Ups and downs.

Just when you think everything is going great you know life is going to jump up and bite you on the backside. The unexpected summer weather has been great for business - not having to switch to the canal due to sudden rises in river levels, people actually looking forward to getting wet, the list is endless. I'm getting to grips with SUP and making a presence for the sport on the Severn and all our clients are showing a great improvement in their paddling!

Then on Thursday I over do it in an open canoe and rediscover on old injury lingering under my shoulder, just waiting for a chance to bite. About 12 years ago I tore a nerve just below my shoulder blade. Having to paddle with a single blade for a couple of hours reignited the injury - this has just compounded my dislike for opens!

Friday morning I felt a bit stiff and I hoped a day of easy hillwalking would rest it. By teatime I was doing okay and confirmed with Saturdays clients the session would be happening, I had a strange feeling as I clicked send on the email this wouldn't be the end of it. After a quick trip to my parents I was unable to move and trying to get hold of the clients to say I would have to cancel. I always suspected their end of The Gorge had something against me.

I hate cancelling sessions, not just because of the loss of income (this was only a two hour intro session), but because it messes people around. Pam and I have tried to build a business where that doesn't happen, where sessions are only cancelled in extreme circumstances (usually water levels getting out of hand) and we do our very best to be at venues on time. We've all suffered the poor customer care offered by some more established centres and never want our clients to be messed around in the way we've been messed around when attending courses in the past.

To this end, we don't always offer the cheapest course prices, but I hope we represent the best value for money and the best coaching you could hope to gain!