Paddle Home From Work, The Last Trip of 2019

A nice high pressure system and an ebbing tide makes for a pleasant paddle home from work. The last day of the year and what a beautiful day.

Flamborough & Bempton, first Outing for the Rockpool Bach Eto

A little weather window on a Sunday, who would believe it?!?.. We were quite undecided if to go for it last night but glad we did, I mean who needs a turkey at this time of year anyway? .... Once at North Landing we unloaded the boats near the old lifeboat station (big thanks to the Emmersons for being so accommodating as usual) then for the next 20 minutes we were transfixed with a pair of Peregrines hunting the pigeons, an amazing sight to see. We pushed north-west into the last couple of hours of flood towards Staple Nook, a bit of a fool around in the arches playing chicken and then an easy run back with the westerly breeze and the very last of the flood in our favour. A real pleasure to be out there, very few holiday makers, easy access and a perfect day to boot....

River Hull

A quick blast up the river to blow away the cobwebs

Open Water SUP Coach Assessment

Just home from assessment day, big thanks to Richard of Mon Active for all of your guidance and instruction. Also a very big well done to my mate and partner in crime Amy who also successfully passed today, she delivered an incredible coached session. Another string to the bow and great fun to boot.

 A bright but cold day on Windermere, the air temperature never raised above freezing in the shadows but we all had great fun. A big thank you to our students who gave up a day to be coached by us, thank you so much Fi, Danny, Pip and Ant.

SUP Log Book

A General and un-comprehensive log book of SUP sessions lead and delivered as well as a list of personal paddling achievements.

Coached Sessions - Static or Journey,  Leading and delivering Students Needs

River Esk
Flamborough by SUP
Cleethorpes Open Evening
Eliza's First Journey
Dacre Lake
KKC Flamborough
River Hull
Thursday Evening Sessions
River Hull SUP
Introductory Session
Canal Introductory SUP
SUP Introductory Session
SUP Demo Day
SUP School

Personal Paddling - Trips with Family and Friends, home and abroad.

Porth-Dafarch
Loch Crinan
Menorca 1
Menorca 2
Menorca 3
Menorca 4
Menorca 5
Menorca 6
Erraid - Mull
Balamory Mull
Flamborough Head
River Hull
Corsica 1
Corsica 2 - Remote Girolata
Corsica 3
Corsica 4
Flamborough Head 2
Italy by SUP
Semerwater
Filey Bay
Venice

River Esk, Whitby

A last minute decision to sort a trip and a pleasure to be accompanied by Miles and Tom. A really useful day delivering SUP skills to Miles who is already an accomplished paddler but also great fun introducing Tom to the world of SUP paddling. We never tire from journeying this unique little tidal waterway.

River Ure

Mickley to Slenningford with just the best bunch of paddlers possible. Everyone giving it 100%, pushing comfort zones, we coached, we guided but most importantly we had great fun, a few swims but all sorted and plenty of piss taking in the pub afterwards, a truly top day...

Tees

Cotherston to Barnard. I lovely chilled day with friends new and old. I managed a proper pinning of my boat but recovered with little drama. Low levels kept our attention high, even the sun shined for a while. Apologies for blurry photos all down to low light..

BC Canoe Open/Moderate Water Coach Assessment

A day on Ullswater yesterday, amazing people who gave up their time for us so they could be lead and coached in bloody cold conditions, cannot thank each and every one of them enough. Both Darren and myself went on to pass the award. Thank you so much John Dean for all of your assistance and continuing support and guidance.

BC Discipline Specific Coach Training - Sup Open Water

Two most excellent days of coach training, a big thank you to Richard for delivering the course in a relaxed but thorough manner. A real pleasure to paddle with Amy who is an amazing SUP coach, and then to be joined by Fi today on the Straits. After the official learning we even got to fool around in the dynamic waters of the Swellies too, great fun and the perfect way to end the perfect weekend... now onto our pathway to assessment...

