The
Scottish Canoe Association puts on one incredibly impressive kayak / paddling show! We attended the first of two days of the
"Paddle 2013" at the Bells Sports Centre in Perth, Scotland. Paddling is big here. Of course, with an astonishing 10,000 kms or 6,000 miles of coastline, the country is a world-class venue for sea kayaking. The mighty River Tay, the longest river in Scotland and the largest in the United Kingdom by volume of discharge, runs through this lovely city. Whitewater paddlers can be seen to be perpetually smiling too!
It was a pleasure to attend two hour-long presentations, one by legendary
Gordon Brown and
Simon Willis. Gordon premiered parts of
Volume 3 of his DVD series,
Sea Kayak. Valuable tips and guidance on navigation, rolling, and dealing with emergencies will make this another "must have" in every kayaker's home. The second presentation we attended was given by
Scott Burton, a Church of Scotland minister, here in Perth. Scott is an accomplished whitewater paddler and author and gave an excellent talk on the "Spirituality of Kayaking". No matter what our beliefs, most of us who paddle know very well the connection paddling has to something very deep within the human spirit. Indeed, kayaking can be a metaphor for life in so many ways.
As for boats, gear and kit, ideas and possibilities..."Paddle 2013" in Perth, Scotland, has it all!
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| Paddling analysis by multiple cameras. |
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| The possible shape and construction of a Bronze Age paddle boat. |
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| Same craft, 2013 materials. |
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| When a paddle is a work of art...so beautiful. |
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| Truly, "epic"! |
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| Colourful kayaks and autumn colours in Perthshire - a lovely combination! |
A small taste, of an inspiring event.
Cheers,
Duncan.
Ah a perfect event for you...you'll soon have to get out on the water over there and test out that North Sea :)
ReplyDeleteL
Yes, L, it was a nice blend of a lot of things. I think we've missed the "window" this time but next time for sure. Thanks for your words. Warm wishes. D.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the show D & J, we found that things just caught up with us this weekend so didn't make it this time. As for the paddling window - that may still be possible! :o)
ReplyDeleteKind regards
Thanks for that, Ian, yes we enjoyed it very much. Really enjoyed your posting on the rocks. We need you to give us that "guided walk" so we know what on earth (literally) we're looking at. :) Warm wishes to you and Linda. Duncan and Joan.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the show. I spoke to the Sun and Sea decals, they said you had been to their stand. We arrived later after helping with safety on a rather good trip down the river - fast and bumpy - great stuff!
ReplyDeleteIt was excellent, Sarah, thank you. Sounds like you had an exciting journey down the river to get there! Well done! Duncan.
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