After several months of trying, I managed to find a canoe for a friend to replace the rather too heavy VP16 he had bought from me as his first boat. The prospector style was what he wanted, but being considerably lighter-built than me, he needed something he could handle more easily off the water. So we were both very pleased when a tuff stuff Nova Craft prospector came up on Song of the Paddle. This was to be his first outing in the new boat. The Mexborough loop is one I know well, a combination of a relatively modern industrial waterway and a backwater on the River Don. We put in as usual by Mexborough top lock, heading up the Kilnhurst cut to the top of the backwater. It was a hot, still day, the height of summer. Flowers abounded along the banks of the cut, insects buzzed in the heat, and our paddles were the only thing disturbing the water. We made leisurely progress, as Brent got used to the different handling of the new boat. Before long we came to the Continue Reading

Martin’s Mexborough Meet One of the many things I like about the Song of the paddle forum is its sense of community. A few weeks ago, I collected the Swift Raven from Matt, and was entrusted some paddles to transport onwards to Bren. It turned out that we could meet up on a trip that Martin was organising on a loop of the River Don at Mexborough. I had first done this loop a couple of years ago, blogged here: http://aphotographerafloat.co.uk/mexborough-meanders-loop-kilnhurst-cut-river-don/ with two other SOTPers, but Martin had been unable to join us.  Since that first trip, I have done this loop several more times, both in company and solo, but not for a good year or more. So, I was very pleased to be invited along when Martin proposed the route.  May Bank Holiday weekends can be a bit unpredictable weather-wise, and the forecast was suitably mixed, with sunshine, showers, and a building westerly through the day. The trip itself comprised a length of canal – the Continue Reading