newsletter 120 summer 2008 02

8/14/2019 Newsletter 120 Summer 2008 02

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Marlow Canoe Club Newsletter COVER Summer 2008/01

Photo - John Norris

A heavily laden sky frames 'All Saints' church at BISHAM, beforeventing it's fury on competitors in the 2008 Devizes to WestminsterCanoe Marathon. Rob & I saw a no. of junior crews struggling to makeheadway in atrocious conditions, (the adult crews were faring littlebetter) but none were about to give up just a mile from D2 finish.Someway off was our own ANDY COOK, who completed the event in

25hr. 49mins. 17secs.
http://www.allsaintsmarlow.org/bisham/history.htmhttp://www.allsaintsmarlow.org/bisham/history.htm


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Marlow Canoe Club Newsletter - 2 - Summer 2008/01

EDITORS PIECE

The astute amongst you may have noticeda slight change to the newsletter. For some

time now various members have beenasking if I could make the newsletter a littlemore friendly, put in a few more pictures - ingeneral could I exploit the benefits of thePC to produce a tome more in keeping withtoday's features.

For one whose first option, when anythinggoes not quite as planned on the PC, is toresort to actual physical violence against itthe task could prove expensive. Let's just

say it was a steep, almost vertical at times,learning curve (?).

As most copies are delivered by e-mail nowmy first prerogative was to make it easier toread on the PC. Text is now full widthrather than column based as before. I havealso put in a wash background and madethe text a complimentary colour, the intentbeing to reduce glare when read on the PC.For those that want to print a copy at home

or elsewhere instructions to remove thebackground have been included. Adifferent colour wash and text will beemployed to reflect seasonal changes foreach issue. I'm hoping to stick to a morerigid publication schedule; Spring - 01/03,

Summer 01/06, Autumn 01/09 and Winter 01/12.

Perhaps the most demanding task was finding a solution to the PDF problem. All those onthe YAHOO group and newsletter distribution list got a plea for help and I'm thankful to allthose that replied. There was a lot of hit and miss but gradually the problem was narrowed

down and hopefully eliminated. If you are reading this on a pale yellow background then itcertainly has. If not, back to the drawing board. Suggestions came from far and wide,even from across the pond and all were helpful to a greater or lesser extent.

Please note that despite the changes, those members that require a hard copy will still getone, no one will be excluded. All that awaits is to find out if it meets your expectations andI hope the next issue will contain a page for your plaudits / brickbats, (though I'll probablyonly include the plaudits). Read, digest, enjoy and comment. I certainly hope I'veachieved my aim of taking the newsletter to the next level.

John Norris EDITOR.

IN THIS ISSUEPAGENO.

Editors piece 2

Printing your newsletter 3

Useful tip 3

Plas Menai 1 4

New Boats 7

Getting into WhiteWater;A learning roadmap

8

Buoyancy Aids 12

So just what does the DOdo

13

Lock keepers petition 14

A final thought 14

What's on, when & where 15

The Committee 16


3/16


PRINTING YOUR NEWSLETTER

The aim of the modifications to the newsletter has been to answer the concerns raised bythe majority who receive the newsletter by e-mail. As it comes as a PDF it's not easy to

change and this version will be costly to print. Even in monochrome (unless you've afancy printer that offers the option not to print background) your printer will try to put a greyhue to the pages to replace the colour.For the members who receive a posted hard copy I'll do a separate version without thebackground. It is this version I'll be sending to Big Dave for addition to the website. If youwant an economically printed copy go to the website and download from there. If you wishto retain the seasonal flavour, print it onto a coloured paper similar to the 'e' version.

USEFUL TIP(courtesy Rob Yates L5K @ Riverside)

The first of the new BCU 1* courses is behind us, and the next just around the corner.That bane of new paddlers, keeping the boat straight, will likely surface throughout theyear as our new members build on their initial skills. Let's try to remember that that firsttrip to Temple will be a marathon for some and they will be needing the assistance of moreexperienced members, coaches or otherwise. Often we solve this problem with a slingtied on the back of the boat sometimes in conjunction with a suitable stick if one is handy.This solution is no more than an update to the tried and tested version and might be easierto store in your boat. You'll need the following :-

1x wide necked soft drink or water poly bottle (with top).5mm floating rope x 3m length.Optional locking karabiner.

