Newsletter 125 Autumn 2009 03

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Marlow Canoe Club Newsletter COVER Autumn 2009/03

July 26 th 2009 and the canoe cavalcade or ganised by MWRG getsunderway. Run annually by the Maidenhead Waterways RestorationGroup, the paddle wound its way from Green Lane to Bray Lake, all offthe main body of the Thames. See Jane Oxleys item inside for the fullstory.
http://www.maidenheadwaterways.org/http://www.maidenheadwaterways.org/http://www.maidenheadwaterways.org/


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Marlow Canoe Club Newsletter - 2 - Autumn 2009/03

EDITORS PIECEIts been an interesting summer trying tofind it was perhaps the hardest part. But it

cropped up here and there and with a littleluck (unfortunately not always) the club madethe most of the opportunities available to it.A look through the Whats on, When andWhere page shows that, once again, TimTwitchen has been hard at work not onlyorganising courses but establishing a flatwater touring programme as well. Itcontinues into this final quarter of the yearwith a few outings I might get around todoing. Someones going to have to work

really hard to take the PETER LEE CUP ofthe boy!We finally got the Sea Kayaking programmerunning. Unfortunately we chose a day whensummer failed to make an appearance. A lotwas learned from this trip however, and as Isit here suffering the group will be out on atrip that I put a lot of work into. Unfortunatelya flu weakened body would make me a

liability on the sea so Ill be looking forward to the write up for this next issue. Hopefully Illbe able to talk them into a re-run for the new starters that have expressed an interest.Ive thrown a few words together on the use of and p urchase of roof racks which I hope willbe useful to those about to invest in one.Our cover picture shows the start of the MWRG barbeque paddle and Jane was there totell us all about it.The OCA provides an alternative group for those into open boats but not exclusively so.Andy Maxted, no mean single blader, went to Mepal in the fens for the OCAs Canoe FestRally. Read all about it inside.Sea Kayaking southwest is a provider that a no. of our members have used and CP lets usnow how he got on with them.Alex and Will Krag (along with mum, Helen) joined the club and did our first 1* course ofthe year. Here how theyve got on by way of an interview conducted by mum. EDM 1577 is all about the lack of river access and a motion put forward by John GroganMP. I asked my MP to support the motion hear what he has to say in this copied e-mailconversation with David Lidington (Con., Aylesbury)The fast boat section has really suffered since Sera went to University. Steve Backshallmight be the man to fill her boots though with an encouraging piece on the Mighty K1. Itwould be nice to see some of the other zippy people come and support him and weshould not forget Melindas own efforts to get this genre moving again on Wednesdayevenings.Thats i t for this issue; copy is now being taken for the winter edition due to be publishedlate November / early December.

JOHN NORRIS AUGUST 2009

CONTENTS

BLACK DAY AT MUDEFORD 3

ROOF RACKS 5MWRGCC0709 7

ELK HUNTING IN FENLAND 8

AT SEA IN DEVON 9

AN INTERVIEW WITH THEKRAGS 11

EDM 1577 12

IN PRAISE OF THE MIGHTY K1 16OTTERS ON THE THAMES 18

LOCK IMPROVEMENTS 18

WHATS ON, WHEN & WHERE 19

THE COMMITTEE 20


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BLACK DAY AT MUDEFORDIt all started a while back and gathered pace when some of those interested in seakayaking held a meeting in my lounge back in February. A sea section was born with a

schedule of things to achieve this year. Recognising that the club has no active seacoaches our initial plan was just to get on the water, rack up a few miles / trips and gainexperience. Check out each others limits; get to feel comfortable as a group, all on fairlybenign water. The initial trip was based on Christchurch harbour and would involve apaddle along the coast towards Milford and return, with the possibility of a little play insome more exciting water around Hengistbury Head. Then it all went wrong!

A plan was prepared and forwarded to the Coastguard the previous evening

You may recall the foul weather we had around Mid May. The weekend forecast was foronshore winds of around 20mph, southerly veering both East and West. The wiser seakayaker, perhaps with a greater recognition of their capabilities would have put the wordout that the plan was cancelled. But not me. Sunday was looking better and I confirmedthis with Shades who had phoned up to advise me that, when conversing with a yottie, hehad learned of F8 conditions out in the bay. There is a little more that goes into theplanning of a sea trip and the temptation is to go for it ev en when you shouldnt. So 5 of us turned up at the club on that Sunday and left shortly afterwards. Forgetting my paddlewould turn out to be the least of my concerns, as via Stokenchurch we headed forChristchurch. Rownham services, just outside Southampton, had enough water in the car

park to make up for the aborted WW trip scheduled for that weekend.


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money; you makes your ch oice. Ive looked around the net and come up with somenames all hyperlinked to the companies websites. Ive picked out a few suppliers as welland they are also hyperlinked to websites. You may of course find a cheaper supplier, orwish to use one that you are familiar with. Either way its worth a trawl around the net. Somuch information is available for so little effort youd be a fool not too. THE ROOFBOX

COMPANY seems a good place to start as you can view several manufacturers from linksat one source. This company offers a wide range from THULE (Swedish), ATERA (German) & CRUZ (Spanish) plus a few other bits of exotica. There are others availablesuch as HALFORDS and Paddy Hopkirk / MONT BLANC (French). If you wish to supporta more local retailer try COOKS MOTOR SPARES at Chesham.

