Saturday Paddle

Saturday, 20 July 2013

These last few weeks I've really been struggling with finding time during the working week to get out and paddle. Not surprisingly it was a lot easier this time last year when my only responsibility was kids stuff and training for the paddle leg of the Winter Challenge. 

This year however I'm back at work and the project has just gone from busy to crazy busy.  Now you might point out that that's what it's like for most working people however in my working life I've deliberately chosen a career path where I can balance work and sport and everything else (and of course I've been lucky to have had the opportunities to be able to do so).  

Don't get me wrong. I love what I'm doing at work. I love that on Friday I had to do a google search for images of 'rotten brussels sprouts' (and I found some btw). I love that last week we were talking about where to put the fart special effects file. I love the creative and technical nature of it and I love the end result.  But I'm really not loving how frantic it is, and how difficult it is to get away at the end of the day.  

Also it's been school holidays and much as I would have liked to have a few days off to hang with the kids (and go for a paddle) I haven't felt like I can even entertain that thought as I have a team of people beavering away and all relying on me to tell them what to work on next ("everything! - and hurry!").  I've really missed hanging with the kids and the trips to the snow and the movies and generally just lounging about this holidays.  Luckily Jon has been able to do that stuff with them this time around and I've got a week's holiday booked for next holidays. 

Anyway - that brings me to today - I've missed my paddling group session the last few weeks so I needed to get some solid paddling hours up and I needed to clear my mind. I really enjoyed last Saturday's longer effort around Egg Island so I thought a trip from Kingston Beach to Snug via Dennes Point on Bruny Island might be the go.  

I planned to get going at 8.30 but it took until 10am and a trip home to get my forgotten life jacket before I got going.  Luckily the weather was set to be calm until the afternoon so I got a pretty smooth run regardless. I've always been a bit nervous about crossing the D'entrecasteaux Channel by myself (so I've never done it before) but today it was so calm it was fine. I stopped along the way to watch a seal frolicking on its back with its flippers in the air. I don't mind seals actually - despite the fact that when they first pop up beside you they look alarming like bald men wearing dark goggles.  

Anyway - after reaching the beach on Bruny Island I only had time to turn and head straight back across the channel again to Conningham Beach.  From there I paddled along the shore to Snug Beach where Jon and the kids were going to pick me up.  

That's Bruny Island behind Jett's purple crocs in the right photo. 

All up it was two hours of nice paddling.  Of course long steady paddles aren't going to get me race-ready so I've put the boat back on the roof of the car and I've got plans to go first thing tomorrow. The only person to blame if I don't get out will be myself.