To go or not to go ?

Work pressure has meant a quiet paddling summer, loads more people have now completed the Circ nav. Me and Eurion have not paddled together for months. I have spent the last ten days in my boat, level two training and 4 star assessment preparation. Paddled with Lee pooley the other day a man set to smash the record next spring. Can I get it together and live the dream ?..........
Keep your doubts to yourself I have enough of my own. I am finding my mojo again. Cost, time and motivation ? I have got to give it a serious go otherwise I will never forgive myself it is there for the having..... why not have it ?

Shortly after my last blog entry I received a call from my father who told me matter of fact that doctors had found a growth in his liver the size of an orange. Being an up beat kind of a fella he then told me how he planned to beat fight and shrink this cancer.

Fight it he did ! Sadly he died on the 29th March . In an effort to sustain his life he even gave permission for doctors to amputate his leg shortly before he passed. Its been a brutal  4 months for my Mum and family. Finishing what you started was my old mans big thing. As well as arriving at Southampton general by helicopter and telling everybody about it he was very proud of my around Wales kayak expedition and all the nurses were told about my plans to kayak  around the UK.

The New start date for our trip is March 29th 2013. We are watching and learning from all the good people on the water at the moment. Myself and Eurion are now back in serious preparation. This one is for you Dad.

Logo me up !

What do you think ? Coming to a beach near you very soon !

And 

Getting it together....

With kick off only a few months away  Eurion and myself are taking turns to travel to each other so we can train together. Living miles away this sometimes involves new experiences. I travelled to South Wales from mine in London for a few days of poor weather, warm hospitality, good food , big waves, cold rescue practise  and  the worst stand up comedy ever.

Eight months back I was stuck here at Rest Bay on a circumnavigation of Wales getting off this time was tough too.

Surfing and rolling

I had to roll a fair few times but was glad not to swim. Eurion did not have to roll or swim !
More practise in surf needed for me...

Eurion then travelled down to me for some very cold urban paddling . After a curry and some Expedition planning we made an early start for a 50k around trip to Greenwich. Amongst others we met up with and paddled with Michal & Natalie Madera  who are also attempting a circumnavigation this spring. Both looked at the top of their game and were very friendly.http://homeseahome.com/

Eurion had never paddled on the Tideway and would not put his camera away

RNLI Chiswick

Lunch (pic from Jason Paul Tolmie)



Kit sorted now training ......

Boats  kit and tent sorted now its time to train and train hard.  Eurion and myself live 150 miles apart so we have put together a few dates where we are going to put ourselfs under a bit of pressure. The first one is in two weeks time in South Wales Eurions playground.  Here he is  last weekend putting himself and his new kit to the test.

Living on the Thames and not having my new kit yet my training is somewhat different !

well I did say this was going to be an honest account!

Kit lists and Boats!

Have packed off my boat to P and H for a face lift and I am lost without her, She took some serious abuse on my last expedition around Wales so a factory refit was in order. Currently training in a plastic one which I am still enjoying but its not the same.
Putting together a full kit list - How hard can that be ?  Mums words "A fool and his money are soon parted"  spring to mind . Did i really just see a £650 price tag on a two man tent £300 for a sleeping bag £350 paddle £300 radio........

It all starts with an idea ! And a partner

Having advertised for a committed partner on the web Eurion made all the right noises. We met for the first time at the SW Canoe show in Exeter . We got on well but there was a fair deal of sizing each other up. Could we get on over 2700 miles around the coast ? Could there be anyone more enthusiastic about this venture than me? Two strangers taking on such a mission could it work ? Did he think I was capable ? Did I think he was capable. I got a very positive feeling even before we paddled together but paddle together we must so we headed off to do an overnighter on the Devon Coast.

You cant fake enthusiasm or passion. We both had it for Sea kayaking and an around Britain Paddle we started making plans that very evening. I had found myself a partner !