Glencoe reflections

We had a great sea kayaking trip on Loch Leven with Paddle Lochaber back in September. A great introduction to sea kayaking for Simon.

I really liked the location of this house...

We really couldn't have asked for more perfect conditions. All good.

Canoe Slalom

Earlier this summer I went along to watch some of our club members competing in the canoe slalom competition at Seaton Park in Aberdeen. It looked good fun, maybe I'll even give it a go next year...

Determination...

 

This is the course that Tim Baillie started out on. He won a gold medal in this year's Olympics in the C2 class, along with his paddling partner Etienne Stott. Last term I was lucky enough to be able to arrange for Tim Baillie's parents to come along and talk to my class. (Thanks Chris & Ken, I really appreciate you giving up your precious time for us.)

We had a fantastic morning with them and the children gained a huge amount from it, as well as getting the chance to sit in slalom boats, try on a buoyancy aid and 'paddle' a chair with my paddle. We watched some exciting footage of Tim and Etienne racing and the children were really fired up about seeing them in the Olympics. I hope they all managed to see the historic moment when they won Britain's first ever canoe slalom Olympic gold medal!

And it all started here at Seaton Park, coached by Alan, who gives up lots of time to coach at our club too. I've learned a lot from him, and from other volunteer coaches and experienced paddlers like him. Thanks to you all!

Paddling a different craft

At last year's Scottish Traditional Boat Festival I jumped at the chance to paddle a coracle. It was certainly very different to paddle... but great fun for a short time.

You got to paddle the replica ones which were made of modern materials, but they also had a more traditional built coracle there too.

It was really interesting to see it, and to get a close look at how it was made. I got chatting to the gut in charge, and - after having successfully paddled one of the other coracles round the harbour - was extremely pleased to be allowed to go of paddling the beautiful skin and wood one. It was definitely more difficult to paddle than the more modern replicas, as it was a lot more tippy and harder to steer. I was pleased I managed though!

All great fun. I'd been paddling my kayak a few times prior to the show last year, but due to now living further from the sea I've not paddled at all yet this year, so I might not be as successful if I try paddling a coracle again this year ...  And if I do fall in, there is unlikely to be any sun to dry me off!

Busy Bay

Several tall ships called into Lamlash Bay last week (more on that later) and I was lucky enough to go kayaking in the bay while they were there.

The bay was very busy with all kinds of craft as the Arran Maritime Festival was on - to encourage as many tall ships as possible to call in.

There were rhibs, kayaks ...

... dinghies ...

... a viking longship ...

... and even the Waverley.

And of course tall ships - about 18 of them.

All good.

Explorer at sea!

Last month I finally got my Explorer back on the water. I bought her when I was getting an operation on my wrist, 2 years ago now. I think I was trying to persuade myself that the operation would be successful ...  it wasn't and she's only been on the water twice up until now which is extremely frustrating.

The local club were paddling from Cullen and I took the opportunity to get my boat back on the water as this was going to be a shortish paddle. As it turned out I did manage it - but I certainly couldn't have paddled any further (which is why I've paddled in the double since then). I was in a lot of pain the next day - but was also grinning hugely all day which mitigated the pain a bit!!

The highlight was definitely Bow Fiddle rock, just outside Portknockie. It was calm enough to paddle right through.

Some people took more adventurous routes through the rocks than others ...
(There is a paddler in the photo, but you might need to click on it to enlarge it to spot him!)

The evening sun lit up the rocks beautifully.

Big grin despite the pain!

Returning to Cullen in the evening light was lovely, with the railway bridges clearly visible. I think the line is now disused. It was part of the North of Scotland Railway. The local landowner, the Earl of Seafield, was a director of the Highland Railway (presumably a rival company, I don't know my railway history!) so he refused to allow the line to cross his land. Because of this around 1/4 of a mile of track has 3 viaducts and a bridge to carry it to Cullen.

As we loaded the kayaks and got changed after the paddle, we enjoyed the sunset.

It was *so* good to be out on the sea again, and in my own boat too.

Paddling Troup - the whole story

Here's the links to the various blog entries about our trip around Troup Head, all in the correct order:

Surf launching

Rounding Troup Head

Paddling Troup - View from the cliffs

Surf Lunch

Safely ashore

Surf landing

Rescue!

It was a great day!

Rescue!

There were several paddlers who didn't have much experience in surf (although they had a lot more than me!) - and certainly not in a sea kayak. Watching from the shore was certainly an eye opener - that's the first time I've seen a vertical sea kayak!! (Being Shaun, he just rolled straight back up. Well, he is a coach from Glenmore Lodge....  and funnily enough, I was to end up paddling in Arran less than a week later, led by a guide who had just been coached by him at Glenmore Lodge. Small world.)

The guys in the double started off well, closely watched by Alan, our coach.

Iain was another one who made it look very easy. He came in safely straight up the river, while all the drama was going on behind him...

 2 kayaks had capsized and Alan and Shaun were immediately to the rescue. Not that rescues in surf look at all easy as you have to watch not to have a kayak surfed straight into you! We're very lucky to have such experienced paddlers willing to paddle with us less experienced folk and pass on their skills and knowledge to us (and that's not just Alan and Shaun, but several others too that I'm referring to here) - and to fish us out when necessary...

I didn't take any photos for quite a while after this point, as I waited to make sure everyone was safe before taking any more photos! Ian returned at this point - having missed most of the fun - so at least we were able to help out by carrying gear up the beach, etc. I was really pleased that, despite my wrists and the morning's paddling, I was still able to help carry kayaks up the beach. A big improvement!

 Alan to the rescue

 Shaun heads back out to the rescue

 Paddlers safely ashore, much to the relief of the 'boys in blue' who came by to see that everything was ok! By that time, everyone was safely ashore and Alan was just back out trying to rescue all the remaining equipment.

Alan headed out again to rescue the final kayak in an impressive display of paddling skill.

At the end of the day everyone was safely ashore and the only losses were my suncream and hat and (if I'm remembering right) 2 pairs of sunglasses and another hat. Not bad really in the conditions! And a good time was had by all.

I think I might have to pluck up my courage and attend a couple of surf kayaking sessions though... not that I plan to be landing in that sort of surf (no way!) but on this exposed coastline it seems sensible to be prepared.