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Aided by the good weather and warm river conditions this year the Junior canoe club has had its most successful season for some years. Enrolment in April saw a lot of last season’s members’ return with numbers boosted to capacity with a sprinkling of 9 year old beginners. Safety is paramount so sadly there were a few disappointed kids but we have to maintain safety with a fixed maximum number of children to qualified instructors. Paul Burness our level 2 instructor and I have been consistently in attendance on a Wednesday evening and regularly assisted by our new cadet instructors Lucy Wenger, Frances McKean and Amber Timmis.
The junior club aims to give grounding to the youngest members of the club in canoeing basics. We run the evening sessions with a mixture of introduction to formal kayak handling and water games. For most of the children the river environment is entirely unknown and to varying degrees scary. Our sport offers a fantastic challenge and initially wary of the unknown they learn by play and instruction to both respect and enjoy the natural and wild water experience of our rivers.
By the start of the summer beginners who want to will have achieved their British Canoe Union one star standard. Getting the kids comfortable in and to enjoy the water environment is the prime aim. Once hooked they soon ask for more! Play sessions in the smaller weirs, river trips and a weekend camping in the Wye Valley are on offer.
This year as usual we had a break for the summer holidays and then recommenced in the autumn. This was filled with 2 and 3 star test and then culminated with a group going to Northampton’s artificial white water course on the river Nene. Here they tested their skills on some fairly hairy white water raised from the River Nene and sent cascading down drops and around bends. There were lots of capsizes but with their good grounding and acquired skills they were all sad to leave on the day. A return trip is promised.
The nights are however drawing in and the club is officially closed for 2005.
However new for this year and by popular demand there is a weekend trip now planned for the river Dart in October and some swimming pool sessions for the winter. Many of the kids will be moving on to the youth club this year but no doubt there will be another intake in April next year.
Keith Walker
Eyot Junior club leader and BCU Level 3 coach
CANOE WEEKEND
Some time ago I ran a trip for non/beginner adults who fancy a go at canoeing
without the horror of nasty bubbly water attacking them. It attracted adults
and families. It is not strictly an instructional weekend just a bit of canoe
touring on a very pretty river. The group used open Canadian canoes arranged
with a local company who provided return transport. Those who had their own
took theirs. It proved very popular. We had a party of 38 people in the end.
We actually canoed one day and went for a walk or hired bikes for a ride in
the Forest of Dean on the second day. Some who didn’t fancy canoeing
at all just came along for the weekend and left their partner to it. It’s
not for kids on their own though. I am thinking of repeating the event. It
would need to be run in late September or October. Autumn is nice and often
there is reasonable weather. Any later and it will be too cold and the days
too short. Choosing the right date is a bit tricky. I thought I would first
gauge if there is any interest. I will run this as an event open to all club
members and their family.
I based it at the Welsh Bicknor Youth Hostel which is on the banks of the Wye just below Lower Lydbrook. Youth Hostels are not what they were. Book early enough and there are family rooms for 2 and 4 available as well as larger groups. This Hostel does not have a licence but allows you to bring your own wine to meals. A pub is within walking distance although the route is interesting! We usually make it!
If you are interested please let me know, Keith.
The Junior club trip to the River Wye was held on the weekend with the longest days of the year and although the weather was not quite an hot as it had been for the week before it was pleasant enough.
The trip started on the Friday night with the group arriving in Ross on Wye for a late evening supper of fish and chips. I had arrived earlier at the camp site with the canoes and main tents so all that was needed was the final few tents to be erected. The site is in an exclusive one run by the forestry commission for youth groups. It is located on a remote bend on the river and accessed via a long dirt track down a steep wooded hillside. It is very picturesque and when the sun shines there is no better place to be.
The Saturday morning saw a bright and sunny start. After breakfasting on bar b q toasted bacon sandwiches we prepared for the day trip. The group this year was joined by a contingent from Chiltern Edge School who are preparing for a summer trip to the Alps. We were also joined by Don Bealing, an old club member who has moved with his family to Yorkshire and felt drawn back to the club for this event, this time with his young son Lawrence. In total we made up a party of over 30 canoeists.
