2020-07-21 Bigbury (A short holiday paddle)

On holiday with Mrs T in the South West and I get to go for a paddle! The first time since January, no thanks to Covid. Bigbury was flat calm, despite all the surf boards being carried to the beach. I opted to take my Valley Sirona. It was a blazing hot sunny day.

Pushing the Sirona out and sitting down into the cockpit, I wasn't sure what to expect. How was it going to feel, it had been so long since I had been kayaking! But as soon as I sat down into the seat and got my legs in, it was like a pressure valve being released. Oh yes this feels so, so good. I paddled out leaving the noise of the beach behind me and headed off across the bay towards Bantham. It was a glorious day. At Bantham, I could see optimistic surfers sat on their boards waiting for a wave. They were going to have to wait a while, as the forecast was for flat calm conditions for the coming days. I carried on around the coast exploring the rocky inlets, dodging the stand up paddle boarders as I went. All to soon I realised my hour was up. I had promised Mrs T not to be too long, so I set off across the Bay towards Burgh Island. Halfway across the bay I stopped for a quick fish with some feathers and line I had made up. I let the line go all the way out until I hit the bottom then started to reel in. Within seconds I felt fish on the line and on reeling in the line found I had caught three large mackerel. Well there was no point in fishing for more, as three would do very nicely for tea, so I radio'd to Mrs T (call sign Old-Trout) to meet me at the beach, so she could take the mackerel straight back to our camper van and put them in the fridge.

It was only a sort little paddle, but it was the first paddle I had in months. But oh gosh! Those Mackerel we had for tea were so good.

What an excellent day!