Ripon Canal

A lovely few hours spent on the Ripon Canal while the rest where throwing themselves down the rapids at Slenningford. Thank you for the lovely company Hayley, Martin, Henry, Fi, Ant and of course not forgetting Maddy.

BC Canoe Coach Training on the Tyne

An excellent couple of days on the Tyne. Today we undertook a journey from Haydon Bridge to Hexham delivering coached sessions on the move... Photos of people being awesome...

A brief Journey on the River

It had slipped my mind that I had arranged to take my SUP ladies on a journey this afternoon but I'm so glad we made the effort. We planned to launch at Tickton and simply paddle down to the cars at Weel Slip but where is the adventure in that. So we headed up against the flow and the wind for a short while until it proved too difficult to go further. Turning around to go back south we had a tail wind and flow so you can imagine just how fast we shot back down the river. A short but yet a very worthwhile couple of hours and the ladies did amazing on their first proper journey...

Paddling into the Sunset....

A beautiful evening to paddle with the the most lovely of friends, only saddened by those who could not join us.... The light was amazing, the small waterproof compact struggled. One of the shortest paddle trips of 2019 and yet one of the most memorable. I think we all knew the summer sunshine was going down for the very last time this year on our evening paddles, beautiful but sad.

Flamborough Head by SUP

Some real conditions today. Onshore winds on the south side of the head and then tide, swell and strong head winds into the landing. These guys did amazing.

Tayvallich and Loch Sween

We are fortunate to be staying at a cottage in the picturesque fishing village of Tayvallich, on one side we have Carsaig Bay which overlooks the sound of Jura with Jura in the distance. But on this side Tayvallich overlooks Loch Sween. This really is a complex tidal sea loch with many inlets and countless small islands to paddle and explore. Great forests line the shores of this impressive waterway. It reminds me very much on how I imagine Canada to be. There is so much wildlife to see, this week so far we have seen otters, red dear, osprey and sea eagles - and of course many, many curious common seals.
 On the nearest fresh water lochs just minutes away from Tayvallich beavers have been re-introduced and are doing amazing - no less than 17 of them prospering really well. Fiona and Anthony have been exploring the loch and its many small tributaries on paddle boards, I chose the more traditional Canadian Canoe, it just felt the right craft for this beautiful area. Good tidal planning is necessary as many of the small inlets dry up at low water and the tidal streams can be quite strong around the entrances of these waterways.

Isle of Gigha Circumnavigation

Extraordinary glassy conditions and a beautiful island. 35 kilometres covered and a journey time of over 7 hours.

Cleethorpes SUP Festival & Party

It was a real pleasure to be invited to assist with the safety cover of this lovely event. With over 40 paddlers on the water and a gusting off shore wind we needed to be on the ball. Needless to say, the wind dropped away and everyone had great fun..

Eliza's First SUP Journey

It was a real pleasure to accompany Elizaveta on her first proper SUP journey. It was blustery and the sun shone infrequently but it was still a fab day and the girl did amazing.

Grandchildren go Paddling

The first time the Grandkids have ever gone paddling. Last year we couldn't get Lottie near a boat or board, what a difference a year makes. Even Penny enjoyed the experience at just 1 year old. Sams first time on a board too, a little spill early on but she carried on to become a real natural. We had to work hard to get Stu in the water with him having progressed last year but a few challenges soon had him face planting the wet stuff.. A truly wonderful weekend....

Porth Dafarch - Trearddur Bay, Anglesey

We had to shoot up to Holyhead this weekend to collect a new sea kayak for a customer. It would be rude to go all that way and not wet a paddle blade. We did manage to spend all evening in the Paddlers Return Pub so with slightly sore heads we planned something easy. A simple journey that we've done many times in sea kayaks although we stayed away from the tide races and overfalls that this area is renown for.

Yet Another Paddle to the Pub

A lovely evening for the short journey to the Crown and Anchor..