Drill a 5mm + hole in the bottle top and remove all sharp edges. Thread the floating ropethrough the hole and tie a reliable knot in one end. You might choose to use a little heathere to form your knot into a blob that will not pull through. Make a loop on the other endof the rope big enough to pass the bottle through, or attach your krab. To use the device,pull out the rope, pass it through a grab handle or toggle on the end of the boat and thenpass the bottle through the loop. Unscrew the bottle top and half fill the bottle with river.This will provide drag and tension the rope directly behind the boat and will assist the new

paddler in achieving that all important 'straight line'. When not in use stuff the rope into thebottle and store safely in your boat. The design can be improved upon by using two tops,one with the thread removed, the other with the centre removed. This will allow you tostore everything (inc. krab depending on size) in the bottle.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PADDLER REQUIRING ASSISTANCESHOULD NOT BE LEFT ALONE USING THIS OR ANY OTHER FORM OF

SLING AND THAT SPECIAL ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO ANYSNAGGING HAZARDS THAT MIGHT BE FOUND ON THE WATER.


4/16


PLAS MENAI 1

by JOHN NORRIS

Im doing my bit to re-introduce sea kayaking to the clubs agenda. If I get to be anywherenear as successful as the WW boys Ill consider it a job well done. So far as Im awarethere are no active practitioners of the art within the club, though offers of assistance havebeen received from some of the older members. Considering all of this I booked aweekend at PLAS MENAIAn introduction to sea kayaking, and what a weekend I had!

Friday dawned miserable, but the forecast for North Wales had improved from heavy rainand howling gales to just howling gales. Its a 5hr. trip to the centre and an early arrivalgave me the chance to re-visit some mountain bike skills on their newish track. Just theone hiccup as the track turned a lot sharper than me, but no harm done so I finished with aride up the coast. Later, in the bar I meet my colleagues. 4 coppers from Northampton,

but none the worse for that. Like me they had minimal sea experience though one, DutchHollands, was a L4K. The others, Carl(os) Sturman, Mark Evo Evans and Chris the dogFew had a little paddling behind them and were looking to gain experience for a yachtbased paddling circumnavigation of the I.O.W.

Saturday starts with a breakfast of limited choice but plenty of it. Long gone is the timewhen I could down a big breakfast or three but the evidence remains to this day. A quickintro. to the centre and then meet your instructor. We got John Domoney, an Irishman andaspirant L5 sea coach, whose pleasant manner and at ease delivery allowed him to talkof man eating eddiesand suchlike withoutscaring us (too much).We discuss a plan anddecide to do a section ofthe Menai Straits.On to Llandegfan Sandswhere theres not muchsand when the tide is upand the wind beingchannelled into the neckof the straits kicked up

continuous large waves.It was a short hop to asafe bay but the swell gotthe better of one of ourno. Carlos struggledbravely but waseventually beached by acombination of onshorewind and wave. JD towed the boat back and Carlos returned overland to the put in. Wemade for an easier access down toward the Menai bridge. We took lunch and got on atthe bowling club beach, a very small bay where the tide could be viewed racing by just

metres out. Moving off we broke into the current and headed downstream thanks to theebbing tide. Passing under Telfords suspension bridge we entered the Swellies the


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narrowest part of the straits and one not to be entered without a guide or considerable preplanning. JD took us on a route roughly central with a detour to either side on occasions.It makes a very high R. Thames look pedestrian but can be safely negotiated by those inthe know and Johns earlierconfidence in our abilities was justified as we all exited underBritannia Bridge without a swim. Although the tidal ebb was beginning to slow, large

eddies and whirlpools could be seen.We paddled back to PLAS MENAI crossing the strait several times using the everdecreasing flow to experience certain tidal features and flow characteristics, with a briefstop for an afternoon snack and some stroke practice in Y Felinheli Harbour. The trip itselfdid not seem all that tiring but I was pretty much done for at the end, a condition no doubtexacerbated by the NDK Romany I paddled. A highly respected boat in many quarters,the low deck really hurt my thighs after a short while and I knew I needed a different boattomorrow. Just time to touch briefly on tides and safety etc. before dinner. Later thatnight, in the bar, it was an effort to finish our drinks and I called time after a single bottle ofBass. The boys didnt manage many more.

