2010 10 newsletter

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Volume 34 Issue 10 ~ October 2010

Newsletter F

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Frome Canoe Club is affiliated to the British Canoe Union and is a Registered Charity (Number 1104728)

Danny here, asks a local from Tryweryn the way to the nearest Pizza Hut.

OR Frome Canoe Club goes fishing again. OR That’s not how a tug-of-war works!

Of course not. It’s FCC in an Advanced White Water Safety and Rescue course.

In this issue: The Frome Trip with its record

number of paddlers (41), and its record

number of points (53).

Read about it in Josie’s article on P8.

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FCC ‘THROWLINE ’ CLUB MAGAZINE

COPY DATE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE 28th October Please send items for next Newsletter by email to [email protected]

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President

Graham Warnecke

Vice Presidents

Richard and Jane Arney

Jim and Catharine Croft

Chairman

Andy Bell

Vice Chairman

Rich Carter

Treasurer

John Kent

Secretary

Pam Dixon

16 Blagdon Walk, Frome, BA11 2YH

Committee Members

Andy Avery

Howard Charlesworth

Alun Jones

Gareth McGiveron

Julie Middleton

Alex Nicol

Martin Spurling

Sara Withall

CONTENTS

Page

Committee details/Contents 2

Calendar in brief 3

Calendar in detail - River Usk 4

Calendar in detail - River Barle 4

Pool Sessions 5

Monthly meets 6

Reports - Grandtully 7

Reports - River Frome 8-9

Wild Wednesdays 10

Passes on Courses 2010 11

Learn to Roll! 12

What the Committee is doing 13

The Changing River Frome 14-15

Spotlight on Members 16

Members’ News 17

Kit Loan 18

Coaches’ Meeting 18

Other events 18

Bits and Pieces 19

Coppernose Points 20

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Calendar 2010

Date Event Standard Contact

October

9/10 Tiverton Training weekend Passport/1 Star Pam D

13 Coaches’ meeting Coaches + others Rich C

24 River Usk 2 Star + John K

24 Three Star - Day 3 Participants Rich C

27 DVD Wednesday All Pam D

31 Sunday Morning Paddle All Pam D

November

6/7 Dart Training weekend 1 Star+ Pam D

21 River Barle 1 Star + Andy B



December

5 River Tavy 2 Star + John K

19 River Dart - Lower section 1 Star + John K

19 River Dart - Middle section 2 Star + Rich C

24 NO POOL SESSION All Pam D



31 NO POOL SESSION All Pam D

See pages 4-6 for more details of trips etc. Where the standard needed includes a ‘+’, this means that you

need to have moving water experience.


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Calendar in detail


River Usk Sunday 24th October Meet at the Clubhouse, 8.am Cost £13 Organiser - John Kent

The River Usk is in South Wales. The stretch we will most likely pad-dle is from Sennybridge to Aber-bran.

This is a good introduction to white water, the rapids are straight for-ward and are a reasonably continu-ous grade 2. The hardest sections are encountered early in the trip: In the space of a mile, there are three successive rock ledges, the last and highest being about a me-tre drop. This can be portaged.

If the water is too low we can pad-dle the stretch further downstream from Talybont to Gliffaes where after a flat start we encounter two grade 3 rapids at Mill Fall and Spuhler's Folley, although in nor-mal water conditions there are clear routes down the left side of the river. In between are rapids above and below Llanginidr Bridge.

Both stretches are around 6 miles in length. Remember to wear warm clothes and to bring food and drink for the trip.

River Barle Sunday 21st November Meet at the Clubhouse, 8.am Cost £13 Organiser - Andy Bell The River Barle is a beautiful river and has been described as ‘alpine-like’ with it rapids, playspots and clear water.

Just right for those learning white water skills and wanting a bit of a progression from the Exe. It is also great for the more seasoned paddlers who just like a good paddle.

We start at Tarr Steps and paddle to Dulverton, a distance of 7 miles. Often cold in November, be sure to bring warm clothes and a good lunch.

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Calendar in detail - Weekly Club Sessions

Pool Sessions Every Friday, 8-9pm Frome Sports Centre £2.50 youth £3 adults

Turn up at 7.45 to the foyer of the Sports Centre to choose your pad-dling slot. There will be three sessions each week We give you a coloured wrist band to denote the paddling session you are in.

