ceufad CYLCHGRAWN CANW CYMRU JOURNAL OF CANOE WALES
Issue 131 June 2017 £2.50
kayak
ADVENTURES IN THAILAND THE FUTURE OF PADDLESPORT A TRIBUTE TO ALAN BAKER
editorial
Paddler: Alan Baker
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arlier this year Alan Baker very sadly lost his battle with prostate cancer and passed away. Alan was a driving force behind Welsh paddlesport, forming Croesyceliog Canoe Club, founding Canoe Wales and starting Ceufad magazine. It’s through Ceufad that I had most contact with Alan, we’d share a flurry of emails about the River Usk Race, which would normally include some reminiscing about Ceufad. He was always incredibly supportive of the magazine and his passion for paddlesport shone through. He published the first issue back in 1981. Since then it’s developed from a 4 page newsletter to a 40 page magazine, and has featured articles from world-class paddlers and coaches. None of which would have been possible without Alan’s vision and support. Reading the tributes to him (p10), it’s clear that Alan not only inspired the next generation of paddlers but also had a substantial influence on Welsh paddlesport. Thanks Alan, this issue is dedicated to you. Vicky Barlow Editor
Ceufad Ed Ceufad
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ceufad
Ceufad is the official magazine of Canoe Wales. It is produced by members & the views expressed are not necessarily those of Canoe Wales or the magazine’s editor. Ceufad is free to members of Canoe Wales. SUBSCRIPTIONS are available to non-members for £10 for 4 issues from Canoe Wales. ADVERTISING For advertising rates contact Vicky on: ceufad@canoe.wales SUBMISSIONS Articles are always welcomed & should be submitted as Word files, however, typed articles are also accepted. Images can be prints or tiff/jpeg/RAW files (preferably 300ppi). These will be returned. CONTACT ceufad@canoe.wales – 01678 521199 Ceufad, Canoe Wales, Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7NU Ceufad is produced quarterly in March, June, September and December. NEXT ISSUE: JUNE DEADLINE: 1ST AUGUST Ceufad welcomes all contributions but reserves the right to edit & condense to fill the space available. Design & layout: Vicky Barlow www.victoriabarlow.co.uk
34 Future of paddlesport
20 Adventures in Thailand
contents
28
Decision making
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CANOE WALES – WATERWAYS & ENVIRONMENT UPDATE
Tales from the riverbank
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CANOE WALES – COACHING & WORKFORCE NEWS
Updates and info for coaches and providers
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CANOE WALES – NEWS
Latest info and events from Canoe Wales
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COMPETITION REPORT
Welsh paddlers on the podium again!
10 A TRIBUTE TO ALAN BAKER
A tribute to one of CW’s most dedicated Directors
12 IN THE FLOW
16 HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
Interview with Jet Moore
18 WATERS OF WALES – WE NEED YOU
Get involved with the campaign for shared access
20 ADVENTURES IN THAILAND
Exploring the islands in the Andaman Sea
28 DECISION MAKING
Chris Brain shares some paddling wisdom
34 THE FUTURE OF PADDLESPORT
The next generation of boaters
36 A SURVEY OF HIGH RISK SPORTS
Time to get involved in some research!
What’s new in the world of paddlesport
14 SLALOM REPORT
36 Survey of high risk sports
Front cover:
Review of the season so far
Paddler: Meg Hamer-Evans Location: Lee Valley Photo: Russell Scaplehorn
Ceufad
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canoe wales news
News
Newyddion
Tales from the Riverbank …
Waterways & Environment Update
Those of you who read my last column will know that, while we’re waiting for the Welsh Government to decide how it wishes “to establish clarity” around our legal rights on rivers, I am on a mission to try to find out what it is that anglers do in their sport, how they operate, and what it is that paddlers do that particularly irritates them. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet got very far in my quest (one day a week doesn’t go very far!), but I have made a little progress with help from angling colleagues at the Wye & Usk Foundation and the Welsh Dee Partnership (see box) and am looking forward to the opportunity, when I get a chance, for a day’s fishing with them.
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Moc Morgan, a renowned Welsh fly-fisherman, author and broadcaster described fishing as “a way of life”: “People do need to cut off from the pressures that they have. You come out here and you tie yourself to the great outdoors. Fishing is a breakaway to take you into a different world and you must realise it’s a religion really – not a sport … “People need something that stretches them and yet gives them a pleasure. We tend to criticise and complain, but we have a lot to be grateful for.” In his final Western Mail column he added “just being out in our wonderful countryside and being part of the pageantry of nature is a pleasure in itself”. Most of those words could have been written by a paddler just as well as by an angler!
more I am coming to appreciate that it may not be entirely unreasonable for anglers to expect on occasion, on a few of our critical fishing and paddling rivers, to have the river to themselves – and for us voluntarily to restrict our paddling activity in the interests of ‘fair shared use for all’. The challenge, of course, is how to come up with voluntary access arrangements that provide enough access for all users; that are the ‘least restrictive possible’; that are seen by everyone as being fair; and that are agreed locally by a ‘partnership of equals’ with support from Local Authorities and Natural Resources Wales – like the recently-updated Wye arrangements from Glasbury to Hay (see box). While we may not feel that the current arrangements promoted by the Wye & Usk Foundation and the Welsh Dee Partnership are sufficiently ‘fair’, we would be churlish not to acknowledge how much effort and goodwill has gone into those arrangements and how much anglers have already been willing to ‘concede’ to canoeists. So, at the same time as pressing the Welsh Government to adopt the ‘Scottish model’ of ‘access for all’, I will continue to work with my angling colleagues to seek new ways to break the ongoing stalemate around arrangements on the Dee, the Wye and the Usk. Wish me luck! Steve Rayner, Waterways & Environment Officer environment-officer@canoe.wales
At the heart of things, we all want to enjoy our sport without undue interference – and for anglers this means they’d like to be able to fish without frequent disturbance (to both fish and the peace-and-quiet of the riverbank). There are of course some simple things we can do to help reduce conflict between paddlers and fishing-folk, such as: • Don’t paddle in shallow waters when and where fish are spawning (this will vary for different species on different rivers); • Be vigilant for anglers on the bank and keep clear of their lines; • Stop upstream of wading anglers and wait for them to direct you to pass on the appropriate side; • Paddle in small groups, appropriate to the size of the river, with large gaps between groups; • Keep noise to a minimum; and don’t loiter or play where anglers are present; • Be careful where you park and load/unload so as not to cause nuisance – and change discreetly; and • If challenged, be courteous, calm and polite; and attempt to defuse the situation through positive dialogue. These simple precautions should go a long way to helping to ‘keep the peace’ – but the more I learn about fishing, the
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Fishing on the Wye at Glasbury.
