Gwilym's Adventure Blog

Exeter Canal Loops today with my Level 4 students. They got to make their own boat choice so it was one Sea Kayak, a Tandem Canoe and solo Canoe for me (regretted not taking my Broadland though with the sailing rig). We took the river down over the weirs and out on the tide before coming back up the canal with a little bit of wind assistance.

Supervising a mini canal trip today for L3 Outdoor Education students. Thought I would paddle one of my fleet sea boats for a change, needs some padding on the seat though (job for next week).  The afternoon was a bank based coaching session and I forgot to take any pics. The waterbased module is drawing to a close for the L3 students with next week being the last week so hopefully a few 2 Stars will be given out then.

Mega windy today for the Level 4 students. We are preparing for an overnight paddling expedition so it was all about getting the distance in and dealing with the wind.

A warm and dry (for me) day on the canal today with my Level 3 Outdoor Ed students. Normally we have to negotiate the swans on the slipway but there was a new wildlife hazard today. A couple of rats! A trip down to the docks and back with the return journey virtually blinded in the low sun. Is it really mid December?

Out and about on Bridgwater Canal today with my Outdoor Students. Sit on Top Kayaks were the vessel of choice for a short trip and a game of canoe netball in the docks.

As part of their 2 Star training, the Bridgwater College Outdoor students had a mini trip along the Bridgwater Canal in kayaks. On route we had some games and skills coaching but mainly spent the time avoiding the swans.

On the canal with Bridgwater College students today. We had a quick trip in the kayaks before lunch and then it was time for the dreaded get wet session that we had delayed until all the students had wetsuits. Well, that day arrived and we looked at capsizing with and without spray decks as well as rescuing each other.

Yesterday I met with Beth and Sion who are undertaking my Long Term Instructor Development programme for their introduction to paddling. We started with some skills coaching on the Exeter canal trying out different kayaks and canoes before selecting appropriate craft for our trip. We loaded up with equipment and headed of down the canal to The Turf Lock pub were we camped for the night sandwiched between the canal and the estuary. After a lovely meal in the pub and a good nights sleep, we repacked the boats and crused the tide upstream before switching back onto the canal for rescues and wet training

The day started with heavy rain and a browse (with quite a few purchases) at the AS Watersports sale in Exeter before heading to Torbay with Dan for some sunny sea kayaking from Meadfoot Beach. The plan was just for Dan to get some time in a sea boat as well as for me to get back in my Avocet which has been at AS Watersports for some TLC as it was looking a bit battered. In the sale this morning Dan bought the same cag and buoyancy aid as me so we must have looked like a set of twins.

Out with Vicky and Heather on Llyn Padarn continuing to consolidate on paddle skills. Just to mix things up we even hired a SUP from Surf Lines for a couple of hours to see how we managed with that. A lot windier today meaning that we even managed some surfing as well as wind ferry gliding and tandem canoe work. Sun all day and warm enough in the water in just shorts and cag.

Day 1 of 4 with Vicky, who is on my Instructor Development Scheme out on Llyn Padarn today in a variety of canoes and kayaks. It was a refresher and tidying up of skills session as it has been a while since Vicky last paddled.

With very little water in the rivers at the moment, the white water boats stayed at school and the sea kayaks came out for some tidal touring. Today's trip was riding the tide from Cotehele Quay up to Gunnislake and return on the outgoing tide.