Tuesday 24 June 2014

Viewed From The River

Its a good while since I've spent a day on a river in a canoe.
Saturday saw the Canoes, Mountains & Caves Community out on the River Tyne at Prudhoe. There were ten of us & the sun shone all day. What an enjoyable way to pass a few hours.

Rivers offer a very different view of the world, especially from the vantage point of an open canoe, sat literally on the water. A river is nature's created highway, a means of transport for so many types of creature; a delicate ecosystem supporting a diverse range of life. The canoe offers a unique perspective: the noise of the water as it oozes & surges over and between rocks to form rapids; the constant movement & power of the water which needs to be worked with rather than against......


We spent the day looking at basic tandem & solo open canoe skills: forward paddling; turning; moving sideways. Each session led from this into moving water skills: ferry gliding; breaking in to & out of current and on to traditional skills of checking, setting, back ferrying and even a couple of excellent poling sessions.

There are a series of photos below to illustrate what for one or two was a very wet day!
A massive thank you to Adrian Wintle for all his help with both logistical & coaching support!!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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