Thank you, I quite enjoyed making it!

It is. I've paddled the Tweed hundreds of times, maybe half a dozen trips had good water levels. Still fun though, just have to be prepared to get out and wade sometimes!

Hi Ollie, you're completely right, I've paddled the river hundreds of times and I've run Melrose maybe half a dozen. It's a high risk, low reward rapid, it's rare there's a viable line, the portage is easy and inviting, and it's a risky, slippery, rock hop just to inspect it (and it has to be inspected because trees get stuck in it all the time). But you know how it is, some days you see a line and it feels like the right thing to do.

That's an awkward question. The answer is yes, I think I probably could, I've never paddled a SOT, but I've done a bit of kayaking and know the Tweed pretty well. But I'm guessing the question you're really asking is, could you? I have no idea, it's a bit skill level, experience, water level and boat dependant, and your call to make. Melrose Cauld is a bit of a boat breaker, I often carry round it with my canoe, and it might be a bit difficult in a straight running, touring SOT. I probably make Mackerstoune look a little easier than it is, I used to guide on the river so I know all the sneaky cross currents that catch people out, again in a straight running, touring SOT it's doable, but you'd have to know what you were doing and know how to read a river. To help with the judgement call, there's another video of the same trip here, kzfaq.info/get/bejne/faxoosmatJ6Vj2w.html it's longer, shows different angles, and a few crashes (although nobody swam on that trip, there were a couple of dented boats). The Tweed's a lovely river, and all the hardest bits are easily carried round, but only if you can hit the eddy above the rapid. Hope that helps.