I paddled like a possessed woman! After a restless night in the smelly fishing shed with hundreds of lobster pots stacked in neat piles around me, I launched from Harbour Beach in Highlands at 6:45 on placid water covered in splatter art from the deluge of rain that accompanied me for the next several hours. I am thankful for my expedition Gore-tex drysuit from Kokatat which keeps me paddling comfortably "Round the Rock".

My Epic wing blade spun like a windmill, putting kilometers easily behind me on the calm St. George's Bay. I felt like I'd found newfound confidence, but yesterday's close call with lightning had me frazzled and visibly upset. Today, I paddled with conviction but was glad that the few people I called yesterday had boosted my confidence. Thank you mama, Graham, Marjorie, and Glenn.

The steep red cliffs dropped from the Anguille Mountains, covered in waterfalls, thin, trickles, veil-like falls gushing exuberantly and thundering waterfalls plummetting from dizzying heights. Many gulches along the route made navigation using my 1:250000 topo map easy and provided emergency landing sites if necessary. Jack Harris from St. David's, had given me accurate advice on my paddling route and loaned his nautical chart for perusal.

For about two hours, I had 4 or 5 seals accompany me, peeking curiously and sliding silently under the water, or smacking the water hurriedly when I came too close. Often I heard a loud "whump" right behind me, but my hood blocked my vision.

Eventually, the rain gave up and overcast conditions changed to partly sunny skies with the predicted northeast wind blowing at 15 knots. I crossed spectacular Snakes Bight, where folded sedimentary layers of gray and black rock made impressive cliffs with innumerable waterfalls. I headed for Cape Anguille and then paddled around George Point where the lighthouse is situated.

The winds were in my favour, urging me to finish this paddle easily with a smile on my face. I'd been told that Codroy is the most beautiful place in Newfoundland, and indeed it is a lovely town nestled up against the Anguille Mountains. I could see Cape Ray as I was rounding Codroy Island. The end is almost visible! This ending will be bitter sweet.

As I arrived at a cobble beach in Codroy, Pius Anderson helped me haul my gear and kayak up onto the lawn above. I'm presently camped on Craig and Nancy Collier's lawn. Bernie Howgate had arrived precisely here in 2000 when he made his circumnavigation of Newfoundland. His book of his adventure, "Around the Rock in a Bad Mood", can be ordered online at www.berniehowgate.com .

I sigh an enormous sigh of relief. Cape Anguille had loomed daunting and I am happy to be in beautiful Codroy and around this exposed cape safely.