Shetland Canoe Club – Page 16 – News, events, trips and info for sea kayaking and canoeing in Shetland

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 Iain

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!

Not kayak related, but a must for classical music fans

By Iain

On June 6, 2013

In Announcements

I know it’s not exactly kayak related but Donald MacDonald is one of our members and will be playing at Mareel with the Edrom String Quartet. Wed.12th June 7.30 Program of music by Schubert, Beethoven and Dvorak . If you like classical music, I’m sure it will be a treat.

Thursday 6th– Beginner session 4 – penultimate pre-trip session

By Iain

On June 6, 2013

In Announcements

This will be one of the last few formal coaching session for 2013 as we’re going to be coaching ‘on-the-go’ during trips. Tonight we’ll be working on finishing off 1* and prep for trips. If you haven’t got 1* and aren’t able to get tonight, you will need to speak to the coaches about your skill level and whether they believe you are going to be safe to take on a trip. Some trips over this next few weeks will lend themselves to more coaching and, depending on the number of coaches available on the day, catch-up sessions are a possibility.

Don’t forget dry clothes, snack and a drink.

Thursday 30th beginners session – we got wet.

By Iain

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 30th – Beginner session 3 – rescues and getting wet!!!

By Iain

On May 29, 2013

In Announcements

This will be our third session for beginners, and it’s going to be covering the essentials of rescues. We will be getting wet and hopefully having fun while covering one of the key skills you need for going on trips and completing the 1*. We have the Bridge End Center booked for the evening so there will be access to showers and places to get changed into warm and dry clothes once we’re off of the water. Don’t forget a change of clothes.

This is the one not to miss if at all possible!

Tuesday 28th May – 1* and over sessions, session 2.

By Iain

On May 28, 2013

In Announcements

This is the second session for anyone who’s paddled before and wants to get out on the water. Meet at Bridge End again, usual aim of being on the water at 7pm sharp so be there a good bit before that, and don’t forget hot drink/ spare clothes etc. We may not be going in at Bridge End so it’s really important to check what’s going on with a Coach as soon as you arrive!

Don’t worry if you didn’t make it last week and are worried that you’ll be too rusty, come along and speak to someone and we’ll ease you back out onto the water. And if you’re wanting to start preparing for 2* just speak to a coach and we’ll sort that too.

These sessions are for you, the coaches are there to support you.

(…Please remember membership needs to be sorted before you get kitted out…)

Thursday 23rd May -another fun night

By Iain

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.

Beginners session 2 – Thursday 23rd May

By Iain

On May 23, 2013

In Announcements

Session is still on tonight, it will be breezy and people are more likely to get wet so please make sure you bring change of clothes if you’re coming! Don’t worry about missing a session, you can always catch up next week if you decide not to.

1* and over sessions are starting this week – Tuesday 21st May

By Iain

On May 20, 2013

In Announcements

This week we’re starting with sessions for anyone who’s paddled before and wants to get out on the water again. Whether you’re one of last year’s beginners or you’ve decided to come back to sea kayaking after a break, the sessions over the next couple of weeks are for you.

We’re aiming to be on the water at 7pm sharp, be there a good bit before that and don’t forget spare clothes etc.

Please remember membership needs to be sorted before you get kitted out…