We drove to the start of the day trip at Lower Lydbrook and after a car shuffle, launched. The river level was on a summer low but there were some swift streams. There was plenty of opportunity for canoeing practice breaking in and out of currents as well as just enjoying being on the river. A squall just before lunch was the only interruption to an other wise sunny day. There was just enough time to pull into the side, put on an anorak and paddle about half a mile before the sun came out again.
We lunched on a gravel bar in the river just under Symonds Yat Rock bathed in sunshine. We could stare up at the tourists who were in turn staring down at us. I think we were in the better position! We continued on until a large bend in the river brought us into the Symonds Yat gorge. We encountered the day trippers in their pleasure boats who ply the mile or so above the legendary rapids and pulled in for our afternoon stop opposite the rock. This rock proves quite a challenge. For those brave enough to try it an unforgettable thrill awaits! One climbs the back face which is about 4m high and one's boat gets hauled up behind you. The top face of the rock is sloped down to the river about 2m where there is a vertical drop for the remainder of the way into deep water. After climbing into your canoe at the top of the rock you are released to slide down and finally plunge back into the river. For Tom Wynn Jones it was his first trip and first go at the rock. When he re-surfaced all he could say was ……..Wicked!!. I think he liked it! Joe Henwood was also a bit nervous ( I wonder why!) but also found the experience memorable.
We eventually moved on to the final part of the trip - the Symonds Yat Rapids. Truth be told most of the kids were quite tired by now but they summoned up the last bit of energy to run the rapids breaking in and out of the current and coming back for more.
The last haul of half a mile brought us back to the camping site. The river water was clear and warm so no one worried about getting wet and some just swam the last bit.
After changing the evening was spent having a bar b q and playing games. There was a camp fire around which all the days stories were told and more besides. And then to bed.
The Friday night had been broken by some excited chatter but not so on Saturday. Sunday morning again brought sunshine. The instructions were that no one was to make any noise until 7.00pm. No one actually stirred until half past seven.
Another bar b q breakfast over with and it was back to the rapids for some play. The standard of canoeing this year was quite good to start with but it was clear that everyone had improved over the weekend. No one was frightened to have a go and by the end everyone could handle their canoe with a fair degree of skill in the rough water.
Sadly all good things have to come to an end. Again the drift back to the camp site was used to practice boat rescues, rolls and just relax in the warm clear water.
The site was cleared and tents taken down in dry weather. Everyone played their part which made the job that much easier.
This weekend is organised annually by unpaid volunteers. Canoeing is the prime focus of the weekend however it is very social. It is an opportunity to make friends and an example of what can be achieved when people help one another on and off the water. Each year we seem to have no trouble receiving offers of help to organise the event from people who either themselves or as parents have come along in past years. Everyone is sad when the weekend is over. We must be doing something right!
Keith Walker
Second Session of the season and the river had calmed down. There was only a slight flow so the beginners had much more of a chance tonight. In fact we got into some good teaching stuff. Last week's struggle and my advice that the kids had to grit their teeth to paddle has meant that this week they were so much better than I would expect at this stage. We learned how to do a * _ _ _ _ _ stroke* and then put it to use winding in and out of the Islands. After that we did some backwards paddling across the river. The session finished off by making a big raft. Some of the more adventurous swapped boats.
The second hour improvers paddled up to the stream below Marsh lock weir. Lots of moving water stuff here. Dianne showed our group how to break in and out of the current. The water was warm as Max found out on the way back. He tried to hitch a ride on the back of my boat on the way back but with a slight acceleration on my part he was left doing a perfect demonstration of how to exit an up turned canoe. The group joined in back at the club finishing the session with a swim. At least we know they get a bath once a week in the canoeing season.
See you next Week
Keith
* prize for the first beginner to let me know the correct name of the stroke.
April
2004
The Eyot Junior Club's First night for 2004.
Well that was quite a first night. The weather was kind to us. It had rained all day causing the river to rise but the evening was all right.
