Shetland Canoe Club

News, events, trips and info for sea kayaking and canoeing in Shetland

Category: Coaching events report

FSRT – 18/04/2015

By

On April 18, 2015

In Announcements, Coaching events report

The second of two Foundation Safety and Rescue Training days had calm weather and reasonably warm conditions, markedly different to the first day! With a bit of theory and risk spotting, the day started off at Bridge End in cool weather and low winds. 

Despite canoes not being the most familiar of crafts folks seemed to enjoy the morning before hopping into the more familiar sea kayaks for rescue scenarios, towing and capsizing drills.

Many thanks must go to Martin Rickard of Sea Kayak Adventures for running the excellent course and  of course to Angus Nicol for doing the organising

29th May – Thursday night coaching and trip

By

On June 4, 2014

In Coaching events report

With visiting paddlers plus all the beginners in flat calm conditions, a trip round Hous was quickly arranged for the majority and away they went for what was a lovely paddle! Visibility wasn’t great but it all added to the experience of the first trip for beginners this year.

A second group were also out in a canoe, working on two star skills and enjoying the evening on the water.

Many thanks to everyone for what was a fun night.

Thursday 18th – an evening of fog and paddling

By

On July 19, 2013

In Coaching events report

A much quieter night than the last few weeks, only nine paddlers on the water but it was VERY foggy on what looked like the calmest waters so far this season!

A good discussion about  moving between 1* and 2* paddling started the evening off before all headed on to the water at Bridge End to tidy up the final bits of 1* and encounter the odds and ends that make up the 2* paddling skills.  It was great to see beginners confidently reversing into the mist as the fog closed in.

Anyone wanting to complete their 1* don’t worry, I’m sure there will be more opportunities for you to complete too.

Lerwick Lifeboat exercise – a successful evening afloat

By

On July 9, 2013

In Coaching events report

Monday evening saw the planned exercise with the Lerwick Lifeboat kick off in Gulberwick bay.

Club members started running the first scenario, a heart attack victim, while the lifeboat made it’s way out from the harbour. After less than five minutes, the lifeboat flew across the mouth of the bay and the rafted paddlers (with victim)  could see help was well on it’s way! Watching the bow approaching at speed was quite a sight.  The small boat was dropped over the side and the recovery of various victims ensued. It must rate as one of the most accident-prone trips ever conducted in Shetland by the club with heart problems, dislocated shoulders, lone paddlers in difficulties, swimmers and exhaustion-overcome bodies appearing as if from no-where.

No problems for the lifeboat crew, each scenario dealt with with calm professionalism.

By this point conditions had gone from a bit blustery up to “interesting” as the wind came up, it was almost 8.45pm  and paddlers started to head back to dry land. Once ashore there was the odd tired individual, a lot of discussion, and a bit of a buzz from all those involved.

General consensus – a great learning exercise for the club.

A big thank you must go to all the members of the  Lerwick Lifeboat crew, and to Iain Derbyshire for arranging the evening.

Thursday 4th – another bright and blustery evening beginners paddle!

By

On July 5, 2013

In Club Trip Report, Coaching events report

Despite it being another evening of strong winds with Force 6 plus gusts, last night saw thirteen paddlers on the water at Bridge End. Heading into wind, they set off to Banamin and, to quote one of the coaches, took the opportunity to “focus on their forward paddling technique” before turning for the ride home.

Another grey and blustery night, must be Beginners training! Thursday 13th June

By

On June 14, 2013

In Coaching events report

Yet another evening of blustery winds and scattered showers came over Bridge End as the fifth session of the season got underway. Most paddlers were out in kayaks, four in canoes. Heading South into a brisk headwind, everyone had the opportunity to experience the benefits of whatever shelter could be found and why low-angle paddling style is a good thing in breezy conditions. Some hard paddling saw everyone up to the pier at Papil and ready for the downwind run.

The canoeists took some time out to sort their new sail (also known as a survival blanket) while the kayakers prepared for the swell. It’s probably fair to say there were a few nervous faces as we snuck round the corner into the main sound, out of the lee and able to experience  just how much of swell there was.  The next kilometer went past rather fast for some, and it was an experience which will stay with a lot of people as everyone coped well with the tricky conditions.

Arriving back at Bridge End everyone sorted themselves out to get off of the water, the buddy system very evident. Another evening of damp and blustery fun paddling!

Thursday 6th June – Beginner session – lots of people on a short trip

By

On June 9, 2013

In Club Trip Report, Coaching events report

There was an excellent turnout of beginners this week, who with the three coaches and two assistants meant a group of 21 on the water in kayaks and two in a canoe! As we headed South you could see the ability to paddle in a straight line getting less of an effort, and those early wobbles we all go through  were getting fewer and fewer. As we were out on a short trip, Craig introduced group awareness and got everyone to ‘buddy up ‘ and watch each other as we worked our way up to Papil where we had a go at coming in to a beach and hopped out for a quick breather.  After a quick review of landing on beaches, chatting about skeg boxes and pebbles, and giving an idea of some of the possibilities for trips around Burra, it was time to help each other off of the beach and head back down to Bridge End at a reasonably brisk pace with no stops! A couple of brave folk who’d missed last week’s wet session took the plunge when we got back, and everyone headed off looking happy.

Sorry there’s no photo, didn’t have my camera this week!

Thursday 30th beginners session – we got wet.

By

On June 2, 2013

In Coaching events report

A much calmer day than last week, and yet another good turn out and it was for our planned ‘wet’ session!
Split into three groups, each doing something slightly different and all ended up getting wet. The two main groups can be seen in the photo (thanks Arthur!): one using the small boats for the straight line tests; the other in the sea boats playing with other aspects of kayaking.
The third group, supposedly the ‘dry’ one, was made up of folks that just didn’t want to get wet, who’d missed last week’s longer paddle, or hadn’t been out on the water at all, so headed South down the voe to get the distance in for 1* and a chance to practice limbo paddling.
Needless to say, there were a lot of wet and happy paddlers at the end of the night. That’s us one big step closer to getting out on trips.

(For more photos of this and our other nights, check out our facebook page)

Thursday 23rd May -another fun night

By

On May 28, 2013

In Club Trip Report, Coaching events report

Club training night

With force 6 winds falling away, a downwind run was decided on and a mad time was spent frantically sorting things out to get everyone up to the far end of the isle  for what proved to be  an excellent time out on the water. Encountering wind-blown swell was a new experience for the beginners group which all coped well with, plenty of opportunities for working on back-paddling as we stayed together as a group, and we even had a small number of intrepid kayakers checking out just how stable a raft is as  they took it in turns to try the human sail technique!

Back at Bridge End a couple of rugged individuals took the plunge and did their wet exits rescues and swims to shore before everyone headed off home.

So, despite the strong winds and the headaches of getting 17 beginners and 6 coaches/ assistants to Burra Bridge, a good evening’s paddling.

First outdoor session – Thursday 16th May

By

On May 17, 2013

In Coaching events report

An excellent turn out last night at Bridge End for our first Outdoor Session.

With almost twenty beginners turning up to make the most of the good evening, we had a really busy few hours getting everyone set up and out on the water for their first paddle outside.

Hopefully the first of many nights on the water!

Page 2 of 2

Previous

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén