Water Board

My new paddleboard in the sea at Belhaven this afternoon. The weather was just amazing today, the sea was quite flat and warm. Getting out on the board was my plan and I'm dead happy that it came together. Packing the deflated board, wetsuit, paddles and paraphernalia into my bicycle trailer was easy enough and 200 energetic pumps later the board was up and I was afloat. Brilliant! It can be a huge surf board or a sit-on-top kayak with a seat strapped on, and I think next time I'm kayaking. I paddled around kneeling on the board today which was great, but when I tried to stand I fell over - I think I was on my feet for 45 seconds total :)

When I headed home the tide was rising and the bridge was cut off. A large group of adults and children were standing on the beach after their picnic, equally cut off. I offered to ferry the children over and so over and back, over and back I went with 3 children riding on top each time. The adults waded chest-deep without the benefit of my wetsuit and they were all very grateful. Good deed for the day!

Big Belhaven.

Then it was home to hose down the kit - and me! - and pull on some trousers to head for the train to Edinburgh to meet Lali over a few excellent pints in The Malt and Hops. I also took Duncan's bass to drop off in the shop for repair, but the buggers fixed it there and then! So I had to carry it around town for the rest of the day!! Dammit ;)

I was super-self-indulgent and bought a Cuban cigar to puff with a pint in the Beehive - I went to The Cigar Box and chose a Trinidad Reyes for about £10 and thoroughly enjoyed it with a pint of Deuchars. Perfect.

Then on to Leith for beers and chat with Lali and home with the bass stuffed in the bike pannier. Surprisingly enough, that worked.

An excellent day!