Colliers-Turks Gut Day Trip

By Paul Delaney & Trevor Rice

Trip Length: 17.5 km

Date: June 1, 2009

Paddlers: Trev Rice in homemade cedar strip Great Auk; Paul Delaney in Tricolour Seaknife SK-17 Pro

Weather: Mostly very calm, minimal swell, increasing slightly with long amplitude at Colliers Point. Winds very light and cooling from southeast off the offshore fog until increasing swiftly as we closed in on Turks Gut. Generally cloudless sky until some cloud followed the rising wind near the end of the day. Temperature in low 20s, sun making it warmer, SE breeze and cold ocean mitigating the sun.

Commentary on Weather Forecast versus Reality: Sunday evening forecasts called for winds SW 20-40 kph starting near noon. But by morning they were switched to SE for the day. Reality was some of both. Got very light SE early before suddenly rising up to 25-40 kph winds for the Turks Gut to truck leg. Mind you the second part had been changed. Made for some short steep lops and occasional hard blasts. Could be a hard scote for someone a bit nervous or not a strong paddler. Those bays are susceptible to SW winds and funneling within the steep shoreline.

Click on thumbnails for an enlarged view of each image.

Mapsheet: 1N/11 Harbour Grace

Trip: A rather perfect day for paddling! A very calm day for the most part. Allowed us to look into every nook and cranny we felt like. No problem to launch right at the bottom of the bay where mallard ducks were hanging around the mouth of the brook. Tide was low so would have to walk the kayaks out a bit perhaps. But we decided to put in at Dock Cove, an okay spot. Ryan’s Head was a nice introduction to the steep shore, clear water and interesting bottom that we would see all day, and some wildlife as an eagle launched itself from off the cliff above us almost immediately.

Rounding into Burke’s Cove we dodged around the islands at the point, but decided not to go right round the cove. Looked almost certainly like a better beach to start the day but you’d miss Ryan’s Head.

On the way to James Cove there was the unfortunate cliff garbage dump and lots of stuff visible on the often pumbly bottom. Into James Cove it got more sandy and a few flatfish were spotted. As it didn’t look too good for landing places anywhere else till Turks Gut and being past noon anyway we decided to stop on the beach there where a black cow and black pony were grazing with a large headstone for James Collier stating he died at 63 in the year of 1833. Protected from the offshore breeze it was quite warm and comfortable on the beach where we quickly sparked up the Kelly Kettle for Screech tea and warmed a bottle of moose on the other stove to go with old cheese on dark rye sandwich and finished with homemade bakeapple pie. Man what a life!!

Continuing out the bay the shoreline got steeper with no evidence of civilization, with some very dramatic coves where mixed trees managed to cling to the sides, but often too steep for anything. There was one small beach that was possible for a landing in calm seas along this stretch. Of note also were some minor caves and notches to poke around in. There are some decent channels out around Colliers Point.

We decided to cross over to the north side, aiming for a shadowed cliff. The water was absolutely oily calm and the crossing was pleasant with many black guillemots, loons and other smears of sea birds to be seen. Due to the rugged sharpness of the land the view in front was excellent as we approached the multicoloured, folded and faulted stratified rock. About halfway between Woody Island Cove and Seal Head we reached the other side right under an impressive, near vertical cliff of some 50 m. Heading back in the bay there was the same high cliff shore with trees clinging as they could and several small, beautiful coves. About halfway to Bull Cove there is a very nice and easily navigated arch. The grass grounds near Bull Cove are witness to the resettled community. This was home to an ex British Navy officer who taught, amongst other things, navigation and it is thought this is the reason Brigus had such a history of master mariners.

Past the arch we could get the feel of a rising wind. Heading into Turks Gut for relief and a break the funneled wind gave us a good blast. Camping on this spot, with fresh water from a pipe in the hill on the south side would be quite good.

Passing around the prominent Turks Head we got all the wind, but staying near shore it wasn’t all that fierce and we paddled leisurely at about 5 kph (2.7 knots). Deciding to head into some slight protection for a drop of water we were immediately hit by the worst winds of the day. Not being much use we headed on up to Brigus Point and had a spell. As we started out again I thought we might as well just punch straight into it as this would gradually bring us across the bay. Seemed that, but out in the middle it was coming straight down the bay, not angling across, of course. Many short, steep lops plunged our bows and gave us a bit of spray. It was a bit of work but some good fun cutting the waves.

Back on shore at about 5 pm gave us a 5.5 hour day on the water. Naturally the winds dropped off while we were loading the kayaks! We further highlighted the day by stopping in Holyrood at the small café on the main waterfront for soup and sandwich. Excellent bread (also for sale) for well stuffed sandwiches and very good hearty and thick pea and vegetable soups. A recommended place. It’s an easy drive to and from so this paddle is not overly hard. Go do it!