The Lower Walkham

Being at work on Saturday, I missed all the great river levels. But I managed to get out for a paddle on Sunday. Keen to try something different Ewart, Louise and I headed over to the far side of the moor to paddle the Lower Walkham, which also includes some of the Tavy as well. After driving round for quite some time trying to find the get out, because we'd all forgotten to bring a proper map, we finally got ourselves sorted left a car at the get out and got to the get on. The river was paddleable, but I wouldn't have wanted to try it with any less water.
It's a really fun little river, much smaller than the Dart, with numerous little rapids and drops which twist and turn through a wooded valley, and very little chance to catch your breath. Before you finally come to a solid little class 3 drop. Louise and I decided to give it a miss, tandem in the Canadian, but ran the rest of the little twisty rapid below. A few more rapids lead you down to the confluence with the Tavy. A couple of Bouncy class 2 rapids then lead you down to a great class 3 rapid, weaving between some large boulders and through a hole. Then some more bouncy class 2 brings you to a weir, Ewart ran it off a rock ledge on river right, but once again Louise and I decided that it just wasn't quite a Canadian Canoe line. Some last few rapids then lead you to a tiny little gauging weir, which produces a great surf wave. Cue lots of surfing and generally mucking about! And that's it. Its a great trip, if you fancy a class 3 river trip with a far more technical and river running feel than the loop, then the Lower Walkham could be for you.

The class 3 slot drop on the Walkham

Ewart surfing on the Tavy

Long arm shot, Louise cross deck ruddering while surfing

Louise and I surfing

Poser!

The Exe in flood.

This week we had some torrential rain. My rain gauge in my garden recorded 36mm in 12 hours. With Massive amount of rain falling all over Devon all the rivers shot up. The river Exe reached some huge levels. Maybe not as high as its ever been, but certainly about as high as its been this year. I managed to grab a few pictures of Mill on the Exe on my way to work, and some of Trews Weir after I got to work.

The wave on head weir

The middle of Trews Weir

Insane crashing wave, mid river, Mill on the Exe

Puddletown woods

Tom KP and myself managed to sneak over to Puddletown woods in Dorset last week for some Mountain biking fun. Despite being very wet there are alot of trails at Puddletown that drain well, meaning that we were able to enjoy a good varied mix of riding without ending up head to toe in clag! We rode most of our favourite trails, only having to avoid 'creepy hollow' which still manages to be wet weeks after any rain!

Tom drops into a classic sandy Puddletown trail

Me, airing the table on the 'BMX' trail

Tom, on the 'BMX' trail table

The only downside to the day out was just as we were riding down the last trail back to the van. About 400m from the van Toms bike let out a clunk as he rode through a bomb hole. The main pivot bolt on his rear suspension had sheared off at both ends. Bummer.

The remains of Toms main Pivot bolt.

Malawian adventure

It had gotten round to that time again, and so I set off to Malawi to visit my Family. Heading out in November was a change for me, I'd only ever been early in the year, at the end of the rainy season. So it was a shock to see everything so dead and dry. But there had been approximately three months without significant rainfall. The temperature hit over 34C in the shade on several occasions! As well as seeing family, I checked out some waterfalls, went to a game reserve to try and spot wildlife and swam lots in the lake. Here's a few pictures of what I saw.

My Dad cooking marsh mallows on Acacia thorns at Vwaza reserve

Enjoying the sunset over lake Kazuni while cooking dinner, Vwaza reserve

A scorpion in my book, Eeeeek......

A Hippo enjoying the mud, Lake Kazuni, Vwaza reserve

Multi coloured Mbuna fish, lake Malawi

Rapids on the South Rukuru river

Mongwe falls, South Rukuru river

Fresh water crab, Lake Malawi

A Southern Tree Agama, a friends back garden!

