PADDE PD DLR LER The International magazine for recreational paddlers Issue 39 Winter 2017/18
ezine
KUMAON Steve Brooks A WW road trip of
EUROPE Oli Kershaw Freestyle Worlds INTERVIEWS Claire O’Hara WW escapades
SLALOM
Ottilie Robinson-Shaw The state of Quim Fontané Corran Addison Dennis Newton
CONTN TENTS
Ute Heppke, Ramganga River, Kumaon Region of India by Steve Brooks Editor
Peter Tranter peter@thepaddlerezine.com Tel: (01480) 465081 Mob: 07411 005824 www.thepaddlerezine.com
Advertising sales
Anne Egan Tel: (01480) 465081 advertising@thepaddlerezine.com
Covers
Kayak: Ottilie Robinson-Shaw by Peter Holcombe Salty: Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia by Christopher Lockyer Canoe: Roa River, Sweden by Mal Grey
Thank you to: Phil Carr, Dale Mears, Peter Holcombe, Emma Cunningham, Steffan Meyric Hughes, Claire O’Hara, Dennis Newton, Quim Fontane, Ottilie Robinson-Shaw, Kathrine Olufsen, Ute Heppke, Christine Pinsonneault, for all your help in putting this issue together.
Not all contributors are professional writers and photographers, so don’t be put off writing because you have no experience! The Paddler ezine is all about paddler to paddler dialogue: a paddler’s magazine written by paddlers. Next issue is Early Spring 2018 with a deadline of submissions on Jan 20th 2018. Technical Information: Contributions preferably as a Microsoft Word file with 1200-2000 words, emailed to submissions@thepaddler.ezine.com. Images should be hi-resolution and emailed with the Word file or if preferred, a Dropbox folder will be created for you. The Paddler ezine encourages contributions of any nature but reserves the right to edit to the space available. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishing parent company, 2b Graphic Design Limited. The publishing of an advertisement in the Paddler ezine does not necessarily mean that the parent company, 2b Graphic Design Limited, endorse the company, item or service advertised. All material in the Paddler ezine is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without prior permission from the editor is forbidden.
Issue 39 Winter ‘17/18
004 British Canoeing partnership
Canoe Focus to be incorporated into the Paddler
007 Seasonal Delights
Seascape partnership by Sonja Jones
012 Testing, testing & new kit
Plenty of kit reviewed by our contributors
024 Freestyle Worlds Coverage and interviews
040 Norwegian SUP
Fjords expedition by Robert Carroll
050 Cockleshell Heroes
Recreation of Operation Frankton by Keith Breslauer
056 Menorca circumnavigation
WW paddler goes sea kayaking by Sal Montgomery
062 An interview with…
Sarah Davies on her Paddle the Nile expedition
072 Coaching Safety Series No.9 Steep ground by Chris Brain
080 Scotland
Shetland’s sea kayaking by Torbjörn Söderholm
088 Italy and France
A WW escapade though Europe by Oli Kershaw
094 Sweden
Rogen to Roros part two by Mal Grey
106 India
A kayak road trip in Kumaon by Steve Brooks
118 The state of slalom
Why kids don’t excell by Corran Addison
126 Scotland
Scottish sea kayaking by Richard Harpham
132 The perfect raft guide What makes one by Michael Smith
142 Kenya
The 2017 Tana River Festival by Glenn Richards
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British Canoeing agrees new partnership with the Paddler magazine British Canoeing has announced a partnership with 2b Graphic Design Limited that will see Canoe Focus incorporated into the Paddler to create a new print magazine. All British Canoeing’s 34,000 members will receive the digital version of the new Paddler magazine at no cost as part of their membership benefits package from March 2018.
The new partnership will also provide the opportunity for all British Canoeing members to purchase the print version of the Paddler magazine at a special member’s price.The partnership will also see British Canoeing mailing out two free print copies of the magazine to all affiliated clubs. Speaking about the partnership Peter Tranter said, “We are absolutely delighted to be working alongside British Canoeing and the opportunity to give their membership a magazine that reflects all that is inspirational in our sport. The Paddler has entered its sixth year of publication and British Canoeing’s decision to work in partnership with ourselves is the next step in our evolution.
“In that time, we have featured articles from over 300 contributors from every corner of the planet and I would like to thank them personally, as without them, there is no magazine.The Paddler started as a purely digital publication but demand for a printed alternative has grown and that will be reflected in the Paddler becoming a regular 132page minimum print magazine. “We cannot wait to get started and here’s to a very constructive and successful partnership with British Canoeing and their members for many years to come.”
Robert Knott, Head of Marketing and Communications at British Canoeing said, “Since Canoe Focus became a digital publication two years ago, we have received significant feedback from our members informing us that they wanted to see the return of a print magazine.
“Therefore I am delighted that we are able to provide a viable and cost-effective solution through our new partnership with the much loved and respected Paddler magazine. Improving communication throughout the sport is a key ambition of the strategic plan, Stronger Together. We are looking forward to working with Peter and Anne on the development of the new magazine and very much hope that our members will enjoy reading it.” The first edition of the new Paddler magazine, incorporating Canoe Focus, will be available on 1st March 2018 and is part of the changes to British Canoeing membership. For more details click here: www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/membership/ membership-relaunch/ English based members can now subscribe for the print edition of the Paddler here: www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/membership/ benefits/communications/
The print version of the new magazine will cost £3.99 per edition or £20.99 for a subscription of six magazines per year for British Canoeing members, compared to the retail price of £4.99 or £27.49 for a six magazine yearly subscription for non-members.
SPECIAL OFFER for all British Canoeing members…
R E L D D A P PADDLER al The Internation all 2017 Issue 38 Autumn/F
rs reational paddle magazine for rec
ANDINAVIA SC Mal Grey
Exploration of
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The International magazine for recreational paddlers
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A 132-page perfect bound printed Paddler magazine including 24 pages of Canoe focus issue for just £3.99 or six-mag subscription for £20.99 From March 1st 2018 See: www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/ membership/benefits/communications/
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OTLAND SC Richard Harpham
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Paul Hyman
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Surfing to
KIT REVIEWS Testing, testing…
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W SUP W JoeThwaites
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Es CKLINghe SI Steffan Meyric Hu
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ONGBOAT L Revolution
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Featuring inspired travel articles, probing personality profiles, fact-filled features, world-class coaching and insightful equipment tests designed to fill the gap between this and your next paddle to who knows where…explore now!
“The Paddler magazine is fantastic media for paddlesport, that brings the top news and adventures from kayakers all around the world.The quality of articles and images really showcase how amazing the sport of kayaking is.” Claire O’Hara – Freestyle World Champion
“I have enjoyed tremendously reading the Paddler magazine every time it comes out. I don't have a lot of free time, and the little I have I must spend wisely. Thanks for such a fantastic magazine.” Corran Addison – Olympic canoeist, kayak designer and WW paddler ThePADDLER 126
INDIA
By Steve Brooks Uttarakhand is a state of northern India with two very distinct regions and rivers. Garwahl on the west side with fantastic rivers such as the Alpine style Tons on its western border and of course the more popular Ganges and its tributaries. Kumaon is the eastern region and has some great whitewater on the Ramganga, Goriganga and Saryu, plus the well known border river expedition of the Kali (as it is known in India) or Mahakali (as it is known in Nepal).
In the search of crystal clear rivers
K A Y A K R O A D T R I P P I N G I N K U M A O N
river
It is not just the rivers which are different in each region but also the way people dress and look, the villages and style of food and the local language.
Ute and Stanzin kayaking through the first gorge of the Ramganga River in the Indian Himalayas
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NOT A BRITISH CANOEING MEMBER? Single issue £4.99 or six-mag subscription £27.49 Subscribe now at: https://thepaddlermag.com/subs-print-paddler/ Email: subs@thepaddlerezine.com If you have any queries call: 01480 465081
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Visit: www.angleseyseakayaksymposium.co.uk uk Email: E l: symposium@seakayakinguk.com y p @ y g m
Tel: +(0) 1407 765550
Main Symposium Weekend:
Saturday 5th – Monday 7th May 2018
BCU Week:
M Monday 7th – Friday 11th May 2018
*Workshops * Day Paddles *Evening Lectures *Live Music *BCU Star Awards *International Sea Kayaking Coaches
SONJA JONES
Seasonal
delights
Seascape
£5m for the sea - exciting news as the UK's first ever marine Landscape Partnership scheme is funded. ‘Tyne to Tees Shores and Seas - Seascape Partnership’, or ‘Seascape’ for short, is an exciting new initiative being pioneered in North East England.They recently received the thrilling news that they have successfully secured a whopping £5million of funding for the coastline between the Rivers Tyne and Tees in North East of England, extending offshore to six nautical miles. £2.9 million has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £2m from Partner funding. I chatted to Emily Cunningham, the marine biologist that developed the scheme on behalf of the partner organisations, to get the lowdown on ‘Seascape’.
Landscape Partnership Schemes are a Heritage Lottery Fund initiative that encourage environmental and heritage organisations to work together to deliver ambitious schemes of projects; they are a well-established initiative and many have been successfully delivered all across the UK - but this will be the first one with a marine focus! The Seascape scheme is a partnership of more than 15 local, regional and national organisations that have come together and will be pooling their time, expertise and resources to make a real difference for the coastline, its wildlife and its communities. Emily says “All too often we work in isolation on similar goals - so it's exciting that we're coming together now to develop and deliver this scheme”. Seems to me like a huge win for our wild world and the humans that inhabit it!Determined to go back to explore what the island had to offer at a more leisurely pace, I took my plus one, Emily, to accompany me on a few days sea kayaking and land based exploration. Emily led the process of developing the Seascape scheme, working together with all partners to decide on 30 brand new projects to be put into the bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund.These projects are a real mix of awesomeness - all designed to get people more engaged with their coast and to increase understanding of our wildlife and how to protect it; encouraging an overall sense of stewardship that will outlive the four-year scheme. Seascape wants to inspire people to become coastal champions, leaving a lasting legacy for the North East’s coastline.
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Some examples of the exciting future projects include: •
•
•
• •
Blue Gym: getting people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds out enjoying the sea; from paddle-sports to wild swimming. Snorkel Safaris: enabling people to experience the cool marine wildlife on their doorstep first hand! Beach Care and Aware: a project designed to reduce beach litter and improve stewardship of the coast. A new coastal conservation centre: offering a hub for education and awareness activities. A virtual wreck dive: enabling people who wouldn't normally get the chance to dive to see what a shipwreck looks like through the power of virtual reality.
•
• •
Wildlife recording: lots of training opportunities for people to learn how to survey wildlife; as well as funding for dive surveys, boat surveys, and all manner of sciencey shenanigans. Youth focused initiatives such as young Beach Rangers and a traineeship scheme. Lots of fun activities where anyone and everyone can have a go. Far too many to list here, but we’re talking archaeological recording, surveying for marine mammals, learning about how our personal heritage is linked to the coast and so much more.
Many people in this region still remember the
‘black beaches of Durham’
The 30 innovative projects are set to reframe how we interact with and perceive this coastline. The Partnership are taking a community led approach throughout, engaging coastal communities and sea users in the scheme’s development and delivery. Emily explained, “It was important to us that local communities had their say in what projects were included in this scheme and had a chance to tell us what they want for their coast. We did lots of engagement during the initial development, but will be hiring an Engagement Officer in early 2018 to ensure we truly capture and incorporate the ambitions that local people and visitors have for this stretch of coastline during the development phase.”
Why was this specific stretch of coast chosen for the scheme?
The coast between the Rivers Tyne and Tees is often overlooked in favour of its well-known neighbours. Sandwiched between North Yorkshire and Northumberland, this coast is a bit of a hidden gem. In fact, we know that most visitors to this coast come from within just three miles! The area has an industrial past and was once one of the most polluted stretches of coast in Europe. Have you seen Billy Elliot? Well, this was once the fringe of the Durham coalfield, with much of the colliery waste simply dumped on the beach and washed out to sea. Previous successful projects and some great work by many different organisations has cleaned up this pollution – and the time is nigh for this coast to start achieving its potential. Emily says, “Many people in this region still remember the ‘black beaches of Durham’ and we want to overcome the poor perceptions people hold of this coast and encourage local people and visitors alike to enjoy it, love it and, ultimately, care for it.”
What makes it special?
It is a Magnesian Limestone coast - the only one in the UK.This rock was formed at the bottom of a tropical sea (250 million years ago!) and now forms a beautiful, unique coastline.The yellow cliffs are full of caves and stacks, the clifftops alive with flower-filled grasslands in summer and its dunes home to a colony of rare seabirds between April and August. Much of the coast is protected for its nature conservation value - but we know very little about life beneath the waves here and we hope to change that through this scheme.
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ThePADDLER 10 Before Emily moved to the North East, she had no idea how special this section of UK coast is. “I had never really heard of this coastline, so my first visit completely blew me away! I found huge caves disappearing into the soft rock cliffs, seaglass shining in the strandline and the clifftops were positively buzzing with burnet moths and and butterflies. Since I’ve lived here, my love of this coast has skyrocketed. We’ve had bottlenose dolphins, orca and a humpback whale spotted offshore and divers are discovering creatures we never knew were here on almost every dive. Writing the application was hard work, but I learned so much about this amazing coast and its fascinating history – I’m so thrilled the bid was successful as now we can start spreading the word about this special place and start writing its next exciting chapter.”
What happens now?
The initiative has now entered a development phase. The Heritage Lottery Fund has given them some money to develop the detail of the scheme and write a Landscape Conservation Action Plan; this will take 18 months starting in January 2018. The actual projects will start in 2020 and run until 2024. This is being led by the Heritage Coast Partnership on behalf of all of the partner organisations.
This scheme is pioneering, the first in the UK. It is challenging the way we normally manage the coast, working together and spanning the land-sea divide. Its ambition is for this scheme to make a real and lasting difference for the sea, for wildlife, and for our coastal communities. I’ll be watching closely as things progress and we’ll check back in with Seascape in future.
The good news doesn’t stop there!
This time last year, we took a look at one of nature's greatest spectacles that our shores play host to at this time of year – Grey Seal pupping time of course! Starting in the South West in September and ending with huge breeding colonies on England’s East Coast in midwinter, female Grey Seals come ashore to give birth to one very fluffy white pup. I am pleased to tell you that this year is set to be a bumper year for seal births – with many colonies on track for record numbers of pups born. Grey Seal by Mike Snelle
How can you get involved?
As it’s early days, the best way is to keep your eyes peeled on the Durham Heritage Coast’s Facebook and Twitter pages for updates. Page links: www.facebook.com/Durham-Heritage-Coast204620272881541/ and https://twitter.com/durhamcoast. To learn more about the coast in question, visit http://www.durhamheritagecoast.org. If you are particularly familiar paddling these waters, maybe you could lend your expertise for future projects?
We’ve had bottlenose dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins by Emily Cunningham
orca and a humpback whale spotted offshore and divers are discovering creatures we never knew were here on almost every dive
Walney Island in Cumbria only had its first pup born in 2015, yet this year it’s had 10 pups and both Blakeney Point in Norfolk, England’s largest Grey Seal colony, and the Farne Islands have each topped over 2,000 pups! The UK is home to 40% of the world’s population of Grey Seals and 90% of the European population, so these births are internationally important. Marine biologist Emily Cunningham got a pleasant surprise when she visited the Donna Nook colony in my home county, Lincolnshire, in November – seeing a jet-black seal pup! Emily says, “I travel down to Donna Nook every year to see the seals but this is the first time I’ve ever seen a black seal pup. The pup is melanistic - which gives it the beautiful black coat. They are born fluffy white like a normal pup, but when they moult off their white fur, it reveals a black coat rather than the normal grey one. A handful of black ones are born every year, but this was my first encounter. It’s a real pleasure to see our Grey Seals doing so well – they’re bouncing back from persecution thanks to proper protection and we’re so lucky to be able to see them up close at Donna Nook and the other colonies on England's East Coast.”
Remember, if you meet a curious seal when paddling, please give it plenty of space and let it approach on its own terms. Never touch – they give a really nasty bite! Be quiet and keep a respectful distance when passing seal haul outs (on beaches or rocks) as the seals are easily spooked and need this time ashore to rest and digest their food. If you spot a pup alone for a long period or see an injured seal, please call the British Divers Marine Life Rescue on 01825 765546 during office hours or 07787 433412 out of hours.
Learn more…
That’s a wrap for this season, but if you would like to learn more about all things marine biology in the UK, then why not follow Emily and her partner, Daniel, on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/MarineBiologyLife/ or on Instagram @MarineBiologyLife. Alternatively check out the likes of: Marine Conservation Society: www.mcsuk.org/ and The Wildlife Trusts who run all kinds of marine awesomeness all around the UK www.wildlifetrusts.org/living-seas as a starting point, or how about catching up with Blue Planet 2 on BBC iPlayer.
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Testing, FatStick Blue Lagoon 10’6” iSUP www.fatstickboards.com By Dale Mears
For a number of years, I have fancied making the transition from kayaking to SUP for summer evening adventures. As a kayaker, I quickly realised that there isn’t a great deal of variation with regard to a board’s design, especially at entry-level. By this I mean the shape, size, etc is all pretty much a muchness, although I am sure the race, surf and touring boards do differ quite a lot. However, when you start looking you realise there are now so many boards available – do you choose an inflatable board or a solid board? Ideally I wanted something to get the hang of SUP but also a board I could take transport easily, without any hassle – so for me it was always going to be an iSUP. I spent a lot of time looking and in the end listened to recommendations and bought the FatStick Blue Lagoon 10’6” iSUP.
The FatStick arrived late last summer in a cardboard box, which was nicely presented with, “From FatStick with love,” which I thought was a nice touch. Inside the deflated board itself was far smaller than I expected. Everything I needed was supplied in the package I chose including the pump, fin, leash, paddle and bag and all good quality. I bought the board in FatStick’s sale for an amazing £462, half the price of a Red Paddle board I had looked at. Question is – was it only half as good? I haven’t paddled the Red Paddle 10’6” but have SUP’ed my friend’s 10’8” many times for comparison. The board itself has a recommended rating of 1522psi but at 15psi there was quite a bit of flex but then that was with 13st in the centre! Speaking to a few friends, they advised inflating to around 22psi, from where I found it a completely different animal – very strong with no flex compared to some cheaper boards. I found the Blue Lagoon to be stable and quickly picked up moving around the surface to change position and manoeuvre the board. Though not as fast as a solid board, it did move well and tracked neatly, for a general purpose iSUP, it is perfect for my needs.
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The package does come with the option of a seat if you have kids or fancy sitting on the board. However, if you're reading this, you're most likely a paddler anyway and not interested but it does allow you to use it with the family.
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However, if I take the board abroad, which I plan to do, the adjustable paddle fits in the bag provided, so I would use that to prevent paying for extra travel arrangements.
dd lers - email us: review s@thep addle rez ine
m .co
The board itself has a double-skinned drop stitch construction that makes it very durable. Some of cheaper boards are only single skinned construction, which means they don’t hold their shape as well.The paddle provided is an adjustable, good quality fibreglass model that felt quite strong. I only used it once as I purchased one of the new VE SUP paddles, which was far superior.
res t to pa
Build quality is very good, featuring three very strong carry handles front and back and one in the centre making transportation easy. They are comfortable to grip and make lifting onto the roof a cinch, particularly when inflated. The only real set up needed is to attach the fin, which is fastened with a small threaded screw and takes a few seconds, with the two outer fins fixed to the board.
When packed away in the bag, it is easy to carry and throw in the car and I can’t wait to take it aboard and go on some clear water adventures. The bag has good strong adjustable rear and chest straps, wheels and a comfortable handle for lugging about. I haven’t taken it out into the surf or whitewater as yet but Andy Campbell, the FatStick team rider, has great footage and photos of the Blue Lagoon performing at the Cardiff White Water course, which the board handles with aplomb. I’ve loved every trip out on this board so far and look forward to getting out and about in the new year. FatStick offer a great range of boards, from a cheaper ISUP to more dedicated hard boards.
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Olympus Tough Camera TG-5
www.olympus.co.uk By Richard Harpham
The new generation of Olympus Tough Cameras retain their photographic pedigree and roots whilst providing a host of useful and technical features.The Olympus TG5 camera has a solid and rugged feel whilst retaining an aesthetically pleasing piece of kit.The TG5 is the best outdoor camera I have ever used and takes bright sharp pictures and video. Already during our test we have used this camera on the canoeing the River Spey, on expedition in Canada and during the Muskoka River X race. In a little over four months it has had almost daily use with incredible pictures, crystal clear video and front cover images within magazines (Paddler October issue). Whilst there may be smaller and cheaper cameras on the market, none boast the quality of picture and features of the Olympus T5.The T5 fits easily into most buoyancy aid pockets and jackets and is light enough to fit on mini tripods and mounts for POV action shots.
