Just like the Wenning.

I got the afternoon off work.
We drove to Lancaster.
Turns out I'm not completely better after going paddling at Nottingham.
I could only manage one pint of the really good beers in the pub.
We met Loz and Matt with a plan to go paddling, which I was secretly hoping would fall through so I could retire to a cafe, drink tea and rue the day I decided it'd be a good idea to go to Nottingham.
It didn't.
We went to the Hindburn.
It was high at the bottom and low at the top.
It looked a lot like the Wenning.
A lot.
I learned that paddling a big boat just means you have a heavier boat to carry past the bits you walk round.


Oh yeah, it snowed on the way home.

In the Zone.

This is the most unashamedly cringeworthy, embarrassing and corny title I've ever written. I'd like to pretend it relates to my zen-like calm whilst busting out a shed-load of supercool playboat, sorry, freestyle moves.

It doesn't. I'm crap at playboating.

But, in spite of that, it's quite apt, as I just went paddling in my new Zone dry-top, which is Nookie's new totally latex-free dry top. I was keen on the concept, as I have terrible circulation, so my hands often go a funny colour, and I thought it'd be comfortable.

It was, without a doubt, brilliant.

It was warm; my car was merrily showing 5-6 degrees as the outside temperature, I had one thermal on, and it was only my head that got cold after many many rolls in the top wave at HPP.
It was dry; I got several, actually, who am I kidding, I got loads of rinsings and only got a bit of water jetting up the sleeves once toward the end of the session, but this is probably more to do with me having smallish wrists for someone who has to wear an XL cag.

It was comfortable; er, not much more to say about that. None of that latex squeezing misery; no seals slapping you in the wrists when you take it off.

Here's some pictures, largely nothing to do with the cag;

Rain...

...seems to be in short supply at the moment, so not been paddling for a bit, and the heater is broken at work. Oh, and it's really really cold.

This advert is in no way connected with anything, but I saw it, it made me laugh.

It's winter...

....so it gets dark earlier, meaning that a lot of the time, I'm training in the dark.

Above: Interval training between the bridges in Stratford.
Below: Tired paddling back to the car for tea and medals.

;-)