ThePaddler.co.ukOnline digital magazine for the recreational paddler

Two features on the World’s second deepest canyonMONTENEGRO

orBUST

First descentsSRILANKA

The Strait of BonifacioDavid Truzzi-Franconi

Sri Lanka first descentsNiamh Stack and Dave Burne

Montenegro white water lAndy Hall

Montenegro white water llDeb Pinniger

BC callingLen Webster

Isles of Scilly to CornwallJeff Allen and Simon Osborne

Introduction to kayak fishingSimon Everett

Issue 1

Contents September 12

EditorPeter Tranterpeter@thepaddler.co.ukTel: (01480) 465081Mob: 07411 005824www.thepaddler.co.ukhttps://www.facebook.com/ThePaddlercouk

Advertising SalesAnne EganTel: (01480) 465081advertising@thepaddler.co.uk

Huge thanks to:David Truzzi-Franconi, Niamh Stack, Dave Burne, Nick Roberts, Andy Hall, Louise Beetlestone, Karl Midlane, Deb Pinniger, Devon Francis, Joe Trapnell, Laurie McDonald, Ed White, Ali McCreery, Kyle Chives, Will Bolton-Jones, Freddie Kent, Len Webster, Jeff Allen, Simon Osborne, Simon Everett and Andy Grimes.

Not all contributors are professional writers and photographers, so don’t be put off writing because you have no experience! Thepaddler.co.uk magazine is all about paddler to paddler dialogue: a paddler’s magazine writtenby paddlers.

Technical Information: Contributions preferably as a Microsoft Word file with 1200-2000 words, emailed to submissions@thepaddler.co.uk. Images should be hi-resolution and emailed with the Word file or if preferred, aDropbox folder will be created for you. ThePaddler.co.uk magazine encourages contributions of any nature but reserves the right to edit to the the space available. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarilythose of the publishing parent company, 2b Graphic Design. The publishing of an advertisement in ThePaddler.co.uk magazine does not necessarily mean that the parent company, 2b Graphic Design, endorse the company,item or service advertised. All material in ThePaddler.co.uk magazine is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without prior permission from the editor is forbidden.

ThePaddler 3

Issue 1

France/Italy04

Sri Lanka18

Montenegro46

Canada56

United Kingdom64

Montenegro38

Where we’ve been…8 The Strait of BonifacioAn open canoe adventure crossing of the Strait ofBonifacio from Corsica to Sardinia and back.

David Truzzi-Franconi

22 Sri Lanka first descentsA couple of previous trips have been made to theisland, but this was the first to be held in August,during the heart of the monsoon.

Niamh Stack and Dave Burne

42 Montenegro white water lThree kayak voyagers from Wales heard mentionof ‘the second deepest canyon in the world’.

Andy Hall

50 Montenegro white water llThe Watermark Experiences youth ‘Tara RiverKayak Expedition’, diary of their week-longkayaking expedition to Montenegro.

Deb Pinniger

60 BC callingThe Bowron Lakes Circuit is the quintessentiallake canoeing experience in Canada, and has beenrated as one of the top ten canoe trips on earth.

Len Webster

68 Isles of Scilly to CornwallIt’s 54km, the tides are complex, and a mere forcetwo or three headwind could turn the jaunt into agenuine slog.

Jeff Allen and Simon Osborne

78 Introduction to kayak fishingThere is nothing new about fishing from kayaks,that is, after all, their main function amongst thepeoples who developed them.

Simon Everett

Regulars…4 News

18 CoachingUncover the mystery behind balance and whatcan be done to avoid those ‘wobbly’ moments.

Andy Grimes

36 Testing, testing 123Gill Inshore Lite Jacket and trousersLifeventure wheeled duffleOpinel No 08 outdoor knifeHelly Hansen Daybreaker half zip fleeceParamo Torres trousersThule kayak carrier system

ThePaddler 4

Ian BeecroftI tried to think when I first met Ian, but I couldn't remember a single event or time. It must have beenback in the late '70s, during the heyday of canoe slalom in the UK. It couldn’t have been at the “building ofthe Alamo” at Grandtully - I was the wrong side of the barricades; nor was I in the pyramid building atLinton when Radar fell from the top … but Ian was there and was probably one of the instigators ofthese and similar escapades. It was, however, at or around these slaloms and the social life they generatedthat I met up with Ian and many others. When the smoke of many bars cleared and the numeroushangovers subsided I realised I had made many friends, but more importantly a good friend in Ian.

If I had to sum up Ian in a word it would be “friendship”. He had a universal generosity to his fellowpaddlers. Look at Ian's contributions to the UK Rivers Guide Book forums, look at the time he wouldtake to send people river notes and trip advice, many times to people he had only met in passing, or inan eddy, if at all. Ian was like that. But for those of us who were friends, his hospitality was unbounded.

Ian was one of the original Naughty Boys, and along with Dave Higson upset many a figure of authorityin his youth -- tales of which are legend and others will no doubt tell and embellish. Suffice it to saymany Manchester parents were glad when the pair grew up and moved on.

Ian gave up drinking several years ago – maybe the steady stream of friends and his boast that no oneleft his house without a hangover took its toll – but he would still come to the annual gathering inLlangollen, the gathering of the “Bike Shed Crew”, the gathering of friends. This was always a somewhatdrunken affair but Ian would be there, not drinking, but being part of that amazing camaraderie that hewas partially responsible for. He would be hatching plots, planning expeditions, telling jokes, recountingepics and swearing some of us to absolute secrecy for his major expedition, the Big One, that wasalways in the background, always waiting for the right conditions, the right team to be gathered, dates tobe arranged, etc. Oh, sorry, we were sworn to secrecy so you don't know what it was, Ian's UltimateExpedition: a source to sea descent of the mighty Goyt with all its logistical problems and dangers –where would we park at the put-in, would there be enough water to float on the upper stretches,would the fishermen attack and would the underground section under the shopping centre “go” orwould it be full of shopping cart trolleys. And none of this is really researchable by Google Earth.

Anyway, travelling to Ian's funeral on the train to Martigny from Geneva I browsed one of the freeFrench newspapers – at least the weather forecast, as that is mostly pictures, and the day of the funeralwas a sunny day just as the paper predicted and just as Ian was in life. The following day they predictedthunderstorms and lightening, and I thought how apt – Ian and Dave have been re-united and has upsetanother figure of authority!DAVE MANBYTo see more of Ian’s life in photos go to: http://ibconsulting.posterous.com/ian-beecroft-expedition-kayaking-log

Crewsaverlaunches newrange of lifejacketsfor childrenCrewsaver is pleased toannounce its new rangeof Children’s Lifejackets,Crewsaver Supersafe andEuro Air and Foam.Crewsaver’s stringentresearch anddevelopment process hasled to the creation of oneof the safest products onthe market.

This is the first completerange of new Crewsaver150N Children’sLifejackets, designedprovide increasedperformance in the mostdemanding environments.

Crewsaver’s design teamhas used its extensiveknowledge in thelifejacket’s design anddevelopment toincorporate manyvaluable features into thenew range.

The cartoon print usedon the Euro 150 ensuresthat the product willappeal to children as wellas adults, who’ll be drawnto the high specificationsafety elements.

For more informationwww.crewsaver.co.uk

Ian on far right on the 2011 expedition of the Karnali and Lower Seti Rivers - Nepal

http://www.roho.co.uk

ThePaddler 6

Fast track instructor courseAn innovative training programme on the shores of Upper Lough Erne is set to welcome participantsfrom all over the UK and Ireland to undertake Outdoor Instructor Training and fast track them into acareer in the outdoors.

Share Discovery Village are offering an intensive 15 week modular course focusing on water sports suchas Dinghy Sailing, Windsurfing, Canoeing, Kayaking and Power Boating. The Fast Track Water Sports Courseenables participants to gain the internationally recognised national governing body qualifications, skills andexperience to qualify as outdoor instructors in time for the Spring season when most sun baseddestinations begin recruitment. As Share Course Co-ordinator Damien Smith suggests, “The course is aspringboard for people completing a sports or outdoor related degree to gain the qualifications neededto work in the industry, or indeed for people to gain some sought-after qualifications that will enablethem to work whilst travelling the world. Our friendly and highly experienced Instructors are at the topof their game and looking forward to meeting new people and working on the new programme.”

With over 30 years’ experience in running instructor training programmes, SHARE is now the largest andmost well renowned residential outdoor activity centre in Ireland. Based in County Fermanagh, on theshores of Upper Lough Erne, SHARE offers the ideal lakeside location to deliver, top quality water basedtraining programme.

Starting with an open day in late October, potential candidates are welcomed to try out some of theactivities, see the vast range of facilities and equipment on offer and have any pertinent questionsanswered, before signing up for the course which begins in November 2012. To ensure success toinstructor level it’s important to have at least a basic personal skills level in each of the three disciplines.SHARE’s ten day foundation level course, run just prior to the main course, offers a kick start to thetraining in each discipline. Candidates will then undergo intensive month long tuition in each sportdeveloping personal skills before undertaking instructor training.

This modular programme enables candidates already holding qualifications in the various sports theopportunity to pick and choose training to suit their needs, ensuring the course is cost effective and allencompassing for people on a gap year or career break, career changers, school leavers, universitygraduates and outdoor instructors wishing to develop their career further. However signing up for allthree courses comes with an attractive 9% discount on the overall price.

SHARE are renowned for their all inclusive prices with no hidden extras, so candidates can avail of fullboard twin room accommodation in cosy chalets for the duration of each module, qualifications and allassociated costs, savings of up to 40% on outdoor equipment, free use of Share Fitness- pool, sauna,Jacuzzi and steam room, and free use of Centre equipment including sailing boats, kayaks, canoes,windsurfing kit and sports hall.

Candidates must be 17 years old and over with a good level of physical fitness. For more informationcontact SHARE on +44 (0) 2867 722 122 or email Damien@sharevillage.org or visithttp://www.sharevillage.org/events/fast-track-instructor-course/

Ecover Blue Mileopens theinaugural MarineCity FestivalPlymouth’s waterfrontlooked stunning in theblazing sunshine ashundreds of people tookto the water to swim andpaddle a mile for theenvironment. Thousands ofpeople visited the EcoverBlue Mile event village towatch friends and familytake part in the challengingone mile course whichstarted from the historicalMayflower Steps.

Members of the publicalso got an opportunityto see four OlympicChampions as Tim Baillieand Etienne Stott racedagainst double goldmedalist and WWFAmbassador, AndrewTriggs-Hodge MBE in theFatyak Kayak race.

On Saturday evening over150 guests enjoyed afundraising dinner put onby The Boathouse Café,which was fitting as theteam had earlier won theCorporate TeamChallenge. Ocean rower,Sarah Outen MBE was theguest speaker and she leftthe audience enthralled byher connection with theocean. WWF organised asilent auction, with topprize being a signed FatyakKafuu kayak and a year’ssupply of Ecover cleaningproducts. The dinnerraised £1,500 to supportthe work that WWF aredoing to protect ourrivers and oceans.

It’s not too late toorganise a Blue Mileevent in your localwaterway, so why notcomplete your own bluemile? For moreinformation and toregister visitthebluemile.org

w: www.sharevillage.orge: damien@sharevillage.org

+44 (0) 2867 722 122

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ThePaddler 8

The StraitofBonifacio

Fran

ce

ThePaddler 9

ItalyAn open canoeadventure, wildcamping in Corsica,crossing the Strait ofBonifacio andcoasting Sardinia andback.

Simon was spinninghis son’s globe whenhe noticed how closeCorsica and Sardiniawere – almosttouching!

After driving 800-miles across Francethroughout the nightin relays, fuelled bycoffee and sour jellysnakes, we finallyspilled out onto thepavement into thealready stifling heat ofthe old port ofMarseille. We wereravenous, thirsty andin bad need of ashave!

ThePaddler 10

Marseille is famous for that veryFrench dish, Bouillabaise, a soup ofrockfish the local fishermen wouldknock up on the beach with theirbycatch. It now has a much elevatedstatus and therefore is extremelyexpensive, so a baguette and a beersufficed and we joined the queue forthe evening sailing of the Paglia Orbato Porto Vecchio in Corsica.

our nemesis as the ferrybegan to leave the Strait of Bonifacio anddescribe an arc around the Lavezzi Islands andthe private Ile Cavallo it looked serene and‘doable’.

The Strait has a fearsome reputation amongstsailors and is a sea corridor through which thewind and the mediterranean funnel. It can soonwhip up a nasty sea, (the default is usually awesterly wind of 40 knots) and set up a currentrunning at up to 4 knots. Typing Bonifacio Strait into Google will pull up so

Paddlers:

Simon King,Steve Seinet-Martin,Steve Hawksley,Dave Truzzi-Franconi.

Rising early to inspect

BY DAVID TRUZZI-FRANCONI

de Bonifacio has teeth,granite ones! Most famous of

its many wrecks being theSemillante which sank with all

hands off the Ile Lavezzi in 1855bound for the Crimea with nearly

700 troops and most recently, thebreaking up of the tanker, MV Erika, in a

heavy storm and the resulting environmentaldisaster in 1999.

