Sunday 24 April 2005. . .

• Barry Shaw is clearly a man with a penchant for Big Crossings - here's his latest trip, a solo crossing of the North Channel from Portpatrick in Scotland to Larne in Northern Ireland!
  
• By way of total contrast, read Helen McKenna's nicely illustrated report from our Easter trip - a wee run through Kyle Rhea to the Sandaigs and then up into Loch Hourne.
  
• For one man's "take" on the joys of sea-kayaking, with some good general advice, nice pics and some excellent trip-reports, click through to Rod Slaughter's superb site and enjoy. If you fancy building your own three-part double, Rod's done it!
  
• And finally - we met Claire, who posts on the Forum as "CCL", on our Easter Sandaigs trip - lovely to meet her and "put a face to the name" - she sent me some pics of an overnighter to Bute on 17 February 2005. Hard to believe these are of Scotland, in February!
  
  

CCL's Bute Pics. (Click for the full-size images.)

Saturday 2 April 2005. . .

• A quick update - the Ed is away for a while, so please bear with me if the site isn't updated for a week or so. All contributions on anything to do with sea-kayaking are welcome in the meantime!
  
• Need a paddle leash? The choice is yours - you can spend £20 - or you can click here.
  
• Easter inspired a little poetry (well - A.C.Paddler thinks it's poetry - you judge.)
  
• Easter also saw a rescue in the vicinity of the Summer Isles - if you missed the debates on the Forum, here's a summary. Some worthwhile lessons and the value of carrying VHF and flares is clear. Having the right knowledge and proper equipment seems to have helped with a happy outcome.
  
  

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• Right - some pretty pics I stumbled across while doing some re-org on the site. Apparently taken by a Mr M Rainsley, age 13 3/4 - anyway, they are worth seeing and don't seem to have been used already.
  
  Have you got good, evocative, or just plain nice pics to share? They are very welcome at editor@ukseakayakguidebook.co.uk.
  
  

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• Online magazines - the superb Canadian magazine "WaveLength" has a downloadable version of their April / May issue. Some good "safety related" ideas although whether a "X" rescue with a loaded sea-boat is a good idea is something we could discuss on the Forum.
  
  "Qajaq", the US site dedicated to traditional boats also have a downloadable version of their Winter 2005 Newsletter. It's got a great article on making a traditional Tuilik. Have a look, and if you ever wondered where the word "tunic" comes from, you'll find the answer!
  
  Got any suggestions for other online kayaking resources not already listed in UKSKGB's "Other Sea-kayaking Related Sites"? Please mail me the details.
  
  

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• Finally - there's a new page in the Almanac - "Diary Dates & Events" - hopefully it'll serve as a reference source for interesting things to do in a sea-kayak. Got an event to add? Just click editor@ukseakayakguidebook.co.uk. Links to a couple of sites with words (and tunes) for traditional and folk-songs have been added to the "History & Culture" pages - just the thing for that "round the campfire experience".
  
  The Ed is planning to go to the Scottish Sea Kayak Symposium on Skye - it'd be good to say "hello" and meet people who use or contribute to UKSKGB -

Three lady paddlers in Swanage Bay at dusk. Claire Cailes in the foreground

Tuesday 29 March 2005. . .

• Well, Easter has come and gone and I hope everyone had a great time - trip reports would be very welcome if you'd like to send us one. The Ed and friends had a great weekend in the Sandaigs / Loch Hourn area and a trip report will be posted soon.
  
• From Bob Baird comes details of what looks to be a good weekend over 23/24 April, the N&SBSKS SCA Tour in Northumberland.
  
• There is a Scottish Canoe Association Sea Kayak Coaching weekend happening on 16/17 April on the Isle of Bute. This is a weekend to improve your skills and meet other sea kayakers.
  
  Some of the coaching workshops include sea kayak safety & rescue, improve your sea kayak handling, guided day trips around sections of Bute, coaching beyond 4 Star, flare demonstrations and evening slide shows. All for the grand price of £25 for the weekend. Contact Richard Hathaway rcostrathclydewest@scot-canoe.org or click here to download a Word doc with all the info and Booking Form.
  

  
  

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• Thanks to Zoe Newsam, we've now got a kit packing list in the Almanac - there's also a downloadable Word .doc so you could personalise it to your needs.
  
• Right - some nice pics - Mark Rainsley approaching St Alban's Head at sunset, Zoe Newsam in the fog off Durlston Point. Both pics by Heather Rainsley.
  
  Also, three lady paddlers in Swanage Bay at dusk. Claire Cailes in the foreground. A trip where females outnumbered men by 4-2. Pic by Mark Rainsley.
  
  

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• Are you a "newcomer" to the UK Sea Kayak Guidebook? Welcome. So what is UKSKGB and what's "in" the Guidebook?
  
  UKSKGB is non-commercial, aimed at the sea-kayaking fraternity and aims to provide an accessible and dynamic resource focused on helping fellow sea-paddlers enjoy the sport. It's written by sea-paddlers, for sea-paddlers.
  
  There's a Sea Trips section, with a lot of trip reports (many illustrated) on sea-kayaking in UK (and elsewhere) together with links to external sites and discussions from our Community Forum. That's the place for discussion, debate and gossip and it's a vibrant place to visit.
  
  The other main part of the Guidebook is the Almanac and that's where you'll find material covering everything sea-kayak related from choosing, using and outfitting sea-kayaks to camping, navigation and wildlife. Enjoy.
  
  UKSKGB welcomes contributions on anything to do with sea-kayaking - if you'd like to send us pictures, trip reports or articles for others to enjoy, they'll be very welcome.
  
  

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• Summer Ideas : click thro to these -
  
  • Alternatif Outdoor offer a range of paddling options in the warm waters of Turkey - they also say they'll hire sea kayaks.
    
  • Chris Harvey edits Guernsey Paddling.com - he says the site is still under development but Guernsey looks like a great place to paddle. Click here to go to his report on "a 100 nautical mile circuit"
• And - remember to ADD an hour to your tidal calc's and MSI broadcast times, to allow for BST.