ThePADDLER 40 Words: Mal Grey As with so many of these trips, it all began whilst under the influence of drink, camped by the fire on the banks of a small river in Wales, at new year. A couple of us were talking about where we would be heading on this year’s ‘Pirate’ adventure at Easter, and the seed was planted without really considering how the reality might be. This would be the sixth Easter in a row, where the Pirates have headed with canoes for the wilds of the Scottish Highlands. The Pirates themselves are the kids, Tobey, Alex and Ben; the adults merely make up the crew. On the first of these trips, Loch Shiel, the youngest was merely three, the oldest six. Now they are a few years older, eight and 11, the trips are becoming more and more ambitious. On this trip, teenagers Nick, 14, and Matt, 19 would make their debut too, and prove a real asset to the expedition. The adult crew were made up of Lynne and Darren, Liz and Rob, Nige, Pete and myself.