The van trundled down the ramp into thesunshine and within the hour we were parkedunloaded and ready to launch from the perfectcove of Sta Guillia. Sliding silently over the clearwater, skirting the rocks, we headed out to sea.Paddling was idyllic as we coasted southfollowing the granite spine of Corsica clad in itsforest – Corsica is called deservedly the Ile deBeaute and the Mountain in the Sea. The intensesmell of the maquis wafted in on the breeze,myrtle, lavender, rosemary, thyme and cistus, allcreating a heady aroma as we worked our waydown the coast in the sun. By late afternoon thewind was starting to increase, so we headed forIle Piana to see if it would make a suitablecampsite. We had just started our second glass ofrose, when a kayaker who was fishing nearbymentioned that camping was forbidden and theisland was patrolled. So after some discussion wealso felt we could be stuck there if the windincreased further.

ThePaddler 11

Left:

Navigation discussion offCorsica.

Above:

Sunset off Sardinia.

ome alarming sequences posted by yachtsmen. The Bouches

A difficult paddle to the mainland found usdrawn up outside an open fronted driftwoodbeach bar with the sound of reggae comingacross the sand. The bar looked out over the bayof Piantarella and we could watch its maritimecomings and goings whilst drinking a fewrounds of the local Corsican beer namedColomba, which is an unfiltered wheat beerflavoured with herbs of the maquis and was theperfect compliment to the day. On waking thetide had crept up to the tents further than onewould have expected, we went up to theheadland of Pointe Sperone to check the seastate,it looked to be a Force 4, the Strait wasstriated with white caps.

We decided on a stiff paddle back to our site ofthe previous night, calling in at the bar for abaguette and a beer. The spot I chose on thebeach was a pile of dried seaweed like tagliatellebehind a thicket of juniper which was good tosleep on but I still managed to get sand intoeverything. Frogs called in waves of sound froma stagnant lagoon behind us and a solitary owlmade a wonderful accompaniment to thelapping of the sea. When we rose on theSaturday the wind was still strong, so wepaddled past the reef and reached the covebefore the point. From here we could walk onto the headland and survey the Strait. Again itwas white with waves and definitely not for us!Tracking across an onshore wind of 25 knotstrying not to be swept on to the reef andavoiding the wind surfers, we made landfallonce more on Ile Piana, crossed back to the barand lazed some more before heading to ‘our’beach. It was our third night here and our hopesof crossing to Sardinia were fading.

Sunday bought with it a light westerly wind, soonce more we paddled up to the headland,

grouped up and decided to attempt thecrossing to the Lavezzi Isles. It was a Force 2with some swell from the previous day. Aimingfor the middle to avoid the waves breaking onits southernmost point and three-miles later wewere beaching and off to recce the Strait. Itlooked certainly no worse than our crossing.Launched again, we were now heading SE andaiming for a rock outcrop called Spargi tooffset the current which was bearing us to thenorth. The sea was building gradually and werode in a beam sea amongst a four-foot swellwith the occasional breaking wave usually onour stern quarter! Nearing Razzoli Island weskirted some rocks awash with breaking seasover them and threaded our way to the beach.Thankful that the only wave that washed overus was one of relief! Hauling our boats abovethe surf we had covered 6.5 miles in 100minutes.

Checking the chart against the land weconfirmed our position and found we couldpick our way between these windswept islands,thus avoiding the headland by crossing abuoyed off area around a restricted beach andlanding on the NE end of Budelli. We lazed onthe white beach and swam in clear waters, apink beach is also close, composed of coral buthas no access for people or boats due to theremoval of the coral sand by them. After our

ThePaddler 12

Nelson’s eyewas shot by a

Corsicansniper at Calvi

Right:

Steve S-M off Lavezzi Isles.

Below:

Dinner at Porto Quadro.

Today was joyous,

a long paddle along the magnificent

coastline of Sardinia

rest another crossing was made to the largestisland in the Maddelena Archipelago LaMaddelena itself. Surfing on to an emptybeach across the bay and were shortlyhauling the canoes up it, 14.8 miles hadbeen covered and a rest had been earned.The next day we reached the principal port ofthe Island La Maddelena, known well toLord Nelson who dropped Victory’s anchornearby in Agincourt Sound. We pulled up ona slip on the outskirts of the port andminutes later four salty individuals were in apavement cafe ordering an ‘Americanbreakfast’, which consisted of two fried eggsand pancetta/bacon – not very adventurousbut very welcome!

A conversation with a couple adjacent to uselicited that they were great fans of Nelsonand his local activities and perhaps not alittle taken with our much smaller maritimeactivities. Sadly we were unable to donatesilver candlesticks to the local church as thegreat man had done, but at least we still hadbinocular vision (Nelson’s eye was shot by aCorsican sniper at Calvi). Stocking up at alocal Spar store, I stowed trays of frozenlangoustine and sea Bream under the canoesairbags and we launched once more pastAgincourt Sound and headed for theSardinian mainland. Today was joyous ,along paddle along the magnificent coastlineof Sardinia without the impending stress of

ThePaddler 13

ThePaddler 14

that a strong current was likely at the headland of Punta Marmorata and Falcone. However, Neptune was

Our ferry had ‘low cost’

emblazoned across its sidesbut despite much negotiation our canoes

were charged as a car each!

the crossing. The wind was behind us, but asever some pressure was upon us as we had tomeet the ferry at 6pm on Thursday.

Reaching Sardinia’s most northerly point, someconcern infiltrated our idyll, as the pilot stated

kind and we passed without mishap enteringthe Bonifacio Strait once more. We surfed on afollowing sea and after an enchanted coastalpaddle approached Porto Quadro, a site foundby Steve H on Google earth. I was convincedthat being so close to the ferry port it would behabited, but fortune prevailed, it had a crescentof beach surrounded by a meadow of wildflowers and a stand of bamboo. I lit thebarbecue trays and 16 langoustines sizzledgently, shortly to be replaced by Sea Bream.Sadly the rose and the white wine had beendrunk and we were reduced to drinking redwine with seafood – such is the hardship weendured! A Melon was cut up and a bottle ofspiced rum I had made, was drunk with somedark chocolate. An immensely satisfying daywith 18 miles covered and the ferry to Bonifacioa few miles away.

A short paddle the following morning took uspast the navigational markers set into the cliffand into Porto Longosardo reaching the ferryberth at Sta Theresa Gallura. We eventuallyfound a low stone wall we could haul out over,attached our wheels and passed through thetown joining the traffic queue for the ferry. Ourferry had ‘low cost’ emblazoned across its sides,but despite much negotiation our canoes werecharged as a car each! After a nine-mile crossingwe snaked up the fjord into the port ofBonifacio (it was already an established portwhen mentioned in Homers’ Odyssey). Thebow thrusters of the ferry were shuddering aswe negotiated its sinuous path, debouchingdown the ramp on to the narrow quay.Launching from a nearby pontoon we joinedthe melee of powered boats motoring up anddown the inlet,one in particular called Libertascarved a swathe of water towards us, but we

Right:

Dave cooking andSteve S-M laughing.

Above:

The ferry from Sta Theresa Gallura.

were hardened and swung into his wash as oneand rode it. Before long we turned to port andwere embraced by the Bay of Bonifacio and itsimmense scoured limestone cliffs. The buildings ofthe 9th Century Citadel lined in ranks 230 feetabove us all along the deeply undercut cliffs likelemmings frozen in the act of jumping.

We paddled quietly past lest they plummet intothe sea, also aware of the fact that again weneeded to move quickly in the opposite directionup the coast as this was an unforgiving stretch.We got out on a rock slab for a leg stretch and aquick lunch. On one brief exploration weentered an arch into a circular amphitheatreopen to the sky and beached. However, we hadcompany: a large rotting swordfish and so ourstay was curtailed. In the distance storm cloudswere moving across Sardinia, we pressed on intoan increasing headwind. At one point we werebarely making 1mph as we struggled up the coasttowards the point we had used to check ourcrossing some days before. Eventually we tuckedin behind it for a rest, before tackling the pointitself, after much flailing and digging in ofpaddles, we drew up onto the sheltered sandy

cove of La Petit Sperone and wondered what allthe fuss was about. Being out of the wind, withthe warmth of the sun permeating our bonesagain, all was well. We had only covered eightmiles and it had taken three and a half hours butwe had made important headway as we knew thewind was set to increase in strength. In view ofthis we decided to press on and camp nearer StaGuillea, this in hindsight was a bad move.

We continued on a further two miles into a briskheadwind of Force 3 and a short choppy sea andwe were in our tents by 8pm listening to the rainand thunder. Launching at 8am we set off intowith a brisk SW wind on our quarter which sent usskidding across the sea as sudden squalls hit us. It

ThePaddler 15

The buildings of the

9th Century Citadel lined in ranks 230ft above us all along the deeply undercut

cliffs like lemmings frozen in the act of jumping.

Below: Steve H entering cove. Left:Steve S-M crossing from Pointe Sperone.

was necessary to come off the kneeling thwarts andsquat low on the floor to reduce our windage. Werested in a sheltered bay just before the headlandof Punta di u Cappicciolu, behind which lay thetwo-mile wide and long Golfe de Sant Amanza,which by now we knew we could not cross buthoped to stay in the lee of the cliffs and battle ourway to the head of the gulf where we knew a roadto be. However, creeping up round the point wecould see a continual succession of white horsesand we retired to the safety of our cove. However, itdid have one drawback – we were embayed, therewas no way we could climb out and no phonesignal to re-book the ferry if needed. I had alsodumped half my water supply of 10 litres inreadiness for our departure, as we watched withsome apprehension as ‘williwaws’ clouds of spumewere whipped of the sea by the now Force 6 wind.In our bay all was still, Simon snorkelled, Steve S-M read his paper over again, while Steve Hsnoozed and I cooked up a meal consisting ofpouring a tin of anchovies and their oil into a panadding chopped garlic, peppers and finallytomatoes, which we ate with pasta and rice.

We were waiting for the evening and hoping thatthe wind would abate. By 7.30pm it had subsidedand we were off to the headland once more, the

sea was short and steep and three foot wavessurged past us we turned into the bay. We madevery little headway, whilst a catamaran kindlystood by thinking we were in trouble. We turnedwith difficulty and went back – if we had capsizedat this point, we would be swept out to sea by thestrong offshore wind! Pushing on into the wind,trying to find a site we could walk out of if needsbe, a mile and a half further down the coast wefound one, although we estimated that it was acouple of miles from the road through the maquis.We made a simple camp and slept in our clothes,Steve H in his bivvi bag and I lit a driftwood fire.We were hoping to leave before the land warmedand the wind increased again .I woke at the firstcrack of light, all was still and calm, we were nine-miles from the van and a few miles north ofPiantarella. Deciding not to try the gulf again, wemade the beach bar by 7.40am and rang for a cabat 10am. The van hove into view and we were £100the poorer for the fare – apparently it was areligious holiday and special rates applied! Wewent to Bonifacio and did the tourist bit, crossingthe drawbridge into the Citadel, once used by theForeign Legion and mooched about the narrowcool lanes and peered down at the bay and acrossthe strait we had recently paddled. We felt a greatsense of satisfaction and relief!

ThePaddler 16

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Corsica is a paradise for enthusiasts of sea andwatersports, in all their forms. Discover magicalplaces where crystal-clear water, tiny desertedcreeks and wild cliffs stand side-by-side. Corsicalends itself to a slower pace of life. Wherebetter to enjoy this than by the sea, which playssuch a key role in island life?

With its more than 1,000 km of coastline that are hometo crystal-clear waters, vast fine sandy beaches, small deserted creeksand granite cliffs inhabited by sea birds, Corsica offers a variety ofmarine landscapes that is unique in the Mediterranean. Even in theheight of summer, it is not hard to find a quite little creek in which topaddle.

With water temperatures suitable for bathing between May (19°C) and October (20°C), and reaching24°C in July and August, Corsica is a dream setting for paddling.

See Corsica map: http://goo.gl/maps/Er100

Useful websites:http://www.korsika.it/corsica_en.php?D=Canoeing+and+kayaking

http://www.corsica-isula.com/mountains.htm

http://www.holidaysincorsica.co.uk/Activities.htm

http://www.europe-active.com/gb/_search/sea-kayak-corsica.1/

http://www.corsicajourneys.com/kayaking-in-corsica/

Sardinia has more hours of sunshine than any otherpart of Italy and lies closer to the coast of Africathan to mainland Italy. Known as the ‘Island ofWind’, Sardinia enjoys offshore breezesthroughout each season, which happily reduceshumidity and have made the island a top location

to spend the summer

Visitors should realise that trains, buses and ferries often do not runoutside high season or run to very restricted timetables. The majority ofhotels, B&Bs and restaurants are closed. To avoid disappointment it isimportant to ensure that transfers, and accommodation are available andconfirmed prior to flights being booked.

Sardinia has been occupied over the centuries by armies from the various Italian kingdoms, Carthaginians,Phoenicians, Byzantines, Arabs and lastly Catalans. These have now all gone. but have left evidence of theirpresence in the language, traditions and food particularly around the coast.

