Paul and Angela joined me in the afternoon for canoeing and kayaking by Poolewe. As well as the fairly standard seal sightings that we had, we also had an otter foraging for food on the beach just in front of the canoe trailer.
After taking the canoes for a good paddle we got the kayaks out on the water. Paul and Angela both got to paddle one of the sit on top kayaks and closed cockpit kayaks, getting a good feel for the different boats.
Rachel and Ian came out paddling with me from Poolewe. We started the session in canoes, paddling them around and getting to grips with using the single bladed paddles. We headed around by Inverewe Garden and where lucky enough to see a large number of seals, all very inquisitively watching us.
After heading back to the boat trailer we switched to kayaks so that we could have a play around with single boats and double bladed paddles.
Many years ago I worked down in France taking groups of British school children on two day descents of the Ardeche Gorge. When my scout troop was looking for ideas of where to go in the summer it was an obvious choice of location. A small group of us headed out for an exciting summer camp away in sunny France. We got up to lots of things like climbing, walking, crashing in big waves on the Med, cultural stuff and of course the highlight of the trip – the canoeing for two fill days over many rapids and biviing out in hammocks in the bottom if the gorge.
We paddled improper canoes, unlike 99.9% of other people who paddle down on the big ‘few skills needed’ sit on top kayaks. The scouts proved that they where up to it easily, wit.h only the one boat capsizing. We used Danny, Experience Ardeche, as our paddling instructor, he knows the river really well having paddled it for almost 20 years and living out there. He’s a great guy and I’d thoroughly recommend him to anyone wanting to paddle the amazing Ardeche.
Andrew, Kirsty, Cougar and Choire joined me today for a sunny morning of canoeing and kayaking. We set off initally in the canoes, as normal, so that we could get to grips with our paddling skills. Both boats got the hang of left, right and the tricky bit of going straightish.
We where doing well and decided to switch to kayaks, in the kayaks we played around in the shallows – the main aim was to cool off in the unusual heat have been experiencing.
Today I had my first clients from the Czech Republic. It was a large group, 12 in total, so we split the afternoon into two halves and I took 6 out at a time whilst the rest sat happily in the Badachro Inn sipping a nice drink.
My Czech language skills are non existent, so luckily most of the group could understand me, and for the few who didn’t a quick translation was easily made. I’m not convinced all my jokes translated well, or maybe their just not funny anyway!
Everyone picked up the kayak skills quickly, I’m told that canoeing is a standard pastime out in their county and since most paddling strokes transfer well to kayaks it was easy.
The first group on the water where very lucky to see the seals swimming around and popping up all over the place. Sadly with the second group we didn’t see any, but that gave us the time to go for a longer paddle to see more of the amazing coastline.
Sue who runs Ceomara Cottages in Badachro had some family and friends up this week, so what better thing to do than go for a paddle. We paddled from Badachro harbour, next to the Badachro Inn, and only had to go a little way till we saw plenty of seals by the side of Isle Horrisdale.
We paddled around close to the shore so that we could explore the areas only accessible by small boats, being right down at the level of the sea and against the cliffs gives you a very different view point to normal.
Obviously we also played some fun games – purely to improve our strokes, not really for the fun side of throwing wet ‘piranhas’ at everyone else!
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.
