Life is Good!!!

Life is good as a Trainee... us girls have been having a hoot. 

Every Monday is a training day and so far we have been:

Kayaking – Rolling most Wednesday nights with Jonny Mornin, perfecting our low and high braces.  In turn getting closer to getting our rolls styling. We also had a good day in Castlewellan lake doing rescues in the kayaks and open boats.

                                                                Kathryn pushing the high braces

 Claire mastering the low brace!

Sea kayaking – In Strangford Lough with Oísín and exploring Pawls Island, which was once a model farm in the 60’s.  We had a lovely day out and as they say, accidents always happen after lunch and Caoimhe showed us how not to get into a sea kayak as she took a tumble for the worst – On the bright side the head stayed dry! 

                                               Caomihe searching for her lunch!

Open boating – We have made many journeys in the open boats down the Quoil, through the Bann and in Strangford Lough. These days we have been looking at our basic strokes for paddling efficiently and we have even taken on our first rapids in the river Bann.

Kathryn pulling a cheesier in the sun! 

Pose!

Hill walking – We have had a master class with Kieran on Pigeon mountain practicing micro navigation.  Kathryn made sure to fall several times whilst coming off the mountain to ensure we were up to speed on our rescues. 

We all had a few good days while we had some snow dusting the hills too!

Climbing – With the wall at our doorstep we have no excuse not to get training on it!  We have had some great laughs in at the wall from chalk fights to practicing taking lead falls.

 Kath and Caoimhe have got out in the new season, in the beauty of the Mournes.  Claire has been getting loads of climbing in, over at the Edinburgh climbing wall - getting her pump on!!!

Caoimhe will be doing her first lead outdoors very soon – so watch this space – EEEEEEKKKK!

Caoimhe!

Mountain Biking – Tollymore forest park offers us guys some great opportunities to get out and about on the mountain bikes.  Trevor kindly brought Kath out to try the famous bomb hole where she successfully carried out the moves but later had an epic fall over the smallest bump!

Claire the mountain bear beasted Kath and Caoimhe up the massive hills of Tollymore forest park - Fun times!

Winter Mountaineering – Claire headed off to Scotland on 26^th February for some snow and ice climbing.... with the not so great winter weather conditions... but still found lots to do!

Caoimhe and Kath headed out the week after for some winter mountaineering.  We had a class week and luckily got 3 quality snow days.  The first day started with the Fiacaill ridge then up onto Coire Lochan, where we learnt some nifty winter skills from self arrest to belays and bucket seats. Caoimhe had the joy of climbing her first Munroe – Sgor Gaoith

Claire!

Caoimhe and Kathryn!

                                                                                     
Caoimhe and Kath stayed in what they call a ‘Wigwam’ – we preferred Chicken coop.  We can’t wait for another adventure in the Snow.

Finally, us girls will be completing our first official training of the year for our 2 star in Canoe and Kayak next weekend – Exciting stuff.  We will keep you posted on the craic.