See Sardinia map: http://goo.gl/maps/8wY4x

Useful websites:http://www.ciaosardinia.com/eng/what-to-do/canoe-kayak

http://www.responsibletravel.com/holiday/5604/kayaking-holiday-in-sardinia-italy

http://www.greentraveller.co.uk/content/wilderness-kayaking-sardinia

http://activityit.skedaddle.co.uk/holiday/Activity_Holidays/Sardinia_Wilderness_Kayaking/316/view.rails

http://www.locationsardinia.com

ThePaddler 17

Sardinia

Corsica

So lets break that down. First,"distribution of weight", thisstatement can be put down toa word we should all be awareof "trim". Trim basicallydescribes where we putourselves in are boats or howwe distribute our weight. If wecan master this we canpotentially avoid any negativebalance issues and gain morefrom our paddling.

Where we actually putourselves in our boats is soimportant as this can make thedifference between hitting thatmust make move or not! Inmost situations we should beaiming to be sat in a forwardposition so to help move thebalance position over the frontdeck rather than the back decksee diagram A. We can’t do thiswith a bad fitting boat so makesure your boat is fittedproperly before you continue.

Lets imagine a time when youmay have had a ‘wobbly’movement.

Got one? Try to picture thesequence of events up to thepoint in which you capsized orhad a bad recovery. Were youover the front deck of the boatjust before the point ofcapsize/recovery? Were youdriving the boat forwards justbefore the point ofcapsize/recovery? If youanswered no to either of theabove questions that is likely tobe where you failed. Thebiggest tip any paddler can useis to keep the boat movingforward especially in movingwater. If we were to drift at thesame speed as the water weare at the mercy of the water’sforces and have no control ofour own therefore creating amore reactive style rather thenproactive driving style ofpaddling.

Coaching by Andy Grimes of Fluid C In this article I hope to

help uncover the mysterybehind balance and whatstrategies we can use tohelp avoid those ‘wobbly’

moments.

Right so let begin. Initiallylet’s make sure we knowwhat the term balance

actually means:

Balance“An even distribution of weight enablingsomeone or something to remain upright

and steady.”Time for some self-analysis!

ThePaddler 18

Chapter 1: We have all been in a position in our paddling experiences when things may not

Lets look now at the photosequence on the left, as wecan see in slides 1 and 2, thepaddler has built up somepositive lateral momentumacross the river and is sittingin an upright positive positionand creating a proactive startto the activity. If we look atslide 3 we can see the paddlerreaching over the eddy lineinto the eddy itself with hisleft stroke. Once the leftpaddle blade strikes the waterand the paddler rotatestowards his stoke we can seethe boat is put on a positivedynamic edge in slide 4. If wenow focus on slides 5 and 6we can see the paddlers iscontinuing to lean forwardand rotating upstream as wellas keeping the boat’smomentum in the carved turnand not using a speed killingstroke like a reverse stroke.Rather than focusing on thepaddle strokes we should tryto focus on the paddlers trim.We can see that at no point isthe paddler leaning onto theback deck, instead the paddleris consistently driving theboat forward through theturn and keeping the boatmoving which gives us stabilityin a potentially very unstableenvironment.

Time for someactivity!Sit in your boat in a eddy orarea of flat water and rotateyour body and head to oneside as seen in the top photo.Does the boat stay parallel tothe water or sit on and edge?

Using the top photo, itappears the boat is notparallel and sits on an edgetowards the rotation. If wewere to give some forwardmomentum to this paddler ina moving water environmenthe should carve a smoothturn towards the side he isrotating to as we all know! Soin theory all we need to do tomake turns in control andwith support in moving wateris have positive lateralmomentum and rotationtowards the turn this iswhere the old saying “lookwhere you want to go” reallycomes into play. A goodexample of this is thesequence on the left.

By leaning forward we keep the boatbalanced and combined with forwardmomentum we will gain stability andhopefully enjoy a successful outcome!

Cutting EdgeContinuing on from the area ofrotation there are some points weshould all be aware of. Let’s look at theimage below and how the paddler isrotated towards one side but stillkeeping his weight forward andtrimmed properly.

ThePaddler 19

Combinations Kayak Coaching and Guiding t have gone to plan and we have ended up in a wobbly or unbalanced movement.

ThePaddler 20

Right lets dice things up a little and talk about balance in stoppers.Let’s put this into a little context we can all relate to. Imagine we havedropped into a stopper sideways after a failed movement and are in aside-surf.

We now have a choice, we can either lean or edge see images E and Fon the left. If we edge we can see more around us but can make usunstable and violently bounced around by the stopper. If we lean wecan push the boat over and away from the water that is dropping in alot more, and in turn hopefully commit to a more productive drivingstroke to pull us across and out of the stopper.

A lean is very similar to the end part of a roll or recovery stroke. Thereason for it being there is to change our centre of gravity. It is allcontrolled by our head position, leaning; being low and over the frontdeck keeping our gravity position low and compact rather thanedging; staying upright and exposed.

Next time you’re near a friendly stopper try getting yourself on a sidesurf and compare the difference between edging and leaning whetherone is more stable than the other. Don't forget to practice on bothsides.

In summaryFor us to gain maximum support in ourmovements forward momentum is key!

● By leaning forward we keep the boattrimmed and balanced accordingly andkeeping a proactive paddling style.

● Always looking the way we intend to gocombined with body rotation in the samedirection will edge the boat in a positiveform towards the direction of intendedtravel and creates stability in the turn.

Andy would like to thank his sponsorssystemX and liquid logic kayaks

Andy is the managing director of FluidCombinations kayak coaching and guiding forfurther information and courses please seewww.fluidcombinations.co.uk

Hold that thought

E. Leaning

F. Edging

http://www.systemxeurope.com

In 2011 a group of six kayakersfrom the UK completed a

successful expedition to explorethe white water in Sri Lanka. There

had been a couple of previoustrips to the island before, but thisone was the first to be held inAugust, during the heart of the

monsoon.

A year on Niamh Stack gives us arecap of the expedition and takes

a look back as some of thethoughts and descriptions writtenwhile on the Pearl of the Indian

Ocean...

The expedition saw the team searching outrivers in the Southern Central mountain range.Some rivers, such as the world-class KokmoleOya, had seen previous descents. However,there is still so much to discover on the islandand the expedition claimed numerous firstdescents.

There was another major aim to the expeditionthough – to leave a lasting legacy in Sri Lanka.This was achieved with the help of Borderlands,a rafting and outdoor education company.

I was one of the six kayakers from the UK whodecided to plan an expedition to Sri Lanka,chosen for its mountains, climate and lack ofkayak exploration so far. The news of a fledglingoutdoor community that we felt we may be ableto help was the final attraction, so we got holdof Borderlands. Over a Skype conversation withWade (the Borderlands director), in the plushbase camp longhouse surrounded by chilledout tunes, a happy crowd and beautiful jungle,we became very excited to start this partnership.

As kayakers planning to explore the countrywith very little prior information, it was of greathelp to have someone on the ground to help uswith initial planning. This continued withairport pickup from a smiling Mahesh (driver,raft guide, chief scout, friend and all round topguy) to a meeting with the EducationalSecretary of UNESCO, the current GeneralSecretary of the National Association of Canoeand Kayak Sri Lanka who backed us on ourexpedition. Wade also arranged for Chanaka, alocal with lots of river knowledge to assist withour initial findings. We then headed toKitugala, Wade's beautiful setup in the junglefor some warm ups on the lovely local runs.

ThePaddler 22

Riding the tears of Budd

Sri Laan expedition with a difference

ThePaddler 23

dha

ankaWords: Niamh Stack and Dave Burne

Images: Dave Burne and Nick Roberts

To see the expedition videoand for more information onhow Niamh, Dave, Nick, Sean,Tom and Will (or 'the team')got on, visitwww.kayaksrilanka.co.uk

Left: The impressive Laxapana made a perfect startto the Kelengamu. Unfortunately the river directlydownstream did not live up to our hopes.

After a day of portageing we called it quits.However, some heavy rains overnight inspired us toreturn to the lower section of the river whichturned out to be a great move. It cleaned up to beone of the best first descents of the trip.

“Not only are we exploring the rivers in thecountry, but we have also been working closelywith the rafting and outdoor education companyBorderlands to try and develop the kayakingscene in Sri Lanka. This has become of increasingimportance with the news that Borderlands mainrafting river, the Kelani, is to be dammed.”

Yearning for more adventure we loaded thedistinctive Borderlands truck and with Maheshbehind the wheel we set out on our travels. Andwhat treasures did we find...

We started in the upper Sitawaka region, abeautiful unexplored area with a set of sevenmagnificent waterfalls spread up themountainside. We managed to reach the bottomone, which was runnable! After a not so quickscramble up to halfway with a boat, we wereoffered an exhilarating ride back down withincredible photos! For an exploration trip it wasa surprise to paddle every day. On top of

receiving the friendliest hospitality from thepeople in this area, it was a great start to the trip.

Dave described the nature of the rivers of theheadwaters of the Sitawaka, “Here we found lotsof smooth bedrock slides and even more bouldergarden fun. The rivers can rise and fall fast, whichhas taken some time to get used to (think twofoot rise and fall whilst on a dry day run, and thewater colour turning from clear to orange in amatter of minutes). August is the run off of themonsoon for the south west of the country(where the Central Highlands are), so there is alot of water about (a nightmare for drying outkit!). The rain showers are quite intense, butweirdly really localised. Much more so thanexpected.

“Despite one pretty epic day getting stuck in thejungle after a long leech infested portage,everything has so far(!) been as efficient as couldbe hoped. Our big 4×4 truck and nails driverhave been getting us everywhere we need! CheersMahesh!”

ThePaddler 24

Dave said at the time, Boofs

cthis a birt

and

Tom and Sean playpaper scissor stonefor the first everdescent of a bigslide on theGoorook Oya.

ThePaddler 25

s, flares, grinds and

cheersmade thday for Tom to remember

d a river not to be missed

Niamh celebrates styling another

line in the Sitawaka Valleys.

Will taking on a tricky com

bination rapid early in the expedition. Our first first descent of the trip.

the build up tothe Goorook Oya, “We left our base atBorderlands ready for our next exploration aftergoing to the Perihara ‘Festival of Lights’. Thistakes place in Kandy, where a huge procession ofmusicians, dancers, fire spinners and of course,85 elephants in fairy lights! The major reason forthe festival is to parade Buddha’s tooth. It is saidthat this tooth was pulled out and made Buddhacry, so signifies the start of the monsoon seasonin the north of the country.

“The suggestion of more rain is just what weneeded to top up the rivers in Sri Lanka, so wewere in high spirits. Unfortunately, after scoutinga few dry riverbeds, we were beginning to worrythat Buddha wasn’t crying hard enough. This allchanged the evening after we scouted theGoorook Oya River. It looked good to go fromthe road and as we camped near the put in, thedark clouds gathered. It was only then that werealised the tent we’d borrowed fromBorderlands was one that was marked for repair.Error!

“We emerged in the morning soaked to the skin,but buzzing with anticipation. We weren’tdisappointed! Boofs, flares, grinds and cheersmade this a birthday for Tom to remember and ariver not to be missed if you ever find yourself inSri Lanka.

With clothes and us starting to smell, it wasmuch appreciated to come back to the chilledhaven of Kitugala, home! We recuperated,replenished, and organised our plans for the nextfew days. This time we headed north of Kitugalawith one of Borderlands raft guides and adeveloping kayaker. After an interesting nightsleeping in a tent shaped puddle we found theGoorook Oya, a world-class river of Grade IV-Vrapids, which turned out to be a first descent.

ThePaddler 26

getting on just below the impressiv “Despite the long bush whack

Dave describes

“T more special b

Thil

Dave throwing (accidental) shapes at the start ofwhat turned out to be an epic day on the river. Cleanlines down world class rapids were interspersed withlots of portages...we only just made it out beforedusk set!

and highlight ofthe expedition for us, particularly to be donewith a local boy. Following this we continued toexplore the area and ran two sections of equallytop standard, above and below the impressive St.Clairs falls on the Kotmale River. Things weren’talways rosy in Sri Lanka, and the need for energyto drive Sri Lanka’s economy often gave theexpedition a set back, but as Dave describes, thistime we were fortunate, “Dam projects arebecoming an increasing problem for us searchingfor new rivers to paddle. More than once we havearrived at one, which looks, from the maps tohave a good catchment, good gradient and goodroad access, but a mini hydro project hasthwarted our plans.

“One river we planned to paddle was theKotmale Oya. Parts of it have previously beenpaddled by a group of Russians. This was beforethe massive dam project, which is currently verynear to completion. Fortunately we managed toget there before they completely stopped theflow. Who knows, this could be a second and lastdescent!

ThePaddler 27

Thiswas a fantastic achievement

ve St Clairs Falls was pretty cool and the full 15km of grade 4/5 made the section all the sweeter! This river just kept on giving!”

his world-class (probably) first descent was made even because for the first time in any of our paddling careers

with a team member from the host country. ack, born in the village of Kitugala near the Kelani River, paddled his third ever river with us. And nailed it!”

descent it was a first descent

Thilack on the Upper Kelani near the Borderlands base. Hisabilities on this river gave us confidence that he would becapable of stepping up and joining us with our exploration.