Features l l l l l l l l l
GPS tracking (can be turned off to save battery) 4K video mode HD up to 120fps in slow 4 X optical zoom (25-100mm f2-4.9 lens) Up to 12Mega Pixel CMOS sensor with RAW facility Programmed modes for different environments Macro setting for close up work 7 X equivalent Waterproof to 15 metres Shockproof Built in flash
Review
Features: Weight and size: Value for money: Look/feel: Durability:
5 5 5 5 5
Prices online from: ÂŁ399
One of the best features of the camera is the 4K HD video quality making it a fantastic action camera to work alongside POV cameras or a sole camera for adventure filming projects. It can provide up to 120fps for slow motion filming. For expeditions, coaching and paddling trips this camera ticks all the boxes and avoids the need to carry larger cameras.
Accessorizing your Tough TG5
The TG-5’s huge range of accessories opens up a world of creativity when you're capturing the action. From carrying cases to the LED light guide and flashes, fisheye and tele converters to the underwater case. Olympus also offer a free registration lost and found service for your trusty camera. It has quickly become a trusted piece of equipment within our paddling kit allowing us to capture the action with high quality images and video. If you are looking for a camera for action sports, travel and the great outdoors then this is the best on the market in its class by far.
A W A R D W I N N I N G P O R TA B L E M A R I N E S T E R E O
@FusionStereoActive
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Helly Hansen Salt Power Jacket www.hellyhansen.com By Peter Tranter
The Helly Hansen Salt Power jacket is a no nonsense, high quality breathable waterproof jacket aimed at those who spend plenty of time on the high seas but equally, as we found, equally at home on the coast, or something to slip on for a walk down the street. It is an update form last year’s Salt Power jacket, with less pockets and less bulk. Features on the jacket include the really high quality cuffs and closures - especially the waterproof zipper and zipper trims. The sleeves are well fitted and have an overlong cuff to protect the back of your hands. This, along with the Velcro adjustment helps to keep any rain out. The hood fits really snug by way of many adjustable ties and toggles, providing excellent protection against driving the rain, or snow and sleet in our case. If you don’t need the hood, it also has a good, tall, fleece lined collar that will keep out the chilliest of winds when out and about. As you would expect for a garment that’s really made for being out on the ocean, it is cut well to allow a high degree and freedom of movement without becoming bulky but has a decent length to avoid an exposed back when bending over. Fitting true to size, you can feel the quality of the fabric the moment you put the jacket on, feeling more like a second skin. The jacket breathes very well, whilst
being surprisingly warm at the same time, a big positive when caught out by a heavy downpour. You can go for hours on end in rainy conditions and you never feel any water seeping through the outer layers, with no build up of moisture on the inside – solid. The new design may be a little bold for some – with its retro look and large HH logo, based upon Helly Hansen’s marine stripe design for the Whitbread team ‘Berge Viking’ 35 years ago. In summary, an excellent, high quality waterproof jacket that looks great both on the water, on dry land hiking or for that quick walk down to the pub on a wintry night, the reflectors are handy in the dark. If you’re serious, then there’s room for a base and mid layers underneath and it won’t feel bulky. A great jacket for all situations.
Features:
Helly Tech® Performance Waterproof, windproof and breathable Two-ply fabric construction Fully seam sealed Durable Water Repellency treatment (DWR) Hip length, regular fit Fleece collar Fully adjustable tonal hood Solas reflective Hand warmer pockets Chest pockets One-hand adjustable hem Hanger hook Colours: Red, blue, navy, ebony and black Sizes: S,M,L, XL, XXL Price: £180; $US260; €260
ULTRALIGHT KAYAKS award winning design, class leading construction.
WWW.TOOTEGA.COM
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Aqua-Go Mist Performance shoes www.chatham.co.uk By Peter Tranter
The next evolution in the history of the boat shoe is here claim Chatham and indeed the Mist is the result of their years of design, research and technology.The upper is made with durable three-ply mesh and woven lining next to the skin for comfort. Also includes an open cell mid-layer to increase air flow and maintain temperature. Designed for use in and around water, the midsole has been strategically placed with drainage holes to allow water to disperse from the interior of the shoe in under 10 seconds. We found this system works very well and surpasses the usual twin drain holes in the instep. On the other side of the coin, the upper mesh keeps your feet cool in warmer indoor conditions, whilst keeping them comfortable in chillier outside weather – that’s a neat trick and a result of all that research.
The phylon compound offers maximum flexibility and cushioning, whilst the outsole is made from a rubber latex giving grippy, excellent traction in wet or dry conditions. Just give them a rinse after use in salt water and then air dry. The Aqua-Go Mists are a very adaptable shoe for all manner of boating, especially if you’re in and out of the water all of the time. However, unlike dedicated water shoes, you can then tootle off and do whatever you wish without looking out of place. If I had one small niggle, it would be the lime trim – it can be a little loud but then again if that’s the case, then choose the grey pair with more muted red highlights.
Features:
Outer Material: Synthetic Inner Material: Unlined Sole: Gum Rubber Closure: Lace-Up Shoe Width: Normal Colours: Black/lime and grey/red Sizes: 7-15UK Price: £95
Burtech
Trailers
Hand built in North Wales Fully EC Type Approved Kayak/Canoe/Bike Trailers All Kayak/Canoe/Bike Trailer enquires welcome
Email: info@burtechtrailers.co.uk Tel: l 01492641905 Website: www.burtechtrailers.co.uk
DIRECTORY
Canadian Wilderness www.paddlersinn.ca
Explore Jersey by sea kayak Guided tours, courses and offshore trips. Open all year. Sea kayaks and sit-on-tops available.
Call: +44 (0) 7797 853033
www.kentcanoes.co.uk Tel: 01732 886688 Email: info@kentcanoes.co.uk KAYAKS|CANOES|COURSES|TECHNICAL CLOTHING|SAFETY GEAR|ACCESSORIES
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GUL Napa Drysuit www.gul.com By Phil Carr www.unsponsored.co.uk
The Napa Drysuit retails at £600 here in the UK and from first impressions this looks like a pretty good deal.The Napa is well put together, feels robust and has been well cut. Now let’s get to the suit’s biggest feature. Unlike most suits, the Napa doesn’t have a zip running across the shoulders or indeed a zip running across the chest. Instead it has a Zip DiscTiZip running the full circumference of the waist just like the ‘exclusive’ Switch technology available on the Kokatat range of drysuits such as the Idol (RRP £1,200). So the technology is not that exclusive anymore. Granted the Napa is not made from Goretex but it has the same entry system as the Kokatat at twice the price. Unlike the Kokatat, the Napa has a relief TiZip, which is a great feature so gents or ladies with a SheWee don’t have to undo the full waist zip to make a call. If you need to take a number two, then the trouser section of the suit can be dropped by undoing the main zip. My initial concern that the zip, or more importantly the Disc would get in the way and could somehow create discomfort, is completely unfounded. However, I found that it does take a few goes to be able to start the zip off when wearing the suit. The Napa will breakdown into two separate garments, which does offer a high level of adaptability and makes this a versatile piece of gear. Both the top and bottom can be used independently.
The lower part of the suit includes a bib system to hold the trousers up and made from a soft Hydroshield material. Essentially soft-shell material that is comfortable to wear, is highly breathable but will also offer protection from the weather. Two quick release buckles keep the bib up. The blue material is GCX4 Evo, a four-layer breathable material that also has a little stretch. The black fabric areas of the suit, seat, elbows and knees are Cordura re-enforcements. The latex gaskets at the neck and wrists are protected by adjustable 2mm neoprene cuffs. A twin waist is in place that looks like it should offer a good seal. Drainage holes are present where you would expect them and the integrated socks are of a good size. I have a large sized suit in for review and they easily accommodate my size 10 (UK) feet with room to spare. Incidentally the Napa drysuit is available in five different sizes, so most people will be able to find a size that would fit. Overall I have been really impressed with the Napa dry suit by Gul. It certainly ticks all the boxes in terms of being a well put together and well thought out bit of gear. It also offers a little bit of versatility and allows you to use the dry suit (or at least parts of it) for a little bit longer than you might normally do towards the beginning or end of the season. Specs: Waterproof- 20 000 mm Breathability – 10 000 g/m/24h All seams fully taped for long-lasting waterproofness Waterproof Windproof Flexibility
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VE Creeker Aircore Carbon Blades on a Straight Black Glass Shaft https://vepaddles.com By Phil Carr www.unsponsored.co.uk
I have been using VE paddles for a number of years now and was keen to get my hands on a set of the new Creeker Aircore paddles.
This particular set of left handed 197cm paddles with a 45degree feather, black glass shaft and full carbon blades were made to order. Being a righthanded kayaker, paddling lefthanded can make paddle buying a little awkward with most paddles needing to be ordered into the UK.This wasn’t the case with the Creeker Aircore as Vertical Element paddles are designed, manufactured and put together here in the UK. You can order pretty much any length, any feather you want, glass shaft, carbon shaft or carbon cranked shaft. So you are buying a fully customised set of paddles for an ‘off the shelf ’ price. This particular set runs at £249. I went for a black glass shaft with a 30.6mm diameter but as mentioned earlier, I could have ordered a pair with a full carbon shaft (£20 more) or a cranked carbon shaft (£90 more). The blade on the Creeker is a little smaller than the pro carbon blades that I have been using over the last few seasons. I am now spending more time in the creek boat rather than the play boat, which means that I wanted a paddle with less blade surface area. After looking around at a few different options I settled on the new Creeker Aircore.The Creeker has been
developed to meet the needs of paddlers who require an all-round paddle that doesn't require huge ‘guns’ to pull them through the water.This makes them ideally suited for use with river running and creek kayaks. The order was made and the paddles arrived very quickly protected with copious amounts of bubble wrap. Having used larger WW blades for so long I thought that the relatively smaller blade surface area (700cm2 vs 740cm2) would be an issue, however, this was not the case. With any paddle you tend to know within a few paddle strokes whether or not you are going to get along with them and within a few metres of paddling, I knew I was going to get on with these. The distribution of the area and shape is just right for efficient paddling and feels extremely well balanced. The blades entered and exit the water very smoothly with no sign of flutter or drag but plenty of bite and power. The Aircore on the rear of the blades make them extremely buoyant. This aids the paddles to resurface quickly making paddling feel extremely smooth and precise. The finish to both the blades and shaft is excellent and are at least on a par with the best out there. The glue used to join the shaft and fix the blades has been very well done and is incredibly neat. There has clearly been a lot of care and attention given to the paddles during construction to ensure that they are ‘just so’. My gear tends to get a bit of kicking so I wanted a tough, light, and high performing paddle. Although very early in the season I know from past experience, that Vertical Element paddles are more than up to the job. My custom Vertical Element Creeker Aircore is now my paddle of choice.
t www.algonquinoutfitters.com o
WOL ORD RLDS This December, some of the world’s best freestyle paddlers found themselves in San Juan, Argentina, for the 2017 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships.The competition was fierce, with most of the world’s top riders making it to do battle. Under the baking sun, dramas were played out: kings were dethroned and legends created and, so far as British paddling was concerned, things could hardly have gone better, with Team GB proudly topping the podium of nations.
2 0 1 7
S T E Y E L E R F
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Claire O’Hara,
at 36 years old the most decorated rider in ICF freestyle
Photos: Peter Holcombe @PeterHolcombe
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Photos: Peter Holcombe @PeterHolcombe
Clay Wright
showed what a 50-year-old can do by taking gold in the men’s squirt
Results
Squirt – women Claire O’Hara Hitomi Takaku Anna Bruno
GBR 1,090 JPN 997 USA 753
Clay Wright Alex Edwards David Rogers
USA 1,587 GBR 1,480 GBR 1,120
Tome Dolle Alex Walters Harry Price
FRA 1,718 GBR 1,497 GBR 1,217
Squirt – men K1 – junior men K1 – men
Joaquim Fontane I Maso ESP Dane Jackson USA Sebastien Devred FRA
K1 – junior women
1,718 1,683 1,485
Ottilie Robinson-Shaw Sage Donnelly Olivia McGinnis
GBR 553 USA 483 USA 283
Claire O’Hara Marlene Devillez Hitomi Takaku
GBR 925 FRA 743 JPN 570
K1 – women
Dane Jackson
Sage Donelly
Squirt
Clay Wright showed what a 50-year-old can do by taking gold in the men’s squirt and vanishing for a 20-second-plus mystery move. Claire O’Hara, at 36 years old the most decorated rider in ICF freestyle, managed her third double gold victory in squirt and K1, taking her tally of world titles to ten. Claire stated, “The squirt boating was a challenging day with the high winds and difficult spot. Clay’s 20 second mystery move and Hitomi’s screwing around routines were just beautiful.”
Men’s K1 and C1
Eric Jackson, aged 54, re-entered competition and scored rides of nearly 1,000 and Dane Jackson lost something – coming second in the men’s K1 to Joaquim Fontane I Maso. Not even Dane can be expected to win everything, although he added to his medal tally with a gold in C1.
Who in the hell was this
Tom Dolle
guy? Wow!
Junior men
And who in the hell was this Tom Dolle guy? Wow! The French 17-year-old bust out of nowhere to take the junior men’s K1 with a score equal to the winning senior ride, leaving Britons Alex Walters and Harry Price snapping at his heels. Traditional kayaking nations – Britain, USA and France – dominated, but Spain is a growing force and Japan’s Hikomi Takaku is a name to remember too, taking third in women’s senior K1 and second in squirt, providing some serious pressure for winner Claire O’Hara.
Junior female
One of the real stories was the emergence of junior women’s kayaking, a class that has, in the past, been weak. Even today, junior female paddlers and canoeists will enter competitions and struggle to score 10 points for a spin or, as we saw this year, swim from their boats after failing to roll. However, that is changing and it’s changing fast, thanks to a new generation of female kayakers who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Foremost are recent victors, Ottie and her American rival Sage Donnelly, but her compatriot Olivia McGinnis is going to be another one to watch in the future. That Ottie took the title was due as much to her steadfast implacability as her technical ability. As Claire O’Hara puts it, “World champ at age 16 – what a superstar. Her progress over the last two years has been insane and seeing her come to this event and being able to hold things together under the pressure and when it mattered most was amazing.” In the finals, Ottie strung together a McNasty straight and switched, space Godzilla both ways, big air loops and more, to take the title. As commentator Jez Jez pointed out, she got so much air off the McNasty, it looked more like a straight front loop.That so much pop can be generated by a small, teenaged girl is fairly remarkable and goes some way to proving once again a wonderful truth about kayaking that we all know in theory but might sometimes find hard to truly believe: it has very little to do with brute strength or body mass. It is simply a product of perfect technique. It is a truth, also, that the British have always been among the world’s best hole-riders.
Marlene Devillez
The reason for this is simple: we don’t have many good waves. Unless you regularly go to the Thames weirs, like Hurley or Marsh, you could quite easily spend an active life paddling in Britain without ever seeing someone throw a blunt or an airscrew. With this hole-riding pedigree in mind, it is with glee that many British paddlers anticipate the next two world championships to be held at Sort in Spain (2019) and at Nottingham Holme Pierrepont in England (2021).
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O’HARA C L A I R E
The most successful freestyle athlete of all time – can you put into words what that means to you? It means the world. I have been so incredibly lucky to have had the opportunities that I have had. To kayak so many amazing places and to have the opportunity to compete for the British team for over a decade has been insane.
It has been a hard journey, challenging in so many ways but at the same time so much fun and so worthwhile. Without the incredible support of my coach, trainers, sponsors, family and friends, it wouldn’t have been possible and all the success I have had would not have had the same meaning. It was always my dream as a kid to be an athlete. To do a sport that I loved full-time. To have lived out that dream is insane and to have had so much success along the way is just the icing on the cake. What’s been just as exciting though is how many others have joined me at the top along the way. Yes, I might be one of the most successful freestyle athletes of all time, which is epic but I’ve only been able to achieve his because the other athletes push me forward, inspire and challenge me to be better year on year being able to set new standards of what is possible in the sport. My kayaking career from start to now has been a dream come true and it has been an absolute pleasure to be on this journey. What were your thoughts and strategy before the two winning rides? My thoughts prior to finals were excitement, I was so mentally and physically ready to compete in each discipline. I had changed my strategy slightly in both the squirt boat and freestyle going into the finals and had a plan that I was totally happy with and ready to perform. So it was mostly excitement as well as a little nerves about the magnitude of the event. Squirt boating was a challenging day with the high winds and a difficult spot. During prelims and semi finals, I really struggled to get my big super complex tricks to work. Every time I tried a Super Clean or complex Tricky Wu, I would either hit the floor or get hit by the strong winds. I was questioning if I was doing something wrong with the technique, so I jumped in the car with my coach Den, threw my boat in the back and drove up to the lake for an extra lastminute training session. I just could not understand why my tricks weren’t working. On the lake I went to go to the sheltered area and Den reminded me I need to train in the high winds so
sure enough I went into the choppy super windy section of the lake. Just three days earlier, I could hit all my hard tricks here almost effortlessly. Today I couldn't even hit them once. This was the feedback I needed – I wasn't doing anything wrong it was just really hard in the wind. So from there I had a to make a new plan – I would try for the big tricks I and if they didn't work, I would use the paddle to still score the more basic versions of the tricks and rack up the points.
Then I would make sure I nailed the Mystery and just keep going to the final whistle. So instead of my normal routine, I worked out all the highest scoring tricks I could do in the wind and nailed them. That was enough to give me a sweet first ride and when Hitomi beat it with an amazing third run, I went and nailed it again. I even messed up the first two tricks because of the wind but wasn’t fazed because mentally I had prepared for that and knew what to do next to make sure I still had enough in the run. In freestyle the strategy was very different. In the prelims the plan was just to try and nail 4-5 big tricks each run and try not to flush too much. The feature was really challenging. Amazing if you got the technique, timing and positioning right and one of the best spots in the world but it wasn’t forgiving if you made even the slightest mistake. In the early rounds I did enough, just, but my rides were slow and sluggish. I was just doing enough to make it through but not really as fired up as I would have like to have been. By the finals I was ready to just let loose. I had spent the last several years learning amazing new tricks and there was no way I wanted to go out and lay down the same old routine. It was risky in the sense that I knew if I missed them I could be beaten by more basic runs. However, I trusted myself and I wanted them. I knew I wanted to do the big tricks, Lunar, Backloop, McNasty, McNasty, Loop, Space Split Split, Tricky that was my plan. In the end I just went for it. As soon as I hit the first three tricks on my first ride I was already so stoked it didn’t matter what happened next, as I was already personally winning by nailing these big tricks. I was totally in the zone and it just kept flowing and I kept going. I was in the perfect place mentally and physically and it showed. I broke from the routine when I knew I missed my second McNasty and just went with what felt right. It was a new world record ride that I am so proud of – a ride that really showcased what I could do and how far the sport has come. Then in the next two rides I went on to hit more Lunars R and a Lunar L. That for me was almost as awesome as taking the win. Although taking the win was of course so awesome especially in such a close fought competition.
Photos: Peter Holcombe @PeterHolcombe
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Aside from your own success, just how bright is the future for the freestyle GB team after the overall results? Freestyle in the UK is on fire right now. The level and depth of talent within the sport is huge in all disciplines. The coaches who volunteer to work with us are the best in the world, the facilities we have to train on are world-class, the professionalism and commitment of the athletes is second to none and it really showed at these world championships. Ottie winning with Alex, Harry and Sam medalling and making finals in the juniors shows how much progression there is in the next generation. What’s really exciting is they’re not alone – there’s a whole crew of talent coming through the juniors including an even younger generation not old enough to compete at a World Championships for a couple more years, inspired by the current team. Then there is the insane level at which the entire senior team performs. It’s incredible most of these guys and girls work full-time and are still competitive against the best of the best full time professional kayakers in the sport. Add to this the excitement about the 2021 World Championships, which are coming to the world famous National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham, plus a series of events across the UK catering for all levels and abilities and we have a very bright future ahead for freestyle kayaking in Great Britain. Inspired for sure by the success of the entire team at these world championships.
