep it safe in waves!
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