So you may (or may not) be asking how come I've only logged one sea trip so far this year, and it is now April? Well, it's been a bit of a funny 2025 so far, with lots of family stuff happening. Mainly clearing and selling houses, and hopefully moving to Scotland, once we have found somewhere to live.
I have however, despite not getting out on the sea, been keeping paddle fit over the winter, by paddling up and down my local stretch of local East Midlands river, the River Soar, at least once a week. Even when it's been a tad nippy! The photo on the left was taken in February on one of those cold winter outings on the river.
I was actually quite toasty in my dry suit and helmet, despite the ice. That is once my hands had adjusted to the cold!
This trip to Scotland came about as we were on a house hunting mission to Helensburgh, which despite viewing three properties didn't result in us finding our new home. Of course no sooner had we returned home, a property came upon the market we are quite interested in. Typical.
As for the trip to the Sugar Boat (Mv Captayannis - link to the BBC article), I had a spare few hours, and with the weather being so nice, I couldn't resist the opportunity. My actual target was to get across to Dunoon from Helensburgh. Helensburgh to Dunoon is stage one (if doing it in reverse, or stage nine when going from Dunoon to Helensburgh) of the Argyll Sea Kayak trail which runs from Ganavan (near Oban) to Helensburgh. So my plan was to head out to the Sugar Boat wreck, have a look at the other side of the Clyde estuary, via Greenock and Gourock, before nipping across to Dunoon, hopefully avoiding any ferry traffic and the odd passing submarine! Then from Dunoon back to Helensburgh via Kilcreggan.
The pictures and video below sums up nicely what a super 3.5 hours paddle I had.
Distance 17 miles. Time 3:30
