All posts tagged: paddle

Paddle under the Pennines: longest and deepest UK canal tunnel opens for canoe trips | North of England

Paddle under the Pennines: longest and deepest UK canal tunnel opens for canoe trips | North of England

Published by skeptic

“You’re in a canoe, not a boat, so you are very exposed,” said Gordon McMinn as he prepared to paddle into the UK’s longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel. “You’re vulnerable, you’re under your own steam, you are up and close to history … it is quite an experience.” McMinn, a volunteer team leader at the Canal & River Trust, has coordinated what it is hoped will become a bucket-list experience – the opportunity to paddle under the Pennines. The guided 3.5-mile canoe trips are through Standedge Tunnel, a jaw dropping feat of engineering which is 194 metres underground and 196 metres above sea level. The narrow canal tunnel from Marsden in West Yorkshire to Diggle in Greater Manchester opened in 1811 after 17 years of construction. The Guardian was invited for a preview before the trips are launched in a fortnight’s time. Emergency contact details were provided – “just in case” – and McMinn sought to reassure us that the risk of the disease leptospirosis was tiny. “It’s only really if you get wet …

Best Stand-Up Paddle Boards for 2024

Best Stand-Up Paddle Boards for 2024

Published by skeptic

Solid vs. inflatable There are two kinds of paddle boards you can buy, inflatable or rigid, aka solid. One isn’t better than the other — it will primarily depend on your current circumstances and what you’re looking to get out of your board.  Solid paddle boards tend to be better for the ocean because they’re more durable and can likely withstand the hit from jagged rocks and coral reefs. They’re also more stable when you hit choppy waters, boat wakes and waves. They’re also usually heavier, harder to transport and more difficult to store.  Inflatable paddle boards allow you to easily store it in small spaces like apartments, studios or the trunk of your car. They are also easier to get to the water, especially if you don’t own a truck or vehicle with roof racks.  Functionality You can buy specific types of paddle boards you can buy that are ergonomically designed for certain activities. There are different lengths, widths and styles to maximize functionality.  Touring: Touring paddle boards are meant to go long distances …

Kayakers paddle in Death Valley after rains replenish lake

Kayakers paddle in Death Valley after rains replenish lake

Published by skeptic

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — Kayakers have been paddling in one of the driest places on Earth after a series of record rainstorms battered California’s Death Valley and replenished Lake Manly. Park Ranger Nichole Andler said Badwater Basin at Death Valley National Park, which runs along part of central California’s border with Nevada, “is normally a very beautiful, bright white salt flat.” This year it is a lake. In the past six months, Death Valley has received more than double its annual rainfall amount, recording more than 4.9 inches (12.45 centimeters) compared to a typical year that gets about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters). Temperatures at or above 130 F (54.44 C) have only been recorded on Earth a handful of times, mostly in Death Valley. Vinaya Vijay, right, and Vijay Parthasarathy wade through water at Badwater Basin, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Death Valley National Park, Calif. The basin, normally a salt flat, has filled from rain over the past few months. (AP Photo/John Locher) Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North …