Scottish Sunshine
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
 The forecast wasn't good and enthusiasm was low after 2 days canoeing in less than perfect weather on Skye. But did we really want to drive for 10 hours back to Wales without dipping a seapaddle into the ocean with the beautiful Scottish mountains behind us? No! On Monday night, after a hearty pub meal, we started driving south and reached the outskirts of Oban just after midnight. We would brave the cold, muggy, miserable drizzle that was due and paddle to our hearts content! Next morning there was no drumming of rain on the roof of the van, and something bright found its way in through the curtain. Sunshine! What a welcome surprise! After a supermarket cooked breakfast and a catch up with Colin, we drove down to Arduaine for a wonderful calm sunny day on the water. The day started off brilliantly as we saw 2 otters, almost perfectly camoflaged, playing amongst the brown seaweed. I even managed to film one of them looking right at me from between 2 brown fronds, thinking he was invisible!  BARRY IN THE GREY DOGS We headed across the fast flowing sound of Luing, to the even faster flowing "Grey Dogs" tidal race. We could hear the water rushing over shallow rocks long before we could hear it, and I made sure my map and hat were secure! The current must have been 6 knots as it grabbed us and threw us through the channel. The waves weren't that big as there wasn't much swell but we had fun surfing some a few waves at the back of the race. We had lunch on a beautiful beach on Lunga before heading north around Luing and back to Arduaine. A gorgeous day in such a beautiful place..... until the next time!!
Spirit Dancer Canoe Journey
 I never imagined myself paddling in an 18 seater Canadian canoe around the isle of Skye, but that's exactly what Barry and I spent the last 2 days doing! We joined Canadian adventurer Chris Cooper for a short section of his circumnavigation of Great Britain. He's taking 3 summers to paddle the replica Montreal canoe around the British coastline, giving local people and school children the opportunity to take part in the journey. It was surprisingly hard work considering I'd like to think I'm quite paddling fit, but then it's different from seakayaking! Chris steers the canoe from the back with a big paddle which he uses as a rudder, while everyone else follows his instructions about when to paddle forwards, sideways or stop. It was fun to be part of the team journeying on the sea in this way.  Perhaps this is a good time to mention that I'm making a canoeing (as opposed to kayaking) DVD next. It will be a similar format to 'This is the Sea' with about 10 individual films about different inspirational people, places or expeditions. I hope it will be as well received in the open boating world as the "This is the Sea" series has been. I'm enjoying learning about open boating and the new challenges of filming it. I'll give more information at a later date, I'm still working out what will be in the DVD at the moment!  Any ideas for a DVD name would be gratefully received. Apart from "This is the River", or "This is the Lake"! 
Canoeing to Puffin island!!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
 On Tuesday afternoon, we went to Puffin island on Anglesey - but with a difference. Barry was taking his son Adam and Adam's friend Mark out for a paddle. For a change, I swapped my seakayak for my open canoe, which hasn't seen much use until now! The sea was calm in the tidal passage between the mainland and the island and I easily drifted across the half a mile or so channel. We paddled around the island and as usual, saw lots of seals. One of the more friendly ones came and said a close hello to Barry, and he got that great photo. A big seal also swam right under my canoe but I didn't manage to get it on film very well. I'll just have to go out there again!!  I'm not very smooth in an open boat yet, and I was much slower than the seakayakers but I felt comfortable on the sea because I'm used to it ( and Barry was there with his tow rope if the wind picked up and blew me away!).   Thanks to Barry for the photos.
Whitewater kayaking in the French Alps
Monday, June 15, 2009
 BRIANCON GORGE I've just got back from 5 days whitewater kayaking in the French Alps. I haven't done much whitewater paddling before, although I have done a few days in lots of different places - including seakayaking down the Grade 3/4 Ottawa river to film "This is the Sea 4". My survival paddling has always been quite good!!  TREE DODGING ON THE CLAREY  THE CLAREY I really enjoyed spending 5 days on the rivers, learning about reading the water and how to apply what I've learnt seakayaking in tidal races onto a river environment. We had some coaching from Tom Parker We stayed at the campsite by the slalom course at l´Agentiere la Besse and branched out from there. Highlights for me were 4km of Grade 4 rapids on the lower Guisane, running 7 drops at Fournel ( up to 12-15 foot), and our last run on the Grade 3+ Ond. I'll definitely be returning to the river!  THE DURANCE  MARIANNE AND TOM ABOUT TO HEAD DOWN BRIANCON GORGE
"The Bitches" and Bishops photos
 'BEFORE THE BITCHES GETS GOING - ONE OF THE ROCKS WHICH THE TIDE WILL POUR OVER  'BUILDLING UP'  WATER POURS OVER THE ROCK SHELF FORMING 'THE BITCHES'  THE BITCHES TIDAL RACE IN ACTION. I'm home after seakayaking in South Wales, and whitewater kayaking in the French Alps. I'm still tired from a long drive back to the UK and not up to much work today! Here are some photos from Pembrokeshire Congratulations to John-Boy and Lou on their marriage!  BARRY PLAYS ON A POUR OVER IN 'THE CLERKS'  LANDING ON SOUTH BISHOP FOR LUNCH Alps photos to follow tomorrow.
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