Sunday, and a most welcome breakfast of fried comestibles + coffee set us up for the dayahead. The boats had been left on the trailer overnight and as soon as I had swapped theRomany for a Rockpool Alaw Bach we were away. No destination decisions as JD hadalready worked out that Rhoscolyn Bay on Holy Island would provide all the conditions werequired. A blast along the A55 and then a less well defined route bought us to a pleasantlittle bay with a small swell and some slight tidal activity. Into the boats and away. JD setus a course to some rocks giving leadership to one of the lads while I discovered its betterto launch and then put on your spraydeck than to sit on the beach while a dumping surffills your boat. With a little deeper water, but still relatively calm we practiced many of thestandard strokes. Slight modifications to the strokes bought about similar results to thoseachieved in the shorter boats we are mostly accustomed too. Perhaps the most difficult isturning the longer sea kayak, as sweeps need to be combined with an element of edging+ additional paddle support. Sharp turns can be made with advanced edging and evenmore so with the cross deck bow rudder.We made our way around a headland into heavier conditions using our new found skills tohug the coastline, visiting small inlets, turning the boats in little more than their length andusing the rise and fall of the waves to take us through some narrow gaps.

JDs next exercise got us heading straight out to sea, turning round a lobster pot markerand back. You did not have to get far from the coast before the waves built up, but theAlaw Bach is a very stable boat inspiring sufficient confidence for me to race back with a

marathon style stroke. Next up head out to sea against the wind, turn, and comebackdown wind. This is dreamland with the boats bows rising high on the wave crest andcrashing down into the trough. Just like Kate Silverton. Coming back downwind the boatneeds quite a bit of course correction. Paddling into the wind is physically demanding buttechnically easy, whilst paddling downwind is physically easy but technically difficult. Butpaddling down wind gives you a chance to surf. Power up on the paddles and just try toovertake the crest of a wave, then ride down the face. Evo was doing well, but onemagical moment later I got everything right and shot past him like he was standing still.Its hard to estimate speed and I wished Id had the gps on the boat but when it all cametogether it felt like a push in the back and Id not be surprised if told I was close to 15mph.Sadly it was all a little too much for Carlos who sat it out. The P & H Easky is perhaps not

the best boat for these conditions being better suited to river and estuary touring. Paddling


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back to the bay webeached for lunch,during which Carlostried a different boatbut decided to sit the

afternoon out.I was keen to bagmy first islandcircumnavigation andwhat might appeartoo many as a largerock, looked like asmall island to me.JD got us round it inan hour or so butmade sure we got

plenty of revision onthings taughtpreviously and some

new, such as towing. The sea is not so forgiving as the river for towing and a long line(15m +) needs to be employed to avoid the towed boat surfing past you. Special attentionhas to be paid to attachment as well as sea tows can often be long affairs and not just getyou to the bank jobs. We had hoped to finish with a rescue or two but the dog wasalready chilling and unnecessary immersion was probably best avoided. The truth beknown I was feeling a little chilly myself despite a good cag and a new IR heavyweightfleece top, so was not shouting out for more when we beached.Getting back to Plas Menai we had a coffee or two and a chance to ask questions. JDadvised on what we should consider next, and said he was always available if we had aquestion to ask.On the way out of the car park I passed the lads packing their car, and wished them wellfor their I.O.W. trip. I dont know whether Ill ever see them again, but I hope so theywere a great bunch of blokes.All in all it was a great course at a good centre with a coach whose efficient, but quietencouragement ensured we all got something from the course. If you want to try seakayaking youll struggle to better the conditions found around here and Id thoroughlyrecommend PLAS MENAI as a centre worth considering. Look them up on the web at:-

http://www.plasmenai.co.uk/index.php?lang=enIm hoping PLAS MENAI 2 will follow later in the year when I might get the opportunity toimprove on the skills Ive started to acquire.
http://www.plasmenai.co.uk/index.php?lang=enhttp://www.plasmenai.co.uk/index.php?lang=en