SECURING YOUR BOAT The rack is on the car and youve got a boat (club or personal), now you need to secure it. The simplest and cheapest way is just to strap itdown, fore and aft, with a couple of webbing straps fitted with non slip buckles. Good forone boat, kayak or canoe or two side by side secured by separate straps if the rack is wideenough. Straps are available in a variety of lengths and widths from most canoe shops orrack manufacturers. From around 8.00 pr. I tend to wrap one end once around the bar,securing the strap. Pass the strap (both ends) over the boat, one end around the bar andpull tight. Lock the strap by passing back through the buckle. Next up comes the humbleupright. This is just a vertical extension bolted to the rack, usually centrally located. Theupright allows you to secure the boat on its side (one either side of the upright ifnecessary). The main advantage here is that the side of the boat is often a little strongerthan the hull so less prone to deformation when the straps are pulled tight. From around30.00 pr. too fit square / oblong profiled steel tube bars. (An additional fitting kit orspecial item may be required for aerobar designs). Beyond these you are looking at morespecialist methods, to be considered if you are carrying a longer boat such as a marathonboat, sea kayak or tourer. You may also want to look at these options if your car cannotprovide a wide span between the bars. Marathon boats are usually carried in a sub cradlesecured to the roof bars due to their length and fragility. Available from MARSPORT fromaround 85.00. Sea kayaks can be fitted into J bars, a more advanced form of uprightsuitable for a single boat. If your sea kayak is a rotomoulded model such as the clubsEASKYS you should try to place J bars and straps over or near to the bulkheads. It isnot advisable to strap the clubs Easkys tightly on to a narrow spacing you will damagethe boat possibly irreparably.

Here are a few tips to make your boat carrying experience a little less stressful. Tim Ward,club President, suggests putting a twist in the straps as you secure your boat. This, he

says, will get rid of any annoying wind whistle through the straps as you are driving. Formyself, Ive always found c arrying an open boat a little worrisome. Easily cured by fitting aset of ladder stops to the front crossbar. Prevents any forward movement of the boat andalso allows you use shorter straps.

All hyperlinks will lead you to sites I have checked (06/09) and found to be safe. Most willfeature illustrations of the various racks and extras youll hopefully soon be needing.

JOHN NORRIS May 2009
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/http://www.roofbox.co.uk/http://www.roofbox.co.uk/http://www.thule.co.uk/appguide/http://www.thule.co.uk/appguide/http://www.atera.co.uk/http://www.atera.co.uk/http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/categorydisplay_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_categoryId_165471_langId_-1http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/categorydisplay_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_categoryId_165471_langId_-1http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/categorydisplay_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_categoryId_165471_langId_-1http://www.montblancuk.co.uk/support/support.htmhttp://www.montblancuk.co.uk/support/support.htmhttp://www.montblancuk.co.uk/support/support.htmhttp://www.cooksmotor.co.uk/http://www.cooksmotor.co.uk/http://www.cooksmotor.co.uk/http://www.marsport.co.uk/Racing%20site/Marsport%20Limited.htmlhttp://www.marsport.co.uk/Racing%20site/Marsport%20Limited.htmlhttp://www.marsport.co.uk/Racing%20site/Marsport%20Limited.htmlhttp://www.marsport.co.uk/Racing%20site/Marsport%20Limited.htmlhttp://www.cooksmotor.co.uk/http://www.montblancuk.co.uk/support/support.htmhttp://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/categorydisplay_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_categoryId_165471_langId_-1http://www.atera.co.uk/http://www.thule.co.uk/appguide/http://www.roofbox.co.uk/http://www.roofbox.co.uk/


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MWRGCC0709

(or MAIDENHEAD WATERWAYS RESTORATION GROUP CANOECAVALCADE; 26 th JULY 2009)

Many of you will have received an invitation to this via the Yahoo Group Julie & Dave,Andy Cook & I decided to give it a go! For anyone who isnt aware of this scheme, theplan is to bring a navigable waterway through the centre of Maidenhead details below foranyone whos interested you might prefer to skip the next two paras. In short, it wouldmean you could kayak from Cookham or Bray to Waitrose, if that appeals to you. If thisgroup gets their way, ultimately youd be able to do this in a boat big eno ugh to bring yourshopping home again, too!

The provisional route for the waterway would start at The Thames near Cliveden Reach,running via the White Brook (Widbrook) across Cookham Moor, up to the junction withStrand Water. The waterway would then run southwards via an enlarged MaidenheadDitch until it splits at Town Moor. The York Stream channel passes to the west of thePolice Station on the A4 dual carriage above Maidenhead town centre. The easterlychannel, Moor Cut, was enlarged in the 1960s as part of the flood defence system. Todayit is mostly 'dry' following construction of the much larger Jubilee River scheme to the eastof the main River Thames. Town Moor would be an ideal location for a 'winding hole'(turning point) for boats, with ample space for day moorings as well.

Thereafter the York Stream channel runs southwards past the Hines Meadow car park,underneath the Colonnade shops and out again at Chapel Arches beneath Bridge Street.

A basin and day moorings plus riverside facilities would be possible as the channelcontinues down alongside the library to York Road and then through Brunel's fourimpressive GWR railway tunnels to Stafferton Way. The 'dry' Moor Cut channel runsacross Town Moor before passing under the elegant ballustraded Moorbridge byWaitrose's car park on the old A4 road, before passing through another set of four railwaytunnels and combining again with the York Stream at Green Lane. The channel belowGreen Lane becomes The Cut, running past Braywick Nature Reserve and onwards toeventually rejoin the River Thames at Bray Marina.

