Category: Trip Reports Page 44 of 77

One year on from the launch of the ‘South West Sea Kayaking’ guidebook the author, Mark Rainsley began scheming a first anniversary celebration. It was to be much the same as last year’s shindig based upon paddling, tall tales and other matters to be discussed around a table full of fine Devonshire ales.

Over 60 paddlers descended upon the misty village of East Prawle in south Devon and set up camp in the farmers field. I was part of a small elite force that headed for the ‘Pig’s Nose Inn’ to see what local beers could be found.

The Pig’s Nose Inn (photo – The Rainsley collection)

The mist was still down on Saturday morning but with just a light southerly breeze we split up into small groups and began to explore the local coastline. I had travelled from Runcorn with Tim Lambert from P&H Custom Sea Kayaks and a trailer load of demo boats. We Paddled out from Hallsands with a small group around Start Point.

Graeme Mackreth was amongst our number sporting his latest acquisition. I wondered if this classic skin-on-frame ‘Baidarka’ was merely a purchase of passion or perhaps a cunning investment in research for a future boat design.

In the evening we gathered in the Pig’s Nose hall for a series of short talks. Chris Wheeler started with a world tour of places less paddled. Olly Sanders delivered tall stories a plenty including an account of how he managed to blow the roof off a hunting cabin on the Greenland coast. Mark Rainsley described his recent Scottish adventures then I finished off with the virtues and beauty of northern England coasts.

On Sunday the sun came out as did plenty more demo boats.

(photo – The Rainsley collection)

Tim and I paddled with a group to Burgh Island where the hotel and pub were overwhelmed by thirsty visitors.

With the pub out of bounds we got in amongst the swell to explore the rocky shores and towering cliffs before reluctantly winding up the weekend festivities back at Thurlestone Beach.

optical communicationDNV – Det Norske Veritas, is an organization of unsurpassed reputation within risk managment. I have just completed several courses for some employees at the Copenhagen office. We started last year with a couple of one day sessions after they purchased 3 Capella kayaks for employees to use after work and at weekends, their office is just a couple of hundred meters from Tuborg Harbor. The sessions over the last two weeks have been for new people to get a good start with technique & to learn the basic safety drills.

Here we are using Easky 15 boats as well as an Easky 15LV, these boats are really great for getting people to relax on the water, even after a few short minutes, they are so stable and yet really easy to turn through 360 degrees, I am glad that the Scorpio is as agile as it is, otherwise it could be a bit of a challenge to weave in and out of the trainees…..
It has been great fun teaching safety to people that daily are working in risk management, getting them to see the relationship between good maneuvering skills and rescue drills

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I was watching quietly while students were sorting out a navigation challenge off the coast of Maine when I heard an odd “suckling” sound and a tiny bark; to my surprise I saw this little guy having a taste of my Cetus. Overall I think he liked the flavor but thought the color was a bit generic.

I slowly backed away and the little fellow moved on to a nearby lobster buoy. We had an amazing couple of weeks of coaching in both Maine and Rhode Island with every possible environment, cold temps, fog, rain, swell, surf and couple of blue bird days now and then to dry things out.

In between trips to the coast I was able to get a clinic in with the staff from Canoe Imports in South Burlington, Vermont. The staff was impressed with the agility of the Cetus, Scorpio and Scorpio LV and were psyched about all of the features and value packed into the Easky 15 and 15 LV.

Cheers,

Todd Wright

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA