NEWS LETT VOLUME 2 ER ISSUE 2 A U T U M N 2 0 1 2 The success of this newsletter relies on contributions from YOU! the "Olympic Effect", have increased the If you've been on a trip, From the Editor number of new in a race, or just have an ell, it's been a busy summer at paddlers coming opinion or some news you want to the Club, with people taking to the Wednesday share, please send it to Wadvantage of the (occasionally) and Sunday [email protected] good weather to get out and paddle. sessions to an Articles should be short (between I took a quick look through the photos on unprecedented 1 00 and 250 the website when I was writing this to degree. And words) and can be remind me of what's been going on. There there's more to accompanied by a was the Washburn trip and the mildly epic come - trips to the picture. The Dee-in-spate, with a trip to the Cardiff White Exe (a perfect introduction to moving water), deadline for Water course thrown in for good measure. the Washburn (faster water and bigger submissions for the A number of Club paddlers went to the Soca rapids), the Stour (beautiful touring river in next issue is 1 0th in Slovenia, 1 40km of pristine turquoise river Suffolk), 3* training on the Barle, kayak- November, 201 2. offering everything from placid grade I surfing on the Gower. Mark Corti, Editor through to a technical IV/V slalom course. A huge shout out is due to the Club [email protected] For those looking for a more relaxing time, members that have made, and continue to there was the Estuary barbecue, a paddle make, all these things happen. Organising from Hoo to Rochester, and, by the time you trips, getting new people kitted up on a read this, a trip to the Victorian bottle dump Sunday, coaching (both formal and 5% NT of Burntwick Island. The Maidstone informal), making tea for racers - all of these 1 OU Marathon was the Club's big summer event jobs make Maidstone Canoe Club the ISC UB for the racing section. The Fun Sessions, vibrant, vital paddlesport group that it is. So D CL run by the Club for organisations like next time you see one of them, say "thanks". OR RS Demelza's Hospice, introduced people to Buy them a drink. Above all, get involved! F BE paddlesport who perhaps otherwise would See you on the river! EM not have the opportunity - and also raised M BER TEM some much-needed funds for the Club. The Mark Corti, Website & Newsletter Editor SEP late summer good weather, together with [email protected] IN The best kayaking trip ever? o, a week of kayaking in Slovenia S with members of the Maidstone Canoe Club is over. After driving over 1 ,000 miles, over two days, we got to Slovenia, and as soon as we saw the water, we knew we were in for a brilliant time paddling. Turquoise waters, gushing rapids; you name it, Slovenia outshone it. The little town of Bovec, New House Farm, Kemsing Road described by some books as an oasis for Wrotham, TN15 7BU adrenaline junkies, was beautiful, and within Tel: 01732 886688 minutes of getting on the water, this title as Open 10am - 5pm Tues - Sat an oasis became evident. With excursions Late Night Opening Wednesday exceeding those you’d expect to find on your www.kentcanoes.com average kayaking trip, Bovec boasts cont'd on page 2 ... Page 1 To subscribe to this newsletter or for more information about Maidstone Canoe Club, please visit http://www.maidstonecanoeclub.net/. The views expressed in this newsletter are those ofthe individual contributors and may not represent those ofthe Editor, or ofMaidstone Canoe Club. Meet a paddler ... cont'd from page 1 The best kayaking trip ever? This issue's interviewee is Paul Tucker, Club paddler, trip stalwart and recently-qualified Level 1 Coach. kayaking, white water rafting, hydrospeed, mountain hiking and Mark: So how long have you been biking, free climbing and parachuting, paddling for? whilst the surrounding areas offer the Paul: Since age eight on and off, through more relaxed and laid back members of Scouts, but seriously for the last 5 or 6 a group museums and natural spas, as years, I suppose. well as beautiful lakes to walk around. Mark: And what made you get back into it? The river itself was brilliant. Our Paul: It was something I did on holiday. group comprised of both very novice We did a bit of open canoeing, and it was white water paddlers, and much more "hey, I like this, I'm pretty good at it", so I experienced kayakers. Before leaving came back, found Maidstone Canoe Club, the UK, we were sure that the novice got introduced to everybody, got on the paddlers would only get to do flat water. water and never looked back! Slovenia surprised us though, and none Mark: What kind of paddling do you mainly of our group paddled lakes. We found do now? that there was plenty moving water for Eli conquering the mighty Soca Paul: I'm torn between flat water, on the everyone to paddle within a half hour For me, the white water safety and coaching side of things, trying to give radius of the campsite in Bovec, from rescue course we did earlier in July continual improvement to people and grade 1 -2 sections, right through to a proved to be incredibly useful, if only for larking about, and whitewater - although grade 5 slalom course, which, even Bill the correct technique for swimming on my bent is more towards whitewater now. and Niki Norman found tricky! This moving water. It seems that everyone Mark: So what's been your favourite diversity is made better by the fact that used some aspect of the knowledge moment on the water so far? a grade 2-3 section is followed they gained through this course; Rob, Paul: Actually, it was quite recently. I've immediately by a grade 1 -2 section, so Lawrence, Bill and Niki all got practice had a couple of reasonably hairy the novice paddlers were able to meet with throw lines, Lawrence and Bill got us after lunch, with no need of shuttling to retrieve a trapped boat, Mark got to wet kayakers to a new get in. Mix this rescue a swimmer, and Richard was with clear waters and sandy beaches, key in performing rescues. and most people would agree that you We found that all of our group find yourself in some sort of Caribbean pushed and were pushed harder and paradise. further than perhaps any of us had The temperature, such a been pushed before; all of our disadvantage in British trips, was techniques have improved, from perfect in Slovenia. We found that increasing the success of rolls to paddling, and even rolling, in just rash improving breaking in and out of vests and shorts was more than ample. eddies, to reading the river and the It certainly made paddling that little bit water in front of you. By the end of the nicer. Another advantage of the very week the improvement was amazing; if un-British weather was the evenings; only we had a river as beautiful and Paul Tucker, focussed on the Trweryn trip this summer. instead of retiring to the pub or challenging as that in Maidstone! The experiences in sticky holes, and just separate tents as a resort of the less- general consensus amongst paddlers is recently we went up to the Trweryn and I than-pleasant weather Dartmoor and that this has been the best kayaking made a mistake, got caught in a hole Wales offer, we found ourselves sitting holiday ever. again, and had to sidesurf, and I actually outside; Bill and Niki even got a game managed to get out by throwing and end, of volleyball in! By Eli Payne dumped the back of the boat into the green water that's flowing underneath, and it popped me out! It was brilliant, I was worried I'd be upside down, but it worked. Exe Trip: 19th ‐ 21st October There was an awful lot of shouting going on at the time! Introduction to moving water Mark: Fantastic! And finally, what would your ideal day on the water be? and 3* training Paul: Crikey! I've had so many good The annual Exe Trip is a fantastic to come along on this trip and assist - experiences thus far, I'm always looking opportunity for paddlers who have some please help, as this is the Club's main forward to the next good experience! experience on the Medway and would like introductory moving-water trip. There are always more good days, more to get some experience on moving water in This year, Bill & Niki will be running 3* improving days, more fun days to be had, a safe, coached environment. Practice training and assessment on the nearby the more you learn and the more you get to breaking in and out ofeddies and ferrying Barle (water levels permitting). This is the know the team you are paddling with. safely across moving water on one of the next step up from the basic 1* and 2*, and most beautiful rivers in the south-west. is the stepping-stone to the 4* river leader Please contact Geoff Orford, award. Please contact Bill, By Paul Tucker and Mark Corti [email protected]. [email protected].