Tryweryn trip April 2007
After an early start we loaded "Tamzin" the Transit and headed in a North Wales direction.
4 hours later we pulled into the Tryweryn centre car park, greeted by hundreds of kayak laden cars and perfect sunshine. We headed up to the top car park and put in above the chipper to warm up we surfed the top wave, broken in and out, boofed a river wide stopper and got in the way of a white-water safety course and were promptly told to get off the river and put on a bit lower down.
The graveyard section was the first rapid we paddled, eddy hopping down we showed great confidence until the first swim of the day at a 1m drop. The drop had to be taken at a 45 degree angle to pop you into the eddy. Chris ran it first and hit an obscured rock, capsizing in the shallow water and wading to the bank. Jonny shot it next and resurfaced in the eddy next to a rather wet but smiling Chris. Then charley shot through the middle and broke out a bit further down. With the next horizon line approaching we eddied out to inspect the 3 small drops which were paddled faultlessly. Now came a rest, easy grade 2 section but not with out its drama!
Chris hit a rock mid stream and capsized, bashing his chin underwater the shallow water made rolling difficult so he popped his deck and swam to the edge. The paddles and Chris' new boat were equally as unlucky, followed by Chris on foot they floated 1 mile down stream and by the looks of it hit every rock on the way down. Chris visited the first aid room and earned him self 5 butterfly stitches and a 50 mile drive the "local" hospital. Meanwhile Jonny and Charly scouted and paddled our way down to the café negotiating our way down, The Ski Jump, Fedw'r Gog Falls and taking out just above the conveniently placed café for lunch and a laugh at the rafts all hitting the cliff at pace. After lunch it was Jonny and Charlie's time to amuse the on looking crowds with a trashing from the International Wave!
When Chris arrived back from his 3 hour ordeal Jonny and Charlie decided to run the rest of the river down to Bala meeting a wounded Chris at the bottom. Jonny ran Chapel falls after inspection with Charlie providing safety cover from the ominous stopper on the right. Jonny and charly scouted and ran all drops from there on, even tackling the grade 4 Bala Mill falls with back side throw line cover from 20m using an 18m rope! The takeout was few hundred meters downstream.
Met by Chris, Jonny and Charly got changed illuminated by a raging hillside fire and the blue flash of fire engines and all headed back home slightly bruised but on the whole content with a good days paddling
First Open Canoe Course of 2006
The first open canoe course took place on 1/2 April under very tricky conditions. The river was running quite fast and there was a strong wind too. The candidates were in at the deep end with ferry gliding one of their first skills to learn. We proceeded up stream to slightly quieter waters but the wind was still making life difficult. The candidates by the end of the first day were getting used to these conditions very well and on the second day we were off up stream to the sheltered waters of the Hennerton backwater. We made a day of this trip taking lunch aboard, in the fleeting sunshine. Learning new skills along the way we made our way to Wargrave to meet the Thames again and returned via the main stream, stopping off from time to time to practice the newly acquired skills. I am pleased to say that all 8 candidates were successful in their quest to gain the BCU 1 Star Award. Very well done one and all.
Pete Holloway
VWT EXPEDS (Very Wet Tours)
River Dart
I had asked the team to pray for rain in the week leading up to the exped. I think they overdid it…………….!
The webcam at the excellent River Dart Adventures showed the level of the river varying between low and too low! Pray harder, I said!
When we got to New Bridge, the river was at a low, but do-able level. We got on, and the youngsters were warmed-up with some easy breaks in and out in the lead-up to the bridge
We re-grouped and headed off down river. The gentle rapids before reaching the River Webburn confluence was an ideal introduction to the main features, the first of which was the infamous ‘Washing Machine’
Now, I have a history with this drop – it nearly didn’t let me go 2 years ago! The group eddied out on river left and I checked the drop. There was an easy passage on the left of the drop (as there always is), but I considered that a mistake by one of the youngsters would be severely dramatic, so I took them down the ‘chicken-shoot’ on river left
We got out just below, and walked back to the drop on river right to look at the stopper. Time for some fun and games! I asked for volunteers to be ‘live baited’ in the hole. To my surprise I had 2 willing takers, so they were ‘baited’ and cast into the maelstrom! The stopper gripped them solidly – a shock for both victims, as they didn’t appreciate the potential power of a stopper. They do now!