ThePaddler 28

ThePaddler 29

Dave Burne takes off on the

big slide up the Sitawaka Valleycompleting an excellent kayaking:driving ratio. Six days paddling

in the first week of an exploratory trip is good going! Not to mention that some of these rivers had never been paddled before!

This was the final fall of the spectacular 'Seven Waterfalls'.

Dave Burne takes off on the

big slide up the Sitawaka Valleycompleting an excellent kayaking:driving ratio. Six days paddling

in the first week of an exploratory trip is good going! Not to mention that some of these rivers had never been paddled before!

This was the final fall of the spectacular 'Seven Waterfalls'.

little of whatBorderlands had given to us we assisted with one oftheir corporate programmes. We were impressed byhow smoothly the weekend ran and really enjoyedbeing part of it. When the clients had left we spent acouple of days running some sessions for the raftguides showing them different techniques and safetymethods. One of the major things we tried to dothough was to inspire the locals to view kayaking as ahobby, not just a job. We really want to change thementality of the staff to playing the river, not justsurviving the rapids.

We also managed to help Borderlands out directly.Again the kayaking and safety sessions, but also in ourrecommendations of potential alternative rafting runs,which may be required when the Kelani River(Borderlands current base) is dammed (building hasnot started yet).

“Our mission, since we’ve chosen to accept it, is to tryand find a suitable river for Borderlands to move to.The first few days of our expedition were spent withSri Lankan kayakers on rivers that had previously beenrun (if rarely!). The lower Sitawaka seems to havepotential as a rafting run a step up from the currentnorm.

We were then off exploring again. This time it was theKelengamu, which provided us with more world-classwater. With Sri Lanka providing us with 'liquid gems'(as Wade likes to call them) time after time, anincredible driver and so many successful days we werestarting to worry the trip was turning into a holiday.

The Kelengamu, a tributary of the Kelani, seemedsuper steep on the map, but we knew the massiveLaxapana waterfall soaked up a large portion of that.How much though, we couldn't tell. With heavy rain inthe valley, we decided to hit the gamble button.

Unfortunately the gamble did not pay off. Four hoursof walking to, through and around a river left usexhausted and made us remember how lucky we'vebeen to find the amount of clean classics we had doneso far. It was like canyoning... but with awkward heavyboats.

After putting in at the Mahoosive waterfall ourportage fest (helped by yet another mini-hydroproject) around the next 4km left us leech coated,aching and knackered, but also feeling content that wewere satisfying our mission to explore Sri Lanka'srivers. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

After our interesting previous day and with limitedtime left, some of us were dubious about returning tothe same unsatisfying river. But with monsoon rainspouring all night long the majority were confident thatthe river could turn a corner into another Sri Lankanclassic. And guess what... it did!

We had to work hard for this one, but an intensefour hours of continuous grade 3-4 grew andgrew with the addition of numerous pumpingtributaries, ending in clean grade 4-5 bouldergarden excitement.

And the best bit about the whole river? Itflowed straight into the tonking Upper Kelani,then through our home run (the raftingsection) and it was just a 10-metre walk tothe cold beers in the fridge back atBorderlands base! We didn't know it at thetime, but for this first descent, the effort was wellworth the reward!

Another weekend between exploring we returned tobase to run some kayak clinics for some of theBorderlands staff as well as be starsof a Sri Lankan TVprogramme. It was fantasticto leave a bit of knowledgeand passion for the sport andalso be celebrities for the day!As Dave suggests, perhaps thenext first descents we hearabout in Sri Lanka will be by agroup of Sri Lankan boaters?

“The only real disappointmentwe’ve had is that we missedhigh flows in a little creek nearto the Borderlands camp. A scouting mission showed us aclean 30-foot park and huckwith some more slides downstream,some nice, others a little on the dirty side!

“This super sweet little gem we’ll have toleave for a future expedition to conquer. Or who knows, with the coaching sessionswe’ve provided for safety kayakers atBorderlands maybe it will be a Sri Lankan whoclaims this first descent! Let’s hope!”

We continued to succeed in finding incredible'liquid gems', many of which were first descents.We finished the trip with a wrap up eveningorganised by Wade, which included a short filmpremier and little presentation from us. The idea ofthis was to show various people we had met alongthe way what their help allowed us toachieve, bring together lots of localswith an interest in the outdoors, andhave a celebratory night out!

All the work Wade and theBorderlands team put in reallyenhanced our experience and helpedus get the most out of our stay. Wewere very grateful and very muchenjoyed working with the crew.

ThePaddler 30

To help give a

ThePaddler 31

We continued to succeed in finding incredible

‘liquid gems’,many of which were first descents

Niamh Stack was introduced to white water whilst carrying out a voluntary project on the banks of the White Nile. The big volume rapids got her hooked and she has since been travelling with her kayak on various adventures, from first descents in Georgia, to

multi-day fun in Colombia.

After the Sri Lanka expedition Niamh spent two further months working with a rafting company; safety

kayaking and coaching local kayakers.

ThePaddler 32 Davesums up how we felt about the country, it was almost as if it was

as the first. The exploration has continued and the quality rivers have

“Convenient rainfall has come at the right time and in the valleys and making sure we make the right choices to get t than alright right now!”

Sri Lanka - what a place! Be sure to get in touch beautiful island – there is still so much more

The team w

Palm Equipment Europe, ZET Kayaks UK for the

Will taking on another steep clean Sri Lankan slide, deep i

Thilack gets his first taste of freefall...and loves it! Histhird-ever river was the Goorook Oya – a world-classfirst descent.

ThePaddler 33

David Burne is a medical student who has a passion for kayaking. Many Alps trips with his family in his youth stood him in good stead for a trip to British Columbia at the age of 16 with his older brother, Tim. Since then he has caught the travelling bug and dragged his kayak round many continents of the world. Amongst other places he has even completed first descents in Outer Mongolia.

Dave would like to thank Zet UK and Big Stone for their support.

itching to be explored, “Our last week in Si Lanka has been just as busy e kept flowing.

right places, it is almost as if the country is guiding us up the right the maximum possible boating done with our limited time. Life is more

if you want more information on this e potential to be discovered...

would like to thank

K, Lyon Equipment and of course, Borderlands eir support.

n the jungle.

Sean styles the crux rapid on theSitawaka - a potential new basefor Borderlands to move toshould the proposed damproject of the Kelani go ahead.

Visas: Since Jan 2012 British citizens now require a visa to enter SriLanka. Most nationalities now require visas for entry, though the costwill vary.

Getting there: As tourism grows, more and more airlines will flyto Sri Lanka. Do a bit of research on the airlines before you go to findwhich will be most likely to take your kayaks without giving you grief.From London, £500 is a very good price for a return ticket on adecent airline. We went with Sri Lanka Airlines who had no problemwith our boats. BMI have cheaper flights but it’s an extra £150(return) for oversize luggage.

Language: Few people speak English. Having Mahesh as a translator anddriver worked brilliantly in extracting that essential local knowledge. He was alsoa raft guide which came in handy with knowing exactly what we were after andfinding out if there was anything around, and on more than one occasion hefound tributaries that had potential while we were enjoying the main river.

Getting around: Borderlands were brilliant – their truck was perfect forthe six of us and handled all the off road with ease! It helped having a pretty badass driver too.

Religion: There is a whole mix of religion in Sri Lanka, and the overall pictureis that the majority of people are very religious. 70% of Sri Lankans areBuddhists, 15% are Hindus, 7.5% are Muslims, and 7.5% are Christian. Sri Lankawas ranked the third most religious country in the world in 2008.

Seasons: Traditionally, being tropical, Sri Lanka has distinct dry and wetseasons. The seasons are slightly complicated by having two monsoons. FromMay to August, the Yala monsoon brings rain to the island’s south western andcentral areas where the majority of the mountains are, while the dry seasonlasts from December to March. The Maha monsoon blows from October toJanuary, bringing rain to the flatter north and east, while the dry season is fromMay to September. Unfortunately for the past five years or so, the seasons havebeen all over the place. June, July and August seem to be the best bet. But really,who knows! Again, Borderlands are your best bet for information like this.

Money: The currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). 1 US Dollar = 132 LKR.There are cash machines in the big cities but are limited in other areas. They doexchange US Dollars, Euros and British Pounds.

River guides: We didn’t have a whole load to go on when we arrived. TheSitawaka and Kelani (G4 and G3 respectively) had both been run regularly, andwe knew there was some potential in the rest of the area. We have now gotmore details of river guides at www.kayaksrilanka.co.uk/river-notes. There issome information from Andreas Sommer and some Russians on the Playak site.There is enough scope for a week of easy paddling before exploring the rest ofthe country on a holiday. Borderlands will help you out with this.

Maps: Maps of Sri Lanka aren’t too difficult to come by. We have left ourdetailed ones with Borderlands in the hope that some locals may be inspired togo and explore! Get in touch with them if you are keen to head out beforebuying your own

ThePaddler 34

INFORMATION

http://www.discoverborderlands.com

https://maps.google.com/?ll=7.253496,80.529785&spn=21.58295,15.117188&t=m&z=6.

Sri Lanka

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Hanging around on draughty wet river banks - the lightweightentry-level Inshore Lite Jacket is ideal. Preferable for wet Springand Autumn days, the mesh lining and interior circulation willkeep you warm when needed but cooler in warmerconditions.

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NewpaddlesPER NILSSONThe PER NILSSON is a hand-crafted boat built on the banks ofthe River Tamar in Cornwall. Itoffers more than a Canadiancanoe or rowing boat can withgreat stability, practicality andsafety. It has been designed andstyled to allow you to row, paddleor motor with an engine at yourpleasure.

The PER NILSSON has beendesigned, tested andmanufactured to offer you aproduct of the highest calibre. Ithas been crafted with traditionalboat building techniques and thelatest in fibreglass products too.

Key Points:� Has higher sides and is widerthan a normal Canadian canoefor stability and safety.

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ThePaddler 36

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Opinel No 08 outdoor knifehttp://www.opinel.comFirst-rate outdoor knife, probably best suited to seakayakers and kayak fishermen.The Opinel pocket knife, first devised in 1890, is a renowned, yet reallyaffordable pocket knife, usually ideal for everyday use. The No 08 outdoorversion however is designed for outdoor activities on the water or in themountains.

Light, grippy, robust and resistant to temperature change,this excellent knife is great for the outdoors. This blade alsohas a toothed area for rope cutting, a lockable safety ringand a handy and very loud whistle built into the handle foremergencies.

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Lifeventure wheeled dufflehttp://www.lifeventure.co.ukThe strengths also contribute to the weaknesses.There are many duffle bags on the market but at 120 litres, this is one of thelargest, plus it has wheels and rolls up into a very compact space. Unfortunately,the adaptable way the bag folds up means the base lacks rigidity and sags whenbeing pulled. Another issue for some would be the pull handle isn’t long enoughand consequently, the bag clips the back of your heels. Ending on a positive note,

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ThePaddler 37

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The Torres Overlayering Insulation range includes a gilet, smock, sleeves and theTorres Trousers for a complete outdoor solution if needed.

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NewpaddlesTootega's newace of clubs

Pulling anotherexcellentproduct out oftheir sleeve isbecoming thenorm for theguys at Tootega,but they havelaunched thenew Club-SpecPulse sit on topkayak.

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Mens in navy and black. Womens in red, blue, white and black.PRICE £45.00

ThePaddler 38

Helly Hansen Daybreaker half zip fleecehttp://www.hellyhansen.comCounteracting the chills of Autumn.

If this fleece lasts half as long as the last one I bought in2003, then I will be pleased. The fact is the 2003 half zipfleece is still very much around, wearable andpresentable – is a testament to the quality of HellyHansen products. The difference between the 2003 andtoday’s half zip fleece is the new one being about half theweight of the original.

Less weight does not mean less warmth though – in factif anything the Daybreaker is even toastier. With a weightof only 260g, it is exceptionally comfortable to wear andmakes either an ideal midlayer in colder weather or asuitable top layer for milder evenings.

A quality, lightweight garment you will not regret addingto your kit.

Polartec® 100g fleecehalf zip construction.

Simple ‘zipoff ’ construction

allows Trousers to beput on or taken offwithout taking one’sfeet off the ground or

sitting down

Webbing belt withwaistband tunnel plus hook and

loop tabs to secure.

Paramo Torres trousershttp://www.paramo.co.uk

http://www.nookie.co.uk/rivermonster

ThePaddler 40

Thule kayak carrier systemhttp://www.thule.comThe safest way to carry a kayak is no doubt with the ThuleK-Guard – it involves a couple of hours work but you willnot regret it.First of all, let me point out that the Thule 840-K Guard is part of a system andyou will need a pair of Thule roof rack bars plus the Thule Rapid System to lockonto your car’s own sidebars. All in this would come to a hefty £350 or so,however if you already have the bars and the Rapid System, this drops to aroundthe £180 mark for the K-Guard alone.

