Water of Life

Sitting here in my comfy chair having just finished watching Gordon Brown’s excellent Sea Kayak DVD, I hear the rain of the Pacific Northwest gently pitter-pattering on the window, the fire is crackling, the ferry's horn sounding as it negotiates the S-turn of Riche's Passage and the sea lions barking in the distance. I reach out for my glass only to find it empty! It was only recently fully-charged with a nice smoky, single malt or, as the say in the isles; uisge beatha - water of life. So off to the de-corking station --that's what I call the cabinet where I keep my collection of single malt whiskeys, wine and other mind-altering substances (a reference to Billy Connolly and McEwen’s Export). Surveying the labels: Oban, Islay, Jura, Mull, Skye… my mind wanders to memories of padding the Inner Hebrides (yes, there is a single malt from Mull called Tobermory, but its not very good). I am now thinking that my two vices, single malt and paddling, are perhaps only one interrelated watery way of life.

Slainte Mhat!
Rob
Valley Sea Kayaks USA
Bainbridge Island, WA