I got back from the Alps late on a Sunday night and spent the next week trying to clear up afterwards. However, the Sunday of the next weekend I decided that I'd had enough of tidying and cleaning and went to the Tummel with husband in tow. We met Graeme, John and Carl from the Perth club and headed down the river in the sunshine. The first shock was the water temperature. No more balancing on the tiniest rocks because the water has just come off a glaclier - this water has been warmed all summer in Loch Tummel! I'd also decided to bring my Jed and had a bit of an interesting time getting used to how short the boat was compared to my Burn! Still, the Tummel ups its difficulty slowly, so I didn't have any issues until S Bend.
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| The constriction/slot/awkward b****** |
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| S bend/Z bend |
S bend did not go well for me. I forgot I was in a little boat and went upside down on the first drop and washed into a rock. Unable to roll, I let go of my paddles and climbed upright using the rock, Only to watch my paddles float away down the next drop! Oh dear. Oh well. I pushed off the rock and floated down the next drop, pretty sure it wouldn't go great. It didn't. It happily backlooped me! I waited a second to let the aeriated water clear, then hand rolled up. Ha ha! First hand roll on a river! I hand paddled round the corner to catch my paddles, which were swirling into the big eddy at the bottom. Determined, I went and ran it again, managing to remember that I was in a play boat and nail the line.
The Linn, while being bigger and more intimidating, is easier and I had no problems. Davey portaged, so I paddled his boat down for him!
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| Graeme nailing the line on the Linn of Tummel. |
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| First drop in my Jed. |
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| Boof off the second drop! |
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| Paddling husband's boat down. |
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| John coming down. |
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