A rich, full weekend

What a great weekend; A rich, full weekend as I like to say. Over the weekend I managed four runs on the river Dart, each one in a different type of Boat. I started off on Saturday with a playboat run down the Dart Loop. The level was good, but just to low for Top wave to be Awesome, and just to high for Triple playwave to be ripping. Bit of a bummer, but good fun none the less. Then I switched to the squirt boat, for my first try at sinking at the 'Breathalizer' seam. I had a few 'so-so' mysteries, but I got my first taste for proper downtime, when I got sucked down into the depths! It really did take my breath away, but I can't wait to get in there again and get some more squirt boat action.
Then on Sunday I had an Upper Dart run with Tom and Andy, again a nice level, a fraction higher than when I ran it last week. Followed by a Loop run Tandem in the Open boat with Louise.
What a great weekend! Great weather, great water levels and great paddling!!

Great Autumn colours on the Loop

Tom and Andy Below Surprise Surprise

Andy, in the meat of Euthanasia

Dan and Andy testing new uses for creek boats!

More River Dart paddling.

I've managed a couple of runs on the Dart in the last few days. I managed to squeeze in an Upper Dart run with Andy and Simon Westgarth. The levels was ok, but it could have been just a little bit higher. But we had fun, and there was enough water to make it worth while.

Early on the Upper Dart

Andy, Just after the first steep rapid on the Upper Dart

And then a few days later I managed two runs on the Dart Loop. Once tandem with my wife in our open canoe, and once in the playboat. The level was a bit higher, covering half the slab at newbridge, possible the highest we've run the Loop tandem. But it did mean that all the rapids were really good, and the play wave a Triple fall was great. I did surf the wave in the open boat as well, but it did end with a small out of boat experience, check the picture below! Can you tell me what I did wrong? Then Ewart, Andy, Tom B and I had a good run in the playboats, with all the usual antics!! Check out why we call Andy the Fat-Man!

Me, about to loose control, can you see what I did wrong?

Tom B in his squirt boat, on the triple play wave

The one and only Fat-Man

Queuing for a go on the play wave

A Quick round up. River Dart and Surfing

It's been a bit busy here again, and I've only just gotten round to downloading pictures, let alone putting them on the web. So here is a quick round up of a few of things I've been doing.

I went to a surf kayaking competition at Westward Ho!, where I totally bombed out ending up joint 17th out of 21. The surf was a pretty good size, but not very clean, being pushed along by a steady on-shore wind.

An IC class paddler goes for a lip

Me in my first round

Walking down to the surf

Another IC class paddler going for it

Yet another IC class boat hitting the top

Sam the son of Satan, ripping in the HP final

I've also had a couple of trips on the Dart. Once in high water, getting two runs, and enjoying a spot of playboating, and a semi disastrous dawn raid with Ewart, where we both managed to forget different bits of kit, and ended up taking it in turns for a go on top wave!

Satu Westgarth enjoying topwave

Kate D spinning on topwave

A high water view of Triple drop

Jack R playing on the Dart loop

Ewart enjoying an early surf on a small top wave

Me, carving up topwave