Kayaking In The Seventies Poem by David Pass

My 16 foot kayak is just 30 inches wide.
Made of marine plywood and with lots of room inside.
A kayak with a flat bottom is hard to capsize.
To turn one way, lean to the other, the craft replies.

I drove from Sale to the chain bridge and left my bike there.
Onward to Lake Bala and I slept without a care.
Out of the car and launch the kayak at crack of dawn.
That means 2.45 am on midsummer morn.

Canoeing the lake to the level control sluice gate.
Portage past this then the river Dee looked really great.
Near to Cynwyd I met a fisherman and stopped paddling.
If you drift like a log then the fish go on swimming.

9 hours back to the chain bridge with small rapids near Corwen.
Cycle to Bala for the car and drive back again.
Use the canal to Plas Yn Pentre and leave the kayak.
Take the bike to Bangor is y Coed and drive back.

Sleep from 11.30 to 4.30, then off again.
Leave the canal and return to the river, no rain.
Under Pont Cysyllte bridge then on to Erbistock.
Met some rapids on the way but didn't hit a rock.

Here you leave the hills behind, the river 's not as fast.
Then another fisherman, I saw him make a cast.
He was angry and wanted me to leave the river.
Car behind, bike ahead, on I went, didn't waver.

Not much current but I soon reached Bangor and my bike.
Cycled back to get my car, parked close to Offa's Dyke.
Return to Bangor for the kayak then leave the Dee.
Back home to Sale and family, just in time for tea.

I met 2 men only whilst afloat for 55 miles.
The second one was irate but the first was all smiles.
I met many kingfishers, a flash of brown and blue.
A dipper and two wagtails while off a heron flew.