It's a funny thing, but somehow it occurred to me that it was harder to write about kayaking trips than say, anything else Stu and I bumble about with. And that's because nothing happens. And that is precisely why it is so wonderful. With three days and 30 miles of stunning Scottish sea loch to play with, we just let the meditation begin.
But inside this deep quietness, things do happen. A seal pops out of the clear water, snorts a nostril, and disappears. Porpoises trace arcs on the distant horizon. Fluttering packs of oystercatchers part in front of us.
Caught in the eye of a particularly stable high pressure system over Europe, it was a peaceful, windless paddle. Something we're generally not accustomed to. It provided some amusement to the couple running a bed and breakfast to receive their guests by kayak, dragging the boats into their handily-placed shed by the water's edge.
"At least you won't get Bingo Wings", the landlady said, somewhat quizzically.
But it's never boring. Things stick out of the stillness. Like finding King Tutankamun on the shore at Kilcreggan...It's amazing what McEwan's will inspire you to...
1 comment:
What a lovely description of what sea kayaking is about.
I used to try and describe the concept to my work colleagues but have long since given up. They just could not get their heads around something that simply was not quantifiable.
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