Photo: Trevor Rickard.
News
canoe wales news
Newyddion
Glasbury to Hay-on-Wye Access Arrangements
By Lawsonstu – Own work, CC0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42580361
What I’ve learned so far about Welsh River Fishing ... ... is that it’s a lot more complicated than at first appears! Salmon (fishing season February/March/April to October) head upstream during summer and autumn to spawn in the upper reaches of rivers from November to January before returning to the sea in the spring. Their movement is sensitive to water flow & depth. Wild Brown Trout (March/April to September/October) are mostly caught during May and June, or later summer after sunset – most often on faster-flowing upper reaches of main rivers (e.g. Usk, Wye, Towy, Cothi, Cleddau, Mawddach, Dee, Severn and Taff) and their tributaries – as well as reservoirs & lakes.
Salmon Photo © Walter Baxter (cc-by-sa/2.0)
Sea Trout (March/April to October) “or sewin, as they’re known in Wales” are most active (and therefore best caught) “under cover of darkness” from the end of June to the end of August; and are found in the rivers of West Wales, the Usk and the Dee. They are particularly sensitive to disturbance. Grayling (June to March) “are the premier game fish of autumn and winter, enabling fishermen to enjoy sport throughout the year”, particularly late August to November. The Wye (and its larger tributaries), Dee, Taff and upper Teifi are notable grayling rivers. Coarse fish (June to March), as distinct from the game fish above which are caught using flies, are common throughout Wales – including barbel, pike, chubb and dace. Source / quotes: “The Fishing Passport”, Wye & Usk Foundation
Wild brown trout By Philthy54 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27605921
Ceufad
Waterways & Environment Update
Powys County Council has published revised arrangements for paddlers launching at Glas-y-Bont common and paddling from Glasbury to Hay-on-Wye, following extensive consultation with local landowners, anglers and canoeists. These arrangements – which will be publicised on signs at the launch site and at http://www.canoewales.com/canoe-trails, permit launching from the common between 10am and 4pm (the continuation of a long-standing time restriction) and require paddlers to be off the section of the river between Glasbury and Hay by 5pm – and permit landing at designated points on route (and prohibit landing during summer months at one environmentally-sensitive site). The arrangements include a formal code of conduct that commercial operators are required to sign and abide by. The arrangements have been endorsed both by Canoe Wales and the South Wales Outdoor Activity Providers’ Group (SWOAPG) as being ‘least restrictive possible’.
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canoe wales news
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Newyddion
Coach and Provider Development Programme 2017 Canoe Wales are offering a range of modules and courses, as well as orientation and moderation events, support days and coach update opportunities (for details of ‘coaching matters’ events in your area, please contact your RCO). These modules are to support coaches, leaders and safety course providers in their own personal development and individual learning journey and include: • Coach Educator moderation events • Provider orientations (please note course prerequisites are required before obtaining a logbook and attending an orientation event. Please check that you meet these requirements by checking the relevant page of the website before submitting a booking form) • Provider moderation events • Discipline support modules. The programme will be updated and added to on an ongoing basis. If there is anything you wish to be added, please contact Marianne to discuss.
Coaching and Workforce News
To view all of the events on the Canoe Wales Calendar, and for all booking details and information, please go to: http://www.canoewales.com/canoe-wales-courses-and-events-calendar
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Date 2017 Event
General information
Cost
Jan 14/15
Paddlesport Leader Orientation
Plas Menai, North Wales – Applications before December 28th
£250
Feb 16/17
Paddlesport Leader Orientation
CIWW, Cardiff, South Wales
£250
March 17
NCC meeting video conference/F2F?
For representatives only – please see the list of representatives if you wish to pass something onto the group and meetings.
April 28
NCC Video Conference/ F2F Cardiff
For representatives only – please see the list of representatives if you wish to pass something onto the group and meetings.
May 6
UKCC Level 2 Support Day – North
South Wales
TBC
SUP DS Module – North
Surf Lines / Plas Menai – Provider to be confirmed
June 29
NCC Video Conference
For representatives only – please see the list of representatives if you wish to pass something onto the group and meetings.
July 15
FSRT moderation – North
For all current FSRT providers not attended in last 3 years
£70
July 16
Level 2 support day
For all trainee level 2 coaches who would like support before assessment, or an extension
£40
July 16
Level 3 support day
For all trainee level 3 coaches who would like support before assessment, or an extension
£40
Sept 9
WWSR / AWWSR Moderation – North
For all current WWSR/AWWSR providers who have not attended a moderation event in last 3 years
£70
Sept 10
FSRT moderation – South
For all current FSRT providers not attended in last 3 years
£70
Sept 23
Generic Assessor Training
Recommended for all assessors form 2* up, and compulsory for moderate water leader and above
£125
Sept TBC
Polo/ Slalom/ Sprint DS Modules
As requested
£125
Oct 1
FSRT Orientation – South
For aspirant FSRT providers who have registered and received a log book
£125
Oct TBC
Club Activity Assistant Tutor Orientation For new tutors if required by demand
Nov 5
Paddlesport Leader Provider Review
For all current PLA providers
NA
Nov 16/17 Coach Educator Moderation – North
Workforce moderation event
?
Dec 2/3
Coach Educator Moderation – South
Workforce moderation event
?
Feb 2018
Canoe Wales Coaching Seminar
TBC
DS Leadership Orientation Day
TBC
National Trainers Moderation – North
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£125
?
