Afternoon Off

Today at morning meeting we were given the good news that the instructor staff had the aftrnoon off. So after completing a morning of site work a few of us jumped in a car and headed to the kayaking shop on the banks of the Durance. Many hours were spent in here, with the owner Wolfgang, who's got to be one of the best managers out there in the retail sector of the international kayaking market. He would run franticallly around his shop trying to find you the best piece of kit he had to offer, which would match your needs the best. Then he would give you a bit of discount for being British, then a bit more for being a PGL worker and then tell you what it would cost you all in pounds. What a great bloke. What makes him an even better bloke is that after all that i didn't buy anything (other people I was with did), but still he gave me a handfull of stickers for the paddling machine back in Lancashire.

Looking up the Durance from Saint Clement, where the shop is.

After finishing in the shop we moved on up the valley to find the Guil valley and take a look at the rivers up there. All I can say is that, that valley has some impressive sites. Especially Chateau Queyras.

The Guil just before it hits the dam.

Chateau Queyras and the Guil.

The rivers have been low all the time I've been here. The Durance has been hitting 60 on the guage around Embrun, but reports are flying around site, from the guys who've just returned from Reeves Wave that the river is flying up. That should be interesting for my rafting assessment on Tuesday. I've got another day off tomorrow. Sweet.

Good lines, stay safe and see you on the wet stuff...
Iain