Finally!

12th December 2009

Paddling the other bit of the 'Mac'

Look at the link for the earlier trip.

Now, after having not being able to paddle because of the horrendous back trouble I've suffered all the autum/winter this year, I was exited to be finally heading out with the boats on the roof.

We had loaded the boats the previous night, so managed to get away nice and early for a 1 hour drive over to Congelton.

We started this time as far South as we could at Bosely Top Lock. When we got out of the car it was absolutely freezing, although to our surprise, there was no ice to break on the canal.

Completely flat water on the canal is very different to the sea, but it was so good to be back in the kayak. I would have to go steady, and test the situation with the old back carefully.

Its was good to know Dad was with me, if I'd had a problem with the old back, I'd have needed a tow.


Once on the water the back felt as good as it had ever been, this picture was taken with a new setting I found on the camera.


Hovis Mill, Macclesfield. It made brown bread in its hey-day, now its flats!


The near-perfect still water gave some brilliant photographic oppertunities.

On the way back we took a rest here, behind Dad in this picture was a bus depot, and nearby a council vehicle park. In front was a main railway, and above the flight path from Manchester airport, of course we were sat on the canal, transport through the ages!


We waited......and waited.....and finally a train came past for this photo, there's probably a plane in the sky somewhere.

If you look closley at my kayak deck, you can see the bow is starting to freeze up. It only did it in the starage area's at the front and back. I presume the heat I was now starting to loose was preventing this.


At Bridge 49 on the way back there was a que of cars waiting to join the main road.

Just near to the end, the sun had dissapeared, and the temperature had really plummeted.
We got out, got changed and went back to the waters edge for the boats, it was absolutely baltic now, and whilst the sea is a dangerous place, I think here would have been a very uncomfortable place to be if we were much later.

A weekend in a Napoleonic fortress

Fri 13th November to Sunday 15th


Still no paddling

Fort Belan guards the entrance to the Menia Straights just South of Caernarfon, it was constructed in the late 1800's to thwart any invasion by the French, fortunately they never got this far North





Standing right on the waters edge, it looked as if it were possible to throw a stone over to the Angelsey side! The standing waves out side on the South flowing tide were amazing just here.





When we arrived the weather was stormy, and extremely wet!
FRUIT-SHOE???

The pebble beach Just South East of the Fort was littered with plastic rubbish, most of which seemed to be fruit shoot bottles.




Some of the guys from Sheffield canoe club braved the weather on Saturday afternoon, and managed to complete a Fort B to Bangor trip! They went with the flow of course, but even so, a very challenging trip up the straights.




On Saturday night we had fireworks, some of which were fired from the canons!



On Sunday after packing up, we headed up to Puffin Island which is situated off the Northwest of the Straights. As I was not paddling (on my physio's advice) I ended up having a cream tea, how civilised!
Puffin Island looked very inviting, will definately return here when the back is better.
With regard to my back....We (phsyio and myself)decided, that whilst it does seem strong enough to go paddling, it might not be a good idea to test that theory in the sea! I will be going on a canal trip very soon to try things out.
Watch this space.