Tales from a down-shifted family
- Making the most of modest means
Adventures in our canoe, surf ski races and kayak challenges.
For the last few years I’ve been the proud owner of not one, but two damaged surf skis: a Knysna Genius BLU and a Think Evo II. I essentially snapped the tail off the former back in 2019 and it’s been sitting under my lean-to ever since. No longer seaworthy, it was eventually superseded by...
Today was the day we would finally reach the Caribbean coast and complete our coast-to-coast journey across Costa Rica. The Pacific now felt a very long way away as we prepared for the final push. Early Start We had another early start, which suited me perfectly. Everyone else had been going to bed incredibly early...
The Road to Rio Pacuare I slept a bit, but not much, so I was thankful for a fairly early start today and a quick breakfast in the hall before climbing back onto our bikes once again. We started with a pleasant ride along easy roads beside the Rio Pejivalle and then through endless sugar...
Having not been out on a surf ski, or paddle boat of any description for a while I was quite excited to get out there on Saturday. There was some decent surf rolling in at around 2-3 foot and little wind but the waves were still a bit messy. Not ideal for board surfing but...
After a week or so of decidedly autumnal weather summer has returned. Temperatures were back up into the low 20’s the sun was shining and there was no wind at all… Typical seeing as it was the Boardwsie Demo Day at Aberdyfi! No wind means no chance to try out some new kit and no...
Our train trip across Norway took a bit of a detour here. Rather than continuing on the train from Voss to Myrdal we were missing a bit out and heading north a little to the village of Gudvangen at the end of the Nærøyfjord. Here we would meet up with a kayaking group tour that...
Sunday was the last of the Aber Kayakers winter ‘White-Water Development’ day trips. There was at least some water in the rivers this time but only a few of us were available to paddle. Ro, Callum, John and myself therefore met in Aberystwyth and headed out to a new river for me, the Upper Wye....
The surf has been pretty good here these last few days. I need a new surfboard though – a surfboard suitable for a middle-aged man rather than the teenager boards that I’ve currently got. Don’t worry, one will be winging its way towards me soon. In the meantime I didn’t miss out too much as...
Apparently there wasn’t any water in the rivers at the weekend. So, rather than cancel the planned whitewater development day with Aber kayakers I suggested a trip up the Dyfi Estuary instead. The weather was after all forecast to be glorious and the tides were perfect. Sunny Skies Sunday did indeed dawn still and sunny....
It’s been a while since I’ve had a weekend that felt fairly packed with activities. It wasn’t quite up to my standards of old and it was all fairly chilled but it was still a good one. Anna probably got some peace and quiet too while I was out! Although the people I’d been out...
Fitness / Technology / Triathlon
Fixing the Altimeter on my Garmin Forerunner 910XT
Monday, March 17th, 2014
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Surf Ski, Kayaking and Canoeing
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