Anyway, back to the Cavalcade; well, it was quite fun and it felt good to exercise ouraccess right of navigation. There were around 45 people in a mixture of kayaks & open

boats, plus a rowing boat and a punt! I think it may have been the slowest 3km weve ever paddled, but it didnt matter. We put in at Green Lane (no, we had no idea where it was,either) and paddled down to Bray Lake. It was very weedy & twisty, but enjoyable- therewas a reasonable flow. Julie, Dave & I paddled back again after a coffee but we were onour own by then, so maybe the other 40 something paddlers are still in Bray!

JANE OXLEY July 2009


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ELK HUNTING IN FENLANDThe air was thick with white flakes as our canoes brushed past bushes equally burdenedwith the white stuff. Were in Fenland said Joan and we need to keep an eye out for elk,

bears and other strange creatures. The children shivered, more in disbelief than with cold.The sun was shining, the grass was green, but the air was thick with white catkins as thefresh breeze shook them from the thick stand of osiers lining the riverbank in this quietcorner of Cambridgeshire.

We were twelve boats in all, a mix of tandem and solo and we d setout from the riverside car park in Huntingdon at about 11:00 am. Farfrom tracking down strange creatures, our plan was to enjoy a shortcircular tour of the Ouse and its backwaters on the second day of theOCA Canoe Fest Rally held this year at the Mepal Outdoor Centre.The tour was just one of the attractions of the rally where Marlow CCwas represented by Mark Shades Steel, Tim Twitchen and myself.

The first half mile had been quite hard work, making our way upstream and against thebreeze to pass under the Huntingdon bridges before turning left into a narrower backwater- and sunshine. Travelling down the backwater was delightful as we followed themeanders, able to see over the high banks, but sufficiently sheltered not to be too troubledby the wind. Occasionally the channel narrowed, constricted by overhanging trees,causing the group to bunch then travel in single file but for the most part boats travelled inpairs as we chattered, shared experiences and made new friends.

At one point we rounded a corner to find Adrian, the tour leader, signalling for us to pullinto the bank. There was a low bridge ahead a dilapidated construction of metal girdersand wooden planks with a pair of supporting bars just where our heads and shoulderswanted to go. Because the bridge was at an angle and had thick growths of brambles andreeds on each side the limbo under it was quite tricky. One at a time the group wentthrough, heads ducked and pulling on the metal work to make progress, there was littleroom to use paddles.

Safely through, we made our way to another narrow section this time hemmed in by theosiers which the breeze was stripping the catkins from, filling the air, and the watersurface, with pollen and particles. It was here that Joan mentioned Fenland, or did she sayFinland? We played along until our attention was diverted by a side weir where Adrianagain had us progress cautiously, keeping in single file and on the opposite side of thestream.

Wed travelled perhaps a mile along the backwa ter when turning a corner we foundourselves back in the main channel which seemed incredibly wide after our earlieradventures. A short way down stream we came to another, larger side weir which markedthe start of another looping backwater which would have taken us beyond Houghton withits mill and its lock. But the lure of the ice cream sign opposite was greater so we stoppedand, thanks to some negotiation by one of the group, enjoyed lunch on the neat lawn of ariverside caf where we were permitted to eat our sandwiches provided we bought our

drinks in the caf.


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Sitting in the sun we were conscious that time was pressing and many in the group werekeen to return to Mepal for the afternoon workshops. We decided to split up, with me

joining six boats going straight back up to Huntingdon while Adrian continued down toHoughton with the other five.

I have to say that the paddle back was even harder than when wed set out. The breezehad strengthened and seemed to be funnelled straight down the river, but eventuallyHuntingdon came back into sight. Wed had an excellent morning in Fenland, and while wehadnt seen any strangebeasts, we did see acommon creature doing astrange thing. Shortlybefore reaching the carpark we came across apair of swans building alarge nest in the reeds;while the female satprotectively on the nest,her partner was pullingbuilding materials from thereeds with his beak,turning his neck to placethe lengths of reed andtwig across his back beforeswimming back to the nestwith his finds!

For anyone interested in open boating the OCAs annual Canoe Fest 2009 is a greatevent. I hope other Marlow members might join us next year.

ANDY MAXTED July 2009

AT SEA IN DEVON

After a two day introduction to Sea Kayaking at Plas Menai (Newsletter 24 p17) and beingone of the Mudeford 7 (see item, this issue) I was keen to spend more time on the sea.Jane Oxley (another of the Mudeford 7) recommended SEAKAYAKING SOUTHWEST run by Rob McIntyre, based near Ilfracombe, North Devon. In the meantime some of ushad tried rolling, rescues and self rescues with the club Easkys down at the beach and bychance the Riverside Centre at Oxford ran a BCU Coastal Planning and Navigationcourse which I attended (as did our Chairman Adrian). Rob has mainly Easky 15s and a Capella and five of us turned up at the barn at 9.00am:Tom who had been on a previous course; Guy who was a white-water paddler; and Daveand Ursula from Newbury who were recent 2 stars but with limited time on the water Ithink.