Free with license
News
canoe wales news
Newyddion
Leadership Awards Update Paddlesport Leader Award The Paddlesport Leader is up and running and a number of assessments have already taken place in Wales. This award is aimed at paddlers taking on formal leadership responsibilities in benign, sheltered water environments and aims to support Leaders to run safe, quality, enjoyable trips based on their group’s needs and aspirations. For further information go to: http://www.canoewales. com/becoming-a-leader Leadership Award Rebrand Please be aware that on the 3rd April the 4 star and 5 star leader awards were rebranded. The former 4 star leader awards are now collectively known as the Moderate Water Leader Awards, and the former 5 star leader awards are now collectively known as the Advanced Water Leader Awards. Each specific award has its own title and should be used when advertising courses. The information below should help you understand the titles to use. Please avoid using the Moderate/ Advanced Water phrase in the specific title. All related documents, including syllabus, training and assessment notes have been rebranded and are available on the Canoe Wales website at http://www.canoewales.com/becoming-a-leader
Old Course title
New Course title from 1st April
4* Leader Assessment – Open Canoe
Canoe Leader Assessment
4* Leader Assessment – Sea
Sea Kayak Leader Assessment
4* Leader Assessment – Surf
Surf Kayak Leader Assessment
4* Leader Assessment – White Water Kayak
White Water Kayak Leader Assessment
4* Leader Training – Open Canoe
Canoe Leader Training
4* Leader Training – Sea
Sea Kayak Leader Training
4* Leader Training – Surf
Surf Kayak Leader Training
4* Leader Training – White Water Kayak
White Water Kayak Leader Training
5* Leader Assessment – Open Canoe
Advanced Canoe Leader Assessment
5* Leader Assessment – Sea
Advanced Sea Kayak Leader Assessment
5* Leader Assessment – Surf
Advanced Surf Kayak Leader Assessment
5* Leader Assessment – White Water Kayak
Advanced White Water Kayak Leader Assessment
5* Leader Training – Open Canoe
Advanced Canoe Leader Training
5* Leader Training – Sea
Advanced Sea Kayak Leader Training
5* Leader Training – Surf
Advanced Surf Kayak Leader Training
5* Leader Training – White Water
Advanced White Water Kayak Leader Training
Other News We would like to congratulate Anthony Morgan on successfully becoming a Coach Education Director for Level 1 courses. Anthony is the third Canoe Wales member to upgrade from Tutor to Director.
EVENTS CALENDAR 2017 15–16 June
Mawddach Paddlesport Festival Barmouth
www.mawddachpaddlefest.org
30 June – 2 July Gemau Cymru
Cardiff
http://gemaucymru.urdd.cymru/cy/
16 July
River Usk Canoe Race
Newbridge
www.croesycanoe.co.uk
22–23 July
Tryweryn Fest
Tryweryn
www.tfest.wales
3–6 August
Llandysul River Festival
Llandysul
www.llandysul-paddlers.org.uk/events/river_festival.htm
2 September
CIWW Paddlefest
CIWW
www.facebook.com/events/1388824421194331/
Coaching and Workforce News
The new award titles are shown below.
To list your event in Ceufad contact events@canoewales.com
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canoe wales news
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Newyddion
Welcome Jen Browning – your new Canoe Wales General Manager As you read this Jen Browning will have had her first week in post as the new General Manager for Canoe Wales and in her own words will be ‘on a mission’ to make her way around to meet as many clubs and members as soon as possible. Having been to the dizzying heights of winning an Olympic Gold medal and attending two Paralympic games, Jen, a wheelchair athlete since the age of nine, has more than a little experience in sport. Coaching the British wheelchair basketball team, she has also competed in handcycling as part of the British Cycling development team. Off the pitch, or bike, Jen has spent the last ten years working for Motivation, a Bristol based charity developing programs to help disabled people get started in sport. Her use of outside the box thinking to inspire groups around the world, often with limited resources, were characteristics that shone through when she was interviewed. Jen will be spending her first month or so simply getting to know our sport and us as paddlers. So be prepared to hear or meet her and explain why it is you love canoeing and what Canoe Wales means to you. As we move towards 2018 the organisation will be entering a new strategic cycle, and Jen will be key, along with the board and you as members in making sure we have an exciting and successful sport in Wales for the next four years. Let’s wish her all the best. For Jen’s own comments on being the GM, check the Who’s Who on the Canoe Wales Website Achievements and qualifications: 2007–2017, Programme Coordinator, Motivation UK 2007 MPhil in Development Studies, Oxford University 2005 Rhodes Scholar 2005 BSFS in International Politics, Georgetown University 2004 Paralympic Gold Medalist, wheelchair basketball
Independent Chairperson Canoe Wales is currently seeking an independent chairperson to join our volunteer board of directors and help drive the organisation towards becoming a leading National Governing Body for sport in Wales. This post would be for an initial term of 2 years and is open to anyone who is currently not involved in administration or management of canoeing or paddle sport in Wales. Candidates for this position should be able to demonstrate effective Board experience, an understanding of governance issues and commercial or non-profit experience. Successful candidates do not need to have experience within the sport sector and applicants from other sectors who can bring in fresh ideas are welcome. In particular, we are looking for people who can offer skills, knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: • Governance • Legal Compliance • Public sector or Charity sector • Advertising and Marketing • Safeguarding of children and adults at risk At Canoe Wales we are committed to equality of opportunity and encourage applications from representatives of all people in our community – including those with no specific sporting background. The closing date for applications is 14 July 2017. A full recruitment pack and instructions for applying can be found on our website at http:// www.canoewales.com/Vacancies For further information, please contact the General Manager, Jen Browning, at jen.browning@canoewales.com or on 07496 018281
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CORRECTION: in issue 130 we got the front cover credit wrong. The photographer is Alex Neal – @alexnealphotography. Sorry Alex.
COMPETITION REPORT Devizes to Westminster Race sees Welsh success
marathon
This year’s DW saw success for North Wales’ David Hatton and Cardiff University CC’s President Harry Shearer, who teamed up to race in the Junior (under 19 for DW) K2 event. After 4 months of preparation the pair held a training camp the week before the race, at Cardiff Bay, to finalise their plans. Racing the 125 miles over 4 days the pair recorded a time of 16 hours 20 minutes, this year’s fastest time by any K2 across all classes in DW. Despite this the win was not straightforward. They were pushed all the way by an excellent Norwich crew of Kieran Hayward and Mathew Callow, with only 9 minutes separating the two boats over the whole race.
Harry Shearer & David Hatton – DW Champs
With Easter falling late this year DW was held in mid-April. This brought a huge entry from the UK and Europe. The spring sunshine and following winds also ensured a higher percentage of finishers than normal. Approximately 300 volunteers give up their Easter to help run the event with the “straight through” Senior K2 race and 4 day race, for Junior K2’s and Senior K1’s, run concurrently. It is a massive organisational feat, carried out with real professionalism. Thank you and congratulations to everyone involved.
In May four British teams headed out to Borjomi, Georgia to compete in the IRF European Rafting Championship in the R6 format. The British Rafting teams had strong competition from Czech, Russian and Italian boats but despite a challenging championships, headed back to the UK with 7 medals including 1 gold, 5 silver medals and 1 bronze. Team Palm (GB Women 1) continued their winning streak, taking silver overall, in a tightly fought race for the top spot. Congratulations to everyone at British Rafting who helped make the championships such a fantastic success and thank you to the hosts in Georgia who put on a superb championships.
