The end of another day

The sun is setting on another adventure packed day here in Cowes. Tomorrow, we will do keel boating and kayaking (rotating groups from today so everyone has done both) and dingy sailing. As ever, we will keep you updated with the days events.

UKSA world cup

 This evening's activities are up on the recreation ground near the centre.

On one side of the field, the world cup final for the UKSA is taking place:

While over the other side, some of the children are playing with a rugby ball:

Paddleboarding - the end

 All too soon, our time paddleboarding is over, so we have to return the equipment to the slipway:

Before getting out of our wetsuits and other water equipment, and then returning to our rooms to shower and prepare for dinner at 5pm.

More paddleboarding

 Children are rotating round the four activities, so that everyone gets to try everything. As I've already described three of the four, I won't repeat that here, although I will try to explain the fourth. Oh yes, and there's a special mystery guest in this lot somewhere . . . . 

A star-shaped pattern of boards is the base for a variety of games aimed at getting the children to gain some stability on the boards:

A big ship . . .

 The River Medina - where we are, anyway - is normally only used by relatively small pleasure craft (we are in Cowes, after all!). However, sometimes the peace is shattered by this huge ship - which brings wind turbine poles from a factory up river out the Solent. It is so big that it can't turn upriver, so it comes back down backwards

Paddleboarding - gaining confidence

 All around the marina, small groups of children are taking part in a number of paddle board confidence skills.

In this one, you must try to run to the end of the line of boards and jump in:

Although some might consider a somersault off the end as a bit ott:

Another group is trying out what must surely be the biggest paddleboard ever:

While another group are venturing out in twos on boards:

 

I will return in a little while to check on progress!!

Pontoon jump

 It's warm here today - one of the quickest ways to cool down is a pontoon jump:

Lunch

 We have now had our lunch (it was very nice, thank you for asking) and are having a few minutes downtime before we begin our afternoon activity: stand up paddleboarding.

Kayak finale

 The Kayakers have finished by having a relay race. I have no idea what the rules are - nor have most of the children - but they are having a lot of fun!!

Keelboating

 The first thing to do is to physically get into the boat. This can be tricky as the boat moves underneath you, but the children soon get the hang of it:

One group of 6 is going out in the safety rib, and will swap with some of the others while out on the water:

While the other groups motor out into the river, before heading out towards the Solent:

Kayaking

First of all, we get paddles and do some basic handling techniques:

 And then we're into Kayaks and start learning how to paddle them within the confines of the UKSA area:

Once we've got the basics, we being a paddle up the River Medina.

Wetsuits

This morning half of the children are keelboating on the Solent, and the other half are kayaking up the Medina. Kayaking requires a wetsuit, so the first thing to do is to get into those:

 

Good morning

 It's still a little cloudy here but the forecast says that won't last. 

Soon it will be breakfast time as we prepare for a day of fun packed activities on the water.