We continued down to Lovers Leap. There was a beautiful wave at the end of this rapid, and most of the group had a bash at surfing. No-one suffered a ‘pin’ on the cliff-face which gives the rapid its name
Onwards to Triple Falls. Strangely enough, there are three sections to this
drop. The youngsters did a good job of boshing the first, but the second and
third resulted in some swimmers! Again, there was a clean surfable wave below
the third drop
The ‘Spin Dryer’ loomed ahead. This proved to be the best wave
yet, and long rides were had by all
We pressed on, and arrived back in the Centre after running the ‘Anvil’ drop. This was actually the stickiest stopper of the day. The only way I could get out was by capsizing, catching the down-surge and then rolling up!
A tired but happy group left the water for the long walk back to the centre
That evening it started to rain. And rain. And … well, you get the picture. The next morning we recced the river – the level had risen 2 metres overnight! The ‘Anvil’ had a tow-back of 4 metres!!
I decided that this was too high for our group, and so plan B was invoked. Sea-surfing at Boscombe, near Bournemouth, only 2 short hours away
Now, this turned out to be a very good move. We arrived at the beach to be greeted by a flowing tide and on-shore wind which was throwing up some spectacular waves 50 metres offshore. These were diminishing close in, providing the perfect scenario for both experienced and novice surfers
I think it’s fair to say that the youngsters had a ball in these conditions. The newcomers were extremely vocal during their rides, even when a capsize resulted! Off-shore, the waves were reaching heights of at least 10 feet, and the acceleration down these was breath-taking. I unfortunately had to call a stop when I found that the waves were too large for me to punch out through, and called the older group in for safety reasons
In all, this was a great weekend. The group consisted of James, Amber, Jonny, Mike, Charlie, Alex, Bevan, Dom, Carl, Nick, Leo, and Martin, with Chris, Keith and myself as coaches (click here for photos).
Roll on the next one……………
Wayne
Wayne Bissmire
BCU Level 3 Coach
The Eyot Centre
Henley-On-Thames
Oxon
VWT EXPEDS
(Very Wet Tours)
Hurley Weir, Berkshire
Our newly blooded Whitewater Animals wanted to keep their wildwater skills up to scratch. So, after a pleasant introduction to Hurley weir discharging on 1 gate the previous weekend, we decided to up the ante with a visit to Hurley on 2 gates
Hurley weir is situated on the River Thames at the Berkshire village of the same name. It is regarded by many as the best inland wave in the UK, and by some, the World. It ranges from zero flow to 4 gates. One gate is a good introduction to weir play, but moves are basically restricted to front surfing. Two gates, and most freestyles moves can be thrown. Things start to get serious when three gates are open; a large hole forms, usually with a fast green wave in the centre. Four gates is known as ‘The Dark Side’ – a very sticky ‘stopper’ wave forms in the corner, and is not for the feint-hearted
Richard, Mike, Paul and I met in the car park at Hurley. It was clear that Hurley was good – there were numerous playboaters in the area, most of whom were luckily getting off, leaving the wave for our personal use!
A quick check of the conditions and I returned to the group with the ‘bad’ news. “Sorry lads. The weir is no longer on 2. It’s on 3!!”
Mike and Richard’s faces dropped!
We got on the water and did the customary ‘warm-up’ roll in the calm water. It was absolutely freezing! As we shot the side weir, the hole produced by the 3 gate release looked enormous. And for a very good reason – it WAS!
The boys eventually got used to the difficult entry into the wave on river-left, and began surfing confidently. Mike managed to spin until he was facing backwards on the wave, to great applause from the rest of us. However, when he paddled back to us, he confided that he didn’t actually mean to spin!
Richard managed to half-loop his boat on several occasions, but couldn’t understand why! A quick trim of his sitting position in the boat, and he was surfing like the best of them!
The centre hole at Hurley is spectacular. If you side-surf and look downstream – there’s no downstream. The wave totally obscures downstream view, it’s that large! This is, however, the best place to be on 3 gates. The ‘hole’ is sticky enough to pull a vast number of different moves, but is very unforgiving. One mistake, and the wave will ‘power flip’ you upstream, leaving you at the mercy of the ‘stopper’. A bomb-proof roll is required, or the ability to swim whilst holding onto your boat and paddle!
It was the in the latter predicament that Mike found himself. He was power flipped, and his (usually effective) roll let him down. This necessitated a quick rescue, and Mike was deposited on the river bank, shivering and shocked!
We continued to play, and then noticed the Lock-keeper approaching the weir. He proceeded to open all of the side gates, so the entrance into the stopper became a little precarious. We decided to call it a day
Hurley (in my opinion) is without doubt the best place to practice freestyle kayaking and canoeing. Don’t go there alone, however! A swim could be fatal if you get caught in the re-circulating eddy. I have actually seen this happen – the swimmer just could not get out of the eddy. He kept going around and around and eventually had to be towed out!