8 - 820pm Orange bands 8.20 - 840pm Blue bands 8.40 - 9pm. Green bands

We can have 16 boats in the pool at any one time and no swimmers.

When you are not paddling you can stand and chat on poolside or mess about in the small pool.

The lifeguards look out for every-one’s safety but we also have a re-sponsibility to observe all the pool rules.

Any queries on the night, ask the Supervisor (in the yellow T-shirt) the Instructor (in the green T-shirt, or Pam.

If you bring your own boat, no leaves and no sand please!

We do appreciate help with the kit at the beginning and ends of sessions. Please help if you can.

Well John found out, with a little bit of research that the original was done by one of our previous club members, David Hamblin, and was first used in March 1991

It has stood the test of time quite well, hasn’t it?

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Calendar in detail - Monthly Club Sessions


Monthly Morning Paddle On Sundays 31st October At the Clubhouse, 10am-noon Cost £2

Once a month we will meet at the clubhouse at 10am and we take a gentle stroll down stream and up-stream OR we thrash round the sla-lom poles and impress others with our fitness!

Last session, 26th September, was great. The weather was unbelieva-bly mild and we had 17 people on the water. Some of us were ener-getic, practising for the two races at the beginning of October, whilst others took it real easy!

Monthly DVDs On Wednesdays 27th October At the Clubhouse 7pm.

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Reports - Grandtully, 28/29th August


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Reports - The River Frome


River Frome - Sunday 19th Trip They stood in the car park in the centre of Frome, Loading the cars they’ll sure be off soon

They arrived and removed all of the kit, Over the fence seeing who they could hit

The paddlers stood with kit in a line, Passing the cows one at a time

One kayak short don’t you agree, As Rosie shouted it wasn’t me

They got on the river oh how very subtle, While others completed a technical shuttle

The paddlers slowed down and got in a huddle, They looked at the weir and wanted a cuddle

One went down with others to follow, A great technique others could borrow

Many balls were found on this trip, Maybe a footballer was taking a dip

Some much faster water created a kayaking mess, With beginner paddlers put to the test

Chucked out the bottom into the trees, Some facing backwards and some with grazed knees

A few more weirs were conquered by all, Even those incompetent fools

Due to the rivers’ very low flow The collections of rocks caused the paddlers to slow

A waterless weir the paddlers had found, Causing the group to walk around

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Reports - The River Frome continued

Paddlers and points

Girls: Ash C, Bee T, Gine MBL (3), India T, Isi M, Issy V, Jaz YW (6), Jasmine S, Josie S, Lois E, Megan J, Philippa T (12), Rosie V,

Boys: Aaron G, Aiden W, Ben M (3), Ben N, Kieran E, Luke S (12), Nathan W (6), Richard N, Rowan A.

Ladies: Gilly V (3), Jackie L (2), Jane T, Kim H, Mandy J (3), Nichola C, Pam D.

A canoeing duo went screaming down The weir at Rode Mill, but they sure didn’t drown

Langham’s river was terribly low, With no white water or sign of a flow

Two young children got in a mud fight, With people capsizing to the left and the right

Exiting the river by a nearby tree, Along with boats and kit you see

Back in the cars and heading for home, Thanks to organizers and those who don’t moan By Josie Shillabeer

Ed: Thank you Josie. A brilliant account of the trip including that kayaker’s nightmare of having one less boat when you unload at the start. It’s happened before! Fortunately we were able to pop back and get another. Josie mentions the dry weirs and if you are interested in the changes in the Frome, see the article on P14.

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Reports - Wednesdays go WILD


It is with a bit of relief when it comes to the final few weeks of the season, after a full

-on summer of Wednesday nights. You see we have all the different groups in full swing, making for some very busy sessions. So I look forward to a nice rundown in numbers before we close for the winter.

But no, it was not to be! On Septem-ber 15th, our last night of the season, where did all these people come from? With only half the instructors there (remember we are running down to the end of the season), it was going to be tricky. All I could see were people coming out of the boat store, saying ‘What boat shall I use?’ or ‘Where does the green group meet?’

Like all good instructors faced with a major problem, I point to somebody else, in fact anybody but me!

Well the Green group ended up being 26 in total. Gareth, the poor man was arm twisted into helping with the group. He was pleasant enough about it when Pam asked him but he didn’t exactly know what was in store for him….

