We ran the lower section of the River Neb, on the West of the Isle of Man this morning, with a group of Adventure Club members.
The manageable levels made for everyone getting plenty of learning from the experience, and feeling confident to try all sorts of antics at the weirs and drops along the way.
Sea Kayak fun!
Heading to Peel for with Alice and Aoibhinn this afternoon, the strong Southerlie wind had produced relatively flat conditions inshore, with some sizeable swell and clean building surf at Fenella Beach,... Quickly grabbing a Romany sea kayak and my kit I joyfully trotted down to the beach, leaving the girls with the camera.
A short time later I had just taken a fine hammering, and was swimming back to the shore.... : )
Its not often I get to send a text like this;
"Took a Romany out to do some looping, got my arse tanned by the first wave! Full aerial loop 2nd wave, worth the initial hammering"
The intermittent swell was building quite steep sizeable waves, and I encountered a memorable one just where I didn't want to, and it selected me! Luckily, there was a nice collection of folk (including Stuart & son) observing my bedraggled state emptying the boat and clambering hastily back in. As the conditions were ideal for antics, I headed back out, in a better state of readiness.
Timing the next monster to perfection, the kayak shot vertically down the wave face, the bow driving deep into the trough, then as the crest picked the stern up, the bow recovered then thrust forward and upwards and the kayak performed a full aerial loop! I felt the air accelerating past my face for what seemed a very long time... and then the stern touched down, and I was back on the wave heading for the sand...
Alice and Aoibhinn were that busy jiggling up and down and shrieking, that the camera had been forgotten, so neither my education by the 1st wave or exhilaration on the 2nd wave were recorded...A few more delightful forward loops followed on more comfortable waves (still holding some adrenaline pumping power) then after the deck imploded on another white experience, I nursed the swamped sea kayak back to the shore and called it a day : )
Finishing the journey at Peel, where the Adventurous Experiences Truck was waiting to take us back to base.
Heading to Peel for with Alice and Aoibhinn this afternoon, the strong Southerlie wind had produced relatively flat conditions inshore, with some sizeable swell and clean building surf at Fenella Beach,... Quickly grabbing a Romany sea kayak and my kit I joyfully trotted down to the beach, leaving the girls with the camera.
A short time later I had just taken a fine hammering, and was swimming back to the shore.... : )
Its not often I get to send a text like this;
"Took a Romany out to do some looping, got my arse tanned by the first wave! Full aerial loop 2nd wave, worth the initial hammering"
The intermittent swell was building quite steep sizeable waves, and I encountered a memorable one just where I didn't want to, and it selected me! Luckily, there was a nice collection of folk (including Stuart & son) observing my bedraggled state emptying the boat and clambering hastily back in. As the conditions were ideal for antics, I headed back out, in a better state of readiness.
Timing the next monster to perfection, the kayak shot vertically down the wave face, the bow driving deep into the trough, then as the crest picked the stern up, the bow recovered then thrust forward and upwards and the kayak performed a full aerial loop! I felt the air accelerating past my face for what seemed a very long time... and then the stern touched down, and I was back on the wave heading for the sand...
Alice and Aoibhinn were that busy jiggling up and down and shrieking, that the camera had been forgotten, so neither my education by the 1st wave or exhilaration on the 2nd wave were recorded...A few more delightful forward loops followed on more comfortable waves (still holding some adrenaline pumping power) then after the deck imploded on another white experience, I nursed the swamped sea kayak back to the shore and called it a day : )
Back on the river tomorrow
Keirron
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