7/16


NEW BOATS

by JOHN NORRIS

Occasionally the club gets an opportunity to replace some of its older boats. You mayhave noticed in recent years the addition of some PYRANNHA INAZONES & DAGGERGT'S, both in varying sizes. These have been supplemented with an occasional purchaseof a member's older boat if it suits our needs at that particular time. All of these boats tendto veer toward the downstream / whitewater type boat, though few would call them cuttingedge when you consider what's available these days.Just the other night, on a leisurely paddle up to Hurley the choice of available boats wasraised, a question that also featured at a recent committee meeting.Personally I'd like to see a few boats that move toward the touring side of things ratherthan the WW side. We do have a few members who have indicated their preference forsuch boats but as these members do not subscribe to the YAHOO group perhaps their

views are not being heard.So here is your chance. If you want your views on boat selection heard you should let thecommittee know - the secretary's e-mail is on the end page, but you could contact anycommittee member. There are Brookbank catalogues in both changing rooms withillustrations of most popular designs should you need guidance, or you could even do alittle net research for yourself. You can also ask any of the more experienced membershipshould you need additional advice.Amongst boats worth considering might be the Dagger BLACKWATER 10.5 or perhaps alittle larger the Wilderness Systems TSUNAMI 120 & Perception CAROLINA 12 (looks likethose two came out of the same mould), or a Venture EASKY 13 (you're almost into propersea boat size here - but it is exceptionally stable). Look at the links and see for yourself.If we were to put in an order for a specific no. of boats we may be able to get a dealer tobring a few demos' to the club.One comment made though, in a recent round of banter over this topic was that whateverwe get we need to make sure it's used. Go for the next star award, apply for a club keyand paddle when you want too. But please don't go looking for something that's of littlevalue to the current and future club membership.A final point though, if you sit back and do nothing you can't complain if we get more of thesame. I know what I'd like to see and I'll be voicing my opinion at the next committeemeeting. The rest is up to you.

NB! Those boats listed above are just a few of the boats available from a small selection ofmanufacturers. A look through the Brookbank catalogue will reveal many others and a netsearch might tell you what others think about them.
http://www.daggereurope.com/http://www.wildernesssystems.com/tsunami-120http://www.perception.co.uk/kayaks.phphttp://www.venturekayaks.com/page1.php?Page=67http://www.venturekayaks.com/page1.php?Page=67http://www.perception.co.uk/kayaks.phphttp://www.wildernesssystems.com/tsunami-120http://www.daggereurope.com/


8/16


GETTING INTO WHITEWATER;A LEARNING ROADMAP

by CHRIS PORTEOUS

So, you want to make the transition from splashing around on flat water to being a whitewater warrior? Good idea!Although looking at white water can seem a bit daunting at first, with a bit of help, you canquickly develop your skills and this is where the club comes in! We are always looking fornew people who are interested in white water as having more people makes trips more funand benefits you and the club.We are fortunate to have a lot of white water paddlers who are more than willing to spendtime getting you up to speed with white water paddling, from simple messing on the weirsto running Welsh rivers. All it needs is for you to be willing to learn and not mind getting the

occasional dunking (it is a water sport after all!)

HOW TO MAKE THE MOVE?

OK, so you are happy paddling on flat water, feel in control of your boat and want to givethis white water lark a go. What next?The best thing to do is to talk to one of our current white water paddlers or get in touchwith me ([email protected]). We can then arrange someone suitable to be around on aSunday, Tuesday or Thursday evening session to dedicate some time to helping you out.

