On the water

Didn't get to post anything during last week cos I was busy kayaking and canoeing during the day and being lazy at night. I've gotta try and keep this short, cos I have to pack my things for our Russian trip tomorrow and get the train back to Kuru soon.

I wasn't gonna risk capsizing with my camera in my pocket so I only got some pictures on the last day. Aras was the cameraman, he was sat on the shore for a while as he warmed up from a little swim he had in the morning.

The previous days we had been learning different paddling techniques in the kayaks and canoe's, but this day was all about rescuing. Trust me that water was cold.

Ready for Ralph to try an Eskimo rescue.

He is supposed to capsize himself, then I come along so he can grab hold of the end of my kayak and flip himself upright so he stays in the kayak.

Didn't quite work out. He let go or lost his grip of my kayak half way up and went back under so ripped his spray deck off and popped out. 

So began the other rescue.

 I have to take his kayak, drag it up over mine and flip it over to empty out the water. Then put it back into the water and hold to it so he can climb back in.

I had already been the victim. My rescue didn't go as planned, basically help took its bloody time. I don't know how long I was in the water but it felt like a long time so by now I was proper cold and couldn't feel my fingers.

I helped Ralph back into his kayak and made for the sauna. Warmed myself up and came back to do basically the same thing but in the canoe.

Ludo and Andy practising the Eskimo rescue.

 Some of the others doing the canoe rescue.

 Robin and Tim

Ludo

That's it for pics of last week. We had another orienteering practise on Thursday that took a bit longer than expected but that's what practising if for. 

I'm off to Russia in the morning for two weeks. Should be good, we have the first snowfall of the year forecast for next week so looks like it might get a little cold especially at night. Luckily my new sleeping bag was delivered last week so I'll get to test it out very soon.

I bought it from Wiggy's in the USA. Its a modular sleeping bag system, two bags together rated down to -40c. Hopefully that's enough for our winter expeditions. The outer bag is rated down to 0c and the inner bag is rated down to -20c. I'll be taking the inner bag with me to Russia cos the nights will be dipping below freezing, nowhere near -20 but I'm not getting cold this time.

Hope I have enough food packed for the whole trip. That weighs in at just over six kilo's, plus all my kit = one heavy back pack.

Gotta go get ready now. be back in two weeks.

Laters.