Without doubt – this is well worth the expense and time as it makes lifeincredibly easier thereafter. As when putting anything together from printedplans, it makes life simpler if you empty everything out of the boxes first andpatiently follow the instructions without taking short cuts or thinking you knowwhat comes next.

I was sent the Thule Rapid System to connect to my Toyota RAV4, the ThuleAerobars and the K-Guard and had it all up and running in less than 90 minutes,which included putting on the Aerobars, the wrong way round and then havingto correct it! As the photos show – no tools are needed to set up the carrierand when fitted correctly – the complete system has a quality, sturdy and stablefeel to it and with the Aerobars – looks pretty snazzy as well. The Aerobars are anotch above the normal Thule square bars as they not only look better but theirdesign assures better wind dynamics. The kayak is also cushioned by the rubbersupports that adapt to the kayak’s shape.

The K-Guard is also tiltable for easier, safer loading and unloading – an ingeniousaddition to an already impressive system. When the K-Guard is no longerneeded, they can be simply unlocked and stowed in the garage, leaving theAerobars in place for other uses. The level of security for the system is alsoimpressive, which starts with the lockable Rapid System, then the K-Guard can belocked down onto the bars and finally, the kayak can be locked onto the K-Guardvia the very tough straps.

So all in all, easy to set-up and even easier to use.

The K-Guard has won the acclaimed and prestigious Red Dot Product DesignAward, which acknowledges innovative and excellent design.

If you own a well used, battered everyday kayak, the extra cost of these bars maywell put you off. However, for those who may own the more expensiveexpedition, touring or sea kayaks, this is the the most convenient and safest wayto transport your pride of the fleet, plus it’s protected against bumps and scrapesand those who would like to relieve you of your boat!

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jDpC_2KK2A to watch a Youtubevideo on the simple assembly.

First, youhave to fit the ThuleRapid System.

Very easyto adjust into itsfinal positioning.

The ThuleRapid System canbe securely locked

into place.

Finally,mount the K-Guardinto place, whichalso comes with aset of lockablestraps for extrasecurity.

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by Point 65 Sweden

Point 65 Kayaks Sweden presents the take-apart sit on top Tequila! This comfortable, stable, versatile and high-performance kayak is, due to its modularity, exceptionally easy to carry, store and transport.

Snap in the mid-section and within 10 seconds, your Solo transforms into a Tandem! - add another mid-section and it’s a triple and so on.

The sit-on-top Tequila!, has a comfort-able molded in seat and features a bottle holder, foot-braces and storage space for your dry bag and is made to accommodate fishing equipment. The optional ingenious Tequila! backrest offers comfortable back support.

The Tequila! is designed for both children and adults. Whether paddling, fishing or just relaxing, it is the ideal choice for family fun on the water.

Point 65’s modular kayaks are easy to handle on and off the water. Kayaks that you can carry with a smile on your face, store under your bed and transport in your boat, caravan or in the boot of your car.

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Fun, stable and easy to paddle!

Assembles in 10 seconds thanks to the unique Snap-Tap system

No roof racks, just put it in the trunk

Solo or Tandem - all in one

As easy as one, two, three!

Distributed in the UK and ROI by Surf Sales Ltd. Phone 01303 850553 | info@surf-sales.com | www.surf-sales.com

A new level of flexibilityPoint 65 Kayaks Sweden presents the take-apart Martini! A rigid high-perfor-mance kayak that you can carry with a smile on your face, easily stow on your boat and transport in the trunk of your car.

Go solo, go tandem go triple - go bananas! The Martini snaps apart and re-assembles in seconds. Snap in the mid-section and your Solo transforms into a Tandem. Add another mid section and it’s a triple! Keep adding mid sections to create the perfect team-building excercise.

www.point65.com

Certainly sounds like Wales

Powerful turquoise waves in wavetrains. Tara gorge day two

or bustKnow a country where it’s cold and

wet in May, has green mountains,good rivers and the inhabitantsspeak a strange language and arefervently defiant about their larger

neighbouring countries?

Montenegro

ThePaddler 42

but the titleis a give away… Montenegro is a small countryformed out of part of the old Yugoslavia in thatbit of Europe above Greece known as theBalkans. Balkans sounds like Serbia, Sarajevo,Kosovo and wars and that’s certainly part of thearea’s history, but Montenegro would like to bethought of as one of the National Geographic’stop 10 world-wide destinations. It gets thataccolade because of its white beaches,undeveloped mountains and deep canyons. Addto that, a friendly population of only 678,000and the fact they have only been independentsince 2006 and you’ve got an exciting andrelatively unknown destination.

For us the deep canyons had been on thekayaking radar for a while. We three kayakvoyagers from North Wales, had paddled somegreat rivers in Europe and further afield and hadheard mention of ‘the second deepest canyon inthe world’. It sounded unlikely but had the sniffof adventure. Flights had always been thestumbling block, but a new Monarch flight fromManchester to Dubrovnik (in Croatia but closeto the MN border) opened the door. Internetresearch produced a kayak guide, and theubiquitous Deb Pinniger (thanks Deb!) gaveconcrete advice… so we booked for the 12th Mayto maximise snow melt.

ThePaddler 43

Certainly sounds like Wales

drop. It didn’t look good, and the road was atleast 200 metres above us, and though we wereall climbers, it looked hard…Lateral thinkingwas the answer, our brains had focused on theobvious chute with the stopper, but below was asteep twisting drop with no stopper. We needed alog, but there was none… but there was Karl! Adescription shouted across the roar of the water,and he was down in one piece! Minutes later andwe were all together massively relieved and therest of the river seemed a blast of play waves andchutes. I hitched back to the top with a madcapSerbian driver intent on Kamikaze, overtakinglorries on blind bends. Reunited, we were wellchuffed with our first Montenegrin river and hadsausage and chips in a rainy Kolasin to celebrate.

Next morning and it was obvious that it hadrained all night; Kolasin is the ski capital of MNand it was so cold it was dumping snow about300 metres above the town. Perhaps skiing wasthe better option but we decided to check out the

river Lim, a watershed away over a backcountryswitchback. Access and egress were more obviousin this wide pastoral valley (though we couldn’tsee much of it through the swirling cloud andrain) and we got on in Plavsko Lake. Just as weleft the lake, dodging the usual array of plasticbottles and other rubbish, an otter poked hishead above the water to check out these strangevisitors. We had seen no sign of rafts or kayakssince we had entered MN. The Lim was anothergrey cold river, big and powerful, reminding us ofthe Inn above Landeck, with the occasionaluprooted tree jammed into the bank or floatingmenacingly downstream. And we were pleased tofind that we had avoided a few gnarly pouroversas we floated past, more by luck than goodjudgement. Sounds fairly grim, and it was, butwe enjoyed it for its power and speed.

A fair drive down the Tara valley ensued,gradually steepening from the town of Mojkovacto form the Devil’s Canyon. As part of theUNESCO biosphere agreement this part of theTara is banned to paddlers and patrolled byrangers… but it does look good! Some 40 kmsdown this canyon is ‘the Great Bridge’ rebuilt

Come the day, and we were met by balmysunshine on the runway. Good start… not so inthe car hire (see notes) but we did eventually getaway with a solid vehicle, three burns on the roofand depleted wallets. The Croatian main roadinto Montenegro was one long dirt track, and wethought customs would prove a problem withCroatian car and British shifty lookingoccupants. No problem though, banter with theEnglish speaking and pretty Montenegrin Borderguard did the trick!

Next morning saw us in Podgorica crossing theMoraca River and soon heading up itsspectacular canyon. The guide warned of somegrade 5 and a ‘no-go’. The road here is high abovethe river in a limestone box canyon, withthunderous lorries squeezing under a successionof tunnels and overhangs. We stopped in theoccasional lay-bys to check out the river and onlysucceeded in frightening ourselves… oneparticular tunnel with an angular concrete

entrance and solar panels had a view below it ofa very big stopper and tight manoeuvring. Wesettled on our get out point below a scree andboulder slope to avoid the invisible ‘no-go’, andheaded up river to find our access point justacross the river from the Moraca Monastery…one of the country’s premier tourist attractions.Of course, by the time we had got on the river thesun had gone and the water was cold and grey,narrow but powerful… and many kilometresdownstream in an unclimbable canyon was ahuge and growing stopper! Good psychology forour first river!

Further down though, we were feeling moreconfident… tributaries had joined, we’d survivedsome minor epics, and the river had turnedbright turquoise in the sun, with some stunningsprings cascading out of the now sheer sidedwalls. But there was still that stopper… a littlebeach gave some time to plan a way above thenastiness and we saw ourselves through initialrapids, but then the river sight line disappearedover a jumble of huge rocks. These rocks were thelife line we needed and Louise and I scrambledprecariously onto one of them above the biggest

ThePaddler 44

Paddlers: Louise Beetlestone and Karl Midlane sorted most of the trip. Written by: Andy Hall (www.OutdoorAdventureConsultancy.co.uk)and see www.chriseastabrookcoaching.com for a possible guided trip in the future. Photographs: Karl Midlane and Andy Hall

Fun fact:Despite it’s small size there are seven countries in Europe that are actuallysmaller (Kosovo, Luxembourg, Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco andVatican City) and it is the least densely populated country in southern Europe(672,000 residents, or 48 people per square kilometre).

ThePaddler 45

The road here is

high above the river

in a limestone box canyon, with thunderous lorries

squeezing under a succession of tunnels and overhangs.

Paddlers: Louise Beetlestone and Karl Midlane sorted most of the trip. Written by: Andy Hall (www.OutdoorAdventureConsultancy.co.uk)and see www.chriseastabrookcoaching.com for a possible guided trip in the future. Photographs: Karl Midlane and Andy Hall

The Moraca box canyon and the grade 5 section

Fun fact:Despite it’s small size there are seven countries in Europe that are actuallysmaller (Kosovo, Luxembourg, Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco andVatican City) and it is the least densely populated country in southern Europe(672,000 residents, or 48 people per square kilometre).

National Park permitsMain: The river had turned a bright turquoise.‘Below: Goodbye but we’ll be back’- the shuttle back from the Tara gorge.

We needed a log – Karl styling the grade 5 on the Moraca.No thought to environmental sustainability.

ThePaddler 47

after being blown up by an original builderturned partisan (and now national hero!) toprevent Germans from using it in WWII. Nextto this, on the west bank, Miro of ZabjlackTourist Agency has some lodges and a café. Hespeaks English, runs a big rafting setup later inthe season, and can arrange the shuttle and canarrange the shuttle and National Park permits.

Even though the river here is only grade 3-4, weknew it was high and for 83 kms it goes througha deep inaccessible canyon. Apparently it is1,300 metres deep, only 200m less than theGrand Canyon! Having done both, it’s stretchingit, I think! Whatever, it was with trepidation thatwe little three floated under the ‘Great Bridge’next morning, facing a marathon 50+kms to arafting camp in Bosnia. The day was overcast butthe river was bright turquoise and the waveswere big and powerful, but not retentive (though

you always thought the next one might be!) Wesaw vultures and eagles and imagined bears andwolves in the forested gorge. Spectacular streamsfell into the river from either side in filigreedpatterns, handing Karl an epic day with hiscamera. A couple of ancient rickety cable bridgesdefined the past life of people in the gorge, theirdescendants long gone to the city or to fight inthe ethnic wars.

How far to go? Not wanting to get wet in the coldcurtailed our play action and after only a coupleof stops we reached the ‘Encijan’ camp. Two raftguides welcomed us to their marooned existence,no-one else at their 50 bedded woodenencampment. Soon they had us drying out ourwet gear and strained bodies in front of a ragingwood fire. Later they fed us local dishes until wecrashed early with stories of “much bigger rapidstomorrow” a mean threat that shortened mysleep! Next morning hot pancakes, dry kit andpatches of blue sky welcomed us. Not tomention two hours of big waves. It turned out tobe the highlight of the trip, not technicallydifficult, but powerful turquoise waves in wavetrains on virtually continuous rapids. The raftguides had counted nine rapids to the end of the

river at Scepjan Polje; but we’dcounted nine after 30 minutes!Maybe this section would still begood later in July/August, but wedefinitely stole it at its best. Theget out on the Bosnian borderbridge came too soon, but herewe had to stop to pick up theprearranged shuttle back to ourcar at noon. Rare sunshine driedour gear as we pondered theethnic cleansing that had takenplace over the border not too farfrom here only 20 years before.

The return shuttle to the car gaveus a view into the Piva gorge andthe karst scenery of theDurmitor Mountains. That nightfound us back in our Kolasinroom weighing up next day – onthe river or climbing? The daydawned wet (again!) and so theupper Tara section of grade 3from Kolasin to Mojkovacproved its worth despite thefreezing temperatures. Thefollowing day dawned dry andwe spent two days cragging andworking our way back toDubrovnik… but that’s anotherstory. I would definitelyrecommend Montenegro as apaddler’s destination fromBritain, the Tara is a world class3-4 river and the Moraca is acanyon as spectacular as anyother in Europe.

National Park permits

No thought to environmental sustainability.