STEP 1

To start off with, it's good to get an idea of edge control. This basically means gettinghappy with leaning your boat onto its side as opposed to sitting flat. The ideal place to

practice this is the Temple Weirspillways, as it is extremely friendlyand we go there pretty much everyweek. Just let someone know thatyou want to have a go and we cankeep an eye on you and give yousome advice.

At the same time, if you can learn toroll, either at the pool or in theThames, this will give you a hugeamount of confidence. It takes a whileto crack the technique, but againthere are a lot of people who aremore than willing to teach you.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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STEP 2

So, you enjoyed having somewater rushing under the side ofyour boat on Temple? The next

step is to get used to edgecontrol in deep water, where youdont have a concrete spillway toguide you. This can be done onany of our local weirs. Marlowand Temple are particularlygood. Again, just let one of thewhite water paddlers know youwant to try and we can give youa bit of training and a few demoson how to break in to the flow,then you can have a go.

STEP 3

Now it starts to get interesting! Ifyoure happy with breaking in tomoving water on the weirs, you havetwo choices. Either you can come upto the mighty Hurley Weir with us

(which is about 2 miles upstream ofMarlow) or come on an away tripwith us.Hurley is the logical place to go nextbecause its close, safe, and will giveyou really good experience of bigvolume water.However, if Hurley looks a bit bigand intimidating for you, then ourtrips to Symonds Yat, The Wye orThe Dee will be great for you. They

are all good rivers that you canpractice techniques on and you getthe added fun of being on an awaytrip.

All photos' supplied Chris Porteous; featuring in no.1 ANDY HIBBERT (edging at Temple)No.2 is CHRIS himself having a go on something a little tougher, and in No.3 PAULCRICHTON who seems happy to take on just about anything these days.


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COMMON CONCERNS

I'm scared of going under water!

This is very much something you have to get over in your own head. What you have to

remember is that everyone can hold their breath for at least10 seconds underwater (try itnext time youre in the bath!). Presuming that you have told someone you are going topractice white water technique, this is easily enough time for someone to either rescue youor for you to make a calm and controlled exit from your boat.Being able to roll is another good way to get past this fear, as it gives you the confidencethat you can get yourself back to the surface again.

I am worried / embarrassed that I might swim

When I was first experimenting with white water, this was a big one for me. Again, its a bit

of a mind game you have to sort out for yourself. But remember, there is nothing to beembarrassed aboutwe have all done it / do it lots and people dont get annoyed by it; itgives others good practice in rescues. Being in the water isnt a big dea l either. On nearlyevery river we use (including the Thames), it is easy to swim to the bank and get out.

I dont have the right kit

Nonsense! The only real kit you need is something that will keep you warm. Ideally afleece and a dry cag. If you dont have a cag, then you can borrow one of mine, orsomeone elses until you can get your own. For everything else, you can use club ownedkit.

White water is expensive

This is down to personal judgement, however to clarify things, here is what it will cost youto come on a trip with us in the summer:Petrol (based on 3 people in a car): Approx 20 for the weekend. Camp site fee: 7Dinner: up to 20 (or if you want to, bring your own, then its free!)Thats it! So, presuming you have dinner at a restaurant on the Saturday, thats under 50for the weekend, or under 30 if you bring your own dinner.If you feel this is too expensive, then come to Hurley. It is extremely good fun, gives youjust as good experience and wont cost you anything!

Isnt white waterdangerous?

Well, it goes without saying it is an assumed risk sport. However, the key thing is onlydoing what you are happy with. You would be extremely unlucky to get in to trouble onHurley weir or grade 2 rivers. Obviously, as river grades increase, the risks do too.However, your skills also improve, mitigating the risk. Or, if you feel happier, you donthave to stray away from Hurley / grade 2 water (although you probably will end up wantingto ). Always remember that you are far more likely to be hurt while driving to work thanon a river!

Anyway, the main message from this is give it a try

if nothing else, you can decide ifyou like it or not!


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UPCOMING WHITEWATER EVENTS

The following a list of events coming up. Note that experience levels are only guides andnot limits. Speak to Chris or Paul C (the white water reps) if you are unsure.