If anyone wants to paddle at Hurley, please get in touch with someone who knows the area first. And whatever you do, don’t shoot the main gates! This is banned, and could result in your head being left behind on the weir gate!!
Wayne Bissmire
BCU Level 3 Coach
The Eyot Centre
Henley-On-Thames
The first 'Nutty Tour' of the season kicked off at The Eyot Centre, Henley, at silly o'clock on Saturday December 2004. We awoke the larks whilst packing the kit for this latest Eyot exped - to paddle the Rivers Wye and Usk in South Wales.
We eventually arrived in the car park at Builth Wells after a very foggy journey from Henley. We unloaded the kit and shuttled the vehicles. Surprisingly, no one had forgotten any kit - there's a first time for everything! The Wye was very low, but high enough to paddle.
After a detailed safety briefing covering dangers on the river, signals, capsize procedure and which brand of chocolate the Coaches prefer, we set off. Fifty metres later we stopped - the first capsize and swim of the day! A new World Record!
We pressed on. Moving water skills were practiced, and the youngsters soon became proficient at Breaking-in, Breaking-out, ferry gliding, surfing and side surfing in stopper waves (very sticky 'holes' which grip the boat and are reluctant to release!)
The rapids got bigger and longer, and so did the swims! Luckily it was very mild for December, and the Wye Valley thermal springs heated the water to bath temperature (or is that a very comfortable dream I had!). The water was freezing, and the swimmers were glad that we had insisted on full body protection
The largest rapid on the paddle then loomed ahead - the infamous 'Hell Hole',
where the water flow is funnelled from a width of 25 metres to a 'shoot' of
just 2 metres. It looked big, bouncy, gnarly and distinctly 'swimmable'. There
was, however, a 'chick shoot' down the far side of the river, which avoided
the nasty bits, and it was this route that the majority of youngsters took.
The intrepid, however, opted to shoot the 'Hole'. The looks on their faces as they entered the pit were priceless, but everyone successfully ran the drop, accompanied by adrenalin-fuelled shouts of elation (or possibly terror!). We pressed on
It was by now getting dark, so we made haste and completed the trip by sunset
(just!). We retired to the Youth Hostel for food and an early night (the youngsters
were shattered!)
After a pleasant lie-in on Sunday morning, and a good fry-up, we travelled
to Talybont for the put-in for the Usk. This is a far more technical river,
and hitting the correct 'line' far more critical than The Wye. The safety
brief reflected this
The first mile or so is flat, and is an ideal warm-up for the rapids that follow. The first test was 'Mill Falls', a grade 3 rapid. The less experienced took this drop down the centre line, which is the safest route. They enjoyed this so much that they walked back up the bank and ran it again! The more intrepid again opted for the 'adrenalin' line, which involved an initial drop followed by a quick 'Break out' of the flow. This provided the opportunity to surf several sticky holes. We pressed on (we became good at pressing-on!)
The next rapid was the largest of the weekend. The correct line couldn't be determined from the water, so we got out to check it out. This transpired to be a full-on grade 3 drop, with a right and left hand turn right in the middle of it! We formulated a plan and returned to the boats to run it. It was quite a sight to see the youngsters 'boofing' into the large aerated stopper halfway down the drop, and everyone managed to run it without capsizing!
A couple of smaller rapids and we arrived at Crickhowell, where, as a final adrenalin rush, we side-surfed the stopped thrown up by the drop under the bridge
Off the river, change and pack, and back to Henley. Another very successful
'wild water' exped
Those taking part were Johnny, Henry, Lucy, Charlie, Jess, Chris and Hu, with Kevin (who organised the trip) and Wayne as Coaches
Our next exped will be to the River Tryweryn in North Wales in January 2005
Wayne Bissmire
BCU Level 3 Coach
The Eyot Centre
Henley-On-Thames
The youth section of The Eyot Centre recently spent a weekend in the mountains of North Wales, where they explored the River Trywerwyn by kayak.
After booking into the excellent 'Bala Backpackers on the Saturday, they headed for the Welsh National Watersports Centre at Canolfan Trywerwyn, where they prepared for the descent of the river and received their safety briefing
The group was then conveyed to the start of the river, below the Llyn Celyn dam which feeds the river. Water levels were high, with the dam release on 10 cumecs (10 cubic metres of water per second)
The group took to the water, and tackled the first feature of the river, ominously names 'The Graveyard'. This is stretch of grade 3 rapids, strewn with boulders and water-drops, including the infamous 'ski-jump', which culminates in a formidable 'stopper' wave which grabs and holds the unwary!