What’s planned for 2018? My plans for 2018 already look exciting and will see me travel to, train, coach and compete in NZ, Australia, Europe, the UK, US and Canada. I have an exciting youth expedition planned to the remote Magpie River in Northern Quebec, a kid Freestyle Academy planned on the Hawea White Water Park in NZ and another at Kelly's White Water Park in the US. I’m hoping to get home and run some clinics in the UK and then I will be touring Europe and North America taking part in many events. I would also really like to smash that 1,000 point barrier in freestyle soon, so I will be working hard with my coach Den. Plus it is my goal to nail consistent Air Screws, Helixs and Pistol Flips and put down some awesome runs on the waves so the learning never ends and the adventures keeps going. It’s going to be another very exciting year. Any final shout outs? I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has played a part in my journey from the very early days learning to paddle with Tyndall Challenge Centre in Wales and White Rose and Leeds Canoe Club, through to everyone who supported me and helped me perform my best at this World Championships. There are too many people to thank individually but that said a massive special thanks has to go to Dennis Newton (Sweetwater Coaching), Islay Crosbie, my Mum and Dad and of course my amazing, hard working and incredibly supportive husband, Jez.
Photos: Peter Holcombe @PeterHolcombe
Congratulations Claire ‘o
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FONA NTANÉ Q U I M
What does the crown of ‘World Champion’ mean to you? Well, first of all I would like to relativize this title and what it means.The World Champion title means that at a certain moment, in a specific spot and under specific circumstances you performed better than anyone else. However, my objective since I started kayaking was to become the best kayaker in the World, by no means holding the world championships title makes me the best paddler on Earth. I would like to remind you that Dane managed to set new ICF record hitting more then 1,900 points during the semi-finals, whilst I won the final with 1,700 points.
Furthermore, in order to prove your mastery on the freestyle scene you need to be able to perform in all kinds of spots. This is why I am so happy to have been present in the finals of both the Worlds in Garb (obviously a wave), and the finals of San Juan (a hole). Moreover being good at freestyle kayaking isn’t only about scoring lots of points in ICF events. A steezy style when surfing the big wave, the right flow between tricks, the way you move and set up, the way you execute your moves and keeping creative is a massive part of the game. That’s why I admire paddlers like Hunter Katich, Bren Orton, Mat Dumoulin, Devyn Scott, Benny Marr… They are not only excellent in terms of technicality but they manage to show a very fresh style when paddling and keep innovating and that’s something I really need to work on. Finally doing well in non-ICF events like Unleashed, Ottawa XL, Hurley Classic or Natural Games is also a great way to show your mastery on freestyle by showing that you can perform well in a wide diversity of spots and over very different competition formats. What were your thoughts and strategy before your winning ride? Ok, I will try to recreate what was going through my mind while I was waiting for my last ride…
ME: “Oh, f*** mate, you’re in big-time trouble, this has been embarrassing so far, people will think you didn’t deserve to be in this final.Totally hate these lights, I can see no s***, everything is so confusing. Situation is so f*** you might need to start thinking about next Worlds in Sort… C’mon you need to put your s*** together boy!”
EJ (or was it Clay?): “Hey Quim, that was not great, but I know you will crush it now.” [Smile] (there was a clear shadow of a doubt in his voice).
ME: [Smiling back] “Oh, no s***, really? I hadn’t noticed man, thanks for that, super relieving mate…” Well, never mind, you need to concentrate; you only need one ride to win the Worlds. Let’s take this chance! No
point on having any fear to lose now, from rock bottom you can only go up, there’s nothing in this world you do better than freestyle kayaking boy, this is your thing, don’t let fear take it away from you!
Steven: [Right before his last ride] “Go Quim, I know you can do it, I’ve found you the most inspiring paddler to watch these days.”
Me: “Thanks Steve-O, go kill it on this one! Ahhh, those were some kind words from such a legend. Ok, let’s go try this, let’s give it our best shot!”
Then I approached my coach, who was clearly freaked out and worried about how badly I was paddling and said, “Thank you for being there for me all the way Jacko.” We shaked hands, I got the thumbs up from the judges and magic happened. Aside from your own success, were there any other stand out moments from the event? The whole Worlds were a total show this year, but I will try to give you my top moments of the whole event. 1. Opening ceremony; it was epic, right in the heart of San Juan and involved professional tango dancing (sexy), fireworks, paddlers being thrown in the air by a gang of local cheerleaders, free local wine and food. Class from the organisation, best opening ceremony I’ve attended? Maybe. 2. Clay Wright disappearing for 20+ secs on his last ride of the final of the squirt boating! You got us all worried mate, what where you doing down there? 3. Prelims of K1JM. Well this was one of the feistiest and wildest freestyle shows I have seen in a long time! These kids have so much talent and you see so many different styles and tricks… Also thinking I will need to compete against them in a couple years time made me worried… I better start training. 4. GB and French teams. Seems like Europeans totally owned it this time! Both these countries have some of the biggest freestyle communities and have been working really hard to preserve freestyle and keep the fire for the sport burning in their territories. All the work paid off with lots of medals, happy for them. 5. Double Gold + ICF record by Claire-O. Her resilience and capacity to show her best paddling when she needs it is mythical! 6. Mr. Dane Jackson. The way he handled a result he was provably not expecting (and for good reasons) makes him a gentleman and further enlarges him as a legendary paddler. I can only learn from him and hope my behaviour will be similar when the time comes.
Photos: Peter Holcombe @PeterHolcombe
What’s planned for 2018? Full on year! For now I’m planning to make it to Uganda and compete in the Unleashed, it was a last hour decision but could not be more happy to head back to the sources of the Nile and join the fun. It’s going to be such a rad event, make sure you follow it, the SEND crew will be putting together and sharing lots of quality content that will keep you dreaming about the boundaries of what is possible with a kayak! Then I’ll be working for Red Bull in Austria on the Global Partnerships Department for some time, so hoping I can get to discover some Austrian creeking gems this spring. Then I will head to World Cups, which happen in Europe with the final being held in Sort, so will be the guy defending the local pride. Then Europeans, where I will try to defend the Championships in front of many hungry paddlers and finally planning to go to Sickline (this year for real). Any final shout outs? This one is a bit boring so will make it short. Only to my parents Quim and Teresa, my awesome sister Núria, my coach Jacko, the Salt-ter Kayak Club, which can now say that has introduced two Extreme Kayaking World Champs and a Freestyle World Champ into kayaking (I think no other kayaking club on earth can say that) and of course my awesome sponsors; Kokatat, Guigui Prod, Werner, SportHG, Predator, Snapdragon and Bewolfish!
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What does the crown of ‘World Champion’ mean to you? Like probably all readers of this I simply love being in a boat on the water and being world champion in no way affects that, except perhaps on the coldest darkest winter training sessions when it might just provide that extra motivation to try a new trick one more time. I hope though the title in some way thanks all the coaches and supporters who have helped and encouraged me over the last few years as without them it simply wouldn’t have happened. Aside from your own success, what was the main story of the championships? As this was my first worlds, I cannot be sure but I think a few things became clear. Firstly the standard in freestyle is improving dramatically with the men striving to score 2,000 points when six years ago at the Plattling worlds, a score of more like 1,100 points would have taken the title. For the women, the benchmark is now 1,000 points when half that would have won the European Championships last year. Secondly, it was great for me to see the junior classes really pushing the seniors with Tom equalling the best senior ride in the finals. Thirdly, the GB team really is a freestyle powerhouse now, not only topping the overall medal table but showing a depth of talent in all categories. I think it demonstrates that not only do we have probably the best coaches in the world but also coaches who are available to everyone, so if you have ever fancied freestyle but need some coaching just reach out to Dennis Newton at Sweetwater Coaching or Jacko at KJO Jacko and give yourself a great boost. What were your thoughts and strategy before the winning ride? I was pretty happy to go into my second ride with a solid first run behind me, so in many ways the pressure was off but I knew I needed more to secure the win. Strategy wise I just wanted to get my full ride and make sure every trick was perfect, as ICF judges make no exceptions for anything less than perfect. What’s planned for 2018? I’m looking forward to now learning some new moves over the winter and I’m hopefully going to be competing and paddling around Europe after my GCSEs finish in the summer. Any final shout outs? Big thank you to Dennis Newton and Claire O of Sweetwater coaching and the ASP, Aaron, Rhona and the Squarerock team and finally Dan McGaley.
OTTILIE
R O B I N S O N S H A W
Photos: Peter Holcombe @PeterHolcombe
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NEWTON NW D E N N I S T E A M
G B
What does the crown of ‘Most Successful Team’ mean to you? Being the most successful team shows the level of talent in UK freestyle and showcases the work done by the coaching and support teams to enable athletes to reach their full potential. I’m very proud of the athletes for all their hard work throughout the year in preparation for the Worlds. Together with British Canoeing, the freestyle committee are continually looking to enhance the development pathway for freestyle paddlers, be it recreational or competition. A big thanks to all the volunteers, clubs and associations that continue to feed athletes and coaches into the sport. What were your thoughts and strategies before the championships? Since 2012,Team GB has been working towards enhancing the coaching offering to provide more robust training and athlete support. We now include strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, sports psychology to accompany the coaching. At the heart of what we do is a desire to develop the whole team, both coaches and athletes to deliver their best. In addition to the formal training weekends I coach a number of the GB team and international athletes through Sweetwater Coaching sponsored ASP programme, which provides free of charge coaching to athletes (the only programme of its type at this level in the UK).This had some very specific goals for the 2017 Worlds; including to beat the 1,000 point score for ladies – not quite there yet but we did set a new ladies record at 925 – one move short of the target.
C O A C H
Aside from the GB success, were there any other stand out moments from the event? There were so many moments it’s hard to pick just a few: l Clay Wright winning the men’s squirt final with an amazingly complex ride and a massive 22-second mystery move in a very difficult venue. l In the ladies finals the ICF record score was broken twice; first by Marlene (FRA), and then Claire O’Hara (GB). l Dane Jackson setting a new C1 record score. l Quim Fontaine winning the men’s final. What’s planned for 2018? Next year sees the start of an ambitious four-year plan by the British Canoeing Freestyle Committee to enhance both recreational and competition freestyle. This will include development of freestyle hubs to enhance the great work done by clubs (and improve accessibility to freestyle activities in UK regions), the introduction of a youth Freestyle Academy and further enhancement of both GB team and squad training. It’s going to be an exciting time as we move towards the World Freestyle Championships in the UK in 2021. See you there! Final shout outs? Big thanks to all those involved for their support – without you it wouldn’t be possible. Looking forward to a great 2018 and beyond.
Photos: Peter Holcombe @PeterHolcombe
Islay Crosbie
James Ibbotson
Harry Price
Alex Walters
Alex Edwards
Robert Crowe
David Rogers
Gav Barker
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E: adventures@fjordadventures.co T: +44 (0)771 557 3818 W: www.fjordadventures.co
ANTARCTICA!
Last minute place: Feb 7th - March 7th 2018 Join expedition Sailing Yacht Icebird in Ushuaia, Argentina, for a 28-day sea kayak expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula. This is a guided expedition for only six clients and offers multi-day as well as day paddling options.
Contact us for further information cath@icebirdexpeditions.com
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REMOTE RM Words: Robert Carroll Photos: Robert Carroll unless stated Remote, ruggedly beautiful and large beyond words. As the years pass I’m swaying more and more towards such environments verging on inhospitable, devoid of noise and human activity.
N O R W E G I A N
F J O R
An inexplicable pull and tranquillity draw me and so many others, escaping the comforts of home life. For a couple of years now, SUP Norway has been making this possible and rids us of the majority of the preparation that consumes so much time when exploring far and unspoilt places. UNESCO heritage status doesn’t come easy but the Nærøyfjord and its surrounds must have earned theirs without struggle. Situated in the western county of Sogn og Fjordane and a branch of the Sognefjord, the scene is genuinely breathtaking. With SUP being the vehicle of choice, the perspective and freedom offered allows you to absorb the kilometre high cliffs and countless freshwater waterfalls at a pace of your choosing. Before praising SUP more I must confess – After the initial launch of SUP, I wasn’t its biggest fan. Poor efficiency , potential back pain, tiny storage and being too easily influenced by wind were all equally concerning. Despite all of us in the expedition being relatively experienced paddlers, Titus ran through paddle technique and positioning on the board in the interest of ironing out bad habits or approaches that could cause reduced speed and muscle fatigue throughout the five-day paddle. With a reluctant grin I can safely say that this hour refresh was to be the start of a new mind set and relationship with the once ‘awkward’ stand up paddle board. A relationship that strengthened each day on the fjords. The Nærøyfjord is well sheltered by high peaks either side and dense forest often stretching up to 750m high in places. Nevertheless it’s not immune to the elements, so with no boat support and limited landing options, safe practices are essential. SUP Norway’s main man – Titus Kidzoman, showed our group how crucial the abilities to forecast weather and adapt to changes quickly were on multiple occasions. He achieved this through good meteorology knowledge, from years of marine experience, built from a vast array of jobs and hobbies involving the sea. Luckily our conditions never became extreme but nerves were put at ease by his cautious approach, all the while sticking to original plans as closely as possible.
SUP
R D S
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By day two, we were all getting accustomed to our Red Paddle Co. Explorers.The wakes from occasional ferries giving ample opportunity to test our balance and technique through water otherwise glassy. Progress was being made and yet despite day one being the shortest, some of us had completed our longest ever SUP distance with much longer ones ahead. I was confused. My board was full of clothes, cooking utensils, cameras, lenses, a tent, sleeping bag plus food for the trip and I’d just completed my first 10k paddle. Considering I was piloting a craft ‘inefficient and awkward’ with added weight, I wasn’t sore or achy and fatigue hadn’t presented itself – Was something awry or did I just have the truths of SUP wrong all this time? Well, it looked that way, as I continued to feel fresh using the distance paddle technique adopted from the recap at the start. SUP Norway employs Red Explorers for all lessons and expeditions to ensure consistent performance
within groups. On our July trip, all parties seemed happy with the boards with the odd switch to test each other’s sizes (12’10 / 13’2). The quality equipment didn’t stop on the water… Lightweight double-layered North Face tents are provided alongside a traditional Norwegian ‘Lavvo’ for clothes drying, communal activity and food prep if conditions insist. Alongside tents and boards 65L dry bags were supplied for clothes and electronics in the event of rain or a monstrous wake that may catch some off guard! Most surprising of all the provisions was the food; three meals a day, fresh lunch making up one. Brekkie and dinner mainly came in the form of high calorie, super-tasty, Drytech pouches that are used by the Norwegian military. These pouches go unnoticed on your board and provide a nutritious meal after a long day’s paddle. They’re so good I’ve tried to source some in the UK since, but to no avail.
Most surprising of all the provisions was the food; three meals a day, fresh lunch making up one.
Brekkie and dinner mainly came in the form of high calorie, super-tasty, Drytech pouches
On the water and off, Titus seemed to pride himself on flexibility, allowing us to stop and chill at places of interest within the group. Even though the distances were much longer than your average weekend ride there was more than enough time per day to get them done with often a good few hours in the evening to eat and recuperate. Over the course of these evenings we got to know Titus and his motives for starting SUP Norway‌
Titus, you’ve been living in Norway for 20 years but what urged you to start SUP expeditions in the western Fjords? I'd had a tough patch in my life and had hit a wall. I figured the best way to get my head straight was to grab a friend, and ride a board in the most amazing place I could find. It worked, and it was obvious to me that I had to share this experience with other people.The response I get from my guests is truly incredible, real life changing stuff!
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The expeditions are unsupported and minimal, it's just us and our boards in what I believe to be the most beautiful place on earth. I love to get out of the tent in the morning, shower in a perfect waterfall under a 1500 metre cliff and think 'Another day at the office.' with a massive smile on my face.
Why choose to teach and travel long distance on SUP of all things? SUP is accessible to anyone, you can teach it where you are. I could teach kite surfing or free diving but most people would find that intimidating. A few years ago I reluctantly agreed to teach my son's school class, initially they were all very nervous but after two hours I couldn't get my boards back. Seeing the total stoke in their little faces reignited my own enthusiasm. Now sharing my passion for the ocean is what I live for and it also keeps me in the environment that I love. Last year I held three courses over a weekend and taught SUP to 30 blind people, it was an incredibly rewarding experience for all of us including a couple of the guide dogs. Sometimes I have to be alone in big nature and longdistance expedition paddling is perfect for that. Last year I paddled Sognefjord, the longest navigable fjord in the world. It was 204 km in three days but I'm never really thinking about the distance, I'm focusing on being totally present in the moment and the next paddle stroke. I found myself amongst a pod of nearly 200 dolphins whilst surrounded by snow-capped mountains, it was heartbreakingly beautiful.
Have you any long term goals for SUP Norway and are you looking to expand elsewhere? Exciting things are happening here, yes!
First, we are inviting applications of interest for an early exploratory expedition in May 2018.This is to find the most beautiful fjord routes in Western Norway to add to our summer itinerary. Then we are heading up to north Norway to paddle with humpback whales and orca around the Lofoten islands and Tromsø.
We are also currently in talks with a major player in the Norwegian tourist industry. I can't reveal too much at present but keep an eye on the website or sign up for the newsletter for some cool opportunities.
Is there a set ability criteria for those wanting to join you and are your expedition dates fixed in advance? We want our summer expeditions to be as accessible as possible. A good basic paddle technique and a positive 'can do' attitude is all that we ask for.The exploratory expedition in May and the Whale expeditions in North Norway will require slightly more experienced paddlers. We are also experienced in arranging and leading custom expeditions for groups of five or more tailored to the group's abilities and wishes.
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Only now after a few days was the enormity of this spot settling in, with no sign of the novelty wearing off. Each turn provided a new perspective, fresh glaciers and waterfalls uncovering themselves around every corner. Our group even spotted avalanche destruction at points along the route – the uprooted trees proving to be perfect fuel for our evening camp fires. Confidence still growing and a body eager for more, sharing the water with kayaks was beginning to instil SUP benefits more than ever. Kayaking was starting to look like the true chore out of the pair, especially after witnessing a launch from Undredal; a small village on the banks of the Nærøyfjord. Wetsuits, skirts and heavy kayaks all took up a significant portion of the slipway and a much larger effort was required to operate on the whole. In comparison to our self-sufficient approach, items stored in their kayaks weren’t as accessible and most of their food and luggage was The sheer size of these fjords seem transported by boat due to complexities to distort our understanding of of carrying it aboard. While I still feel distance and play there’s a place for kayaking, I couldn’t help but feel more closely connected hour after hour with my surroundings throughout, with independence proving to be a fulfilling bonus.
mind games
As is natural before a trip, with excitement and apprehension flowing I had done some research on the region and envisaged covering ground in one of Europe’s most aesthetically pleasing surrounds. I had recent ocean practice under my belt and quality gear packed to boot but no online scrolling could have prepared me for the scale of the fjord we were to paddle. With four days paddling completed already, one of our last destinations – a supposed half day paddle visible from breakfast, sounded a doddle during Titus’s morning brief. The sheer size of these Fjords seem to distort our understanding of distance and play mind games hour after hour. The sighting of our landing ground proved to be nothing more than a facade of reassuring clarity and major deception. The description by many travellers of the Nærøyfjord being a fairytale spot now seems convincing, for I have never come across mountains or shores distancing themselves the closer you get. Normal perspective is all but lost on these waters. In fairness to SUP Norway, co-ordinating a expedition thats a good day’s distance from its base in Oslo is no simple task, especially when vast amounts of equipment are needed for a fully independent adventure. I think its safe to say it was however, more than we (judging by the groups enjoyment), could have expected and the moments spent in Sogn og Fjordane will be cherished most definitely.
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After finishing our last delicious Norwegian dinner by the fire we shared our highlights of the trip with some fine Swiss Absinthe donated by one of the group and set out to secure our tents in advance of a forecasted storm. Luckily for us it wasn’t as vicious as expected and a pleasant night was had by all before our final leg of the journey. Soon after the rain arrived in its droves, just as we left the water for the final time after a fun downwind paddle to our Gudvangen ferry.
https://goo.gl/maps/ktzaYo7L9cN2
Once on and homeward bound I couldn’t help but sense an unusual vibe amongst our
cohort - an unease of sorts. The dry luxury of the boat cabin seemed unnatural after such exposure and freedom over the past few days. One thing is certain – the motor engine may have been a huge advancement for us humans but the desire to revert back to man powered craft is on the rise. The possibilities offered by stand up paddle boards are unrivalled and I am no longer confused why its popularity is rocketing. If you have a need to explore and want a guided entry into expedition paddling, the Nærøyfjord is a must add to the bucket list.
