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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.
Thursday, November 10, 2005Tyne Tour
Sunday on the Tyne Tour. Lots and lots of rain all week and then a bit more over night made parking at Barasford a right nightmare. My Car was covered in mud and I had to get Andy and James to push me out so I could complete the shuttle run. When I came back I had another look at Barasford Rapids on the left hand side. In the 30 minutes it took to move the cars around the water had risen a couple of inches, a quick look again and the nasty rock at the bottom was covered with water and pretty much everyone was hitting it. I hit it but not the way I expected to. Jonathan, Ben and Andy all had to roll up after hitting the rocks..
Heading off down the Tyne was pretty fast compared to previous years, we arrived at the weir about 30 minutes quicker than I expected but found Leeds Uni club sorting out pinned boats and swimmers. Which wasn't too big a suprise once you headed down the weir. The wave at the side was huge and flipped a few people over but thankfully they all rolled
At the top of Warden Gorge we broke into a couple of different groups. As my group broke out to head down the gorge a massive tree floated past us. We held on for as long as we could but eventually we had to follow it down. Heading down the right hand side was a roller coaster of a ride and no mistake. Quickly we climbed up the face of one wave and then rolled down the back of the next as waves came in from all sides. I wanted to look behind to check on my group but couldn't for fear of missing the next wave. As I approached the bottom I could see the rescue team on the side and a massive wave infront of me as I headed towards it I could see throw lines pulling bodies and boat out past it.
When I got off I started to find my group and the rest of the club. People were scattered everywhere. I walked up to the rescuers to see if any was up there. I was as if there had been a big accident, people seemed to be in shock looking for equipment and friends. Boats were being washed up in trees. The rescue team told me the water had gone up 2 foot during the day. They were stood deep ankle deep in water next to the trees the water had gone up so much. When I came back to my boat I found Julie and Nigel live baiting boats out of the main flow of the north tyne. How we didn't loose any equipement I will never know..
With everyone back to Tyne Green a body count was made, most people didn't make it through un touched. Everyone had a story, lot of people surfed the wave for a bit. I'm not entirely sure who actually meant to surf it mind... I don't think I have seen waves that big before not even in the alps. It will certainly be one to remeber or forget depending on your point of view..
© Leeds Canoe Club 2009