[adrian]

There were 10 takers for the Paddle Power Pathway in Bembridge Harbour on 27th June. Jack, Eleanor and Megan used the Dagger Kayaks while Paul and Sue, Adrian and Judi, Darcy and Sam, (Well someone had to try and keep Darcy under control) and Dave M took the Canoes out.
We started with a shore based Risk Assessment. Lesley took the youngsters along the beach and the Big Kids had to look after themselves. The unanimous decision was that there was lots of hazards in the harbour entrance so we would head up the harbour towards Brading Haven Yacht Club. Kirsten and I took the youngsters up the harbour to a series of buoys, where we were able to weave around them. (Well, it has to be done, doesn’t it?) This is where the Oldsters, with Lee caught up with us and we all continued up the harbour more or less as far as we could go. The youngsters decided that they needed a rest here so we transferred them into the 3 canoes, secured their Kayaks and returned to the harbour mouth via the St Helens side. It was here that we met our “Real Life Hazard” when the occupant of a rubber dubber told us that we should keep to the LEFT of the channel. Ah well as I always say, “Treat all other water users as total idiots until proven otherwise”
Back at the beach, Lee led a Canoe Rescue Session, or was it a “How many bumps and bruises is it possible to obtain within 30 minutes” while the youngsters were enjoying themselves on the beach.
So all good things come to an end and we dispersed, some to watch a football match best forgotten while the more sensible members stayed on at the beach.

[Kirsten - die Igelin]

... as a plus I even got some house-boat-hunting in

... liked the 'idiot' on the yacht even better, who wanted us to go onto collison course with another boat ... or perhaps I misunderstood him and he meant us to go below or above that boat ????
... another imbecile (spelling) demonstrated how NOT TO fill a petrol tank

... it can't be that we were the only non-idiotic-people out there ?!!!