Kayaking. What a Revelation

May 19, 2010 at 4:07 pm, Category: Business, by marcie

Picture the scene, 13 slightly worse for wear NuBlue employees standing at the edge of a lake, swaying in the breeze (aka gale force winds) at 10.00 am on a Saturday morning, praying that it won’t rain ……. yes that was us lucky chaps last  weekend when we went to Derwent Water for a NuBlue team Kayaking trip.

The day began bright and early at 8 am when we all piled into cars for the drive up to Keswick (in the Lake District for those not up this end of the country).  When I say all, there was a distant lack of contact from one car load of guys who we hoped were on route but secretly believed were still snoozing in bed ( esp. after the ‘heavy night at Hustle’ rumours doing the rounds).  Anyway, after a few choice phone calls, a quick detour for some essential supplies (bacon butties, coffee etc) we were on route……. Derwent Water here we come!

A few wrong turns here and there, a slight mix up with lake locations, and we finally arrived.  At this point the sun was shining, the missing car load of guys had arrived (delay due to ‘car trouble’), and spirits were high. Talk turned to the ‘skills of kayaking ‘in which former white-water canoeist Rob Ellis (Photo 1) gave a riveting speech on the heights and pitfalls of the sport. Soon banter started to flow; challenges were set and bets made. Grumbles were even heard that kayaking would be a piece of cake.  After all how hard could it be……..?

Suited and booted in water proofs, we made our way to the lake to meet the Platty Limited team; our kayaking instructors (and later saviours).  After a short safety brief from the Platty team (don’t drown, don’t hit each other with paddles etc), we life jacketed up, wielded our paddles, jumped in the kayaks and into the water we went! First challenge, reach the yellow buoy 500 m away. Off we sped (well Rob Ellis anyway), paddles clashing, kayaks bumping and cheers from the more excitable members of the group (Photo 2). So far so good!

As we left the shallows, going into deeper water (the lake is 22 m deep FACT) I started to register that Kayaking wasn’t as easy as previously assumed. My thoughts soon turned to;

1. It’s really windy,

2. Should there be waves (and by waves I means WAVES) on a lake?

3. Why am I drifting out at right angle away from the group?

4) Turn, turn, TURN!

5. **** I can’t turn and

6. (By far the most alarming) I’m wobbling, I’m wobbling! Panic quickly set in (which meant I began to wobble more), and soon I was really far away from the rest of the group.

Luckily, for me, one of the instructors heard my girlish screams and splashed to the rescue (Photo 3). ‘This is how you turn’ he said and proceeded to demonstrate the technique for turning left and right in a kayak……20 minutes later, and with me still no closer to mastering (the extremely difficult technique), Adam the instructor (yes we were on first name terms now) conceded defeat, gave me a shove in the right direction and said ‘just paddle forward’. Phewww close shave!

Roughly 300 m away Joseph Le Brech was in even more kayaking trouble than myself.  Unfortunately for Joseph, as the instructors had been busy trying to help a rather inept kayaker from floating off at right angles to the rest of the group, Joseph’s floundering had gone largely unnoticed. Along came a big wave, he wobbled, there was a splash and into the water Joe went. 1 down 12 to go……….

Finally, (after Joe was helped back into his Kayak and paddled like a man possessed) we reached the buoy.  Next challenge, paddle to the big orange buoy 900m away (get where this is going). By now most people had begun to get/got the hang of kayaking. I however, was still having trouble turning (and/or not crashing into other kayaks), and many people…. Jane, were finding it quite strenuous/ difficult with the wind. We reached the buoy and it was on to the next one……. damn this was hardcore!

The last stop on our ‘fun-filled’ excursion up the lake was St Herberts Island (the biggest Island on Derwent Water). The lake in total is 4.8 km long. However, after taking 1.5 h to paddle about 3 km, the instructors rightly called that we should have rest on the Island and go back. We all parked up our kayaks, rung out our socks (or in Joe’s case trousers, t shirt etc) and caught our breath (Photos 4 and 5).  It was at this time that Adam told us two memorable facts: A the Platty team wouldn’t usually take anyone other than a fairly experienced adult group out on water this choppy (me experienced ) and  B going back (the wind behind us) will be easy and take 30 mins top (lies all lies)!

With a renewed sense of vigour we set back of.  Scampi and chips 30 mins and counting…….. The guys sped off (thanks). However, 100 m from the island Jane and I were having a ‘mare’!  I was unable to stop turning 360^O (I know the irony), and it was only a matter of time before Jane (who was floating sideways back to the island) did a Joseph and went in!  To make matters worse in the distance a boat was speeding right towards us and I was pretty sure they had no intention of stopping. Could they not see me in my highly visible red kayak?

After a few angry shouts of ‘change course’ and ‘you’re going to hit me’ combined with some paddle gesturing, the realisation dawned……it was the guys from Platty coming to the rescue. Thank goodness, hang on Jane!   The boat also had onboard another rather wet and miserable looking inhabitant; Ewan Macleod. Ewan went to on to explain that down the other end of the lake it had all gone rather ‘Pete Tong’ and people were drowning right, left and centre (a slight exaggeration on Mr Macleod’s part). He himself had fallen into the water twice, losing his glasses (yes he couldn’t see) and camera in the process……. most expensive kayaking trip ever! Michael Ashworth had also gone into the water and was last seen clinging to the front of Rob Ellis’s Kayak with Mr. Ellis trying to pry him off with his paddle…….  Panic over though, we all made it back to shore (some more wet than others) and the day was capped off with some much needed pub grub. Final score: Derwent Water 3- Nublue team 10!