We did it, at last, after months and months of waiting, we did it ... friends, I found the pig from the boat!!! You wouldn't believe how strange that it! Well, obviously, I know the smell I'm looking for - or at least, telling them about, but I never expected to find it from the boat! I've been out in the boat before, a few times really, and never smelt it before from a boat, even when we were in the river Conwy, where you'd expect to find a body or two, but there we were today, in the lagoons at Llyn Padarn, and qhat a surprise!
I think I've been ready to start training in the boat for a while but Sian and Phil weren't really sure how to do it, and they were waiting because Neil said he wanted to supervise the transition, because it's hard, and you can make lots of mistakes. Anyway, they met up with him a while back, in July, and he explained how, but then there was some poisonous algae in Llyn Padarn, and we didn't have anywhere else to train that was as ideal as that lake.
Anyway, lots of people had said that the algae was better, so we went for a look at the weekend, and I found lots of smells there. I think Sian was impressed because we haven't been able to train for a while - Sian's been really busy at work, and the Llanberis team and SARDA have been really busy with rescues - all a bit silly season really!
Sian spoke to Paul and Ken this morning, and they explained where the algae was, so we decided to go ahead.
We had a run around first, then they started playing about with the boat, blowing it up and stuff, and me and Flash had a run around. Then Sian got into her balloon suit - don't ask, but I must get a photo on here - she looks a sight!! Bless! anyway, I got to run out and find the smell first, then we got a ride on the boat. I couldn't believe it when I got the smell from the side of the boat ... I looked at Sian, and gave her a lick just to check she was awake, and leaned over the side to show her what I could smell. She said speak, so I did, and got the ball! So I thought, I wonder if this is the game again, and it clearly was!!! I did it again and again, and got the ball every time. It was easier when we got into the clean lagoon, with no other smell. It's a strange thing, but so easy when you know what you're meant to be doing!
Can't wait to go again! I hope we go soon!I can't decide if it's easier from the boat or when I have to run around!! Mind you, running around today, I got a cut lip from someone's barbecue - you know those disposable ones that have the mesh thing inside - the mesh cut me!! Blood everywhere!
I'll let you know how things go!!!
Cadster xxxxxxx
