When Paul mentioned his plans for a trip to Scotland next spring: canoeing along a loch, along a mountain river, spending a couple nights wild-camping, and climbing a Munro from one of the camp sites, I got quite excited at the thought of joining the team… But, I’ve never even been in a canadian canoe before – so how hard can it be?
Water isn’t a familiar medium for me, so I was full of trepidation when Paul and I met at Thirlmere reservoir – fully expecting to get very cold when I capsized the boat! (Ian will testify just how fearful of canoes I am from our lonely trip across The Chamber of Horrors on our Croesor Rhosydd mine through trip earlier this year.)
As all those who have actually been in a canadian canoe will know, I didn’t need to be so scared, it was actually quite easy going. Not that I was in any way expert at the various strokes Paul taught me, I think I was reasonably proficient by the end of the day. However, I did have an excellent teacher, Paul was no less than an Irish champion kayaker in his youth!
After a paddle about we stopped for lunch on top of one of the two large islands in the middle of Thirlmere. Not a bad spot for a BBQ, and what a place to cook a burger in the cold and damp depths of November in the Lakes. However, Paul’s new nickname is “Ray”, not only does he cook on an open fire using a fire-box, he even lit the fire with wood shavings and sparks from a flint struck with a Crocodile Dundee style knife.
And for an open canoe virgin, you did very well. You even managed to pick up the complicated strokes and not just the basics.
By the way, how did I score in my appraisal 😛
And in case you were wondering what Pete looks like paddling, http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?38754-Thirlmere-on-a-beautiful-Autumn-day
I doubt anyone was wondering what I look like paddling, and even fewer will be pleased to know! 😆
But thanks for the pix Paul. Roll on next spring and Scotland… 😯
That is the beauty of canoeing and kayaking: all the stuff you can carry with you at no significant extra cost. In my experience, a kayak goes much better with half a dozen bottles of wine in the bottom, and I imagine a fire box and a frying pan work just as well for a canoe!