Rose and Jim wanted to get out for a bit of kayaking to see the scenery from a different angle and hopefully see some wildlife.
It was a glorious day, so the scenery was, as ever up here, outstanding. We had a good paddle along from Poolewe, Jim getting back into the swing of it all and building his confidence in the boat.
On our return towards Poolewe we where followed by a seal, inquisitive as ever to what we where up to in his territory.
Yet another glorious hot and sunny day came along so today the Higgon’s wanted to do a spot of kayaking from Gruinard beach. We got out on the water and all three of them picked up the skills very quickly and could turn and move their boats well.
Bethany appeared to have the best stablity of them all, with Connor and David both managing to fall out a few times! Capsizing on such a great day didn’t matter, so I’m not sure David didn’t do it on purpose!
Bethany and Connor where keen to practice some capsizes and rescues, so at the end of the session we threw ourselves into the water and played around getting back in. I had already put on my wetsuit in preparation, however I’m not sure I needed it with the warmth of the sun!
Paul, Emily, Coll and Anita arrived on a sunny afternoon in Poolewe ready for a canoeing session. After our initial chat about the boats and getting kitted out we set off to see how the canoe’s paddle. Both teams, Paul & Anita and Emily & Coll, soon got to grips with the way the boats could be manoeuvred through the water and we set off for the shores of Inverewe Garden.
We improved our turning strokes and then put them to test with a good game of Loch Ewe Piranhas. After a relaxing hot chocolate and biscuit break we jumped back on the water for more fun and games.
Towards the end of the session we put Coll’s skills to the test by sending him off in a kayak. He coped well, being able to paddle his kayak just where he wanted to go. With Paul & Anita still zipping around in their canoe and Emily and Coll both flying around in kayaks it was time for another game of Piranhas.
Coll claimed he didn’t get hit in the face…the photo makes it look like he did! Both Coll and Anita paddled well for such young folk – well done.
We had a self rescue session in Gairloch Harbour for all the local paddlers to come along and practice their skills. The morning went well with everyone bobbing about in the water happily.
It was a great opportunity for folk to remember their skills and learn new ones. Everyone was able to share their experiences and techniques, helping each other out.
Thank you to everyone who came along, especially Andrew Johnston and Miles Wood who are two other paddle-sport coaches in the local area.
The morning was perfect weather for paddling – sunny, dry, wind less and midge free. A great start for Go Further Scotland‘s Tame the Wild weekend.
We all started the day off with a bit of canoeing on the flat waters of Loch Ewe. Each pair picked up the hang of paddling the canoes quickly, getting to where they wanted to go easily. Despite initial trepidation Alison had a smile on her face from the start, realising that it is actually quite fun.
Since it was high tide we paddled off to see the River Ewe – at high tide the rapids under the bridge are completely flat, even the current of the river was unnoticeable. Have a look over the bridge at low tide and it’s quite a scary sight.
After a relaxing coffee break we jumped back on the water to practice more ways of moving the canoes, and then a good game of Loch Ewe Piranhas (seems to crop up in every session!).
Everything was going well, lots of laughs and fun until one pair where a bit eager and capsized. Luckily I had my camera to hand…. Sorry Jonathan and James, I couldn’t help putting the picture up. Whilst I was sorting out their canoe Jonathan threw a wet piranha straight at me – suddenly any sympathy I had for them was gone!
It was then an ideal time for a change of activity. Whilst the wet folk went to get dry, Paul, Colin and Arleen set out to see what solo canoeing is like. The ‘J’ stroke, Goon Stroke and probably a number of variations where put to use in order to maneuver the canoes. As the wind picked up slightly paddling became trickier but they all managed well.
Then it was time for the kayaks, due to an onshore breeze this made the task of paddling around trickier. We got on the water and soon found that the little kayaks liked to spin whilst the long sea kayaks didn’t. After a wee bit of instruction the paddlers found they where able to get the little kayaks going where they wanted and the long ones to turn, eventually.
The morning on the water went well, after lunch the group set off on a gently run to Kernsary. Luckily I had a doctors note telling me not to run! Thanks to Paul Tattersall and Colin Meek for organising a great weekend of activities.
Poolewe today, and a nice high tide to start with – always makes life easier.
I arrived to meet an enthusiastic family ready for the water. We started the morning out in canoes, with the plan of staying dry as long as possible. Both teams coped well, manoeuvring their boats just about where they wanted to go. With a little coaching they where ready to chase the piranhas across Loch Ewe.
We chose to have a hot chocolate on the shores of Inverewe Garden (luckily the family are NTS members so we weren’t chased for money). Then it was a paddle back to the trailer to get some kayaks out. Maureen decided to stay on the bank and take pictures whilst Jon and the two lads, Patrick and William, jumped into the little kayaks. Patrick being the expert paddler showed us his skills. William having never been in a kayak solo before soon picked it up and had no trouble zipping around.
Nobody fell in, so it was time to do some rafted games – all three showed their expert balancing skills by standing and jumping in their boats. Since they where still all dry it was time to make them rub noses with their kayaks…still they remained dry (well apart from their noses!). One last attempt to get the lads soaked – I set them the task of getting out of their boats and moving all the way around the rafted kayaks and back in to their own. This must end in wetness…… nope, they where just too good. We ended the session with another round of hot drinks all still dry.
