Kayaking Archive

Longships lighthouse and sea kayaker on a sunny day
sea kayaker in Mounts Bay with St Michael's Mount

Dolphins etc

It has been a while since I posted anything of a sea kayaking flavour; when I have been out I haven’t been taking a camera. Sometimes I just can’t be bothered with a camera, it’s nice just to go paddling with mates without thinking about photos. After all there is no particular imperative beyond just having a few snaps by way of a record of a good day out with friends.  My camera isn’t really …

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Various

On reaching the mighty age of six my brother and I were given a small secondhand mono tape deck. It was my first exposure to music independence and, despite being extremely basic, was something I found completely marvellous. Along with it came a ‘ripped’ cassette with only a hand scrawled ‘various’ on the paper insert which turned out to mean ‘something of a mishmash of stuff’. The reason I mention it is that this post …

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Spring. Maybe.

After my last post I had thought I might follow up with some apparently intelligent thoughts around things I wanted to say but on reflection realised that all that would have come out would have been an angry rant around a particular set of topics.. for example the environment, consumerism, the government.. or indeed the political classes in general (not fit for purpose), cars.. especially ridiculous cars like giant luxury 4x4s, otherwise known in these parts, …

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January Kayak Sheep…

It is seldom that sea kayaks and sheep appear all wrapped up in the same story but that’s what happens I suppose when one ventures north of the border into Devon, which, if you’re from West Cornwall, really is like visiting a foreign country.. they talk funny and do cream teas all wrong.. It’s not a difficult story to tell however as I have pictures. Before I start however I should introduce our protagonists, my friends …

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Sunny morning surf

Just a couple of quick snaps from a fabulously mild and sunny morning kayak-surf session and catch up with friends one day last week… Self-employment is full of uncertainty, hard work and, at times, soul searching.. but there are pay-offs.. and it’s important for one’s sanity to escape from time to time I find ;-)

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A Small Wave

On Sunday there was a small but clean wave coming into the bay. Still feeling tired and a bit wobbly – not quite strong enough to get in the water myself but in dire need of some involvement with both my friends and the waves at some level I went along my camera… hence this post.

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Misty Trip East

I’ve been utterly uninspired to take pictures from my kayak since returning from Mingulay. Summer light on the ocean is rarely that interesting, I much prefer the drama of winter days afloat. Yesterday however I thought I could be bothered – but just my old GF2 + 28mm in its housing because it makes a very small package and I don’t mind too much having it on my deck. As it happened conditions were OK for pictures..

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Back on Barra

I’m back on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides for a bit, visiting friends and renewing my acquaintance with this rather wonderful corner of the world. Some folk may remember I spent a summer out here working as a sea kayak guide for local operator Clearwater Paddling (http://www.clearwaterpaddling.com). It is a world class sea kayaking destination and that summer was one of the happiest I can remember – a combination of wild camping …

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Winter Sunday Surf

The last few days we’ve been watching the weather and surf forecast develop with anticipation as Storm Imogen developed in the Atlantic.. thinking “nah, it’s bound to change..” as the forecast predicted winds in the  Beaufort 11-12 range, gusting to 160km/hr..  and surf of up to 12m (40ft). The forecast did pan out as expected, it’s mighty windy today and the Seven Stones Reef lightship/wave buoy is already reporting a 35ft wave as I write.. …

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