INTRODUCING THE H4
THE HERON 4METER IS A FAST AND STABLE PADDLE BOARD BORN ON THE RIVER THAMES MADE FOR THE URBAN EXPLORER, CAPABLE OF ADVENTURES FAR BEYOND THE CITY. BILLBOARDSUP.COM
HERO HR OS ES
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Grueling canoeing tribute to the
C O C K L E S H E L L
on the raid’s 75th anniversary
Keith Breslauer, a longstanding supporter of the Royal Marines Charitable Trust and managing director of private equity firm, Patron Capital, joined injured Royal Marines as the only civilian in a taxing paddle, 85-miles up the Gironde estuary, France, followed by a 100-mile yomp in a recreation of the heroic ‘Cockleshell Heroes’ raid on its 75th anniversary. On December 5th, I embarked on a gruelling charity endeavour in support of the incredible work of The Royal Marines Charity. This is the latest chapter in my longstanding partnership with this worthy cause, which sees me participating in a recreation of Operation Frankton, often described as the most courageous raid of World War II. The expedition, led and organised by James (‘Batch’) Batchelor commemorates the 75th anniversary of Operation Frankton. Sent on what was effectively a suicide mission, equipped with only the bare essentials of food, clothing and the all-important limpet mines, Frankton saw ten Royal Marines commandos travel to the coast of France in the submarine HMS Tuna in December 1942. The plan was to paddle 85 miles up the Gironde estuary in their folding canoes (codenamed cockleshells) to attack enemy ships moored at the German-occupied French port of Bordeaux before making the 100mile journey on foot to rendezvous with the French Resistance in Ruffec. The aim of the raid was to destroy blockade-running merchant ships with these mines, and six ships were seriously damaged.
Although the courage and enterprise of the participants, who were immortalised in the 1955 film ‘The Cockleshell Heroes’, have passed into legend, only two of the ten commandos survived, as the others succumbed to hypothermia in the freezing water and winter temperatures or were executed by the Germans. One of the two survivors, along with Corporal Bill Sparks, was Major Herbert George ‘Blondie’ Hasler (photo), whose name was subsequently given to the Royal Naval unit that was specifically formed to help aid the recovery, rehabilitation and re-integration of injured service personnel. I joined around 30 serving and former marines and a team from the Royal Navy, including injured war veterans from the Hasler Naval Service Recovery Centre in retracing the route of the Cockleshell Heroes, setting ourselves the ambitious goal of completing this in just six days - the only recreation completed over the time of the actual operation.
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We returned the next morning and, with the landowner’s support, placed a new
permanent plaque and took part in a remembrance ceremony
Natural progression
Having previously taken part in the RM1664 Challenge for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust, which involved a cross-channel kayak from Normandy to Portsmouth, this felt like a natural progression testing myself in different conditions. I joined David Walters, a former long serving Royal Marine and an experienced paddler with many great challenges to his credit as my boat mate to hopefully reach our goal. Following the laying of a wreath at a memorial, the first leg of the paddle from Port Medoc to La Marechale started with a tough launch across mud flats in cold and foggy weather. Our canoes were mostly Neris Valkurie-2s, a modern-day folding boat and a few Aleuts. After a cold and rough night camping, we visited the site where Hasler and Sparks hid out in the dunes, helped by the villagers. Leaving at 2pm to catch the afternoon tide towards Bordeaux, we started on the most epic of the paddles from La Marechale to Chantier Naval Krieg, near Port De Lagrange, paddling the last three hours in complete darkness. A challenging part was the entrance to the narrowing of the river, some mixed water and then negotiating a causeway, where we could hear the unnerving sound of rushing water. We spent the night camping in a more sheltered and less wet spot and I was able to recharge my batteries and get some sleep.
Dr Tom Keene
The next morning, we paddled a short run past submarine pens, massive concrete structures that were completed by the Germans in 1944, to a pier, where we met up with other members of the Hasler Naval Service Recovery Centre who did not take part in the paddle and listened to a talk about the operation by historian, Dr Tom Keene. We then paddled up the Gironde estuary to Bordeaux, returning on a 4-knot plus tide in our favour to the town of Blaye with the weather dramatically improving on our way. Close to Blaye, near Chateau Segonzac, we landed at exactly the same spot where Hasler and Sparks pulled their boats out of the Gironde, which was an amazing feeling.
New permanent plaque
We returned the next morning and, with the landowner’s support, placed a new permanent plaque and took part in a remembrance ceremony with the whole expedition team, including members of the Hasler Naval Service Recovery Centre, the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines. With barely time to catch our breath, the second stage of the expedition, the overland trail, a 100-mile yomp to be finished over a few days, started in the afternoon. This recreation of Operation Frankton provided not only a way to commemorate the Cockleshell Heroes on the 75th anniversary of their endeavour, but was also an incredible opportunity for the wounded, injured or sick servicemen to display their strengths in overcoming immense obstacles and an important part of their rehabilitation. The team
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consisted of people with major knee and hip injuries and a man with a brain tumour with only a few months to live. Taking part in the expedition has only further reinforced my respect for the men of Operation Frankton. They faced worse weather, strong winds resulting in 5-foot high waves, resulting in one of the canoes capsizing and the men swimming ashore, while another canoe was lost and the crew drowned. They also paddled at night with the constant danger of being discovered by a ruthless enemy and had very few opportunities to rest, if at all. It is also worth remembering that they did not have the advantages we have today: better, more water-resistant and insulated clothing and sophisticated communication and navigational technology. Despite rough conditions both on the surface and through the nights, our recreation of Operation Frankton is only that, a recreation, and so can simulate only a very small element of what ‘Blondie’ Hasler’s men went through in 1942, but we hope it will raise further awareness and funds for an extremely deserving group of servicemen and women, who have suffered disproportionately in recent years. I am immensely proud in taking part in Frankton 75 that not only honours past heroes, but also those who have served or continue to serve in our armed services.
If you would like to support the Royal Marines Charity, for details visit the website at www.theroyalmarinescharity.org.uk and select Events & Fundraising
S SIMPLY STRONG
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A
SEA SA
W H I T E W A T E R
Story: Sal Montgomery This September, with a little encouragement from my friend Erin, I decided to try something new. Although I’ve been a whitewater kayaker for nine years now, I have always liked the idea of sea kayaking, partly for the excitement of the sea and waves but also for the expedition element. The plan was to circumnavigate the island of Menorca, living out of our kayaks and wild camping on beaches as we worked our way round. A pretty cool way to try out sea kayaking! The predicted 70mph gale force winds for the UK-France crossing, threatened the likelihood of our ferry setting off but luckily we managed to board the last one that day before they were all cancelled. Two ferries and 1,843 kilometres later, we were on the island of Menorca and it was time to get organised with kit, food and water, as well as start planning our route! As it was a mixed group, with varied levels of experience we set our target distances accordingly and highlighted all possible get-outs on the maps, just in-case any problems were encountered. All our chosen camp spots and places to pick up fresh water or top up food supplies were also marked along the route. We started our expedition from a touristy beach at Es Grau, on the east of the island. For the next two days we were fighting pretty strong headwinds, therefore covering less distance and having to adapt the original plans for camp spots. The weather became better each day onwards though and we were quickly ahead of our proposed schedule.
KA AA YAKING K A Y A K E R
G O E S
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Despite the generally beautiful weather w
we did get caught in the middle of a couple of big storms, where the thunder and lightning felt like it was crashing uncomfortably close! These were nicknamed ‘PLF’ (paddle like *!%^) situations! The storms were usually not forecast and would appear really unexpectedly, turning the sky from perfect blue to very dark within a few minutes and then back to perfect blue again! Menorca is an incredible island to paddle around. Everyday we were treated to big caves, towering cliffs, interesting wildlife and beautiful beaches. Going outside of summer peak times also meant the beaches were nice and quiet, but the weather still very warm - so pretty perfect really!
Wild camping
One of my favourite things to do is wild camping, which on this trip was incredible. We would be treated to amazing sun sets whilst cooking dinner, big starry skies as we lay in our bivi bags on the sand, completed by stunning sun rises to wake up to each morning. It doesn’t get much better!
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As a whitewater paddler, I would describe my first experience of sea kayaking as pretty awesome! Here’s some of my reasons: •
•
The challenge – will we make it all the way round? Have we allowed enough time for bad weather? We encountered strong winds and unexpected storms, but the team were motivated and driven to achieve our goal. The less experienced girls in particular did a really great job managing their increasing levels of fatigue and were determined to cover the required distance each day to our next camp. I gained a huge amount of brand new experiences and skills from this trip such as navigation, route planning, deep-water rescues and even a bit of surfing!
•
The journey element was a real highlight for me, making plans then working towards them each day was really motivating. I love expedition paddling for this reason and thrive on having a purpose each day, getting up each morning, knowing what you are aiming to do that day and doing it!
•
And then the sense of achievement! Not many things in life feel as good as working towards a goal and then achieving it. On our final day when we pretty much knew we were going to complete our challenge everyone was super psyched, constantly smiling and really appreciating the views of our last few kilometres.
•
The team work. Yes, I know it’s a cliché but it couldn’t be more true! A small group of people with similar interests, a sense of humour (very important) and a shared goal all working together, not only on the water but also with collecting drinking water, cooking dinner, setting up a tarp in a storm, etc; it just wouldn’t work if you didn’t help each other. These girls were genuinely awesome people, with whom I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this incredible experience with! There was never a shortage of psych, smiling, singing (many Riptide repeats) and general banter!
As well as all of the above I would mainly recommend a trip like this as it was simply fun! I’m definitely keen for more expeditions like this. The big question is where next?
PADDE DLE
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T H E
N I L E
An interview with Sarah Davies and her dream to achieve what’s never been done: to paddle the entire length of the River Nile.
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W
here did the idea of paddling the Nile first come to mind?
I was at a point when, while life here in Sydney was amazing and I had a job I loved, there was still something missing. There was a lack of fulfillment and I knew I wasn’t going to get that sitting at a desk or continuing with the status quo. I started soulsearching and around that time saw a couple of people who’d done firsts including UK TV presenter Helen Skelton who paddled the Amazon.
That struck something in me – that’s what I want to do – a first and an expedition. I also knew I wanted it to be kayaking so I started researching. And after much googling and researching, I came up with this plan. To be the first woman to paddle the length of the Nile. It was like the ultimate lightbulb moment! It brings together my passion for travel, love of kayaking and my need for challenge, which there will be no shortage on this trip!
When did you first start kayaking? Kayaking was something I took up after joining North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club. I started competing in swimming, running and SUP and then had a crack at surf skis. Initially I spent more time in the water than on it. But I loved it and was instantly sold!
What type of training have you done for the Nile expedition? The training for the races this year have a really strong paddling base. The races included Molokai (the 53km race from Molokai to Oahu in Hawaii, achieving third) and more recently the Ocean Racing World Championships in Hong Kong where I was stoked to take gold in my age group. The focus now is keeping the paddling base and building up muscle. I lost of fair bit of muscle with all the long distance paddling for these races. I want to put that back and build a reserve before I head off to Africa.
Before we start – just let our readers know a little about yourself, family, background, etc. I grew up down on the south coast in Sussex, spending all my summers at the beach and more time in or on the water than on land. Sport was always a huge part of my life. I loved swimming, but horse riding was my thing growing up.Then there were the school sports and many, many more. Mum was great – she encouraged me to try heaps of sports.That is something that has stayed with me and because of that, I got into paddling.
I moved to London for university and subsequently stayed there as threw myself into a career in banking. It was my job at National Australia Bank in London that put me on the path to moving to Australia to where I have lived for the past 14 years. It’s home for me now. In the UK I got into running and triathlon in my 20s, which I continued when I moved to Australia. Half marathons were my favourite until I found out I had arthritis in my hip brought on by falling off too many nutty horses as a kid.Then I blew my meniscus.Then I decided it was time to listen to my body and gave up running and paddling became my main sport.
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What is the main message of the expedition?
What's your most embarrassing moment?
It’s two-fold. One is to raise money for CARE Australia, part of CARE, the global humanitarian aid organisation working to end poverty. The key reason I chose them is because they put women and girls at the centre of all their initiatives. They know we cannot overcome poverty until we have equal rights and opportunities. On top of that, research has shown that for every woman brought out of poverty, she’ll bring four with her. They are incredible charity. As well as raising money for them I will raise awareness for the work they do and plan to visit some of their projects.
Far out, there are a few of these to choose from too! I’ll pick a paddling one – I came off my surf ski in really small surf, got my foot trapped, was dragged into shore and had to be rescued by one of the guys I paddle with. My coach never seems to get bored of reminding me of this when we hit the surf.
The second part is building a community of ‘Winning Women’ encouraging and inspiring each other to get out of the comfort zones, go on adventures and do something they may never have thought possible. I want women of all ages to be inspired to stretch their imaginations, dream big and have the courage to go for it! I was inspired by people who’d done firsts. Not only did they provide the inspiration, more importantly they made ma realise I CAN do it. They were ordinary people with big dreams and a lot of tenacity. I want to pay it forward. I have already started talking at schools and other events and this will continue long after the expedition is complete. On top of this I want to bring as many people on the journey with me and share the beautiful countries, cultures and people with everyone following my progress.
Tell us about how you plan to manage the risks on the Nile? There are many different approaches and it depends on the risks. It includes: • Initially completing a risk assessment for the entire trip and developing detailed management plans and standard operating procedures. • Having the right equipment, including good communications equipment, medicines and first aid gear, water filters, solar charges and back ups of the key equipment. • An assistance company to log in with regularly, provide ongoing intelligence reports and security advice, provide medical assistance and coordinate evacuation if required, etc. • Insurance. • Rafting in the sections where are there are large rapids and crocodiles and hippos. • Experienced rafting guides leading these sections. • Security and guides where needed. • Ensuring there are people with me at all points during the trip. • For each day, having an evacuation plan. The risk management piece is one of the biggest parts of this trip to organize. The plus point is, I’m a risk manager by trade! While it’s in financial services, the same principles apply.
If you could capture just one ‘feel good’ moment, which would it be ? There are a few to choose from, but the times I see dolphins when I’m out paddling is so incredibly special (once I realise they’re not sharks). I’m very lucky to paddle where we get dolphins fairly regularly.
So when do you start and how long will the expedition take? I am hoping to start early next year, but need to get a bit more funding in place before I can set a date. It’s then expected to take 7-9 months. That includes plenty of rest days and contingency for things to not quite go according to plan, which is pretty much a given with something like this.
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What will be the main dangers during the expedition? • • • • • •
The big rapids through Rwanda and Uganda. Crocs and hippos. Disease, illness and injury. Extreme heat. Potential hostile situations. Snakes – probably not a primary danger, I just have a massive phobia of them!
Have you ever been scared and if not – what would it take? I’ve been scared plenty of times! And I know I will be many, many more times on this expedition. One that stands out was competing at the national Surf Lifesaving titles on the Gold Coast in Australia. It was huge surf. In the board race, not one women made it out through the break. When it came to the team swim race, I got to the break as a big set came through (a good 8ft+). While I’d been out in big surf before, this was bigger and more powerful than anything I’d swum in. I got thrown around and had to dive so deep under the waves. When it came to the third wave in the set I very clearly remember thinking that I wasn’t going to make it and I hoped that they’d find my body and resuscitate me. Thankfully I did make it – the body is capable of more than you think – and once I’d stopped hyperventilating, we finished the race and very happy to still be alive!
Some people must say you’re crazy to take on this expedition?
I like to think it’s a good kind of crazy! It is risky, but as T.S. Eliot said, “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” During this expedition I will really get to see what I am capable of both physically and mentally. Plus hopefully add some value with the money raised and Winning Women.
If you could paddle anywhere in the world to paddle, where would it be and what
I’d love to paddle in Antarctica. A friend who’s travelled to nearly every country puts Antarctica at the top. Other friends have echoed this and I think seeing it from the water would be spectacular, if a little chilly!
One piece of advice you would give to somebody thinking of packing it all in to become an adventurer?
Do it! If it’s something you feel passionate about, then go for it. We tend to only regret the things we don’t do. Life it so short and there is a hell of lot out there to see and experience. So take action and start planning. You don't need to know everything it’s gong to take upfront. Start researching and talking to people and go do it!
What do you do to relax? I tend to watch a movie or get a massage.
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Quickies…
If you could paddle with anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be? Oprah Pick two celebrities to be your parents… Sir Richard Branson and Goldie Hawn Which famous person would you most like to see play you in a film? Kate Winslet Are you a bathroom/shower singer and if so what do you sing? My singing voice is terrible – I don’t even inflict it on myself. Facebook or Twitter? Can’t I go Instagram? I guess Facebook… An ideal night out for you is? Seeing one of my best mates, a good meal followed by ice cream. What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island? Access to Spotify somehow – would need music! What would I find in your fridge right now? Nothing exciting – it’s all veggies, fruit, eggs and there’s some poached salmon ready for dinner. If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us? Salmon and salad (the healthy bit), followed by cheesecake (the naughty bit). All about balance. What’s the most boring question you are often asked? I don’t think there is one. Always nice when people have questions to ask. If you could be a superhero for one day, what superpower would you choose and why? Travel through time…would be amazing to go back to some of the different ages. And pop into the future for the winning lottery numbers. Favourite sport’s team? Waratahs – the local rugby union team here in Sydney Favourite film? So many! I’ll go with the only one I’ve watched twice recently…Deadpool Favourite musical track? One that always makes me smile is The Verve’s Bitter Sweet Symphony What three words would you use to describe you? Positive, kind and honest Any final shout outs? It has to be Mum – I’ve put her through it with all my travels round the world and this is another level. She has been such a support and I know this is hard for her, knowing what’s involved with this expedition.
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Many thanks Sarah for all of your help on this – we really appreciate it.
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C O A C H I N G
S A F E T Y
GROUND GO No. 9…
S T E E P
S E R I E S
In the ninth part of the Paddler Safety Series, we are looking at tackling the steep ground that paddlers may have to deal with when getting into, out of and around on the river. By Chris Brain
It is important to remember that there is no substitute for professional training in this area and this must be combined with experience to effectively use the ideas and techniques contained in this series. This article is not intended to replace formal training. Our previous articles have focused on preparation, simple rescues, working together on the river and above all avoiding incidents happening in the first place. The topics covered in this article assume that you have read the previous chapters. The ropework based content of this chapter will go hand in hand with some of the techniques covered in part 4, check out chapter 4 if you haven’t read it already.
No. 1. Be prepared and stay safe: https://joom.ag/hdaQ/p50
No. 2. Working as a team: https://joom.ag/JeqQ/p96
No. 3.Swim, chase, throw: https://joom.ag/PdyQ/p38
No. 4. Get the advantage: https://joom.ag/XfUQ/p42
No. 5: What if‌ https://joom.ag/kLbW/p44
No. 6:The chest harness https://joom.ag/xE8W/p38
No. 7: Shouting, reaching and wading https://joom.ag/MHwW/p102
No. 8:Top tips https://joom.ag/FFcW/p80
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We don’t have to be on a high-grade river to need to deal with steep ground when we are paddling. We might be portaging around a difficult rapid, accessing a stretch of water in a more remote location or simply problem solving following an incident or a swim. As the riverbank can sometimes be as hazardous as the river, even the process of lowering a boat down a short drop or a steep slope can quickly become tricky. Most of the time many of these issues can be solved in simple ways that don’t require more advanced techniques or ropework, but occasionally having a few tricks up your sleeve can really help when dealing with this steeper environment. To be clear, the techniques covered here are most certainly not for abseiling, hoisting or lowering people into space, but are some additional tools that you can use to make your life a bit easier and to give you a bit more security when you are in an environment where a loss of footing or dropped equipment could lead to a more severe situation.The equipment we are using for all of these techniques are our standard throwlines, HMS karabiners, tapes and slings.The context of this chapter of the safety series is that we are not heading into an environment where we know for certain that we will need to climb/abseil/lower etc such as a remote gorge or steep canyon. Going into that kind of environment would require more specialist equipment, techniques and experience.
