Written by Paul Delaney and Bob Fearon
Trinity Bay, Mapsheets - 1:50,000 scale NTS maps 2C/4 & 2C/6
Date of Trip: Aug 21-23, 2000
Travelers: Bob Fearon and Paul Delaney
Equipment: Two Sealution II’s
"Leave no trace - take your garbage home with you, and leave nature the way you found it"
Map 1. Lower Lance Cove to British Harbour (thumbnail - click on image to enlarge)
August 21
Left St.John’s about 9 am Monday after morning thunderstorms. Drove out to Lower Lance Cove about midway along the north side of Random Island. A good slipway and wharf for protected access to the sea. Left one truck here, and it was untouched on the return. There were various fishermen working out of this cove. Had a chat while getting loaded. As this was our first overnight adventure, it was pretty tight getting all our gear into the boats. As it turned out, we had enough food for several more days than needed, but this was part of the idea, as it’s always possible to get stormbound for a few days. This could easily be the case if you were camped on the east side of Ireland’s Eye, or other points, and strong winds from the east quarter were to spring up.
Image 1. Lower Lance Cove slipway (photo Bob Fearon)
Image 2. Waterfall, Smith Sound (photo Bob Fearon)
Image 3. Bob, lobster pots, Smith Sound (photo Paul Delaney)
Image 4. Raging torrent into Smith Sound (photo Bob Fearon)
Got in the water at 1:53 p.m. Weather was warm. Low 20’s, light westerly blowing down Smith Sound. The overcast day was by this time breaking up and was mostly sunny for the day. Initially seas had only a minor lop and winds were inconsequential but behind us. The coast was mostly steep, treed slopes with several rivers/waterfalls plunging into the deep waters. The Nut Cove slate mine can be seen across the bay. After about 1 hour we pulled into a small cove with a tiny beach, informally named here as ‘Fishhook Cove’. Above this, trees had long ago been cut away, and it’s likely a camp could be set up here if needed. This was pretty much the first possible landing point, some 4.8 km from Lower Lance Cove.
Image 5. Paul at 'Fish Hook Cove' (photo Bob Fearon)
After a short stop, we headed on and passed through a narrow tickle between the main island and a smaller island into a placid place called Long Harbour. There is a small mussel farm here and two cabins in this resettled area. Fresh but rusty looking water flows past the cabin at the head of the bay.
Image 6. Long Harbour (photo Bob Fearon)
Heading east out of Long Harbour the breeze had freshened a bit and there was more fetch to build up a mild lop. This following wind drove us rather rapidly down the shore.
Image 7. To Haydon Point, out of sight around the near point (photo Bob Fearon)
Rounding Haydon Point, the water became like the oil. We cruised around the various rugged coves. There was one cabin on the hill, with basically nowhere to land, and in Connolly’s Cove, there was a nice set-up of cabin, sheds and a good wharf. No one home. A small stream flowed into this cove. Passing along we perused the grass grounds of the resettled Thoroughfare. Some foundations and lots of wood from fallen houses lay about. We ended up camping at the very east end of the area, across from Flat Island. Not a real great pull out area, but we dragged the kayaks up onto the grass easily enough over the kelp-covered, angled rocks that made a moderately steep natural slipway. Some water was available a ways away nearer the west end of Thoroughfare. Not a breath of wind as we set up camp. Great sunset. Lots of ripe blueberries for a snack and for tomorrow’s pancakes. (there will be a good crop of partridgeberries later in the year).
At this point, a red fox came down to the water to bark at us. We set up the tent on a barren area, and made a fire below the high tide mark on the tiny beach next to a low cliff. One thing of note was that firewood was pretty scarce all along, the coast being that rugged, that there was basically nowhere for it to collect. We managed to find enough, and could have used boards from the ruined houses had we wanted. The night was warm and dry. During the night, I was awakened by the alarms of a stern, I think, as it tracked the movements of our fox as it padded by the tent. I put it to flight (for no particular reason as our food was safely stored for this exact reason) by a yell and a tap of the tent, something which also woke Bob rather suddenly!