Onwards, over the 'International Wave' which is a fast green wave, and into the approach to 'Fedw'r Gog' falls, the first big natural drop on the river. This drop caused some problems for the group, with 3 capsizing and swimming!
The next hazard was 'The Fingers', - a left handed grade 3 drop which must be shot on the left hand side for safety. Some of the group at this stage apparently mistook left for right, as the proceeded to shoot the drop on the wrong side, again resulting in several swims!
'Chapel Falls', which is a particularly nasty 'stopper', was successfully run, and the party re-grouped under the 'NRA Bridge' drop, where they were re-briefed as to their lefts and rights!
The bottom section of the river is a big and bouncy section, with one big grade 4 drop at 'Bala Mill Falls'. By this time, the group had refined their water-legs (or at least learned their lefts from rights!), and they were far more confident at using the river features to 'play' in
Bala Mill Falls beckoned, and the group left the river to check on the level of the drop for safety reasons. The group decided that the feature was a bit too technical, and 'portaged' (walked around) it, with the exception of the Coaches who relished a chance to hit the really big water, with a four foot 'grabby' stopper at the bottom edge.
The last section of the river was a gentle grade 2, until the egress at Bala
It was an extremely tired but elated group of youngsters who retired to Bala Backpackers that evening, one being too tired to even attempt dinner!
The trip was repeated on the Sunday. By this time the youngsters were all extremely confident, and the entire river was run without major mishap (Bala Mill Falls, however, was still deemed too large, and was again portaged by the youngsters)
The 4 hour drive back to Henley was extremely quiet - the youngsters had all fallen asleep before leaving Bala town centre
The River Tryweryn is a full-on grade 3 river, and is extremely technical. All the youngsters did extremely well, and were really excited when they successfully attempted an intimidating drop. All vowed to return, and to tackle Bala Mill Falls the next time
The group consisted of Ben, Jason, Jess, Lucy, and Rae, with Wayne and Richard
as coaches. We will return…
NWT(Nutty Winter Tours)
Dry start to the Nutty Winter Tours.
The first white water visit of Autumn 2003 to South Wales turned out to be more brackish. An early start on Saturday saw the dawn break over the Severn Bridge for Kevin, Keith, Jessica. Wayne was only a short way behind. Yes the clocks had gone back and Wayne time had caught up GMT.
Wales looked decidedly dry. The usually lush green Valleys were still baked dry. Fields looked more hay-like. We pressed on anyway and reached Brecon in time for a hearty Welsh Fry up.
By 10.30am we were on our way to the start at Sennybridge. We parked up and changed outside the gates of the army camp. Five contractor's vehicles came out as we were about to move off. Each driver wound down the window and expressed some surprise at our enterprise. "More water in my cup of tea Ha Ha! "Need your walking today lads Ha Ha Ha! "Got any wheels with you isn'it boyo? Ha Ha Ha Ha! ...and so on.
Still we pressed on.
Well we didn't have to get out and walk! The water flow was pretty poor but the promised biting cold wind made little appearance. The river cut its way through a remote winding gorge. The trip turned out to be a pleasant late Autumn picturesque river tour.
Seeing the river in such a low water condition revealed a lot of its rocky river bed. Obviously some good play holes with the right water level. But not today. We worked our way down river pirouetting on half submerged boulders, teetering on rock ledges where there should be a reasonable wave and ploughing like ice breakers through static deep water pools between, filled with pretty carpets of tan coloured Autumn leaves. There were one or two good bits though weren't there Jess!
Canoeing is like that though. Last year we had to cancel a trip due to flooding! Like Arnie "We will be back!" - when there is water again in Wales.
It was worth the trip. But only just. We decided that the pull of the Rugby World cup quarter finals was a greater draw than Sunday spent on the same river and returned home in the evening.
Keith
TOP
VWT(Very Wet Tours)
Senior Surf Camp 2003
Well, it was a first - not only for me, but for the Club, sport in general,
and all of mankind!
We left the Club on-time!!
Five hours later, we arrived at our base for the weekend - Ruda campsite at Croyde Bay, Devon, for our annual VWT sea-surfing exped. We erected the tents, and then crashed, eagerly awaiting the forthcoming fun and games in the white-stuff!
