Its addictive this blogg thingy isn’t it. Moving on ……..
It was singeblister’s first paddle out in his new apache canoe and our second. After running the rapids on Sunday we fancied something a little simpler. So we opted for a paddle around the canals near potrtland basin.
John in his canoe for the first time……. “is it supposed to wobble like this”
Off we set paddling down the canal nice and easy. I attempted to take the obligatory picky.
By now John was getting into the swing of things and we couldn’t get the grin off his face all day.
Or ours to be honest. The sun was shining and it was a refreshing change after Sunday.
Paddled past a sunken boat
And under a few little bridges before passing the entrance to the Portland basin. Which to be honest didn’t look to inviting with all the litter floating about in the entrance
. We pulled up for a brew and some food in the turning space opposite the museum.
Before setting off to the Huddersfield canal system. This route took us under a few bridges and an asda superstore. The canal stank under asda’s but it made for some good piccys.
As we arrived at the lock we didn’t really fancy the portage (it was a lazy paddle after all) So we turned around and went back the way we had come and set off towards Manchester. We paddled up the canal for a couple of miles then pulled over for another brew.
On the return journey it was time for messing about and seeing what our new canoes could do and what we could get away with in them. Trying out all the different seating arrangements and paddling strokes we know ( not many at all ).
On the way back we found TREASURE . John claimed salvage rights and snarfed it from our boat.
When we arrived back at our start point it really was messing about time. Bumperboats
Standing up…..why I don’t know but it seemed a good idea at the time.
I had a go at gunnel hopping
one foot
two feet and standing.
Alas as I stood up and raised my arms above my head Lin was messing about with the camera and missed it………typical.
Then I had a go at getting back in. Now as I had taken all the floatation out of the canoe to see what happens. I pretty much managed to sink it and nothing else.
So I got it up off the bottom and tried to use my new bailer…..what a waste of time
So I flipped the boat and got under
And with a heave and a ho I jumped off the bottom and into my canoe.
It was a great day and I learned loads about how my canoe handles and I tried various ways of paddling and self “rescue” much to everybodys amusement. I now know how fast my canoe will sink without floatation and I have added a few things to my kit list for day trips. It was a very enjoyable day and a great paddle. Next time I go out I will be trying the same “rescue “but with floatation in place to see how much difference it makes. All in the interest of scientific interest I might add ………or just for the giggle.
Either way it will be good fun. I would rather know what is going to happen and how fast in a safe manageable place rather than leave it until something goes wrong and I have to find out the hard way.
Cheers for reading, Greg
It was singeblister’s first paddle out in his new apache canoe and our second. After running the rapids on Sunday we fancied something a little simpler. So we opted for a paddle around the canals near potrtland basin.
John in his canoe for the first time……. “is it supposed to wobble like this”
Off we set paddling down the canal nice and easy. I attempted to take the obligatory picky.
By now John was getting into the swing of things and we couldn’t get the grin off his face all day.
Or ours to be honest.
The sun was shining and it was a refreshing change after Sunday.
Paddled past a sunken boat
And under a few little bridges before passing the entrance to the Portland basin. Which to be honest didn’t look to inviting with all the litter floating about in the entrance
. We pulled up for a brew and some food in the turning space opposite the museum.
Before setting off to the Huddersfield canal system. This route took us under a few bridges and an asda superstore. The canal stank under asda’s but it made for some good piccys.
As we arrived at the lock we didn’t really fancy the portage (it was a lazy paddle after all) So we turned around and went back the way we had come and set off towards Manchester. We paddled up the canal for a couple of miles then pulled over for another brew.
On the return journey it was time for messing about and seeing what our new canoes could do and what we could get away with in them. Trying out all the different seating arrangements and paddling strokes we know ( not many at all
).
On the way back we found TREASURE . John claimed salvage rights and snarfed it from our boat.
When we arrived back at our start point it really was messing about time. Bumperboats
Standing up…..why I don’t know but it seemed a good idea at the time.
I had a go at gunnel hopping
one foot
two feet and standing.
Alas as I stood up and raised my arms above my head Lin was messing about with the camera and missed it………typical.
Then I had a go at getting back in. Now as I had taken all the floatation out of the canoe to see what happens. I pretty much managed to sink it and nothing else.
So I got it up off the bottom and tried to use my new bailer…..what a waste of time
So I flipped the boat and got under
And with a heave and a ho I jumped off the bottom and into my canoe.
It was a great day and I learned loads about how my canoe handles and I tried various ways of paddling and self “rescue” much to everybodys amusement. I now know how fast my canoe will sink without floatation and I have added a few things to my kit list for day trips. It was a very enjoyable day and a great paddle. Next time I go out I will be trying the same “rescue “but with floatation in place to see how much difference it makes. All in the interest of scientific interest I might add ………or just for the giggle.
Either way it will be good fun. I would rather know what is going to happen and how fast in a safe manageable place rather than leave it until something goes wrong and I have to find out the hard way.
Cheers for reading, Greg
superb performance. 
