Page 17 - Ceufad Autumn 2022

Bryony’s wife had just finished a 12-hour shift up and provided the fuel we needed to finish. We “WE WERE SHATTERED
and so, after letting her know we were ok, she set paddled on knowing that we’d made the right life
off into the night to grab a power nap so that she choices when we married those two! We changed AND SHIVERING BUT
could meet us in the early hours of the morning. into much needed dry clothes in Llangynidr with
It's 6 miles to Pontymoil from Goytre which more tea and bananas and then were supported HOT TEA PROVIDED BY
meant we would be paddling for an hour and a by Barry Griffiths and Aimee on the long portage
half into complete darkness. We’d been given around the locks. We knew it was only a couple of MY HUSBAND, DAVE
glow sticks and we wore head torches to help hours to the finish and so we paddled hard at first, GILBERT, AND SYRUPY
us see any obstacles. It was cold and we hadn't pushing ourselves to make up any time we'd lost
eaten a meal since 6pm. Our calories in and out with the aim of getting back at 9am. PORRIDGE PROVIDED BY
weren't in balance anymore and the shivers set in. Our support crew was invaluable cheering us
Pontymoil is at the end of the canal and so all the on and encouraging us to keep paddling as our BRYONY’S WIFE, AIMEE
pond weed gathers and collects here. It was like backs ached and our legs began to protest. They
paddling through pesto. We received a message were beginning to really ache having been cooped DIX, WARMED US UP AND
at 9:15pm that dad was tired and they needed up in the same position for a long time. We craved
to leave, but some quick messaging meant that a bed, desperate to just lie flat for a little while, PROVIDED THE FUEL WE
we made it and when we arrived at 9.31pm they to let our backs straighten out and to feel our
were still there. We were so pleased to see mum legs flex. At Brynich lock the police ARV vehicle NEEDED TO FINISH. WE
and dad! We quickly munched on a few chocolate was waiting to greet us along with Aimee, Lizzie PADDLED ON KNOWING
buttons we'd been given earlier and set off back Tiernan and mum and dad. We knew we only had a
along the long stretch back towards Goytre and short distance to go but we were both spent. We’d THAT WE’D MADE THE
beyond. We met up with our second support crew both got to the stage where at 9am we were just
at about 1am in Govilon, having paddled without going to stop wherever we were. We no longer RIGHT LIFE CHOICES
stopping for 6 hours, covering 19 miles. We were cared about getting back to Brecon.
shattered and shivering but hot tea provided by Whether it was seeing friends, the energy gel, WHEN WE MARRIED
my husband, Dave Gilbert, and syrupy porridge or the paracetamol provided by Emma Prosser
provided by Bryony’s wife, Aimee Dix, warmed us (who jogged with us all the way to the finish from THOSE TWO!”

AUTUMN 2022 | 17