Freesteel Blog » Another fortnight ticks by

Another fortnight ticks by

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011 at 11:15 am Written by:

This was either Saturday or Sunday 12 or 13 March, taking a brief break from all the coding going on during the month while Becka was away.

It’s probably about two kms from my house in another world, having paddled from Rock Ferry on the Wirral side of the Mersey to a point on the Liverpool side at high tide. The river is not as boring as it seems from above. It is very active with the winds and the tidal currents. Many more kayakers would be out there if they only knew this fact.

The timestamp on this photo of Richard Stallman selling is Gnu buttons in Preston is 2 March 2011. He gave his stump speech.

The timestamp on this one is 13 March, which must mean that kayak jaunt was Saturday and this was Sunday. I was having some very hard days coding, which is evidenced in the scraperwiki changeset timeline of the time. Version control information must have been used in a court of law by now.

The club un-cancelled a novice diver trip to Anglesey because the weather was actually turning out nice, and I took my boats:

The novice I took for his first ocean dive was hopefully not too traumatized by out kayak dive in that white area just beyond the rock.

I know of a deep undercut just in that place with lobsters. The anchor got stuck when we were originally searching it out (and I did a solo check-dive), and I left it there floating on the buoy while we fetched the other diver’s gear.

Our second dive was from the shore round the back of the rock for a bit more shelter and relaxation.

Becka was away caving for the month, so I had to avoid getting fat and unfit. The answer was a quick trip out on 20 March to northwest Wales with Martin G for some cycling round Snowdonia.

First you need some calories at Pete’s Eats in Llanberis with the veggie grill.

Then, beginning around 4pm we cycled up to Pen-y-pas and around the mountain, stopping in Waunfawr to look for Bill’s house (he doesn’t answer his phone but had given me his address). In the fading light at 7pm Bill was out at work (junior doctoring), and his wife (also junior doctoring) was getting ready to go out for a night shift before he was due to return home. It’s no way to live. I arranged for us to stay the next night there.

We cycled back to Pete’s bunkhouse in Llanberis and discovered that the town is dead at night, except for the curry house where we were the only diners.

Drove to Bill’s house in the morning and parked right on the side of the drive and still managed to block their car in. Whoops! Then did a longer cycle via Bedgelert, the site of Gelert’s Grave (it’s a dog)

Then hauled selves up to Croeser Slate Mine which was in the mist so couldn’t see just how far up the inclined track it was. We went in all the way to the first pitch without getting our feet too wet.

Then headed down to Port Merion to see the place. Haven’t visited there before. They have a dog cemetery there too.

Finally back to Bill’s in the darkness far too far. Got fed. Got beds with electric blankets, and got home the next day and back to work.

2 Comments

  • 1. Auj replies at 8th April 2011, 12:19 am :

    Love this quote on kayaking –

    The first river you paddle runs through the rest of your life. It bubbles up in pools and eddies to remind you who you are. — Lynn Noel

    Whenever I get to travel and there is some water, I never miss out on kayaking. It relaxes me and it also poses a challenge to me to try its greater heights; especially when I got to watch over at cable tv about kayaking competitions.

    But I guess I gotta practice harder for now. Any advice?

  • 2. Jonathan replies at 14th April 2011, 11:35 am :

    Awesome dude..I also love adventure,this is what i always do when i have free time.Your photos are great,but i like more water rafting.As i see your photos i’m having a thought to try kayaki.Nice one,hope to see more picture of you adventure.

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