Kayaking fun on the Roy Gorge and Upper Spean

Got to love living in the Fort. Winter climbing at the start of the week and white water kayaking at the end of week. Great run down the Roy at a medium level and Upper Spean. There is still a tree in gorge. Think its after headbanger and before the siphon. You can see it from the eddy above and there is another tree down before it on river right. Spean was on 4 pipes on the go for the first time down. Had my eyes on stalks on the way down the top part. Need to make the most of the warm wet weather and get more boating done.

A long summer

So its been a long time seen I had posted on hire. Have a had a mad summer of working and advetour. And now back to uni and the Fort William rainy session. What would not be so bad if I was not broken with a done in ankle. To save on the writhing will do the it all in photos.

Sea life

Cave with a view

Etive Slabs

Etive Slabs

Woodstob

Buachaille Etive Mor 

Aonach Eagach 

Aonach Eagach 

Meall Dearg 

Aonach Eagach 

Sanna Bay

The wild life saying hi

There where to many good sunset!!

Hard days work

Booms Away

There was big fire

Last day on Level 2

So Wednesday was the last day of are UKCC Level 2 training. Shame it was not as nice today as last week but this is Fort William after all. Had some great session form Andy and Rich. Learning a lot form one and other still. Got a great session on turing form Rich. That really got us all thinking about how to couch and how many out comes can come for one take/skill set. It will be good to put the couching skill to use after the easter brake. 

Rich keen for the day

Andy Wet after rolling up form a failed High Recovery and still happy

Messy day on the Etive

Head out with a big group of us looking to get onto the Etive last Sunday. Getting there it was looking a bit high for Zeemon and Fiona. So they gave it a pass. That left Dave, Graeme, Kevin and me. It was looking like it was going to be a fun if full on run down for me. The top of Triple Fall was a big mess and not looking good in my small boat. So gave it a miss. The lads ran it and all make it look smooth. Getting into the pool of the last drop ran it clean and feet good. So headed back for a second go. This did not go as well. Did not make the line across the top of the drop and came done in the centre. This lead to be going for a swim and having to be rescue. It was a seen of thing to come.

Not wanting to leave the warm

Triple Fall

Graeme of safety

Next big thing to happen was Letterbox. Pretty much know that I was going to walk it at the level it was at. Did safety again for Dave and Kevin. They got thought clean and Dave in his new big boat just powered over the stopper.  Graeme was not as lucky and got a bit of a spanking. This lead to us becoming three and me getting a blood nose for a boat to the face. The banter was going well by now.

Kevin showing off the skills

Now I had Graeme's Dagger Nomad to play in. The rest of the river seem to go well. We walk Crack of Doom as it was looking meaty. Had to do some roll as I was doing some stupid thing. Then it seed to be at Right Angle and it was looking BIG. Dave head down first and seed to get lost in the run in in a stopper but got down ok. If a little side ways. Kevin head down and was good and had a roll at the bottom. Then it was me up. I try a thine line streat down the fall. It did not go so smoothy at the others. It ended up with me accidental free wheel off right angle and deck popping. So another swim it was. Thou this time a self rescue. So not at bad. Still a great day had even if it was a bit messy run at time.

Dave at the bottom of Right Angle

 Not a good idea to go of Right Angle sideways and on your knuckles

Day 3 of Level 2 Coach

Uni is hard when it's days like this that you have to study on outside. Was doing 3 day of coaching. Doing sort sessions to work on giving feedback and different ways of coaching peoples leaving styles. Had some great coaching on sea kayaking. But it's a bit mixed up about it from white water kayaking. Will need to have a bit more of a play. One more day on training next week and then onto coaching sessions after easter. Just hope the weather stays like this for them

After work play on the Etive

I headed out on Wednesday with Dave from work for a play on the Etive. I was not too sure what the water level was going to be. I thought we could have ended up walking quite a bit between the drops but after getting there we found the water to be at a good level to paddle down without having to walk. This was the first paddle experience since completing my level 1 BCU coach in June so I was rusty to begin with however I was successful in doing a full run without swimming. I even managed to roll back up when upside down in the letter box. It was great to be back in a boat, I need to make most of the wet weather and get out a bit more.

Dave showing how's it done.

Making it look easy as all ways

Going in to Right Angle 

Going over Right Angle

UKCC Level one coach

Gerat 4 day doing my UKCC Level one coach with Aquaplay Scotland. Learnt a lot for Gim and Steve. Don't know how they did it sun for the hole of it too. Hopefully moving on to 3 star then Level 2 Coach in the coming year finger crossed.

Last day bit of fun

The Coach see us how its done.