Flexitime, vastly underrated.
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| Easy start |
Today as lunchtime accelerated towards me I realised that I could clear the most important stuff and take a cheeky half day, high tide at Lopwell Dam was just before 3 and the forecast was wet but not too much wind. Plenty of time on my clock so put in for the afternoon off and get out just before 1. At the dam by half past inflating the board in the rain to the amusement of pensioners taking shelter in their cars.
Hardly a breath of wind as I set of, now in sunshine. Perfect. Flat calm and a slight sidewind as I paddled easily down river against the slackening tide. Odd drop of rain not dampening my spirits, not a soul in sight, exactly as I like it. Just the sound of wildlife on the land and fish jumping all around me.
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| New bag, new shoes. No Scottish singers. |
Perfect until Blaxton Creek, ran aground there for the first time, a 4.5m tide and a big fin conspiring against me but never mind, paddle out a bit. And carry on around the corner.
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| Approaching Blaxton Creek. Getting dark. |
Here is where Mother Nature decided to throw a curve ball at me. As soon as I turned parallel to the bank in deeper water I was shoved sideways by a very strong gust of wind, I stayed on the board but was quickly moving the wrong way. Then I noticed it was getting dark.
Regain composure and turn into the wind which was now whipping across the river.
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| Kneel down paddle board. |
Wind increasing and I'm staying still despite putting my back into it. Drop to knees and start to progress but slowly, in mid river now and thinking that the BBC really should work harder at weather forecasting. Notice that I'm passing downriver of Bere Ferrers, which had been 'the plan' but not quite like this. The wind pushing me downstream faster than I could cross.
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| Like swimming but fractionally dryer. |
Still not getting anywhere with me acting as a sail negating the paddling effort so nothing for it but to get flat and use my arms. Freestyle paddle was doing nothing more than an elaborate zigzag so head down and 'fly. Not done that much fly in years, and my shoulders are reminding me of that now. A couple of minutes sprint and I'm close enough to the bank to get out of the wind. Phew. And then the sun came out.
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| Squall passing. |
Obviously the plan now had to change, with more big black clouds around paddling further down river would't have been smart and the low high tide wouldn't have made that much fun anyway
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| Blue boat, needs some TLC |
so I headed back up river, just pottering amongst the fish looking at the scenery, a great way to spend a few hours aimlessly drifting up and down the river occasionally feeling the mud grab the paddle blade.
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| Small harbour near Bere Ferrers |
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| Old boat house? |
Got back to the weir, not enough water to cross the submerged footbridge so turn to the slipway towards a small group of pensioners, they'd been walking on the bank and watching me paddle and were fascinated by the board. They quickly worked out that the rudder would oppose paddling effort but didn't believe the board was inflatable until I let her down and rolled her up much to their amusement.
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| Bit shallow. |
Great afternoon out.