The Saturday weather was sunny but windy with a swell in the Channel (Bristol).
http://www.seakayakingsouthwest.co.uk/index.phphttp://www.seakayakingsouthwest.co.uk/index.phphttp://www.seakayakingsouthwest.co.uk/index.php


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After being kitted out we set of for Ilfracombe Harbour. Eager to start using my CoastalPlanni ng and Navigation knowledge I had checked the tides, Springs with a 9 metre fall!Couldnt find any tidal flow charts, but if you are moving 9 meters in 6 hours on the BristolChannel there will be issues. High tide at 10.00am which, by coincidence, was when wegot on the water, but it wasnt because of high tide it was when the days parking charges

started - get a ticket then straight in! Bit of a warm up, a couple of basics then straight into rescues! Would you like to try a roll,at 10.10am no thanks, but we did all sorts of rescues. I learned two things;

An Astral buoyancy aid is a hindrance in self rescue On the river the rear deck of the Easky is quite high and makes self rescueawkward. In sea water the additional buoyancy made it ride higher and feel asthough an aircraft carrier was looming over you.

Anyway most tasks nearly completed successfully. Lunch, then carry the boats down to the shoreline now 100 yards away; but too windy tomake an extended trip, so onto the sea, crossing the bay, tide flows etc.; and becausemost beaches are surf or dump then on to learn about dump landings; pop the spray deck,leg over each side, get your timing right, paddle in after a roller, stand up and drag yourboat up the beach - easy. Also rocky landings , if its not going too pummel you it shouldbe straight forward. Excellent views of the cliffs and the odd cave then another paddleacross the tide flow and back to the harbour which was nearly empty of water. Landedand waited for Rob to get the trailer and drive the 200 yards down to the shore line to pick

us up.At this point we had a diversion.A Saxo (I think it was front wheeldrive) had brought a trailer downto pick up a fishing boat. Theboat had been put on the trailer inthe water (and still contained arather large gentleman). TheSaxo manfully tried to pull theboat and trailer out of the waterbut after a few seconds juststarted to sink in the sand. It triedand tried until it was nearly downto the sump. At this point wedecided to lend a hand. Wepushed the trailer and car to no

avail, the Saxo kept gettingdeeper. Well unhook the trailer then says I, which we did. We managed to get the Saxoout, then with some effort hauled the boat and trailer out, reunited them with the car andsent them on their way (with the rather large gentleman still in the boat). Back to the barn, to wash up, and plan the next day. Due to the forecast suggestingworsening conditions we had plans A - D for the next day, just in case.

Sunday loomed, high winds, heavy rain, bigger swell forecast so plans A - D ditched to bereplaced with plans E - G. The ominous action was that we were all issued with helmetsfor dodgy launches and landings. Plan E was to go to Lee Bay (West) and paddle east toIlfracombe and for this a car was placed in Ilfracombe. However when we had driven

down a long windy narrow road to the bay the swell outside the bay looked quite big andthere were concerns. As the day before it was high tide with the swell hitting the sea wall.


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Fortunately a slipway broke some of the swell so with one person holding, another gettingin we were able to paddle out. (Another option would have been swim out with the boatand self rescue). The bay had swell and wind but was relatively sheltered. Off toAppledore Rock at the end of the bay to check the swell outside of the bay. The wind hadveered from south to southwest which had increased the swell and it was considered too

dangerous to go along the coast, the main problem was landing. Tell that to the Mudeford7. On to plan F. We settled for rock hopping. The swell (now two to three feet) breaksthrough a gap in the rocks then you go through the gap - great fun, its all in the timing.Another dump landing, have a break to see if the weath er eased, climb a cliff (Mudeford 7again, this time without the boats) to get a birds eye view of the sea, races, ebbing tide etc.However the weather did not improve so onto plan G. More rock hopping, the 90 degreeturns were interesting. Another la nding and Im ready to call it a day, but some wanted todo a little more so across the bay to where rocks and reefs were emerging with the fallingtide paddling through the gaps, a few more exercises, then back to shore too call it a day.This time carry the boats 100 meters up the beach to the slipway (still raining hard attimes) change and up a muddy path to the Tea Rooms, (well more a kitchen as it wasdesigned more for outside beverages). However we were all allowed to squeeze aroundthe kitchen table, with the smell of baking scones, surrounded by cakes and scones andbeing supplied with pots of tea etc, magical. Debrief, back to base and a reasonably goodweekend in spite of the weather.

CHARLES PAIN July 2009

AN INTERVIEW WITH ALEX & WILL KRAGAlex and Will Krag (aged 11 and 10 respectively) joined Marlow Canoe Club in May thisyear and did their 1* course on 9/10 May. In this interview they share their experiencesand thoughts about paddling.

Q: So boys, when did you start paddling?Alex : I was about 8 when I went to a Kayak party at Hurley.Will: Weve both done a multi -activity week at Bray Lake.

Q: Why did you decide to join Marlow Canoe Club?

Will: When we moved to Hurley I wanted to have a kayak because were near to theriver, and my Mum suggested we join a club instead.

Q: What sorts of things did you learn on the 1*?Alex: We learnt strokes, which is very important when youre a beginner. They taught us

to paddle forwards and backwards, and to do a sweep stroke.Will: We found out how to go sideways too, and that its very important to do trunk

rotation (John will get very annoyed if we dont do this). Alex: We did capsize drills without, and then with, a spray deck.Will: Anyone would like it because you get to get wet.Alex: We also learned how to be safe on the river and what the dangers are.


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Q: What was the best bit about the 1* course?Will: We paddled all the way to Temple and went to the tea shop and down the weir.Alex: Going down the weir was the best bit.Will: I thought the tea shop was the best bit.