The next problem was - where to take them? UP STREAM I hear you shout. That’s right: not too deep, so when they swim as they were inevitably going to, they will be able to stand.

Some said they did not want to get wet. They were the ones who were waist-high in the water and sinking the others in the end. Yes, all 26 were in the water! And me? Well they sat on my boat until it was under water, and with that com-mon problem when underwater, of lack of air, I had to get out. Gareth stayed dry.

Pam who had just come round the corner at this point, gave them’ THE LOOK’ as a few took a couple of steps towards her boat, and then froze with the full force of the glare unleashed.

Thanks to those in the Adult group who passed by, for helping to get them back in their boats as the session came to a close. But a ‘well done’ must go to the adults for not getting sunk as well.

It was a bit of good luck that we brought all 26 back to the jetty. I may have a few more grey hairs, or is it only Gareth who’s getting them?

Some words from our Head Coach

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Reports - Members’ passes on courses

2010 courses: CONGRATULATIONS to members

Passport (2 courses this year) Ben Lemon, William Taylor, Harry Patten, Connor Edgar, Stephanie Parker Smith, Jonathan Waldeck and Millie Mynard. Joseph Hood, Maisha Harvey, Luke Stedman and Sebastian Hewitt.

Discover Isi Miles, Bee Thomas, Philippa Thomas, India Thomas, Max Charlesworth, Lily Charlesworth, Issy Vallis and Gine M-B-Lane,

One Star Aiden Friel, George Bradford, Guy Ginger, Mandy James, Hilary Pound and Paul Hill.

Two Star Kate Johnson, Ben Pictor, Pete Bloodworth, George Bradford, Oscar Daffin, Richard Donkersley, Josie Shillabeer and Jasmine Shillabeer. (Nb the passes on the early course this year were recorded in June’s News-letter.)

FSRT (Foundation, Safety and Rescue Training) Rowan Avery, Becki Fryer and Amanda Reeves,

Three Star – not quite finished yet: Moving Water sections to be done on 24th October.

Four Star Andy Avery, Andy Bell, Tim Cottle, Danny O’Gorman, Alun Jones and Carl Gil-der. (Some others have done the training and need to go for assessment in due course.)

Advanced Whitewater, Safety and Rescue Danny O’Gorman, Carl Gilder, Alex Nicol and Tim Cottle.

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Learning to roll!

In three stages . .


WANT TO LEARN TO ROLL?

OR come to a pool session and learn a more conventional way

POOL SESSIONS HAVE STARTED: FRIDAYS, 8-9pm

Drawn by David Hamblin, for the

September 1990 issue

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Reports - from the Committee


What is the committee doing for us? And how is our money being spent?

BOAT STORE EXTENSION Yes! We are trying again – a cheaper, faster version this time! Andy Bell came up with the bright idea of buying a new large container and then putting it right next to the one we already have, at the side of the building. So no bricks and mortar and more important, much cheaper! And much quicker! He then drew a cunning little roof on the top of each container (the plans that is), giving us some respectable, additional space, to store the new slalom boats and the club trailer. Andy has now submitted these drawings for planning permis-sion. We will have to wait and see now.

KIT: Well, you are all aware that Andy Avery secured a massive £10k grant from Sport England for slalom boats for us. And the boats have been or-dered. Delivery date is November. We are getting two C2s, two C1s and sev-en K1s in different sizes. The colours have been chosen to make it easy to spot which size you need to pick. How’s that for efficiency? Also coming as part of the grant are three G3s and airbags for them.

In another bid for money from Canoe

England we think we have secured 17 buoyancy aids and a Sit on Top. More news when we know all the details.

Two more Infrareds and more air bags have been bought, this time from club funds. We have to thank Hazel and Tim selling some old kay-aks on e-bay for us, to help part-fund the purchase of these two new boats. Thanks, you two .

We are aiming to fit airbags into all our boats and are slowly working through them.

CLUB SESSIONS Wednesdays have been unbelieva-bly successful. Busy to say the least, sometimes a bit manic! However we have continued to provide good training sessions for our members, fun sessions and introductory ses-sions for non members.

Paddlepower courses have run all through the season and we need to make a special mention of new Dis-cover course, which has been very successful in its introductory year, thanks to Stu and Megan.

The busy sessions have sometimes been quite demanding but we have had a fantastic team of volunteers to help us, all through the summer. Thank you.