Spectacular streams fell into the river from either side in filigreed patterns,

handing Karl an epic day with his camera

Flights fly to Dubrovnik withMonarch or Easy Jet: Both carrierswill take kayaks for a price. We figuredthe overall Monarch package wasslightly cheaper from Manchester butI’m sure this will vary from time totime. Both our outgoing and incomingflights were delayed (but at least I gotto watch some of the ChampionsLeague final!) and Easy Jet claim to bemore reliable. EJ only gives you 32kgmax weight allowance and a boat isaround 26kg! Cost is around £220 perhead. Flights exist to Podgorica (MN’scapital, but they are more expensive,but it would certainly be moreconvenient).

Car hire or get picked up: Webooked a car with Auto Europe andtook roof bars on the assumption thatthe Skoda estate we’d booked wouldhave suitable rails… of course it didn’tand we had to upgrade to a VWTouran – you could see the car hirestaff ’s eyes light up at the extra incomeinvolved! You could negotiate a pickupwith Miro, but it would limit yourflexibility and might mean you onlypaddled the Tara… worth an emailthough (www.miro-tara.com)! Around£400 in total with about £70 fuel.

Where to stay: Plenty of rooms torent – see signs on houses by the road,like our B+Bs but without the breakfastat about £10 per head. Campsitesseemed closed and it would be wet andcold and not much cheaper!

Shuttles: We hitched and used taxis(which were very cheap compared withBritain – our section of the Lim, (about25 kms, cost £10) and paid Miro for theTara transfer (about £100 for the threeof us and our boats… good value for athree hour trip!)

The bad bits: £60+ to the DurmitorNational Park for two-days access onthe Tara gorge, and no access to theupper Devil’s canyon. Plus therubbish… bags of trash liberally throwninto the rivers with not a thought toenvironmental sustainability, or thefuture of tourism!

ThePaddler 48

Currency: Euro.

Climate:Mediterranean.

Beaches: There is293km of coastlinewith 117 beachescovering 73km.

Sunshine: Average240 days per year.

Language: Serbian,but English is widelyspoken.

Main cities: Podgorica- the capital, Kotor andBudva.

Time zone: + 1 hourGMT, + 2 hours insummer.

Visas: Tourist visas arenot required, but workvisas are required.

Area: 13,812 km2

Population: 672,000

Flying time: 2.5 hoursfrom the UK

The nameMontenegro: MeansBlack Mountain whichwas probably derivedfrom the thick ‘black’forests that in themediaeval timescovered Mount Lovcen.

Montenegro hasalways been a problemfor cartographers as itis almost impossible towrite all the letters ofits name into the smallspace it takes up on themap.

Montenegro wasdeclared an EcologicalState in 1991.

According to theWorld Tourism andTrade Council 2004report, Montenegro isthe fastest growingtourist destination inthe World.

ORGANISE

YOUROWNTRIP

Bjelasica & Komovi

KajakfahrenKayakingKajakaški Vodic

THANKS: TO PALM, PYRANHA, SURF-LINES AND PADDLEWORKS FOR HELPING USWITH DISCOUNTED GEAR.

http://pyranha.com

ThePaddler 50

Watermark Experiences youth ‘Tara River Kayak Expedition’, wasa week-long kayaking expedition to Montenegro. Two days werespent as a warm up, kayaking on the Moraça River, followed by aday of equipment and food preparation, before embarking on athree day self support white water kayak expedition on the TaraRiver Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the World and aUNESCO World heritage site.

Supplied by Deb Pinniger.Written by the expeditions’ participants.

August 3rd-10th 2012

Paddling deep in Montenegro

Watermark Experiences‘North Face ExploreFund

’MontenegroYouth Kayaking Expedition

ThePaddler 51

Paddling deep in Montenegro

Watermark Experiences‘North Face ExploreFund

’MontenegroYouth Kayaking Expedition

Day 1By Devon Francis – Age 16After a 1.30am start we dragged ourselves to Gatwick’s south terminal, where we met Ali, Laurie and Freddie. Havingbeen dreading the check-in, we pushed our kayak filled trolleys through the airport, causing chaos, followed by awelcomed smooth check in of our boats and luggage.

At the oversize baggage check-in we met a Kiwi girl, who had been doing freestylekayak demonstrations at the Olympic kayak slalom event. After chatting for a fewminutes she mentioned that she had been paddling with Dane Jackson, a world-class kayaker, who just happened to be asleep upstairs. Star struck we ran up theescalator to meet him in a Starbucks, where he lay curled up in a chair, dazed andconfused at our sudden appearance.

We arrived in Croatia to the blazing heat, and travelled for a few hours intoMontenegro in a stuffy minibus to a town by the coast, where we spent some timeswimming in the sea to cool down. We were soon back in the bus for anotherbeautiful driving trip to the Morača valley, our first campsite.

Day 2By Joe Trapnell – Age 17Today had a lazy start for me; I rolled over several times and struggled out of our new snazzy North Face tent.

After lunch, we donned our kit and damn near drowned in our own slimy sweat before we had even started the twominute walk to put on the Morača river, in temperatures of 40+ degrees. Most of us swam in the amazingly cool andclear spring-fed river before we even entered our kayaks!

After paddling down a short section of the river we came to a sweet deep pool with a high rockhanging over it with a slide to seal-launch. Several huge launches, back-flips, belly flops andpictures later we decided that we had wasted a little too much time playing and hurried on downthe river. Where we paddled a few awesome rapids with no dramas and eventually hit the flatterrun out. Some small waves and holes kept Freddie interested and the odd truck carcass fallen fromthe road high above the river, made an interesting twist to the stunning natural scenery of theMorača valley.It was getting late when we began to think that we may have missed our get out and the shuttlebus, so Deb decided that we’d get off where we where and she and Chris would walk to the mainroad and hitch back to the bus and van. After having to pay a local in a bar 10 Euros for a lift, weeventually reunited at the get out and set about making our way back to the campsite.

ThePaddler 52

We met a Kiwi girl, who had been doing freestyle kayak demonstrations at theOlympic kayak slalomevent

Several huge launches, back-flips, belly flops and pictures later we decided that we had wasted a little too

much time playing and hurried on down the

river.

ThePaddler 53

Day 3By Laurie McDonald – Age 13The day’s paddle started with everyone rolling or swimming to cool off after an hourspent in the sun waiting for the shuttle. The river had the same small, technical rapidsfrom the day before and they were really fun to paddle and manoeuvre through,although they were perhaps not perfect for Steve’s brand new scratch less Jeffe!

About halfway between the put-in and lunch the firstswim of the trip happened as a result of a tip and anup-stream edge against a giant mid flow boulder. Therapid was a chute into a chicane and everyone,including the swimmer, enjoyed it! We paddled oninto the Morača canyon where we saw a beautifulwaterfall spouting out of the limestone cliffs twentyfeet above us. Paddling on until the cliffs either sidebecame a box-canyon and we hit what is a solid gradeVI rapid in higher flows. On the day we were there it

was low water and consisted of a chute into a drop that had a large rock at thebottom. After a while of trying to work out the safest route down the rapid, duringwhich Freddie and Devon tried the drop from different angles we decided toportage it in order to look after ourselves and our boats.

Soon we stopped for lunch and whilst heading off to “see a man about a dog” in thebushes, Joe came back with an inner tube from a truck. After having lunch and a fewrides down a rapid in the inner tube, we set off for the rest of our day on thesesmall, technical rapids.

At the get out, as we waited for the shuttle to be run, we found great jumps and aftera few cool back-flips by Sam and a massive back-flop by Freddie, we came home.

We went up to a town called Kolasine for dinner, about 30 minutes up the valleyand ate in a really nice local Montenegrin restaurant. We had some amazing cheeseand a great stew. After an ice cream and some people watching from our seats on thetown fountain we drove home and everyone went straight to their tents knackered.

Day 4By Ed White – age 15After our last day on the Morača, I think I can safely say that we were all prettyknackered. Because of this I guess it was almost a relief to us that we would have aday without paddling.

After breakfast we packed all our gear and left our campsitefor the last time and headed back to Kolasine where we hadan hour to explore and shop.

We left Kolasine at around mid-day and headed to theWorld’s smallest National Park for a barbecue lunch and tosort out what kit to take on the Tara, with us.

After drying off from a quick swim in the lake (well, sort of)the group loaded in the van again and began the last driving

stint towards the put in of the Tara River. We arrived at Miro’s rafting station andspent at least half an hour admiring the 170m high bridge, that spans the Tara andbought Tara River T-shirts.

We drove to our first Tara camp, however Deb and Chris saw very little of this asthey had to leave for the five hour shuttle to the take out and ride back with Miro.

We decided to get everyone sleeping outside for a bit of Bivvi fun (without Bivvi bagsfor most of us) because of this, some of us (including me) found it difficult to sleep.

ThePaddler 54

About halfway between the put-in and lunch the first swim of the trip

happened as a result of a tip and an up-stream

edge against a giant mid flow boulder We arrived at Miro’s

rafting station and spent at least half an hour admiring the 170m high bridge, that spans the Tara

Every turn is like paddling into the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie, the scales of the rock faces are simply unreal.

ThePaddler 55

Day 5 By Ali McCreery – Age 14Today was the start of our multi-day trip through the Tara Canyon.

The shuttle was done last night, so we were set to put on the river first thing in themorning. We got up early and packed our boats, with Joe taking one for the team byfinding enough space for a whole North Face three-man tent, some group food aswell as all of his own kit. When everyone was suitably sweaty from tying the boatson to a beaten up flat bed truck, we jumped in an old beaten up rafting Land Roverand drove to the river. Whilst Deb went to buy the permits to make it legal for us topaddle the canyon we unloaded the boats and got on the water.

The colour of the rivers has been one of my favourite thingsabout paddling in Montenegro and the Tara certainly didn’tdisappoint, with crystal clear water flowing through abeautiful deep canyon. Throughout the day the quality of thewhite-water that we had was really sweet; it wasn’t too scary,but it was amazingly fun. There were loads of really cool rockspin opportunities.

After lunch we had a quick swim, before we boogied ondown the river. We arrived at our first camp site (TheNational Park campsite) bang on time at four o’clock andput up our swanky North Face tents and had a big game of“one-knee, two-knee”. A couple of us then went down to theriver for a few photos and to chill for a while. Dinner camein the form of a bri (a South African wood BBQ) andanother big bowl of chef Chivers Coleslaw!

Day 4By Ed White – age 15After our last day on the Morača, I think I can safely say that we were all prettyknackered. Because of this I guess it was almost a relief to us that we would have aday without paddling.

After breakfast we packed all our gear and left our campsitefor the last time and headed back to Kolasine where we hadan hour to explore and shop.

We left Kolasine at around mid-day and headed to theWorld’s smallest National Park for a barbecue lunch and tosort out what kit to take on the Tara, with us.

After drying off from a quick swim in the lake (well, sort of)the group loaded in the van again and began the last driving

stint towards the put in of the Tara River. We arrived at Miro’s rafting station andspent at least half an hour admiring the 170m high bridge, that spans the Tara andbought Tara River T-shirts.

We drove to our first Tara camp, however Deb and Chris saw very little of this asthey had to leave for the five hour shuttle to the take out and ride back with Miro.

We decided to get everyone sleeping outside for a bit of Bivvi fun (without Bivvi bagsfor most of us) because of this, some of us (including me) found it difficult to sleep.

The colour of the rivers has been one

of my favourite things about paddling in Montenegro and the Tara certainly didn’t disappoint, with crystal clear water flowing

through a beautiful deep canyon

Every turn is like paddling into the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie, the scales of the rock faces are simply unreal.

Day 6By Kyle Chives – Age 17Well I can honestly say that today has been pretty eventful, to say the least! After completing our first leg of the greatTara canyon followed by countless games of ‘one knee two knee’ and risky games of Frisbee by the river. I woke up thefollowing day next to the campfire after making the decision to bivvy without a tent due to the shear heat in thecanyon meaning I would rather take my chances with the local wildlife than wake up in the scorching heat.

Breakfast was over and after Will, Ali and I, had cleaned the dishes in the river wepacked our boats and headed for the river.

As the river progressed it was clear to see the volume was building. The one thing thathit me about the Tara was the numerous springs this river is fed by, the springs are athing of beauty, usually erupting from rocks or dropping from waterfalls surroundedby thick foliage. You could tell a spring was near by simply putting your hands in thewater, the spring water was freezing and after previously rolling on flowing rapidsections of the river rolling in one of these spring sections could only be compared to

surfing back at home mid February.

Tara is a beautiful place! Rarely have the surrounding features fascinated me more from the river but writing about themountains of Tara simply doesn’t do it any justice. Every turn is like paddling into the next Pirates of the Caribbeanmovie, the scales of the rock faces are simply unreal. Big rocks and deep pools provided an ideal opportunity for someextreme rock jumping an event that proved very popular throughout most of the trip.

The wildlife that exists around the river is phenomenal and their confidence in approaching our boats for photoswere ideal and contributed to the magical and awe inspiring atmosphere that the canyon has left with me, eagles,brown trout and other small local insects didn’t hesitate to investigate us and even hitch a ride on our boats.

After a lunch consisting of Maxi Mart’s finest: tortillas, chorizo, and cheese we ventured off to the next camp. Wavetrains, and brown claws a plenty we made the most of the rapids before finding a quaint campsite we’d later be settingup tents in.

