Post by SwavGav on Nov 27, 2011 18:26:08 GMT
Date: Wednesday 23rd Novmber 2011
Paddlers: Messrs Moon, Duncanson, Mawdsley and Me.
Level:
On the low side. But exactly what was needed for a first run down/first run in a long time down the gorge section, from Rumbling Bridge to the Hermitage car park.
Description:
A great paddle. Can be done easily with one car, just park up in the Hermitage car park and walk up the river left bank, where there is a very good path. Whilst myself and Moon were doing this walk, Jack and Will started getting the boats to the get in. A feat in itself, scrambling down a steep slidey rock face then lowering boats down. Lots of fun was had, and they nearly had all the boats down before me and Moon got back.
This done, off we went, into the "Mad Mile", a gorge section with lots of blind corners and inspection required over slippery rocks. Tight eddys and boat scouting made for fun, quite pushy, but never amazingly desperate. In higher flows lots of the rocks which made this section technical will be covered, but the stoppers and holes will be a lot more powerful, eddylines would be interesting...
At the end of the mad mile is the first of the grade V's - Splitter. There is a rock in the center of the flow which splits the water into two channels (clue's in the name), the left of which is nasty potholey undercut badness, the right of which is a pretty tight line with a teacup eddy on the right and pushy wall on the left.
All of this requires inspection.Unless say, one of the members of your group decides that he's too warm and goes for a swim just above it. Ali Moon was in an eddy above the rapid, about to jump out and have a quick look, turned back to tell the rest of us what he was doing, and saw a boat floating past him upside down, sans paddler. Not naming any names.
This nameless person (Will) had capsized on the entry rapid, and was waiting for the water to settle so he (Will) could try a roll. The water didn't settle. Nameless paddlers' (Will) paddle was ripped from his hands, and he (Will) then decided to swim the whole way down the Splitter. And Ali went chasing after him and his boat. Apparently Ali only realised what rapid he was in half way down. Don't try this at home kids - always inspect fully before you paddle a rapid.
Much hilarity ensued to rescue Wills boats when it was finally found clinging on for dear life above Coffin Falls, involving a dope on a rope, a couple of throw lines, and a very quickly learned WWSR course. Oh, and a couple of faceplants into rocks, courtesy of Jack. Ya wally.
Finally rescued and recovered, we found paddles sitting happily in an eddy, carried on down to Hermitage falls, casually ran them twice each (Moon ran them backwards - he's just that good). Carried on down to the car with some very nice grade 2-3 quick sick liiinnneeesss, and off home. A very nice river, but don't do it at anything other than low->low-medium for a first run down.
Oh, the swimmer was Will by the way...
Paddlers: Messrs Moon, Duncanson, Mawdsley and Me.
Level:
On the low side. But exactly what was needed for a first run down/first run in a long time down the gorge section, from Rumbling Bridge to the Hermitage car park.
Description:
A great paddle. Can be done easily with one car, just park up in the Hermitage car park and walk up the river left bank, where there is a very good path. Whilst myself and Moon were doing this walk, Jack and Will started getting the boats to the get in. A feat in itself, scrambling down a steep slidey rock face then lowering boats down. Lots of fun was had, and they nearly had all the boats down before me and Moon got back.
This done, off we went, into the "Mad Mile", a gorge section with lots of blind corners and inspection required over slippery rocks. Tight eddys and boat scouting made for fun, quite pushy, but never amazingly desperate. In higher flows lots of the rocks which made this section technical will be covered, but the stoppers and holes will be a lot more powerful, eddylines would be interesting...
At the end of the mad mile is the first of the grade V's - Splitter. There is a rock in the center of the flow which splits the water into two channels (clue's in the name), the left of which is nasty potholey undercut badness, the right of which is a pretty tight line with a teacup eddy on the right and pushy wall on the left.
All of this requires inspection.Unless say, one of the members of your group decides that he's too warm and goes for a swim just above it. Ali Moon was in an eddy above the rapid, about to jump out and have a quick look, turned back to tell the rest of us what he was doing, and saw a boat floating past him upside down, sans paddler. Not naming any names.
This nameless person (Will) had capsized on the entry rapid, and was waiting for the water to settle so he (Will) could try a roll. The water didn't settle. Nameless paddlers' (Will) paddle was ripped from his hands, and he (Will) then decided to swim the whole way down the Splitter. And Ali went chasing after him and his boat. Apparently Ali only realised what rapid he was in half way down. Don't try this at home kids - always inspect fully before you paddle a rapid.
Much hilarity ensued to rescue Wills boats when it was finally found clinging on for dear life above Coffin Falls, involving a dope on a rope, a couple of throw lines, and a very quickly learned WWSR course. Oh, and a couple of faceplants into rocks, courtesy of Jack. Ya wally.
Finally rescued and recovered, we found paddles sitting happily in an eddy, carried on down to Hermitage falls, casually ran them twice each (Moon ran them backwards - he's just that good). Carried on down to the car with some very nice grade 2-3 quick sick liiinnneeesss, and off home. A very nice river, but don't do it at anything other than low->low-medium for a first run down.
Oh, the swimmer was Will by the way...