Using a handrail
Sometimes when you are on tricky ground, it can be really nice to have something secure to hold onto, just to make it easier to either get up, down or around a tricky step. I always think it is important to remember that not every member of a group will be a confident climber (even if they are a highly capable paddler) and not everyone will feel comfortable when ascending or descending difficult ground. With a simple bit of ropework we can easily create a handrail for our team members to hold onto. First, we need to find a suitable anchor to attach our rope to. Our first choice of anchor is probably a secure tree, that is well rooted, looks healthy and obviously isn’t going to move or break if we put a bit of weight onto it. Depending on the location we might even choose a solid tree root or rock instead. Next, we need to secure our rope to the anchor and there are a few ways that we can do this depending on the anchor we have chosen. If we have chosen a sturdy tree we might decide to keep it nice and simple and to use a no knot. Starting at the bottom of the tree we adjust the length of the rope that we want to use for our hand rail and with the remaining rope we wrap it around the tree at the base neatly upwards. The smaller the tree the more wraps you will require, the bigger the tree the fewer wraps are needed (I would suggest always going around at least three or four times even on a big tree.) The end of the rope is now just kept neatly to one side near the tree. The no knot works on friction and is releasable even when loaded if required. Give the rope a strong pull to check it isn’t going to move before using it for real If we have decided to use a boulder for our anchor we might make a decision to use a tape to secure our rope. This is because the no knot might not sit very well around the boulder due to the amount of wraps it requires and it could also get stuck under the boulder too. Using a tape might be a simpler and neater process in this situation. Take the tape around the boulder and bring it back to the front (where you want the direction of pull to be from). At this point you need to join both ends of the tape together to make a closed loop. If your tape is stitched at either end (giving you two points to clip) this part is super simple as you just clip your karabiner through both ends. If your tape doesn’t have any points to clip and is just a clean tape, then you’ll need to tie both ends together using a double overhand. To prevent this double overhand moving it is good practice to secure it with another double overhand right behind it. Another technique that we can use to create an anchor involves using a sling where we ‘wrap 3 and pull 2’. This means that you wrap your sling around the anchor/tree three times (before tying your double overhands to secure the tape) but only clip two strands of this with your karabiner (see diagram). This means that the extra wraps around the tree create a bit more friction and won’t load the knot directly, making it easier to untie after it has been loaded. We can now use our rope in either one or both hands to give us a bit of additional security as we move down (or up) through our challenging terrain. If we wanted to, we could even tie a selection of small overhand knots at specific points to give our hands something to rest on, making our handrail feel even more secure.
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What about the last person?
One issue we have when using a handrail for a team to move down a steep bank is that the last person will not be able to directly use the handrail set up in this way if they also want to retrieve the equipment.
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Once the final person has made their descent, the ropes can be pulled through by pulling just one rope. If you are using a throwline this will have significantly less change of snagging if you pull the bag end towards you, leaving the clean end of the rope to move freely.
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Lowering boats
. If you want y o tion u rp sta r st
There are a few options here, one being that the final person could ThePaddle actually leave the equipment in position to be collected later, meaning r that they can also use the handrail. Another option would be for the person to remove the handrail and to descend without it, however depending the situation this might not be the best (or a safe) decision. A third option would be for the final person to set up a different style of handrail where the rope is simply doubled up around the anchor, meaning that there are two ropes coming from the anchor rather than one. To use this effectively does require a bit more experience as both ropes need to be held together and gripped equally, because if one rope is pulled whilst the other is left free the rope will slide through if it is weighted. This also means that this person can only move half of the distance of the rope length using this technique (as the rope is doubled over), but potentially they may be able to pull the ropes through and reposition the anchor if required.
Another challenge that paddlers have when it comes to accessing a river via steep ground is getting our boats down there too. This can be an issue for both canoeists and kayakers, with canoes generally being larger and more cumbersome too. Many canoeists and kayakers choose to carry their boat on their shoulders, but as the terrain gets more advanced this might not be possible and a slip with a boat could lead to injury and even the loss of a boat.
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Again, when it comes to ropework, simple solutions that are effective should usually do the job. This might be as straightfoward as attaching a boat to its end grab/loop and lowering it down hand over hand with no additional tools or tricks required. This might be fine for a kayak, if however, we are lowering heavier equipment such as a canoe, or moving down a steeper bank we might need to create a system that dle generates more friction than we can create simply in our hands. r
s-e
ail usomething When we are sending something away from us friction is our friend. When we arem pulling s: reviews@ thepad towards us, friction is our enemy! So, when it comes to creating more friction in order to lower equipment dler we have a few options. e
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This is the quickest and simplest way of creating extra friction when lowering a boat. All we do to add friction into the system is to take the rope around the back of a tree or boulder. We could in fact use multiple trees or boulders if required and essentially the greater the surface area that the rope runs over, the greater the increase in friction. Once again solid and appropriate anchor choice is key. Even though we are only lowering boats, it still needs to be able to support the weight and to allow the boat to travel in the right direction. Ensure that you are positioned in a place where you can create the desired amount of friction and still see (where possible) the boat that you are lowering.This most likely means that we are positioned below the anchor, which should also help to increase friction too. Another simple option for increasing friction for lowering equipment is to have more than one person holding the rope. It almost sounds too simple, but of course can be really quick and effective. It does require both people to work together to manage the rope and if there is any error in handling the rope between them, one person could be left holding the rope and all the weight on their own. Be aware that If we are regularly accessing the same location and are frequently lowering equipment, using trees to create friction, it can pretty quickly create wear and damage on the tree. In this instance using a technique that involves a sling will reduce the wear on the environment.
Friction hitch/wrap
By using a friction hitch or wrap in the rope we can create a really effective system for managing load on the rope when we are lowering. One of the best-known friction hitches is the Italian hitch. Climbers have been using the Italian hitch for years, and even though modern technology has meant that most climbers actually carry a purpose made belay device instead of creating a hitch in the rope, it is still an essential skill for them to learn.
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Natural friction
ThePADDLER 78 The Italian hitch is very effective and easy to control, but does require a bit of practice to make sure that you are tying it right and that you are keeping hold of the rope effectively. For the Italian Hitch to work we should be positioned once again below the anchor. For help with the Italian Hitch there are plenty of videos online which will take you through the steps required to tie it and how to manage the rope when it is in use. Another option for addition friction for lowering is to double wrap the rope through the karabiner. This will create enough friction for lowering boats, but does have the added advantage that a double overhand knot and its tails can pass through it (provided we are using a large HMS/pear shaped karabiner). Joining ropes can be useful, If the distance that we want to lower our boat exceeds the length of the rope in one of our throwbags. This can be done quickly and easily by tying the ends of the ropes in a double overhand knot (we may need to remove the bag from the rope to do this). Now when we lower our boat we should have the added friction of the double wrap through the karabiner, but the double overhand should pass round the wrap in the karabiner meaning that we can lower much further than before.
Beware shock loading
As we are keeping it simple and using throwlines rather than climbing ropes, we should be very aware of the issue of shock loading our anchors and our systems. Essentially, we want to ease the load (the boat) onto our system rather than letting it slide down the banking at speed and then stopping it suddenly with our friction system (hitch, wrap etc). This is because our throwlines, slings and anchor systems unlike climbing rope, will have very little dynamic properties meaning that they won’t absorb a shock load like this very well.
Giving more security to a paddler
When we need a little bit more security than a handrail can give us, a paddler may benefit from a different system when they are ascending or descending a steeper bank. This technique is no way should be used to lower a paddler into free hanging space or in a position where the paddler can drop or shock load the system, in these instance more advanced techniques and equipment are required. For this situation, it is not preferable to use the rear chest harness attachment point to give support as a front attachment point will be better for the paddler. If we were to use the rear attachment point on the chest harness to attach to a paddler for this situation, we would risk the paddler turning around to face away from the banking should they slip and the rope become loaded. To attach the rope to the paddler, all we do is thread the throwline around the body, underneath the armpits using the bag end and then to attach the rope back to the bag using a clove hitch. Using the clove hitch means that the loop around the body is easily adjustable and that the loop will not be able to get smaller and crush the paddler. The rope should be positioned so that it is coming away from in front of the paddler and the clove hitch adjusted so that the loop is snug to the body. What we then do is set an anchor up with our sling, attach an Italian hitch with our rope to the karabiner and then we have a system that can give a bit more reassurance to a paddler should they slip on the steep ground either on their way down to or up and out of the river.
A final thought…
Whilst much of the content covered here might seem simple to do, it is worth practicing before you need it. Take the time to learn these techniques in a simple and controlled environment so that when you come to need them for real it won’t be the first time you’ve tried it out. Remember that whenever we are using any of these techniques that our own personal safety is essential. Take care standing near an edge or at the top of a slippery banking and don’t forget that paddling shoes don’t always grip that well on wet grass or rock! Thanks to Bob Mckee for his help with the photos.
Chris Brain
Chris has been kayaking, canoeing and coaching for the last 15 years and runs his own business Chris Brain Coaching, delivering paddlesport coaching, safety and rescue courses and REC first aid training. Chris would like to thank Pyranha Kayaks, Palm Equipment,VE Paddles, Red Paddle co and Go Kayaking for their continued support. chris@chrisbraincoaching.com www.chrisbraincoaching.com
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I N
T H E
W A T E R S
VIKINGS
O F
Story: Torbjörn Söderholm Cheers every one! Said the Irish man at the table next to us. It is spring and I’m sitting in the famous pub ‘The Paddlers Return’ at the equally famous hostel ‘Anglesey Outdoors’ in North Wales. I am here with a couple of friends to do some tide race paddling with a good friend of ours, James Stevenson of Adventure Elements North Wales. As tradition we take a pint after a good day on the water and like everyday it’s packed with guests from near and far.
In comes a man and James recognizes the man and brings him over to us. This is an old friend of his who is working on introducing young adults to the outdoors. The stories and laughter leads us on to a discussion around kayaking among the mysterious islands of Shetland or Hjaltland as it once was called. The story really caught my ear with its old Scandinavian heritage and Norn dialects. Norn was a west Norwegian dialect that was spoken in the late viking ages around 1200 to the 1500s. It was last spoken in the region to the end of the 1850s.
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I run a kayak centre together with my wife Kathrine on the north west coast of Sweden, smack in the middle between Gothenburg and Oslo. This area has a rich Viking culture and has been both Norwegian, Swedish and Danish through history and is the birth place of Viking settlements such as York in the UK. With this as an everyday working place, hearing stories of the tribal conflicts and the journeys that they went on has built up a longing to re-create a similar experience. This is probably a part of why I have kayaking as a profession. I need to go there, I said to James. We discussed the possibilities around doing something like this and came to the conclusion that it needed to be done. Months passed and both of us had a lot on our plates both working in the kayaking industry. So during a kayak symposium in southern England we met again and this time we set the date to make it happen – May 21st, 2017.
Cherry picking locations
Heathrow. James and myself had organized the logistics between us extremely well. He had his van with a trailer full of kayaks, buoyancy aids, paddles and spray decks to be driven from North Wales, on a night ferry from Aberdeen up to the Shetlands. My job was to get us a car that could fit ‘some’ equipment and five people – a KIA Piccanto AKA ‘the Moped’. It needed to withstand laughter and the occasional scuff but it did its job, just about.
Muckle Roe
The base we used to dry kit, supply food, giving briefings/reviews before, between and after the expeditions, was at the warm and comfortable Islesburgh Hostel in Lerwick. In the evening I did my favourite fish soup for everyone and we all studied the maps and decided where to go. With a closer look at the weather we decided to head north west and do a circumnavigation of the majestic Island of Muckle Roe and the World War II historical site on Vementry Island.
The format would be a commercial trip divided into two, three day expeditions.This to be able to cherry pick the best locations depending on the weather.This turned out to be a great way of doing it as the wind and swell forecast more or less changed every hour.Through my business Nautopp, we managed to bringing a group of eight kayakers that were used to this kind of paddling. It came to be a great mix of Swedes and Danes for this expedition and everyone felt ecstatic about paddling in the waters of our ancestors.
Early morning on May 21st, we drive towards Muckle Roe, where because of a really unreliable weather forecast, we decide to park my little back up plan at a strategic location in case of not being able to paddle back on the last day. It is a great morning with a slight westerly breeze from the green rolling hills and a stunning blue background, making it all look like how we pictured it. With our kayaks fully loaded with nice fresh food for the oncoming days, we head off towards our first headland in the chase of caves.
On May 19th, I set off from Gothenburg towards Hjaltland and as the true 20th century Viking that I am, I make my way on a nice Airbus 380 bound for Sumburgh Airport on the Shetlands via Aberdeen and London
Muckle Roe has a few small communities along the southern part of the island and probably a 100 times as many sheep, but the northern parts are wild and inhabited. The kayaking along Muckle Roe is amazing with steep cliffs, many deep caves and a true feeling of wilderness. You can really feel the energy of the ocean here, you understand that this is an exposed part of the Shetlands. The whole day we are accompanied by grey seals, otters, guillemots and the very curious
Fulmar which occasionally flies past, almost being hit by our paddles. At the end of the day, we find a great camp on Papa Little with a beautiful sunset out across the north Atlantic. Sitting with a cup of tea around the camp fire thinking about the day’s experiences. Next day we wake up to an equally beautiful morning as the day before and our eagerness to get into our kayaks and explore is obvious. Coffee, egg sandwich and a fresh apple slides down and soon we are on the water again passing from Papa Little to Vementry and westwards to explore the north west shores of the mainland. We pass small inlets, big stacks, noisy Fulmar colonies and we find some awesome rock gardens with thick forests of kelp.
Increasing wind and swell
The closer we get to the island of Papa Stour and the open Atlantic, we can feel the swell getting bigger and bigger and at the same time we can also feel strong winds gusting down on us from the steep ledges above. We get to our lunch spot and we can see and hear the wind increasing as we sit in the sun. This was exactly what the forecast said but the only thing we couldn’t figure out was when during the day it would hit us. It’s a strong offshore wind and we pack our kayaks to paddle out and back where we came from. We have planned our day well and have a sheltered paddle until the last few kilometres
The kayaking along Muckle Roe is amazing with steep cliffs, many
deep caves and a true feeling of wilderness where we battle hard into the wind. Safe on dry land we set camp, make dinner and do a walk to the top of the Island to visit the old corroded World War II guns, guarding the entrance from the Atlantic. The morning of day three is a copy of the other two mornings. Breakfast is nice and calm just like the ocean. Coffee, egg sandwich and a fresh apple is slowly digesting while I get ready for the
last paddle back to our launching spot. Happy faces all around as we slowly make our way over to Muckle Roe and along the south shores back to the van. Evening is spent drying kit at the hostel in Lerwick and supplying fresh food for the next three days is also done. We spend a lot of time on our phones that evening and
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dwell back and forth with where we should go as the swell and wind forecasts still are pulling tricks on us hour bye hour. Everybody joins in and grabs a bite to eat in the village and just before bed time we form a plan to where we can go in the morning, fingers crossed, Island of Noss. Early morning with a strong offshore breeze, which shows its ugly face in every way, as it rushes down from higher ground and hits us hard at times. We are planning to paddle along the south east mainland via south east Bressey and to the Gannet colony of Noss. Camp will be at south east Bressey about 25km paddle in the wind. I’m in the back of the group leading as a second. We paddle around small headland and immediately something white catches my eye among the dark, wave wet rocks.
Gannet freedom
My wife and I have a special relationship with Gannets. Our first contact with It was on one of our first kayak expeditions outside Sweden. It was on the Isle of Sky in western Scotland. With the Gannet’s wise look and their effortless flight, combined with our amazing expedition, it had embodied the freedom of spirit that you capture in paddling a kayak. I paddle closer and soon understand we have a Gannet caught in a fishing net. One of the female paddlers in the group, Ida, comes paddling back when she sees that I’m heading for it. We decide to jump out of our kayaks, scramble up on the rocks and cut the bird free. After a short but intense rescue operation, we can both happily watch the Gannet swim away and soon disappear into the sky. We paddle for hours without seeing any difference in size to the huge headlands of Bressey and Noss on the eastern horizon.The discussion is mainly around the offshore winds around those headlands, as the wind almost always gets compressed and accelerates around these corners. As we get closer, we can see that it isn’t that rough right now, it is only wind driven chop and as we round the south east corner of Bressey, the North Sea is flat as a pancake again.The group are a little worn out after the long day and we finish off in great fashion, with a landing on a slippery boulder beach where we have to carry the kayaks up onto the rocks. We do however get rewarded with a five star campsite, perfect wind shelter behind the remains of an old farm building and two big Arctic Scua birds welcoming us to the island. Wind forecast for the next day is 30 knots offshore winds off Bressey, hitting the steep and exposed south end of the island of Noss. We wake up to a beautiful foggy morning and as predicted, the strong winds funnelling down from the mountains behind us and gusting off out into the distance towards Noss. We set a new
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morning brief at 11.00. Everybody takes a walk along the headland up to some old ruins, which were used by farmers and fishermen many years ago. Today there is only breeding Storm petrel birds that make a noise in these buildings and by the sound of it, there seams to be many of them. At 11.00 we sit down again and make the decision to eat lunch and hope for the wind to calm down a little more. The swell forecast is good and if we can just get rid of this wind, we could have a golden opportunity to see the huge bird cliffs of Noss up close. During our walk the sun has appeared and burnt away all the fog. We are now sitting in the sun, cooking lunch and watching the wind whipping up the seas. I start my stove, boil some water, and make myself a sandwich. All of a sudden cannot feel the wind pull in my hood on my rain jacket any more – the wind is gone. In the blink of an eye the sea was back to a calmer state and so we now make the plan to eat our lunch and then get in to our kayaks as soon as possible.
thousands of Gannets and in the waters of Vikings, is more than I had expected and I am humbled at the opportunity life has given me. It felt like mother nature was kind to us on this trip. Letting us enjoy each other’s company on the remote islands and making it possible for us to see the things that we set out on our journeys to see. Nature showed us her great powers and how hard she is to predict but for the one who is patient, they will get rewarded every time.
Noss
The Island of Noss is a small island with a very dense population of breeding Gannets, along with Scuas, Razorbills, Guillimots and Puffins. At times there can be as many as 200,000 birds along this eastern section of coastline, which stretches just a couple of kilometres. On our way to the birds we pass incredible arches, deep caves and dramatic cliffs, with a nice comfortable swell spicing things up a little. All the time the sky is littered with Gannets making the blue sky almost turn black. Once again we round an exposed south end and as always the sea turns flat and the huge bird cliffs of Noss are lit up by the rays of the sun like magic. All senses are on and the experience is out of this world. Being in this small craft under the wings of
Recollections
After the nirvana of outdoor experiences throughout my journey on the Shetlands, it’s more or less a blur now but I do recall that amazing beach at the end of that day on Noss. There was also a sunny paddle the day after, one long taxi shuttle back to the van for some logistics and a horrific chaos of a three-day flight back to Gothenburg, which should have taken a couple of hours. However, what will always stay in my mind is the fact that we paddled under the wings of Gannets and in the waters of Vikings.
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EUO UROE OPE
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T H E O F
B E A U T Y
Recently, every time I hear the word ‘Europe’ it seems to be surrounded by talks of Brexit, in versus out and division. Sometimes it seems, amongst all the politics,TV pundits forget just how beautiful a continent we all share. Story: Oli Kershaw Well, this year I was lucky enough to spend six weeks travelling around Europe with one of my best friends,Tony, exploring some of the amazing destinations our continent boasts (followed by another two weeks in Norway, but that’s another story altogether). I have had many people asking me all about the locations, the photos and the stories behind them. So the following is a (hopefully) brief summary of the best summer of my life. If you haven’t decided where you’re going on holiday next year, you will have by the end of this article.
We started our quest in the not-so-exotic Watford, United Kingdom! Tony’s hometown, Watford is quite a contrast from the postcard scenery we would soon be encountering. Months of planning and negotiation had finally come to a head. We were leaving – well, once we’d packed the van! Now is probably a good time to mention that after some intense negotiations, it had been decided to keep costs down that we would camp for the duration of the trip.Tony had only ever been camping once and had hated it.When I say camping, I really mean glamping, some would call a gargantuan, eight-man, walk-through tent overkill.We called it home.
That was us packed and off to the classic European destination of the Sesia Valley, Italy. The Sesia Valley has grown in popularity with UK boaters in recent years for a number of reasons: the central hub of Campertogno boasts a whole host of Grade 4 rivers right on its doorstep, with none of the classics more than an hour away; full days of sunshine; great ice cream and cheap wine only sweetens the deal. With a bit of route planning, it’s even possible to save yourself about £100 by heading through Switzerland to avoid most of the French toll roads en-route. Our aim was to make it to Campertogno in time for the BoaterX race. It was going to be tight but was just possible, however, there was no way we would make it there in time for registration in the morning. Luckily I put a message out and a friend (Gareth Farrow) pre-registered me for the race and I arrived just in time. I jumped on the water an hour after arriving. Needless to say it wasn't my fastest race performance! It wasn't important – we had arrived, we were on the water and we were with friends.
