An interview with the EBD!

'So Eleanor, what was your favourite part of the journey?'

'I liked the bit between Neptune's Staircase and Gairlochy because it was pretty and quiet'.

'And the scariest moment?'

'The scariest bit was definitely Loch Ness on the second day when we had to pull in.'

'What were you thinking then?'

'Help'

'Would you do it again?'

'Yep'

'James, what was your favourite bit?'

'From the top of Neptune's Staircase to Fort Augustus. This was a beautiful part of the journey with little bits of challenge. I like the way the kayak sits very close to the water - it's nice most of the time, and occasionally a little scary when the waves build up!'

'Were there any scary moments for you?'

'No, not really, although the exceptionally large waves on the second day on Loch Ness were pretty challenging, especially with Eleanor on board.'

'And would you do it again?

'I could give Loch Ness a miss, but I'd love to paddle from Banavie to Fort Augustus again.'

Two stars and a wish for the Kayak.

You may - or may not - know what I'm on about with the two stars and a wish thing. It was Eleanor's idea to review the performance of the kayak by giving it two stars and a wish. It's something they do at school - say two things which are good about something and then one thing to make it even better so ...

Eleanor says... my stars are that the kayak was very stable and good on the waves. My wish is that we could keep it!

James says... my stars are that the kayak does not catch the wind and tracks very well. Like Eleanor, my wish is that we could keep it for another adventure.

The Support Team says... my stars are that the kayak kept the EBD safe and gave them so much challenge and fun. My wish is that there was room for me, (on the calm bits!).

James adds that 'the kayak has proved to be one of the few bits of equipment that as soon as you got it, you knew it was going to do what you wanted it to do. Each morning when Eleanor and I climbed into the kayak and picked up our paddles any worries I might have had about the weather disappeared - I knew the kayak could cope. The kayak felt very professional. I trusted that it would be safe, not just with me, but with Eleanor on board it had to be doubly good - and it was.' James likes gadgets and good quality kit and is a dad who likes to keep his Eleanor safe - so praise indeed.

A Kayak's eye view part 2.

The first part of the canal above Laggan Locks travels through tall evergreens before linking up with Loch Oich - I have to admit to feeling rather envious as I watched the EBD set off on this stretch of the journey - it looked so secret and mysteriously beautiful - and the water was calm enough for me not to worry about them! I think their photograph says it all.

Loch Oich was a fun section of the journey, water conditions fine with lots of little islands to explore and a few tour boats to navigate.

It will be no surprise to you that there are no photographs from the first two days on Loch Ness, but when the unbeatable EBD put into the loch to paddle the last few km to Loch Dochfour, they did manage to get some pictures which help to show what James meant when he described Loch Ness as oppressive. I'm sure it can be glorious, but Loch Ness showed us its greyer, gloomy and more threatening side. Interestingly the Loch was in direct contrast to the amazingly kind and encouraging folk that we met along it's shores.

Loch Dochfour to the North Sea was an easy paddle only interrupted by endless locks and portage sections. the last few photos give an idea of what the EBD saw along the way - wrecks, birds and boats.

A kayak's eye view part 1.

Hello again! I thought you might be interested in seeing the EBD's journey from a kayak's eye view. Like me you will have followed their adventure with feet firmly on solid ground - I have so many pictures of the EBD putting kayak together, setting off, arriving ... so now we are home and have more or less acclimatised to 'normal' life, I've downloaded pictures from James' camera to see what they were up to when they paddled out of sight!

As you will appreciate, there were several moments when it was impossible for the EBD to mess around with clever photography - after all, when the weather - and waves - get tough, the tough have to keep hold of their paddles! And of course there were times when their hands were full of oaty bars, chocolate and sheep. What I'm trying to say is, sorry, we don't have a very extensive series of kayak's eye view pics, but hopefully enough to give you an idea of what it would have been like if YOU had been sitting in the kayak!

First picture is typical of what I spent a lot of time doing - the kayak, the car, the support team fiddling around with a map or something, in the car park as we set off from Corpach Sea Lock by Fort William.

As I was busy cycling up the wrong side of the canal, the EBD went off with the camera and watched a yacht coming through Neptune's Staircase at Banavie.

Eleanor's favourite part of the journey is shown in photo 3 - a peaceful section of the canal between Banavie and Moy bridge. The road swings away from the canal here and makes for quiet paddling through woods and farmland.

An atmospheric picture at the start of Loch Lochy.