The paddling pics thread 🌊🚣🌊🛶🌊🚣🌊

sorry not a picture, but will take some when we next get out

we have an open canoe (Old Town Discovery), which we use on the River Stour Dorset. I haven’t done any modifications to it, mainly because we are lucky enough to get out of the MIL back garden straight in. Planning to go further afield this year including possible Poole Harbour. Do any of you run buoyancy bags? if so what do you recommend? Also looking at putting some lashing on the sides and grab loops front and rear, I was thinking about getting hold of some retired climbing rope for this but does climbing rope float if I was also going to use it as a painter? Any other tips on modifications gratefully received

Spent the day paddling around the edge of Llyn Dinas near Beddgelert with Bert onboard!
Nice weather, slight breeze and warm water temperature.

Took the paddle board around to Lochbuie – most disconcerting when paddling in a mirror calm looking at the sea bed about 5 metres below. Barrel jellyfish was pretty impressive. Esther still hasn’t got beyond using the board as a diving platform – she’ll swim out, jump aboard then dive off again

Ok so now I live near the coast and a river I would like to dip my toes so to speak.

What does stw recommend for a beginner

The coastline is quite rocky so thinking I will need something solid and I want to sit down not stand

<span style=”-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);”>Went to look for the recently seen pair of white tailed sea eagles on St Mary’s Loch. No luck seeing them but beautiful day on the water. </span>

P&H Virgo of the appropriate size and some kayak training?

Or a Sit on top?

Where are you based it might help to know your location.?

Depends on if you want to kayak or canoe really.

A sit on top kayak can be a great starting place. Most paddle ok, you fall out rather than have to get out if you capsize, self draining etc.

A ‘proper’ touring kayak is likely faster and better in waves. A bit drier and warmer too.

Beyond that we can talk sea kayaks or canoes, both of which are superb, but maybe take a bit more thought and skill.

The big thing would be to find a club or coach and try a few things out and to get some coaching.

(Although as a huge canoe fan, just buy a canoe… 😉 )

we have an open canoe (Old Town Discovery) …Do any of you run buoyancy bags? if so what do you recommend? Also looking at putting some lashing on the sides and grab loops front and rear, I was thinking about getting hold of some retired climbing rope for this but does climbing rope float if I was also going to use it as a painter? Any other tips on modifications gratefully received

Buoyancy bags (or foam blocks) are used in 3 main situations; if your boat is ‘fibreglass’ composite, to stop it totally sinking (not a problem with polythene boats like yours), on whitewater to stop it becoming totally unmanageable (and wrecked) if swamped, and on open water to make it easier to self rescue from a capsize.

Lashing points are known as ‘lacing’ – watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TVA9RPU3MI  He also covers end loops (climbing rope is fine for loops but doesn’t float). Calling them or using them as grab loops is discouraged, as if you have your hand in the loop and the boat rolls over you can break your fingers. The idea is to make them big enough to tie a painter to or clip a krab, but not get a hand in.

Have a browse on https://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/ – it’s STW for canoes but more ‘on topic’ and politics is banned.

The coastline is quite rocky so thinking I will need something solid and I want to sit down not stand

A plastic sit-on-top is probably a better place to start if you’re just pootling about – they don’t catch the wind like an inflatable. Your local FB buy/sell might turn up some used ones for reasonable money.

Next step up would be a plastic kayak of some description – more length, less beam means they track/run better in waves and tides and offer more scope to improve your paddle stroke and technique. Worth considering joining a club or doing a course to learn the basics including self-rescue if planning on venturing further afield. Knowing you can get back in your boat if you wet exit is an important skill.

Having bought myself a sea kayak earlier this year – I used to paddle a K1 and did some racing on flat water and can roll in a pool, but going out on your own and encountering stronger winds and waves than expected can be both exhilarating and disconcerting and makes you realise how relatively vulnerable you are even a short distance from home.

Based in Berwick upo Tweed.

Thanks for the info so far

Went to look for the recently seen pair of white tailed sea eagles on St Mary’s Loch. No luck seeing them but beautiful day on the water.

I didn’t know about the eagles will keep my eyes out on my next trip

Did you shoot the river between the two lochs?

Regarding inflatable SUPs, are Decathlon ones any good (for a beginner)? Plus what paddling can people recommend near Edinburgh and East Lothian?

@Greybeard thanks I’ll take a look

Plus what paddling can people recommend near Edinburgh and East Lothian?

Thriepmuir, gladhouse,loch of the Lowe’s/St Mary’s loch, North Berwick*******

******* I debated putting this here. Do not take going in the sea lightly even on the calmest day. Which to be fair is the same everywhere.

Don’t do it alone either atleast until you have gained confidence and knwlowledge. Getting back on a board once is easy but three times is harder add some chop and a cold breeze in the wrong direction with a tide and things can go south pretty quickly.

I thought that seeing as the STW team have made it easier to post pictures I thought you might like to see some of the pictures from our trip sea kayaking in Plockton and Skye. We did a number of day paddles some with my partner and some solo.

I know solo trips carry more risk but I have quite a lot of experience, good weather and careful tidal planning

Sea Eagle chased by Gull

Eilean Donan Castle

Near the Strome Islands

Wildlife?

Gull

Excellent,.

From last week, a trip north from Tobermory, around bloody bay and up to Ardmore Point. Almost no wind by the time I got back. The water was thick with jellyfish of all varieties and I even saw a comb jelly. I saw what I thought was some floating seaweed – turned out to be an otter feeding on his back. On the way back I was able to drift on the current and it surfaced about 10ft away. Basking seals on the skerries at Ardmore plus I encounter ed a seal nursery on an isolated islet.

