Spey Descent 2006
or
Carnethy messing about on a river
| At the beginning of July, 12 adventurers (9 of them Carnethies) and their guide (Speydescent.com) paddled from Loch Insh (altitude 224 metres) to the mouth of the River Spey - 109 kilometres away. It involved 3 nights camping, carrying all gear (including ample supplies of beer and whisky), several swims (only one on purpose), paddling, prying, cutting and doing J-strokes (all mixed up and usually at the wrong times!) and lots of opportunities to marvel, up-close, at the birdlife (ospreys, herons, mergansers, dippers, oyster catchers, sand martins....). As usual, with Carnethy, this ostensibly relaxing trip had its exciting moments and even ended up with a full-blown canoe rescue! The story unfolds in the photos below. | |||||
) When the weather is fine you know that it's time for messing about on the river. 'What do I do with this?' (Cathy) |
) We start at Loch Insh |
) Leaving the Cairngorms behind them |
) It looks easy. The canoes float gently down the river... |
) Lesson 1. How to steer your canoe. There will be obstacles/hazards to move around... |
) The Lairig Ghru makes an impressive background shot |
) Day 1: There was little current and hence lots of paddle-(or porridge) power needed |
) We hold the canoes together and put up a sail but harvesting the wind proves harder than paddling! |
) Collecting dead wood for the evening's fire |
) A whisky-tasting session round the bonfire |
) Time for reflection? |
) Idyllic (despite aching arms and shoulders) |
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) ...but then Nick forgot about the piranhas and alligators! |
) One of the palatial residences on the banks of the Spey |
) The bucket was actually more useful than the sponge when it came to Iain and Anne's canoe. |
) Anne is going to get a lot more than her feet wet.. |
) Nick and Sarah, cool as cucumber, 'run' some rapids. They were old hands! |
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) The biggest drop was at the Washing Machine |
) "I've got a wet bum!" |
) We held no fear of small rapids once we'd survived the Washing Machine |
) Fisher ahead! Most of them waved us on with a smile... but one didn't.... |
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) One rope is not enough to pull the canoe off - so Willie is 'landed' with another rope. The canoe has been dragged under by the force of water |
) With four people pulling on 2 ropes and Willie levering on the rock the canoe has finally come free. |
) Time for lunch. Iain and Anne capsize on the way to the bank! Previously they'd managed to stay afloat with water lapping their gunnels (from the inside) |
) Luckily
it's a hot day |
) Spectacular red cliffs |
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) The sea! The sea! |
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) The mascot from The Beeches brought good luck. We had great weather, we survived and I think we'd all do it again. |
Highlights: scenery, birds, 4 days of puns, the beer and whisky barrel, the rescue, the rapids, swimming and the camaraderie |
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