PADDLING

Today was special, not so much because it was my blip birthday but because I realised a long held ambition to go sea kayaking. Up till now, my canoeing has been on lochs and rivers, mostly while in charge of troubled teenage lads, who were given to hitting each other over the heads with their paddles, etc. That was thirty odd years ago, and I have not been in a canoe or kayak since.

So to Arran today with No 3 Big Brother (pictured above) for a conducted half day trip. Neither of us were sure of how we would feel about it, but we were keen at least to give it a try. We came away making eager plans for the next trip, having paddled happily round Lamlash Bay and over to Holy Isle and back. It got quite choppy and exciting on the way back and we had wonderful sightings of heron, shag, cormorant, seal and a gannet which dived only 20 feet from my boat. The instructor was an accomplished teacher and although my paddle technique leaves a whole lot to be desired, I felt I made progress. Most importantly he gave me confidence.

We made it back to Brodick for the 6 pm ferry, but it had been cancelled 'due to adverse weather' Wimps. Got the later ferry to be met by the Prof at Ardrossan and whisked back home for lashings of pizza and ice cream - well we burnt a lot of carbs this afternoon, you know.

GOOD THINGS:
Blipping - thanks for all the support, advice, fun, companionship and cake over the past year!
Surviving the kayak trip - only an aching left shoulder (poor paddle technique!) and blistered thumbs to show for it.
I actually got into the wet suit - my biggest fear was that I would be the only fatty they could not fit.
My latest gadget, an 'idry' which keeps the iphone waterproof to 5 m. Thought the resulting image not too bad, considering I didn;t have my glasses and it was shot through the idry.

EXERCISE
C'mon - three hours paddling!