Saturday morning dawned. It was to be the best weather of the year thus far - blistering sunshine, and very still (which was a bit worrying, because we came for surf)
We had breakfast, then left for Saunton. The tide was rising, but there was very little surf, which was good for the new-comers to learn side-surfing, and to get their front-surfing techniques sorted
As the day wore on, the surf grew bigger….. and bigger…… and etc etc. The waves were now reaching hights of 6 feet, and were rolling nicely. A rogue wave passed under me and rapidly approached Michael, who was just landward of me. It reared, broke, and totally engulfed him. I watched, fearing the worst and expecting to see paddles and boats and Mike's flying everywhere. But then I saw the tip of a paddle - Mike had caught the wave perfectly, and was hurtling towards the shore. I think his shouts were ones of elation…
Some of the group then forsaked their sacred kayaks, and indulged in the heathen practice of board surfing (Judases !!!), and also body surfing (which is permissible!), and some good rides were nailed.
It got a bit too big for safety in the end, so most of the youngsters were exiled to the beach, whilst the rest of us made the most of the conditions!! Ben was a bit disappointed - he was hoping for a facial scar to match the one he got last year as a result of a Kayak v Ben collision (Ben came second!)
We called it a day - and a very successful one, as I actually managed a full day's surfing without enforced visits to the exhaust centre or hospital (BEN!). We retreated to the campsite to prepare for the evenings festivities
Now, this is where it got a bit silly. We couldn't find a dog to get drunk, so we indulged in other endeavours, with the sole intention of securing a photographic account of the weekend for posterity (well, this sounds better than 'photographing all the local scantily clad females!!' Nice one, Dave)
We then retired to the beach for a campfire, where we met the GREATEST kayaker in all the world. We know this is true because he told us - lots of times. We were enthralled with tales of his double ollie kickflip superclean blunts with tucked pike and half-twist. What he couldn't do was recognise my perfectly clear hints that we weren't really interested, and that it would be very nice if he went somewhere else! I think I got very un-subtle in the end! (full details from Mark)
We then saw a chap who was clearly in high spirits (or is that high on spirits!). Anyway, he didn't look too good, and fell asleep on the beach. We calculated that he had about 4 hours sleep ahead of him - before the tide came in!
Enough was enough for one day, so we returned to camp...
There was loads of surf the next day - but it was all somewhere else! So everyone decided to have a day on the beach instead of kayaking. The weather was again blisteringly hot, and my bottle of suncream did the rounds again. We had a peaceful and enjoyable day, and left at 1500 for the journey home
All in all, it was a very enjoyable and successful weekend. The youngsters were a credit to themselves and the Club, and they all learned a lot (memories of their tentative starts in the surf on Saturday morning, progressing onto full-blown whitewater runs in big breaking waves in the afternoon). Well done everyone
My thanks to everyone for a great weekend. VWT triumphs again !!!
Wayne Bissmire
BCU level 3 Coach (inland)
The Eyot Centre
TOP
VWT(Very Wet Tours)
Dart 2003
The first VWT expedition of 2003 commenced at the Club on Friday 28 February
2003. The mission - to paddle the Loop of the River Dart, from New Bridge
to Holne Bridge, Devon
In true VWT fashion, we left late! But only by 10 minutes. Three and a half
hours later, we booked into Brimpts Farm near Ashburton in Devon - our base
for the weekend. Initial enquiries were instigated - level of the River; weather
forecast; nearest pub.
As far as the latter was concerned, we found ourselves in a local hostelry
for food and a tincture of sweet sherry. And then we saw the dog...I think
the Staffordshire bull terrier acquired a taste for real ale. After several
(clean) ashtrays full, it went into the lounge and started behaving very badly.
To quote its owner, "What have you been on…"
So to the Saturday and the job in hand
The river had dropped a good metre from the previous evening when we checked the level at New Bridge. It was now merely 'high'. We got on and did a warm up on the wave under the bridge, followed by a few rescues (obviously deliberate capsizes!), and then moved on to the first play-wave, where we...er… played. We then split into 2 groups. The newcomers to white-water with Keith for some break in/out and ferry gliding practice, and the vets with me for lots of play.
The river was at a good level, and there were lots of opportunities to play on the way down to the 4 major features of the 'Loop'. We did some stern squirts at the confluence of the River Webburn, and then headed down to the first major hazard - the Washing Machine
This is a 2 metre drop, with a severe stopper extending from river right
three quarters of the way across the river. Keith went down first to get some
pictures, and we then sent the group down individually. I then made a mistake……..
I decided to run the drop with a bit of panache, and throw a free-wheel on
the way over. Now, this would have been spectacular, except for the fact that
I actually managed to throw the bow of my boat vertically into the stopper.
The stopper grabbed me, and I found myself being tumbled over and over in
the hole. It became apparent that the wave wasn't going to release me, and
I decided to bale out. Having done this, I was still retained solidly by the
wave, and was still being tumbled. Being unable to breathe, things started
to get a bit silly. I could see Keith on the bank during my vertical stages
- he was getting some good pictures of me!!
