So there I was in my cosy beginners world thinking that portages would be nice and gentle, possibly signed, possibly even surfaced, even with handrails. And true, Skelwith is pretty much like that, fairly well-provisioned for the softees among us who aren’t up to the wetside drop (or is it for the spectators, turning up in the hope of a spot of watery carnage?). But its still no easy feat, even with assistance, lugging an 8ft long 20kg lump of rigid plastic on yer shoulder down a rusty old set of steps and across narrow, wet, rocky ledges. And I can’t believe that other places are anywhere near as well sorted. All of which set me thinking along a couple of different lines ……..

thought #1 : my wetsuit boots are fine in the boat and on the nice tarmacced paths at the Barrage, but out in the big bad world of rocks and tree roots and old barbed wire fences my feet could do with something a bit more robust. Even jumping out to inspect at Clappersgate I felt like a big wuss going ‘ooch ouch’ as Ned strode off across the rocks (to end up suggesting very gently that there was nowt to worry about on the rapids – which turned out to be true). So the search is on for a more robust set of footwear for paddling, portaging and inspecting in.

thought #2 : there must be a trade-off between the scariness/danger of the drop you want to avoid and the difficulty of the portage to avoid it. There must be times when you're actually safer in the boat on the drop than on yer feet on the portage. And surely this must be eased somewhat if you’re more confident on bigger water, and don’t need to portage as often. So, inspired by the Brathay trip (thanks lads) and by CKUK’s supplement on ‘The Next Level' (just the right thing for me - nice one) I headed off to the Barrage feeling up for a challenge, and telling the instructor “I think I’m ready for the next level”. And it paid off too, to some extent - a bit more confidence, and a couple of successful runs of features that had tipped me over in the past.

Of course in moving up to slightly bigger water I did spend a bit more time inverted, checking out the impact-resistance of the submerged concrete bollards ...

Ouch! ( …so that’s why we wear helmets then, would’ve really hurt without one!).

But I definitely feel like I’ve moved up a notch - well go on then, a quarter of a notch - and certainly learned a thing or three. Like how its not necessarily the main feature that’s the biggest problem, it could be the faster water just upstream, which grabbed the flat back end of my GTX and spun me over as I tried to slow down for a better line. Or it could be the boily stuff just downstream, going in all kinds of directions, and which again grabbed by back end and spilled me over as I tried to break out of the eddy. But all in all it was definitely a step up the ladder, another small foothill surmounted, with a better view of the way ahead. I might not be running Skelwith, but I might be able to bypass a few more dodgy portages. Roll on next time.

(Which reminds me – I really must learn to roll …)

Cheers

Rookie :-)

PS : thanks a million to Andy and Julie for the barrage pics

Thought it was time to learn to roll. Easy. My paddling is starting to click a bit, and I've read the books and seen other people roll plenty - just stick the paddle out of the water, swish it round a bit, and up you pop ........ W-R-O-N-G !! My first shot was at the local club session, where I was talked very patiently through the process, but after a couple of nastily poor attempts (including drawing blood on the instructor's face with my flailing paddle - SORRY!) I thought i'd better try a more solitary approach. So off i went down to the practice area at the Barrage and dug myself in for a serious 'learning experience'. Now then, i'm sure no text books or clubs or instructors would advocate learning to roll on your own, but when i've got something under my skin i've just got to horse-on and get on with it. I did prepare myself though - nose clip, ear plugs, air bags (my gtx holds about 20tons of water without them) and swimming goggles. No doubt i looked a complete kn*b (do i sound like i care?) but i wanted to see what was happening.

Who's this then? - looking a bit more confident, starting to enjoy the water rather than worry about it, and starting to mess about and do stuff for a laugh rather than pure 'practice'. Jeez ... it looks a bit like me! Just had another session on the Barrage, sharing a lesson with a mate i've been learning with for a while (another Andy). What a cracking way to learn, with a good instructor and a mate who's about the same level of (in)competence as me. He nearly got swept off down the course and ended up getting wet. Then the same thing happened to me. And the only thing to do is crease yourselves laughing, jump back in the boats, try again and feel like you've achieved something when things go better the next time. (thanks for taking the pics as well mate)

I’ve been a bit frustrated recently boating-wise. Well actually lack-of-boating wise. Perhaps I’m just greedy – I want to out every day, practicing, learning, and basically just having a laugh. I haven’t done badly I suppose. Managed an hour or so in the gentle surf at the local beach one evening – a bit hairy, but cracking fun and great for my balance. Also managed a gentle afternoon messing about on the flat water with my kids (who seem to be taking to paddling far more naturally than me!). And I’ve just had another session on the local ww course – a great confidence-builder this time, massively enjoyable, and I’m still improving every time I go out. Not a bad few weeks I s’pose, but I’d still love to be out on the water every night!

