Tweety glides again

It has been well over a year that I last paddled in Anglesey. For various obvious and less obvious reasons I did not travel and paddle as much. Getting back into the habit of paddling but in what paddling shape am I?

Visiting the Sea Kayaking UK factory I was welcomed by 'Tweety'. It has been the nickname of my second Explorer sea kayak, which maiden trip was to the Falls of Lora, back in October 2006. It is still here, waiting, and strong as ever.

Paddling out to Penrhyn Mawr via South Stack and North Stack around the Holyhead breakwater into Holyhead marina. A glorious sunny, almost windless, day. Sea state: "flat as a pancake"; a gently running Penrhyn Mawr.

I notice my kayak still remembers how to do this. Judging the right ferry angle and speed to play the 'Chicken shoot'; that helps. For plain paddling speed I am reminded that that is something I have to do myself and that my kayak is just enjoying hat part of the free ride. Forward paddling with 'locked arms' feels the only natural thing to do this. Rolling at the end is effortless, an ingrained body movement that does not require any thought.

Tweety still there, scenery everywhere, paddling skills still there and I am here.