The South Rukuru river below Rumphi, this year before the rainy season

The same location last year, after the rainy season

Low water Upper Dart

Water levels have been up and down recently, and it was a gamble to know what to do this weekend. There had been some rain, but it seemed that it was a case of too little, and too early, by the time we'd got to the river it had all gone again. There wasn't enough water in the Erme, so Dan, Dom, Small Robin and myself headed to the Upper Dart, for a classic low water bump and scrape. Not the best conditions, but we had a laugh, and it was far better than not paddling.

His and Hers, Robin and Owen at Dartmeet in matching outfits!

Dan, 'Burning man' broad ledges

Robin dropping into Euthanasia

Dan sliding, sideways, into Euthanasia

Dom about to boof....

Dan in a bony low water Surprise Surprise

Robin gets his monkey on down Surprise Surprise

Catch up from the last 10 days.

I've been a bit lax the last fortnight or so, and haven't blogged any of the things that I've been upto. So I've decided to roll it all into one photo blog, with the most recent at the top, and the oldest at the bottom. So here's a quick run down of what I've been doing; A great Sunday on the Erme and the Upper Dart with some nice water levels; A dawn raid on the Top Wave, with a great water level and the wave all to myself; And a day out to Cann woods near Plymouth mountain biking. Also squeezed somewhere in the middle of that lot was an afternoon at the jumps at Pines Ridge and then onto the Mafia trails, but I didn't get any pictures!

The Erme at a great water level with Small Robin, Dan, Andy and Leo

Leo about to drop into the Slot on the Erme

Dan on the Upper Dart

Andy, Arthur, Small and Dan below Euthanasia on the Upper Dart

Just starting to get light at Top wave

Slow Shutter shot of Top wave

Me and the 'goose flying at Cann woods

Spy shots: New Yak Paddling gear.

I've got some great spy shots for you today. I was lucky enough to be involved in a photo shoot for the new range of Cags from Yak paddling gear that is about to be released. And I've managed to get hold of a few pictures to show everyone the great new stuff that they've got coming.

The whitewater lineup features a huge range of cags, from a great entry level cag with neo neck, all the way up to an awesome latex neck cag, that is chock full of great design features. All the cags feature new materials, that are more waterproof, more breathable, lighter, more flexible and far more comfortable to wear. They also feature details like neat colour coded splash proof zips, colour coded Velcro with hyperlon tabs, better latex seals than before, and more flexible neoprene seals, with a cunning spiral seam, that allows the neoprene to stretch all over with out being restricted by a straight seam. They also have a better cut, with articulated shoulders, arms and wrists for better movement, with less restriction, and no excess baggy material.
The top of the range whitewater cags also feature an all new four way stretch, waterproof, breathable, three layer fabric in a cool new colours, including the the Camouflage colour, or Yak-o-flage, as it's made from multi coloured yaks!

The top of the range 'camo' cag.

If your not sure about the 'camo' an alternative colour way is available

There is also a complete new range of recreational and touring cags. Also in new more waterproof, more breathable, lighter, more flexible and far more comfortable materials. They also sport the great features such as colour coded splash proof zips and colour coded Velcro with hyperlon tabs. The higher spec touring Cags also feature new latex seals, and the new cut, with articulated shoulders, arms and wrists for better movement, with less restriction.

new touring, and recreation cags

A full spectrum of new cags, coming soon!

The New Range of gear is expect in the shops in November. Check http://www.yak-paddling.com/ for more details and info on the whole range of Yak Gear that is available.

A Family Dart Trip, with the Hoppers

Louise and I managed to get out on the River Dart this weekend with our friends the Hopper Family. Yes, I said family, Mum and Dad Heather and Roger, and the kids, Ben (9) Jodie (11, this week) and Isabel (13, next month). Roger and Jodie went in a canoe together, but everyone else took to the water on their own. We hit the river early, and the weather was amazing, wisps of mist hanging on the river and lingering under the trees, all light up by the amazing sunshine.

Louise in her Canoe

Heather in her Kayak

Ben Ripping it up in his kayak

The glorious morning weather

Roger and Jodie in Their Canoe

Jodie enjoying the sunshine

Isabel in her kayak