:: splashing out

It's a couple of years since I did any sailing and I really miss it. So I've been casting around for a water-based activity that won't be too hard on my poor old knees. I've long had a hankering to try scuba diving, but in the end the complexity of equipment, not to mention all the folderol of getting out to divable depths etc etc, is offputting. I'd probably end up only doing it on holidays, when what I really want is something I can do for a couple of hours on a whim.

So the latest thing I'm looking at is canoing or kayaking. I had a good talk to a chap in the Bosun's Locker shop at the marina and am just about ready to buy something. But it's so hard to decide! The cheapest option is a sit-on plastic kayak, but you wouldn't be able to do longer excursions on that; it's really just a fine-day fun thing. The next size of sit-on would be better. Then there are the kayaks and sea kayaks, which are more expensive but have more storage space and are good for longer trips.

My idea would be to keep the boat in the shed and trundle it to the slipway (you can get a lovely little set of wheels) when I fancied a spin. Eventually I could get a roofrack for the car and take it on holiday. I'd start out just doing a couple of hours pottering up and down the river close to home, but I'd like to work up to proper excursions, up to Blackness for example.

But obviously I would like to test-drive a kayak before shelling out £350+ for all the kit. The chandlers offers a quick turn around the bit of harbour immediately by the shop, but I want more like half a day to be sure it's for me. Today I talked to Iain about it - he's one of the instructors at the sailing school. He said I may be able to hire a kayak from them, but I'd have to talk to Ollie, the head of the sailing school. Happily I bumped into him a bit later; he wasn't as enthusiastic as Iain though (to be fair, it's hard to imagine anyone as enthusiastic as Iain - he's a one-off!). He cited safety rules etc etc, said they don't normally hire kayaks to individuals. He suggested taking a course. So I picked up a brochure and they have a weekend course for beginners, and a weekend sea kayaking course. That's the one for me, I reckon: "paddling, self-rescue, navigation and passage planning". You need "3 or 4 days' minimum experience", which I have - albeit from nearly 20 years ago; I did a week-long trip down the Wanganui back in the late 80s. I may do both courses, just to be sure.


This is the Necky Sky, which is a small "recreational" kayak. I like the look of it, though it wouldn't be suitable for longer trips. It doesn't have any storage space, just the bungee cords. You can fit a hatch, but it's a faff. The ones that are for longer trips are bigger, heavier and more expensive.



This is the cheapest option, an Ocean Kayak Frenzy - it's purely a fun boat. If I decide against kayaking long-distance, this would be nice for just the occasional splash around in a loch or river on a nice day.

The Bosuns Locker also sells inflatable kayaks, but I'd be too nervous of springing a leak to go far in one of those! Though the salesman said they are very sturdy and surprisingly good to paddle.

In other news: apparently our jobs are safe for at least a year. We had been very nervous as the axe swung in other departments - something our new owners call "synergy". But we have been assured there will be no cuts in our numbers.

Meanwhile I'm looking forward to hosting Margie, Jean and Rachel during their OE. They are in Spain at the moment and get here at the beginning of June. Hurrah!

Faye is still looking for work up here - she has an interview for one in Edinburgh that offers just a couple of days a week, which would be a start.

I'd better get ready for work!