May club WW trip (16th or 17th ?)

Steve T · May club WW trip (16th or 17th ?)

The plan for May's trip is to go to the Dee at Llangollen to play on the Mile End Mill site (JJ's). This will be either Saturday 16th or Sunday 17th, so post here with availability if you're interested. There's a charge to use the car park and changing facilities, I think it was £5.00 last time.

Again, not a trip for novices, this is a site with a few grade II features and you will need a degree of moving water experience. Carl and I will be running this trip, and as with all our white water trips, despite our experience, this grade of water is outside our "official" remit as coaches (Carl is a level 2, I am a trainee level 2). You should be aware of this and make your own judgement as responsible adults.

Steve

Mel Stoddart

Hi Steve,

No can do this one either! I'm just back off holiday and have to sit at the bottom of a quarry...

Promise to be out soon........

GrahamS

I'd prefer Sunday 17th.

Cheers

Graham

Jon W

Happy to do either 16th or 17th.

Steve T

Since this is getting closer I'm going to assume that we'll this will be on the Sunday (17th). I'm looking at updating the website in the next few days so I'd like to put a firm date down.

Shout if this gives anyone a problem.

Steve

CarlS

To get an idea of what is involved you could check out the YouTube video we made last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22bN_s21AuY

This section of river is used by a number of outdoor pursuit companies for teaching basic whitewater skills and most of the drops etc can be walked around.

I would suggest that we do some basic warm up exercises and then jump on the canal, paddle up to Chainbridge and then the more experienced/stupid members of the club can test their bravery on the 'Serpents Tail (grade 4), hopefuly the less expereinced/sensible members can be on hand to practice their throwline skills.

We all paddle down to the site and play.

Any thoughts?

Carl

PS, one hazard that is very serious is that posed by North Wale's finest, on our last trip, some gentlemen in a van decided to take a picture of my car and I was invited by the police to spend a day doing a speed awareness course. Keep to the limit!

Steve T

I can recommend driving close behind a silver Zafira, so the speed cameras get that instead of you. Apparently.

(If it's any consolation Carl, the Garda got me the last time I was over the water - the exchange rate's a killer when the fine is in Euros)

Steve

CarlS

I think I have mentioned this before but bear with me. If on Sunday we decide to paddle down from Chainbridge, then there will be parts of the river that some members may wish to portage. The Serpents tail is an example, the guidebook describes it as a section of river that requires a considerable level of skill but one which could be swum by a fit granny. It is graded IVc (challenging water with some danger) the guide book defines some danger as follows:

Obstructions can pin or jam a boat, but a long and bumpy swim will hurt the pride more than the body. Ropes and lines are sometimes useful in rescues. An Eskimo roll can save problems.

Having said this it will depend on how we feel on the day. I think it is worth looking at doing some throwline work at the Burrs on Wednesday, so that in the unliklely event of a swim down Serpents Tail

Then at least there may be someone who can do a rescue (although, there is a big eddy at the bottom that you can swim into anyway, a throwline rescue just makes it look more dramatic and will be good for future forum chats).

Suggest we meet at JJs around 11am, please post here if you are going.
Carl

Steve T

Forget the throwlines, make sure you've got cameras at the ready!

I have personally swum through the Serpent's Tail - my first real swim on my first white water river, and after that weekend I was hooked so it can't have been that bad. There aren't many mid-stream rocks, it's just fast and powerful. Ask Graham B about the cardboard canoe races through the Tail held at the Mike Jones rallies in the '80s - the idea was to get as far as possible and dozens of people swam through without incident in ribbed buoyancy aids, £1.50 cagoules from Woolies and rubbish Ace helmets.
(Tell that to young people today, etc. etc. etc......)

I'm up for Sunday. If we use the canal we don't need to shuttle so we can keep cars to a minimum. Details can be sorted tomorrow night.

Steve

Jon W

Won't be down tonight but will be there on Sunday. Looking forward to it?!

Steve T

I have rung the automated telephone river gauge thingy and it equates to a level of between 1 and 2 on JJ's gauge. It was about 8 last time we were there so even if it rains (as predicted) it won't be too high, even with the Tryweryn adding another 10m³/s or so to the flow. See this link if you want to check it yourself:
http://www.whitewateractive.co.uk/SpecialpageSee-id135.html

Steve

GrahamS

Does that mean it will be easier / harder / just different to last time???

Steve T

River will be slower, waves & stoppers will be smaller. Serpent's Tail will be less impressive/scary (depending on whether you're looking at it or paddling it).

Rocks will stick out of the water more, and will be just as hard. Town Falls will be more technical & easier to screw up (we won't be doing that bit).

It will be different but your own impression will be more influenced by the fact that you've had another 15 months experience in the meantime.

Steve

DaveS

hi everyone,

I know I have been conspicuous by my abscence these past few months but unfortunately I am working in Heysham at the moment and this is definately getting in the way of my prefered activities! I was hoping to get wet at JJ's on sunday but I have just got too much on this weekend and I will be unable to make it.

Hope you have a great time, I am sure you will.
see you all soon.

Steve T

Meet at JJ's at 11:00 Sunday. Postcode is LL20 8AD. It's on the right, about a mile out of LLangollen on the A5 towards Corwen.

I have already offered lifts to Darren and Graham. Can squeeze another one in if anyone's stuck.

Dave - hope to see you & the lads back on the water with us sometime soon.

Steve

LALA

Just to let you know that i will be there.

Cant Wait.

Steve T

Darren has emailed me - he's not well and can't make Sunday so there'll be plenty of space if anyone wants a lift.

Steve