We had a very easy paddle to Putney where the pub was vetoed for a delicious coffee in the church in the square instead.
Our return was obviously much harder whilst now paddling into the wind, but there were only shorts bursts that felt like we were stuck in time (and motion). Otherwise it was a challenging but fun paddle.
We didn’t see Sarah’s and Dave’s group – Julius caught us at Putney Bridge and said their speed was dictated by the slower paddlers within their group and had assumed they had turned back early.
Hope to see you next Sunday.
Michelle
Misprint on my part – I meant that I assumed the 2nd group turned back at an earlier point, not that Julius assumed that! There was plenty of coach cover over the 2 groups so glad to get to share your company!
Just to clarify I helped and stayed with the slower second group with less experienced paddlers till Hammersmith then informed the two coaches with their two learners that I was going for Putney to join the main group and coach Dave said they wouldn’t be going that far anyway. My “risk assessment” was two coaches with two paddlers was support enough and I was free to go on and join the main group and get some exercise in.
Which I very happily did and it was a great trip out with beginners and back with the main group with some good choppy bits of wind against water and making the best of our ever dynamic river.
Great to see so many of us back on the Thames again.
Julius