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Reports - The Changing River Frome


The River Frome was differ-ent today

Some of us were shocked and even saddened when we paddled the Riv-er Frome on 19th September and saw the changes that were happen-ing.

I guess some things do have to change like the ox-bow which has formed by the violent flood water carving into the banks and breaking through. We accept that nature does its own thing and so we were expecting it to be there today, but not the heavy undergrowth blocking the way through. Of course we lim-bo-ed under it and that was fine .... But could be tricky after heavy rains.

The fallen trees and the foliage to push through at intervals was gener-ally manageable, making it like one of ‘jungle trips’ of old, and we could cope with the walking bits (as we always do), but the REEDS ... The REEDS! They’re taking over the river in places, probably as a result of the flow of water being so slow these days. So that was ‘Change Number Two’: the massive reed beds.

They were everywhere. Was it be-cause of the work on the weirs or just to do with the dry spell we have

had, that has slowed down the flow of water?

Just above Shawford Weir (aka Woolverton) these reeds formed a huge solid mass, blocking the way to the weir face. But that was all right because we didn’t really need to get to the weir today. There was NO WATER going over today. Absolute-ly none. Dry as a bone.

We couldn’t paddle over it.

Jane however tried an interesting manoeuvre - an accidental trip on the very slippery surface as she was standing at the top and down she went, slipping and sliding on her bum, following her boat which also glided over. All the rest of us walked round.

The biggest shock of all however was the very first weir at Lullington. We knew we would have to portage it because of the mass of concrete

Where’s all

the water?

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Thanks to two members


hidden below. Mark B had found that out for us on a previous trip, nearly doing his back in at the time.

But we weren’t expecting what is there now: a massive addition of concrete blocks, three foot high cemented on top of the weir, so that when we pad-dled round the bend we were faced with a GIANT WALL. (Well 3 feet.)

With nowhere to go. It was so final and so absolute and so sad. We will never

be able to shoot that weir again.

Andy B tells us that there are applica-tions for 6 turbines on the Frome (whole section – not just ‘our’ bit), and if we are at all environmentally sympa-thetic, we would have to agree that generating electricity from water is good, but what about our favourite river......

?

Thank you to Jonathan Howell who trimmed the trees

back from behind the clubhouse so that the branches don’t rub against the roof any more.

Tim: your lawn mower can have a holiday, now that the summer season is over.

Thank you for cutting the grass for us at Market Yard and at Langham Farm this year. And for clear-ing away the litter every week.

Thank you!

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Spotlight on Members


Andrew - seen every Wednesday, all through the summer, taking

the slalom group. Andrew is one of our serious slalomists and as you can see on P7 he travels far and wide to compete.

What do you like about Frome Canoe Club? The chance to do different types of canoeing sla-lom, river tripe etc. with all different types of people ages, background ability.

Which river would you describe as your most favourite? River Tavey.

What is the happiest moment you have had on the water? Too many happy times to list, but some of the Frome trips have been great fun.

What is your most embarrassing moment on the water? Swimming at Perranporth in 1979 and getting dragged half way down the beach due to the strong tide.

Tell us about the boats you have owned. Gaybo Sting, Cosmics, Pyranah Premier, Perception Dancer, Perception Carolina, Cool Blue and another Dancer.

Your favourite piece of kit? Water proof trousers or maybe gloves when it is really cold.

Tell us some of the highlights in your paddling career. Getting promoted at Treweryn in 1982 to Division 1.

My sporting hero is Richard Fox.

Have you got a top tip you can offer to fellow paddlers? Don’t be surprised if you can’t master something as next year things may be very different. I know this: last year my performance at Shepperton division 2 slalom was very disappointing!

Ed: The committee has asked me to take this opportunity to say thank you for running the slalom training group every Wednesday Clubnight, all though the summer, and for showing so many of our club members how much fun slalom is. THANK YOU.

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More on Members!


Congratulations to Neil and Gem-ma.

A baby boy, Alexander,

born on 13th September.

Mum and baby Xander are

doing fine.

Neil is still recovering!

Congratulations to Vicky for becoming a

UKCC Level 1 Coach. Vicky joins that elite band of NEW UKCC coaches in the Club, taking the number to 9 altogether. Well done, Vicky.

Ed: Welcome to the band of prune fingered, bleary eyed people who de-velop very quickly, that knowing feeling that when Pam approaches with a clipboard, you quickly develop strategies for being busy!!!

