West Coast Kayak Challenge

This is not a reference to the west coast of New Zealand  but to the west coast of  Scotland so this post will appear on both this blog and on my Eagleton Notes Blog too.  It would be so much easier if I had just one blog!  When I started this blog, however,  I had no idea that I would end up living here for more than just one or two summers.

This is about a journey to be made by a friend of Andy, our son who died of cancer on the 4 June 2006.  Bruce Jolliffe starts today,  Monday UK time, on a 313 miles by sea kayak from Largs to Stornoway where Andy was brought up.   The aim is to raise lots of cash for the Royal Marsden in London, (where Andy was treated), the Beatson in Glasgow (where, coincidentally I was treated) and RNLI, (The Royal National Lifeboat Institution) in Andy's  memory.  The expedition is self funded. All donations go to the causes. The expedition will update via Facebook, Twitter and website - West Coast Kayak Challenge (with GPS).

Kayaking

James and Yuko took me under their wing on Monday.  I had never been kayaking and the opportunity to wander up the Waimapu River at Tauranga was one not to be missed.  It was not, I have to admit, executed without incident.

Setting off upstream

Recent floods have left the river blocked in places and careful negotiation of the hazards was needed

At the end of the journey was a huge swimming hole with a rope swing between the (very high) trees

Which both of the youngsters tried - I didn't!

Returning - a quiet journey.  Almost......

On the return journey we had to negotiate a couple of fallen trees which were blocking all but about a metre of the river which it was possible to get man and kayak through successfully with a very small area adjacent where the tree was out of the water sufficiently for a kayak to pass but not the occupant however low he or she should lean back.  I was, of course, the one who managed to misjudge the fast-flowing current sufficiently to go under the low bit and consequently end up in the water.  The river was deeper than I was tall with a very steep adjacent bank so I had to swim for the other side. Next time I'll wear togs!  Fortunately James and Yuko rescued the kayak and brought it over to me.  The weather was so hot that the rest of the journey was actually rather pleasant.

The photos were taken by James with whom copyright rests.