Photo: Sean Clarke
rafting
IRF European Rafting Championships
GB rafting teams with their medal haul
ECA Cup success There’s been early season success for the Welsh paddlers competing for Great Britain in the 1st ECA cup in Saint Omer.
polo
Katie was part of the bronze medal winning under 21’s team, while Bethan, Rhian and Louise represented the senior women’s team achieving 4th place. Congratulations to all. There are 3 European Canoe Association cups each season for canoe polo where all the European teams compete for the overall ECA cup. It is also a stepping stone for that season’s major championship – European Championship or World Championship on alternate years.
Welsh paddlers smashing it in St Omer
Ceufad
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A tribute to Alan Baker
Words: Paul Robertson
‘I’ve been given six months. A year at most.’ Offered in a matter of fact way, this statement left me wide-eyed and a little unable to respond. Wondering why Alan was in Cardiff on a cold January day, let alone spending time with me. Six months! I think I’d be on a beach, or viewing one of the seven wonders of the world. Somewhere exotic. Certainly not in cold Cardiff. But no; Alan was here at Sport Wales, taking time to meet and talk to me about Canoe Wales. That was my first introduction to Alan Baker who earlier this year very sadly lost his battle with prostate cancer and passed away. Alan was the chair of our organisation, but that was just a title … Alan was a remarkable man. After a spell training and working in London in the late 60s Alan arrived in South Wales ready to become a woodwork teacher. Already a firm lover of the outdoors through years in the Scouts, Alan saw the opportunity for children to make something instead of bird boxes; he set about making canoes with his pupils. Watching the children and parents enjoy the sport so much Al had a lightbulb moment and formed Croesycelliog canoe club. Today, over 40 years later the club is stronger than ever. To help the club grow Alan and his wife Val undertook training courses far and wide, in order to bring skills and knowledge back to Croesy. It was during this time that Al met with Pembroke’s Sandy Buttle MBE who became a friend, guide and mentor to an ever-enthusiastic Alan.
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ALAN RACING On an actual DW race we had portaged a lock near Newbury, stopped for a nibble and hot drink and were preparing to paddle on, when for some reason still not explained Alan stepped off the stone lock-side, missed the K2, straight into the water up to his chest. As you can imagine the crew found this extraordinarily funny, but so did Alan” Glyn Stickler
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Leading a school department and in his spare time a canoe club might seem like dedication enough for most, but in 1981 Al and Val started a fledgling newsletter for the Welsh Canoe Association; publicising the activities and exploits of Welsh paddlers. In case you haven’t spotted it so far there was a pattern to Alan’s life. Starting in the Scouts, then through his work and in his leisure time, Alan pursued life with dedication and commitment. This led to him receiving a Queen’s Scout Award, becoming the first recipient of a Canoe Wales Honorary Medal and receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award and Honorary Vice Presidency from British Canoeing. But recognition wasn’t ever Alan’s motivation. Like so many volunteers who do so much for the freedom, enjoyment and experiences of others Alan always put himself second. As a founder of Canoe Wales, holding various Board positions, most recently including Chair, he was very much the glue that kept things together in the organisation, with a willingness to take on managerial duties often during difficult times.
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ALAN THE AMBASSADOR We will never forget the true grit and determination that Alan displayed to attend every single British Canoeing Board meeting, despite often being in incredible pain – typical Al, he put canoeing, and doing all he could for the sport, in front of himself. A more selfless man you could not find.” David Joy – Chief Exec British Canoeing
ALAN OUTDOORS Our Scottish trip was Al’s way of introducing me to camping – a skiing trip when we were students. We had to travel with the roof down in is little ‘Sprite’ to get the skis in – not too bad despite it being a cold winter, until the car heater failed. It got worse, the skating rink in Aviemore had no roof in those days so no warming up there, then one night the A frame of the tent collapsed under the heavy snow breaking the poles. Happy days!” Val Baker
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ALAN ON SAFETY The group had capsized in a rough sea off St Govan’s Head and clinging onto their boats and paddles Alan shouted “shall I send up a flare Mr Buttle?” to which Sandy replied “No don’t do that, hold on and the tide will turn and take us back into Barafundle” and of course it did, after 3 hours, in December” Glyn Stickler – Ex CW Board and lifelong friend
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As a paddler in his own right Alan took part in most disciplines. Although firmly focused on recreation and social paddling, he found time to compete at all levels. He undertook the gruelling Devizes Westminster race no less than five time with paddling partner Glyn Stickler and represented Wales in slalom and polo. A lover of sea paddling Al held a Level 5 qualification and remains one of the few to hold the same for inland. His reassuring nature as a coach made it easy for others to learn and develop. It was on the sea that Alan had some of his last trips as a paddler. Touring in Scotland and as his health ebbed, taking to a double with fellow Canoe Wales Board member Eryl Richards for a week around the Dorset coast. Times that gave him strength in coming to terms with his illness. Towards the end of 2016 Alan had been through multiple sessions of chemo and day to day activity became harder, but still enthusiastic he oversaw another first – the annual Canoe Wales Awards. Standing to present each recipient we all knew it would mean days of pain to recover from the effort, but there was no stopping Alan. His determination shone through for the sport he loved. By Christmas of last year Alan was sadly hospitalised, fighting the disease. It took its toll and in March Alan lost his battle; at home with his family. Just over a year from that first meeting at Sport Wales I, like many others attended Alan’s funeral. I’d only really known him a short time, but as I looked around at the faces spilling out of the crematorium it was clear that everyone knew … Alan Baker was a remarkable man.
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ALAN INSPIRING YOUNG PADDLERS Without ambassadors of the sport like Alan, I wouldn’t have had any of the opportunities in life I’ve been fortunate enough to experience. From worldwide travel, paddling some of the great rivers, to my years of competing at Rodeo & Slalom. Without people like Alan, encouraging the youngsters to paddle, there is no future in the sport.” Justin Bunn – Croesycelliog CC Youth Development Officer
ALAN ON WELSH PADDLING As Chairman, I see my job as keeping up to date with what’s happening in canoeing, and promoting it at every single opportunity. It’s not hard for me to promote paddling in Wales – after all, we’ve got so many fantastic places to paddle”. Alan Baker
THE CEUFAD CONNECTION It says something about the spirit and purpose of a organisation that the first issue of its newsletter featured a multi-day destination that even today is still considered adventurous. With hand drawn maps, articles coming through the post, and the page layouts created on the lounge floor, by cutting and sticking sections together, the early Welsh Canoeing Association Newsletters were a labour of love by Alan and Val. Just like his decision to start the club at Croesycelliog, Alan, at that time the Welsh Canoeing Press officer, understood the need for story telling, reporting and information to inspire paddlers – no matter what age or discipline interest. By the 80’s the newsletter was turned into Ceufad, the magazine it is today. In an age when we all keep up-to date on-line, it is still reassuring to receive a copy of something real with a bit of history behind it.