The stopper then spat me out, and Keith threw me a line and dragged me to
the shore. A quick bow carry courtesy of Keith, and I was re-united with my
kit and we continued down the river. click
for action sequence
The next hazard was Lover's Leap. This is a long rapid which flushes directly into a cliff face. After running the rapid, the correct line is to turn river right in order to avoid a nasty pin situation against the cliff-face, which everyone managed to do. Onwards to Triple Falls. Believe it or not, there are 3 falls here! Again, this was run well by the group, despite it being very big and bouncy. The final fall produced the best play stopper on the river. Flat-spins were the order of the day, with Mark pulling off some good blunts. The hole was so good that Mark and I even missed lunch because of it!
Onwards and upwards (or downwards - well, you know what I mean), and the
final major hazard - the Spin Dryer. This is a rapid which ends in a large
re-circulating pool, with a decent wave to play on
A short, shallow wave train later, and it was time to get out and move on
to the River Dart Country Park to meet up with Gordon, who was taking part
in the Anvil pro freestyle competition (and managed to get through to the
finals)
Back to the accommodation, followed by beer, food and kip (in that order)
The Sunday saw us doing a quick blast of the same stretch of river (this time with a more successful run of the Washing Machine by myself), getting out at the Dart Centre with the intention of playing on the Water flume, this is a 10 metre long chute, ending in a kicker, down which flows a steady stream of fast water. The idea is to launch yourself in your kayak down the chute, hit the kicker, head skywards, and then plummet 3 metres into the River. This was great fun, and progressed onto attempted aerial spins which usually ended in face plants and capsizes!
We then watched a few of the final runs in the freestyle comp, before loading
up and departing for Eyot.
The weekend was a definite success, and will be repeated when the river re-opens
after the closure for the salmon-spawning season
Well done to 12 year old Aaron - who was on
his first white-water trip - and did a superb run of Holne weir, prompting
glowing praise from a visiting coach. Well done also to Tilden
for successfully giving me heart failure for taking a slightly unorthodox
line on the same weir!
My thanks to Keith, Mike, Paul, Doran, Johnny, Mark,
Tilden and Aaron for being a great group. Special
thanks to Keith for saving me!!
The next VWT exped will be the annual surfing
trip to Croyde Bay on 12-13 July 2003. Report to follow ...
Wayne Bissmire
BCU level 3 Coach (inland)
The Eyot Centre
TOP
Club Night - A Night paddle
The river on red alert. The November evening temperature plummeting into winter. Darkness. What else do you do but go for a paddle! Wayne (sensibly) cried off. Had a bone in his foot or something. Pete Holloway calls me. Doing anything tonight? I can't think quickly enough to say the obvious.
Anyway we drove down to Aston Ferry to park the car and trailer for the return journey. The road was flooded. Pete assured me that the river was falling and it was OK to park on the island picked out in my headlights in the distance beyond the lake that was a road. Returning to the club we launch at the edge of the field and paddle to the river. The water is smooth and swirls quietly. The clear reflection of the lights of Henley in front of us paints a moving and beautiful picture. It never fails to entice me onto the water. Moving out into the middle of the river we accelerate towards the bridge. As we approach the arches seem a lot lower than usual. Passing quickly underneath the sound of the turbulent current parting around the bridge supports is left behind. Ahead is darkness and Hambledon.
As our eyes become accustomed to the darkness the countryside opens up before us. We pass the Upper Thames Rowing Club at jogging speed. There is a veiled light from the moon behind light cloud. Our eyes play tricks on us. Posts near the edge seem to hover over the water. Seats are perched upside down close to the water line. In reality we are looking at reflections.
The dark profile of Temple Island passes by on the left. In contrast the Management College is lit up like a beacon in front of us. As we drift on towards Hambledon Lock we disturb sleeping coots that tell us in no uncertain terms that they are startled by our presence and fly off into the darkness. Who is more surprised?
Approaching the lock we paddle out of the current and leave the river to sweep right over the long weir. We lift our boats out and carry them around the lock. Instead of a drop at the edge the water is above the level of the bank. The usual roar of the water is dulled as there is little or no drop over the weir. In fact the high water level though making the trip faster makes the evening paddle a breeze. However the speed of the river is deceptive. We rejoin the current of the river. Moments after re-launching for the final stretch a loss of concentration and Craig capsizes. A shocked and cold remark something like "Oh dear me. I seem to have fallen in! (I think it may have been a little more colourful) alerts us to his plight! Jonathan is on the case and we recover the bits - Craig, paddle and boat. Pete gets off and runs with Craig down the bank to warm up. Ben remarks. "Glad I went on the Wye and Usk weekend. This is fun."
