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Disassembled

Following the feedback I got from my two attempts at racing, I decided to go in for a paddleboarding technical lesson.  This is dangerous territory.  I was once bought a free golf lesson, only to be told I was not swinging the club correctly.  Once swinging the club correctly I found I was completely unable to hit a golf ball and gave the whole thing up as a bad job.  And, to this day, I find my mouth involuntarily curls into a sneer at the very mention of "golf" (see also Piers Morgan). Notes from my first session (because I do think I will do it again!): I do "something weird" with my top arm on the catch (when the blade goes into the water) that has a risk of disconnecting the power available in my shoulders and back.  Analysis required to ensure I take stance on the catch in a way that fully engages my core. I am "goofy".   This is a surfing term for someone who steps back on the left foot.   The left foot step back turn is 300 times more comfortab...
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Why Water Voles?

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 I am being asked this a lot recently, since I've started devoting a lot of time and enthusiasm into water vole conservation in my local river community.  Last weekend I spent Saturday, under a punishing sun, in fishing waders and moving through a local ditch performing a survey.  I cannot begin to describe the excitement at finding compelling evidence of good old Ratty. I guess that's a good reason to start?  Wind in the Willows, which was devised and based on my patch of the world, has been an important book in my family since as long as I can remember.  I can still remember prodding my Dad to wake him up as he snored into the pages whist my sister and I waited for the next chapter.  My own children, especially my son, are also avid fans - long may this tradition continue. But for more "why" I have to go into the specifics of what they bring to the ecosystem.   There's plenty of chat about what we screwed up with waterways and flood management when w...
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Race 2

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Another AquaPaddle event.  Initially I had no intention of attending this one.  I had friends over for a barbecue and successfully executed said barbecue in spite of atrocious weather and without causing any form of food poisoning (that I am aware of).   This did also feature ~5 cans of ale, and I'm not used to that sort of drinking at all anymore.  Sunday morning came and the sun was shining.  Who in the name of greek buggery expected that?!  So I pulled myself together, took some paracetamol, downed a couple of pints of water,  packed the car and headed off. An equally well attended event.  The sun was out and spirits were high, though I needed to wee-wee on arrival and there was nowhere to sneak off to.  You may remember from the previous post  that I was half mocked for my average fin and also shown in my first race how much top end kit can make a difference.  Having done some research, I had chosen to buy myself two Black Pr...
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Paddleboard Racing

Initial caveat: I have to remind that I think there is a line when considering amateur, pseudo-competitive sport.  It's not unlike the line between being environmentally conscious and going full-Guardian.  Essentially context needs to be maintained at all times.  You are not a professional athlete because you participate in a race on a weekend.  It's a bit of exercise.   A bit of fun.  There is a line at which you may teeter, especially at that midlife crisis sort of age, where you throw money and obsession at the thing in the hope that it somehow redefines you into something more than you are (when you are in fact already fine).  If you manage to win a race, you were the fastest person who chose to turn up on that day.  That might be smashing, but it's ultimately of little consequence. No one can contest that being in the atmosphere of an event spurs you on, but the danger of superciliousness exposure is very, very real.  I was reminded of t...
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Long Distance Paddle Checklist

Following the moderate success of the alpha paddle from my bucket list, the following is an evolving list of equipment and considerations for a longer paddle. > 0 km Paddleboard (lol) Paddle Fin Leash Standard ankle or, ideally, Palm quick-release belt PfD Mobile Phone (in PfD in dry sleeve) Apple Watch (Paddle Logger installed) Water Change of clothes Towel > 10 km Pump Paddleboard bag Energy bar Packamac First Aid Kit Rubbish bag (for ocean/river cleans) Paracord & carabiner (for tethering) > 20 km Alternate fins Coffee Flasked Wacaco Nanopresso (quick caffeine hit) Meal! Temp shelter > 40 km Trangia stove and accessories Dehydrated Food Aeropress Grinder Light (yet to finalise) Overnight Bivvy tent Sleeping bag If you have any additional suggestions here, please get involved.
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Bucket List Paddle (Alpha)

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 So I said this and then never did it.   Challenge myself hahaha.   Push the envelope hahaha.  I pootled along, as I always do, and prioritised things like work instead.  Well work threw me a curve ball, dipped in excrement, that gave me the motivation I needed and revised my perspective a little bit.  So... A longer paddle had been on my bucket list for quite some time.  I'd completed the various sections before, but never undertaken the whole thing as a single exercise - but it was time.  Long overdue in fact - dag-nannit!  The opportunity presented itself and I latched on with both hands The mission was a 25km stretch of the Thames featuring four locks to be negotiated.  I began with a trip in an electric Uber to my start location at 06:30.  I luckily picked somewhere well appointed allowing me to have a ruddy good tinkle between inflating my board and setting off on the journey. The water was calm and flat, much changed from ...
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Falling More...

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Whilst researching a first paddleboard for a friend, I was inevitably drawn to choose a new paddleboarding.  Honestly, I was not looking for myself but a review of the Shark SUP Performance Tourer 14  resonated with me. It's a tentative baby-step from Tourer to Race paddling.  With a flatter rocker line (yeah - I know what those are now too!) the nose carves through the water like I'm riding a torpedo as a sort of aquatic homage to the end scene of Doctor Strangelove. There are various reasons to own this board, but I'd be stealing better informed comments from the review. But then...  Sunday was rough and I found myself at the beach alone just for a little look.  I had the Aqua Marina Magma with me in the car and a moment of madness took me.  Ten minutes later I was wet suited and running into the waves like a man possessed.  Early attempts to take the down-wind stance proved difficult, and I was wet before I knew it.  Legs like jelly and I ...
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