This year we have Diane Aspinall, Paul Burness and Brian Roberts as club leaders. Dianne is a school teacher from Chiltern Edge School and has canoed in the Alps. Paul is a Level one Kayak coach who enjoys Kayak Marathon racing. He is also a Dragon Boat and Bell Boat Helm. Brian is an experienced whitewater canoeist. We also have a number of younger members of the club who are keen to help. Frances MaKean was down tonight.
The river was on yellow alert. That for those who are not river people means that one has to take care. The stream is fast - at least for the Thames. Experienced canoeists wake up and start to enjoy the river when it gets like this. Only the rowers and us were out tonight. Powered boaters find it a bit of a problem but the great thing about a canoe or Kayak is its manoeuvrability and ability to handle water much rougher than the Thames can offer.
It's tough for beginners though. Paddling in a straight line is very hard and as we saw tonight you had to grit your teeth and get on with it. The current was a bit too strong for some. Quite a few had to have a tow assist back to the start. I hope everyone enjoyed just being on the river though. Next week the challenge will be to see if you can control the canoe and make it do what you want it to do! Hopefully on calmer waters.
The second hour group are those who came last year and have come back for more. I am really encouraged by the high proportion of those returning. We can't be that bad! They hit the water as if they had not had a break and we headed upstream - quite a feat. We got into a ferry gliding relay race across quite a fast stream outside the River and Rowing museum. A lost ball was retrieved from the trees in the middle of the river and they instantly started to handle the Kayaks in a skilful way playing tag. That is more difficult than non-canoeists think as it involves sharp turning and balance. This was manages with apparent ease.
We circumnavigated the larger island and returned to the club. Here we finished off with an exercise in throwing rescue lines. The intention was to just throw the lines to an object in the river but the kids had other ideas and hands shot up at the opportunity to swim in the river. So we had half on the bank with the lines and the other half swimming and catching the lines. I think we need a little line-throwing practise, as it was more an exercise in knitting. However not bad at this early stage. There is no problem getting them to swim in the river!
Early days but the prospects are good. The weather can only get better and the current slower (unless we are really lucky!!). We will aim to get all the beginner kids through the basic one star course. Those who want to progress will be give the opportunity to go for the improvers two star. The committed nutters amongst them that really want to go for it may even get as far as three star. For those who just want to enjoy the water without messing up the hair don't worry about the stars. Just wish that the sun just shines on all of us.
Keith Walker
Junior Club Leader
April 2004
JUNIOR SECTION - Programme Information
Junior club is about to restart for this year so it is time to enrol. The club night is Wednesday, starting on the 5th May. We will run sessions for beginners from 6.30 to 7.30pm. Those returning will be in the improvers' session that will run from 7.30 to 8.30pm. Later in the year we will combine the sessions and run from 6.30 to 8.15pm.
Last night we held a swimming pool session for those returning to the club from last year at Henley Leisure Centre pool. I think most appreciated getting back on the water and the chance to try to learn to roll. There was a lot of interest so I think I will see if I can book another session. It will be the new beginners turn on Saturday 1st May again at Henley Leisure Centre from 5.30-6.30pm. It is a great way to start. We can get you straight into the Kayaks. You will be given tips on safety and be shown how to use a spray deck
The Programme for the start of the season is now published on the website.
We will issue a programme at the first session on the 5thth May.
Please keep the programme on your fridge or kitchen wall and read it!
Canoeing is a bit weather dependent so we sometimes have to change the programme. Some sessions will also take place away from the Centre. You will generally be told the week before of the location of these sessions or any changes. If you arrive in the wrong place or at the wrong time (or both!) You will miss out!
For the improvers we hold a weekend camp at a youth campsite in Wales called the Biblins. The event combines camping with a river trip on one of the most beautiful rivers in England and Wales.
Finally I will use e-mail to keep everyone up to date. If you don't have an e-mail address see if you have a friend in the club who does who can let you know of any last minute changes. This helps us immensely. Also if you change your address let me know.
Keith Walker
56, Elizabeth Road
Henley on Thames
RG9 1RA
Tel 01491 576902 e-mail keith.walker21@btinternet.com
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