I returned to Wantage late on Saturday April 5th having spent the day with my mother in law. Linda and I had got married exactly 33 years before in Truro Cathedral, on a similar day when it snowed as we left the cathedral. A day for memories.
On Sunday Stuart and I went for a paddle on the Kennet and Avon canal. We put in at Wootton Rivers, where Linda’s first teaching post was at the village school. We paddled down to Pewsey wharf about 3 miles away and stopped for coffee. Stuart was in the sea kayak and I was in the canoe. We paddled back to Wootton Rivers only to discover that I had left the drybag with the car keys at Pewsey! Round we turned and went back. Stuart raced off and I followed trying to work out what we could do if we the bag had disappeared as we had no money, no mobile etc. Luckily the bag was where I had left it and we were ok. A short 2 hour trip had turned into a 5 hour marathon. The moral of this story is that it is the only time in 3 years’ kayaking that I did not have the keys in my buoyancy aid. Unfortunately, someone stole my buoyancy aid in Truro and the one I was using did not have pockets.
The final piece of major kit was sorted out this week when my brother Alan and I found the caravan at Nene Court Caravans at Wellingborough. It’s a second hand Sterling Europa 490 which seemed to offer the best layout and accomodation. Most important the company are happy to either buy the van back after the trip or sell it for me for a fee. As I have nowhere to store the van this is important. We will collect it on April 28th and start off for Scotland on April 30th. A very kind friend has offered her drive so that we can load up in Wantage.
This trip is proving to be expensive on kit. I lost a paddle in Wales and now a buoyancy aid has been stolen. There are also lots of small things that I have had to buy. Drybags, flares, towline, kit-bags, spare split paddles, VHF radio, wing mirrors for the car, extra straps for the boats etc. Everything will however be useful in the future. If I have time before I leave, I will try to sort out a kit list of what I am taking and at the end what I did not use and would leave behind next time.
Alan and I are going on a caravan towing day on Saturday and then I am off to Cornwall before coming back for the final preparations for departure.