Oli and Tony
The tent
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We spent almost two weeks in Val Sesia altogether. With rivers like the Sesia, Sorba, Egua, Mastallone, Sermenza, Sermenzena and Gronda still providing great water levels and the sun beaming, we were living the dream. There was simply no reason to leave. More importantly, we had dozens of reasons to stay - all of our friends! We had so many amazing people to have a great time with both on and off the river; it made it hard for us to drag ourselves away! If you love paddling Grade 4, sunshine and beautiful destinations then the Sesia Valley is an absolute must this year. If you want someone else to take care of all the logistics, accommodation and food, then we’re even running a couple of trips to the Sesia Valley next year! See: http://www.next-levelcoaching.co.uk/italy.html
Paddle-less paddling!
It was during my time in Italy this year that I fell in love with a new style of paddling. Paddle-less paddling! Spotting Chris Brain’s hand paddles in the back of his van one day, I made the cheeky request to borrow them. Chris was more than happy to oblige, I’m sure mostly for the comedy factor. What ensued was about a week where my paddles rarely left the van.
Tony on Middle Sesia
I was loving the hand paddles, and they were surprisingly effective! It felt great to give myself a new challenge on these rivers, surrounded by friends and sharing endless laughs at my mixed success. “This is what paddling is about,” I thought. Paddles or no
paddles, the whole experience reminded me of what makes our sport so great; the ability to push yourself, surrounded by your friends, laughing endlessly, surrounded by incredible scenery. Top it off with top quality ice cream and a cold beer. Eventually water ran out and rain threatened, so time came to pack up and move on. We had extended discussions over where to go next (mostly based around sun and water levels). We couldn’t agree on a final plan. We knew Aosta and Austria would be too high, but couldn't decide where to go just yet. We decided to sleep on it. The next morning, neither of us quite sure how or why, we found ourselves driving to Aosta. It was halfway there when we realised we’d agreed that was exactly what we were not going to do because everything would be too high! Never mind.
Aosta
We arrived in Aosta and predictably – everything was high! Everything that is except Dora Baltea Gorge the classic high-volume raft run. A cracking little run. We ended up running this section a few times over the next couple of days. At this point the trip became a bit more of a laid back holiday than an all-out boating trip. It became very relaxing; we would do our morning Dora Baltea trip and then go off to explore local towns and villages. Whilst on one walk, we decided the short section of river we had walked up was definitely paddleable. Cue Dave, Callum and Wayne showing great commitment
by heading back to the vehicles to kit up, carry boats and run the 200 metres of river! No images from these rivers I’m afraid and only one of the incredible view over the Aosta Valley from a viewing platform at the top of the mountains. The view was well worth the steep climb from the valley bottom, a particularly arduous task for Nat on crutches. We got to the top only to be joined by our friends five minutes later, who had driven up!
France
Unfortunately, all too soon it was time for our friends to leave us. This started off a fresh round of the game we liked to call ‘Where next?’ Surprisingly quickly, a decision was made – we were going to head off to the French Alps for some high water fun. We met up with our friends Aaron, Alex, Matt, Lyndon and Becki to enjoy some super-fun high water runs. Highlights have to be a high Guil day including the Middle Guil and Château Queyras, both higher than I’ve ever paddled them! Just like Val Sesia, this region has the advantage that you can always find people to paddle with. Camping Les Ecrins in L’Argentière-la-Bessee is a great base if you’re into your camping (much more pleasant in warm weather).
Oli with hand paddles. Photo Natty Cordon
Oli firing up the Egua – one of Val Sesia’s gems. Photo by Chris Brain
Nat and Oli
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Hammer time on the
Gyronde Aaron throwing a hammer
The town of Argentière, or the slightly larger town of Briançon just up the road, also have plenty of accommodation options if you prefer a roof over your head. Time for 30 degree heat and boating! It's not hard to see why the Briançon area is so popular with boaters and has been for a long time. A huge variety of rivers, in both difficulty and style, all within 90 minutes centre of Argentière. There's something for everyone and plenty of places to go and things to do if you choose to take a day off the water as well. If you’ve paddled in this area, you don’t need me to tell you anymore. If you haven't, words cannot describe quite how amazing this place is for the UK boater on holiday. It's definitely worth a trip! The French Alps is another one of those places that we keep going back to and we will be there for more action this summer. Book before it's too late, one trip is already full! http://www.next-levelcoaching.co.uk/france.html
That’s it for this installment. In the next issue we visit Slovenia, Switzerland, explore more of France and even spend a day in Venice!
Another classic day in the French Alps! Photo Aaron Kendal
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ROG GN EN 2 RØROS T O
Day seven: evening on Øvre Roasten
A Scandinavian canoe expedition part two By Mal Grey Halfway through our trip, one of our group had suffered a bad ankle sprain, and we were resting in a remote hut and hoping we would be able to continue the next day. Read about the first part here…
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ThePADDLER 96 After a luxurious night in our wood cabin, dawn brought new optimism. Once it had warmed up a little, Dris’s ankle would take his weight, though it was still painful. He would not be able to carry a load, but we hoped he’d be able to hobble the portages we needed to do today, for the route ahead looked as if there’d be as much carrying as paddling today, before we reached the larger lakes that marked the half-way point for the Roa River system. We would take it at an easy pace. Immediately, we had our first portage, just a hundred metres or so from the hut to a slow, deep section of the river that was almost lake-like. Once on this, we had the joy of a few short easy rapids, before we reached what we expected to be our longest portage of the day. Here, the river curved and dropped significantly. Now to find the best portage route, but it wasn’t obvious, as there was a large overgrown boulder field across to get around. Soon it became clear that rather than finding a way around this boulder field, the route went across it, marked by worn sections between some of the rocks.
This would soon become known as the ‘Portage from Hell’, 500 metres across these tumbled piles of rock, a climb over the shoulder of a hill, and a steep, slippery drop down to the lake below. With Dris no longer able to carry, Paul and I would take up an extra load each from now on. Carrying the canoes over the boulders was frankly, verging on the ridiculous, so one of us would carry a boat whilst the other followed closely behind with a bag, to help if needed. It took a couple of hours in total to complete this passage, and by then it was lunchtime. The afternoon was easier, but the paddling sections were disappointingly short compared with the time spent with canoes on our heads. Even so, I was revelling in the experience. It was tough, but this was what wilderness travel was all about, rising to the challenge brought by the landscape. Gruelling it may be, but I’d take this over a four-kilometre trolley push portage anytime! It was slow going though. After another woodland portage, this one over wet roots, we dropped onto a sheltered lake, the last one before we reached the bigger waters of Øvre Roasten where the Roastbua hut lay, reached by a part-portage, part empty canoe run. Reaching the hut, we found it
Day eight started with a 5km paddle along the two
Roasten Lakes
occupied, and surprisingly it was an English couple Mat and Lotty who welcomed us in with an offer of hot water for a drink. The evening here was most pleasant, as the sun came out and the wind dropped, allowing us time to soak in the magical feel of this remote corner of Scandinavia.
Day eight
Day eight started with a 5km paddle along the two Roasten lakes, to the outlet into the river once more. This marked the start of the longest river section of the Roa system, something we knew would not be runnable all the way. The excellent Norwegian map marks a portage path on river left, and a walking trail on river right. After a bit of a scout about, neither looked particularly easy, but the walking trail was marked, was bigger, and took us past a hut. However, it was five kilometres to the next place that it met the river. The supposed portage path was tiny, uncertain and not at all tempting. We decided to take the bags along the bigger trail, despite another truly mad boulder field, whilst it followed the river, then bring the canoes down the first rapids empty and solo, before making a decision about the next part.
Paul and I successfully ran a couple of grade 2 rapids, after portaging the first one, but the next one was steep and curving, with a massive stopper halfway down, and clearly not a good option in the middle of nowhere. Given the difficulty of progressing along the banks, we concluded that our best way onwards now was to abandon the river entirely as it curved away from the trail, and to follow the walking route towards Femunden. The next landmark was a manned ‘DNT’ hut, Røvallen. We started the carry. It was a tough one, further than we’d estimated at a full kilometre, and some of us had attempted heavier loads to save on one trip. I learned from that mistake! By the time we had the gear and ourselves at the hut, we were exhausted, and the map didn’t show anywhere better to stop for the night in the next few kilometres. The lady warden turned a blind eye to allowing us to camp on the actual grounds of the hut, something that technically wasn’t allowed. This at least allowed us some comfort, and we were so tired we were all asleep by 21.00 that night. Day eight: paddling on Nedre Roasten
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Taking our canoes for a walk
The morning brought sunshine, as we woke up in the middle of a forest with canoes, miles from the next bit of paddle-able water. Today, the fourth on this short 20 kilometres river, we would be beasts of burden. Our system was improving, though Dris was still unable to carry a load. Instead he took charge of snack and lunch duty, keeping the Sherpas fed and fuelled. Paul and I took three loads each, though it’s only fair to note that he carried the heaviest loads. Mark carried two loads, old injuries hampering his speed but not his spirit. We were passing through some lovely woodlands, and the trail was much easier than some of our most difficult carries, though before this trip we would probably have described it as rough! Splitting the distance into five legs of around 700 metres each, we took it one stage at a time, and steadily crept towards our goal, a footbridge about a kilometre from Lake Femunden, from which we hoped to be able to paddle the final part. We were all aching, but I still enjoyed walking through these delightful pine glades, with the smell of the forest around us. Somehow the ridiculousness of being in the middle of nowhere, miles from water with your canoe on your head, helps. Having started at 09.30, it was nearly 5pm when we reached the bridge, pretty much worn out.
Unfortunately, instead of relief, we found the rapids below the bridge to be too hard. Fresh, we might have tried them, they were probably only grade 2+, but we were in no state to take risks. Another 200 metres portage got us around them, and two short easy rapids were all that separated us from the huge lake that marked our destination for the day, and where we hoped to camp. Finally, relieved to be afloat at long last, we slipped out onto the lake in a gentle, soft rain shower, to find the immense 60 kilometres of Femunden flat calm. As we looked for the best campsite, and there was plenty of choice, it was slowly dawning on us that we had an opportunity in front of us; to paddle the seven kilometres to the end of the lake whilst the weather was calm. Yes, we’d already been on the go for 10 hours, were knackered and hungry, but we knew that the chances were, we would not have such calm conditions again. We would paddle tonight. First, though, we’d refuel, and we pulled up on a lovely beach and cooked one of Mark’s excellent chillies on a poor beach fire. By the time this was done, there was a breeze rising, but we decided that it was the right decision to at least get further down the lake tonight, and off we set, the sun already dipping towards the horizon.
just dark outlines, a compass bearing took us straight into the setting sun
Ten minutes later, I wasn’t sure it was the right decision at all. The wind was rising, and coming out of the shelter of our bay it was getting choppy, the fetch being over 50km long! Fortunately, it was blowing from behind us and helping push our pace. A headland on the east shore formed a focal point for the waves, and battling round it we were getting a little worried about continuing. Beyond, the waters calmed a little, and we pressed on, committed now, making really good time. The tandem lads were ahead, waiting for us at key points along the shore where they could get shelter, whilst Mark and I stuck close to each other at the back. It was now nearly 22.00, but only a last large bay separated us from a headland that marked the entry to the sheltered north-east arm of Femunden, Nordvika. With all the shorelines just dark outlines, a compass bearing took us straight into the setting sun, and we headed off on a one-kilometre open water crossing. This felt a little crazy, but it never really gets dark here at this time of year, and the wind and waves had dropped enough to feel we were not in danger of swamping. I will never forget this last section, as we passed into the relative shelter of some low islands, the sun now gone, but with an immense blanket of pink and orange clouds marking its departure with a glorious sunset. Rounding the headland, we were safe,
and here, as hoped, we found a perfect little campsite where the point met the land. We’d been on the go for 13 hours, effectively walked something like 17 kilometres, many with canoes on our heads, and paddled on the biggest lake we had ever seen at dusk. As the moon rose over the hills, we sipped on a welldeserved dram of Laphroaig, before retiring to sleep deeply. A day I will never forget.
Following history to Feragen
We rose late, for we had the luxury of a short day ahead of us, having caught up some time yesterday, and with the dangerous open water crossings behind us now. Looking out to whitecaps on the huge lake we had paddled the night before, we were mightily relieved to have continued when we did. A half day’s travel from Femunden would follow an old logging route, linking another series of lakes together, and we would be mostly sheltered from the wind. Heading along the sheltered inlet of Nordvika, we were starting to see the first signs that we were leaving the real wilderness, and small huddles of summer houses were appearing. Some of these no doubt marked the original location of logging camps, for this was a major source of wood to feed the furnaces at Røros, where mineral ore dug from the ground in this old mining town would be processed.
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Day nine: committed paddling at sunset on Femunden
With all the shorelines
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Day seven: relief at the end of a portage Day 10: view from the hut
Day 11: lovely grade 1 rapids on the Haelva
Day seven: first rapid of the day
Day 11: Haelva reflections Day 10: the first log flume
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At the head of the lake, we were happy to find a gentle ‘log flume’ would take us down into the next small lake, a short but simple way to avoid a portage, and this one was plenty wide enough for a couple of canoes. The next flume was narrow, and more reminiscent of an Alton Towers ride, curving away out of sight. Whilst a canoe might just fit, it was too tight to risk, and though the lads tried to persuade me to give it a go, in the end we all portaged. I wasn’t getting a folding canoe jammed between the narrow walls of this slide just for their amusement. Another still and calm lake took us to another portage round an impassably narrow flume, and we were now on our last lake of the day, Langtjønna. An hour later and we were approaching another hut, perched on the neck of land that separated us from the next big lake, Feragen, a sheltered corner of which we would cross the next day. That evening, we pored over the maps trying to glean as much information about our final few days as possible. From Feragen, a river, the continuation of the Roa effectively, heads west and north towards Røros. Indeed, that name means ‘confluence of the Roa
river’, though the map names this part as the Håelva and Feragselva. We had one mystery to solve. The first part of the river meandered for five kilometres or so, but a portage was marked along a large gravel track. We couldn’t understand the reason for this as all information we had gleaned from others we met along the way spoke of no hard rapids or falls, and we’d even managed to get a Google satellite view of the section. We would simply have to go and find out for ourselves. If it proved impassable, we had the option of heading north on Feragen for an alternative finish, but I know most of us were pretty determined to get to Røros now.
Running rivers to Røros
In the morning, we made our way to the lake by portage and a lovely small stream. Soon enough, we were together and heading up a sheltered arm of Feragen to the outlet into the Feragselva. Here was a proper bridge, a gravel road, and a lone mountain biker. We grilled this friendly chap for information on the river ahead, and he confirmed he didn’t think there were any difficulties, so our decision was made. We headed under the bridge and entered a wonderful
By now, we were pretty shattered, smelly, and despite the wonderful meals we’d been enjoying, longing for those little fresh extras that make
life in civilization a little easier
section of shallow grade 1 river, winding its way noticeably downwards.The other two canoes were having a little difficulty finding deep enough water, but I was having great fun in the Ally folding canoe, joyously surprised to find it a brilliant little moving water boat. Slower sections followed, where steep sandy banks were clad with more diverse woodland than we’d been used to, and plenty of signs of beaver, as we made our way towards the next lake, Håsjøen. Håsjøen turned out to be a bit of a battle, for the wind had swung to the west and Mark and I worked quite hard to cross the lake and use the far shore for shelter whilst the tandem boys paddled more easily straight across. Another short river took us onto another long, thin lake, Rambergssjøen, and near the end of this we made our final camp in a slightly scruffy patch of woodland. Here Dris and I discovered that we’d barely touched Mark’s supply of Ardbeg whisky, and proceeded to make amends. Our last day and as usual, I had mixed feelings. By now, we were pretty shattered, smelly, and despite the wonderful meals we’d been enjoying, longing for those little fresh extras that make life in civilization a little
easier. Like cold beer. However, at the same time, we were now completely at home in the wilds, and the occasional noise of a car on the gravel road across the lake felt like an intrusion, so a large part of me wanted to turn back around and head straight back out. After that cold beer. Ahead of us was yet another day of lake and river, and we hoped to be able to paddle almost all of it. At the exit of the lake, we now knew there was a weir, leading into a six kilometres river section. This river dropped 20 metres along that distance, so we expected some rapids, but assumed a lot of the drop might be the weir. In the end, the weir was barely a metre in height. After the shortest portage of the trip, we entered a slow section of river through our first settlement, a small hamlet. Leaving the trees behind, the river was obviously pooling up behind some rapids, but when they came, it was no raging torrent or steep drop, just a lovely gentle slope of shallow grade 1 water. I’d been half expecting this final few days to be a bit of an anticlimax after the wilder areas through which we’d passed, but this was wonderful. The next hour found Day 12: Mark relaxing on the final day
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Day 12: Dris and Paul on the Haelva
I was revelling in the feeling of paddling the Ally in this water, once again my fragile-looking folding canoe was proving to be not only capable, but also great fun to paddle. I would have loved this part to go on for ever, but all too soon a rickety footbridge marked the approach of the last lake, where we stopped for a final break. All that lay ahead of us was a last meandering section of easy river, now dotted with lovely rustic properties, as we approached Røros.
Day 12: the final section into Roros
us paddling a series of fun easy rapids, the only difficulty being that of finding enough water, especially for the two other canoes.
Suddenly, it was over
This had been an unforgettable trip, perhaps tougher than we’d expected, thanks to the roughness of the portages, but equally much more rewarding than you could ever hope for. I loved this part of Scandinavia, wild but beautiful, and the thin blue line, linking such amazing lakes, was wonderful to travel. I think the abiding memory, though, is of one thing. Rocks!
Day 12: Mark on the final 6km section of rapids
Turning up a canalised tributary towards town, we paddled until the water was too shallow, and that was it. Climbing the bank, we found our finish was in the less-than-salubrious location of an industrial estate on the edge of this World Heritage Site historic mining town. A few hours later and we were celebrating our achievement with a few rather pricey beers and an excellent meal. We even found the next day, that the van had been delivered back in its place as requested after our hire car shuttle run, and confirmed as roadworthy for the return drive.
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INDIA In the search of crystal clear rivers
K A Y A K R O A D T R I P P I N G I N K U M A O N
Ute and Stanzin kayaking through the first gorge of the Ramganga River in the Indian Himalayas
By Steve Brooks Uttarakhand is a state of northern India with two very distinct regions and rivers. Garwahl on the west side with fantastic rivers such as the Alpine style Tons on its western border and of course the more popular Ganges and its tributaries. Kumaon is the eastern region and has some great whitewater on the Ramganga, Goriganga and Saryu, plus the well known border river expedition of the Kali (as it is known in India) or Mahakali (as it is known in Nepal).
r river
It is not just the rivers which are different in each region but also the way people dress and look, the villages and style of food and the local language.
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We have spent many a season kayaking in the Garwahl region on rivers like the Alaknanda and its tributaries such as the Pindar and Mandakini. The Paddler featured an article a few years back about the Yamuna and Tons Rivers but we have never really ventured into the Kumaon region before. So with kayaks loaded on the jeep, Stanzin, Ute and myself, plus Puran our driver, were heading off on another
‘mini’ road trip.
Steve and Stanzin just finished kayaking a new section of Indian whitewater
The following day the sun was shining as we put-in on the Saryu River and what started as some rocky and bumpy drops suddenly turned into this amazing gorge with great whitewater and some sweet drops.We were scouting a few and the rest was just eddy hopping and read and run heaven.The river was so clear, in-fact it was the clearest water I have ever paddled in the Himalayas, coupled with the clear deep blue skies it made for one stunning Himalayan river. We had decided to go light with empty kayaks and meet Puran at the midway point. It was getting late by the time we got to the bridge and with a spot of asking around and negotiating, a veteran of the Indian Army gave us his place to stay for the night.The retired soldier had served and enjoyed his time in Ladakh on India’s far northern border and when he found out Stanzin was a Ladakhi, well, we ended up with his place to stay. It was certainly no palace, basically a first floor garage but it was a roof over our heads for the night. Our second day brought a lot of flat water before again the river started to enter gorges.The jungle was more distinct now, after the monsoon everything was green, lush and made the air a lot more pleasant than in the city of Delhi! The rapids were great fun, read and run pool drop with a stunning background - what more could we have asked for! That night we camped by the river and enjoyed the simple life of eat, sleep, kayak!
