Hmmm..... and that doesn't include collecting passengers or stopping for a slash!
Friday 11th February - Now you see it...
Wednesday afternoon and Alan was chasing around for somebody to paddle with come Friday. Paul could get the afternoon off and Rob was finishing nights, so off we went, hoping that the Duddon wasn't dropping as fast as the EA gauge suggested it was. Unfortunately for Rob's paddles, it was...
Paul running into ...
... and out of the middle gorge
"It's behind you!"Extreme cranks or a snapped paddle shaft? You decide...
Thursday 10th February - Birkrigg - again...
No matter how often we walk on Birkrigg, the weather, seasons or just moods make it different every time. Only a few days ago I doubt I could have stood up straight on on the 136m high top; a month ago there was anything up to three feet of snow by the trig. point and this morning it was shrouded in fog. However, the fog ran out to sea with the tide and the sunshine soon broke through. The recent storms have done a great job of clearing the air so that the views extended from Walney and Piel Islands and the Irish Sea to the west, Great Orme to the southwest, Morecombe Bay to the south, the Yorkshire peaks to the south east, the Howgills, Helvellyn and Coniston fells closer to home to the east... I know it's tough, but if nobody goes to look at it, does the view actually exist?
South Walney, Piel and a great big sky over the Irish Sea
Bruce scooting about in the old bracken, Coniston and Helvellyn Fells beyond
Humphrey Head and the Yorkshire Fells
Sunday 6th February - Hmmmm.....
"Winds from the SSW at 58mph, Sea State Rough" was all we needed to know; a blip in an approaching weather system meant that this lot was arriving early and a day of towing and rescue practice off Roa Island was quickly abandoned and the sea kayaks stayed at home!
From Rampside, Piel Island in the distance
A change of kit and with the river boat on the car, it was off to Greenodd to hook up with the Duddon CC lads who would be looking for a river to paddle instead. With all the rain of late, and everything except the Esk being well up, the options were plentiful. So we paddled the Esk; the middle / lower section not even the upper... maybe another day!
Chris entering in the rapid leading into the gorge above Boot village
Under Dalegarth Bridge
Tuesday 1st February - never look a gift horse, etc.
I've had a few lucky hits with the Freecycle website, but when I saw an offer of a "family size tent and inflatable dinghy", thoughts of rafting the Leven for a giggle were at the front of my mind.
And the aforementioned dinghy will certainly serve it's purpose one summers day when there's a drop of water under Backbarrow. However, as my old mate Lloyd might say, "now who would live in a house like this....?"
Beggars can't be choosers, but no complaints from me; Result!
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