The fast current makes it pointless getting him back afloat. The usual ten-minute paddle to the end takes less than five. By the time Pete and Craig arrive the group has finished and the boats are being put on the trailer.
What a nice way to spend an evening!
Keith
TOP
Wye the Usk
Canoeing in November. You must be joking!
We actually convinced 13 people that it would be a good idea. The forecast for the week up to the weekend was bad. A low rushing in to the south west dumping a heap of rain over South Wales. What do you think Kevin? Who knows?
So we meet Kevin at 6.15am for the first Nutty Tour of the winter. A quick hack down the M4 and we are in Wales by 8.00am, Mars is in Venus and there is a following wind. Wayne arrives on the dot at 10.00am at Builth Wells car park. Despite the forecast Saturday morning brings sunshine and a warm following wind. The predicted forecast of heavy rain had come early and filled the river. The conditions are as near perfect as could be wished for.
After a short safety briefing we launch onto the swollen river and so began the baptism of fire for Jonny Hawkins, Lucy Wenger and Ben …………. The river Wye though fast and the waves large was a really exciting playground for canoeists. First we learn about keeping clear of overhanging trees and underwater obstructions. Then how to use the power of the water. We spend time Catapulting our canoes in and out of the fast current. After half an hour we hit the first set of large waves and stoppers. It's like riding a bucking bronco. For those who have started their first white water experience there is dumbstruck obedience. Wayne however is in stopper wonderland. Despite his attempts at staying in each hole for as long as possible cart wheeling and flat spinning he is carried down river with the group. Over half way and as the low sun passes its Zenith we stop for lunch on a rock shelf at a rapid. The rest watching the waves roll and foam in front of us.
As the air cools we re-launch into the mêlée. Wayne makes for a good play spot on the opposite side of the river. He had been eyeing it up since we stopped. Matt forgets where he is and hangs on to a tree to support himself when getting in. Big mistake that results in a 100mm swim down the rapid. What no wetsuit!!? The sun dips below the hills and we only glimpse the sunlight on favourable bends. The stone bridge at Boughrood hoves into view and exhausted but satisfied bodies haul themselves up the bank to the carpark. As the early winter sun sets a warm and welcome car ride takes us to Tall-y-bont and our Bed and Breakfast. We feast in the evening at a pub and restaurant in the village. Good beer and puddings with custard. Lucy falls asleep in her dinner! End of a good day!
Sunday morning and the Usk is the challenge of the day. No distance to travel
to the start. The river's character differs from the Wye. The Wye collects
water from a wide area of mid Wales and gets larger as it meanders south to
the Severn Estuary. The Usk is more intimate. It rises in the Brecon Hills
and turns around a gap in the South Wales Valleys also to meet the Severn
a little lower down. It flows through narrower rocky gaps and up against forested
hillsides.
The water level has held up overnight but it is falling. The river has churned
red with the wild flood water but as we start it is still full but is looking
less wild. The weather starts with Welsh wet cloud but as we set off it clears
and heralds a dry and sunny day.
The river speed on its way tearing over drops and sweeping around corners-just
like you see on 999 - and we went with it. The bends are tighter and the drops
steeper. The white water beginners are moving up. The waves are attacked with
more enthusiasm. They try to trick them. They feign a sweep down river but
actually slice at the canoe sideways. Holes open and close. Today a capsize
is not such a threat and the rewards of an attempted move that is successful
are greater. Lucy is forced to beam with enthusiasm and excitement as she
crests a wave and turns into an eddy. Ben, tidy and with balanced turns is
in full control. Johnny, concentration written on his face is elated when
all his practised moves start to work! Exhaustion sets in towards the end
of the day. A few capsizes happen as tiredness creeps in. The river - ever
a taskmaster - marks the canoeists skill with each stroke of the paddle. At
the end everyone arrives at Crickhowell with smiles on their faces. They have
given their all.
At the start on Saturday everyone had found it difficult to find the right line. By Sunday afternoon we are gliding over the final stopper, break out of the current and come alongside the bank as if we had done it all our lives.
Great weekend. When is the next one Kevin?
Keith
TOP
So what does it take to create a canoeing facility?
Four years ago the opportunity for a major change at Marsh weir on the River Thames materialised. Following an Environment Agency commissioned strategic study the existing weir has been found to be inefficient in its function as a flood control measure. I first came across proposal in a chance conversation with the lock keeper. The Environment Agency had noted the scheme in their long term Strategic Plan and at that time the commissioned a preliminary study. Being involved with the local canoe club it obviously attracted my interest. I needed to find out more.