Q: What progress have you made since the course?Alex: We go paddling as often as we can on Tuesdays and Sundays. Everyone at the

club is really supportive.Will: They let us do things that you wouldn t normally be able to do like go down the weir

backwards.Alex: Well, were not allowed to go down Marlow weir backwards, but I can go down

Temple weir sideways now. I have also been trying to do a roll. I started out beinga bit random with the rolls bu t Im quite close to being able to do it now.

Will: I can half roll!

Q: What do you see yourselves doing next with your paddling?Alex: I want to develop my white water skills and learn tricks.Will: I would like to be an instructor at the club.

Q: What would you say to someone who is thinking of taking up paddling?Will: Be careful the way you put your spray deck on.Alex: If you want to do kayaking, get the right gear.Will: Its cool!

THE KRAG FAMILY July 2009

EDM 1577

INCREASED ACCESS TO WATERWAYS IN ENGLAND AND WALES

Grogan, John (LABOUR SELBY)

That this House applauds the British Canoe Union for staging an excellent 2009 European canoe Slalom Championships in Nottingham, 28 to 31 May 2009, and celebrates the

notable success of Team GB in taking four medals in total, two gold, one silver and one bronze; welcomes the BBC's live coverage on a busy sporting weekend; notes that over 2.5 million paddlers in Britain only have access to 1,400 miles of inland water in England and Wales, which is less than four per cent. of the total 41,000 miles of waterways over three metres wide; further notes that while the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2002 only incorporates land, the Scottish Land Reform Act 2003 and its supporting Scottish Outdoor Access Code includes waterways, ensuring that paddlers have the same rights as walkers and access to all of Scotland's waterways; and calls on the Government to set a realistic target for increased access to waterways in England and Wales by the Olympic year of 2012.


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An EDM (Early day Motion) is a device by which MPs can place a motion (an idea or awish) to be debated on an early day. Rarely do they reach the house for proper debatebut they remain open for the duration of the parliamentary session. We, the electorate,can ask our representative (your MP) to support a motion. If he/she agrees with you, orfeels he/she is short of a vote or two you may find your luck is in. Whether or not he/she

supports your wish I hope they have the courtesy to write to you and explain their actions.So I asked my MP (David Lidington) to support this particular EDM. I made my request bye- mail and received the reply the same way. Ive copied his reply below.

Dear Mr Norris,

Thank you for contacting me about Early Day Motion 1577 and increased waterway access for sporting activities, such as canoeing and kayaking. I appreciate your comments.I certainly value the sport of canoeing and kayaking which I know are becoming increasingly popular at all levels. However, the expansion of our waterways for sporting and leisure activities represents a complex area where we need to balance the protection of the marine environment, take into account the specific conditions of the river itself and respect the requirements of local landowners, local authorities and the interests of those,like you, who enjoy using our waterways for sport and leisure.This motion calls for the setting of realistic targets for the expansion of British waterways by the 2012 Olympics. I have to say that I think the setting of targets in this fashion will only lead to rash decisions on which waterways are opened up for sporting and leisure activities unleashing the potential for marine damage and conflict with landowners or other users of the waterways.Conservatives support the conclusions of the Environment Agency which state that voluntary agreements between landowners and canoeists, which have already been successful in creating 70 kilometres of canoe access, are the most appropriate way to secure greater opportunities for sustainable and responsible access to inland waters.Subject to the Environment Agency being able to close any waterway to any craft in the

interests of protecting sensitive aquatic environments, these voluntary agreements should continue.The Environment Agencys pilot studies have shown that access agreements can ensurecanoeing is managed and fits in with, rather than disrupts, other activities such as fishing and boating, and that everyone is clear about their rights and responsibilities. They can also help to make canoeing safer by installing signs and structures, such as access and exit points, along agreed routes and setting out conditions for their inspection, repair and

maintenance. Furthermore they protect the water environment, with each agreement tailor-made, taking into account the specific conditions of the river and the requirements of local landowners.Although I will not be signing this EDM, I will, given your views on this issue, write to Huw Irranca-Davies MP, the Minister responsible for this issue for his comments. I will, of course, forward you any response I receive.Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

David Lidington


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MY REPLY TO EDM 1577 E-MAIL.I am very disappointed with this reply. I asked you to support EDM 1577 and you chosenot too. You are of course, as am I, welcome to your own views and perhaps we should

be thankful that we are able to make that choice.My disappointment arises from the fact that this is a stock party reply and with minimalalteration has been used by a no. of your colleagues - Maria Miller (Basingstoke) and NickHerbert (Arundel & South Downs) to name but two - and there are possibly others. I wouldlike to take issue with some of the statements in the reply all the same.

Conservatives support the Environment Agency's voluntary agreement alreadysuccessful in creating 70km of canoe access.

Already successful suggests they have been hard at work but I believe the reality to bethat this has taken a good no. of years to achieve, mainly without the agencies input. Icould paddle this in a good day, if it were all joined together, but as it is not I suppose I'llbe adding to the CO2 output driving here, there and everywhere trying to enjoy my 42miles. As a % (0.001) of our total waterways this is a paltry figure and certainly not one tobe proud of.The Agencys publication 'a better place to play' can be found at; http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/final_artwork_1484219.pdf

Page 4 'Overall findings' details the negotiated 70km of access. Of the 4 rivers discussed;

1) The River Mersey is basically a duplication of a scheme agreed by the BCU some 10years previously.2) The River Teme has managed to secure a more restrictive access than that previouslyenjoyed.3) The River Waveney - This is nothing more than a duplication of work executed by a no.of public bodies in 1999.4) The River Wear, An agreement to paddle waters that have always been available tocanoeists with the addition of a short extra length subject to agreement from the riparianowner.In short, they don't have appeared to have achieved much at all (but no doubt charged usa lot for it).Finally, Id just like to point out that not all Conservatives take this stance as a no. of themhave signed the EDM.

