Lewis, Charlie, Ben and Tom met me in a midgie spot for some fun kayaking. They’re all kayakers so because of the midges our on land time was cut down to a minimum so that we could get out away from the little pests! Being river paddlers they weren’t so used to the longer touring kayaks, but with a little bit of getting used to them they started to enjoy the speed of the boats.

Christine, Peter, Jenny and Lydia met me for a paddle from Poolewe. There was a wee bit of hesitation about everyone being in single kayaks but after a short while on the water they were all enjoying freedom from each other! A bit of a breeze gave some harder paddling at times but it didn’t cause any issues for anyone.

Chris and Maria were staying in Poolewe which overlooks where we paddled. The kayaking that they’ve done in the past has been in double boats but today they each jumped in their own. Without the stress of needing to keep up with other people meant they could relax and enjoy the session far more. I never mix groups so that people get the session that they want.

Simon joined me to kayak paddle by Inverewe Garden this morning. His partner sadly had to work but that didn’t stop us having a good time exploring the coastline and watching the wildlife.

So, what do I do on my day off? Well, I generally only have days off when it’s too windy to paddle or if I’ve got something else booked in like mountain rescue training days. My role in the team is training officer, so I do tend to make sure I’m not working when it’s a training day. Today was a watery day – river crossings, throw line practice and swimming in rapids on the River Ewe. Not quite a day off from the water for me!

Padma, Sara, Amanda, Harpreet and Gurchetam spent the afternoon kayaking with me from Poolewe. We had some tricky wind at the start before getting calm winds. Great views back towards hills like Beinn Airigh Charr!

Carrick and Kay had initially booked me last year but due to restrictions they couldn’t make it up here. We managed to get out this year and had a great time exploring the coastline by Inverewe.

Liz and Dominic came to Mellon Charles for an adventure in canoes. The lovely calm afternoon made our canoe trip very relaxed as we pottered about spotting birds around the coastline. They’re on a month long trip around the NC500 – that’s possibly nearly enough time to do it properly!

Karl, Chloe, Laura and Will spent the morning with me kayaking from the boom beach in Mellon Charles. They’re on their way around the NC500 and ensured they made time for the best activity! A fun morning exploring the craggy coastline.

Shantha, Jo, Lia, Alec, Agnes, Volker and Fetloz joined me for a busy afternoon exploring the craggy coastline in kayaks. It was a fun afternoon with time spent playing games as we learnt how to paddle the boats well, time spent spotting wildlife through the crystal clear water and time spent relaxing in the sunshine.

Duncan, Sarah, Eira and Art had fantastic weather with me on the water this morning. They’ve all done some kayaking before but not for a little while due to covid. They soon remembered what to do with just a few pointers.

Rose, Michael, Bella, Ciara and Ethan spent the afternoon kayaking with me. We had a fun session paddling about, improving our strokes, playing games and a wee bit of swimming for some!

Michael, Angela, Jessica and Julian joined me for a session on the water. It was a wee bit of a change from the few days of sunshine and warmth – grey skies and a bit of a breeze. We ignored the weather and still had a great time in canoes and kayaks!

Richard and Ellie joined me for an afternoon exploring in the sea kayaks. They’re up doing the NC500 in there campervan all the way from Kent. It was a warm sunny day, the met office reporting the hottest temperature in the UK not too far from where we paddled.

Carol and Chris joined me on a hot and sunny morning. They had been given a Ewe Canoe voucher for Christmas and have spent the months since looking forward to their adventure. They opted for the sit on top kayaks and found them far more comfortable than kayaks that they’d been in before.

Ben, Fiona, Hazel and Lucy joined me for the afternoon. The wind picked up a wee bit this afternoon but everyone paddled well meaning it wasn’t a problem at all. The wind didn’t blow the sunshine away and we had a glorious sunny time with fantastic views. Hazel and Lucy enjoyed a dip at the end – the water was too chilly for me though!

Georgie, Lewis, Betty, Wilf and Gus spent a lovely sunny morning exploring with me. Gus started in the front of my canoe, swapping with Wilf later on and then I had the pleasure of both of them. Betty was in one of my little kayaks by herself, kayaking is super way for her to celebrate her 9th birthday!

An early evening session with Lisa. She’s been travelling the NC500 and was keen to try something a bit different. Seeing the NC500 from the water gives a completely different perspective on it.