With storm Gina building at home my SUP on the Grand Western is likely to be shelved; an opportunity for new exploration.
Ventford falls
The Falls are well known but outside of 365, and so were a new location for me, about a year ago. The idea of a valley top Bench Tor to Mel Tor via the river has appealed for some time.
The upper Dart chasm.
Descending, abseils jump out at you, crying to be rapped. The Dart could rush with increased flow, making for an exciting transit. Downstream the classic swim spots – clogged up from below – will inevitably be quiet.
Unmarked tracks through the woods
A new type of ‘Southern States’ soft-touch canyoneering could emerge. Against the roar of the Dart an exciting destination awaits.
With the end date for Covid19 discussed and easing of some restrictions it is time for some refection. My thoughts focus on boxes, faces and places.
Dunnabridge darkness
In the first phase of lockdown I realised that school could take over and the screen rule my life. Teams was forced upon on us and those basic rules of teaching thrown out; without consideration, suddenly, we were filming children!
I needed balance, time away from screen; an escape Pod. My shed became a man [outdoorsman] cave. My breaks consisted of brewing up outdoors and I was lighting fires in the garden!
Deary me
The outdoors became a haven. Apps were culled, facebook thinned but groups increased in importance.
I resurrected a few older group, trees, gates and made new friends, with common interests, on Messenger. One group piqued a real interest. There was something about the red postboxes and enough engineering and recent monarchical history to drive a new interest. I joined the LBSG, learnt how to collate the relative data and now survey them too.
The interest, of course was simply a stripped-down exploration. Adventure without an event. I maximised the local boxes, explored further afield and can now spot a special at 100 yards.
Haywood, oldest on mainland Britain [Dorset]
Between lockdowns life returned. The additional of a pop up loo meant I was self contained with tent and food box. I explored pubs outside, headed to the moor and slept in friends fields.
A pseudo normality returned, not of deep adventure but of light exploration. Rules were to be upheld but subvented.
With half term included SilvaBeck entered my life and she inspired river adventures under sail and pole too; new adventures.
The Stour, a new river.
The second lockdown bought a new normality. Blended learning insisted on masked face to face alongside filmed and recorded teaching. A nightmare in planning. Set the bar low and exceed daily.
A new preoccupation blossomed. Fingerposts. I got involved in the cast signs of Somerset and Dorset [I am close to the border] and the theft of a Cornish sign led to me petitioning local dignitaries. Again, this was a momentary obsession. A means to step out, explore, eventure.
Lovely annulus
Half term in the Trinity term was a run to Lancashire and the Lakes; new friends, old friend, rediscovered faces. My grey became a badge of rediscovery; things had changed but genuine relationships are indeed face to face.
Film locations, ghyll scrambles, board games, old pubs, days in the canyon with my son; all became the new and rediscovered currency.
Nether Beck
The adventure had shifted centre stage again. The journey no longer driven by boxes and posts. Duke of Edinburgh up on the Moor, SUPping on the canal, sailing up to float down the river. Activity ruled again, and the cut back, trimmed down social media disappeared behind the curtain.
And so what of proper post lockdown? Wales and Lakes and Woodland edging are all planned. Nuttalls will re-emerge and Dartmoor Pints and pubs. SUPping the leats of the moor? Scrambling on Leather Tor and then the long promise of snow.
Solstice has come and gone but a wet one swelled the rivers, a promise of a watery wander.
SUPping has increased in popularity through lockdown but there are some pitfalls. Cheap boards are available and the kit is easy to assemble but pumping up, especially with an electric pump is time consuming and noisy.
Begin kneeling.
I headed to the Grand Western Canal. This is a lovely rural, waterway and a licence is required. After some time thinking about the hazards we suited up and got wet; water confidence first.
Part two, stood
Keeping the paddle on one side, draw this through the water, noting that the nose moves away from it. Then leave it on that side to create drag and shift the nose back toward the normal.
Once confidence builds, stand.
Using the T end
I asked my assistant for some SWaNS:
Strengths – Balance and balls … she had guts.
Weaknesses – direction; she wandered a little but lack of a skeg didn’t help.
Next Steps – strength. This is developed through practise. The repetitive good paddle strokes help to set the automated culture so,the head can be lifted and direction felt. We will return soon, with a canoe next time, as these are canoeing skills, primarily.
Alicemark 