Image 8. Campsite at Thoroughfare (photo Paul Delaney)
Image 9. Sunset at Thoroughfare camp. Ireland's Eye is the lit up hills in centre and right background (photo Bob Fearon)
Image 10. Sunset at Thoroughfare (photo Bob Fearon)
Image 11. Coloured world at Thoroughfare (photo Bob Fearon)
August 22
Leaving camp in the morning, the water was again flat calm, and the weather sunny, skies clear. Weather reports called for light to moderate southerlies backing off to northwesterlies later in the afternoon. Temperatures again were pleasant for paddling. Pulling out, we noticed that the sea was chockfull of jellyfish; note the underwater picture. You could see them well down through the water column.
Image 12. Surrealistic underwater view of scads of jellyfish, Thoroughfare (thumbnail - click on image to enlarge. Photo Bob Fearon)
Crossing past Chair Cove Point to Ireland’s Eye, we cruised around the resettled community of Ivanhoe, where there are several cabins and wharves, and the place is well protected mostly. No doubt camping here would be easy, but we didn’t note any running water for drinking. Going south, we went through The Thoroughfare, but by passing through another narrow tickle between Random Island and a smaller island. On this island there were a few pebble beaches on the west side of this wooded island, a bit more driftwood and what looked like a good campsite on the platform of one steep beach.
Crossing back to Ireland’s Eye, the south part of this generally lumpy island is barren. Light winds from the south made hardly a wave nor was there any swell of note. We pulled into Round Harbour, through another narrow, shallow tickle. Eli Toope tells us no one ever lived here as the tickle was too shallow especially at low tide, and was too open to certain weather, but was used as gardens by people from Traytown. Also he said that there used to be lots of sea grass which we never noticed.
Immediately upon entering the harbour, a calf moose was noted on the shore. I called to Bob who had the camera, and just slid silently in (one of the pleasures of not needing a motor), not moving at all. Bob passed by silently as well and drifted almost to the calf’s nose before getting a picture, and the moose fled directly thereafter. This little harbour is very well protected from winds in all directions as the wooded hills are quite high and steep enough that it’s hard to imagine any amount of wind getting into the harbour. The west side is covered with tall grass and camping would probably be decent there.
Image 13. Calf moose at Round Harbour, Ireland's Eye (photo Bob Fearon)
After Round Harbour it was an easy cruise along the rugged coast up to Traytown. Most all the east side of Ireland’s Eye is very rugged, and landing along it would be difficult in bad weather. Lots of water underneath entering Traytown Harbour, which almost cuts the island in half. There are a few cabins and wharves along the shore. Talked to some locals working on their steps. They said there was water from a well on the hillside, but said that, in general, water was not plentiful on Ireland’s Eye, and although no health problem, wasn’t really great drinking water. Talked to another fellow, who said big sailboats would come right inside the bay, even into the ‘pond’ at the south end which isn’t a pond but still the ocean, just with an island in the middle of the channel. Met some other visitors on a motorized boat on a day trip out of New Bonaventure. No doubt, camping here would be possible, somewhere, and wonderfully protected.
Image 14. South end of Traytown Harbour, with the ‘pond’ past the cabins (photo Paul Delaney)
Next, it was into Ireland’s Eye proper. A beautiful, narrow, rugged, island protected channel runs into the resettled community. Lots of ruins about, including the church on the hill. Some goats and sheep graze in the tall grass. Two cabins, one with a great deck and picnic table, which we used for lunch. A 20-minute round trip walk past the church brings you to Black Duck Cove on the west side of the island, also resettled, with a few ruins. Camp spots in either place look to be easy to manage. Lots of berries around, and a good, but narrow stream runs near the church. Just before the descent into Black Duck Cove, there is a cemetery, in moderate condition, inhabited by Kelly’s, Toope’s, Loder’s, Hodder’s, Paul’s and others. One headstone was for a guy who died at around 83 years about the year 1879! According to Melvin Kelly there is another cemetery on the north side of Black Duck Cove, where his grandfather and other relations are buried.