William gained his Paddle Start Award, and Patrick improved his skills ready for the next paddling course he’ll be on later in the summer. Well done lads.
Local lads Innis and Ciaran came along for a bit of paddle training.
A bit of time was spent in canoes, practising their strokes and leaning new techniques. After a fancy Wispa hot chocolate and rest it was time to spend a bit of time in kayaks, unfortunately neither fell in so I just had to spend my time hurling wet piranhas at them.
Sadly time was ticking away and this wasn’t getting their revision done, so it was time to end the afternoon and send them back to their study.
I should really do more of these blog post things, so here is one.
Today the sun was shinning and it looked like a great day to get out for a paddle. Upon arriving at Tollaidh Bay they decided to have an adult canoe and a youth canoe – which is best for teamwork, youth and enthusiasm or a bit of age and wisdom?
In the end both boats managed well, despite the fresh wind coming down the loch. After an ‘all right‘ (delicious) and warming hot chocolate the youth team decided to split and have a go in kayaks, whilst the adult team used their wisdom deciding that the stability of the canoe would keep them dryer.
The kayakers where doing well until George leant a little too far and had an unexpected bath. I towed him ashore whilst he kept a shivering smile on his face. After a bit more paddling around it was time to end a fun session on the water, well done everyone.
My german skills can’t be described as any good, however, Jeder paddelten wirklich gut.
Things took slightly longer for translations to be done, but we still crammed plenty into the session. Everyone paddled well, even young Carla who conned me into giving her a tow so she could rest her arms.
A wet day saw the Lindsey family arrive in Poolewe to get out on the water. Initially they all jumped into kayaks to see how they did. The sky opened and we all got drenched, luckily they had hired wetsuits from Sands Campsite where they were staying.
After the kayaks Kevin and Hannah teamed up, as did Alison and Joe to crew their canoes. The weather had luckily improved by now and a pleasant paddle was had along the to Poolewe bridge, calm and gentle at high tide.
The MacTaggart’s came along to my local beach for a fun time in canoes and kayaks. Ross is a keen kayaker so he jumped straight into one whilst Iona and Jenny crewed one canoe and Seumas and Anne set off in the other.
After some fun and games paddling around Anne’s confidence grew and she really wanted to try out a kayak. After a quick brew break, Anne and Seumas slipped themselves into kayaks. They both did just as well in sole control of a boat as they had tandem.
Since it was such nice weather we decided to see how our balance was, Iona ended up getting very wet. Just as I had the camera out – sorry!
Hazel, Trevor and daughters Carolyn and Laura where staying in Beinn Eighe Cottage just across the field from me, so I thought we might as well use the little beach a couple hundred meters down the road.
We all set of from the beach in kayaks, seeing how the boats do, turns out that they spin quite well! After a fun session paddling around we rafted up to see if we could get wet. No point wearing wetsuits otherwise!
All four family members, Stephen, Kathryn, Ken and Fiona, started off on the water brilliantly, managing to keep their boat going just about straight from the start.
After a while of practising strokes by playing a few games we headed into the wind for a paddle around to Camas Glas.
On the way back Ken got board of paddling and decided to do some swimming, a few times! We then played a few more games ending up with some more swimming before heading back for hot drinks.
This morning was another midge morning. Not pleasent on on the bank so we made a quick get away onto the still water of Loch Maree. Seoras decided to opt for going into the water instead of onto it even before I had got into my boat.
Everything went well for a while until Seoras went in for a second time. And then a third, and forth… I think by the end of the session he’d swam 8 times! A record for the year so far! If only there was an Olympic medal for capsizing.
The rest of the group, Eileen, George, Charlie and Roma, demonstrated that you don’t have to fall in all the time. Although Charlie did take a dip whilst racing away to protect his ‘tail’ in a game.
Despite all the rescues it was a good morning.
The Pringle-MacIntyre Family
where briefly in the area on their honeymoon after getting married last weekend – Congratulations!
They couldn’t decide upon canoes or kayaks, so we all started in kayaks and later on some swapped to canoes to see the difference.
All the family, Wendy, Ross, Ross, Rory and even young Adam paddled well, picking it up right from the start.
Graeme wanted to practice kayak rescues for when he’s out and about sea kayaking. Whilst the Fisher family from the morning session where taking a dip in their swimming costumes, Graeme donned his wetsuit, I looked at the water and chose to go for the drysuit option – I think I’m getting a bit soft, or is it just getting a bit wise?
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The afternoon was spent mainly splashing around in the water, attempting to get back into boats. Graeme found that after a bow rescue it’s good to keep holding on otherwise you topple all the way round and end up swimming!
The sun shone down making it an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon, still glad that I wore my drysuit though!
I confess to jumping out of my canoe (with the plan of checking I could still climb back in happily) to see my canoe racing off faster than I could swim after it. I should perhaps have stopped the boat after gunnel bobbing it along before jumping out!