PROSTATE CANCER – PLEASE CHECK Al like many had no typical symptoms and like others we got to know it was groin pain and bedroom not bathroom troubles which were the clues – regular PSA testing would have saved his life. Deaths from prostate cancer are escalating and it needn’t be.
Ceufad
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in the flow
IN THE FLOW WELSH CANOE CLASSICS An illustrated guide to some of the finest tours of Wales’ waterways. Scenic lakes, broad estuaries and whitewater rivers, as they can only be seen from canoe or kayak. Eddie, Adam and ‘Wilf ’ have chosen the best inland touring routes which are described in great detail and illustrated with numerous colour photos and maps. The selected routes are suitable for open canoes, sit-on-tops and touring kayaks, and include seven whitewater trips. Many of them can be tackled as a single voyage, others as a series of day trips with campsites en route. The journeys are all accessible but highly varied, travelling along lakes, estuaries, rivers and canals. A wonderful book for planning voyages and inspiring dreams or sharing your experiences with others. ISBN: 9781906095550 RRP: £15.99 This is one of many titles published by Pesda Press that are available to buy at www.pesdapress.com
TRYWERYN FEST 2016
RIVER USK CANOE RACE
NWWC have announced the full line up for the Tryweryn Festival, which is running on 22-23 July. They’ve been working hard with their sponsors to make sure that they have a great selection of prizes and events for everyone, including: NRS Extreme Race Tryweryn Pyranha King of the Wave Festival 21 – 23 July 2017 Palm Throwbag Olympics At the National White Water Centre Team Raft Race Coaching sessions Trade stalls Dedicated shuttle service Two nights of partying With the event becoming more and more popular each year be sure to get your tickets early as they sold out in 2016. Check out www.tfest.wales for all the latest updates and ticket sales.
On Sunday 16th July Croesyceiliog Canoe Club will be hosting their annual River CROESYCEILIOG CANOE CLUB Usk Canoe Race. This event has been 2017 running for over 40 years RIVER USK and is one of the most CANOE RACE popular races on the paddlesport calendar. The race starts in Newbridge on Usk and finishes 8 miles downstream at St Julian’s Hotel in Newport. Distance: 8 miles Everyone is welcome Start time: 12.30pm and the race usually attracts competitors of all standards and ages. Info: www.croesycanoe.co.uk uskrace@croesycanoe.co.uk
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Schedule of Events
Friday 21st July
7pm
Bar opens
7.30pm
T-Fest Quiz
10pm late
DJs and dancing
Saturday 22nd July
10am
NRS Extreme Race
1pm
Pyranha King of the Wave
3pm
Palm Throwbag Olympics
5pm
NWWC/Patagonia Team Raft Race
7.30pm
Food in the main tent (included in ticket)
8.30pm
Talk from Save Our Rivers/Patagonia
9.55pm
Prize giving
10pm late
SPACE themed party
10am
Half-day subsidised coaching sessions at £10 per person
Sunday 23rd July
FOUNDED 1971 CANOE WALES TOP CLUB AWARD NEWPORT CLUB ACCREDITATION SCHEME TOP AWARD
In memory of Alan Baker our founder and president, 1946–2017
SUNDAY 16th July 2017 START: Newbridge on Usk FINISH: St. Julian’s Hotel, Newport
Sponsored by:
For details: E-mail uskrace@croesycanoe.co.uk Web www.croesycanoe.co.uk
Usk river race 2017.indd 1
www.canoeandkayakstore.co.uk
18/04/2017 10:28
DUE NORTH: ALASKA Standard Horizon, the leading manufacturer of rugged marine VHF transceivers, is to donate a pair of their proven HX870E floating handsets to cancer-charity fundraisers Luke and Hazel Robertson for a 700-mile kayak journey across the top of Alaska. In early May this year, these remarkable endurance athletes will attempt to complete the first ever expedition to travel the full length of Alaska by human power alone. The total journey of over 2000 miles will start in the extreme south east of Alaska, and be divided into three key stages. The first part will be on foot, and the equivalent to 30 back-to-back marathons, the second is by bicycle, peddling the comparable length of the UK, and the third is by kayak, equivalent to paddling from Scotland to Iceland. The expedition, entitled ‘Due North: Alaska’ is to raise funds for the cancer charity Marie Curie. In 2009, Luke survived surgery to remove a life-threatening brain cyst, and was struck by the work and compassion of the Marie Curie staff in his cancer ward. Both he and Hazel are now ambassadors for the charity, and will be fundraising hard during their Alaskan expedition. For more information on this fund-raising expedition, visit www.duenorthalaska.com, and if you wish to help or donate in any way, you can contact Luke directly on 07769 655773.
