My friend Alex Knox better known as Big Eck came paddling with Ray and I six weeks ago on Loch Tay. Although he'd been sea kayaking for over fifteen years that was his first time in an open canoe. He was so taken with it that he went out and brought a second hand canoe, a We-no-nah Aurora. For his maiden voyage a group of us meet up on Loch Voil for a warm up paddle half way down the Loch and back, before descending the river Balvag, which flows out of Loch Voil down to Loch Lubnaig. As always with Eck there was a really good banter flying.
"Eck I thought only lesbians wore dungarees".
First try at solo paddling.
On the river teamed up with Mike.
Not quite got the steering in flowing water off pat yet.
The swimmer at the start on Hawes peir.
Two of the swimmers didn't make it across before the tide turned and they were sweeped out under the bridge. Still they didn't want to give in even though they were going backwards. In the end we had to pull them out of the water.
