Post by BiggyT on Jan 9, 2012 12:05:58 GMT
Ah, the Blackwater. It's name is uttered in hush tones in due to the number of swim virginities it has taken and notches on its four poster bed. The brief was simpler than it could ever be....experienced trip, cold water, shit going down!
Paddlers: Gav + talking Duck, Roddy, Big Steve & Tom
Late start due to to peeps working, but left the store by 11.30. Choice of boats was over come by looking at the gauge. 1.22 m (which is high, but was probably dropping) due to snow melt. Entry into the river is short and fecking sweet with Milton Falls. Grade 4 goodness and we duly waited for another club to paddle before we attempted it, Gav being as condescending as he could possibly be clapped some fucked in in Dagger Agent getting back looped. Big steve stepped up and by the end of the rest of us paddling we had Nae swims so far. Milton falls followed by a nice slow grade 2/3 for a mile, eddy hopping and king of the wave all the way down, although Gav and Big Steve tested ice cream head faces a.k.a. cold sex face. The proverbial spit hit the fan at the entry to the gorge. Level was a bit low and the gorge looked a bit funky and having heard stories of Ali Bairds 4 minute swim we thought it best to skip it. Sketchy portage was overcome after Steve dropped my boat down a 20ft gully, but even sketchier entry into the river from Gav and me. Rest of the river was GID. Our hearts were inextricably linked to sphincter palpitations ending in a swim by young Roddy just before the get out, although it was dark. All in all a GID river, fecking cold, but GID. Not a river for the faint hearted.......GID none the less!
FYI www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=613:scotlandnortheast-blackwater&catid=32&Itemid=118
Paddlers: Gav + talking Duck, Roddy, Big Steve & Tom
Late start due to to peeps working, but left the store by 11.30. Choice of boats was over come by looking at the gauge. 1.22 m (which is high, but was probably dropping) due to snow melt. Entry into the river is short and fecking sweet with Milton Falls. Grade 4 goodness and we duly waited for another club to paddle before we attempted it, Gav being as condescending as he could possibly be clapped some fucked in in Dagger Agent getting back looped. Big steve stepped up and by the end of the rest of us paddling we had Nae swims so far. Milton falls followed by a nice slow grade 2/3 for a mile, eddy hopping and king of the wave all the way down, although Gav and Big Steve tested ice cream head faces a.k.a. cold sex face. The proverbial spit hit the fan at the entry to the gorge. Level was a bit low and the gorge looked a bit funky and having heard stories of Ali Bairds 4 minute swim we thought it best to skip it. Sketchy portage was overcome after Steve dropped my boat down a 20ft gully, but even sketchier entry into the river from Gav and me. Rest of the river was GID. Our hearts were inextricably linked to sphincter palpitations ending in a swim by young Roddy just before the get out, although it was dark. All in all a GID river, fecking cold, but GID. Not a river for the faint hearted.......GID none the less!
FYI www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=613:scotlandnortheast-blackwater&catid=32&Itemid=118