Practicing is one thing, but where will it all lead? I like plenty of variety, and I love rivers and countryside, plus I’m partial to the beach as well. And as its spring (it’s actually sunny today) I’m getting in the mood for catching a bit of warmth for a change. At the minute, with half an eye on not pushing myself too far too soon, I guess my ideal trip would start with a morning up in the hills, a gentle get-in and warm-up, and then a load of messing about on a few drops …..

… then paddle on downstream for a load more messing about ……

… then perhaps park up for a spot of grub (every good day out needs a spot of grub and a chill). Afterwards run downstream again (with more drops, etc), out of the river mouth, round a headland and into a nice bit of surf for the afternoon ...

… followed by a last park-up on the beach for more grub and a bottle of something nice, maybe here.

A few days like that would certainly get me though the spring and summer, hopefully with a sack-full more ability and confidence. And then … maybe I’ll be ready for the autumn and winter. ‘Cos as much as I like gentle days out paddling in the sunshine, I’m also a tad partial to getting totally soaked and freezing cold – so by next season I’m hoping to be out chasing the rain with the rest of you.

Cheers for now

Rookie J

PS. Now then – as a beginner looking at all those nice pics it looks like I’d need half-a-dozen different boats for my day out. This sounds a) bl**dy expensive, and b) just a smidgen tricky on the logistics front. I wonder if my GTX will do it all? There’s only one way to find out! (Anyone know any suitable rivers?)

PPS. I need to learn to roll. My skills on the local course aren’t so bad now, and being able to roll would set me free to go on as and when I please. Do you experienced paddlers remember those days? Any tips?

PPS. Note-to-self #3 = don’t just sit there dreaming about it – JFDI !!

made it. no great leap for mankind. no world record. no headlines or front-cover action shots, but i still made it – my first session on the local ww course.

to the boofers, cartwheelers and rocksliders it won’t be a big deal. but me - I’m on top of the world. well perhaps not quite on top of the world. perhaps a small undulation on a small rise on a small mound in the shadow of the foothills of the top of the world. but i’ve already got an aspirational eye on the next mini-summit – a ww session without a swim.

so i swam. just the once, near the end of the session. i really didn’t want to swim – didn’t want to look a fool, didn’t want to look like a beginner, didn’t want people looking and laughing. and so i was tense – i could feel it, the instructor could feel it, no doubt everyone passing either on the water or on the banks could feel it too. and no doubt i looked like a beginner. so i swam. and actually, it made everything better. it took away some of the tension. it took away some of the stiffness. and it brought determination. a few slightly less shaky ferryglides. a marginally less tentative break-in and break-out. and suddenly i wasn’t a complete beginner – i was an improver.

each time i’ve paddled, over the last 6 months or so since being introduced to the sport - whether on a lake, or a gentle river, or a flat sea, or in the surf - i’ve been lucky enough to come away with a small sense of pride and achievement, and a single recurring thought - “ i’m a bit better today than i was before” so next session i’ll try not to worry about swimming, and i’ll try not to swim. if i do swim, maybe i’ll learn from it. maybe it’ll make me a bit better than i was before.

rookie x

ps. in todays analytical world we’re all encouraged to reflect on the hows and whys of our actions - so why did i swim? didn’t know much about it at the time – my last thought was “oops i’m over” and then it was into the much thought-about drill of pulling the deck and falling out. (but i probably let my edge go as i was breaking-in, just downstream of a feature that was growing as the tide fell)

pps. note-to-self #1 = hold on to that edge til i’ve finished the turn

ppps. note-to-self #2 = remember to do up the neck-strap on my cag before setting out!