Second day back, first day on the water!
The last three months I have been lucky enough to be immersed in a completely different way of life and culture: volunteering in a rural village in Nepal. Although this was incredible, it was tough being out of a boat for so long, especially in a country that is known for its white water! This is the longest I have ever been out of a kayak, possibly ever!
Returning home, I was very excited at the thought of getting back on the water, getting in lots of kayaking, and also as I had a brand new carbon waiting! Mixed in with the excitement, there was also a tinge of apprehension; that I wouldn’t like the boat, kayaking would feel different, even that I may not enjoy it as much.
However, as soon as I was on the Thames and doing the short paddle over to Hurley, it all began to feel quite natural. Although my outfitting isn’t where I want it to be, the boat felt great. Unlike the water that was mind numbingly cold! My new boat, a small plus 2014 Rockstar, is significantly sharper, lighter and more rigid than my old plastic, which meant moves felt easier despite my time off the water.
On the wave, although things felt a little rusty, it did not feel as odd as I expected and was soon beginning to feel completely at home. Holding back a little because of the cold, I mainly tried spins and roundhouses to warm up, but soon having taken numerous rolls, pushed on to blunts and even accidentally tried a few pan ams (which resulted in a face full of freezing water!).
The combination of jet lag, the cold and having not paddled in a while, meant the session was shorter than usual but it was still awesome to get back on the water and in a boat!
The last three months I have been lucky enough to be immersed in a completely different way of life and culture: volunteering in a rural village in Nepal. Although this was incredible, it was tough being out of a boat for so long, especially in a country that is known for its white water! This is the longest I have ever been out of a kayak, possibly ever!
Returning home, I was very excited at the thought of getting back on the water, getting in lots of kayaking, and also as I had a brand new carbon waiting! Mixed in with the excitement, there was also a tinge of apprehension; that I wouldn’t like the boat, kayaking would feel different, even that I may not enjoy it as much.
However, as soon as I was on the Thames and doing the short paddle over to Hurley, it all began to feel quite natural. Although my outfitting isn’t where I want it to be, the boat felt great. Unlike the water that was mind numbingly cold! My new boat, a small plus 2014 Rockstar, is significantly sharper, lighter and more rigid than my old plastic, which meant moves felt easier despite my time off the water.
On the wave, although things felt a little rusty, it did not feel as odd as I expected and was soon beginning to feel completely at home. Holding back a little because of the cold, I mainly tried spins and roundhouses to warm up, but soon having taken numerous rolls, pushed on to blunts and even accidentally tried a few pan ams (which resulted in a face full of freezing water!).
The combination of jet lag, the cold and having not paddled in a while, meant the session was shorter than usual but it was still awesome to get back on the water and in a boat!
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