Evening paddle on Conception Bay

Last night was perfect time for a training run around Kelly's Island. Low wind and nice temperatures. Five of us left Long Pond and headed out around 1830 hrs we were back in about two hours.
Busy traffic exiting and entering Long Pond - lots of sailboats and power boats.
If you look close on the third photo you can just make out Tim and Paul coming in past the breakwater.

Luminato

Our first glimpse of David Rotheby's Long Wave was from the stairway leading from the subway corridor to Brookfield Place.
The Long Wave was one of several public art pieces installed as part of the Luminato arts festival this week in Toronto.
It required several walks the length of the building to fully appreciate though. This was a stunning exhibit.
There was something fascinating about the installation. Here was this massive wave of red balls set in a busy office complex. It created quite an interest from the public - but no apparent reaction, perhaps even casual annoyance from the regular workers who walked/rushed through the Place without stopping between sips from their Starbucks and calls on their blackberries.

Maelstrom

I had a chance to meet Charles Alexandre Desjardins and test out the Maelstrom kayaks. I can see why Michael(Quebec)was so enthusiastic about his new purchase. Both the Vital and the Vaag were beautiful kayaks to paddle.
An interesting partnership has developed with Boreal in producing these kayaks. check out the maelstrom website for the details.

MEC Paddlefest

I just got back from the MEC Paddlefest.
The MEC organizers and staff did an extraordinary job pulling this event together at Toronto's Sunnyside Park/Pavilion on the shores of Lake Ontario.
I participated in six paddling events over the two days and spent time meeting other paddlers, presenters and distributors of equipment.
The weather also cooperated - cool temperatures broke giving us a fantastic day to paddle, watch from the beach, demo boats or just hang out.

the toll of graduations

I recently attended a university graduation. Aside from all the critically important family shots I took, I found the occasional interesting incidental opportunity. This photo captures the essence of parental fatigue. The fact that this gentleman nodded off at the reception probably reflects the toll four years of assisting in the university experience has taken. Perhaps, he was just totally relieved.

Snagged from certain disaster

From the file folder marked: just when you thought you have seen everything - we were driving back from the kayak retreat glad not to be fighting brutal wind gusts, when we passed a small dog running at full tilt for St.John's.
We thought the dog would just gradually decide to run off to the side or that nearly being hit twice would convince the little thing to run on the shoulder or pop back onto a side road and make it's way back to it's owners camp site.
But no - it looked this dog had a mission in mind.
Paul couldn't in good conscience keep driving knowing that it would be hit by oncoming traffic within minutes. So he managed to get it to run over to him - and pop in the back seat where it seemed perfectly happy to sit amongst all the kayak gear.
Fortunately the good folks at the Clarenville SPCA never close - and I suppose for good reason.
We dropped the dog off and heard later that the owner was looking for the dog and claimed her later that night.

Terra Nova - around and about Malady Head

Despite stiff winds the group made it in for lunch and had a leisurely paddle back.