Jason Smith's The Ed

The BIG Holiday catch up - Part 3 - Canoeing on Wastwater

Put a few miles on the clock over the last week. After driving down to Devon and back it was time to load the canoe on to the roof and head up to the Lake District with Faye and Ruby the dog. The plan was to spend a day canoeing on Wastwater and then a day walking around Buttermere and up Haystacks. The drive up seemed to take forever but we finally arrived at our hotel near Ennerdale. A quick check in and we fired over to the coast for a short beach and cliff top walk near St Bees. The next morning we were up and out nice and early. It was warm but there was lots of mist and low cloud. As we drove up towards Wasdale Head and Wastwater the cloud was still firmly sat on the tops of the surrounding fells. It was still though, not a breath of wind, so as we pulled up at our launching spot we were greeted with a mirror flat surface complete with breathtaking reflections. We loaded up the boat with the gear and launched, the only sound the dipping of our paddles in to the water and the odd bird call. It was stunning. It was a joy to be out in the canoe in such conditions and we soon got in to a mellow rhythm. The water was crystal clear and we could see where the lake bottom just dropped away in to an inky blackness. We Paddled the whole circumference of the water taking a brew break and a stroll in the woods 0n the way (where we came face to face with a deer). We were the only boat on the water and to have this beautiful body of water all to ourselves in such great conditions was a really special experience. As we finally pulled the canoe out of the water at the spot where we'd begun earlier that day we felt tired but very satisfied. We loaded up ready to go and as we turned for one last look a breeze picked up and in seconds the surface was rippled with tiny waves, and the glorious reflections were gone. It was as if Wastwater had been keeping extra still just for us.

Posted by Jason Smith

The BIG Holiday catch up - Part 2 - Surf's Up - Barney Rubble Turns 40!

After a week of working on the new garage it was time to load the CKUK Wagon and head to Devon for a weekend's kayak surfing. The forecast was looking good, it was even promising sunshine and waves but the real reason was the imminent 40th Birthday of my oldest mate Ian 'Barney Rubble' Brotherwood. I've known Ian literally since we were born and it was Ian who first got me in to kayaking back in the days of Scouts. Back then we used to tag along on trips with the Venture Scouts and go down to Devon to surf our massively long glass-fibre Olymp Five kayaks at Croyde Bay and Woollacombe. Ian was the first person I knew who actually had their own kayak, an Ace Valetta, a boat that he kindly lent me a few years later while I was really getting in to it. I did my first ever Alps trip with Ian (where the pic was taken - late 80s) and what a trip it was. IB always struggled when it came to boats being well over the six foot mark and built like the proverbial brick outhouse (he made a full size Pirouette look small and once did the longest, and scariest, mystery move in it I've ever seen while paddling around Horse Rock at the Bitches). Ian's taken a few years off from paddling (windsurfing, fishing, hockey, cricket, racing motorbikes, crashing, getting wed, becoming a Dad etc) so it was really, really cool to once again head down to the old stomping ground of Croyde to celebrate his 40th year. As if by magic the driving rain and wind that greeted us on arrival cleared to give us blue skies, sunshine and small but perfectly formed surf. Brilliant. The surf built again on Sat for another cracking session before retiring to the nearby Billy Buds and the Thatched Barn for a few snifters to clear away the salt ; ) The big fella is now kitted out with a brand new Karanli kayak, dry-suit, Palm BA and lid (he's still using his old fluroescent Schlegel paddle) so hopefully we'll be hitting the water together again soon. After a most excellent weekend it was back on the motorway to head home and pick up Faye for a few days up in the Lake District before work once again resumes on Project Garage!

Thanks to IB, Brian, Spence, Dazza and Lee for the excellent company and for the surf and sun for showing up.

Posted by Jason Smith

The BIG Holiday catch up - Part 1 - Project Garage/Office

Although CKUK Towers is a grand and serene place and I'm frequently over there for meetings with the rest of the team I do most of the work on the mag from home. Up to now this has consisted of an office space in the spare room, but no more! Mrs S has decided that she'd really like the use of that room back and while we're at it we needed more room for bikes/boats/camping gear etc. The result of this has been two weeks 'holiday' spent taking down our old concrete pre-fab garage and, with considerable help from the very talented Dan the Brother-in-Law, the construction of a shiny new timber office/garage building from scratch. After much blood, sweat and beers it's up and finished. (and a new shed too!) and it only needs insulating and power to be run in before I can move in. Nice. Been weird spending precious 'holiday' time doing flippin' DIY, but I did manage to squeeze in some quality kayak surfing and a few days in the Lakes canoeing and walking with Faye & the dog.

Posted by Jason Smith