Mull Head

Another April trip was our first of a few this year to Mull Head, from Halley. A route which gives shelter if there is a southerly blowing.

By this time there was another Rockpool in the fleet, the colour of an original ice cream.

Carry on coaching

With a little bit of help, and firmly based on the bank, I still managed to participate in the final weekend of the coaching course. Though I remained in a sitting position with leg elevated, it looks as if I still managed to make people jump!

These participants were running for virtual cake. An original, if whimsical, warm up.

Eynhallow in April

Circumnavigation of Eynhallow has to be carefully thought through. The uninhabited island stands in the middle of the tide, between the Mainland and Rousay, with a famous 'Roost' on one side and the ocean behind. It can get up to above 7 kts here, but our timing proved to be corrrectly calculated.

There are rumoured to be Fin Folk.

Did that have anything to do with the way we carefully organised our boats on the beach?
Are they easier to count like this?

http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/finfolk/hallow.htm

During a visit to the 12th century kirk we discovered a whimsical stowaway.

We kept a careful eye on intrepid cave explorers.

And returned safley to Evie Sands where we executed the famous synchronised boat exit routine.

By the end of that week...

...I had bonded with my new boat.
Thanks coach.

The black stuff and the fluffy stuff

Right enough, the black stuff began to feel OK after a while. The ride back in was thrilling, but I steered clear of the fluff round the rocks until I could be talked through it. Looking forward to the DVD to help me learn how to read that water!

That's more like it!

...said the coach the next day... but could I commit old body and new boat in the icy April swell?

How long will it have to stay on?

This paddling companion is prone to whimsy, but that looks nasty!

Teeth and air

With the help of the coach I got to grips with the boat early in the season.



Success criteria:

• teeth showing
  
• air under the boat
  
• turn
  

Turning in the wind accomplished, the little blue boat enjoyed the following sea. Steady as a rock. The first of many rewards for paddling hard into the wind.

Fairlie difficult decision

It was hard to make a choice until I sat in the Alaw Bach on a rare trip south to Fairlie. Finding out about the imminent arrival of the Isel helped me to decide. I would wait for my own Rockpool Isel while meantime enjoying the last plastic fantastic season.

A Rockpool year

This year began with the arrival of the long awaited new Isel. Ever since, I have had my leg pulled about possible fractures to the hull and scratches to the gel coat. Back then body, boat and blade were all intact. Now the season for repairs begins.

Bad dog blog

Faithful companion slumps in stupor following stolen cake guzzling incident.

Cast off, cast on.

No pins needed, though pins and needles aplenty.

My sympathetic cake eating companion.

Broken ankle diaries

Having been forced to sit still for more than a minute I now find I have time to set up my own blog.