Dear Sir,
This is an accompaniment letter with the pair of shoes, made by your company, which I have enclosed. I decided to inform you about what happened to them.
You see, I bought them some year and half ago, and wore them while pursuing my hobby kayaking. I never had a complaint about them until now, when the left shoe decided to deceive me in circumstances, that I would call rather peculiar. I have been kayaking in Outer Hebrides for the last five weeks. As most of the coast is rather of a remote nature, all equipment I took with me was carefully selected, and only that, which was deemed the most reliable was taken with me.
On this unfortunate day, day before yesterday, myself and my companion set off from the north of Great Bernera to continue up north. The wind was meant to be getting stronger and we decided not to hesitate to make fast progress. Unfortunately, as it usually happens, one hour into the paddle I needed to go to the bathroom. The sea state was such, that I decided against attempting it within the space of the boat and decided to land. Something not easy to do, when the coast is formed of cliffs, yet I spotted a small rocky bay.
Leaving my partner behind, I hurried forward, surveying the best place where to land in the crashing swell. By now, I was a woman in need, which helped with the perception of the size of the waves making them look smaller, and I landed.
As you may not realise yet, the boat containing all our equipment needed for such long unsupported trip makes a boat quite heavy. Yet, not able to wait for help I acquired extra strength and pulled it as far up as possible before proceeding with the business, which brought me here in the first place. I was wearing drysuit with drop seat, which allowed me to be fully independent.
I had got on with the business, details of which aren’t relevant, and I shall not bore you with them. Although fully occupied, I was still able to watch the waves crashing on shore and their effect on my boat. In spite of the initial effort of pulling the boat as far as possible, the waves succeeded in their effort and managed to dislodge the boat. In my defence I have to say that I have made an effort to run after it, even if it meant that my drop seat stayed open, and undergarments were by my knees.
And in that moment it happened. I realised that the right shoe became detached from its sole and the sole was hanging freely along being only attached by the toes. To my despair I had to give up the chase, as the prospect of tripping over and landing in the water without the dry suit being made water tight again didn’t appeal to me. I watched the boat setting off free in the water and quickly retreating beyond the waves.
In my misfortune I was fortunate enough that my partner was there able to recover my boat, bring it close enough for me to get hold of it and enter it safely. We finished that day in Bragar. The next day the weather didn’t allow us to paddle and we took a bus to Stornoway instead. I am now a proud owner of new purple Crocks and neoprene over socks, the best alternative to size 10 neoprene shoes that Stornoway could offer. However delighted I am about the colour of my new kayaking shoes, no where near they are as comfortable and safe as the original ones.
You see, Sir, these shoes have a history behind them, which I strongly believed was important to share.
Yours sincerely
Natalie
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