I’m off to the Ardèche River in France with some of the local scouts next week, so as some preparation for it we had a few hours canoeing in Gairloch Harbour.
I’d had everyone out in boats in the past, so I knew they could all paddle but it doesn’t hurt to refresh their minds and get some practice in. Everyone was paddling nicely, it all bodes well for next week!
Ian who lives around the coast from me and runs the Na Fir Chlis guesthouse has recently bought himself a sea kayak and begun exploring the coastline. He wanted to learn some strokes to help his paddling and some rescue techniques in case he ends up in the water.
Our original plan was to paddle from Mellon Udrigle beach, just down the road from him, but due to the wind direction we chose to paddle from the Aultbea Hotel so that we could practice the strokes in calmer water. We tucked ourselves in by the shoreline and where protected from most of the wind and any rough seas.
I introduced Ian to a number of strokes that he can then head off and practice whilst he’s paddling in the future. Then it was time to get wet, it’s not possible to practice getting back into boats without firstly getting into the sea – luckily we where both wearing wetsuits. Ian got to see and use a few bits of safety kit that can really help when things go wrong and you end up swimming.
It wasn’t a warm day, so it was then time to dry off and head into the Aultbea Hotel for a good coffee to warm up and chat about paddling.
Today most of the Mays family managed to get a few hours off from running their lovely new bistro in Gairloch – The Steading Bistro.
Luckily the weather was kind to us and we had bright sunshine to splash about in Gairloch harbour. We set off in a selection of canoes, sit in kayaks and sit on top kayaks. Despite the tide being out and having a little walk down to the water it’s a great spot to paddle from, by the entrance to the harbour we even saw a seal swimming about watching us watch him.
A glorious afternoon spent having fun on the water.
I don’t normally post about other work I do, but the weather was so good I thought I’d put up a picture. Ken from Highland Adventures and myself where taking a great group of youngsters from Danshill Prep up Ben Nevis for Mountaineerin.
My watch recorded a temperature of 29°C, a touch too hot for all that hard work! Certainly not normal up there! Well done to everyone, and good luck with the next two.
The sun was shining, the water was flat, it was a typical day in north west Scotland….
Great conditions for a morning of kayaking and not a midge in sight. We meet at the old marine harvest slip way, just a couple of hundred metres from my house and right next to the groups house. Neil Griffiths had some friends up for the week Peter, Tommy and Conor. We where also joined by Danna for the morning who was staying at the Aultbea Hotel.
With a lot of competitiveness and boisterousness it was clear we’d get at least one capsize during the game. I won’t mention names of who capsized, but I think Conor was glad he was wearing a wetsuit! We had a good paddle up around the coast, nipping into lots of nooks and crannies along the coast. The pier at Mellon Charles beach proved irresistible and 3 of the group climbed to the top just to throw themselves off into the chilli water.
Jamie, Helen and youngsters Aimee and Joshua arrived excited and ready to go paddling. We set off towards Inverewe House in the canoes.
Both boats paddled well and where both competitive with the piranhas.
We chose to swap across into the kayaks half way through the afternoon, giving everyone a chance to be captain of their own boat.
Joshua and Aimee both stayed as competitive as each other during the kayak games, both being equally as good as each other.
John and Matthew, farther and son,wanted to try out some paddling whilst they where staying in the area. We paddled from Poolewe, firstly in canoes and then in kayaks.
It was a good afternoon to be out paddling. Matthew and John soon picked up the skills needed to control their boats, manoeuvring around where they wanted to.
Robin, Sangita, Joshua and Sofia enjoyed themselves so much last year they came back again, this time with cousins Arjun and Krishan and their dad, Bharat.
Joshua and Sofia remembered their paddling skills well and where keen to get on. We set off initially in the canoes, everyone soon remembering or picking up the strokes quickly.
Competition was fierce, but I’m not actually sure who won the game of Loch Ewe Piranhas. After a cup warm drink and biscuits on the shore by Inverewe we headed back to swap over to kayaks.
Once we got on the water in the kayaks everyone was soon zooming around by themselves. We ended the session with a few rafted games to test their balance – not bad it turns out!
It was another dead calm morning on Loch Ewe, John called me to see if I was free to take them out paddling and since I was we headed out from the little slipway at Ormiscaig. Just a couple of hundred metres from my house and even less from their holiday cottage.
Jo and John where keen to try out canoes and kayaks, so we set off initially in the canoes. After getting to grips with manoeuvring the canoes we jumped into the kayaks. Jo and John opted to use the new sit on top kayaks that I have. The wind stayed away but the rain came in and managed to drench us, so even though no body capsized we came ashore wet.
A change this afternoon for Ewe Canoe, a spot of climbing. The good folk over at Go Further Scotland where busy so I took Raffi, Souren, Sarah and Eddie for a bit of climbing near Poolewe. Raffi and Souren have been climbing for a while at an indoor wall and where keen to try out some of the fantastic real rock in the area.
They all climbed well, even Eddie who suffers from vertigo! After a bit of climbing we got the abseiling gear out and everyone happily jumped off the top without a problem.
