Post Covid Paddle

Just coming out of 10 days isolation due to the dreaded lurgy it felt brilliant to be back on the water. Fiona and myself took the opens up the river, certainly nothing to push the envelope but just so good to be back out there doing what we do....

A Simple Paddle on the Navigational

A simple and benign paddle on the Nav this morning with Cadet Lewis. Poor girl has not been very well of late so not paddled much, know she found this hard work but she managed to Snakeholme and back. Well done Missy... Lovely to just be out in the seasonal colours, Ee by eck it was cold on the old hands though....

British Canoeing SUP Coastal Leader Assessment

 Home from 4 amazing days on Anglesey progressing and developing our SUP skills, Storm Arwen couldn't even break us. 

So pleased to be able to report that I'm now a British Canoeing qualified Stand Up Paddleboard Coastal Leader. Big, big thanks to Dave Brown and Lisa Boore from AcwaTerra Adventure Training for guidance and for having the confidence in my ability and of course for really putting us through our paces throughout the assessment. An awesome few days with some amazing individuals. Feeling broken but elated.

Surf and Rescue Practice at Filey

A bit of fun at Filey with Fiona, scruffy surf but we had a scream. We finished with a session developing our deep water rescue skills, experimenting with different techniques - recovering both incapacitated but conscious and also unconscious casualties back onto a board, then of course landing them safely.

A Year of Delivering SUP Tuition

Its been a miserable morning but its has given Fiona and myself the opportunity to reflect and look back at this summers SUP tuition. We started delivering sessions back in February of this year and only finished recently. Looking at the maths we've delivered over 95 sessions and have hosted over 195 wonderful individuals on the water. A truly amazing year. Thank you to you all, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with each and every one of you....

KKC on the River Derwent

 An enjoyable day assisting with getting these wonderful individuals down the river. Kirkham to Howsham on the Derwent.

Canoes with Rudi

 

A very cold, wet and windy Saturday morning and this lady insisted on paddling.. Only one thing for it, an A to B journey up the river with the 30mph winds on our backs, Weel to Wilfholme, weapon of choice was always going to be the canoes... A little coaching on the move and Rudi really started to control these boats very well.

Easedale Island

 

A simple one today using the tides through Cuan Sound to visit Easdale Island. We shared our lunch stop with a busy otter catching and eating lunch too. Back through the sound at the beginning of the ebb, it was a bit of a grind on the return with head winds much more than forecast so we simply hand railed around Arduaine back to our launch. Another 25km covered..

Loch Etive

A crazy, beautiful day on Lock Etive, this one has been on the list for a while. We both a little broken, 36 kms with no tide or wind assist... Wonderful to bump into Jen on her paddleboard. Even the sun made an appearance in the afternoon... Brochroy to the head and back..

Luing and Shuna

 

A perfect day around Luing and Shuna though with an ebbing tide all day it was never going to be easy, we were hoping to sneak up the west coast of Luing and get through Cuan sound for the last of the ebb, we did good, some amazing eddies taking us up but we were eventually pushed back by tide close to Fladda, no problem, we jumped onto the south going flow for a free ride and then bimbled around Shuna, lots of weather but bloody good to back here and a solid 35kms covered..

A Fast Downwind Run on the River Today

 

After a summer of standing up it was so nice to sit down today... A strong northerly breeze and scruffy seas - nothing for it but to take the fast boats out on the tidal river. Punching upstream from Wilfholme to Hempholme and then a long downwind run to Weel. A good 18km covered. So good to be back in a long, narrow, fast boat , Fiona did brill, been a while since she's been in her boat too …

Flamborough Head with Three Amazing Individuals

 

I had my work cut out today. I had the opportunity to guide three amazing individuals through a dynamic, challenging and changing environment. To also make sure no wildlife was disturbed and of course make the day fun and safe. I think we pulled it off. Lots of wonderful memories made for us all. Gee and Fay did so well but it was Obi who stole my heart, just an amazing little dog.

  

Canoe Fishing

 

A self indulgent day floating with fishing rods, I'd like to say I was angling but the fish count says otherwise...

FSRT Fun

 

An excellent day assisting Stuart deliver this great day. Well done to all of our Foundation Safety and Rescue Training students today, a brilliant effort by you all. Well done Alistair, Oliver, Rudi, Fiona and Steven.

Flamborough Head and Caves

 

A pleasure to lead this group from North Landing today, through the caves, to Little Thornwick and ultimately around Flamborough Head to South Landing. Everyone did amazing, a first in tidal conditions for a few. Thanks for Tom for assisting me - top guy.

Surf Fun at Filey

 

A jaunt to Filey, a visit to the Brigg where the sea was well up. Then back into the bay for some simple surf. Full marks to the girl, totally commitment in the steeper mush which lead to a few swims, every time she sorted herself out and re-launched independently. Chips on Cobble Landing before an early escape.

Family Fun at Filey

 

Just a play in the bay and an attempt to surf rubbish waves being flattened by the offshore breeze. Most of all it was just lovely to play and be with the grandkids and daughter on the beach..