Well, after keeping our fingers crossed all week for rain, boy did it come on Saturday!

Streets were awash, homes flooded, the Findhorn was pumping out of control…so we headed for the Averon by Alness for a change of scene. It’s a great river, but general loses its water quickly so needs a good dump right before you head out.

When we got to Alness, the level below the road bridge was reading a little above 3.5 which, according to Where’s the Water, meant that we were in for something more than a ‘stimulating paddle’!

After meeting up with Robert and his son, Ewan, we headed up towards Dublin and wandered down to the river. Firstly, you could hear it long before you could see it, and then when you could see it, it was moving fast, almost no eddies in sight and lots of overhanging trees to wrestle with; rock on!

Anyhow, to cut a long story short, we had a great paddle. Some fairly meaty rapids, lots of fast moving water, some surfing, a bit of chase-boating and paddle hunting…and I even had to disentangle myself from a fisherman’s hook which he had kindly left hanging in a tree at eye level…quite a day!