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in the flow
IN THE FLOW THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS Sometimes it’s hard to decide where your next trip will take you, given that the world is a big place and us sea kayakers have 70% of it for our enjoyment! This time inspiration landed on my desk in the form of the new Lofoten Island guidebook, written by Jann Engstad and North Wales sea kayak legend Olly Sanders. The Lofoten Islands are a group of islands situated in the Artic circle north of Norway; the islands themselves are remote and full of stunning mountain scenery and abundant wildlife. The guide is of course well researched and has 50 trips shown in great detail, including start and finish points, maps, local weather considerations and some great local knowledge of what to see at each location. The photos and detail in the guide really show off the area and the in-depth knowledge from Jann and Olly make this guide a trustworthy source of information. Unfortunately this year’s trip booked and paid for so I guess 2018 is sorted now too!! Review: Pete Catterall ISBN: 9781782809104 RRP: £24.99 Available to buy at www.rockandseaproductions.com
is
MAWDDACH PADDLEFEST – BARMOUTH 15/16TH JULY 2017 Now in its 6th Year, the Mawddach Paddlefest has events for all levels of experience and ability, ranging from a Guided Ascent to a 20km Tidally Assisted Marathon, and 6-man Rafted Canoe Races. See www.mawddachpaddlefest.org and Facebook Mawddach Paddlesport Festival for full details and entry forms, with updates on Twitter @Paddlewales There are also lots of fun and “have-a-go” events planned within Barmouth Harbour, which is set in one of the most stunning estuaries in the UK, amidst the mountains of Southern Snowdonia. New SUP events for 2017 include “have-a-go” plus for SUP Clubs an “Escorted Paddle” up the Mawddach Estuary. This Paddlefest is being run as a Charity Event in favour of Hope House Children’s Hospice in N Wales and other local good causes. So if you’re you looking for an exciting action-packed activity weekend-away for all the family, then come and enjoy this Paddlefest weekend whilst helping those in need. See you there, from the Merioneth Yacht Club in Barmouth. For more details visit: www.mawddachpaddlefest.org
SKYE AND NORTH WEST HIGHLANDS SEA KAYAKING “The North West of Scotland is quite simply the best place to paddle a sea kayak in the world.” – Gordon Brown. Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath, the names of the headlands at either end of the area contained within these pages, even have their own section in the weather forecast. There are islands galore, hidden beaches, tide races, great places to enjoy the local seafood and amazing people to meet. All of this set within a fantastic, variable culture of Norse and Gaelic influence that go to make this an area you will return to time and again. Fifty journeys are described in a way that is both inspirational and informative. Details of launching and landing sites, tides and potential hazards are provided and the coast is described in exquisite detail. This means that it can also be used as a kayaker’s ‘pilot’ for any journey they might wish to undertake in this area. It follows the successful format of other Pesda Press sea kayaking guides, presenting the information in a user-friendly fashion and making good use of maps and colour photographs. ISBN: 9781906095574 RRP: £19.99 This is one of many titles published by Pesda Press that are available to buy at www.pesdapress.com
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Steffan Walker, Ceiran Lee-Edwards & Gareth Bryant Ceiran Lee-Edwards
Richard Lee & Bethany Carol
CANOE WALES SLALOM REPORT
Gabbi Ridge
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T
he 2017 slalom racing season kicked off with the Division 1 event at Shepperton, with a course hung on one of the many sluices on the River Thames. As always the river dropping through a series of flumes into the lower water course sees the water boiling and flowing irregularly, and with only two gates open the main cross resembled Stanley embankment, or a larger version of NRA bridge on the Tryweryn. While not being the highest of river levels, the weir always provides an environment where no two water conditions are the same, and paddlers must plan and react to the changes. This suited Caz Lavis (Brecon) on the Saturday who took the win in men’s kayak, while Catrin Schroder (Llandysul) posted a PB in the women’s K1 event and Jo Round (Snowdonia Slalom) took 5th in the C1 men’s race. Sunday saw the direction of the course being reversed in the weir pool, as the start was relocated to Saturday’s finish and the finish of the previous day became the start of the Sunday race. And while there were some solid results for the Welsh paddlers, more success would follow on the River Teifi a fortnight later. Llandysul attracted a large field of slalomists to the Division 1 race, where a tricky course was set on the section between the powerhouse and the quarry. Caz Lavis was 3rd, Finley Yates Jones (Llandysul Paddlers) recorded a 6th place in the K1 men’s race and Lili Bryant (Llandysul Paddlers) took a 4th place in C1 women. A downpour on the Saturday night saw the
Words: Richard Lee Photos: Russell Scaplehorn river level rise and the course was moved to reflect the additional flows, which caught several paddlers out, although Caz, Fin and Lili (a PB in 2nd place) all gained promotion-counting points. Jo Round again showed good form, while nearly all the Canoe Wales Talent pathway group had recorded personal bests over the first two Division 1 race weekends of the year. The Premier race season kicked off at Grandtully, where the River Tay was at a good height, with a well-formed hole on the top fall, fast waves in the middle and options of both left and right channels at the end of the course. The river levels held well over the course of the weekend, with Megan Hamer Evans (Seren Dwr) securing a 4th on both days, Gabi Ridge (Seren Dwr) taking an 8th, Lili Bryant 13th and a PB for Jess Rayner (Brecon) in 19th place. Steffan Walker (Llandysul) led a good day for Welsh men’s kayaks on the Saturday with a 2nd place, while James Cooper (Seren Dwr / Square Rock) placed 5th and Ciaran Lee Edwards (Llandysul) took 6th place. Emily Davies (Bala CC) took a creditable 7th place in C1 women, while Rhys Davies (Bala CC), now paddling C1 rather than C2, took a pair of top five finishes in preparation for the Lee Valley senior selection series. Before that, the Tay would host the Division 1 slalom and as these paddlers were greeted by Easter holiday sun, the water levels dropped significantly and form paddlers Caz Lavis, Lili Bryant and Fin Yates Jones (with his first win in Division 1) edged closer to promotion to Premier.
Fin Yates-Jones
Etienne Chappell
The long weekend at Easter saw paddlers from all the home nations converging on the Olympic course at Lee Valley for senior, under 23 and junior selection as a culmination of winter training, as the paddlers raced it out for one of the three places in their age groups and classes. This always delivers high quality racing and while some dreams of representing Great Britain are realised, it is inevitable that many more will be disappointed. Junior kayaks, Eti Chappell (Seren Dwr) and Megan Hamer Evans avoided any final day race nerves, by racing well over the first two days to secure places as lead boats on the GB junior teams. Tom Abbott (Mold) had put himself into a good position on the first day in the C1 men’s event, and while it was still possible for others, including Andy Kettlewell (Llandysul) to take a place on the under 23 team away from him on the final day, a solid first run on the final Monday race saw Tom in the first three boats of the under 23’s and also named as a World Championship reserve, in what is a world class field in C1, led by Ryan Westley, David Florence and Adam Burgess, who are all World Championship / World Cup medallists. Gabi Ridge also had a solid final day of racing to back up her 4th place on the Sunday to take a place on the under 23 team and senior World Cup team, which was great reward for the last four year’s work, where Gabi has been close to team selection. Ciaran Lee Edwards (Llandysul) also booked a place on the senior World Cup team, with a solid set of results over the three days, in what was a hotly contested K1 men’s event, where James Cooper also took a place in the Great Britain under 23 team as a reserve. In all, 6 Welsh paddlers were named on the GB teams, where they will race over the summer in Bratislava (Slovakia), Hohenlimburg
(Germany) and Ivrea (Italy), while a further 2 or 3 boats were in contention to the last day, showing a good depth to the squad preparations over the winter. The Premier division race circuit rolled up to Cardiff on the Mayday Bank Holiday for the Hornbill Premier, which was run as part of the CIWW Paddlefest. An entry of 190 slalomists, 90 in the boater cross and 60 in the freestyle event made it a great paddling weekend alongside the stand-up-paddleboards, rafts, whitewater canoes and kayaks. Tom Power set a testing course, with solid moves down the length of the artificial site, with spin options and a solid bottom third, which saw half the competitors recording 50’s over their two runs. Welsh paddlers were rewarded with 11 top 10 placings across 4 classes, with Megan Hamer Evans (4th), Gabi Ridge (6th) and Lili Bryant (8th) in K1 women and Eti Chappell with a PB, Ciaran Lee Edwards, Steffan Walker and James Cooper locking out places 6 to 9. In the C1 men’s class Andy Kettlewell, Will Coney (Seren Dwr) and Rhys Davies locked out 3rd to 5th, while Emily Davies took a PB in 5th place in the women’s C1 event. The early season race results reflected the hard work that paddlers (and in many cases parents, who support and transport them) put in over the winter months. 27 of the 35 paddlers in the training groups have recorded personal bests, while most of the remainder now have to take a national race win to equal or better their lifetime domestic bests. Well done on this start to the season. The coming months will see the Division 1 paddlers visiting Pinkston, Nottingham, Bala, Washburn and Grandtully over the summer. Premier racers will race at Nottingham before a summer of whitewater and international competition, before returning to the UK racing season in September.
