The Paddler Autumn/Fall issue 2017
The International magazine for recreational paddlers. The best for all paddling watersports including whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, expedition kayaking, canoeing, open canoeing and rafting. All magazines are in excess of 150 pages and absolutely free.
The International magazine for recreational paddlers. The best for all paddling watersports including whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, expedition kayaking, canoeing, open canoeing and rafting. All magazines are in excess of 150 pages and absolutely free.
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<strong>The</strong>PADDLER 82<br />
experienced five days previously. It was now<br />
devoid of snow and the summer-like expanse of<br />
bright blue skies heralded the end of this epic<br />
adventure and the start of our journey home.<br />
I haven't been coached in cadging lifts from<br />
complete strangers but I reckoned that I could<br />
be useful here by pretending to be a damsel in<br />
distress. Adam looked more like a convict on<br />
the run. Six-foot and three inches – unshaven.<br />
You get the picture!<br />
My initial plan was to approach a coach driver in<br />
the car park to ask if we sneak aboard but then I<br />
came up with another plan. Lurk around near<br />
the petrol pumps, find someone with a nice car<br />
who didn't look like a serial killer and politely ask<br />
them if they could take us to Loch Bà.<br />
I noticed a nice looking car with a driver who<br />
was wearing an immaculately pressed pink shirt<br />
and had a mass of white hair. As they refuelled, I<br />
made my move and politely asked, using my best<br />
‘damsel in distress’ tones, if we could possibly<br />
have a lift. Funnily enough, the pink-shirted, bushy<br />
white-haired driver was in fact a very wellspoken<br />
and incredibly kind retired dentist called<br />
Freddie who was on holiday with his partner<br />
Johnny. And that's how we ended up being<br />
chauffeur-driven in a top spec Range Rover<br />
through the wilds of Scotland, back to the<br />
shockingly different Loch Bà, which we had<br />
I'd like to give thanks to a couple<br />
of people<br />
Firstly to Adam ‘Dipsy’ Evans for his excellent<br />
coaching and support with ongoing outrageous<br />
ideas!<br />
I'd also thank to thank Andi Riley for making my<br />
paddlesuit. It's served me very well on all my<br />
expeditions and certainly proved it's worth on<br />
this trip, due to the harsh weather conditions.<br />
DAM-X have been making drysuits for over 20<br />
years now. Generally speaking, their suits last<br />
10+ years and they have a meaningful ‘openended’<br />
warranty. <strong>The</strong> paddlesuits themselves are<br />
custom-made and so are a perfect fit. <strong>The</strong>ir seam<br />
construction is uniquely designed so that<br />
individual damaged sections can be replaced,<br />
rather than having to buy a complete<br />
replacement. Repairs and adjustments are done<br />
extremely quickly, usually within 2-3 days.<br />
As well as making paddlesuits, DAM-X also<br />
produce suits such as worn by scuba divers, by<br />
voluntary and professional rescue services and<br />
also by the British Antarctic Survey Team.<br />
For further details, please feel free to<br />
contact Andi Riley on 01234 267314 or<br />
damwatersports@yahoo.co.uk
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