Ever wonder what 28 paddlers setting off from Bridge End would look like? This week we found out!

With a good number of coaches and assistants, the beginners group did its first real trip this week. Conditions were ‘Shetland Breezy’ as we set out under from Bridge End and snuck south, hugging the east side of Lang Sound, did a quick regroup before entering Stream Sound and into what we knew was going to be the windy section of the trip.  Trying to paddle NE while the wind came from S/SSE  was guaranteed to be ‘interesting’ and the section between Kalee Ness and Hjogaland definitely tested comfort levels!

Despite getting a bit unnerved, and some a bit wetter than others, we all ended up sitting in the middle of Clift Sound and managed to stay more-or-less together as a group as we came under the bridge into East Voe and the get-out point at the Marina.

Prior planing and preparation meant a number of cars and the trailer were waiting there for us as we queued up to get off of the water, and the ensuing chaos of trying to get all 28 off of the water and back to Bridge End was well managed by all.

Everyone played their part and provided help carrying kayaks around, giving lifts back to BE and so on, which is all about being a group member on a trip. I would just like to thank Chris, Craig, Debs, Angus, Jim, Iain D and Iwan, without whom it really couldn’t have happened.