Getting started

The reason I had decided to start my blog was my disappointment at not getting out paddling at the weekend due to an abundance of the white stuff - no not milk, just masses of snow. It would have been my first trip as a 4* sea leader.
I sat my assessment at the beginning of November in near perfect weather conditions! We were staying at Inchree with the course being run by Glenmore Lodge. We started off with a gentle breeze under the Ballachulish bridge where we started with a bit of edging, turning and questions. We then headed out under the bridge to the bay. We had an outgoing tide with a westerly wind (no longer a breeze!) which meant it was no longer nice and calm. The waves (and wind) started getting a bit bigger. Out in the middle of the bay, still doing our personal paddling skills, we were now towing in big waves. This was a tad tiring, me being a little old Grandma towing two big blokes. Further out in the bay and we were now crossing to the north shore. By this time we were paddling over our remit. It was blowing a hooley, the waves were now huge, and we were having a whale of a time!
Next day we met our two guinea pigs and our days paddling was in Loch Ailort. Again we were expecting (and got) strong westerly winds, so rather than paddling out to the bothy at Peanmeanach as we had planned, we found a sun trap on one of the islands. From there we watched otters playing on the next bit of rock.
It was a really tiring, but thoroughly enjoyable couple of days paddling. I've no photos to go with this as I reckon I was too busy concentrating on doing things right, rather than making sure everyone was posing and smiling for my camera.

Yep, still snowed in!

I'm now sitting at home, still snowed in, but I'm still being busy. I've decided to have a go at making myself a storm cag. I've got waterproof material from the year dot and made a paper pattern. I'll let you know how it goes. It might end up looking like a green garden sack!