08 April 2010 Ocean Kayak Nalu.

With compliments from our local Canoe and Kayak store, we tried out the Ocean Kayak Nalu today on the surf. It is being sold as a standup surf Kayak even though you can also use it sitting down. We found difficult to standup on it but found it very easy to paddle when kneeling down as can be seen in the photos below. It really moves in the water with little effort and is one of the fastest sit-on kayaks I have come accross. It surfs well and you would have great fun on it in good conditions.

Information on the boat can be found at the below link.

http://www.oceankayak.com/kayaks/single_kayaks/nalu.html

28 March 2010 Mallow to Fermoy.

This was our second river paddle of the year and we got lovely weather with plenty of Sun and only a slight breeze at times. This trip was all on the Blackwater, launching in Mallow and getting out before the bridge in Fermoy. It was a lovely day out with very few obstacles and some lovely scenery.

On this trip I took my sit-on kayak, an Ocean Kayak Caper. A lovely boat with plenty of storage space, quite stable and moves easily in the water. I did manage to come out of it after taking the wrong line going around a corner and getting dragged in under some branches. Lucky for me I had just put my camera into a dry bag and only ended up getting wet.

Mallow Bridge.

The merry crew. 

On the River. 

07 March 2010 Glanworth to Ballyduff.

This was our first long paddle of 2010, it was a cold and windy morning. The wind was coming from the southeast which would make it hard for the two lads in the Canadian canoes. We would commence our journey on the river Funcheon just outside Glanworth and join the river Blackwater a few kilometers downstream of Fermoy and proceed to our exit point at Ballyduff. We launched at the old mill near Glanworth and some of the lads had fun going over the weir, while others including my self took the easy option and launched below the weir as I didn't feel like getting wet this early in the trip.

The river Funcheon was interesting with some nice small fast flowing section and drops thrown in for fun as we neared Fermoy. The head wind from the southeast slowed our progress and made it quite difficult for the lads in the Canadian canoes. We joined the Blackwater at a lovely spot and decided to stop for lunch as we were all feeling the effects of the wind and the low temperature.

After our lunch it was a short paddle to Careysville weir, again a few lads went over the weir but I wasn't brave enough here also. Following the weir our journey was largely uneventful except one of our boats which had gone over the weir sprung a leak and had to jump into one of the Canadian canoes. It was a long hard paddle to the finish against a cold and strong head wind.

Glanworth Bridge.

Getting ready to lauch at Glanworth.

Coming over the Weir.

On the river.

Careysville Weir on the Blackwater.