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Jet Moore joined the Canoe Wales Board back in October and hit the ground running – volunteering to review and promote participation in paddlesport in Wales, and represent with other board members participation, coaching and access. He’s also a coach, ex-slalom paddler and has whitewater paddled all over the UK and abroad. We cornered him between Board meetings and coaching courses to find out more … How did you get into paddling? Through the Cubs and Scouts initially, then when I was 10 I started competing in slalom. How did that go? I raced at international level in C2 and K1, and division 2 in C1 … Also C1 and K1 in wild water racing. Any memorable moments? Yes! Paddling C2 in an international, swimming on Town Falls and then ignoring the rescues and bags being offered as I was too busy arguing with my partner Richard! Got to get your priorities right! So, was competition your main focus? Initially, then at 16 I started coaching, and since then have worked my way through a number of the systems. I’ve gained 5 star across the board, canoe level 5 trained, inland level 5 trained, surf level 3, sea level 4, slalom comp level 3, UKCC level 3 core and working on it. I’m also a 4 star canoe and kayak provider, WWSR provider, PLA award provider, etc. Did you see coaching as a career? Yes – about 20 years ago, while at Pencoed College, I set-up Adventure Beyond, a small outdoor adventure
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education company based in West Wales delivering a large mix of water and land-based activities water. I still own and manage this company, and run courses and activities through this business and as a freelance instructor. That must keep you busy? Yes, especially along with my farm … Farm?? … a 120 acre tenant farm with 50 pedigree Hereford cattle and 150 sheep. Any other responsibilities? 3 troublesome young girls. Ha ha, are they paddlers? Yes, they’ve been paddling from a few weeks old. They started out in canoes and have completed a number of expeditions, including a Dordogne 4 day canoe expedition – all of us in one canoe, 2 adults and 3 kids. And we made it down the river! Last September Kiara (our youngest) paddled across Scotland on the Great Glenn with myself, the dog and Kim. She was one at the time. They’ve also competed in K1 and C2 slalom.
Sounds like your kids have had some great paddling experiences. What’s your own most memorable paddling moment? A 10-day solo canoe trip in Canada’s French River region. It was planned at the last min and I ended up with only a bag of coffee, a small bag of rice, 1 bar of chocolate and a French stick. That had to last the 10 day trip! It seems both you and your children have benefitted from a very early start in paddlesport. What are your thoughts on getting children active and involved in sport/activities? From my own experience of being involved in sport since a young age I feel that getting young people (and people of all ages) into any sport is vital. Paddlesport is a great sport as the whole family can be involved (and paddle). A fine example is the confidence it gives to the young person, I have seen this many times and with myself and many of our young paddlers.
few years, with coaching as an example. I feel we are now well on the way back to where we should be. I would like to see CW grow a strong relationship with British Canoeing and continue some of the great work that has been done. I would love to see Access in Wales the same as in Scotland. Last question – how do you manage to balance your business, farm, family and CW role? Don’t sleep. Be efficient. Thanks Jet – hope to see you on the water soon!
Is this one of the reasons you became a CW Director? I’ve been an RCO and a volunteer coach for many years, helping to set up and coach sprint and slalom based at Cardiff. I’ve had a love for paddlesport from the age of about 10 and wanted to put time back into the sport so as to see it develop and grow to give others the opportunities I have had. What do you hope to achieve as a CW Director? I would like to see CW become stronger and be a NGB people are proud to be part of that works for its members. In in my mind it has lost its way in the last
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Waters of Wales – We need YOU!! Article: Fiona Buttrey
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Many readers are by now aware of the Waters of Wales campaign for responsible shared access to our rivers for all recreational water users. Many of us in the kayaking community have been personally affected by access issues as we go about the sport that we love, suffering verbal abuse and sometimes even threats of violence as we simply try to paddle quietly down a river. This has been an important issue for paddlers and others for many years, and a group of individuals formed a community on Facebook in 2014 to try to do something about it once and for all. After all, shouldn’t the natural resources of Wales be open to everyone, not just a select few who can afford to pay for the privilege? In the face of continued inaction from the Welsh Government, we decided to organise a “Mass Paddle” on the River Dee in Llangollen on 8th January and a Paddle across Cardiff Bay to the Senedd building on 14th February to raise the profile of our campaign, and to try to galvanise some action. Our Dee “Mass Paddle” generated some local media attention, with Lowri Davies Champion Freestyle kayaker and owner of Flowfree coaching doing a great job of speaking out on our behalf. The Cardiff Bay “Paddle to the Senedd and Quayside Rally” was organised by Waters of Wales in conjunction with the Open Canoe Association and was sponsored by them together with River Legacy. The event was attended by over 100 paddlers, including members of the Canoe Wales Board, and was also endorsed by British Canoeing. Lowri Davies, Frances Bateman (GB Paralympic sprint champion) and Ice Swimmer Vicky Brice joined us for the event, and spoke to the assembled media. Pam Bell, spokesperson for Waters of Wales was interviewed live on Radio Wales, and we featured on BBC Wales Today and ITV Wales News. Several Assembly members met us when we arrived at the Senedd and we talked to them about our campaign. We were very grateful to Steffan Lewis (Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East) who sponsored the event on our behalf, and who accepted papers supporting our case prepared by the Waters of Wales team. We were delighted that this issue was debated in the Senedd on 14th February, and that the Welsh
Government acknowledged that Wales needs a better and fairer approach to public access for outdoor recreation. Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths published the following statement on the day. “Outdoor recreation makes a significant contribution to the economy and provides considerable health and social benefits. This is demonstrated by the huge success of the Wales Coast Path which has increased Wales’ profile at home and abroad. We now have the opportunity to build on this success. Wales needs an approach to public access for outdoor recreation that is less burdensome to administer, provides for a wide range of activities, but at the same time, respects the concerns of landowners. Whilst we can learn from other countries’ approaches, Wales requires laws which suit its cultural and physical landscape. We are very much aware of the concerns of landowners and the aspirations of access users. I will publish our proposals at the earliest opportunity so people can have their say, so we achieve a system that works in the best interest of all parties.” This is encouraging news, but we’ve heard it all before (see box). If we are to achieve success once and for all on this issue, those of us who are affected by the access situation need to speak up loudly and clearly and keep up the momentum that has built up in recent months. We can’t let the Welsh Government lose interest once again. We were delighted that Pam Bell from Waters of Wales was able to meet with the new president of British Canoeing recently. Following the meeting he said “I met with Pam as president of BC to discuss her thoughts surrounding access to UK rivers. She is one of those people who have dedicated a LOT of time and effort to a cause which will benefit us all. Her goal is one all of us should share and get behind even if, like me, the issues does not affect your own paddling directly. With enough momentum behind us we can change what has previously proved impossible. For my part I will start to speak up in all areas I can.” This is great news a show a real shift from our governing body in getting behind us on this issue. On May Day 1932 members of a workers’ protest hike led by Benny Rothman went on trial and were imprisoned for their part in the “Kinder Trespass”. The injustice of the treatment of protestors led to a shift in public opinion, and ultimately led to the improved access to much of the outdoors that we enjoy today, but unfortunately restricted and threatened public rights in others. Scotland completed the job of enshrining the “Right to Roam” in 2006 with the Land Reform (Scotland) Act, but in 21st Century Wales, access to much of our land and water is still restricted. Wales has come a long way, and all we need now is the political will to take the final step in the public interest.
