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 "rollercoaster day" when I thought I might die on this very stretch. I'd had my coffee, I was feeling good.
Maintaining what I considered was a healthy pace, I followed through into the nearby town to find rowers were practicing for an upcoming regatta. This was the equivalent of going out for a bike ride and taking a wrong turn onto the M6. Eight-strong rowing spears shot past me, on both sides, as I ambled through their practice. The turd in the hamper; The fart in the lift; The paedophile in the cul-de-sac. Eventually free of the tut-barrage, I ploughed on to begin negotiating locks.
I'll be issuing a note to self on this, but when lock negotiation comes along, this is where packing comes to be important. Whilst my Shark Fin SUP is very well balanced and carries well, any ill-considered weight distribution from additional equipment becomes something of a challenge. It sounds obvious but, the thing is, once you've committed to it on a trek like this, you've just got to deal with it. I settled on transferring my dry bag to my back for each portage and this seemed broadly ok. For the next one I think I'd like to try and have an attached solution where I'm relatively confident I won't be nose-diving or soaring when I try and pick up my stuff.
Catering, I did well. I had a tin bowl of overnight oats prepared that I tucked into around 08:00. I did this whilst still floating down river. A lady, walking her dog, shouted over to ask for my permission to take my photograph because I "look[ed] very funny floating along eating my breakfast" so I decided I too should record this absurd but lovely moment.
I closed this out in four hours and twenty minutes, with my family evacuating me from my destination end, feeling rather pleased with myself. Next maybe something nearer 50km - and perhaps with an overnight? A bloke on a barge asked me at one of the locks if I'd camped on the trip and planted the seed. Needs a lot more in the way of planning though.
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