Sunday, January 26, 2014

2014.01.254 - The Gorge

Louise and I decided to get the paddling season started this morning with a quick little jaunt down in The Gorge. We didn't want to do a long paddle; this was more of a "work out the kinks" paddle, both in our gear and ourselves. We've been off the water for a few months, and have had a pretty lazy winter so far, so we wanted to go slow and easy the first time out.
And besides, who doesn't like to go paddling in the fog?
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We've been socked in the past couple of days, sometimes about as thick as it ever gets around here. It looked like it had backed off a bit as we were getting ready to launch, but then it suddenly rolled in like thick pea soup. I tried to take a picture of Louise a couple of metres away from me on the shore but as you can see, it was so thick the camera couldn't make anything out.
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Which is too bad, because as Louise was standing there a Sasquatch ran by, almost knocking down Brad Pitt and Robert Downey Jr. as they signed autographs for Elvis who was piloting a flying saucer. Jeez, I wish that that picture had turned out!

Yes, I'm kidding. But if you didn't like that joke, don't worry the rest aren't any worse than that one.
In reality, the foggy shroud was starting to back off as we put in.
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Either a small piece of Esquimalt was ceded to Italy over the winter, or someone is starting his World Cup cheering early.
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We kayaked by the local pair of swans....
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....as they practiced for the new Olympic Sport, Synchronized Underwater Grazing. I think they're going to do quite well.
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Long-time readers will recall that the demolition and rebuilding of the Craigflower Bridge on Admirals Road began last year. It was supposed to be finished by Christmas, however a steel shortage delayed the project, as drivers in the area have no doubt noticed.
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The latest estimate is that the bridge should be done by the end of March.
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The fog began to burn off, but the temperature remained cool. Warm drinks began to call us from our kitchen, and we responded to their siren call.
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The first paddle of the year is in the books!

Trip length: 6.05 km
YTD: 6.05 km
More pictures are here.
2014-01-26