I had hoped we had a bit longer, we didn’t. Peter Brown has left the building, but not our hearts, our minds or our spirit. Pete was something of a conundrum, “one whose answer makes a play on words”, the dictionary tells me. A puzzle, if you like. He was and will continue to be …
Nostalgia, it’s not what it used to be. Or is it? I return to the Zambezi after an eighteen year break to find out. There’s been a proposal to build a dam on Africa’s fourth longest river for a good few years, it will devastate the white water, backing up to rapid number ten or …
The Not you Sam tour of Scotland started and continued after the Gary Boater X race organised by Ben Squires and others. Earlier in the year Sam thought it would be a good idea to organise a trip to Scotland to paddle the dam release rivers on offer. The chosen week coincided with the Gary …
So there I am, riding out on the F1, happy as a clam, climb up Garrowby Hill and there’s a cough and a splutter and she’s running pretty bad. The happiness is short lived, isn’t it always! I make it to a lay by and whip the tank off, nothing obvious and I have all …
Our destination on this trip, the West coast of Ireland, via the racing at the North West 200, this is just one of the many spectacular views along the coastline, blessed with great weather for May with only one real day of rain to spoil the fun. This could be the last visit to the …
On days like these we go paddling. The Sesia river Italy. We’ve been looking forward to this trip since Autumn of last year, the day is bright and sunny, people are excited and keen to get onto the water. Levels are good in the Alps, a late snowfall in February put down three to four …
The self preservation aspect of paddling is dealing with your brains decision to throw yourself down whichever river happens to be in condition and agreed upon. This particular day, day two of our Italy trip we find ourselves on the road heading up the valley alongside the Mastallone, a river a few of us had …
I love my kayaking, I celebrate it on and off the river. Days with friends old and new, experiences shared. Those experiences downloaded at the end of every day or river, verbally, descriptively, pictorially, over a brew or a beer, this happened, that happened, I nailed it, I got my ass handed to me. Often …
My mate Pete is very much a ‘let’s see what happens’ person, some of you know him, you know what I mean. Traditionally, I am not, I like organised, it’s the way I had to work, to keep on top of things. This trip, I aimed to be more like Pete and I have to …
Hands up who’s heard of the Piatua, not many I would surmise. Joe Public will have heard of rivers such as the Zambezi and the Nile. Boaters will have heard of the Futalafeu and the Marsyandi, but I wager there’s not many people who have heard of the Piatua, unless you are Ecuadorian or have …