Image 15. Lunch at Ireland's Eye. Church ruins in top centre (photo Bob Fearon)
Image 16. Looking out Ireland's Eye from church ruins (thumbnail - click on image to enlarge. Photo Bob Fearon)
Image 17. Ireland's Eye from church area (photo Bob Fearon)
Now it was time to cross the sound to British Harbour where we planned to stay the night. By this time the skies had darkened to the west, and the small swell was running into the sound from the east. This was perfect as we were heading northwest roughly and cutting across the waves was achieved quite easily. The crossing from Ireland’s Eye Point to British Harbour Point took us a mere 19 minutes, after using 15-20 minutes to reach Ireland’s Eye Point from Ireland’s Eye proper. One minke whale surfaced nearby a few times on the crossing.
Almost into British Harbour, we heard the thunder on the hills and hurried it up a bit, but got caught in the deluge anyway. We beached the boats near the cabins on the west side and took cover in an abandoned house until the rain abated. The slate roof was in good enough condition to keep out most of the rain but inside it was a shambles with only one cross beam holding the place up.
After this we searched for a campsite. Lots of possibilities but the best was on the east side at the run-in of a good brook, where a narrow, treeless neck of land separates a tiny shallow cove from the brackish pool behind. (Another fast brook passes by the cabins on the west side). We decided to have a look at another abandoned house on the east side, as it might be better in all this rain. It was okay, so we stayed there. A nearby ‘beach’ (loose description), near a small sea stack, enabled us to pull our kayaks up on the bank. The house was in reasonable condition for a night (some rotten upstairs floor), with some benches and a table for cooking and sleeping. Lots of nails for hanging wet gear.
Image 18. British Harbour (photo Paul Delaney)
Image 19. Our homestead in British Harbour (photo Bob Fearon)
Image 20. Cabin and reconditioned house in British Harbour (photo Paul Delaney)
In British Harbour, there are four cabin sites. One includes a nicely redone frame house from before resettlement, painted in yellow red trim and roof. We later learned that this house is left open and is available for anyone to use. It is used as an overflow for the adjacent cabin. It is supposed to have all the necessaries, right down to linen on the bed. Would have been cool to stay there, but I think one should check first to see if it’s okay to use it.
August 23
Map 2. Wolf Head to Trinity East (thumbnail - click on image to enlarge)
Tried to get off early, but early departures never quite happen. Today we knew we had to round Bonaventure Head, and we had figured this could present some problems if the winds were wrong. But they were calling for westerlies again, so that looked good. Day was beautiful and sunny, very calm in the morning. Passing out of the deeply inset harbour, the coast was very rugged and steep all along to the east. Wind was nothing, minor swell. We passed a nice waterfall and a small cave at Wolf Head that exhaled a gust of spray with each swell.
Image 21. Paul in Wolf Head area (photo Bob Fearon)
We passed Wolf Head and into Kerley’s Harbour for a look. It is another resettled place, a lone, rusty bed frame on a hillside a reminder of past days. Some horses were there that were moved from White Point, actually Somerset Cove, where the Random Passage movie shoot was ongoing. Nice brook running into the cove and the grass nicely trimmed by the horses. Good campsite I think.
Image 22. Bob in Kerley's Harbour (photo Paul Delaney)
We passed near both White Point and New Bonaventure, but carried on around Maiden Point and into Old Bonaventure, skirting Cat Cove on the outside. A beach in Cat Cove forms an isthmus with a beach on the Old Bonaventure side and could be a good campsite. Old Bonaventure is a picturesque, hill-lined, wonderfully sheltered notch, with wharves, sheds, road and beach, etc.
Image 23. Calm cruise towards Maiden Point (photo Bob Fearon)
After a stop, we went for the major headland. The wind had picked up a bit as predicted, but was really coming southwest. This was perfect. We angled into it for awhile, as a minke whale surfaced no more than 10 m off, before running with the following sea past Bonaventure Head, which is a rather impressive set of cliffs, where in places the flat bedding planes of the sedimentary rocks dip very steeply, and totally uninterrupted into the sea.
