This news from wilf. The EA will be working on the brick chute from Monday. We are told that this will make the weir impassable, it is not known how long the work will take. Also the occupants of the house to the river left of the big weir request that people do not linger or make noise in their garden. With those conditions, they are happy for folk to use the established path for portages.

Oregon kayaking have an account of Big Kimshew Creek. Porn connoisseurs will recognise many of the drops, but its good to see it as a river description.

Here is a clip of some stout action in BC at a classic "BC 4". Just to spice it up they are paddling canadians!

the teva tour has been reborn. Corporate funding for some folk to go holiday for a month, get some footage and stick it up on tinterweb. Oh sorry - i didnt see - it explains on the front page that "Fifteen international pro kayakers travel through seven European countries, braving the elements. The goal? To portray the extreme sport of kayaking and the lifestyle that goes with it" - how naive of me ;-).

Some alternatives to boating for you. The prestigious uk skimmimng stone championships are being held on Saturday at Waterhead on Windermere. This has got to be a worthwhile for bored boaters as it celebrates messing about by water, and expending very little energy. Muscle relaxant will be in the form of a special 'skimmers' beer, isotonically prepared for the skimmers every need. All comers are welcome and best of all - 'stones are provided'!

Alternatively you could get busy training for this, the new lakeland 100 endurance event. 100 miles in a max of 40 hours. Sleep optional! Unfortunately I think im busy that day.

Last up you could forgot all that tedious paddling and get the wind to blow you round Britain in your summer holidays. Local Jonny Moore has decide to do this in the gap between GCSE's and Sixth form! Just to stop him getting bored he is doing it the 'wrong' way (anticlockwsie), solo, and is going round the north of Scotland (rather than cheating and going though the Caledonian canal like that Ellen MacArthur character). The youth of today ... they just have no 'get up and go'...