Time to hoist the colours..

Boating on Loch Lomond this morning

The 1st of December has been and gone. Obviously the main event was Cortisone’s Birthday celebration. However another, although less news worthy item, is that the Entries for the 2012 Devizes Westminster opened.

My aim today is to contact Antony to check he is ok generally, and indeed with Beaujolais as his K2 partner of choice for the 2012 event. If he is happy I will place the entry.

It was good to get out and paddle this morning. But not only was it dark, it was also cold, -1 C at Duncan Mills. The recent rain fall has increased the water level on the loch to the point that our normal boating pontoon now resembles a Cranog. There is a concrete pier to it, but that pier is now under a foot of water, leaving the floating pontoon an island.

The pogies were back on the paddles, I fear they may be on for some time.

The other effect of the low temperature is that it freezes the roads leading into Duncan Mills. These are never gritted, so you leave the main A road and suddenly find yourselves sliding gracefully, yet uncontrollably, generally in the direction of the nearest solid obstruction. The car park at Duncan Mills was itself an ice rink. So its time to remember to drive slowly in the mornings. I remember a similar time last year when hitting the roundabout just prior to Duncan Mills, I found myself close to spinning the car, moments later Cortisone arrived and did exactly the same thing, followed by a succession of Loch Lomond National Park Rangers heading into work, all in perfect synchronisation.

Anyway planning on boating tomorrow at Bowling. Aim to be there for 07:30. If anyone wishes to join me, I’ll see you there.

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