More fun from the weekend

So after all the fun of Gene 17 APWE it was time to hit the water on Sunday. There had been loads of rain, and the rivers had all been huge early in the morning, but by the time I hit the river around lunch time the level had already dropped to a good, but still fairly high level.

I started off with some squirt boating with Dan W, Tom B and Hazel W. The seam at the Weburn/Dart confluence was awesome, although my squirting technique still needs much more practice. However I still got some epic, and scary downtime!

Then it was back to top wave for a quick surf session with Tim C, and Hazel, and any other passing paddler who wanted a quick surf!

Boat of choice?! Top wave over run by Jackson kayaks!

Tom B, Dan W and Hazel after some mystery move action at the Weburn/Dart confluence

Me getting my Squirt cool on!!!!! NOT!

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