Another bit of Nostalgia

I've been looking through some of the older shots I have of myself in the early days of my kayaking life which can be found in my 100mb+ collection. The photo featured is that old now (November 03) that most of the kit I am wearing does not feature on any of my more recent pictures and hasn't seen water for a good few months/years. In fact two pieces of it, the paddle and helmet, aren't actually mine but on loan from the canoe club at the time the picture was taken. As for the boat, Eskimo Kendo Sport, that's sat in my backyard looking all dry and sorrowful at not seeing the water for so long. Maybe I should give it up and sell it.

On another totally unrelated topic after yesterdays river trips I have now ticked off four-and-a-half rivers on 'the list' set down last November. Why four-and-a-half rivers? I only did the Lower Rawthey yesterday, where as the Rawthey I stated on 'the list' was more specific to the upper section, so I feel that constitutes only half a tick. What's now left?

• Sprint
• Mint
• Hindburn
• Roeburn
• Rawthey - upper
  

Looking at the weather for the coming week it looks possible that, if I get my act together and get a group of mates together, we can at least strike another, maybe even two more, rivers off 'the list'.

Good lines, stay safe and see you on the wet stuff...
Iain

The Lune valley is going off

Just got back from another nice day out on the water in my boat and what can I say: it was great. I'll start from the beginning so you can get a complete story. I sent an email out on Friday evening to the usual suspects and the usual suspect replied. On Saturday a couple of texts were sent in the hope that Artle Beck maybe running but it was doubtful as the Lune was so low so the plans kind of stalled there. At half-ten that night I got another text saying I'd get picked up at half-eight and we'll be off paddling.

So at half-eight I got picked up and we headed to Bamber Bridge for a chat with a paddling mate whilst me waited for another paddler to arrive. Once they had arrived boats and kit were moved and we headed to the motorway. We pulled in at Lancaster Forton services to meet up with another paddler before heading even further north to Sedburgh to meet another two paddlers. From here we headed to the get-out for the Upper Lune to take a look and it was on the high side of good. It could of also been down to the events that happened over the last week that kind of put me off paddling this river. So we headed on to the get-out for the Upper Rawthey (this is starting to sound like a day I have had before). With a quick look over the bridge we determined that it was again on the high side of good so plans were made to go and check out the Clough. When we had a peek over the bridge here it looked on the low side of good; it was on. We headed to the get-out, which is also the get-out for the Upper Rawthey and get changed before heading back up the valley to put on.

Once on the river it was pretty continuous, but three events stand out the most to me and these are what I'll talk about:

1. This was the first time we had, had to get out to inspect the river. When sat at the top of the gorge all we could see was the river disappearing around a blind bend so out we popped to inspect. It was definitely a goer so I got back in my boat, settled myself in and headed off. I came to the main event of the section we had just scouted, a kind of hole which had the water all funnelled into the middle. I looked to take it on the right, flaring as I went. I think I wasn't far enough right, my bow kicked up and it looked like I was going to go for the full loop. However, I managed to pull her down and tame the bucking bronco and paddle the rest of the section the right way up, even though the first part of it was done vertical.
2. This was the second time we had, had to get out to inspect the river. This is the main feature on the river and is referred to as "a strong hole" in the White Water Lake District guidebook by Stuart Miller so naturally we all got out to have a look at her. On inspection it looked marginal, but it was definitely a giver with a line either right (had to be spot on) or left (must land on a boil and be quick to get away). One of the group ran it with me providing bank support and then I headed up the river, got lost trying to find my boat, and eventually got back to the river. I broke out once on the lead into the "strong hole," took a breath and headed off into the maelstrom. I went left on the drop, flared nicely onto the boil, got spun around and was out of there quickly back paddling. Sweet!!!
3. The last drop on the river. To be honest I didn't actually realise the drop was there until I made the last eddy before the water cascaded over the two metre drop. To put it easy I was a bit f$%£ed by this as I couldn't really get out and inspect or portage so I was left with no choice but to run a drop where I had no idea of the line. I then heard a voice from above; "Iain, it'll go." On these three words I broke out and took a narrow chute over the drop. I made a half-hearted attempt at boofing and the boat skipped away from the drop and I managed to get away before colliding with the vertical rock bank. The next person down took my line and styled it. However, the next person did not. They plugged the drop a bit too much and got spat out back towards the drop. This took them over and after a couple of attempts at rolling they were swimming. Rescues were carried out and as this was coming to the end the next paddler dropped over the drop, off line and got looped. They made a couple of attempts to roll, but swam and after having a bit of downtime they got to the side on the opposite side of the river to where there boat was. Ropes were thrown across to reunite boat and paddler.

From them sections described you can say I've written enough about this river so now I'll move on. The get-out for the Clough, as it happens, is the put-in for the Lower Rawthey so after some car arrangements four of the group (two had called it a day) headed on down the river. The Lower Rawthey is a bit of a step down from the Clough and easier than the Upper Rawthey, but still it was nice. There was one rapid where I got out for a look and hit some of my line after messing up the entry into the rapid. When I thought the trip was coming to the end, and I was winding down, this really nice play wave appeared so I put my head in gear and had a bit of a play, nearly nailing a blunt, before eventually getting off the river and heading for the pub.

