Month: August 2021
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Day 7: Trebeurden to Amiets
I woke to the sound of drizzle on my tent, the first of this trip. The streets of Trebeurden were deserted, I passed just one person on my way to the boulangerie. The cheery weekend vibe was gone, Monday now. Coming from my right-hand side, the swell built as I paddled out of Trebeurden. Breaking…
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Day 6: Île-de-Bréhat to Trebeurden
I spent the morning on my island stretching in the nude, sunning places where the sun doesn’t normally shine. Let’s hope the tourists on the tour boats didn’t have binoculars! At midday, I carried all my stuff to the water’s edge and loaded my boat. I paddled out through a maze of rocks to the…
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Day 5: Saint-Quay-Portrieux to Île-de-Bréhat
I was sitting on a bench overlooking the harbour of St Quay when I met Carla and Pauline. They asked if I wanted to come to Brittany’s best discothèque and well, I could hardly turn that down. Once again I was taken in off the streets. I met Carla’s friends and family and we had…
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Day 4: Sables-D’or-les-Pins to Saint-Quay-Portrieux
I awoke feeling replenished, perhaps by the Kouign amann we had for dessert. This delicious Britanny speciality is the perfect food for paddling, the main ingredients being sugar and butter! With the help of Nicholas, I launched at 11 and said goodbye to Juliet who was sailing a catamaran. I headed out to a rock with…
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Day 3: Iles Chausey to Sables-D’or-les-Pins
I had some excitement on the Ile Chausey last night when at around 22.30 I heard a commotion outside my tent. A rubber dinghy was floating out to sea and two men dived in after it. All three were quickly swept into the darkness by the massive tide and a strong wind. I got into my…
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Day 2: Pirou Plage to Iles Chausey
I spent the morning faffing about and got the boat ready to leave at midday. For those of you wondering why I’m leaving in the afternoon, it’s not because I want a lie-in, it’s because I’m paddling with the tides. The wind was blowing 18 knots NE so I decided to paddle out to the…
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Day 1: Plage de Sciotot (Nr Bréval) to Pirou plage
Today was a beautifully uneventful first day of the trip. For once I was happy to not see white horses and a big break when we arrived à la plage. I got pulled along by the tide with Jersey on one horizon and golden beaches on the other. The tides are my new clock, the…
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What is a surfski?
Born on the beaches of South Africa and Australia, surfskis were originally used to save people struggling in the surf. Surfskis are open cockpit kayaks, meaning you sit on top of rather than inside the boat. Unlike sea kayaks, if you fall out you simply jump back on! These kayaks are called surfskis because of…
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T1D: My diagnosis story
I squinted across the loch, willing my eyesight to flip back to normal. Instead, my vision swam, the pine trees and hills rippling as if, like the surface of the loch, they blew in the wind. “Let’s go to the doctor, I just feel there’s something serious about this” said my mum.