Krazy Kayaks

Baaaa humbug.

Great day out with the canoe clubs antidote to Xmas shopping.

A trip to Flamborough on the north sea.

The new boat found its place in life , going from a lumbering hard to turn vessel on a fast flowing river to an easy to control boat on the sea.

The chap i went with made the mistake of eating a sandwich prior to setting sail, nice sea swell and after 30 minutes he was green.

The sea was very enjoyable as we nipped in and out of the caves on the coast, punctuated by a stop at a cove to have a picnic (no deckchairs for rent though).

Was it cold ? The only time i was cold was when i was out of the boat at the start , picnic and end.

After lunch we headed out onto some waves and enjoyed the surf.

No one believed me when i told them the sea was rougher around Ibiza in September when i hired a boat.(see previous posts) but it was.

It was somewhat warmer though in Spain.

So what else is happening, fund raising is going well( event though on line shows nil) , lets not forget what all this fun's about.

The object of all this is to raise funds for Bliss who are the premature baby Charity , as a thank you for my sons life. As he sits by the side of me i think back 4 Chrismasses ago when he lay in a incubator hooked up to monitors where he stayed for some months , and my days were filled with day after day sat in hospital watching the saturation levels of oxygen in his lungs.

Merry Humbug to you all.

Dave

The river is swollen by yesterdays heavy rain. As the boat is bigger than what i have been used to i find it very hard to manoeuvre together with the faster flowing water. The instructor says we can go down stream over some weirs, gulp, and he expects me to tip in with my top big touring boat. I make it down without and problems, then the hard bit. I have to carry the boat about a mile back up stream. Then, when i am back on the river, the bits i know, the water catches me broadside and over i go. First there's the shock of cold water, then i have to get out whilst upside down, then the force of the rapids rushes me down the rapids in a sat down position. CRASH, my coccyx area gets full impact on a submerged rock(i am still hurting some days later!).

I managed to scramble out and regain my boat and paddle. Then i thought whilst i am wet i would try a roll. First one works, second one fails(see picture).

That's it until next week when i try the North Sea!

Dave

Some 3 hours later i return with a Kayak, Spray deck(skirt that plugs the hole you sit in), paddle, buoyancy aid and helmet(all shiny and new). Weather is a bit rough. Could do with getting the canoe out and using it!

Dave