The EA's pilot studies have shown that 'access agreements' can ensure canoeing ismanaged and fits in with, rather than disrupts, other activities such as fishing andboating.

I paddle almost weekly on the Thames and share the river with anglers, rowing clubs,sailing clubs, swimmers, boat owners, and holiday hire. There has been a spat or two inthe 10 years I've been paddling this stretch but I'm hard pushed to remember the last. Mypoint here being that we do not need another layer of bureaucracy when for the most partpeople are able to get along quite freely by themselves. Suitable training, such as that

provided at our club and many others highlights the possible dangers of access and
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/final_artwork_1484219.pdfhttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/final_artwork_1484219.pdfhttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/final_artwork_1484219.pdfhttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/final_artwork_1484219.pdfhttp://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/final_artwork_1484219.pdf


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egress, and as distasteful as we find it at Marlow CC we do highlight the access issue andit's associated responsibilities to all those on our new starter courses.I'd also like to take issue with protecting sensitive aquatic environments . Who is doingthe damage here? Could the anglers be at fault for some or all of the following; wading insome waters disturbing the river bed, using artificial baits, throwing lead (or lead

substitute) weights and dragging them back across the bed, disturbing bank side flora asthey seek a good camouflaged spot from which to fish, or just leaving line and hooksaround (not intentionally but it does happen). Or could it be me, taking 6" draft (or less)paddling idly by.A study by the EA of the Effects of Canoeing on fish stocks stated in its conclusion that"The general conclusion from this study is that canoeing is not harmful to fish populations",so the argument that opening up waterways for leisure activities unleashes the potentialfor marine damage is misleading.Details http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/STRW266-e-p.pdf

JOHN NORRIS

Dear Mr Norris,

Thank you for your recent emails regarding EDM 1577 and increased access to waterwaysin England and Wales. Firstly, I would like to condone the good work of the British CanoeUnion in staging the European Canoe Slalom Championships in Nottingham in May thisyear and the success if the Team GB.

I am aware of the campaign by canoeists and paddlers to have a legal right of access towaterways in England and Wales that is comparable to the right in Scotland. However, I

am also aware of opposition from other waterway users such as anglers groups which iswhy I feel unable to sign EDM 1577.

I would be willing to meet local canoeists to discuss the matter further. If you wouldlike to do this, please contact me again.

Yours sincerely,

David Lidington

So far, Ive been reasonably pleased with my MP. He has, on my behalf, taken forward anumber of points (the latest being handheld VHF / DSC transceivers) and generally gets an answer beyond what I manage myself though ne ver the one I wanted! Perhaps Im alittle nave but this relatively minor issue (in the overall scheme of things) has really opened up my eyes to just how little democracy we actually enjoy here in the UK.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THE CLUB AND PADDLERS INGENERAL ILL BE ONLY TO O PLEASED TO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE MP.YOU MAY BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEBATE BY WRITING TO YOUR OWNMP OR TOO MR. DAVID LIDINGTON IF YOU LIVE TO THE NORTH & WEST OF THE

CLUB. I THINK THEY ARE ALL BLUE AROUND HERE THOUGH!
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/STRW266-e-p.pdfhttp://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/STRW266-e-p.pdfhttp://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/STRW266-e-p.pdf


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IN PRAISE OF THE MIGHTY K1When Tim Brabants took gold at Beijing, he opened a lot of peoples eyes to the fact thatkayaks are not just plastic tubs to splash around in they can go really fast. To any

kayakers out there whove maste red the basics of paddling, have the urge to get a bitmore out of our divine stretch of river to get uberfit and maybe even get bison -likeshoulders a la Brabants , I have one word for you; K1. Or K2. Well, marathon paddlingreally or sprint. Hmmm. OK, forget succinctness, what Im really hoping is that all youbright young things at the club can discover the wonders of racing kayaks, as I have thissummer.Ive been paddling since I was knee -high to a Mallard, have done some major white waterdescents in the Himalayas and sea kayaking expeditions to some of the worlds moststunning locations, but racing was complete anathema to me until earlier this year. Whilstdragging my sorry carcass through the 125mile Devizes to Westminster paddle, I couldnthelp but noticing sleek carbon fibre or Kevlar kayaks, paddled with glorious, poetic powerand grace by some of the fittest looking individuals Ive ever seen. Well, I noticed themonly fleetingly, because theyd purr past my partner and I as if we were sitti ng still, thewake left behind by their mighty force enough to capsize us. It seemed that there was awhole shadowy netherworld of paddling, inhabited by Special Boat Service servicemenand elite freaks. I decided to find out more.My first race was at Oxford, and I turned up in a heavy intermediate K1, with no clue whatto expect. It turns out you race in divisions, starting at nine, and working up to the ultraelite at div one. The higher you go the further you race and the more portages you have toendure. For me starting out at the bottom it was a mere four miles, and most of the fortyodd other competitors were teenage girls. I flexed my guns confidently and got in for atraining paddle. And without an almighty support stroke would have instantly capsized infront of everyone. Marathon boats are you see much less stable than your average kayak,in order to be more hydrodynamic and cut through the water. The start was an absolutebunfight. Forty paddlers accelerating away deck to deck, paddles flying everywhere, boatsskewing and crashing. Someone paddled right over the front of my boat, and it was all Icould do to keep upright. Already some freak bearing an uncanny resemblance toBrabants himself was about 200 yards ahead of the field. I paddled hard straight into theback of some kid who looked about ten and capsized him. Looking back to apologise Inear went over myself it was bedlam. However, after the first couple of hundred metresthings levelled out, and I found my place, about sixth in the field. First thing you realise, isthat when youre hammering away full bore, 4 miles is a hell of a long way! Coming up tothe first buoy at about a mile and a half, I was already blowing out my backside, withshoulders burning like crazy. Having not practised turning, I was then undertaken by twolittle girls with pigtails who were paddling as easily as if they out for a Sunday jaunt downto the Bounty.About half an hour later, I powered in round the last buoy, dug in hard, and took severalpeople on the last straight. There was one boat just ahead of me, and I bit my lip andyelled like a Wimbledon champion with every stroke, inching away at the lead, until finally,with metres to go I overtook and crossed the line first. Before dropping my paddle andnear vo miting with the overexertion, I practically screamed out; YES! YES! Have some of that! In your FACE LOSER! I then realised that the boat I had beaten on the line waspaddled by a spindly twelve-year-old girl who was barely breathing hard at all, and was

