Last weekend ALMOST felt like Spring. On Saturday the wind was low, the sun was out and Barry and I headed to the Skerries, one of our favourite islands off the coast of Anglesey. Strong tides sweep along the coast here, making the red and white stripey lighthouse a satisfying target to reach. It’s also a special place, giving you that feeling of exploring a wild and far-off land, more frequently visited by birds than humans. We decided to ferry glide across the tide from Carmel Head adding to the challenge of reaching the island. We both got a bit of a sweat on in our wintery thermals, but the cold nip on our hands reminded us why we chose fleece instead of thin baselayers. Once we reached the eddy besides the island, we had it to ourselves (except for the curious seals & a few birds) and enjoyed a bit of sunbathing over lunch.

On Sunday, WINTER was back. The windscreen wipers never defrosted on our hour journey to the put in and I wore my entire wardrobe as I waited for a shuttle to be completed in the early hours. I was back in my canoe for the first time since pinning it on the Upper Tummel in Scotland during a crossing of Rannoch Moor. Barry had replaced the bent gunnels and it was as good as new! But for some reason Barry decided to take his kayak down the river instead of accompanying me in my canoe…. I’m not quite sure why?

11 of us decided to take a long river trip meandering through the countryside, mostly on fairly gentle water, with a few rapids thrown in for good measure. It was a fun, sociable day, and I enjoyed soloing the canoe through the rapids – I have learnt something over the last year with a single blade! Alas, the days aren’t that long yet and we finished the adventure on the most exciting rapids in near darkness! Everyone was upright and, I think, smiling. Fish and chips rounded off the day nicely!

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