tin.fish

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...

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.

 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 ...