looking at me like I was some kind of psycho.


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Never mind that little humiliation. I came third, got promoted to div seven, and had had myfirst taste of racing I was utterly hooked. Later on, we watched as the guys lined up for

the div fives and above . Now Ive competed to quite a serious level in a number of sportsfrom judo to triathlon, but I honestly have to say for the guys at least I have rarely seenmore impressive physiques on athletes. To keep one of these ultra-tippy K1 boats uprightdevelops phenomenal core strength so they had six packs like bars of Fruit and Nut, andto power the boat forward breeds V-shaped torsos, chiselled backs, bulging biceps andgargantuan shoulders. Any bloke who wants to get ripped and fit as a butchers dog bet terthan you ever could in the gym should pay heed. Any young lady should consider thatgetting into marathon boating means not just getting super fit, but being permanentlysurrounded by blokes who look like they could bench-press a bungalow. I just felt old andtotally out of my depth.Plainly my technique was lacking, so I invested the help of Jean Watson at BishamAbbeys elite athletes centre. She told me I was doing it all wrong. In fact she said, it was amiracle Id managed to get through the DW wi th technique so shocking. Watching herpaddling with an elegant flick of the hips and continuous circular motion, all of a sudden Ifelt like a one-legged duck trying to do the triple jump. However, with a lot of training andsupport, it began to improve. I graduated to a tippier, faster, lighter boat, and startedmoving up the divisions in my races. I even got the chance a few weeks ago to race a K4over at Reading with four paddlers these boats go so quick that the Olympic championsactually managed to drag a water skier to their feet!So heres my message. Theres no reason to give up your playboating or canoe polo, butours is a fabulously diverse sport, with many totally different disciplines, and you should atleast give marathon a go. Marlow is a club with over a hundred members, yet at a recentrace just down the road at Reading (when going up to get my medal just thought Id slipthat in!) the organiser looked down at my club name in confusion and said What clubsthat? Its Marlow I replied. Marlow he asked incredulous; I had no idea you had a club! Weve got to my mind the finest stretch of river in the whole of England for marathonpaddling. Our partners at Longridge canoe club boast national champions and one of thecountrys finest co aches lets make use of it. The Marlow race is coming up later in theyear, lets really get stuck in, and try and get a decent team together. Who knows, one of you youngsters could well end up being the next Tim Brabants though hopefully withmore hair.

STEVE BACKSHALL AUGUST 2009


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OTTER SPRAINTS FOUND ON THAMES ISLANDThe Environment Agency (EA) reports that otter droppings were found recently at one ofthe Thames lock islands, proving that this rare animal has found its way back to the lower

Thames after many years of absence.Being a top predator, the presence of otters is proof of good water quality, availability offish to eat and sustainable habitats. The otters return comes just four months after EAstaff spent a day building two otter Holts. The Holts are made out of recycled plastic andprovide a long- lasting, environmentally friendly home for one of Britains best -lovedcreatures.

Until 40 years ago wild otters were found throughout Britain. By the early 1970s they haddisappeared from our region and could only be found in a handful of English counties andin their strongholds in Scotland and Wales said Debbie Cousins, EA Conservation Officer.

Otters are beginning to make a steady recovery nationally, but their progress isthreatened by road deaths and a loss of wild places where they can live undisturbed. It isfantastic to find otters taking refuge on one of our lock islands and its a clear indicationthat the population is spreading.

Reproduced from River Views, a magazine for boaters in the Thames region of the Environment Agency.

RIVER THAMES LOCK WORKS WINTER 2009/10The Environment Agency has published details of its winter works programme whichincludes a number of improvements to local locks.

Marlow: 02-27 November will see resheeting of lock gates while new out of hours publicpower is scheduled to be installed between 18 January-12 February 2010.

Bray: 02 November 2009-29 January 2010 replacing the lock gates and repairs to the lockchamber.

Shiplake: 02 November 2009-26 February 2010 replacing the lock gates and repairs to thelock chamber.

Navigation through and around these locks may be impacted by the works see www.visitthames.co.uk/winterworks for up to date information.
http://www.visitthames.co.uk/winterworkshttp://www.visitthames.co.uk/winterworkshttp://www.visitthames.co.uk/winterworks


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WHAT'S ON, WHEN AND WHEREThe complete and authoritive guide to all that the club hopes to do in the forthcomingmonths. Please note that at the time of going to press dates cannot be guaranteed and

that the programme can be subject to changes.

