KKC Triathlon Safety Support

Today it was a privilege to be part of the KKC safety team for the Hull Triathlon - swim section

KKC at Dacre Lake

I'd organised a simple day for club members to get out and experience a little fun and skills training at this local venue. Many of our junior members only receive training in a pool environment which I believe, although good, does not allow them to attain their best potential. Add to this the environmental factors and I think is an all round better learning environment.

We had much weather but everybody had fun and maybe even learnt a thing or two, definitely a productive day.

Friends & Family Paddle

A lovely forecast, what better than to spend the day on a chilled paddle with friends and family on a paddle and picnic day.

KKC Howsham Slalom

A big event on the KKC calendar and a lot of effort had been made to make sure this weekend was as good as previous years.

Unable to make the Saturday I made up for it on Sunday by providing safety cover at the bottom of the weir. Several rescues later and I had the chance to compete with Scott in the club C2 - the less said the better....albeit we didn't swim...

The kids did much better..

Moderate Water Leader Assessment

On the last couple of days of June I headed north to Grandtully on the River Tay. I had prepared for the two day assessment and I felt confident, lets just hope everything went to plan.

The assessment was very relaxed, it was really nice to paddle both the River Tay and Loch Tay over the two days with other aspirant canoe leaders and canoeists .

Glad to say I passed the the assessment and a big 'thank-you' to Ken Hughes for giving me the skills and confidence to be where I am now....

Howsham Weir

The last chance of a bit of running water before my assessment so we headed to Howsham. Plenty of fun breaking in and out of the flow and a little bit of poling to..

Canoe Rescues

Wanting to practice a little, the boy and myself had an afternoon at Dacre Lake.


Deep Water Canoe Rescues, solo, tandem, multiple boats, using Various Techniques from Ken Oliver on Vimeo.

River Tees - A Little Bit of Summer Water

With a little bit of rainfall over the northern Pennines this June the river has had enough water in it for a little journey. We headed to Cotherstone on Sunday morning and made ready. Anthony was going tandem with me and Fiona was paddling on her own in the Silverbirch Broadland 15.

A detailed briefing on the beach prior to our journey.

First rapid, low levels are going to make for a bumpy ride.

Canoe Logbook

Where is started.. February 2010

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/fishing-from-canadian-canoe.html

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/my-dear-friend-george-thought-of.html

Level 2 training (first time around) April2010

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/more-learning-in-fabulous-surroundings_25.html

Club Stuff July 2012

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/weekend-guiding-on-lake-bala.html

Germany August 2012

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/paddling-germany.html

3 Star December 2012

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/3-canoe-assessment.html

First 'white' water Feb 2013

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/the-upper-derwent.html

Must be getting serious - fitted a kneeling thwart - Feb 2013

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/a-winters-day-up-river.html

L2 Training again.. March 2013

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/more-learning.html

L2 Passed June 2013

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/ukcc-level-2-assessment.html

Howsham with the boy Jan 2014

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/howsham-weir.html

4 Star Training (#1) Jan 2014

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/four-star-canoe-training.html

Simple Guiding Jan 2014

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/very-important-little-person.html

4 Star Training (#2) Oct 2014

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/four-star-canoe-training-with-ray.html

Ure Whitewater Nov 2014

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/river-ure-mickley-to-sleningford-in.html

Howsham Nov 2015

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/howsham-december-2014.html

A Weeks Paddling and Sailing in the Lakes Jan 2015

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/a-week-in-lakes-over-new-year_47.html

River Ure Jan 2015

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/river-ure-sleningford-to-ripon-january.html

River Till Dec 2015

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/river-till-with-our-northumberland.html

River Ure Oct 2016

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/ripon-to-boroughbridge-in-canoe.html

Dave.. Nov 2016

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/daves-introduction-to-white-water.html

River Idle Nov 2016

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/river-idle-in-canoe.html

River Ure Dec 2016

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/river-ure-loop-by-canoe.html

River Tweed Jan 2017

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/river-tweed-leaderfoot-to-kelso-by-canoe.html

4 Star Leader (#3) Jan 2017

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/canoe-leadership-training-with-ken.html

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/canoe-leadership-training-with-ken.html

Humber Feb 2017

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/canoes-on-humber.html

Ure Feb 2017

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/river-ure-mickley-to-slenningford.html

Ure April 2017

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/river-ure-with-kkc.html

WWSR May 2017

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/white-water-safety-rescue-course.html

Humber June 2017

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/humber-by-open-canoe.html

River Tees June 2017

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/river-tees-little-bit-of-summer-water.html

Canoe Rescues

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/canoe-rescues.html

Howsham Weir

http://seakayakangler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/howsham-weir.html

Across the Humber

I was tasked with guiding a really nice chap across the Humber. He is making his way around the UK coast and this was to be his first crossing. Both his journey and the weather came good on Tuesday evening. High water was around 9pm and of course river traffic would also be be at its peak at this time.

We made our way down to the point from Kilnsea

Brigham & West Beck

After yesterdays marathon trip on the Humber today was just a simple paddle trip with family and dear friend Roger.

Humber by Open Canoe

I'd had my mind on this journey for quite a while, I had completed it many of times  in a sea kayak but never in a canoe. The forecast came good, light to moderate westerly winds and a small ebbing tide.

Even with all my sea experience and knowledge anxiety was fairly high, worst case scenarios where considered and solutions worked through accordingly.

Launching at the village of Paull at high water allowed me a clean launch, to take advantage of the full ebb tide and would allow me to miss the boat traffic around Hull docks.

The ebb was slow to start and the first couple of hours where numb and laborious.

To the Pub

A quick change into kit after work and onto the river to catch up with Fiona and a chap called Leigh. It was Leigh's first time on a SUP board, he had done quite a lot of windsurfing so took to it straight away. A pint in the pub beer garden while the boarders caught me up..

The Farne Islands

Always one of our favourite trips, we try to visit the Farnes every year. We had quite a good weather window and of course some very big tides, the ingredients for a great trip.

Fiona and myself launched from the beach near Bamburgh at low water and made our way out to the islands.

White Water Safety & Rescue Course

A pre-requisite to the canoe leader award, two days of essential training and whole heap of fun. Delivered by Ken Hughes on the Tees above Low Force, an intense couple of days training which included much bank and wet work.