Managed to get the girlfriend out in the inflatable kayak a few weeks back (been trying for 2 years!!). She really enjoyed it. On way back we passed a couple of sit-on kayakers who were cruising gracefully thru the water (the inflatable is nice, but quite a drag a fairly hard work). We decided there and then to get a couple of sit-ons.
Doing our homework we eventually decided on 2 x Perception Scooter kayaks + a bunch of other gear as well. Took mine out the 1st evening (she had to work late), it was a flat calm and had a really nice paddle around. On the Saturday there was a fair eastly blowing and 3 - 5ft waves coming in. I met Biff down at Goodrington (a ten minute trolley push from my front door) and we had amazing fun in the surf. On the Sunday I took the gf out in the evening, it was warm, calm and we paddled all the way to Broadsands. On the way back we opened a couple of cans of Stella whilst drifting in the bay. Life couldn't be better.
Since then we've just had the week off and been out a few times - took kayaks to Bigbury and paddled around Burgh Island (no big surf, but swell was 4 feet), we paddled to Paignton Pier and this afternoon we paddled right around to Brixham -- that was a bit more tiring!
So the biking's taken a bit of a back seat right now - not even taking Troy racing as he's still in a cast. I will add I did pop out yesterday for 2.5 hours and had a pretty nice time (and was fairly cool in the morning).
Going to Woolacombe for another week off the week after next - I'm sure the kayaks will be coming along too.
Awesome fun. I would say cheap too, but I keep buying stuff for it.............................
They are fun, and that tin of beer in the middle seems to make the paddling that follows much easier.
If you feel like jumping in for a swim, or get toppled out by the swell around the rocks it can be tricky to get back in.
We have practiced getting in to the kayak from out of our depth - was one of the first things I made us do once we knew we were going to quite far off shore (and yesterday we must have been over 1/2 mile+ from any shoreline when we paddled directly from Brixham to Goodrington). There is a technique which I havent quite mastered fully, but at least we know we can get back in if required.
