A good paddler is someone who paddles about the same level as me*. A novice is someone who doesn't and an instructor is someone who's better.

*Level of me is not a constant

Very windy but very little in the way of swell. That's two years in a row my surf boat has gone all the way up there and stayed on the roof! :(



Long clips seemed to fit the tune...

I have to confess, I've never seen an eskimo rescue either performed or requested in combat. I have my doubts it'd even be possible but none at all it could be downright bloody dangerous.

Anyone who thinks their brace is bombproof simply hasn't met a big enough bomb. When the brace fails, it's handy to have a roll. When the roll fails it's handy to have a self or group rescue. If you do have a roll, tho, it might not fail and you avoid all that faffing about. Also the issue of seaman...

An hour in the pool today, probably 10 roll attempts, all ended up as wet exits. Last week watched about two hours. Of you tube clips with a broom handle practicing all the moves. I was convinced I had identified my shortcoming but obviously not. Lots of club members offering all sorts of advice, b...

Keep going. 7 weeks is plenty time. Right now you're still at the having-to-think-about-it stage. This will pass with practice and become something that's more feeling than strategy.

My trick for the butterfly is to let yourself float to the top, lying on your back, into a variety of balance brace. With the head tipped back my mouth is the only point actually clear of the water (handy for breathing) my eyes just below the surface. Then just slide up. LOL, you have no idea how m...

I was unable to find the point where to start to skulling. Either I was not far enough rolled up or I was already up. Rolling into a scull is a matter of not coming up. Keep your head in the water after the hipflick and start sculling from your sweep stroke. It's a good thing to practice ahead as r...

I have one for the same reason - too many boats, not enough spondoolicks. Needs replaced now because the fluid has gone brown. Compared to the 70's it's not quite as easily read with my fading eyeballs but it's good enough. Hook the bungies under decklines and it's rock solid. Been out in surf and t...

Forget high braces. They can do untold shoulder damage Absolutely. The 3 Star syllabus doesn't say" high brace", it just says "support". And I can't think of a single time in over 30 years of paddling rivers and sea, canoe and kayak, when a high brace would have been a better support than a low bra...

Sculling is really a key thing, most rolls are simply long sculls, once you get one the other will follow.... Another vote for learning to scull! If you always assume your roll will fail and shoot for lying in the water sculling, you'll find you'll always be able to get up. That's why I can't be ga...

I found the key to a solid roll is never stop practising. In the pool or in conditions, it appears to me that people who learn how to roll then don't keep it up end up with a hit or miss roll. I hit the pool on a friday night through the winter and throw in dozens. Mix it up, set up then switch side...

I had this last winter on Loch Lomond, I was zig zagging in and out of the trees and bushes on the shore of one of the islands and I briefly lost sight of the main water. The best way I can describe it is that when I emerged the water wasn't where I expected it to be and I nearly fell over. Really w...

Another vote for more fun than human beings have any right to be having. There's no faster track to desensitising yourself to mindless ocean violence which will pay you back in spades when the going gets rough elsewhere. The holy grail for me is a popping an endo and shooting 8 feet up in the air. L...

Yeah, it's ridiculous. Why did they have to build Wales so bloody far away :(

Cracking spot, Mark. Paid a visit at easter and I have to say I really envy anyone who doesn't have to drive for 8 hours to get there!

The crew spotted one casualty in the water who had been separated from his kayak after capsizing. Once he was on board the crew established the location of the second casualty, who was attempting to paddle the two kayaks back to shore. I'm sure this can't be as coldblooded mercenary as it sounds......

I know what it says in the book, Jim which is why I said I was a 3* (just got awarded it last year) I know guys with 3* who are not confident in what I'd describe as ripples. I know guys with no qualifications who party in force 8. While I think it's a good idea to get trained and tested, I don't ha...

I'm a 3* sea paddler. Bitches on springs was quite suitable

Yeah, the last couple of years the east coast has been drawing me in. I've always been a sucker for a trip out to Bass Rock to see the gannets and Belhaven is my goto for longboat (and now slipper) surfing. Took a trip out to the Farnes with Ollie Jay a couple of months back, was flat but I could se...

After years of putting this trip off on account of the drive, I finally realised it was actually closer to me than Connel which I never think twice about, and mainly motorway and a-road to boot. Kicking myself, now. I've been missing out on a world-class rockhopping spot and some spectacular scenery...

Some time ago - although I can't find it - someone had posted a fascinating animated flow diagram showing what the water did in the area. Does anyone know of it? Mike Murray released a dvd with some epic footage of a big day, shot from one of the tour ribs. The intro has a really good big-picture o...

I'd love to see orcas up close, even though I know I'd be bricking myself. Biggest thing I've been approached by is a pilot whale and that gave me pause for thought. If it hadn't liked the look of us, and decided it wanted us off it's turf, it could easily have done some damage.

Crappy, warm winter usually points to an extra bad midge season ahead. There was barely a ground frost this year :(

"Suicide Block" - best name for a piece of safety kit ever!

In fairness to those driving power craft, the skipper of one of the tourist boats operating in the Loch Melfort area (so a professional skipper) once commented that it was seriously hard to spot kayaks at sea if it was in any way choppy. Given this guy wasn't driving his boat at massive speeds (unl...

The colregs are a bit different for Loch Lomond, Mike. Instead of using a collision flare, you should launch a large parachute flare.

Aim for the whites of their eyes ;)

I'd do what I usually do - say "Hmmm... Assholes in powerboats and jetskis as far as the eye can see? Must be summer." When it comes to power boats, colregs are all very nice and that but I'm under no illusions exactly who's responsibility it is to make sure I'm alive at the end of the day. I take a...

*bump*

Any update on Arduaine? Was thinking about driving by this weekend for a nose. I'll have boats on the roof. Is it open yet?

Northern Blue wrote:Kayaks 'n Beer,

Is that a sort of selfie of a kayak and beer, or a home made radar reflector.

I'm liking the idea of both !

Coming back from a camp on the Treshnish. Whole deck was covered. I didn't pick the nickname - the nickname picked me ;)