Hurley SessionsOngoing Look at Yahoo Groups or Talk to ChrisLocation Hurley Weir 2 miles upstream of MarlowRecommended Experience Someone with a bit of WW experience through to

serious play boaters

Pool SessionsEvery Thursday Talk to Chris / John Norris / John ParkinLocation Gurnell Leisure Centre, Ealing, W. LondonRecommended Experience You know one end of a boat from the other

June Surf Trip 7th / 8thJune 2008

Location A South Wales Beach To Be ConfirmedRecommended Experience Anyone With Some WW Experience

French Alps Trip21st 29thJune 2008Location Southern French AlpsRecommended Experience G2 + Paddlers (Speak to Paul C)

Upper Tryweryn Summer Trip19th / 20thJuly 2008Location Canolfan Tryweryn, North WalesRecommended Experience G3 Paddlers

Symonds Yat Intro Trip23rd / 24thAugust 2008 (or individual days)Location Symonds Yat, South Wales BorderRecommended Experience Anyone wanting a taste of white water

August Surf Trip 30th / 31st August 2008Location A South Wales Beach To Be ConfirmedRecommended Experience Anyone With Some WW Experience

SO, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR - GIVE IT A GO!


12/16


BOUYANCY AIDS (COURTESY OF KOKATAT Watersports Wear)

Let's face it, the clubs' ba's take a lot of stick. We purchase ones made to 'centre spec' sothat they'll take a little more rough and tumble. But it irks me to see that few bother to

adjust them. And it irks me even more so when people use the wrong size, sometimesdepriving another member of the correct size. So I was leafing through the KOKATATcatalogue and saw this feature on how to fit a life vest ( that's what our colleagues acrossthe pond refer to them as). I though it useful and asked if we could use it.


13/16


SO JUST WHAT DOES THE D.O. DO?

by ANDY MAXTED

Marlow Canoe Club, just like most other clubs, relies on a small army of willing volunteerswho try to ensure that the club house, equipment and coaches are just where theyreneeded for club sessions.Central to any Tuesday evening or Sunday morning session is the Duty Officer, or DO forshort, but just what does the DO do? Its a question sometimes asked by new membersbut perhaps not a role understood by many established ones. So heres a quick guidePerhaps the first thing to bear in mind is that the DO is not necessarily a coach. Whilemany of those who volunteer to do DO may be coaches, you dont have to be a coach tobe DO. So when you come to a club session please dont expect the DO to take you onthe water!The DO is essentially a safety officer. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that the club

house is open at the beginning of a session, that club equipment is serviceable, that thosewanting (or needing) instruction are allocated to a suitable instructor and that all are off thewater and the club house is secured at the end of a session. Not much to it really!Being a DO is quite straightforward for most summer sessions. Tricky moments dohowever come after heavy rain when the river is high (generally whenever the traffic lightsat the rowing club opposite are on Amber or Red). In these circumstances the DOsresponsibility is to advise members that they shouldnt go on the water unlessaccompanied by a minimum Level 3 Coach or above. Of course, it is then up to membersto heed that advice, or not! This is not usually a problem for adult members, but juniorscannot by law be expected to make a judgement as to whether conditions are suitable forthem. In these circumstances the DO has no choice other than to stipulate that juniors goafloat only with a parent or guardian or a Level 3 or higher coach.Most of our summer water sessions are run by Level 2 and Level 1 coaches and all junior members not being looked after by their parent or guardian should be under thesupervision of a coach. The clubs coaches will provide leadership and instruction to anymembers seeking this, but good practice says they should only be looking after amanageable group of perhaps six or eight paddlers. Level 1 coaches are generallyqualified to work between Higginson Park and the head of the lock (while keeping wellaway from the weir) while Level 2s are qualified to lead short journeys, typically from theclub house up to Temple Lock or down via the lockcut to Longridge. The clubs operatingprocedures specify that a Level 3 (or higher) must be present when shooting or playing on

the Thames weirs.What about the DO? Well if they are qualified as a coach they can look after a group onthe water within their coaching remit. If not they can paddle as a responsible adult, eitherwith a coach, or with other responsible adult members.The club is always looking for more DOs. As you can se e, you dont need to be a coach indeed you dont even need to go on the water but if you are a responsible adult andprepared to help out on a couple of sessions a year do let a member of the committeeknow. Youll be given a safety briefing and a club house key and know youll be doing yourbit to keep the club running smoothly.

