Surf Ski, Kayaking and Canoeing Archives - A Simple Life of Luxury https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/category/sports/canoeing/ Tales from a down-shifted family - Making the most of modest means in West Wales Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:06:45 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.1 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/cropped-favicon-160x160.jpg Surf Ski, Kayaking and Canoeing Archives - A Simple Life of Luxury https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/category/sports/canoeing/ 32 32 2696646 The Surf Skis Live to Paddle Another Day https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/06/the-surf-skis-live-to-paddle-another-day/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/06/the-surf-skis-live-to-paddle-another-day/#respond Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:06:40 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=48727 It’s been a case of ‘so far, so good’ with the surf skis. I’ve had them both on the water for a few short paddles, as well as a paddle to Aberdyfi and back last night. They both seem to be watertight, and the repairs have held up well. Time will tell how long they’ll...

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/06/the-surf-skis-live-to-paddle-another-day/feed/ 0 48727 Bringing Two Surf Skis Back from the Dead (Maybe) https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/06/bringing-two-surf-skis-back-from-the-dead-maybe/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/06/bringing-two-surf-skis-back-from-the-dead-maybe/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:53:00 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=48674 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 No longer seaworthy, it was eventually superseded by...

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/06/bringing-two-surf-skis-back-from-the-dead-maybe/feed/ 1 48674 Costa Rica Coast to Coast – Reaching the Caribbean https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/05/costa-rica-coast-to-coast-reaching-the-caribbean/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/05/costa-rica-coast-to-coast-reaching-the-caribbean/#comments Tue, 26 May 2026 06:37:55 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=48510 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...

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/05/costa-rica-coast-to-coast-reaching-the-caribbean/feed/ 1 48510 Costa Rica Coast to Coast – From Sugarcane Fields to Rafting in the Rainforest https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/05/costa-rica-coast-to-coast-from-sugarcane-fields-to-rafting-in-the-rainforest/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/05/costa-rica-coast-to-coast-from-sugarcane-fields-to-rafting-in-the-rainforest/#respond Sat, 23 May 2026 05:32:33 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=48448 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...

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2026/05/costa-rica-coast-to-coast-from-sugarcane-fields-to-rafting-in-the-rainforest/feed/ 0 48448 Another Broken Ski https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2024/03/another-broken-ski/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2024/03/another-broken-ski/#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:29:42 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=42077 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...

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2024/03/another-broken-ski/feed/ 2 42077 Summer Returns https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/10/summer-returns/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/10/summer-returns/#comments Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:21:44 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=40997 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...

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/10/summer-returns/feed/ 1 40997 Norway Trip Part 3 – Sea Kayaking in the Fjords https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/06/norway-trip-part-3-sea-kayaking-in-the-fjords/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/06/norway-trip-part-3-sea-kayaking-in-the-fjords/#comments Wed, 28 Jun 2023 05:14:00 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=39826 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...

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/06/norway-trip-part-3-sea-kayaking-in-the-fjords/feed/ 1 39826 A New River – The Upper Wye https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/03/a-new-river-the-upper-wye/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/03/a-new-river-the-upper-wye/#respond Tue, 28 Mar 2023 08:24:41 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=39047 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....

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/03/a-new-river-the-upper-wye/feed/ 0 39047 Surf Ski at Ynyslas https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/03/surf-ski-at-ynyslas/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/03/surf-ski-at-ynyslas/#comments Sat, 04 Mar 2023 16:21:44 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=38881 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...

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]]> https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/03/surf-ski-at-ynyslas/feed/ 1 38881 Aber Kayakers – Carry on up the Dyfi https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/02/aber-kayakers-carry-on-up-the-dyfi/ https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2023/02/aber-kayakers-carry-on-up-the-dyfi/#respond Mon, 27 Feb 2023 15:32:59 +0000 https://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/?p=38849 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....

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