English Canoe Symposium

Blimey! I didn't realise that once I retired, I'd be so busy, I'm thinking of going back to work just so I can have some "me" time and catch up on important things like blogs and planning more paddling trips!
It now seems ages since I attended our 3rd big meeting of 2014, the English Canoe Symposium held down at Lakeside on Windermere. I still feel quite a newbie at open canoeing, so was looking forward to picking up lots of helpful advice.
Boats on roof, Hubby dear and I set off for the long drive over the border from Scotland. It was a wonderfully warm evening and was strange to see folks sitting outside pubs in tshirt sleeves, this being the beginning of November!
After our long drive all the way from Scotland, who was the first person we met? Willie from Scotland!

For our Saturday session we had chosen "white water intermediate- solo go for it attitude!"
We made our way over to the River Kent and split into 2 groups. Dave taking one group and Chris taking our group. Just after our put in, we were over a weir, then onto quite flat water, bobbing  along. We stopped at one point to practise cutting in and out, ferry gliding back and forward, down a bit further then a stop for lunch.

 So far the river had been fairly tame - that was all about to change!

Chris at Hawes Bridge

 Before long, the river narrowed. We pulled in to have a look and decide what line to take. Hubby dear was on the bank with the throw line. Chris set off first, followed by Blokey 1(sorry, forgotten names!), he got down fine, then clipped a jutted out bit and went for a swim. Me next. I got lined up fine, went over the drop. Unfortunately, it was at this precise moment that my "go for it attitude" decided to up and leave. That was the first time I had fallen out of my boat by mistake! I've no doubt it won't be the last!

Oooo!

Oooo-oops!

 Blokey 2(sorry, memory must be in retirement mode!) came down next making it look easy followed by Hubby dear, also making it look easy - boo hiss!

A bit further down, we were out scouting the river again before running it. Before long we were out again. After seeing the next section, I had decided my "go for it attitude" was still on leave. Chris went down first, unfortunately had a wee swim, breaking a spar at the same time. Blokey 1 and I humphed the boats downstream, whilst Blokey 2 and Hubby dear lined the first drop, then ran the rest again making it look quite easy!

Slightly damp

Over another weir, then another big and bouncy drop to check out. There were a lot of undercuts and generally lots of water pushing in that direction, so thankfully the boats were lined down this section. We were now at the get out. It was a great days paddling going from Grade 1 to what at times seemed like Grade massive in no time at all.

Back at Lakeside I met up with Sue who I bought my boat off, had a bit of a natter, then off to listen to Ray's talk about Canada.

Rydal Water

Next day, Hubby dear abandoned me as he set off for Rydal Water for a day poling and sailing. I had opted for a morning  "open water, wind and trim - solo" again with Chris. We were using weight to shift around to trim our boats. As I only had a smallish bag, Chris gave me a loan of his bag. I'm still not entirely sure what he carries around in it, possibly a dead body! either that or an enormous packed lunch. I'm not surprised he's a wee bloke, I'm sure he started off a 6 footer, but after humphing that bag, he's shrunk! It was a great and interesting session where we did eventually get a bit of a breeze.

Windy Windermere!

The afternoon session was "flat water Canadian freestyle " with Jorg. Another really interesting session, pushing the edges.

Jorg

All great stuff, learnt lots and looking forward to the Scottish Symposium later this year

June jaunts

 

Setting off from Seacliff

The problem with spending so much time out paddling (could there really be such a problem?) is that this page goes a bit to pot! That's where my problem comes into it, I use this page a bit like a log book to remind myself where I've been, what I've been doing and who with! So with all that in mind I'm doing a mass June paddle excluding 2 club nights per week.

It was that big!

A few Gannets

Passing the Pulpit

After coming home from Islay, our next wee outing was to Seacliff with LSKC for a short paddle out and round the Bass. On the way out, some of us had the opportunity to have a play with North Berwick lifeboat, allowing them the chance to practise rescuing paddlers from their boats. We finished off the day with a wee surf playtime before heading onto the beach for a BBQ.

Mike looking smug at the mayhem he caused Hubby dear (in the background!)

Happy to have survived

Wheeeeee!

The next week it was time for a wee trip up to St Andrews as the surf report was looking great. We arrived to find 2" "waves". The swell kind of picked up for a short spell, well long enough for me to catch the wave of the day, which was a reasonable size - big enough to trash one of the fins on my boat!

More Wheeeeee!

Next day was another trip with LSKC. This time we were taking our OCs over to Loch Lomond.

Leaving Balmaha

The wee blue sweetie bags makes another appearance

Ice cream stop at Luss

Looking up the loch

Nick looking a bit worried, that thing really zoomed!

