Back on the High Sea! (Well........low canal anyway)

Friday afternoon saw me slide out of work as soon as I could and I legged it home to get changed, get the Drama Queen strapped to the roof of the car before driving to last week's start point (I still don't know the number of that bloody bridge - I should have looked but I forgot) between South Kilworth and Welford.

It was another beautiful day - a day that reminded me very much of those balmy summer days when I was a kid - very still, very hot - the sleep of the still waters interrupted only by the frantic darting about of insects - dragon flies, damsel flies and pond skidders and water boatmen - it was simply lovely. I unleashed the Drama Queen and carried her down to the water's edge. There was none of the fuss that I'd experienced last week - after all I was an experienced kayaker now (hmmm) - I stepped into the spray deck and stepped off the canal side, sylph-like, and into the kayak. Well okay, that's not quite true - it took me a minute or two of grunting, sweating, pushing and shoving to get in, but it certainly wasn't the drama it had been last time. Feeling rather pleased with myself, I attached the rim of the spray deck and paddled, confidently, southward towards Yelvertoft. I felt like a kayaker, not like some greenhorn who'd just hired a splashcat on Southport lake! It was a wonderful moment. But then, I'm easily pleased.

This southbound stretch of the Grand Union was, in my view, much more beautiful - lush and green - than the northbound section I'd paddled the previous trip. It reminded me of the the lazy river at Disneyworld (as daft as that may sound) but it really did feel quite jungle-like (possibly it was the heat combined with the hum of insects and the lush, high greenery) as I meandered slowly along the canal. I paddled effortlessly along and it was a good half hour before I saw a single soul - a couple of souls actually who passed me in the opposite direction aboard their narrow boat, he at the helm and her lying on deck sunning herself in a bikini. Timmy (their small mongrel) ran to the bow to yap at me. I waved my paddle in greeting as we passed. The bikini clad lady sat up on her elbows and gave me a nice smile - she had long blond hair pulled up into a pony tail and her bikini was pink with a small yellow stripe - not sure what he looked like but I think he waved.

I'm occasionally reminded of the movie 'Deliverance', where some paddlers are attacked by some backwater bumpkins who are completely mad - possibly through interbreeding - indeed, some of the paddlers are even murdered by these deformed lunatics. Thankfully, I didn't come across any characters such as these........

I carried on for another half hour before coming across a fisherman - I stopped paddling and asked if I could come through. He reeled in his float and hook and waved me through. As I passed I was delighted as he called me a polite kayaker. I'd read some horror stories on blogs about fishermen and kayakers and how they have become natural enemies - vying for the same patches of water, unable to co-exist. I'm not sure what the reality of the relationship really is, but I don't think it costs anything to be polite and this particular fisherman appreciated it, so I paddled on feeling contented with the world. An hour and a half into my paddle and I begrudgingly turned back and headed back towards the car. I passed two, possible three more narrowboats at most - one particular one caught my eye, and ears, as it approached me - there were half a dozen lads in their 20's on board, drinking beer on deck as loud rock music pounded out from the living quarters. I heard one shout to his mates, 'Ramming Speed Captain' as he spotted me and for a moment my heart sank as I thought there may be a confrontation, but they were good natured and polite as they waved and said hello as I paddled past. It really was a lovely afternoon and my confidence in my paddling stroke and ability to manoeuvre as narrow boats passed was growing by the minute - I was surprised at how quickly the Drama Queen could progress as I increased the pace of my forward stroke - I even passed a narrow boat travelling in the same direction at one point, although it caught up with me a few minutes later as I drifted, exhausted, gently alongside the reed banks of the canal.

I got back to the land rover at about quarter past five and lashed the Drama Queen to the roof and headed back to Lutterworth - I had to pick Dawn up from work at quarter to six.

So that was my second outing - a beautiful three hour paddle on a lovely summer's day. I've attached a few photo's. Not sure where I'm going next, but I'll keep you posted.

Russ