With heavy rain forecast for the southwest Martin, Nige S, Barny, and Rheanna form CSCC aswell as Mike and Tim from WYCC headed down for a run of the Tavy (after picking up a boat Tim had bought from Exeter services which looked like a kayakers convention), Unfortunately it had no water in it, no really none. So we headed in search of some water, luckily Martin is a human guidebook and soon found us a river we could float in.
The decision to do the Upper Dart was met with mixed reactions, Nigel looked plain scared (this didn't change much until the car park) Rheanna and Barny where excited whilst everyone else was somewhere in between. Martin reassured Nigel slightly by telling him that it was low so he would be fine whilst everyone else wound him up more.
The rapids started of fairly easily but soon got steeper and more powerful until the start of the 'Mad mile' was reached, Martin announcing this did nothing for Nigel's confidence! We paired up Nigel and Martin H, Rheanna and Mike whilst Barny and Tim led. The 'Mad mile' gave some excellent technical grade 4 with the rapids merging into one. Nigel began to relax and enjoy himself. This was short lived as a roar indicated we were aproaching Euthanasia falls. Everyone ran it down the right hand side of the island without too much carnage. Barny decided he wanted to run the actual falls. Whilst inspecting it appeared there was lots of water going over the falls, when Martin was asked about this he said 'yeh its a bit higher than I said but don't tell Nige' .Barny walked up and ran it as everyone watched, no problems.
The river continued in the same way, steep and technical, until 'Surprise Surprise' this was a steep boulder garden with a nasty looking slot or sneak round the side. Everyone went for the sneak root and ended up at the bottom fine, Nigel didn't fancy it and decided to walk round which just left Martin. He took the same line but hit a rock below the surface which capsized him and trapped his paddles leaving him to be dragged paddleless down a boulder garden upside down. Needless to say he swam and looked very shaken at the bottom. The next thing was to retrieve his paddle, Mike clambered action man style to the paddle and we were soon on our way.
The River now eased off and we were soon in Newbridge to Nigels relief. See you next time.
Barny
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Take your boat for a walk- 13th Feb 2010
A lack of rainfall, dire surf forecast and pure desperation to go boating lead Nigel, Barny and Rheanna to tackle Wiltshire's own: The Bybrook.
The trip began in Castle Combe, where the river started as it would tend to continue: flat and fairly shallow. The first obstacle was a horseshoe shaped narrow fall onto a shallow and undercut landing. After removing a large plank from the drop everyone ran it with no problems.
After this the river continued to wind through the valley before turning into what can only be described as: a nature reserve! As we paddled through we all felt a very strong feeling that we weren't welcome there. Continuing through the reserve we were greeted by a very unhappy landowner/Buddhist who basically told us to get off the river and get lost.
So we took our boats for a walk. After finding a place to get back in our boats the river started to widen out a bit, and become VERY tree blocked. The stubbornness, determination (and possible stupidity) lead us to battle through many blockages that would normally have been portaged. Eventually we gave up and took our boats for a walk again. MORE tree blockages followed as we approached another notable fall- a debris filled slot in what felt like someone’s back garden. After all running the fall fine, Nigel hit the big danger: a strainer across the river, with a reasonable flow behind it. The situation became serious quickly as he became pinned. Barny was in the best position to help and as quickly as the situation started, it was over.
More walking and tree dodging followed as we followed the river to Slaughterford, where we made the perhaps silly decision to continue. A short paddle lead us to a small technical shoot and under a very unwelcoming derelict mill. By this point we were exhausted and horrified by more tree blocks. The notable one being when Rheanna got pinned to one set of trees and after Big Nige's help to get free of these ended up spraydeck and paddle less under another set of branches. Leaving the only option to leave the boat.... on the Bybrook!
More walking lead us straight into an unhappy games-keeper, with a shot gun. He informed us that we should paddle through very quickly before the land owner saw us and went ballistic. After kindly informing us of this he went to get the land owner. On her arrival hissing and screaming we were left with no other option to end the trip here, or risk all violence that she could throw at us. She informed us that we should learn "THE LAW" before paddling there again. Definitely not a supporter of open access for kayakers in Britain.
A trip not to be repeated but definitely laughed about at a later date
Rheanna
The trip began in Castle Combe, where the river started as it would tend to continue: flat and fairly shallow. The first obstacle was a horseshoe shaped narrow fall onto a shallow and undercut landing. After removing a large plank from the drop everyone ran it with no problems.
After this the river continued to wind through the valley before turning into what can only be described as: a nature reserve! As we paddled through we all felt a very strong feeling that we weren't welcome there. Continuing through the reserve we were greeted by a very unhappy landowner/Buddhist who basically told us to get off the river and get lost.
So we took our boats for a walk. After finding a place to get back in our boats the river started to widen out a bit, and become VERY tree blocked. The stubbornness, determination (and possible stupidity) lead us to battle through many blockages that would normally have been portaged. Eventually we gave up and took our boats for a walk again. MORE tree blockages followed as we approached another notable fall- a debris filled slot in what felt like someone’s back garden. After all running the fall fine, Nigel hit the big danger: a strainer across the river, with a reasonable flow behind it. The situation became serious quickly as he became pinned. Barny was in the best position to help and as quickly as the situation started, it was over.
More walking and tree dodging followed as we followed the river to Slaughterford, where we made the perhaps silly decision to continue. A short paddle lead us to a small technical shoot and under a very unwelcoming derelict mill. By this point we were exhausted and horrified by more tree blocks. The notable one being when Rheanna got pinned to one set of trees and after Big Nige's help to get free of these ended up spraydeck and paddle less under another set of branches. Leaving the only option to leave the boat.... on the Bybrook!
More walking lead us straight into an unhappy games-keeper, with a shot gun. He informed us that we should paddle through very quickly before the land owner saw us and went ballistic. After kindly informing us of this he went to get the land owner. On her arrival hissing and screaming we were left with no other option to end the trip here, or risk all violence that she could throw at us. She informed us that we should learn "THE LAW" before paddling there again. Definitely not a supporter of open access for kayakers in Britain.
A trip not to be repeated but definitely laughed about at a later date
Rheanna
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Walkham / Tavy - February 09
Darren, David, Nigel S, Simon, Barny, Rheanna from CSCC hooked up with some paddlers from Wiltshire to do the Lower Walkham river which feeds into the river Tavy. The first boating was done sliding down a small snowy hill at the get in. The Walkham started flowing gently through a scenic valley but soon dropped into some small technical rapids.
These continued for a while untill the the first real grade 3 rapid was reached, it was a 'slot' where the river ran thorugh a small gap the size of a kayak. Darren ran it first very smoothly follwed by everyone else, giving Nige a chance to showcase his rolling skils. Darren enjoyed it so much he did it again!
After the slot flat water continued for a small way down to the Tavy, the rapids increased in volume making bouncy fun until the wier was reached, the wier had a tricky right angle line over a double drop. This made for some comedy lines!
Thanks everyone, Barny
These continued for a while untill the the first real grade 3 rapid was reached, it was a 'slot' where the river ran thorugh a small gap the size of a kayak. Darren ran it first very smoothly follwed by everyone else, giving Nige a chance to showcase his rolling skils. Darren enjoyed it so much he did it again!
After the slot flat water continued for a small way down to the Tavy, the rapids increased in volume making bouncy fun until the wier was reached, the wier had a tricky right angle line over a double drop. This made for some comedy lines!
Next came a small wier which created a fun stopper, the hardest part of surfing the stopper was dodging other kayakers!
Thanks everyone, Barny
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