Ute kayaking on the stunning Saryu River in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand
As we wound our way up the Pindar Valley, the clouds were dark and it looked like rain could be falling at the pass.With the views obscured by the clouds we made our way to Bageshwar before it got dark.
The stunning high mountains of the India Himalaya in the Kumaon region
Ute enjoying an early morning breakfast on the Ramganga River
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Ute running a great rapid on the Ramganga River in the Indian Himalayas
Masheer fish
The final day saw us paddling just one rapid, before we entered one of the meccas of Himalayan fishing. A great friend of ours heads down to Pancheswar every year to catch some huge Masheer fish right where our take-out was. What took us a couple of hours to kayak now turned into a four-hour drive on a narrow windy road, back to the bridge, which we paddled under in the morning and finally to the hill station of Pitoragarh. We were woken early morning by the ringing of the bell at the Shiva Temple which was situated just behind our hotel. After dropping down to the confluence of the Kali we headed away from the heat and up into the mountains to check out the Goriganga River. We were going on some sketchy information from Paul Skinny Jones from what he remembered there was just one rapid they had to scout. What we saw on the other hand were long scouts, portages and some serious steep whitewater. It reminded me of the Oetz back at home in Austria but way bigger! I think the river had changed a lot since Skinny was last there some 18 years ago! The water was brown from the glacier and snowmelt up in the mountains, it was also a lot colder than the warm clear waters of the Saryu! Stanzin. I paddled about 10 km of the Lower Goriganga running some big rapids, moving between meaty holes and working hard to maintain and keep the line. It took just a couple of hours to paddle this section and with a very slick system of loading the kayaks and strapping everything down to accommodate the Indian roads, we were soon off heading back up into the foothills of the Himalayas, winding in and out of valleys, over ridges. By late afternoon we had finally reached Thal.
On a kayaking road trip through the Kumaon region in India and we have found the clearest water we have every paddled in the Himalayas
Stanzin Tanfan running a nice rapid on the stunning Saryu River in the Indian Himalayas
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Steve and Stanzin kayaking on the Goriganga River
We were now scouting plenty of rapids, boofing off
air!
Teamwork and skills
The Ramganga was another crystal clear river like the Saryu, but with a cooler temperature. Straight after the put-in we dropped into a stunning little box canyon where we could not see the road or any signs of human life. Again most of the rapids were read and run, pool drop with some great boofs and moves to make in and around the rocks. A couple of rapids we needed to scout but apart from that we were literary going with the flow, our teamwork and skills were as fine tuned as our loading of Puran’s jeep! With the mountain views something of a rarity for the past month it was great to finally see a snowcapped high mountain peak. The whitewater continued for another hour or so before it lost most of its current and meandered its way past local villages on the hills above us. By late afternoon the sun was no longer high enough to reach us on the river and the walls began to close in on us, so we found a sweet beach and decided to camp there for the night. There was plenty of wood around and we settled down in front of the fire.
We were not too sure what to expect for our final day on the river. The first rapids were fun, the next set were so rocky but it was not until the gorge closed further in and the huge rocks and good gradient produced some amazing creeking. We were now scouting plenty of rapids, boofing off big rocks, steering our kayaks through small gaps between those rocks and again finding some stunning drops and ledges on which to catch some air! At one point when we scouted a rapid, we looked further downstream and every 200 metres there was another big rapid. This continued for most of the day, it was only on the final kilometres the gradient relaxed and the river mellowed out. We spent the night up on the Almora ridge, with plenty of hot sweet chai tea being served. In the morning we relaxed on the balcony looking out over the snowcapped Himalayas before starting our journey back, which was going to take a bit longer than planned, as the bridge over the Pindar River was closed for the next 3-4 days! So with a mega diversion and an enforced night in Giarsain, with Stanzin coming back saying the rooms are, “not that very clean,” it took us two days to get back to Rishikesh.
big rocks, steering our kayaks through
small gaps between those rocks and again finding some stunning drops and ledges on which to catch some
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Road tripping through the Indian Himalayas can be tough on the body but it is certainly worth it. Stunning rivers, fantastic whitewater, great drops and views of the snowcapped peaks of the high Himalayas such as Nanda Devi,Trishul and Nandakot. Of course the food we ate along the way and the inquisitive locals coming down from their villages to chat to us made the trip just that more special.These are just some of the reasons why we keep on heading back to the Indian Himalayas season after season, year after year!
About us:
Steve Brooks and Ute Heppke have been leading, exploring, guiding and coaching trips throughout the seasons in the Indian Himalayas now for over nine years. India’s rivers, mountains, culture, people, food and ease of travelling, are just some of the reasons why they love spending so much time there. It’s also very different to their other favourite kayaking destinations of Peru and Chile. Their home is in the stunning Austrian Alps where the skiing in St Anton am Arlberg is amazing and which of course feeds the
Stanzin kayaking a classic rapid on the Ramganga River in Kumaon
classic Austrian rivers such as the Rosanna, Sanna and Inn. From May to October they run Kayak School Arlberg, coaching, guiding on some of the best whitewater, creeks and gorges the Alps has to offer. For their downtime they both ski - when the rivers are at their lowest, so is the temperature and the powder skiing is world class! For more info check out www.gokayaking.at
Stanzin running a sweet drop on the first gorge of the Saryu River in the Indian Himalayas
Passion for paddlesports paddlesports? Share your knowledge & experience with our guests! We’re looking for energetic people to work with us in 2018 to ensure our guests have the time of their lives. Canoeing has been at the heart of PGL since 1957 and we have long recognised this sport as a great way to introduce children to the outdoors. We offer a variety of opportunities for qualified paddlers to introduce canoeing and kayaking to our guests. If you're a qualified UKCC Level 1 or UKCC Level 2 Coach or above, you'll be able to lead sessions in addition to consolidating your instructional skills, accumulating log book time and working towards higher level qualifications. The variety of our centre locations means there’s plenty of chances to paddle during your free time, from flat to moving water. We offer a competitive wage, meals and free uniform; accommodation is provided, plus transport from a UK departure point for staff working in France or Spain. Find out more and apply now... www.pgl.co.uk/paddle
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SLAO SA ALOM
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T H E
S T A T E
Why kids are not gravitating to slalom kayaking
By Corran Addison Photos unless stated: Christine Pinsonneault I went down to the local course and tried slalom training with the adults who were there. But no matter how much I tried, I could not do the courses and gates they way they could. I gave up. When I started to kayak, I was a 50lbs five-year old. My father put me into a full-sized downriver race boat and off we went. Since I didn’t know any better and nor did anyone else, this was considered normal: kids simply learned to paddle in massively oversized kayaks. A few years later, when I was about 12, I discovered slalom kayaking. Jumping into the latest European slalom design, I went down to the local course and tried training with the adults who were there. However, no matter how much I tried, I could not do the courses and gates they way they could. I did a few races and then gave up. I knew I was at least as good a paddler as they were, but it was frustrating not being able to do what they could. I decided slalom was not for me. No one understood why. After all, I was already a pretty decent paddler.
O F
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Perception Dancer
Right at about this time, the 350cm Perception Dancer arrived on the scene. Everyone around me was river running in the 400cm Mirage, and I jumped into the Dancer. Finally, there was a boat that fitted me. It was on me, something closer to the longer boats were on the adults. I quickly became quite a proficient paddler, and by the age of 15, I was bombing the steep creeks of the Alps and Corsica. By 17, I held the world record for the highest waterfall ever run in a kayak and this stood for almost two decades. Why was I so good at river running, yet so bad at slalom? As anyone who has paddled slalom will attest, it’s seriously one of the most enjoyable disciplines of whitewater kayaking; you’d think I’d have thrived. On top of this, my main paddling partner Jerome Truran, who was the 1981 world silver medalist in downriver racing, was a very proficient slalom paddler. Thanks to Jerome, my basic skill set was that of a slalom paddler. He drilled ‘good technique’ into me endlessly and taught me skills that not only do I still use today but when I tell other world-class paddlers about them, they are dumbfounded. Slalom does that for you. In 1988, while in the employ of Perception kayaks, I went to Japan, and there spent a week with multipletime world champion Richard Fox. I taught freestyle clinics and Richard slalom ones, to the Japanese paddlers. Richard immediately identified my skill set and said I should race. He urged me to race. In a small local race he put on at the end of the week, I came in second behind Richard, beating members of the Japanese Slalom team. Clearly I could paddle slalom.
So, why was I so bad at slalom as a kid?
The general consensus currently, especially amongst coaches in Europe, is that there is no point starting kids in slalom before they are teenagers. Wisdom, and experience, has shown that a kid who learns slalom as a young child, will have no advantage over one who learns as a young teenager. Within months, they will be on a par. This flies in the face of everything learned in about every other sport. Surfers who learn as 5-6-year olds, are infinitely better than those who learn as teenagers (allowing for exceptions of course). Almost every one of the top 30 surfers on the world tour learned as very young kids. In motorcycle racing, Max Biaggi stands out as the only racer to become a world champion in the modern history of MotoGP that started as a late teenager. Everyone else, without exception, was riding bikes almost before they could talk. The same is true for golf, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding and so many more. The argument is that when you learn a skill set that young, it becomes a natural part of who you are. Your muscles and mind can remember no other life. “Children see magic,” said the writer Christopher Moore, “because they look for it.” All we need to do is set the stage for the magic that is slalom. Of course, at this young age it’s not about ‘training’. It’s not a focus on some Olympic or world championship dream. It’s about fun. If it’s fun, then kids will stick with it. And slalom is really, really, fun. The first time you pivot through a gate, you’re hooked.
“Children see magic,” said the writer Christopher Moore, “because they look for it.” All we need to do is
set the stage for the magic that is slalom.
So why is slalom the exception? Why do paddlers who start young have no advantage over those who start in their teens? To me the answer is a clear one. It’s the equipment.
‘One size fits all’ policy
The ICF has mandated a minimum length and width for slalom kayaks. This is 350x60cm. There is no stipulation about age or size. It’s a ‘one size fits all’ policy where the assumption is that all paddlers are the same size and weight, paddle with the same basic skill set, and thus all should use the same size equipment. While this is clearly not the case (a 5’7” adult weighing 140lbs can to a more or less proficient degree, paddle a boat of those dimensions as well as someone 6’ and 180lbs) it is less of a problem when comparing two adults. Some minor tweaks to the overall shape within those box rules, and to some degree, you can get something that kinda-sorta works for everyone. Kinda… that’s a different discussion. Now while the ICF has no regulation at all for young kids (beyond the Level 4 where anything can be raced IF there are no international paddlers present) , the mere existence of these rules for adults means that almost all boats designed for slalom conform to these dimensions, even when they are for kids. Putting a four-foot, 70lbs kid in that same boat – someone who weighs half as much and is two-thirds as tall as an adult, is akin to putting that same sixfoot adult into a 550x85cm kayak and expecting them to be able to paddle this boat the way a slalom boat should be paddled. No amount of ‘cutting volume out of the seam’ is going to
compensate for this massively over-length, overwidth, boat on that adult. And he already has the developed skills. Imagine being a small kid and trying to learn them in such a massive beast! So while adults are stuffing gates, pivoting through eddies, little Johnny is getting frustrated having to paddle his slalom boat the way I paddle an unlimited 90-gallon creek boat. And every year, as Johnny puts on 10lbs, and four inches, so he has to completely reinvent his paddling technique as he adapts his new size and weight to the oversized (but diminishing discrepancy) kayak he is forced to paddle. No wonder coaches insist there is no advantage to starting kids early. It’s amazing those that do stick with it at all. I didn’t.
As kids enter their early teenage years, so their body size and weight starts to be compatible with the boat sizes, and the ‘real skills begin to develop’.There is no reason to wait for a kid to be 14 to teach them correct skills. Sitting in massively oversized boats, we’re asking our kids who are developing skills, to do what would effectively be like asking an adult to paddle a 550x85cm kayak and expect results. Photos: Mike Holroyd
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So give them something great to imitate.”
great imitators.
As the author James Baldwin so aptly said, “Children are
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Freestyle paddling is booming (competition has dropped off since the ICF acquisition from IRC in 2007, but the sport itself as far as user participation is healthy). Young teenage kids can hold their own against seasoned adults, because they’re paddling boats that are the same size on them as the adults boats are on the adult, and they have been since they were five. The same goes for snowboarding, motorcycle racing and just about every other sport. You don’t see seven-year old golfers trying to swing adult clubs, so why are we putting cadets into adult kayaks? There is of course more to the problems slalom is having than just equipment size. ICF management consists mainly of old flatwater sprinters who have little interest in doing what’s necessary to rejuvenate slalom. Attending one meeting where they stand up and leave the room as soon as discussions pertinent to sprint are done, is all you need to see to understand the problem. But it’s a deeper more complicated problem than that. Unlike freestyle, or creek racing, It takes a lot of volunteers to run a slalom program, and when it comes to the future of the sport – the kids and parents themselves need to be into it; from coaching, to course setting, driving, paying for equipment and so on. While European countries have government funding for their programs, in the USA and Canada this adds an extra burden as the training centres are all privately funded. The final nail in the coffin are the old school slalom paddlers, who are now the coaches and so entrenched in slalom that it’s never even occurred to them how absurd this ‘one box rule fits all’ is, even for different size adults, never mind the kids. But this is not a discussion for today. What is up for discussion, the very point of this article, is on how we get kids at a young age into slalom boats and paddling in such a way that they fall in love with this truly magnificent sport and are begging for more. You do that, and you’ve solved half the problem in one go. As the author James Baldwin so aptly said, “Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.”
Outside of the ICF rules
If you truly want to see cadet development in slalom, then the various boat builders need to step up and develop boats outside of the ICF rules. They must scale down perfectly in all dimensions their best slalom designs (not just cut the ends off and take volume out the seams) so that ‘Awesome Design X’ used by ‘world champion Pierre’ is exactly the same boat little Johnny is using, but his size. I’ve done this with a new kids slalom boat called the Angel (so named as I hope someone who learns in it will make it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics), but for this to truly work, we need the boat builders all over the world to step up and make one too.
Every part of the equipment needs to be kids sized, from the paddle shaft and blade size, cockpit and seat size, and of course the boat.When you do this, you see an abrupt jump in how fast small kids will learn.
When Johnny can go to the same training course, and work on the same skills as the adults there, that’s when you’re going to see a real surge in interest from kids. Slalom is fun… it’s awesome fun… it’s every bit as fun as freestyle (and to kids, that’s what matters)… IF you can paddle it properly. Change that, and you change the face of slalom.
At the time, I couldn’t understand why it was that my slalom skills didn’t evolve until I was in my late teens? Within a year of starting to paddle slalom again my skills advanced enough to where I began to train seriously for the Olympics. I am convinced I lost a whole decade of skills development due to the wrong equipment. It wasn’t until the Dancer, by the times standards, a small kayak, came out that I was able to tap into skills that lay beneath the surface and begin to push limits. Within a year, I went from paddling class 2-3 to class 5, entirely due to having the correct sized equipment.
As a seven-year old, sitting in a massively oversized downriver race boat, with a paddle shaft made for adult hands, it’s amazing I was able to paddle at all. I can only imagine where my paddling might have gone had I had access to correctly sized equipment. Photo Graeme Addison, circa 1977, Orange River South Africa
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SCOTTISH
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S E A
K A Y A K I N G
By Richard Harpham My third edition about Scottish paddling brings a change of tack or craft, from canoes to sea kayaking in Scotland. So far we have explored vicariously some of the Great Glen CanoeTrail and Loch Ness as well as exploring other ‘must paddle’ Scottish lochs by canoe. We have highlighted some world-class paddling destinations with incredible scenery rich with wildlife, seasonal colours and a real sense of wild Britain..
I have been lucky enough to sea kayak many different breathtaking locations nestled around Scotlands rugged and beautiful coastline. These trips have included sea kayaking from Scotland to Ireland via the Inner Hebrides, crossing the Pentland Firth to circumnavigate the Orkney Isles and even getting storm bound sea kayaking the southern end of the Outer Hebrides. Each time I have pushed off the shore I have found raw adventure, wildlife galore and of course plenty of whisky distilleries. One of my most memorable sea kayaking trips was the Spare Seat Scotland paddling through the infamous Corryvreckan whirlpool. With legends of huge vortexes capable of sucking down a boat we were rightly apprehensive. We slept the night on Scarba in an impromptu bivvi overlooking the entrance to the Corryvreckan. Our plan was to reach the whirlpool on the slack tide to avoid dangerous waters and potential disaster. We awoke to the surreal sight of wild sheep tucking into the kelp and grass on the beach. We kitted up methodically and with purpose wary of the paddle ahead. Rounding the headland the water danced in unusual patterns with strange eddy lines and boils followed by patches of flat calm water. It was truly eerie and unlike anything I have paddled before or
since. I have been subsequently informed the patterns and flows are created by tidal flows being compressed between Jura and Scarba on the ebb and the flood coupled with a large undersea spire creating the whirlpool effect. We traversed the gap between the islands and touched Jura for good luck (no Blarney Stone available) before heading north to the Grey Dogs tide race. Like so many trips, the weather was an ever changing challenge from dry conditions to heavy cold rain and stormy seas building to a Force 6 (as they say in these parts of the world if you don’t like the weather, wait half an hour)! We eventually made it to Oban and the comfort of a local campsite, hot food and a shower. One of the attractions about Scottish sea kayaking is the variety and dynamic nature of the coastal corridor surrounding this special part of the world. On another occasion after I had returned from Alaska to the UK and suffering from wilderness withdrawal. My good friend and expedition kayaking partner, Olly Jay of Active 4 Seasons, asked if I fancied joining a trip to the Outer Hebrides he was running with clients. In a flash and without a second thought I was in.
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We took the Calmac ferry across from Oban to the
Castle Bay on the Outer Hebrides. The inner child in me was delighted that the vehicle traffic was held from accessing the ferry to allow us to board first with our sea kayaks towed by hand on trolleys – I could get used to this pecking order! My excitement built as we reached the picturesque Castle Bay with its small folly and welcoming harbour. We again led the procession to disembark and headed for a place to sort kit on the foreshore. Our plan was to head south with the aim of rounding Barra Head with plenty of time to explore, rock hop and play in the extraordinary rocky outcrops and bays in this paddler’s paradise. The waters were sparkling with raw sunlight colliding with small wavelets on the aquamarine expanse of water. As we reached Sandray Pabbay, we witnessed the golden sands, seemingly advertising a tropical paradise. We parked our trusty sea kayak steeds on the beach and made for the overlooking headland to capture the panorama on camera. Even now this scene is
imprinted into my memory as one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. We enjoyed a substantial lunch basking in the freedom and empty spaces we were exploring.
Paddling ‘problems’
Paddling together we hunted for ‘problems’ to solve from a paddling perspective. Small pour-overs, gullies and pools became our marine playground with peer group banter and encouragement providing the motivation to hone our skills. Initially clumsy moves and timing became razor sharp technical sequences to make increasingly difficult manoeuvres. We tuned into the swell, tide and water around us and were free of any other thoughts or worries. We surf landed on Mingulay to hunt for the ‘best campsite ever’, a game we enjoy playing on every trip. Location, view, resources, random features such as waterfalls or flat rock have all helped contribute to the judges decision! The forecast was showing a marked
deterioration in the weather with a Force 8-9 storm arriving from across the big pond – it did not disappoint! Our paradise island was facing the full force of the Atlantic storm and we were storm bound sharing our new home with the wildlife and some random climbers using an old bothy as a base.
