English Channel Kayak Challenge: First pics of the new kayaks in action

Photos taken at Calshot on Sunday 24 June 2012

We headed to Calshot to try out the new kayaks in the pool behind the spit. It is reasonably shallow but, importantly, not particularly impacted by the strong wind yesterday afternoon. Our wives and kids came to for moral support and, more importantly, to provide tea and cakes at the appropriate time! And of course gentle encouragement from the sidelines!

Jon practices tipping over but was, so far, unable to roll back. Then he tried a 90 degree turn and flipped over for real, giving him and Stu the opportunity to try a recovery move.

We bumped into Rachel, a member of the New Forest Kayak and Canoe Club, who was practicing some rolls and recovery exercises nearby, and she encouraged us to join the NFKCC. She looked at us like we might be little bit crazy, when we told her what we were planning to do in ten weeks time! Anyway she was very helpful and we may well take her up on the suggestion to go along to an NFKCC session.

The new kayaks were much more stable than I expected, but I couldn't help feeling the slight sense of claustrophobia which led me to take the sit-on option in the first place. I'm sure I'll get over it...!