Canoe Challenge 2010 Completed!

So, we did it! And we are all alive and well and here to tell the story, so here goes..!

It all started with a 2-hour trek across the Peak District straight after work on Friday, then unpacking and setting up the tents by the light of the headlamps. By 9 pm it was raining again and so it was off to the welcoming fires of the Anchor Inn to warm up and get some Dutch courage for the day ahead.

Saturday also began in the dark, but this time at 5.30am! An hour later we were scoffing bacon butties and gearing up at the check-in point. After another sprint across country, we finally got underway at 8 in glorious weather, with the first paddlers, Paul & Andrew, making superb progress overtaking one team and keeping ahead of the Endeavour Chesterfield crew. Alas, this could not last and a couple of stages later we had fallen a good 10 minutes behind Endeavour and it was clear we had a race on our hands!

We quickly found our rhythm though, and one of the most impressive aspects of the day was the teamwork!