A change of waters

As a change we decided to visit a water filled quarry for a paddle.

Distance wise, probably not idea for training, but as a change, nice and interesting! Strange how paddling from the rocky edge and looking 10 feet down in to clear water, dropping away in to a darker blue unknown was very weird!

After countless times of paddling around the quarry, and as the snow showers started getting heavier, we decided to pack our boards away and call it a day. Not a huge training session, but great fun and nice to paddle in clear waters for a change!

Tristan Bawn

Sunny feb morning on the canal and river

With a sunny morning predicted last weekend we just had to get out for a paddle, and with water levels dropping the river Avon was also on the hit list! We decided to do a circular route near Bath, starting on the canal, them jumping on to the river for a return trip.

The morning started with a misty light, slowly clearing to warm sun. A pleasure to paddle in and even at times, warm!

Getting on to the river was a relief, for so long we have been stopped from doing so by flooding. Paddling in to the current was great and our mph was instantly increased. Gentle strokes to steer our boards were really all that was needed to steadily made our way back to Bath. Lots of wildlife along the banks and we had a great view of it all! 

With improving strokes and better speed, the thought of the Severn and the mammoth 200 miles, actually seems doable! Our spirits are high, amazing what a session on the river can do! 

Tristan Bawn

A cold paddle on the Kennet and Avon canal.

We decided to hit the Kennet and Avon canal on the weekend for a bit of training, as once again the rivers are high! We parked up in Bathampton, and in heavy rain and a building wind, we headed out on to the canal.
I was the first to suffer from the cold as the rain was slowly but surely getting in to my wetsuit, and with the wind chill was making things decidedly colder. Definitely something to think about for the trip as although the weather will be warmer, if we get wet, things could cool off pretty quickly. So we are looking in to all sorts of options, including a drysuit!

Another problem we need to resolve is the footwear. Although again it will be warmer, your feet don't move much when paddling, so if they get wet or are in water at all, the temperature in your boots can drop quickly. So footwear is a tricky one. Drysuit would be a great option once again,  but april can be a funny month, we could be melting in them! So Sealskinz socks and a good pair of coasteering boots may be the final option?!

This short trip also gave us a chance to test out the GPS unit we would be using to track our journey. We need to have this working perfectly and work out the logistics, battery wise! So far so good, but we will keep testing this. You can see this trip here:

View ranger

Although we were left with many things to think about regarding what we are going to wear, the paddling side of things is coming on leaps and bounds. Confident we can cover the milage, and with improving paddle strokes, we could really enjoy the stunning backdrop of the Kennet and Avon canal.

I'm looking forward to getting on this canal in the spring and summer months!
Tristan Bawn

Talybont-On-Usk paddle and meeting.

The team met last weekend to discuss the trip in april, and of course go for a paddle. We met at Talybont-on-Usk which has the Monmouth and Brecon canal running through it, and it also happened to have a lovely pub for the meeting afterwards too!

We paddled for a few miles along the canal, taking in the views of the slowly disappearing snowy peaks, cracking ice on the way and also exploring a very long and dark tunnel! A truly lovely place to paddle and a great way to start our meeting.

Plans are going very well for the trip and things are getting exciting. The gear is coming together and we are hoping to get out hands on the Red Paddle Co 12'6" Explorer boards very soon. This is when we will be able to fully try all out kit out and get a better idea of milage per day. We are currently estimating that we will have to paddle at least 25 miles per day, sometimes more, sometimes less.

The meeting also gave us a chance to put on our Red Paddle Co tee shirts, and we finally managed to get a picture of the whole team, including our support driver Georrge Bush!

From left to right, Georrge Bush, Dean Broad, Rob Yates, Tristan Bawn and Tony Bain.

With the river Severn still in flood, the canals have been a lifesaver and to be honest a bit of a eye opener. We have paddled through some of the most stunning scenery so far!

Tristan Bawn