Sea Kayaking
South Shore
Newfoundland
INDEX
Log Book
Maps
Trip Information
Other trip stories :
Please write
|
Fox Island to Grey River and Gulch
Cove
Departure point :
Fox Island (North side).
Route and camp:
Between Fox Island and Bay de Vieux, the rocky coast is jagged while rocks and small islands dot the sea. The shoreline changes on the other side of that fjord. Beyond Bay de Vieux, cliffs come straight down to the water with no shelter or breaks.
A small rocky beach just behind West Point at the entrance to Bay de Vieux provides a welcomed landing point before the more exposed shoreline that follows.
Other sheltered sites, depending on wind strength and direction can be found a bit farther across the bay, behind East Point.
Between East Point and Grey River, the coast takes an angle that makes it almost perpendicular to the dominant Southwest swell. Reflecting waves make for a more difficult ride. Calmer waters are found a bit farther out.
The entrance to Grey River is invisible from a distance but it is marked by the only buoy in that area and by a lighthouse on the shore. The first sign that it is there, however, is the boat traffic going in and out.
Although tides are relatively small, this narrow entrance to a very deep bay is subject to significant tidal currents. When going against the tide, look for eddies along the shores to fight the current. The village of Grey River is on the left beyond a curve, about 1 km from the mouth of the river.
We landed on a small and dirty pebble beach just to the right of the public wharf. Rose's Store, one of two stores in the village is located just behind the wharf.
There does not seem to be any suitable spot for camping at the village except in an emergency but we were told that there are nice sites a little bit farther into the bay.
We found a nice pebble beach at Gulch Cove, about 8 km farther East along the coast.
"A Guide to Sea-Kayaking in Newfoundland" describes this area as a "marine desert", devoid of any life... This was not our experience as we saw many birds (obviously fishing). This is also where we had a close encounter with dolphins, also fishing nearby. In Grey River, we were told that fishermen find good catches just outside the bay as well. This desert may not be empty after all!
Gulch Cove offered good shelter against the Southwest swell when we were there but we were warned that the beach may be exposed to strong seas on occasion.
Traveling time is about 3 hours from Fox Island to Grey River and another 2 hours to Gulch Cove, plus stops.
|
