The weather was not looking good, with a forecast of gale force winds: How DO they get it so wrong! Although overcast, it turned out to be very mild with a calm sea, perfect for our first mid-week session. Eila kindly lead the session and got us doing low brace
turns and sweep strokes, contact rescues and towing, along with the most basic but most important of all strokes, the forward paddle stroke. How easy it is to get lazy with this one, but so important to get those back muscles working for you.
We took it in turn to raft-up and tow. There was a moment when I’d taken on a rafted tow that I thought I was never going to be fit enough for this sport. As I struggled to pull the two kayaks forward, and was barely moving, I could hear the sniggering behind me, and out of the corner of my eye could
see my rafted up kayakers paddling like mad in reverse…
Then onto some rescue practice with Eila playing the injured paddler, Mike and Graham proceeded to get her back
into the boat and to pump out the water from her kayak. This must have looked somewhat bizarre to anyone wandering along the beach!
Then one by one we all took a dip and spent a good half hour rescuing and being rescued, and Mike impressed us all by achieving a re-entry and roll, before we all headed back to the shore where everyone tried their
hand at balancing on top of their kayaks. (Not always successfully!)
A very fruitful 3 hours of paddling was had by all, with the most important element of kayaking being strictly adhered too, having a lot of fun and laughter.