Tents rescued
Rounding the southern tip of Barra Head was no longer an option so we braved the crashing waves and swell on the lee of the island, escaping the full might of the storm. Rest assured it was still pretty full on. Our new ‘best friends’ the climbers were required
Initially clumsy moves and timing became razor sharp
technical sequences
to make increasingly difficult manoeuvres
to rescue our tents, which were smashed and uprooted in the gale force winds. It was a reminder that, ‘the best you achieve against the weather is a score draw!’ After two days of limited paddling and lots of hours sheltering in our waterlogged tents the weather began to break. Like springtime animals we abandoned our dens and went to greet the new world. We threaded through more rock gardens and narrow channels
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our incredible destinations and please do remember to paddle within your capabilities and group experience. If in doubt contact a local activity provider or drop me a line. Happy Paddling / ‘Sona Pleadachadh’
Bios
and headed for the exposed side of the island. The paddling was a total 3D experience with waves and swell lifting, pulling and surging your kayak across the water. It was exhilarating and leaves you buzzing with sensory overload. We found more new problems and challenges and immersed ourselves in this incredible paddling location. The time to leave came sooner than any of use would have liked. Without doubt, the Outer Hebrides offers rich wildlife, landscape and endless sea kayaking to qualify as a Mecca for paddlers. It appeared I might have spent a little too long in the wild! Sharing my story of the Alaska and Hebrides expeditions, I put up a picture of me storm bound in a school. The resounding cry of, “It’s Big Foot” left me in no doubt I needed some personal admin time! In future issues of the Paddler, I aim to provide further stories of other iconic Scottish paddling destinations including sea kayaking on the Orkney Isles and Inner Hebrides with a tough and gnarly paddle across to Ireland. I hope that you feel inspired to tackle some of
Richard Harpham is a human powered adventurer and inspirational speaker who has completed over 9,000 miles of expeditions by kayak, canoe, bike and on foot including exploring the Yukon, cycling the Sahara and Canada’s Inside Passage. At home he runs www.canoetrail.co.uk, a watersports and adventure business with his wife Ashley in Bedfordshire providing qualifications, canoe camping, coaching and paddling trips to some of the UK’s and world’s best locations. He is the editor of Bushcraft and Survival Magazine and writes for Outdoor Adventure Guide and Paddler magazine. His adventures are supported by: Flint Group, Paramo Clothing, Olympus Cameras, Silver Birch Canoes, Bamboo Clothing, MSR, Canadian Affair, Osprey Rucksacks, Reed Chillcheater and Exposure Lights. Follow Rich on his adventures @myrichadventure www.richadventure.com
RAT AFT GUID? DE?
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W H A T M A K E S P E R F E C T
T H E
Story and photos: Michael Smith General Manager, Parkwood Outdoors Dolygaer
In a varied career in the Outdoor Leisure industry I have worked in numerous countries including New Zealand, Austria, France, Spain and the UK. I now manage a centre in South Wales but know that I would never have achieved this position had it not been for the wealth of experiences, fun and learning that I’ve had along the way. Recognising that the customer should always come first and that their safety and their enjoyment should be the highest priority, I have decided to put down my thoughts particularly in respect of White Water Rafting. Rafting has always brought me particular enjoyment, challenge and learning and my hope is that readers will be able to relate to some of my thoughts and observations.
The following reflections comprise my personal answer to my secondary question.
I am sharing these views not so as to point out a definitive, nor to be an aid as to what new guides should rigidly strive towards, but rather as a conversational piece with the aim of provoking discussion into what you and others feel is THE answer.
Me playing at Photo Rapid in Austria
Once whilst leading a rafting course I was asked a question that got me thinking, “Can anyone learn to be a raft guide?�This question made me think of another one, which I then asked myself.
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This figure I know will be the most controversial percentage. Why have I put it so high? Well, it brings me back to the initial question asked of me on a raft in Scotland while delivering Level 1 training. My answer was that I could teach anyone who had significant water knowledge already in place, it is far easier to train white water kayakers to become raft guides than, say, rugby players or even flat-water canoeists. Both can be fit, strong and keen (notice I did not say footballers!) but the former have a massive advantage, not just because they already use a paddle and a boat, but because they know where the water is going and what the water is doing. By knowing that current travels in vectors, you can understand what exit angle your raft needs to be at to come out of a bend. By knowing that there is a cushion wave against a big rock, you can understand where the raft might go if it collides into it. By understanding downstream ‘Vs,’ you can recognise the deepest water channels and where the raft might go and how fast it might get there. If the river was 10 metres wide and one-metre deep and then the river flows into a gorge five metres wide, you know that if the depth stays roughly the same, the speed will double. You then know that force will be affected; hydraulics will be more powerful, and so on. By understanding upstream Vs you know where rocks are and, be ready to avoid them! Guide books for rapids all around the world talk about magnetic rocks. I know, I have hit some that I swear had some unnatural gravitational pull towards them. However, contrary to this common rafter’s belief, they aren’t actually magnetic. By looking and reading the water you can see what’s happening. An understanding of river morphology also gives the guide a sense of judgment. One of the hardest decisions a guide can make is when to say, “Not this time,” or “not today,” and “let’s walk around.” Can you look at a rapid and say this without understanding why? By noticing the potential dangers a sensible decision can be made. Indeed, this decision will be further refined by your own assessment of the crew and other factors referred to later in this essay. If you have made the decision to run a harder rapid, water knowledge is vital in order to put safety cover in the correct places: l What features might trip up the raft or the crew? l Where might a crew member’s raft go if it hits these features? l What is the worst-case scenario? l Where is the best place for a rescuer to be because of that hazard? l How will I make a rescue from the hazard? l What is my plan B, plan C?
My own suggested values as to the most important raft guide skills. Water reading Awareness, observation and adaptability (of water, location and crew) Safety, rescue knowledge Other
To assist me present my debate I’ll be referring to the percentages given in the above pie chart.
30% awareness, observation (of water, location and crew) and adaptability
When on a rafting river the environment is extremely fluid (excuse the pun). There are ever changing situations, especially on natural rivers, where the water level can rise and fall very quickly. You can come round a corner and there can be a river wide tree jam. I mention this example here because this exact thing has happened to me! While on the third day on rafting expedition in the remotes in New Zealand, my crew of two, another guide and myself all on the same raft, came round a blind bend on a relatively easy stretch and encountered a river wide tree jam. We ended up wrestling with high sides on the tree. In the last minute I physically chucked my two customers out over the tree in time for me, the other guide and our fully laden gear raft to be flipped upside down and dragged under the tree. Thankfully we popped up the other side unhurt. The customers absolutely loved it, we meanwhile got another chance at life and to think how we could have avoided this situation! It is important for a guide to watch what is happening on the river, on his boat, with his customers and also everyone else’s boats and customers. How quickly can you react to a situation? When I teach guides, I am always telling them to keep an eye out for future water. If I have to stop, where is the best place in 10, 20 or 100 metres? What would you do if this happened? What’s your plan B and C, if plan A fails? If that guide does not make the ferry glide, what will happen and what can you do to help? Where in that case is the best place for me to be? What kit should I start preparing or should I just start going over where that kit exactly is so I’m ready to react if needed? I always like having my throw bag in the same place on my body and in situations when I might need it, I always find myself constantly checking the toggle is in exactly the right place.
My first time guiding Kaituna Falls
50% water reading
By understanding downstream ‘Vs,’ you can recognize the
deepest water channels
and where the raft might go and how fast it might get there
Tree obstructions, Wales
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Again this brings us onto planning and setting up rescues, putting people in places where they might be needed but being ready to change this plan as the rescue unfolds. Back up plans are essential and the more severe the situation the more backups and adaptability are needed. Observation is critical with rescues – how many people started in the raft when it flipped? Where have they gone? What equipment is where? Where are the other boats on the water? Who else is near to help? What’s the river doing? Can we put upstream/downstream spotters in place? A good way of training is by guiding rapids/sections without the use of your crew. Can you make a manoeuvre when your crew suddenly stops paddling or all fall out? For my New Zealand raft guide assessment, I had to raft a couple of miles down some tricky rapids while the assessors and crew relaxed back in their seats. Powering and prying down that river made me understand that I had to be adaptable and I learnt afterwards a few cheeky techniques that reduced the strain on my back. I know a few raft guide assessors who take the guide’s paddle away on assessment days and gives them a centre stick, this definitely makes for some interesting assessments!
First descent of the Mellte by raft
10% Safety, rescue knowledge (communication skills)
Well, so far I have already mentioned rescue in both my percentages above (some people may say this is cheating).
Having a good understanding of rescue knowledge is a vital skill whenever going on swift water, especially when the customers could potentially be inexperienced. I require all the guides I assess to have an understanding of this. The WRT course by Rescue 3 is a brilliant eye-opener to the world of rescue and I cannot stress enough the worth for any potential raft guide. The safety talk delivered at the start of the day is the raft guide’s first chance to really impress vital information on your customers. In a short amount of time you have to cover everything from introductions, to equipment, how to use it, and safety. Customers will only take in a certain amount of information so make sure you keep going over the important bits on the water and prep your crew before you go into serious water. Mark Hirst recently did a handy write up on the safety brief, now shown on the IRF website if anyone wants more information. My final point about the safety talk is the white water swimming position. This is such an important aspect, but also one I find customers are often quite poor at mastering. I have now got into the habit of getting all my customers to actually practice it on dry land before we start a trip. If nothing else, it helps embed it into the physical memory as well as the psychological. There is a reason why on every trip you should have a senior guide as well as your Level 1 and 2. Experience is so important; the senior guide should have more knowledge and understanding of different rivers and different situations. Having more tools in your toolbox means you have more options to play with, if and when needed. In the event of an incident it will be everyone chipping in to get the job done but this is made a lot easier when it’s led by an experienced guide.
Customers will only take in a certain amount of information so make sure you keep going over the important bits on the water and prep your crew before you
go into serious water
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My first time guiding Kaituna Falls
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Always have a back up plan, Pod and myself rafting down the Garry
Double guiding front and back the Waiora
Remember too, that depending on their personality, different individuals will respond differently to your commands and observations. A little thoughtful psychology never goes amiss.
The remaining 10%
Helicopters swing loading our gear out to us in New Zealand
Key stroke skills Rafting, compared with kayaking or canoeing has perhaps less strokes to learn. However, instead uses a few strokes in a variety of different ways and techniques. Each stroke can be adapted and done differently for different purposes. Pushing or levering different parts of the boat or body produces different outcomes. The different stances you put yourself in on the boat will change your efficiency dramatically. Obviously the use of your crew is an expected tool too, but don’t over rely on them. You can nearly guarantee ‘sods law’ will stick his hand in when you least expect it. Learn to develop strokes on both sides, do not become the one-sided paddler. The choice of paddles raft guides use seem to have changed over the past 10 years. We are starting to move away from the huge bladed paddles that put a lot of pressure on your back and are instead leaning towards smaller blades and efficiency of the paddle stroke. If you’re running a trip of any distance (maybe excluding artificial rivers), a wrap kit is important, this is normally stored in your sweep boat. When taking a wrap kit on a journey, make sure every guide on the trip knows what’s in it and how to ask for it. In addition to this, every raft guide should have a personal kit on them to deal with situations (if I went into kit in depth this piece of writing would suddenly get out of hand very quickly, probably boring a lot of people so let’s finish here saying, “Know what kit to take with you and how to use it). Communication is a part of rescue knowledge.The white water environment can be a very noisy place, where just trying to speak to the person next to you can be difficult let alone if they are on the other side of the river or stuck on a rock. When listening to a lecture at the last Rescue 3 conference about the safety cover for the Sickline event, the speaker said most rescuers had radios but because of the noise even these were most of the time useless. Whistles and hand gestures seemed to be the preferred method. New Zealand has some comical hand gestures but they seem to be quite comprehensive. I seem to have found myself picking up different signals from all around the world. I particularly like the signal for ‘cover’ – two hands above my head, finger tips meeting. I also like the one on the left… it means, “This is Bull S@%t.” Unfortunately there are different signals used all over the country, not to mention the world. Kayakers use different ones to rafters, canoeists different to kayakers! One thing Rescue 3 is trying to do is to come up with a generic system for all… whatever signal you use.The important thing is everyone on your trip is briefed so they fully understand the meaning.
Fitness I'm not sure if I take this for granted being a person who has always been very active and relatively fit. Obviously being in charge of a crew of people you need to be physically able to step up to the challenges of the job. At times you will be tasked to go above and beyond. When an incident happens you might be running along banks, jumping over rocks, swimming through fast water, pulling/lifting heavy objects (just to state a selection) and that’s not mentioning guiding the raft! Momentum and drift I nearly tried to put this under one of the bigger percentage headings but felt it justified its own individual spot. I feel momentum and drift are some of the hardest tricks to get used to for the new guide. Once this is fully understood, rafting becomes so much easier! l Momentum – getting your raft up to speed and carrying its own speed, l Drift – the fact that your raft will keep spinning/turning on its own. Kayakers and small boat users often find jumping into a raft frustrating because everything has to be done so much earlier and exaggerated. When heading for an eddy, you need to set your angle much earlier and start your approach much sooner, as your momentum will often take longer to stop. Also it’s not just the water currents that will affect your boat, wind can be a big obstacle. Whilst teaching a guide course in Scotland, we had to high side boats to the wind to stop them flipping on the River Orchy! This was probably the weirdest ‘over’ I have ever called – and I was very happy to have other professional guides on my boat!
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Personality You can definitely argue this could call for a much bigger percentage. No customer wants to get on a boat with a boring guide with no enthusiasm. It is often the guide who stays in the memory longest at the end of a commercial rafting trip… maybe that’s why they have so much fun partying with the customers in the bars later! A fun, exciting persona but with a radiance of professionalism and confidence is important for your customers to trust you and not start doing their own thing. In Austria we often worked with German speaking clients, where my safety brief was fluent but outside of that my German language was nearly non-existent. The only way I got through my trips was smiling, body language and universal personality traits. I still say though that a personality alone won’t keep you safe and get you far on a river without the necessary skills and knowledge to compliment it. Repair knowledge/raft design The extent of knowledge and the kit you will need will depend on the trip you are doing and the senior instructor should be the lead regarding this. Your kit might be very basic like a roll of Duck Tape and some Storm Sure, or it might be a huge bag full of spare patches etc. On one helicopter rafting trip I was leading in New Zealand, I was helicoptered to a remote mountain on the North Island. The weather was terrible and the swing load of rafts and gear we had underneath had to be dropped near to the end of the flight.
On recovery of all the gear to start our five-day trip we noticed most of our kit was fine except for the eggs, which had broken as had all three of our pumps! Our two big pumps were trashed but our smaller one looked fixable. In the end we fixed it with a load of butter from the food stock. Sometimes raft repair needs a bit of adaptability and imagination! I am fully aware many of my percentages could be split and maybe cross over but I hope you get the gist of my thoughts. In essence, experience must be the most important factor for a raft guide. Without being there, trying that and wearing the t-shirt, my percentages don’t work!
A follow-on question for myself and others to think about is, how much these percentages would change if the question was: l What makes the perfect white water canoeist/kayaker/instructor? l Would there be a massive difference?
For any questions or if you’re looking to go on a Rafting/Rescue 3 course please email dolygaer@parkwoodoutdoors.co.uk
W I N N E R
PARKWOOD OUTDOORS: DOLYGAER is set in the scenic Welsh countryside between rolling hills and overlooking Pontsticill Reservoir. We love the outdoors and we want everyone to enjoy it as much as we do! With a team of experienced and passionate people who have a rich background in safe adventurous activities and coaching, Dolygaer is the perfect place to enjoy some of your favourite activities or try something completely new in safe hands. CAVING Caving is great fun in groups! Our Instructors and the local landscape provides exciting opportunities to explore the limestone caves of Wales.
ORIENTEERING Our quali ed instructors will teach you map and navigation skills with our range of onsite and o site orienteering courses.
KAYAKING You will learn how to paddle in a variety of di erent venues depending on the group, from canals and rivers to the picturesque Pontsticill Reservoir.
ROCK CLIMBING & ABSEILING There are some wonderful crags near Dolygaer, o ering a suitable variety of climbs given the Brecon Beacons are just outside the door.
CANOEING Our British Canoe quali ed instructors can cater for everyone from beginners to the most advanced of paddlers.
STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING New activity, glide across the water on an in atable large surfboard, propelling yourself with a large paddle, in a typical Hawaiian style of transport.
MOUNTAIN WALKS With many di erent walks suitable for most abilities, including the Ta Trail and, for the more adventurous, the famous walk up Pen Y Fan.
GORGE ADVENTURE Gorge Adventure experience includes scrambling through rivers, climbing into waterfalls and sliding down shoots.
SAILING Whether you are an experienced sailor or a complete beginner, our fully quali ed instructors are on hand to help and ensure your complete safety.
BUSHCRAFT Using the latest techniques and equipment, our instructors teach valuable bushcraft and wilderness skills that are both bene cial and enjoyable.
ARCHERY Great fun and anyone is capable of having a go. Once you have mastered the bow we invite all archers, at the end of the course, to take part in a fun competition.
RAFT BUILDING Raft building is great fun and o ers the opportunity to be a s creative as you wish, while learning how to build and paddle your raft around a course safely.
MOUNTAIN BIKING Enjoy the wonderful trails near Dolygaer on the mountain bikes. Trails for all abilities and tness levels.
To book, or for more info, call 01685 848 309, or visit us at parkwoodoutdoors.co.uk Accommodation and catering options are also available.
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T H E
R I V E R
2 0 1 7
F E S T I V A L
The year 2017 has been a very difficult year for Kenya! The country was in drought, farms and people suffering with a lack of water. Elections turned into re-elections, however, we are out of that now!
By Glenn Richards
These challenges did however, not stop the ‘Tana River Festival’ taking place with paddlers coming from the UK, Belgium, Uganda and of course Kenya. The rains came early and were good, where the main rapids of the Tana River rose to a good technical level. The organisers put up gates, made certain lines compulsory for all to test paddlers endurance and skill and to spice up the competition. This year we had three main events and one minor one. The first event (minor) was the ‘Palm Throw Bag Olympics.’ The event was for anyone, even old dude Andy Hall, in his 60s, managed a fast time. The event involved good throw bag skills aim, fast repacking, good balance running across rafts filled with soap and downing a drink (choice of beer or soft drink). This event kicked started the whole festival with everyone getting competitive and wanting the fastest time. The winner of the event was the main sponsor, James Savage, who generously forfeited his winnings to local Kenyan Sammy Muturi. A big thanks goes to Palm Equipment for donating a fiercely contested Lightning throw bag.
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The next day consisted of two events: the ‘Tana Slalom’ and ‘Boater X’. The slalom took place over four of the main rapids of the Tana. ‘Captain Folly’, ‘Can of Worms’, ‘Sphincter Flexor and ‘Fish Eye’. Big water and organiser ingenuity meant one of the hardest gates to catch was the ‘VE gate’, which did have paddlers missing it or ending up going backwards into the next rapid. During an intense practice session, paddlers got to see new lines and then everyone got two runs with their fastest lap counting towards the points. After the slalom was the ‘Boater X’. A mass start in groups of five racing down the course to tap the ‘Tana River Festival’ banner. Normal rules applied
with no pulling of spray decks or pushing paddlers away with your hands, however, devious tactics led to bumper car style moves. The ‘Boater X’ started at the top of the left hand channel ‘the jungle run’ of the Tana racing down the main rapids, finishing with a mad sprint across some very messy water to the banner. There was carnage as paddlers went into the ‘Fish Eye’ or the boil lines slowed them down in touching the banner, which increased the anticipation for spectators as they watched the paddlers struggle and changing the outcome of who was going to win.
The final was the ‘Endurance’ event taking in the 8kms of the Tana’s big water mid-section to a finish at the Savage Wilderness camp. The organisers made the decision that all paddlers had to run ‘Spasm’, a gnarly rock slide increasing the distance of the race and testing paddlers endurance. The start was a 50m dash on land to your boat, followed by another 50m dash with your boat to the river followed by the 8km paddle down the commercial section of the Tana River, finishing at Savage Wilderness camp. It required paddling good lines down all the major rapids and choosing smooth and continuous lines on the flat section and keeping the speed up. The fastest time was Jacob (Belgium) in 38min 15sec.
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The Tana River Festival is a small event and has kayakers with a mix of abilities. What makes the festival so fantastic is the support the paddlers give each other throughout, which truly makes it unique. If you are wanting warm weather paddling with big water come to Kenya. Savage Wilderness will help you paddle other rivers in the area and share what Kenya is all about. A huge thanks must go to all are sponsors in helping making this event happen;VE Paddles, Palm Equipment, Fluid Kayaks, Savage Wilderness and Infinity Outdoors. The organisers are already planning for next year, come out and paddle in Kenya!
The winners of the Tana River Festival 2017 were:
Men 1. Jakob Hanoulle (Belgium) 2. Mike Bell (Kenya) 3. Sadat Kawawa (Uganda) 4. David Moore (Uganda) 5. Francis Mwangi (Kenya)
Womens 1. Annie Eaton (UK) 2. Amina Nakiirya (Uganda) Sadat Kawawa (Uganda)
Jakob Hanoulle (Belgium)
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