HOW TO ENJOY BOATING FOR A LIFETIME

Here's a great story from Team Pyranha's Leland Davis on staying connected:

"  Once we get comfortable in a certain sort of boat on a certain kind of whitewater, few of us want to do the work or take the licks again – we’re stuck in a rut. 

However, it’s that work – and those beat-downs – that provided us with the richest part of the experience, the part that made it so fun and captivating in the first place. "

Click on the link to read the full article  What's your connection?

"  There is much more to being an expert at whitewater than running the hardest rapids or throwing the biggest tricks. The true experts are the ones who are always learning and trying something new. "

 The author Leland Davis paddling his Burn

OAKEY CHOKEY

Enjoying the recent run off with a rare chance to paddle on the doorstep by visiting the Lower Mole and catching it nicely;
just dropping from spate level.

Threading the Oak Choke's, a popular spate run pastime

Mickleham to Cobham, that's around 10 miles of what would usually be a flatwater slog but today we were ably assisted by a strong current and accompanied by a concentration of Kingfishers, a hedge of Herons and a mural of Buntings we found the high levels provided some friendly surfing on each of the six weirs we twitched our way through; one of which was mentioned in  The Domesday Book  back in 1086.

That's one in the eye for the Normans !

Leatherhead Town and it's 4 bridges

HYSTERIA, REFLEX AND INSTINCT

Two years of exceptionally cold dry winter coupled with the simultaneous opening of two man made whitewater courses;  how quickly we forget what play-boating was like pre 2010...  a time when we relied on stimuli !

This weekend ; persistent rain provided the stimulus for an involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement to Hurley.  

Well; that and a few beers shared at Ivan & Melanie's house warming party on Saturday night!

 You wait years for a gate to open then four come along at once.

It's really amazing what a spell of heavy rain can do for the reflexes; most sensory neurons do not pass directly into the brain, but synapse in the spinal cord.

 This paddler's brain has just received sensory input along the neural pathway.

 This characteristic allows reflex actions to occur relatively quickly by activating spinal motor neurons without the delay of routing signals through the brain, although the brain will receive sensory input while the reflex action occurs.

Instinct is an action - reflex is a reaction; you'll need both.

 

 Unfortunately on this occasion, the fifth gate aka The Red Lyon proved a gate too far, remaining firmly shut as we tried to enter; however there really is no need to sup before a blazing log fire as in winter time.

Should we choose to return next weekend, the Lyon will roar even if the fire doesn't and  levels could well provide a rare chance to play in May.   How stimulating!

 

HAPPY VALLEY

A Good Friday farewell trip to Lee Valley for our final session before Olympic closure this weekend, how the rest of the club fared in the Lake District wait and see! 

It's been a terrific resource and I've really enjoyed the dozen visits made over the last ten months; got chatting with our Silver medallist & Olympic hope Campbell Walsh who confirmed that while yes, he can do some good tricks there but none as impressive as paddling  up the looping pool at HPP!

He also said that the current set up has now been signed off and approved and will be exactly what the Olympic Athletes will paddle during the games so it's nice to know we've been there, done that and got the medal t-shirt!

Be great to sit back and watch the kayak and canoe slalom on TV in July.  Roll on Septembers re-opening.

Where's Wally... (Remy)?

Our paddling peer group recently made the most of a dog low River Dart and enjoyed demoing, scraping, bumping, a little drop of rain and even some paddle coaching from the team at Pyranha Dartfest.

Remy is momentarily featured in this video while performing the 'Legs of Steel' bike shuttle can you spot him?

Take the test: Where's Wally Remy?

Happy Paddling New Year

Here's to a New Year and another chance for us to do the right thing in 2012... have some fun on the river!

Links section

A new link has been added (below right)  for the rainchasers.com site which has had a recent makeover and is looking very tidy.