Good lines, stay safe and see you on the wet stuff...
Iain

I have mail...

You may remember that a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I had put an order into Penstock Productions for their Seven Rivers Expedition DVD and a year's subscription to LVM. Well today a package, after seventeen days of waiting, dropped through my letterbox from America and hit the vestibule floor with a slightly worrying amount of force. I took a break from the revision I'm wading my way through at the moment, for my upcoming modular exams, and ripped open the package to be left with LVM 20 and the Seven Rivers Expedition in my hands.

I dutifully popped the second of the above mentioned DVDs into my player and sat down to watch whilst taking a break from revision. Wow... is all I can say. Wow. That was one amazing expedition those paddlers planned, carried out and documented. It was probably one of, maybe even the most significant whitewater undertaking in the United States in the last 20 years. The actual footage was quite raw and uncut, but it just added to the whole expedition experience, at times it felt like you were the one stood behind the camera watching them getting pasted and sticking some amazing lines on what has to be some of the most demanding whitewater in one amazing wilderness. It just makes you want to get out their, paddle and document it as well as John Grace. I can only dream of being a part of an expedition as groundbreaking as the one they managed, but who knows if I live my life to the full and don't let everyday life hold me back it may just be possible.

It was then back to revision but I've now watched LVM 20 and it was good, not as good as the Seven Rivers Expedition DVD, but still it opened my eyes into the paddling lifestyle especially as it looked back at the previous five years of LVM. I just can't wait until LVM 21 drops through my door as it'll be featuring some local[ish] paddlers.

Good lines, stay safe and see you on the wet stuff...
Iain

Happy New Year

Looking Back
2006 wasn't that bad for me. I finished my first year of college and got four grade A's at AS Level and in the last couple of months was accepted by the University of Central Lancashire to study Outdoor Leadership at Newton Rigg, Penrith, which is soon to be known as the University of Cumbria. I also received student of the year as well as student of the month for 3D Design, but that is not of any real importance as paddling is my life and that is what matters most to me.

Paddling wise 2006 was very good to me; 18% of my year was spent in my boat with some of the best people in the world exploring new places whilst doing something that means so much to me. I've had a weeks holiday in Scotland on some of the classic Scottish rivers and discovered my liking for the harder rivers and just in the last couple of months started exploring rivers, that are fairly local to me, which I've never really considered before. I also passed my 4 Star at the beginning of the year and this was followed up, later in the year, with my Level 2 Assessment, which I passed seven days after turning 18.

My bank balance also took a bit of hit this year with my expensive tastes in kayaking equipment. In the last few months I have taken delivery of a nice shiny, custom design helmet from the nice people at Happy-2B, a top of the range PFD from the American firm Astral, who've just started importing to this country and my final purchase of the year, and has to be the best purchase yet, was my Palm Stikine Extreme Suit. My expensive tastes in kayaking kit has meant that I have had to take on extra responsibilities at the local paper shop where my only source of income can be found. For six days a week I'm up at 6:15am to deliver over twenty papers to houses spread three miles apart and then on Sunday, paddling day, I'm up at 5:58am to put the supplements together and deliver another twenty-or-so papers.

Looking ahead
2007 will hopefully be a much better year. Academically I hope to mirror my AS results with 4 A's at A Level. This will mean that my place at Newton Rigg on the Outdoor Leadership course will be honoured, but not until 2008, as my entry has been deferred to allow for a gap year. This for me will probably be the best few months I've ever had and may even be the best few months I'll ever have as from July 07 I should be in a kayak every day of the year.

On a more short term basis my paddling plans are somewhat ambitious. My list of paddles for the 06/07 season has seen a few ticks with descents of the Duddon, Kent (with water) and Lune. However, there are still some rivers left unchecked - Rawthey, Clough, Hindburn, Roeburn, Sprint and Mint - but with only two months or so of the white water season left and river levels being such a deciding factor those ticks could be quite hard to obtain. On a much long term basis, as I've already mentioned, I'm hoping to be in a boat every day from July to the end of the year. At the moment the months of July, August and September look pretty well sorted with work in France for PGL, which means six days of instruction to one day of knocking up some hard runs. The rest of the year is up in arms. I would really like to spend it travelling, alone, with my kayak around the southern hemisphere, but finances probably wouldn't permit so it may be a case of packing up and heading south for New Zealand to catch their kayaking season and work as a safety boater for the rafts.

As far as work is concerned I'll remain a paper boy until the day I leave for France and then I'll start receiving my first pay checks for doing something I love. These won't be large, but I'm already use to having little money and making it go far. My kayaking kit should increase over the year with the purchase of another boat, a creek boat this time and then there is the stuff to go with it. There will also be another helmet, a full cut version this time for all the gnarly paddling I hope to hit up in France and where I end up for the last three months. My AT's are also looking in a sorry state so they'll be replaced in time.

Now I'll leave you to plan your 2007.

Good lines, stay safe and see you on the wet stuff...
Iain