The campsite had very little in terms of amenities let alone electricity (at least before 8pm) however the entertainmentwas good and provided mostly by a dog whose key purpose in life seemed to be to chase the campsite cat.

ThePaddler 56

The springs are a thing of beauty, usually

erupting from rocks or dropping from

waterfalls surrounded by thick foliage

Spent the rest of the evening milling around in the mist of people, watching the street

performers and eating ice-cream

Looking back at the paddling and scenery, it was certainly a trip

of “wows”!

ThePaddler 57

Day 7By Will Bolton-Jones – Age 13We got packed up and left the campsite, the first rapids were very good and then we came to a big wave, everyone had a go. Near theend there was another awesome wave with a great eddy and we spent a long time there and got some great photos and some good

surfs. On the way down we saw the mountains change into hills and eventually we came to the get out at theBosnian border.

At the get out we loaded the kayaks and drove through Bosnia back to Croatia! When we came to thecampsite some of us set up tents and Bivvis whilst the others set up throw lines to dry the kit before the nextday’s flight. We went into the old town in Dubrovnik for dinner and saw a big castle.

After dinner Freddie and I went back to the campsite because we were so tired, but the others stayed in the cityand spent the rest of the evening milling around in the mist of people, watching the street performers andeating ice-cream.

Day 8By Freddie Kent – Age 13We bivied out last night and this morning we got up at 6am

and packed our boats and drove to theairport. Then we unloaded all theboats and Chris and Deb went to getbreakfast. Then we weighed andchecked-in the boats and went to thedeparture lounge. I brought a tube of

M&Ms and it had a free springy M&M man on top of it!Looking back at the paddling and scenery, it was certainly atrip of “wows”!

Spent the rest of the evening milling around in the mist of people, watching the street

performers and eating ice-cream

Looking back at the paddling and scenery, it was certainly a trip

of “wows”!

ThePaddler 58

the odd truck carcass

fallen from the road high abovethe river, made an interesting twist to the stunning natural scenery of the Morača valley

Watermark Experiences C.I.C and its participants, would like to extend their gratitude to The North Face Explore Fund, Palm Equipment and System X for their generous financial and product support that they have provided for this youth project.

The Zanskar Youth Kayaking Expedition 2013.

Join us.Back after popular demand, Watermark Experiences C.I.C introduce the Zanskar Youth Kayaking Expedition, August 2013. Don’t miss out, apply now.

Who?The expedition is aimed at young paddlers, aged 14-19. You’ll be physically fit, self motivated and willing to work as a team to navigate one of the World’s most breath-taking multiday river trips, in the Indian Himalaya.

Where?The Zanskar River is known as the Grand Canyon of Asia and travels through an awe-inspiring 150 km gorge, offering exciting class 3+ and 4 white water.

When?From 13–30th August 2013.

How?The expedition will complete a comprehensive training period of six days, prior to the trip in the UK. There the team will cover fundraising, team building, kayak training, white water safety and rescue and trip logistics. Watermark will also offer BCU awards during the programme.

The expedition will be split between travel, acclimatisa-tion, paddling and enjoying first hand the beautiful land of Ladakh and its rich culture.

Apply NowIf you think you are a suitable candidate to join a group of motivated enthusiastic young paddlers on this three week Himalayan kayaking expedition to Northern India.

Please apply in writing; stating why you think you should be awarded a place on Watermark Experi-ences’ 2013 Zanskar Youth Expedition.

Please email deb@watermarkexperiences.com

ThePaddler 60

BCCALLS

One of the jewels in the Canadian park system is Bowron Lakes Provincial Park, in British Columbia, Canada

The Bowron Lakes Circuit is the quintessential lake canoeing experiencein Canada, and has been rated as one of the top ten canoe trips in theworld. The 116km route is comprised of six major lakes which areinterconnected by a series of portages and rivers. Groomed canoe pathsallow for portages to be completed with the use of carts, upon whichcanoes are wheeled between lakes.

One of the great appeals of this paddle,besides the incredible backcountry sceneryof the glacial Cariboo Mountains, cascadesand waterfalls, crystal clear waters andvirgin forest, is that the chain can becompleted without backtracking. Youend up at the same spot that you started.

The area was originally peopled by the Takuli or Carrier First Nations peoplewho sustained themselves by trapping, hunting, fishing and gathering activities.As with many First Nations peoples, the tribe was decimated by a smallpoxepidemic in the 1860s. Archaeological evidence points to earlier habitationbut there is no information about who these people may have been.

By Len Webster, Lead Guide

BC Yukon Adventures

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Bowron Lakes Provincial Park, in British Columbia, Canada

62

language isstill evident in the park. Lanezi (long) Lake, Itzul(forest) Range, Tediko (girls) Range, Mount Ishpa(my father), and Kaza (arrow) Mountain beartestament to this.

In the 1860s, the Cariboo Goldrush, centred innearby Barkerville, brought many of the firstnon-natives to the area. Looking for gold, theyexplored further into the Bowron Lakes andbrought attention to these areas. After the goldrush some whites remained, turning to furtrapping and guiding animal hunts. Soldiersreturning from World War I and their families,were given land grants in the area. This gave riseto farming and the development of a fewhunting lodges. By the 1920s local outfittersproposed that the Bowron Lakes be establishedas a wildlife sanctuary to ease the decline on theanimal populations. This resulted in the creationof a park reserve in 1925. Over the years the sizeof the area was increased until finally the BowronLakes were designated a provincial park in 1961.

This trip requires camping and paddling skills, aswell as a reasonable level of physical fitness tocomplete the circuit. Sections of the CaribooRiver that connect some lakes are fast moving.Deadheads, sweepers, and sharp bends can proveto be problematic, especially with low waterlevels. As the lakes are situated in a mountainousarea, weather conditions can and do, changeabruptly in extremely short periods of time. Withsome of the larger lakes such as Isaac, Bowron,and Lanezi, winds that are channeled betweenthe high mountains can create dangerous waves.You will need good quality equipment tocomfortably get you through the entire trip – awaterproof tent, a tarp and a warm sleeping bagare essential. Even in the summer, nights can becolder than anticipated. Take warm clothing andrain gear no matter what time of year you visit.

Wildlife is abundant on the Bowron Lakes.Paddlers are often treated to moose feeding bythe waterways, beaver, and otter. The area aroundthe Bowron River is a birdwatcher’s paradise. But,it is bear country, populated with both black andgrizzly bears. Bear encounters can happenanywhere along the circuit. It’s very important tobe aware of the dangers, and to manage yourfood, garbage, and personal hygiene in an

ThePaddler

The connection to Takuli

This trip requires

camping and paddling skills,as well as a reasonable level of physical fitness

to complete the circuit

Mosquito populationsvary according to season,temperature, rainfall, andwind. Be prepared withmosquito repellent and ahead net if you have notolerance for these

suckers, especially in Juneand July.

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64ThePaddlerGive yourself as much time as possible

to fish, swim, and take photos. And, do allow time to visit the historically restored gold rush town of Barkerville.

65ThePaddler

appropriate and safe manner. You should alsoknow what to do should you encounter a bear.

The park is patrolled by wardens who check forpark permits and see to any problems that mayarise. There are a number of campsites withroofed shelters and radio contacting equipmentshould an emergency occasion the need for somehelp. A required orientation session with parkpersonnel before you start your trip willhighlight this, plus any other information thatwill make your paddle safe and memorable.

By the mid-1860s, Barkerville had apopulation of approximately 5,000.Although largely transient anddependent on mining, it developedinto a real community. It had severalgeneral stores and boarding houses, adrugstore that also sold newspapersand cigars, a barbershop that also cutwomen’s hair, the ‘Wake-Up JakeRestaurant and Coffee Saloon’, atheatre (the Theatre Royal ) and aliterary society (the Cariboo LiterarySociety). Horse racing and prizefighting were commonentertainments. Among the so-called‘sober set,’ church services wereextremely well attended. In 1958, thegovernment of British Columbiabegan the restoration of the town toits old glory and is today a primetourist attraction.

Give yourself as much time as possible

to fish, swim, and take photos. And, do allow time to visit the historically restored gold rush town of Barkerville.

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Additional topicsA fishing licence is required if you intend to fish. Thiscan be purchased online by registering athttps://j100.gov.bc.ca/pub/ras/signin.aspx

Bear safety:http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/misc/bears/bearbowr.html

Getting to the Bowron Lakes from Vancouver, British ColumbiaAir: Daily flights with Air BC to Quesnel, BritishColumbia. Taxi service to Bowron Lakes.

Bus: Daily with Greyhound Bus to Quesnel. Taxiservice to Bowron Lakes.

Car: 665.9 km –Trans-Canada Hwy and CaribooHwy/BC-97 N to Quesnel, BC. Take Barkerville turnoff just north of Quesnel on Hwy 26. It is 89 km (53miles) to Wells. Proceed through Wells towardBarkerville. Look for signs for Bowron Lakes. A 28 kmgravel road will lead you to the Bowron Lakes.

Useful services and linksAccommodations: http://www.hellobc.com/british-columbia/accommodations.aspx

BC Parks/Bowron Lakes: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/bowron_lk/

Weather: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/index.php?product=parksfx&parkcode=CABC0670

Canoe and equipment rentals:http://www.beckerslodge.ca/

Bowron Lakes guided trips: From Vancouver: http://www.bcyukonadventures.com

Historic Barkerville:http://www.barkerville.ca/plan_visit.htm

Maphttp://goo.gl/maps/o0w9x

BCCALLS

http://bcyukonadventures.comhttps://www.facebook.com/BCYukonAdventures

http://bcyukonadventures.comhttps://www.facebook.com/BCYukonAdventures

ThePaddler 68

BIGseas and manyvariablesJeff Allen and Simon Osborne of SeaKayaking Cornwall have been runningtrips to the Isles of Scilly for seven years,with the idea of crossing back to themainland. It’s 54km, the tides are complex,and a mere force two or three headwindcould turn the jaunt into a genuine slog.

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spent exploring the Scillies, cruising in to yellowsands over azure seas, in startlingly clear waters,the kelp forests team with marine marvels. Therocky islands are clogged with grey seals, perchedlike oversized overripe bananas, surveying us aswe glide past, or spyhopping from the waters.On day three we do a big day to practice for thecrossing, a complete circumnavigation of theislands, 47km, no landing, eating resting and –yes – peeing in the boat. At times the tide andweather will mean we are giving everything tobarely stay still. Big seas take their toll on thenerves; never being able to leave the boat meanscramps, rubs, blisters and chafing.

Four hours in and we are all enjoying ourselves,relishing the challenge, and feeling strong andpositive. Then we have a food stop and I checkthe GPS. We’ve done 18km. “We’re going to needto step this up a bit guys” Jeff says in his typicallyunderstated fashion. From here on in it doesn’tfeel like a holiday. The sun disappears and acutting crosswind chills the fingers. No one ischatting or giggling anymore. One of the girls isstruggling to keep pace, so Jeff puts her on a tow.He promptly disappears over the horizondragging her behind him.

We finish in eight hours, and head straight forthe pub. There is a favourable forecast to attemptthe crossing on the Thursday morning, so weneed to make a plan. Charts spill across thetables between plates of deep fried Pollack andpints of ‘Proper Job’ Cornish ale. There are somany variables to take into account, tidaldiamonds, springs and neaps, crosswinds andpressure systems… cerebral fluid starts to leakout of my ears.

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The first few days are

a complete circumnavigation of the islands,

47km, no landing,eating resting and –

yes – peeing in the boat

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The sea is flat calm, the visibility is fine, and the wind is just a whisper. We are on!

We are in the middle of a busy shipping lane,

fog is forecast to roll in over the mainlandand if we take too long the tide will swing around

and be flowing against us faster than we can paddle!

We wake on Wednesday to terrible news. Fog!Thick dense fog is forecast to roll in the followingday. However, there is still a chance, if we headout on the ebbing tide that afternoon. We breakcamp; hastily prepare equipment for roughbivvies and an uncertain amount of time at sea.Just over an hour after launching from St Marysand we are on the uninhabited eastern isles,looking out over the open sea towards LandsEnd. The sea is flat calm, the visibility is fine, andthe wind is just a whisper. We are on!

There is an odd sensation to leaving the comfortof pretty, sunshine-blessed islands, and aimingyour kayak out into the open sea. The nerveswere much alleviated by the unnatural calmness.We paddle strict hour on, five minutes break,hour on again, but the monotony is broken bythe most extraordinary parade of wildlife I haveever seen. Firstly for several hours a single fulmarbanks and circles around our boats, cruising with

one wing tip coursing the waves. Then thedolphins and porpoise take over. A lonebottlenose coasts past, then a sizeable pod ofcommons leap and play about us. And thensomething I never thought I’d see in Britishwaters. A leatherback turtle, the only species thatcan live in these temperate waters, a reptile thathas outlasted the dinosaurs and makes a livingmunching down jellyfish. It’s a surreal moment,even more so when it swims straight into one ofmy colleague’s kayaks.

