Kayaking on the Tarn.

We got up early by our French standards and were on the road by 8:30, off to the kayak rental beach on the River Tarn. This is about a 2+ hour trip. We had some good bread, saucisson and jambon, and some drinks for lunch. Sal and I were the neophytes; the rest had at least some river experience. Now for starters, the photo below is not on the part of the Tarn we floated, but I liked the look of it. No, our section of the river had lower “rapids” and we all got through without a spill. Didn’t even require helmets.

A 10k paddle was filled with great scenery, clear water and a steady wind blowing up the gorge. We couldn’t decide who should steer, so we both did. The result was a 10k trip became a 15k trip by the time you figure all the side to side travel. The wind in the bow (do kayaks have a bow?) made steering even more difficult, but we made it to the end. A few moments of heightened anxiety when we went over a small damn, and when we got caught against a rock by the hydrostatic pressure of the water, but all in all a brilliant day.

I wore long sleeves, long pants, Tevas with sunscreen, a broad brimmed hat and sunscreen on face, neck and ears. Sal didn’t cover as much. The good news is everybody else got some sunburn, and we - - nya nya - - didn’t.
It was a tiring day full of fun and companionship. Lots of teens in the crowd to liven things up, and good food too. Plenty of wine when we got home took away the soreness from arms until morning. Then Ibuprofen took over.
Image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWinGr7lQVxJ1q08b_a0en3QrS0uKtcGjFs5bcNGz3ihvsUxgcb6qwNSVSX8VhlaPATI513JHj-tYN-x-lYNKMVv4VhlLiGO1xIIvTwRvo3J00walAGgQTtq9ZRhV6_r3YecslTRu29Bz/s1600/DSC_0032.JPG