Please note that a small deposit is required against a clubhouse key.


14/16


LOCK KEEPERS PETITION

by JOHN NORRIS

I'm sure that by now most of us will have heard of the EA plan to sell of or rent out most ofthe lock keepers properties. I spoke to our man at Temple the other day and generallyenquired as to his well being - his particular property not being featured on the list. He isnot quite sure where he stands as the published list is list 1, and further lists are likely tofollow and that this property may be on one of them.You might ask 'why should I bother', mostly we portage around the locks or drop over theweirs on the downstream part of any journey we make. We do on occasion use the lock,particularly when there is a large group of us and though we are generally very safetyconscious the lock keeper can see things we cannot and advise accordingly if deemednecessary. We should not forget an incident a few years ago when one of our membersgot stuck across the weir at Marlow and was unable to extricate himself due to thepressure of the water. A very capable paddler, he had done nothing more than to ignoreadvice given to him by older members - and who amongst us has not ignored the advice ofour betters at some time or the other. Fortunately the lock keeper was on hand tomanipulate the weir gates and affect a safe rescue, but it could all have ended so verydifferently.But there is another issue to consider here, that of access to the river in general. Lockside properties have been sold off previously (mainly on canals and lesser used rivers)and it has been noted that in some instances new owners have used 'nuisance' laws to tryand restrict access around the property, and that might cause us a problem. We mightfeel protected, being on a major river but I'd ask you think about footpaths (essentially

what the towpath is). Many a time I have come across a deliberately blocked path, whichis subsequently cleared, but not until a few weeks legal wranglings have ensued. I may bepainting an unnecessarily gloomy picture here but I for one am struggling to understandhow this action will be of benefit to anyone other than the EA's short term strategists. Youcan only sell an asset once and when the capital has gone you are worse off than before.What can you do about it. The easiest thing to do would be to make sure that you sign thepetition available at every lock. Then there is a petition on the PM's site. Consider theproposal at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Thames-locks/and sign that too. Finally, a letter toyour MP will at least ensure the issue is bought to the attention of those in the corridors ofpower. Should you wish to find out more about this a simple search on the net (lockkeepers cottages) will provide you with copious information. It's a bit one sided though - I

can't see anyone other than the EA itself agreeing with this proposal.

A FINAL THOUGHT

There's a river somewhere that flows through the lives of everyone.

Roberta Flack
mailto:http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Thames-locksmailto:http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Thames-locks


15/16


WHAT'S ON, WHEN AND WHERE

The complete and authoritive guide to all that the club hopes to do in the forthcomingmonths. Please note that at the time of going to press dates cannot be guaranteed and

that the programme can be subject to changes.

ALLSUNDAYS

CLUB SESSIONS; ON THE WATER FOR 10:00am. SEE D.O.FOR FINISH. CHECK NOTICEBOARDS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS

D.O

ALLTUESDAYS

CLUB SESSIONS; ON THE WATER FOR 7:00pm. SEE D.O. FORFINISH. CHECK NOTICEBOARDS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS

