Walter's World Tour

Well a couple of photos to show off Walter's new kit. He couldn't decide on a brand for the tent so wound up with a "Hard Jack Diamond Mountain Face" tent. Seasoned campers will note the absence of a flysheet and for that matter doors. He seems happy with my explaination that ventilated single skin non-geodesic tents are the coming big thing. The self inflating " Thermarest" was achieved by gluing a bicycle tube valve into a piece of closed cell foam - he seems happy enough and to be fair it works at least as well as my Thermarest Pro-lite. We also managed a Walter sized LED lantern but so far the multifuel stove is proving elusive.

 

Well finally got a date for collecting the new boats - Friday 24th July - which is the start of the school holiday and therefore a bit disappointing to be delayed but if yoiu pick an individually produced boat from a very small company you just have to relax to elastic delivery times. Hoping to have a few days paddling in Wales when we get the boats and fit in a trip to Scotland or maybe Dorset before we are back to Milos at the end of September.

Walter has aquired a new sleeping mat and is badgering me to finish his tent a.s.a.p. - hope all his kit will fit in the 6litre hatch he has allocated in my boat.

Well back from Athens yesterday - garden like jungle except for front grass which Andrew had kindly cut. Pretty hot in Athens at 36oC but visited museum and Acropolis and an exhibition of works by Escher.

Kayak trip was as good as expected did on 3 day mini "expedition " round Kimilos by ourselves and had a fairly hairy Force 5 return trip and did a further 13 day trips with Rod.

Booked to return in October for a 7 day / 6 night expedition around Milos & Kimilos.

Some photos on Picasa from Rod's CD more to follow when uploaded.

Well two weeks into our trip to Milos - Ross & Sarah and Andrew due to arrive this weekend. We are just back from a 3 day mini "expedition" around Kimilos. A bit hairy in the force 5 back accross the straights but great fun camping on the beach and generally tootling about. Saw a couple of Turtles which was a first. Saw dolphins on two occasions last week. Temp circa 31 degrees and sunny which makes a nice change.

Back off to Holyhead to finalise all the details of the new boats before we set off for Milos next week - really looking forward to getting a whole months paddling in - build up the muscles and improve the technique before the new boats arrive. Try to practice the rolling until it's "bombproof" - more likely in warm water.

Well Walter is back from Wales having been to Anglesey to place an order for the first two of a fleet of new sea kayaks for his burgeoning guiding enterprise.This is a brand new low volume " Isel" which we decided against. The Yellow boat is the GT which I have ordered and the more observant reader will see it's a double for Walter and me - he has the little cockpit just ahead of mine. Sandra is on the water in the demo Alaw Bach which she has ordered - colour yet to be decided. Due to be ready a couple of weeks after we get back from Greece.

Well back from Fort William  - glad we didn't camp, very mixed weather but cold and windy with occasional horizontal rain , nice warm B & B on the shore of Loch Linnie much nicer. Did a trip on Loch Leven and visited the Burial Isle of the McDonalds of Glencoe - Walter was disappointed there were no burgers or fries. The next day was down to Loch Moidart & Castle Tioram and a play on the rapids where the river Shiel flows into the sea - in theory you do a braced turn into the flow in a controlled manner , in practice you stick your nose in and boat goes wherever it gets pushed ,if you stay upright you've won. A long padde on Loch Linnie on the last trip and some sunshine and Sandra had a close encounter with a seal. I had a float around in the new dry suit and it was alot less  unpleasant than a wet suit.

Probably going to splurge the last of the savings on two new boats - see www.rockpool for details-tried a few boats at the "Paddlefest" in Nottingham  and rather fell for the carbon fibre versions - 17Kg for a 16ft boat.

Well can't wait till May to go kayaking so busy sorting a trip to Fort William the week before Easter for a few days tuition and genaral touring about with our instructor friend Leonie - I'm game to camp but Sandra thinks drying the kit would be too difficult , going to try for a camping barn or similar - spare places on offer if anyone's interested but do need your own boat!

Well back from Austria and for once no shortage of snow - we did ski every day but 3 of the days were pretty dire in terms of visibility and it was very cold - down to minus 24oC at the highest points and minus 17 or so at 2000 metres, add in the wind chill effect and you really need those thermal layers. Snow was excellent because of cold there was no melting / refreezing going on - like skiing through a big pile of talcum powder. Hotel was good and only metres from three different lifts and possible to ski back almost to the door but a bit out of the main group of hotels in village - bugger all there anyway - maybe a bit quiet if you like a raucous apre ski scene.

Photos on Picasa.