@dmorts we have this one and it’s perfectly fine.

https://www.decathlon.ch/de/p/sup-board-set-stand-up-paddle-aufblasbar-coasto-action-10-7/_/R-p-X8739491?mc=8739491

I’m looking for a second one that is one step up from a beginner model. It needs to be inflatable (to get it on a train) for days out on big lakes (Constance and Zürich). Any advice?

Just back from a fantastic trip to the fabulous rivers that flow from the Massif Central in France.

First, the Vezere. Lovely gentle paddling in wonderful limestone scenery, with the odd fairy tale chateau thrown in.

Next we had a day on the Cele, a small river that flows into the Lot. More limestone scenery, stepping it up a notch in size! The Cele also adds in some simple whitewater, mostly barely grade 1, with just a smattering of slightly harder. To round it off, there are some weirs with excellent “glissieres” to slide down.

With the two warm up rivers over, we headed for the truly magnificent Gorges du Tarn. A 500m deep limestone gorge with a lovely moderate whitewater river at the bottom. Astonishing place.

We planned our trip to slowly increase the difficulty, as my companions didn’t have much moving water experience. The first day was through the heart of the Gorges, the most spectacular part, but all just grade 1. Mostly, you just drift and stare upwards.

Our second day was a little further upstream, St Enimie to La Malene, and just added in the odd little grade 2. Otherwise, more boring and dreary scenery 😉

The third day again moved up the difficulty a tiny bit, with more, and longer, sections of grade 2. The scenery remains remarkable.

Our final day, Les Vignes to Le Rozier, is arguably my favourite open canoeing whitewater paddle anywhere, and I hadn’t run it for a few years. Regular grade 2, with a couple of rapids pushing up towards grade 3, all in the setting of this enormous canyon.

And that was it, 7 days, 7 outstanding paddles. And we barely scratched the surface of what is possible.

@malgrey looks absolutely stunning

North Berwick*******

******* I debated putting this here. Do not take going in the sea lightly even on the calmest day. Which to be fair is the same everywhere.

Don’t do it alone either atleast until you have gained confidence and knwlowledge. Getting back on a board once is easy but three times is harder add some chop and a cold breeze in the wrong direction with a tide and things can go south pretty quickly.

Yes, North Berwick is somewhere I wondered about. I have surfed in the past*. I imagine inflatable SUPs can be a bit of handful in swell or wind. Definitely can’t duck dive them!

Inland water can be dangerous too, still the wind to contend with plus very cold water.

It is a return to salty water that I’m thinking about and appreciate the reiteration of staying safe.

*I had no real patience or time for it in the UK, just too inconsistent unless you live right on the coast and have plenty of free time. Only relatively recently did I move to Edinburgh.

Had a couple of trips out of Rèinigeadal on Harris when the wind dropped to a fresh breeze last week. Paddled across the mouth of Loch Seaforth (the water depth goes from 100m in the loch to 30m rather abruptly so can get a touch bouncy) and explored the sea lochs of Pairc. Most of the settlement along the coast was cleared in the 1800s so aside from the lobster pot buoys that punctuate the skerries there’s not much sign of human life. Plenty of puffins from the nearby Shiants, gannets from further afield, razorbills and guillemots. Loads more exploring to be done here so will definitely be back for a longer overnight trip in the future.

Also went south to Eilean Glas and Scalpay. Glassy seas early in the day meant that spotting dolphins was easy. We had to wait until the ferry back over the Minch to see the minke whale that had been reported in the area, but did see sea eagles feasting on a deer carcass on the hillside above Loch Trollamarig. Whether it was due to warm water temperatures or the way currents have been moving there were assorted flavours of jellyfish absolutely everywhere.  The wind picked up during the day and we had a pleasant following sea to aid the journey back up to Port Rèinigeadal.

Loving the photos in this thread and thought I’d add some of my damp lensed snaps while I’m stuck behind a screen and missing being afloat in a boat.

Closest location guess wins

Loch Ken

Nope, very far from there.

I can finally post some pics on here. Feels like I’ve been waiting forever to get a break in the weather and having the time to get out. Got a 2nd board so my 13yr old can come out with me and we can actually go somewhere rather than taking it in turns up and down a short stretch.

I’m in East Yorkshire so none of the amazing scenery that you all share, but heading to Bala next week so might get to amend that. Anyway, for now we’ve managed a bit of Pocklington Canal (curtailed by terretorial swans with young) and the River Hull – so peaceful and beautifilly clear water – nothing like what it’s name would make you imagine. The photos don’t really do it justice but they’re quick snaps before I stop concentrating and lose my balance!

That looks good fun 🙂

No-one would have guessed anyway. It’s near Minocqua, Wisconsin, USA.

No chance we would get that! 🙂

That’s why I said ‘closest’ I thought someone might guess North America.

A few random photos. One might be of someone a tad more talented than me.

Back from Bala. Highly recommend Glanlynn campsite for good campign with lakeside access.

A float down our local river – I am again reminded how great the local paddling is. We did Deanston to Stirling on the Teith & Forth. Gentle white water, lots of moving but flat, lovely views and peace.

We even beat the rain – it started as I loaded the boat back onto the car…

Slightly more mundane – crossing Flanders Moss using the biggest ditch in Scotland. (Yesterday)

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7580161

I still intend to paddle that ditch, source to sea….one day I will dray my arse out to paddle without a view…

Couple of weeks ago on the way to bow fiddle rock