I must say at the outset I found the prospect of burrowing into a large government agency daunting but polite enquiry paid off and I was able to speak with the project engineer. I was surprised with his positive response and taken aback by his immediate offer to meet at the weir to consider the merits of using the site as a canoeing venue. I had in fact found by chance that far from repelling outsiders the Agency was keen to consult and looked for positive contributions. I was therefore able to introduce a voice for canoeing into the scheme at an early stage. No promises of course but he would see what he could do. The BCU have a remit to co-ordinate paddlesport facilities development so I contacted the officer concerned - Chris Hawksworth to let him know of the development. With his own contacts within the Environment Agency he was able to start coordinating a structured BCU involvement in the scheme development.
I maintained contact with the Engineers at the Environment Agency and eventually heard that the scheme was moved into detail design stage. Halcrow - Civil engineers were appointed and in due course Hydrotech Consultants were commissioned to create a model of the weir. Liaison with the BCU resulted in a formal invitation from the Environment Agency for Chris Hawksworth, Dr. George Parr and myself to visit the consultants at Leeds to see the model and contribute to the scheme development.
Some Model. I really did not know what to expect but it was much bigger than I had envisaged. It was about 18m long. The purpose of the model was to test the water flow and scour that would result from the new structure. The Environment Agency interest is of course to ensure that the weir works as a flood defence without creating unacceptable structural or environmental damage. We're looking to see how the scheme could be made canoe friendly (not entirely safe - all weirs are to some extent dangerous). The model has been run at various water level flows from normal winter conditions up to the 100 year flood level to reflect as far as possible the hydraulic effect that the new weir would have on the river bed. Tests showed holes as deep as 4m would develop in the river bed and then change position as the river level fluctuated. Quite fascinating.
Chris Hawkesworth put the case for including canoeing facilities. Primarily at Marsh Weir the canoeists are looking for a good play wave for freestyle and slalom practice but there are other issues of portage access and safety to consider. Safety was paramount. Design engineers are trained quite correctly to be mindful of health and safety and the thought of anyone going near a large body of moving river water is a distinctly foreign concept. The Navigation section want the weir to be capable of operation without putting their Lock Keeper at risk. The hydrologist wants to optimise flood defence and is keen to ensure the safety of the public up and down stream of the weir. The weir designer needs to ensure his weir does not disappear into a scour hole and of course the canoeist wants a "safe" play wave not a boat crunching and life threatening stopper. The model seemed to show that it was possible to accommodate all parties.
Scour is the weir design engineer's enemy. By lifting the powerful water flow off the riverbed with a deflector wedge one can reduce scour to the riverbed. Conveniently for the canoeist this also creates a canoeing friendly wave. The plans are to continue with more model experiments. Following our visit time will be made available for George Parr and Chris Hawksworth to experiment with the model to find the best possible canoeist's wave form.
As for me I have returned to Marsh to consider the implications of the model. For those that think the BCU is a waste of money think again. As a sport we need strategic planning. It takes time and effort both locally and centrally if we are to achieve good facilities across the country. It is only with the backing of our national body that the canoeist's voice will be recognised.
Last year the BCU ran a water facilities seminar at the Nene Whitewater Centre in Northampton. This was supported by the Environment Agency. Chris Hawksworth was instrumental in organising this event. I was fortunate to be invited to attend. Dr. Parr gave a very informative lecture on water design concepts and demonstrated his knowledge. He has as been involved in the design of a number of artificial canoe courses and provides the BCU with an outstanding design and advice capability. The BCU seminar was a first. It allowed a day to exchange views and ideas between those attending. Canoeists could talk with environmentalists, civil engineers, water engineers and people who's business depended upon a successful outcome of building such sites. The day highlighted the need for consultation and early involvement by as many users as possible. The pleasant surprise was the broad spread of common ground that could result from such consultation. Not only were the BCU there, they initiated the event!
The prospects for Marsh Lock are looking positive. If there is anything to learn from all this it is that a patient approach at the right time will be repaid. People are quite prepared to listen to a reasoned argument. My thanks also go to the BCU and in particular Chris Hawksworth and Dr George Parr who's knowledge and enthusiasm means that our canoeist's voice is represented in a responsible and enthusiastic way to those that are prepared to listen at a national level.
Keith Walker
Chairman of the Eyot Centre
Henley on Thames
TOP
© 2005 Eyot Boat Club. All Rights Reserved.
