Never stop learning

Yeah...I know it's lifeboat week, and I'm duty bound to be in Swanage in the thick of it. However, for a variety of reasons, I have in fact ended up way up North in Scotland visiting family. Whilst here, I decided that I would try to escape and finally gain myself some sort of kayaking qualifications (BCU 3 star award).

To this end, I spent yesterday in the company of a certain Gordon Brown (no...not that one!), mostly upside down in the water, immediately under the new road bridge joining Skye to the mainland.

Gordon runs a company called Skyakadventures which is a Kayak guiding and coaching company based on the Isle of Skye. Gordon is rightly regarded as something of a Kayak guru and I have to say, I certainly felt yesterday that I was in the presence of some kind of 'Yoda' type character.
During the 8 or so hours I spent with Gordon (and fellow pupil Alan), I learnt more than I had ever thought possible about how to control my boat and myself out there on the water. Today I feel stiff and quite aware that I have used muscles which have not been used for some time. Also that I need to spend a great more time in my boat and out on the water. Fantastic!

So, for those of you with an interest in kayaking: if you are ever in the market for some coaching or guiding, make sure you look up Gordon and his partner Morag, I doubt that you could do any better. Thanks Gordon...

Do or do not. There is no try.
(Yoda)