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Aire Waves
Leeds Canoe Club Blog. We paddle... lots!
Airewaves used to be Leeds Canoe Club's magazine letting people know what the club was upto. Its quite hard work pulling together a publication letting people know what the club is doing and publishing dates in advance is always hard as things tend to change. Step forth the blog.. Push button publishing for the masses. So here is the idea a few people in the club take it in turns to write up trips and talk about things in the club.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006Llangollen weekend a beginners perspective.
Saturday, after paddling in the morning over some drops to warm up and let people get over the copious amounts of beer that was consumed Friday night. It's onto the Serpent's tail. Carrying to the put-in and I see the reason for carrying sponge padding as my boat starts cutting into my shoulder.
After some safety advice and splitting up into small groups it's time to get onto the water. John predicts that the beginners have a 50/50 chance of making it, a statistic that will prove to be very accurate for me at least. A gentle paddle over some rocks and I prepare to follow Martin's line over a drop, which instantly proves a bad idea as he goes over and rolls back up. Thankfully I avoid the same fate, as I've not yet learnt to roll it could have led to the first swim of my weekend. As we approach the Serpent's tail anticipation is building I still haven't seen the rapid so I have no idea what to expect and the reassurances that it'll be alright and the worst that'll happen is a swim only serve to worry me more.
Preparing for the first run and the last time my shiny new Lil' Joe will be seen without a nice selection of scratches and gouges. I see the signal to go and I get my first sight of the Serpent's tail. Everything seems to be going ok. I just have time to think this isn't so bad and my first swim of the day is here. First thought's on getting out, bugger and Again!!! So off I go down the rocks to retrieve my boat and carry it back to the top. This time I'm determined it's not gonna get me. Head down and paddling away I see the calmer waters ahead and a cheer goes up. I made it somehow, a big smile breaks out on my face and I raise my paddles in the air in celebration, foolishly as I'm not yet in the eddie. Thankfully the waters calm enough at this point to continue down to the next eddie without swimming.
Day 2 and this time we're straight up to the Serpent's tail to start the day. This time I'm a little worse for wear and obviously not fully awake, (Never mind smokers Snorers really should be forced to sleep outside where they have less chance of disturbing the rest of us), until that is the cold water at the Serpent's tail engulfs me, swim number two of the weekend. So I grab the line that's been thrown for me and after I've got my breath back off I go to get my boat for another run. Just like Saturday the second times the charm as I make it down in one piece proving to myself that yesterday wasn't just a fluke.Thanks to all at Leeds canoe club for organising the weekend and all the good advice and safety put on, it was a great weekend.
Has to be mentioned just in case he doesn't write his own blog. Sympathies must go out to James who swam on day 2 on the serpent's tail. The call rang out, Boat... Paddles... only to be corrected with a call of Splits... One paddle enters two paddles leave, an expensive way to get a pair of splits.
Richard
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