Tim and Ruth where staying in Poolewe for a week of cycling and walking. It was a lovely sunny and still morning, so we headed off in some canoes to see what we could find. They soon picked up the necessary skills to paddle forwards, make turns and even move sideways.
Out by Inverewe Garden’s little bay we had a seal swim around us and watch us from a distance. He carried on watching us as we paddled back to Poolewe.
The Rhodes where back in Poolewe and where keen to get out kayaking again. Well, Allison and William where, Iain chose to head off for a quiet cycle.
William was as keen as last year, remembering his paddling skills without a problem. That was until he capsized whilst getting too engrossed in a game! After drying out over a hot chocolate we headed onwards.
Just by the mouth of the River Ewe an Otter came out for us. He ran around looking around the beach so that we could get a good view.
The forecasts this week have been for fairly windy conditions, so I haven’t been booking in much work. Local lads, Luke and Innis, need to learn a few more skills in their boats so that they’re safe when they head out on the water. Doesn’t matter if they get blown around a lot.
The plan was to get wet, learning what to do to get a boat empty, upright and back in it when away from the bank. The argument as to who would wear the dry suit and who would get the wetsuit didn’t last as long as I thought it might! Not that I cared, I wasn’t letting them near my shiny dry suit.
After a bit of splashing about on Loch Maree, getting in and out of the boats a fair bit we headed down the river Ewe. Luke helped us practice our rescue technique a few times on the way, thank Luke! (Sadly no picture of that.)
My vehicle was off the road for a few day, so to make a change from cycling everywhere I thought I’d paddle to work at the pool.
It wasn’t a bad paddle, quite pleasant really, that is until I rounded the corner at An Sagart. The wind was blowing directly against me and progress was slow. I’d initially planned to paddle to all the way to Poolewe hall, but with the wind against me and time ticking away I hopped out as soon as I could.
It then didn’t take long to throw the boat on it’s trolley and jog along the road with it to the pool, just in time for work. Luckily I had a lift sorted to take me home. I didn’t fancy paddling home at dusk with the joint warrior mine sweepers prowling the area.
Last winter I talked to the class about running a paddling business, they where all keen to come out for a paddle to see what I do first hand – and have some fun! We had originally penciled it in for the previous Wednesday, the typical March weather made us change our plans. Today was a glorious blue sky stunning day, the sort of day I wish I could have for every session.
We headed out in the canoes to start with, Jake and Neil teamed up in one boat and Chris and Mrs Johnston where in the other. Both boats paddled well, getting used to the boats very quickly and improving their strokes nicely. I’m not sure which team scored most points in the piranha game, even I got hit in the head by one sneaky piranha.
Jane and Neil managed to capsize whilst both reaching for the same piranha – clever lads…! They both surfaced with smiles on their faces and where keen to jump back in the boat and get back to it. We then tried out a few balancing tasks, culminating in Neil and Chris leaning backwards from the centre of the boat so that they could dip their hair in the water.
After a quick hot drink we headed out in the little kayaks to see how everyone did by themselves. It wasn’t long before we where back to playing Loch Tollaidh piranhas. Again I have no idea who scored the most points, but then that’s not really the idea of the game – it’s to throw sodden sponge balls at other folks heads! Neil found himself swimming again – somebody had to! It was then time to see how everyone’s balance was. Not bad it turns out, everyone managed all the tasks without falling in – boring!
It was a good session with everyone paddling well and enjoying the great conditions. I don’t think any of them minded staying at ‘school’ late today. I don’t remember school being like this when I was young!
David and Brodie had tried to come out paddling with me last year but due to the wind we had to cancel, this time we had fantastic weather. The wind was due to be a little strong in Poolewe where they stay at the Poolewe Hotel, so we nipped across to Badachro where we’d get some shelter from the wind. It worked and we had good conditions, light winds and sunshine.
They have some experience paddling around in boats, so we set off in the sea kayaks to see how we got on. Being slender long sea kayaks these boats wobbled a little more than they where used to. It didn’t take long practising some skills before we where ready to set off to see what we could find.
There where reports of up to 30 seals swimming around in a group earlier in the day, so we where sure we’d see some. We only found one, but he was a very cute baby seal who perched on a rock, posing for a picture. For the rest of the session we had a gentle relaxed paddle looking at the fantastic views. March paddling in north west Scotland can be fantastic!
Janette and Allan had their relatives staying and where keen to get out on the water. Renate, Emma and Ben live in Australia, so even though it was still our summer they probably found it a little chilli.
We set off in the canoes first, had a paddle around, played a few games, learnt a few skills and then got the kayaks out for a go in them. Whilst playing with the piranhas in the canoes Janette and Allan managed to do something I haven’t seen for a while – the boat almost capsized, tipping Allan out but Janette stayed in, nice and dry whilst Alan swam! 
The weather in Poolewe was a little grey, but that didn’t deter the Neil Eliot and Alexander from being keen to get wet.
I’m finding it hard to remember a session when I had more capsizes to deal with… They certainly liked swimming!
After a warming hot chocolate we marooned Alexander on a big buoy in the bay. We chose to be nice and paddle back to him, although I’m sure he wouldn’t have minded swimming to his boat.