Six hours in and we are more and more glad ofour hourly breaks. A paralyzing cramp in myright hamstring means I ache to stretch out, butfirst have to check the GPS and cram my face fullof cake and pork pies. We’re making good time,but mustn’t get complacent. We are in the middleof a busy shipping lane, fog is forecast to roll inover the mainland and if we take too long thetide will swing around and be flowing against us

ThePaddler 73

The sea is flat calm, the visibility is fine, and the wind is just a whisper. We are on!

We are in the middle of a busy shipping lane,

fog is forecast to roll in over the mainlandand if we take too long the tide will swing around

and be flowing against us faster than we can paddle!

ThePaddler 74faster than we can paddle! It’s then, as the lightstarts to fade that the wildlife encounters getreally special. First a minke whale and her calfburst up in the middle of us, then a baskingshark, more dolphins… it seems as if the sea istrying to distract us from our task. Then finallythe lighthouse at Longships hoves into view. Weshould be able to see land now, but the fog hastotally obliterated it. Now concentration is fierce.We sound off number by number every fewminutes so as not to lose anyone in the fog andnight. We can hear the shore but not see it, sowork purely off the compass. Sennen cove is theonly place for a safe landing, and we have toavoid reefs and crashing waves in the dark, withthe village lights diffuse in the gloop. It’s an edgyend to a perfect day, and we shake hands andhug on the beach, overjoyed at what we’veachieved.

Over the next two days we ease our way back toPenzance, on one of the most dramatic paddlesin the world. We paddle through naturalcathedrals, arches and columns together withwind-carved statues. Skills are tested in amongstthe crashing waves of our most iconic coastalcliffs. Basking sharks are everywhere, bold sealstrack our progress, and we wild camp on desertedcoves. We catch our own supper, snaggingPollack, bream and mackerel on the hand line. Iborrow a local’s spear gun, and freedive inamongst the kelp, adding a mullet to dinner.

We paddle through natural cathedrals, arches and

columns together with wind-carved statues. Skills are tested in amongst the crashing waves

of our most iconic coastal cliffs

ThePaddler 75

We paddle through natural cathedrals, arches and

columns together with wind-carved statues. Skills are tested in amongst the crashing waves

of our most iconic coastal cliffs

I’m lucky enough to do trips like this for a living, but this was very special indeed.

The southwest of ourcountry is a jewel and there is no better way to explore

it than from the cockpit of a sea kayak.

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5th annual Sea KayakingCornwall Symposium 2012The Around Britain Bonanza.

(Four talks over four nights four verydifferent expeditions around GB thatall happened in 2012)

This year’s event is going to be biggerand better than ever. There will bemore courses, more excellentcoaches and more kayaks andequipment to buy and demo. We willbe having a ‘bring your own’ BBQ onthe Sat night where we supply the fireand entertainment. The courses willbe in Falmouth Bay and all over theCornish peninsular. We will celebratethe amazing achievements that havehappened this year in our homewaters. Starting on the friday at 9:30(to allow people to arrive) and thenSat, Sun and Monday evenings we willhave talks by: Mid life Kayak, Joe leach67 days, 100 kayak marathons in 100days and Home Sea Home.

Book in online now.http://www.seakayakingcornwall.com

Main event: 13th-14th Oct 2012

Courses week: 15-19th Oct 2012

During the courses week we areoffering some of our five day coursesat discounted prices. This week is agood oportunity to paddle withkayakers from around the world.

ThePaddler 77

Outdoor pursuits 185mm x 130mmRef: dcwhatyoudoing09-12oc

CHARITY BY STATUTE

RESIDENTIAL BURSARIES AVAILABLE

THERE’S MORE TODUCHY COLLEGE

Call us to find out more 01579 372233, email stoke.enquiries@duchy.ac.uk or visit www.duchy.ac.uk

WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THE END OF THE SEASON?If you want to develop your career as an outdoor instructor the Advance Instructor training Programme is for you.

The Advanced Instructor Training Programme course includes:

A full range of NGB qualifications (MLTE, BCU) 16-week intensive skills training Mentored work experience within the outdoor sector UK expeditions

There is nothing new about fishing fromkayaks, that is, after all, their main functionamongst the peoples who developed them.

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AN INTRODUCTION to

KAYAK FISHING

ThePaddler 79

AN INTRODUCTION to

KAYAK FISHING

BySIMON EVERETT

use their kayaks for fishing and huntingamongst the ice floes when the ice istoo treacherous to go by foot. Theyhave been using these long, slim vesselsfor hundreds of years. One of the mainbarriers for many people using a kayakfor recreational fishing has been the fearof the enclosed cockpit. With the adventof the sit-on-top design, kayaks havesuddenly gained huge popularity, notleast amongst the angling fraternity andothers who like to catch the odd fish.

ThePaddler 80

The sit-on-top design takes away the trepidationof having to be able to perform Eskimo rolls andother advanced paddling techniques, suddenlythe perception is that kayaks are easy to usebecause of the open cockpit concept. Certainlyfor the avid angler the open cockpit design makesa kayak very much more fisherman friendly asthere is space upon which to mount variousangling accessories and the ability to access tacklecarriers while on the water. This has made thekayak very much more attractive and they havebeen embraced wholeheartedly as a result.

Of course, it is perfectly possible to fish from a sitinside kayak, but the access to changes of tackleand the ability to move about is very much morereduced. Even so, there is nothing to stop peoplefrom fishing from a proper sea kayak whilepaddling from one camp to the next. Very oftenwe will troll a line for mackerel whilst paddling atsea, it is a very good method of obtaining a freshsupper! I have seen touring kayaks fitted with rodholders for this very purpose. One of theproblems is where you put your catch once youhave caught it. A brace of mackerel can be put ina polythene bag and dropped in behind yourseat, or placed in a deck back. Trying to deal witha big fish, the type and size of which anglers aretargeting specifically, would be a totally differentproposition. For this kind of fishing a wellthought out angling specific kayak is required.

The modern sit-on-top kayaks are ideal forintroducing young children to the joys ofpaddling and fishing together. The cargo well ofsome of the larger sit-ons is suitable for taking ayoungster out either just for a quick paddle, or totry and catch their first fish. Mum or dad can be

in charge of the paddling while the youngstercan fish, within reach of the parent, with ashort rod or even a simple handline.

A weight of about 4 or 6 ounces issufficient to use for trolling a spinner

behind the kayak to catchmackerel. The fish are ubiquitous

around our coasts in thesummer and are very easy to

catch making them ideal

The Eskimopopulations

for youngsters to cut their fishing teeth on.Alternatively, a string of mackerel feathers orshrimps jigged gently whilst drifting will also worklike magic and soon provide enough fish to feed afamily for several meals, or for the serious anglerprovide enough bait for a day.

I would suggest cutting the length of a string ofmackerel feathers down to just three hooks as thiswill make it very much more manageable on thekayak and be less prone to tangles. Beware thehooks above the one you are dealing with becauseif the weight suddenly drops it will drive the hooksinto your hand. The best way of dealing with astring of hooks like this is to maintain a taut linewith the weight always on the end, this keeps theline straight and you can unhook any fish muchmore safely. The beauty of a string of mackerelhooks is that they can also be trolled slowly asternthe kayak, while you cover more ground. Ahandline is best stored on a wooden frame and ittakes up minimal room, cork glued to the side ofthe frame is useful to keep the hooks in safe.

The more specialised fishing kayaks are fitted withrod rests, fish finders, anchoring systems andstorage facilities for both fish and extra tackle.These specialised kayaks are being used for someserious fishing and even in the UK there are anglers

ThePaddler 81

The modern sit-on-top kayaks are ideal for

introducing young children

to the joys of paddling and fishing together

regularly going after small sharks, conger eels,pollack, bass and skates. These are experiencedkayak anglers who are equipped to deal with theprospect of such a fish alongside, gloves areessential when dealing with the sharks and itstands to reason that these anglers are also fullyequipped with emergency and safety gear. A VHF,GPS, whistle, lighting and flares are standard farefor these forays and most people carry a prettycomprehensive First Aid kit too. A hook in yourhand a couple of miles out to sea is not going tohelp the paddle home!

For fishing specific marks the kayaks are rigged withfish finders and anchoring systems, which allow theanchor to be handled from the cockpit but the pullis from one or other of the ends, depending on theangler’s preference. A carabiner or snap hook isattached to a haul running along the outside of thehull, so the anchor line can be lead to the bow orstern and yet still be tied off at the cockpit. Toprevent snagging, a tripping anchor is employed, sothat in the event of the anchor becoming fast, thekayaker simply has to paddle uptide and pull theanchor out backwards, the way it went in, from theheel of the anchor, not the head.

Any of the conventional fishing methods can beused, trolling is a useful method whilst paddling toand from marks, it can be used to get freshmackerel for bait or used in its own right whenconditions are not suitable for other methods. Flyfishing both in the sea and in lakes is very popular,spinning and lure fishing works for predators andbait fishing on the bottom either on the drift or atanchor for the bigger species are all methodsemployed by the kayak angler.

From this it can be seen that a kayak is a veryversatile way to get afloat. They are easy to store,transport, launch and are great for keeping fit, sohave are beneficial to a healthy lifestyle. They alsohave a very much lower environmental impact andthe ability to get close to your fish is one of the joysof fishing from these simple boats. Indeed,catching a fish from a kayak has a pleasure all of itsown. The proximity of your fish enhances thepleasure of even catching mackerel. There is asense of achievement and of being at one with thewater that simply isn’t there in a boat. You shouldgive it try, you might like it.

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ThePaddler 83

Tackle. Light boat gear is all that isneeded. I use an 8lb class rod and medium sizemultiplier reel for bottom fishing and tacklingthose hard fighting tope. A spinning rod is morethan adequate for most fishing from a kayak andanyone interested in fly fishing from one willonly require a rod in the #8 class for anything inBritish waters. Of course, for sharks, conger andcommon skate more specialist tackle is requiredin the 50lb class.

Safety. Taking to the water in a kayakrequires a safe approach. No-one should goafloat without wearing a good fitting buoyancyaid. A compass, a whistle and flares are minimumadditions along with a paddle leash to preventyour only means of propulsion from drifting outof reach should you drop it. A VHF and GPS areoptional extras, which most experienced kayakanglers don’t go afloat without. A headlamp is

another very useful item, even in the summermany rescues that start during daylight hours goon into darkness and an LED headlamp will lastfor days on one set of batteries. Ensure youleave details of where and when you arepaddling with someone ashore, preferably thecoastguard. Give them a time to expect youback by and ensure that they know to alert theauthorities unless you contact them. A mobilephone in a waterproof housing of some sort canbe useful as there is generally quite good signalcoverage around the shore.

Kayak type. Most kayaksare built to be able to mould themselves to theface of a wave. Beware the very heavy, broad, flatbottomed models. These feel very solid and arefine for sheltered water, but the extra effortrequired to paddle them soon diminishes theirappeal. The better paddling kayaks are also verystable but their ease of paddling makes themvery much more suitable for use at sea.

ThePaddler 84

Type of

fish thatcan be caught

from a kayak

MackerelThe most widespread species is probably themackerel, beloved of anglers everywhere. These areprobably the easiest fish to catch from a kayak andthey make good eating. Found anywhere with adepth of water of about 20-feet or more and can becaught with spinners or feather jigs.

PollackThese are found around reefs, rocks, piers and otherstructures. They are great sport and can be as big as25lbs. They will take feathers and lures and arerelatively easy to catch in the areas where they arefound.

BassBritain’s best loved sporting fish. Bass are very slowgrowing and there is a minimum legal size of 45cms,below which they must be returned. At this size afemale bass has only just spawned once and she willbe seven years old. Reproduction of the species takesa very long time, so please be responsible if you catchbass. They are very strong fish and can be caught inshallow water and anywhere where there is a foodsource. Lure fishing is the most popular way ofcatching them, but they will also take bait in the formof sandeels, mackerel strips, crabs and prawns.

FlatfishPlaice, dabs and flounders can be caught from akayak with ease. A hook baited with worm on asandy/muddy bottom will catch these well knownfish. They make good eating too.

SharksYes, we even catch sharks from our kayaks, but weare very careful to handle them gently and returnthem having suffered as little stress as possible. Thesefish require specialist tackle and a single mindedapproach, but they provide a massive adrenaline rushand catching them by rod and line is the only waythey can be tagged for scientific research.

Quite a few kayak anglers are members ofthe shark tagging programme run bySouthampton University and backed by

the World Wildlife Fund. Blue sharks are a freeswimming shark that we hope to catch this year andporbeagles have been hooked but none yet boated.

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WHAT IS A DEGREE INMARINE SPORTS SCIENCES ALL ABOUT?

If you are looking to go to university to develop an academic interest alongside a marine related sporting interest, have a look at our website, or contact us direct. For more information, visit:

www.plymouth.ac.ukScheme manager: Dr Jon Miles jrmiles@plymouth.ac.uk Admissions tutor: Matthew Barlow mjbarlow@plymouth.ac.uk

SPORTS SCIENCE OCEANOGRAPHIC SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY and BUSINESSPRACTICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT

ThePaddler 87

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