Congratulations to Alex - our first Paddlepower Assessor

Extract of a letter from Lara Tipper (English Coaching Manager) to Alex: ‘ .....Thank you for completing the Paddle-power Passport Logbook. I can now confirm you are registered on the Canoe England database as:

Paddlepower Passport Assessor .....’

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Bits and Pieces

KIT LOAN The Club is happy to lend kit to members for trips.

Please remember:

Kit is for use by all members (so you can’t ’borrow it’ and then

keep it in your garage for an extended loan!)

Kit needs to be at the Clubhouse for weekends now that the

trips have started.

Kit must be looked after – please report any faults to a committee

member

Kit should be borrowed for one trip at a time

If you need to borrow some kit, please speak to Committee member and log

the item(s) on the chart which is kept on the clubhouse notice board nearest

to the kit store.

Coaches’ Meeting Wednesday, 13th October At the Clubhouse, 7pm

This meeting will take place on Wednesday evening, when people meet at the clubhouse anyway. The purpose will be to discuss this year’s training programme, in par-ticular: Wednesday evenings, the weekend courses, the new Discover course and the new Slalom courses.

While the meeting is aimed at the coaches and other volunteers who have helped, we would love to hear any feedback, good or bad, from members and so everyone is wel-come.

OTHER EVENTS Oct 24 Taff White Water Race. Two and half mile race down grade 2 near Cardiff. Suitable for 2* paddlers. Nov 7 Lower Dart White Water Race. Wessex finals over the Buck-fastleigh to Staverton section of the Lower Dart. Nov 20/21 Hurley Classic Freestyle event. http://www.ukfreestyle.com

http://www.ukfreestyle.com

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Bits and Pieces


Here you are

Gemma.

I think he’s

telling me to go

canoeing!

Put this date in your diary ! The Annual Social and Prize-giving Ceremony 22nd January 2011 Trinity Hall, Frome

7.00pm till 10.30pm

WELL DONE JOHN! John competed at Cardington on 4th /5th September in Div 2, and came 12th out of 43 on Saturday (about 1/3rd down the list) and then on Sunday he came 15th out of 44 on Sunday.

Ed: A very pleasing result to be sure!

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www.frome-canoe-club.org.uk

CONTACTS Chairman: Andy Bell 07966 203309 Vice Chair: Rich Carter 01373 864623 [email protected] Treasurer: John Kent 01225 765168 [email protected] Secretary: Pam Dixon 01373 473836 [email protected] Youth Reps: Julie Middleton 07793 251341 Alex Nicol alexjamesnicol@google mail.com

Jack Smiles 26 Jonny Bevan 19 Philippa Thomas 18 Alex Nicol 18 Gareth McGiveron 18

Amanda Reeves 15 Jonathan Howell 15 Fred Hobbs 13 Luke Stedman 12 Tim Cottle 12 Hazel Cottle 12 Bill Fryer 12 Rich Carter 11 James Hannan 11 Jonathan Waldeck 10 Dave Bloodworth 10 Stuart Miles 9 Sam Charlesworth 9 Kate Johnson 9 Pam Dixon 9 George McGiveron 7 Arthur Belbin 7 Andy Bell 7 Bee Thomas 6 Jasmine Shillabeer 6 Nathan Walker 6 Ellie Howell 6 Joe Gregory 6

Karl Waldeck 6 Lily Charlesworth 5 Michael Topp 5 James Spurling 5 Mandy James 3 Ben Miles 3 Gine M-B-Lane 3 Guy Ginger 3 Gilly Vallis 3 Rowan Avery 3 Isi Miles 3 Louise Bastable 3 Richard Norman 3 Vicky Bennett 3 Ben Nicol 3 Jack Hobbs 3 Steve Scammell 3 Peter Nicol 3 Julie Middleton 3 Emma Spurling 3 Andy Lyall 3 Richard Heal 3 Jackie Lloyd 2 Howard Charlesworth 2

James Munn 2 Darren Oram 2 Mark Baines 1 Alun Jones 1

COPPERNOSE CLIP POINTS

Canoeing and kayaking are “Assumed risk” – “Water contact sports” that may carry attendant risks. Participants should be aware of and accept these risks, and be responsible for their own action and involvement.

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Hilperton. BA14 7PJ

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