ALLSUNDAYS

CLUB SESSIONS; ON THE WATER FOR 10:00am. SEE D.O.FOR FINISH. CHECK NOTICEBOARDS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS D.O

ALLTUESDAYS

TUESDAY SESSIONS FROM 6:30 pm, ON THE WATER FOR7.00pm. SEE D.O. FOR FINISH, CHECK NOTICEBOARDS FOR

EVENTS etc. (PUB PADDLE or ALTERNATIVE) D.O

SEPT. 05/06 BCU L1 COACH TRAINING & ASSESSMENT (PART 1) TRAINING LONGSEPT. 07 COMMITTEE MEETING (MARLOW DONKEY) COMMITTEE AM

SEPT. 20 BCU 2* ASSESSMENT TRAINING TTSEPT. 27 FLAT WATER TOUR RIVER THAMES OXFORD TOURING TTOCT. 03/04 BCU L1 COACH TRAINING & ASSESSMENT (PART 1) TRAINING LONGOCT. 10 BCU AQUATIC FIRST AID TRAINING LONGOCT. 18 FLAT WATER TOUR RIVER THAMES ABINGDON TOURING TTNOV. 02 COMMITTEE MEETING (MARLOW DONKEY) COMMITTEE AMNOV. 07/08 TYNE TOUR NORTHUMBERLAND WHITEWATER ??DEC. 12 FLAT WATER TOUR RIVER WEY GUILDFORD TOURING TT

SEA TOURING / TRIPS CALENDAR HAS YET TO BE CONFIRMED. ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL BEMADE ON THE YAHOO GROUP AND THOSE INTERESTED WILL NEED TO FOLLOW THE

INSTRUCTIONS THEREIN. NOTE! ALL SEA TRIPS ARE PEER GROUP AS WE HAVE NO SEACOACHES.

KEEP A LOOKOUT ON NOTICEBOARDS AND THE YAHOO GROUP -SOME TRIPS JUST SUDDENLY 'APPEAR' IF CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT.

EVERYTHURSDAY

EVENING

9.00 - 10.30

SWIMMING POOL SESSIONS AT GURNELL POOL, WEST LONDONGET TUITION IN ROLLING, PRACTISE 3* SKILLS OR ANYTHINGYOU'VE GOT A BIT RUSTY ON. SEE WEBSITE FOR MAP AND

DETAILS

ORGANISER / MCC CONTACT FOR ABOVE EVENTS

AC ADRIAN COOPER 01844 344580 [email protected]

AM ANDY MAXTED 07730 852760 [email protected]

TW TOM WESTWATER [email protected]

JN JOHN NORRIS 01494 483833 [email protected]

CP CHRIS PORTEOUS 01628 485049 [email protected]

PC PAUL CRICHTON 08708 806962 [email protected]

TB TERRY BELCHER 01628 851001 [email protected]
http://[email protected]/http://[email protected]/http://[email protected]/http://[email protected]/http://[email protected]/http://[email protected]/


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THE COMMITTEE & OTHER USEFUL NUMBERSA list of those members who serve on the club's committee, their role, a contact no. and an

e-mail address should you need to get in touch.

POSITION NAME TELEPHONE E-MAIL (all hyperlinked)

PRESIDENT TIM WARD 01494 482959 [email protected]

CHAIRMAN ADRIAN COOPER 01844 344580 [email protected]

SECRETARY ANDY MAXTED 07730 852760 [email protected]

TREASURER PAUL CRICHTON 08708 806962 [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP ROD EDMONDS 01753 671389 [email protected]

COACHING TIM TWITCHEN 07833 995289 [email protected]

EQUIPMENT CHRIS PORTEOUS 01628 485049 [email protected]

NEWSLETTER JOHN NORRIS 01494 483833 [email protected]

WOMENS REP. TOR EDWARDS 01494 [email protected]

YOUTH REP. ALEX SHEILL [email protected]

SOCIAL SEC MELINDA LIVETT [email protected]

MARATHON THIS EVENT WILL IN FUTURE BE HOSTED BY LONGRIDGE C.C.WHITEWATER CHRIS PORTEOUS 01628 485049 [email protected]

TOURING LEE NIVEN 01494 [email protected]

SEA JOHN NORRIS 01494 483833 [email protected]

OUR NEAREST RETAILERS / SUPPLIERS

RIVERSIDE OXFORD 01865 248673 http://www.riversideoxford.co.uk

MARSPORT READING 01189 665912 http://www.marsport.co.uk

BERKSHIRECANOES READING 01189 425640 http://www.berkshire-canoes.co.uk

WWC SHEPPERTON 01932 247978 http://www.whitewaterthecanoecentre.co.uk

PADDLESPORT WARWICK 01926 640573 http://www.paddlesport.co.uk

Please advise the editor if any contact details are incorrect or if you wish to add an alternative no. / e-mail address to the list.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.riversideoxford.co.uk/http://www.marsport.co.uk/http://www.berkshire-canoes.co.uk/http://www.whitewaterthecanoecentre.co.uk/http://www.paddlesport.co.uk/http://www.paddlesport.co.uk/http://www.whitewaterthecanoecentre.co.uk/http://www.berkshire-canoes.co.uk/http://www.marsport.co.uk/http://www.riversideoxford.co.uk/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

Documents

Newsletter 125 Autumn 2009 03