Union Canal 10/9/11

A few weeks back, I organised a beginners trip to the Union canal, definitely a flat water trip. Whilst Ken and Zo did the shuttle to the Falkirk wheel (through every route but the right one), Jane, Eileen, Stephen and I put in at Polmont. The shuttle may have seemed to take ages as while we were waiting, we were subjected to Stephen's jokes! Ken and Zo eventually returned, got in their boats and joined us.

There are so many pretty sections on the canal, unfortunately, when you start coming near the towns, you are met with all kinds of rubbish. Sure enough, as we turned round a corner, nearing Falkirk, the bottles started bobbing around. A bit further on, the footballs start appearing. This tends to be as you pass the Young Offenders Institute. I can just imagine them going up to their officers and saying "He mister, can I go for ma ba'?" and keep on running.

 Next we pass through a nice bit of parkland near Mavisbank.

 At this point, we could hear music, sort of samba. Jane was getting all excited. On the way over, she was telling us she is in a punk samba band, odd combination, but I do believe they are good. It was a party barge with the band playing on the roof, all having great fun.

We were now nearing the tunnel, 690 feet long. Ken did his usual, who-ing and banging his paddle flat on the surface and generally making a lot of echoing noise. Will he ever grow up? - probably not. After paddling through the drips from the roof, it was warm being back out in the sunshine.

 Through more nice parkland, then over the viaduct where it's fun splashing the cars driving underneath us. The end section was more out in the open and the wind had picked up. This is where Stephen realised it was good to have the car at the finish. At the start, he reckoned we could paddle there and back. With it being a beginners trip, muscles aren't built up and there was no flow to help us along and the wind was slowing us down.

Once we arrived at the Falkirk Wheel, we clambered out, left the boats at the side and watched as they opened the locks to bring the barges up. We then went through the next tunnel to watch the wheel in action. It's a huge drop between the Union canal and the Forth Clyde canal. It originally took 11 locks to connect the two canals. The Falkirk Wheel is quite an impressive bit of engineering.

Beginners trip 27/8/11

Steve, Ian, Jane and Eileen

The 27th was to be our club's first coach led beginners day. The trip filled up fast with everyone wanting a shot at the new boats. We met down at Silver sands and was soon on the water. This was the first time Gregor, Steve, Ian, Eileen, Jane and Ryan (10) had been out on the sea. They had been practising before on the loch, with Gregor having a few river trips under his belt. The latter 4 stayed for a coaching session in the bay with Ken. Gregor, Trevor, Niall and my good self headed out past Car Craig, hoping to cut across to Oxcars. Once we reached Car Craig, we decided against Oxcars as we were starting the fast flow and the waves out there were kicking up a bit. We headed round the back of Inchcolm and up past Haystacks, up to St David's bay. The seals were out in force, being very inquisitive.

Gregor & co

I feel I'm being followed

Gregor and big Helga

Lunch

Round the back of Inchcolm

We were to meet the other group at Braefoot bay to join them for lunch, (very civilised). Once we met up and were tannoyed to move away from Helga, (we were just paddling past), we all paddled back over to Inchcolm to have lunch. We were kept entertained by the wedding party which came staggering off the boat, before following the wee path up to the abbey. The staggering had nothing to do with the waves, it was more to do with the Buckfast they were swigging, certainly can't hide class! With the groom away up to the abbey, the bride eventually appeared, along with her bridesmaids, when they all had a mad dash into the loos. Once they came out, it was photo shoot time - posing in front of the aforementioned toilets. That should look good in the wedding album! Once the entertainment was over, we all paddled round Inchcolm again, I seem to have been here already, then back to Silver sands. Another wonderful days paddling.

Back at Silver sands

Lower Tummel 14/8/11





After a lovely weekend spent up at Glenmore lodge courtesy of a 3rd place in a Glenmore/pyrhanna competition, we (hubby dear and myself) decided to break the journey back home by stopping off to meet up with a few members of the club who were training for their 3* on the river. The trip was supposed to be at Stanley, but due to an abundance of rain, the level was a bit high for the group, so the put in was duly changed to the lower Tummel at Pitlochry. I've paddled the upper Tummel a good few times, but never the lower Tummel. I was looking forward to a nice gentle paddle to start working off the excess grub that had been scoffed up at Glenmore.