Getting some wind assistance

  As it was, we were the only two with OC's, the rest being in seakayaks. Why is it any time I have an OC out on Loch Lomond it seems to be blowing a hooley? This day was no exception! The good thing about tying the boats back on the car that day was that we were ready for our trip the next day.

 

Checking out the Linn of Tummel

This day was with FCAG and their family fun day held up at Loch Faskally. The sun managed to disappear most of the day, but a good time was still had by all who attended with trips down the loch, others running the Tummel and another group playing on the Garry dodging the bungee jumpers overhead!

Boingggg!!

Hard work all this paddling

The final weekend in June saw me leading a group along the coast to Lower Largo with FSKC. The weather going out to Elie was beautiful, but started picking up on our return which was fine as it helped to blow us back home.

Cave keeking

Checking out the chain walk

Passing East Vows

Looking out to a far away Bass Rock from the other side

A tiring Tay.

Another early, cold, wet morning to do what else but go paddling!

Practising on the wee big river

  This week it was only Me n He out, so we needed to somewhere to park and play. Back up to our old haunt, Burnmouth on the Tay.
Hubby dear was still practising for his MWE, this week he was concentrating on ferry gliding. We got ourselves kitted up, then for the shuttle to the waters edge, all of about 3feet. There was hardly any bank, the river was really high, much higher than the Tay descent, that meant it had flattened a lot of the bumpy stuff, on the other hand, it was flowing really fast with all the chutes up at the Linn in full tilt along with the wee big river flowing in at the side. The wall where we often go up to play beside had disappeared.

Across to the island

First challenge was paddling upstream. I had gone a couple of yards and was well jiggered! Hubby dear came to the rescue and pulled me up the first bit, after that it was OK. On to ferry gliding on the wee big river with my personal tuition, back, forward, try this, try that, back, forward. After a few goes, I was now really jiggered. Up the Tay a bit further, then repeating it all across the bigger, wider, faster flow across and back from the island. The problem with the flow being so fast and strong, when your angle was a bit off, it meant swooshing in the wrong direction rapidly, which I seemed to have my fair share of!

Catching the waves

Next in for a wee play on the waves with what little energy I didn't have left before crossing back over to the car.
It was next morning, when I could hardly move it occurred to me, we hadn't really paddled downstream, all upstream, no wonder I was jiggered!

Rinsing the kit!

Having said that, it was still good fun and the weather had changed while we were on the river to glorious sunshine!

The launching of 2 boats. Part 2, Thankfully no Teithing problems

The launch No 2

The problem with me having my wee boat and Hubby dear not, meant I wasn't going to be out in it as much as I'd like. The solution, keep an eye open for a second boat. Much as I like my husband, he wasn't getting to share my boat, one of the reasons for getting a solo!
I knew this boat was to be used for coaching from as well as journeying and playing on the rivers, so when I spotted a lovely Freedom solo up for grabs, I started making enquiries. My next problem was that I'm up here in Fife, the boat was down in deepest Cambridgeshire (had to check the map to find out how far away that was, it's a long way!)
Thinking we were in for a long drive, I had mentioned it to a friend who then mentioned his son might just be going down to collect a Landrover from very close by. Problem solved! In the end the boat was up in Scotland in no time. I couldn't believe we had managed to get another boat in such good condition! Obviously well looked after by Nick.
No1 son complained about it, wondering where we would store all these boats! I think he felt we were doing to much SKIing, Spending the Kids Inheritance! I look on it as investment, if we didn't spend it, they would ask for a non returnable loan!
No2 son thought we could get more boats in the garage if we got rid of the freezer, he possibly understands us better, he's also a paddler!
No3 son just thinks Hey Ho! another boat!

Having a wee natter

Launch day for this boat was another cold day, well I guess it is winter! We met up with Madmoogs in Callander where we launched onto a fairly full Teith. None of the speeches and bottles of beer that I had, he's just not organised enough for that!

Catching a wave

Now Madmoogs turn

Now Hubby dear's turn

Colour co-ordinated

As Hubby dear is going for his MWE in the OC, Madmoogs and I were his students for the day. The sessions today were covering breaking in and out. Our first break out was just under the bridge where Madmoogs and I were having  a real wee natter about how good the 3 boats all looked, matching in red, but how Hubby dear would really need to change his grey drysuit for a purple one to match us!
After lots more breaking in and out, ferry gliding and catching what waves we could, we arrived at the bottom where a chorus of stecky groans coming from all three of us announced that our trip was over!

A nice, romantic, soft focus pic - no, just a smeary lens!

Next day to stop us seizing up too much, the pair of us were playing in the waves up at St Andrews. I'm saying playing, possibly getting pummelled would describe my time up there better, but all great fun!