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 night saw thirteen paddlers in the pool, a great start to this run of five sessions before the beginners training. Nice to see a full pool! Thanks go to Angus for bringing the boats.
If you fancy giving paddling a try, you can now turn up and have a free session. There will be a committee member or delegated individual at the entrance to the pool changing area.
First committee meeting for 2014. If you’re interested in shaping what’s going to happen throughout this year, let one of the committee know and turn up to discuss.
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.
Talking with a few folks, we’re looking at a ‘tidy up’ session this week at Bridge End. Even if it’s a beautiful evening we’re going to try and get everyone to the point of 1* certification, though it won’t stop us doing some paddling if conditions are good.
Additional details on the Forum
It might have been a foggy evening, it might have been a bit breezy at the put in point down at Quarff. It didn’t stop 16 paddlers taking to the water on another Thursday night club beginners trip!
The individual organisational aspect of going on a trip were tested as cars drew up at Quarff, boats came off trailers and gear out of boots, cags pulled on and the multiple portages down to the sea commenced. The put-in itself proved trickier than many had encountered before – rocks, seaweed, mud, a low tide and a heavy boat aren’t a great combination. However, everyone made it safely onto the water without incident, and once round the corner we were in the lee for the rest of the trip.
While the cloud was down on the hills and almost to the road, we had a lovely evening paddle in very atmospheric lighting conditions and the sea seemed to get calmer and calmer the further we went. Caves were entered, gullies paddled through, cliffs passed under as we made our way north into almost still conditions at Gulberwick.
A classic easy trip in some of the best conditions encountered this year (so far), much nicer afloat than ashore.
Thursday saw a large turnout of paddlers again, and the evening was shaping up to be a stunning one with winds due to fall away as the evening went on. With one thing and another, it was decided to split into two groups. One group of seven did some canoe sailing down from Bridge End, the other 20+ paddlers went to Hamnavoe and a trip round the isles.
Turned out a lovely night!
Ever wonder what 28 paddlers setting off from Bridge End would look like? This week we found out!
With a good number of coaches and assistants, the beginners group did its first real trip this week. Conditions were ‘Shetland Breezy’ as we set out under from Bridge End and snuck south, hugging the east side of Lang Sound, did a quick regroup before entering Stream Sound and into what we knew was going to be the windy section of the trip. Trying to paddle NE while the wind came from S/SSE was guaranteed to be ‘interesting’ and the section between Kalee Ness and Hjogaland definitely tested comfort levels!
Despite getting a bit unnerved, and some a bit wetter than others, we all ended up sitting in the middle of Clift Sound and managed to stay more-or-less together as a group as we came under the bridge into East Voe and the get-out point at the Marina.
Prior planing and preparation meant a number of cars and the trailer were waiting there for us as we queued up to get off of the water, and the ensuing chaos of trying to get all 28 off of the water and back to Bridge End was well managed by all.
Everyone played their part and provided help carrying kayaks around, giving lifts back to BE and so on, which is all about being a group member on a trip. I would just like to thank Chris, Craig, Debs, Angus, Jim, Iain D and Iwan, without whom it really couldn’t have happened.
In discussion with Angus, possibly looking at paddling from Bridge End to Scalloway Marina as this Thursday’s session. As we’re going to have to arrange shuttle for drivers to get back from Scalloway to Bridge End meet at Scalloway Marina between 6.30pm and 6.45pm to sort lifts out.
You will also now need to be considering the cost of transporting the kayaks on the trailers. This will be the third season that the Club fees have been set at £2 for local trips/ £4 for further afield for using the trailer.
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!
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