We started off by paddling up to the dam, where there were a few wee waves to catch. This being the first time Colin has been on a river for what is possibly years !!!!, I reckon once he remembered what he was doing, he quite enjoyed himself. He might even get back out within the next 5 years. We bobbed down gently, with the 3* group honing their skills for their assessment the following week.

A quick lunch, back onto another wave for a wee play, then it was down to Ballinluig to the getout. A rather pleasant wee river to finish off a lovely weekend.

Garry 3, Kerrara 1, Ice cream 2

Last Monday, I got a frantic phone call from Cathy at Sea Kayak Oban, to say the 4 kayaks that were ordered for FCAG were on their way back up north and that Stuart could meet up with us at Stirling services at 7.00pm that evening. After a few phone calls to rearrange my evening, we headed over to Stirling to collect two of the kayaks, brand new North Shore AtlanticLV, still in their polybags. We would collect the other two at the weekend.
On Saturday, Kevin had arranged a river trip up to the Garry, a bit north of Fort William. A long way off meant an early rise (I'm not very good at them), but Kevin, Kris, Craig, Bill, Liam Ken and myself all met up at the boatshed for 7.30.

We arrived at the river at about 11.00 and once we had dropped the cars off at the bottom, we had a walk up the side of the river. As I was the only one never to have paddled this river before, Kevin was pointing out the different drops and what lines to take, not that I remember any of this once I'm on the water. We put in just below the dam, next to the huge tunnel, hoping they didn't decide to release through here all of a sudden.

Bill

Kris

Where's Kris

Craig

Kevin

Still Bill

 We had a wee play around up at the top, before starting to head down. It wasn't too long before I found out I could still roll! Down to the next bit with a lovely wave, good for side surfing, (well it is for some folks). At the last drop, I followed Kevin's line and survived it all. A nice, short trip, but really good. We got out for a quick bite to eat, when Bill decided he was finished paddling for the day.We loaded the boats into the back of his van and walked up the left hand side of the river, jumped in just below the wave and swam to the opposite bank and up a bit to get the boats again.For some paddlers this is the only way they swim in a river, but not me!

Is this on the swim count Kevin

Sarah getting more water logged

Another one for the swim count

Back up the top, another play, then down to the wave again, this time I managed a good surf before coming out upside down again. Back to the last drop where I followed Ken's line this time. I never got far before I was upside down with the paddles ripped out of my hands, I was in for a bumpy swim back down to the bottom. Boats back in Bill's van, back up the left hand side of the river again (Kevin was determined to get more wild Blaeberries), back in for another swim across the river and back in our boats for a quick last run. All was going well until the last drop. I followed Kevin again, but no luck. I was suffering from deja vu. Upside down, paddles ripped out of hands again, bump, bump, bump down to the bottom. Despite having 2 intentional swims and also 2 unintentional swims, I had a great time, what's more, I think it must be the first river I've paddled down without letting slip a wee sweary - must have been good.

Craig

Sarah

Ken

The others all headed back down the road while Ken and I headed down to Inchree to the Glendevin B & B. Next day the weather had turned a bit windy and miserable as we headed down to Oban to collect the other 2 new sea kayaks for the club. We got changed, picked up the kayaks and had a wee stroll down to the slipway, stopping the traffic as we went to get across the street.

Shiny new boats

Ken posing

 Ken was paddling the Atlantic LV, while I was paddling the regular Atlantic, both with new paddles. We headed up round the top of Kerrera and down the other side, stopping off in Slatrach Bay for eats.

Cuddles are hard to get with 2 B.A's

Grandma at Gamhna island



Ken in his lively LV

  The regular Atlantic is a very comfy, nice boat to paddle. As we were coming round the south end of the island, the wind and tides were kicking up some decent waves, but my boat still handled it easily. The LV was a bit more lively at this point. We turned into the Sound of Kerrera where we swapped boats so that we could try each one out.

Lots of yachts



Sarah



Ken heading home

 We were sharing the Sound with approximately 100 yachts as they finished a race. Back in Oban, we stopped the traffic again as we took the boats back up to the car. Once they were tied on, it was off for an icecream (of course), a  double (of course), Bailies and Ferrero Rocher, I'm sure it was the low calorie version.
What a great weekend.