Canoe training for 2 star

On Saturday we headed to Loch Tay to carry out the canoe training and assessment of 2star.  After a shaky navigational start, we were soon on the water hiding from the wind on the beautiful Loch Tay.

We started with learning to steer the boat both from the front and back then did some supper awesome forward paddling using pier learning which everyone responded well too.

After a quick break and tea, we sped through the rest of the stokes on the syllabus and moved onto the wet rescues.

Everyone grasped them very quickly, demonstrating top “Curl” technique and even some “all in rescue” shenanigans!

Top day on the water with everyone looking really confident in the canoes by the end of it.

Dochart and Lyon

After much persuasion and St Andrews Unkeeness, Amy and I headed to Killin to meet Lizzy from Glasgow for a spot of boating.

On the way we found a perfect road-kill rabbit and got to Killin to witness a supper high Dochart.  After a quick bash down the top and a pretty impressive swim we all finished the lower section very pleased and excited.

We then had a look at the Lochay which was unfourntunately too low so headed to the Lyon instead.  It was all going smoothly untill a dodgy line saw Lizzy's boat ending up pinned on a rock with her paddles dissapearing.

Eventually we got the boat of but with no paddles Lizzy had to walk out to leave Amy and myself finishing off the run on our own.

Cheers Amy and Lizzy for a fun day out

Freshers trip of awesomeness

This weekend was the time for the annual Freshers trip of awesomeness.  40 people descended upon the boat shed Early on Saturday to pack the vans for what was to be an amazing weekend.

We started on Loch Tay learning basic skills that we would need to get down the river then set off in 3 groups to enjoy the stretch of Tay down to Aberfeldi.

The evening was full of Scrumpy, Sausages and Smirnoff and had a great atmosphere in spite of the incessant drizzle.  We chilled altogether at the SCA camp-site and after a few tense games of minority we slowly slipped off to the tents.

Next morning we got back on at Aberfeldi to play epic raft games and float down until the more difficult rapids above Grandully.  All the beginners copped admirably, with amazing roles and T rescues all round.

The final rapid of the day pushed the skills learnt to the maximum with lots of sweet lines being hit and the odd danger role above boat-breaker.

The Chinese on the way home sealed the deal as the best freshers trip in a long time.

Cheers James and Jamie for organising and I look forward to more trips with these guys in the future.

More photos can be found here

Microadventure to Tensmuir

After watching Alistair Humphreys sleep on a hill video where he; get a on a train straight after work at 5, climbs a hill, sleeps on it then is back to work by 9 I thought I'd do something similar.

So I set of at 5pm from East Sands in a kayak heading towards to Tensmuir Forest, the other side of the Eden Estury.  As the tide way on it's way out, there was a strong current to cross befors landing on the beach and pulling the boat up into the dunes.

I got a fire going first then enjoyed the amazing red sunset before sliding into my bivi bag.  I fell asleep at 7.30pm next to a cosy fire gazing up at the stars.

I woke at 8am next morning after a great nights sleep, ate my peanut butter and jam sandwich and got back in the boat to paddle home.

It was amazing to squeeze and adventure between days and great to have spent my first (of many) nights out in a bivi bag.

Braan and Bruar

Rain on Saturday = boating on Sunday.  

Getting onto the Bran Gorge

Sean on the Bran at a great med flow

Photo Luke, Jonny boofing the right of Cofin Falls

Calum nailing the left to right line above Coffin Falls ming.

Photo Luke, Jonny boofing a nice double drop on the Upper Bruar

Patrick on the last drop of the picturesk gorge

Amy on the same drop

 Cheers Sean for driving and Jamie, Amy, Luke, Calum and Patrick for a top faff free day.

WWPF '11

As we had to be back in St Andrews on Sunday for the ExpAnd freshers fair, we headed over early on Friday to paddle the Cononish.

Photo - Sean, Amy on the upper secitions on the Cononish

We met Lizzy and checked the level which was perfect.  After walking in, we hopped on to a great medium level.  The river was pretty continious 3/4 with three slighly harder rapids to negociate.  As Sean had forgotten his BA he hopped on to just paddle the 5s.

Photo Amy, Jonny flairing a cool drop. 

Photo Jon, Sean on the 3rd main drop with the river quickly dropping.

Everyone paddled really well and we got off at 6 to drive to the Fort for the BUKE talk.

Photo Jonny, Jon Harwell on the iconic "Top Drop".

On Saturday we paddled the moriston. After geting the first shuttle of the day we had a great time on the "Upper" paddling it 3 times.  After lunch and an "ice" from Joe Rea-Dickins we headed to the lower for a run down.

Photo Jonny, Sean hitting the line on the Upper Moriston.

It was cool to paddle top drop on the left for the first time then head on down with the others.  Read and run all the way, the section was awesome except for a little swim adventure for me near the end!

Cheers Amy, Sean, Jon H and Lizzy for an awesome few days.

Canoeing on the Tay with the parents

When mum and dad dropped me off at St Andrews we decided that a trip down the tay was in order. 

We paddled from Aberfeldy to Grandtully which was at quite a high level and got out just befor the slalom course.

It was really fun to get out on the Tay again.

BUKE Venezuela

Just back from an amazing trip boating in Venezuela.  Below are a few pics of the trip.  Loads of info on the trip can be found here with the blog that we wrote out there here and Rob's amazing pitures here.

The team

Scouting rivers with the portage pack

Rob on the Canagua

 

The jeep in the Gran Savana

Our living arrangements for a month

Awesome Orinoco surfing

Getting betwen rapids on the Orinoco

Cool slides in the Gran Savana

Amazing 50m drop for next time!

Early morning in Venezuela

Our chill out beach for the last week

Paradise with the DD Hammocks

Fieldwork in Glen Einich

Summer is here so it's the time for filed work in the hills.  A few days ago Rachel, Rob and myself drove up to Coylumbridge then biked up to Glen Einich in the Caingormes.

Cycling around in the amazing Glen

The site was an eroding peat bog which was exposing amazingly preserved Scotts pine samples that can be used to learn about the fire history of the area.

Cutting tree disks for analysis

We had to cut sample disks to analyse in the lab enebeling us to date fire events and build up a chronology of the trees which can also be used to estimate the past climatic history of the area

Fun on the bike on the way home

After collecting 23 samples, we rode back down via the impressive Lochan Eiline as a recky for my field work.

The castle in the middle of loch Eiline

Cheers Sean for the bikes and Rob and Nugget for a fun day in the hills.