D.O

07/08 JUNE NOVICE COURSE 2 - VOLUNTEERS PLEASE TT

07/08 JUNE SURF TRIP CP

14/15 JUNE IMPROVER COURSE 1 - 2* AWARD PART 1 (+TUESDAY 17th) TT

21/22 JUNE IMPROVER COURSE 1 - 2* AWARD PART 2 TT

21-29 JUNE ALPS TRIP PC

05/06 JULY NOVICE COURSE 3 - VOLUNTEERS PLEASE TT

07 JULY COMMITTEE MEETING @ MARLOW DONKEY (DATE T.B.C.) AM

19/20 JULY RIVER TRYWERYN CP

02/03 AUG. NOVICE COURSE 4 - VOLUNTEERS PLEASE TT

09/10 AUG. IMPROVER COURSE 1 - 2* AWARD PART 1 (+TUESDAY 12th) TT

16/17 AUG. IMPROVER COURSE 1 - 2* AWARD PART 2 TT

23/24 AUG SYMONDS YAT - RIVER WYE CP

30/31 AUG. SURF TRIP CP

01 SEPT COMMITTEE MEETING @ MARLOW DONKEY (DATE T.B.C.) AM

06/07 SEPT NOVICE COURSE 5 - VOLUNTEERS PLEASE TT

20/21 SEPT GET INTO WHITEWATER - RIVER DEE CP

05 OCT. COACHING UPDATE FORUM - LONGRIDGE BCU

EVERYTHURSDAYEVENING

9.00 - 10.30

SWIMMING POOL SESSIONS AT GURNELL POOL, WEST LONDONGET TUITION IN ROLLING, PRACTISE 3* SKILLS OR ANYTHINGYOU'VE GOT A BIT RUSTY ON. SEE WEBSITE FOR MAP AND

DETAILS

ORGANISER / MCC CONTACT FOR ABOVE EVENTS

AC ADRIAN COOPER 01844 344580 [email protected]

AM ANDY MAXTED 07730 852760 [email protected]

DL DAVID LYDIATT 01753 887773 [email protected]

JN JOHN NORRIS 01494 483833 [email protected]

JP JOHN PARKIN 07973 820515 [email protected]

MP MARTIN PLAIN 01628 483252 [email protected]

TB TERRY BELCHER 01628 851001 [email protected]


16/16


THE COMMITTEE & OTHER USEFUL NUMBERS

A list of those members who serve on the club's committee, their role, a contact no. and ane-mail address should you need to get in touch.

POSITION NAME TELEPHONE E-MAIL (all hyperlinked)

PRESIDENT TIM WARD 01494 482959 [email protected]

CHAIRMAN ADRIAN COOPER 01844 344580 [email protected]

SECRETARY ANDY MAXTED 07730 852760 [email protected]

TREASURER PAUL CRICHTON 08708 806962 [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP ROD EDMONDS 01753 671389 [email protected]

COACHING TIM TWITCHEN 07833 995289 [email protected]

EQUIPMENT CHRIS PORTEOUS 01628 485049 [email protected]

NEWSLETTER JOHN NORRIS 01494 483833 [email protected]

WOMENS REP. TOR EDWARDS 01494 [email protected]

YOUTH REP. ALEX SHEILL [email protected]

SOCIAL SEC MELINDA LIVETT [email protected]

MARATHON THIS EVENT WILL IN FUTURE BE HOSTED BY LONGRIDGE C.C.

WHITEWATER CHRIS PORTEOUS 01628 485049 [email protected]

TOURING VACANT

SEA JOHN NORRIS 01494 483833 [email protected]

OUR NEAREST RETAILERS / SUPPLIERS

RIVERSIDE OXFORD 01865 248673 http://www.riversideoxford.co.uk

MARSPORT READING 01189 665912 http://www.marsport.co.uk

BERKSHIRECANOES

READING 01189 425640 http://www.berkshire-canoes.co.uk

WWC SHEPPERTON 01932 247978 http://www.whitewaterthecanoecentre.co.uk

PADDLESPORT COMPTON VERNEY 01926 640573 http://www.paddlesport.co.uk

Please advise the editor if any contact details are incorrect or if you wish to add an alternative no. / e-mail address to the list.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.riversideoxford.co.uk/http://www.marsport.co.uk/http://www.berkshire-canoes.co.uk/http://www.whitewaterthecanoecentre.co.uk/http://www.paddlesport.co.uk/http://www.paddlesport.co.uk/http://www.whitewaterthecanoecentre.co.uk/http://www.berkshire-canoes.co.uk/http://www.marsport.co.uk/http://www.riversideoxford.co.uk/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

newsletter 120 summer 2008 02

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