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Lunch by the Coffin: A kayak from Ladysmith

Easter weekend rolled around this year and it was the best weather I’ve seen in a long time. Partly because Easter tends to surrounded by terrible weather and it’s been winter for the last 6 months!

After spending Friday and Saturday outside in the Southern Straights Yacht Race and Sunday outside at a family bonfire for easter, I thought Sunday should continue the trend. The weather was supposed to be warm and sunny, the wind a few knots from the south. Perfect conditions for a kayak out of Ladysmith.

Washed up boat
Washed up boat

I took the Narpa down to the Ladysmith Fisherman’s Wharf boat launch and popped it into the water. There was a slight breeze from the south but nothing major. I’d have to work against it on my way out but it would provide a nice tailwind coming back. Not wanting to spend too much time in boat traffic, I cut straight across the harbour into the islands on the other side and worked my way south on the east shore. The tide was low and dropping exposing the hollowed out formations in the rocks. I was lost in my camera taking photos of an old boat washed up on the shore as a few other paddlers passed behind me. I was a little annoyed at their presence wanting to keep the whole place to myself until they pointed out an eagle resting on a tree above us. I thanked them and ditched my selfish thoughts for the rest of the day.

Eagle over the harbour

I had heard of a great little beach near the point. I was headed there for lunch. Many beaches passed and not one of them looked like the one I had heard of. Eventually I gave up and rounded Coffin Point, ready to have a snack and head back.

Lunch off Coffin Point

Just off Coffin Point is a tiny island with a lighthouse on it and at low tide, a small sandbar perfect for lunch. I hauled the boat higher on the rocks so it wouldn’t float away when the tide started to come up and settled in for lunch.

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