Four club members (including new ‘recruit’ Ian) joined Steve for a day at Symonds Yat, learning and practising fundamental moving-water skills in preparation for the winter’s white water season. We practised ferry-gliding and breaking-in and -out of the flow, focusing on choosing appropriate speeds, boat angles and edging – as well as ‘looking for future water’ – to get us where we want to go efficiently and in control. At the end of the session we also practised our white-water swimming and throwline rescues, just to cool off (for those who hadn’t already had an inadvertent dunking, at any rate!). Everyone professed to have learned something and progressed their skills by the end of the day – even Steve who was paddling a slicey Dagger RPM (the first type of boat he ever owned) for a change, instead of his usual Pyranha Burn; bringing back long-distant memories…
Trip information & 2023 statistics to date:
- 13 Aug 2023, Symonds Yat rapids
- Low water (0.39m Ross-on-Wye gauge)
- 5 kayakers: Anne, Ian, Lee, Rhiannon, Steve R
- 3 accidental swims and 2 half-swims (falling in whilst getting in or out of boat)!
| Paddler | No of trips / days | No of swims | No of rolls |
| Andrew | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Anne | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Chris | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Dave | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Huw | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ian | 1 | 2.5 | 0 |
| Jack | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Jess | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Mike | – | 1 (polo) | – |
| Pete M | 10 | 0.5 | 4 |
| Phil H | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Rhiannon | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam C | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Sam Ha | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Simon | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steve H | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Steve R | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Stuart | 2 | 0 | 0 |