Image 24. Rounding Bonaventure Head. Looks easy doesn’t it! (photo Bob Fearon)
Around the headland we checked out a small cove with a little sea cave you could paddle into. Good cod jigging below the high, steep cliffs is rumoured. Then we ventured into Spaniard’s Cove. Good sights in the wide cove. In the southwest corner, a good brook running out of Cove Pond falls directly into the ocean over the cliff, with a last, straight drop of 6-7 m. You can paddle up inside it, barely, or treat yourself to a shower as was done. A beach near some grass grounds in the northwest corner is easy to put into, and the road is just up past the field.
Image 25. Waterfall in Spaniard's Cove (photo Paul Delaney)
On the 1:250,000 NTS maps, Spaniard’s Cove is shown to be the bay that hosts Trouty and the one south of Trouty is not named. On the 1:50,000 maps, Trouty is on Trouty Cove, and Spaniard’s Cove to the south of it.
Trouty is a pretty little spot, and you can go right up the channel into the river that runs through town. The Riverside Inn overlooks this boat-lined channel, and we talked to the owner for awhile. He told of the large run of salmon that had come in there as well as in the Lockston area of Trinity 3-4 weeks earlier, but only now were able to run up the river due to the amount of rain they received recently. Apparently one energetic but misguided fish had jumped into the motor recess of his boat and upon investigating found it thrashing about back there. He quickly flicked it out into the water as he pondered the likely futility of trying to explain this to any DFO or wildlife officer had they appeared at that inopportune time. Decent current running out of the river at this time.
Upon leaving Trouty, we noticed a sunker or reef that we hadn’t seen on the way in only 15 minutes earlier. It sits right in the centre of the cove but out a good ways. It should be taken note of when paddling here.
Passing out of Trouty, the water became wonderfully lumpy, with a comfortable swell and lop driving us towards Stone Island, Green Island and Stone Shoal between Trinity and Dunfield. A nice cruise that took us only 40 minutes to cover about 7 km! An accessible sea cave can be found along the shore on the east edge of a grassy field that you will see as you enter this bay, about halfway between Dunfield and Stone Island. We continued onto Trinity East, passing by a small arch which you can pass through, but we avoided due to the direction of the seas and impending rain. A great day for us novices, going some 36 km in about 6.5 hours, which included stops, slow exploratory cruises and talking in Trouty. Not even a hard paddle really.
Pulled the boats out on the beach at Trinity East. Bob has a house there, and his neighbour, Walter, and his buddy, Eli Toope, who both resettled out of Ireland’s Eye proper, are great old guys to talk to especially about Ireland’s Eye and the old times.
As for wildlife on the trip, besides the fox, moose calf, whales and jellyfish, we saw two fish hawks (osprey) at Thoroughfare, gannets near Trinity, probably 30-40 eagles, both immature and adult, all over the place, around every corner. There were lots of sea pigeons (Black Guillemots), herring gulls, of course, lots of sterns (Common Terns) and some saddlebacks (Greater Black Backed Gulls) and quite a few kingfishers.
All in all, this was a wonderful trip, pretty easy going, especially as the wind went exactly as we wanted every time. Another day, and we may have had to battle winds and waves, but not this time. The place is pretty protected in part, although if the weather turns sour, you can’t get in just anywhere, as the coast is mostly low cliffs or worse. Scenery was quite nice, decent amount of wildlife, berries, cool places to camp and paddle through. If you can’t manage to get around Bonaventure Head for the weather, then you can get out in either of the towns west of it and onto the road.
From Lower Lance Cove to our eventual campsite at Thoroughfare was about 17 km real paddling (14 km as the crow flies). This took us from 2 p.m. till about 6:30 p.m., with a little assist from the wind and a few stops and other slow explorations and photography. From Thoroughfare at about 9 a.m. to British Harbour took till about 5 p.m., but with all the stops listed above, 17.5 km (12.5km). From British Harbour to Trinity East took from about 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 36 km (25 km)
All pictures were taken using a Kodak disposable camera, which is waterproof and floats, except for three images (14, 18 and 20) which were scanned from photos from a previous boat trip using a Pentax K1000 with a Sigma 28-84 mm lens.
We didn’t have a cell phone to test coverage, and instead of a VHF radio, we used a small AM/FM/SW radio where we caught the Fisheries Broadcast on CBC at 5:30 p.m. weekdays.