Things will not change unless YOU get involved. Waters of Wales is run by volunteers in our free time. We do it because we feel strongly about this issue. But we need more support from the paddling community if we are to be successful with our campaign.
WELSH GOVERNMENT REVIEW OF ACCESS & OUTDOOR RECREATION LEGISLATION 2008: 10,000 signature petition was presented to Welsh Government to “provide and permit access to and along non-tidal water” 2009: Following a short enquiry, the petitions committee said, “Access to inland water in Wales is a right of equity and social justice. The current situation regarding rights to inland water in Wales is confusing, untenable and unworkable; there should be the same right of public access as there is in Scotland.” 2010: Contrary to the advice of the petitions committee Welsh Government decided not to pursue legislation, but opted to purse voluntary access agreements (a strategy that has proved unworkable over more than 50 years), through a programme called SPLASH. 2013: After spending three years and more than £2M of public money, Welsh Government acknowledged that the process had failed to deliver, and that legislation would be needed. A green paper was promised in December 2013. 2015: More than a year after the promised publication date for the green paper there was no indication on when it would appear. 2016: WoW submitted a further petition to the Petitions committee on 1st November. An announcement was promised by the end of January 2017.
So what can you do to help? • Like our facebook page https://www.facebook. com/WatersofWales.WoW. • Check out our website http://www.watersofwales. org.uk/ • If you live in Wales, write to your Assembly Member to ask them to support this campaign, and ensure this important topic doesn’t fall below the radar again. You can find your Assembly member here:- http://www.assembly.wales/en/ memhome/Pages/memhome.aspx • If you or your club are affected by access issues of any kind, report any illegal behaviour to the police (for example some paddlers have recently reported being threatened with guns). Let us know about your experience via our Facebook page, and write to your MP or Assembly member about it. If you are prepared to speak to the media about it, that would also help our cause. If you need any help in doing this you can contact us via our Facebook page. • If you’d like to get more involved, for example by organising a ‘Paddleathon’ in your local area please contact us via our Facebook page • It would really help to raise our profile if we could get a celebrity or two to speak publicly in support of our campaign. If you know of anyone that might be able to help us with this, please contact us via our Facebook page • If you’d like to support our campaign you can buy our “Kayaking / Canoeing is not a crime” stickers for £1 from your local shop: ProAdventure Ltd, Llangollen; River Active Ltd, Llangollen; PSM Outdoors, Hay on Wye; Outdoor Kit 4U, Llandysul; Canoe & Kayak Store, CIWW, Cardiff. We also have a donations page here: https://www.opencanoe.info/civicrm/contribute/ transact?reset=1&id=2 Most of our work to date has been funded from the volunteers own pockets, or from sympathetic organisations who support our cause. • You can also raise the profile of WoW by buying a T-shirt or Hoodie from Vinyl Bear http://www. vinylbear.co.uk/newwebsite/product-category/ clubs/waters-of-wales/
2017: Still no word from Welsh Government so WoW organised a Dee Paddleathon on 8th January and a Mass Paddle to the Senedd on 14th February to try to raise the profile of this issue, and to try to prompt some action from Welsh Government. The campaign continues ...
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Adventures in Thailand Words: John Conlin-Jones Photos: Andy Burrows John Conlin-Jones
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13TH FEBRUARY We awoke to really strong winds and the news that the dive trip was off until the 16th. So we decided to head to the mainland, and to the river pier where my pickup was parked.
A few years ago I paddled a ten-day trip around the islands of the archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand with my friends Gareth and Andy from Wales. Earlier this year they made the return trip, and in February I met them at Bangkok airport, having travelled from my home in Nakhon Ratchasima with sea kayaks for the trip. Unfortunately, due to a long term back problem, Gareth wasn’t up to paddling, which left Andy and I with a plan to drive down to Ranong near the border with Myanmar (Burma) and paddle some of their southern most islands. However, a lengthy visa process meant Burma wasn’t an option, so we changed our plan and decided to circumnavigate the islands down the Thai coast in the Andaman Sea.
14TH FEBRUARY Back in Rangong we put all the kit into my pickup, had our passports stamped and crossed the rivers by fishtail boat to Myanmar (Burma) to find out about visas. The tide was running at about 5 knots which made the crossing a bit hairy. Immigration informed us that that we could get a two-week visa as long as we did not go outside a 35-kilometre distance from the town we landed at. To get into Myamawr they ask for ten US dollars for each person. And it has to be in mint condition or they will not accept it. We had obtained one twenty-dollar bill from an American tourist but they wouldn’t accept it because it had been folded once. Seems a little crazy – most money has been used and has changed hands many times but their money is practically worthless and very worn. We returned back to Thailand and started our journey south again towards Khura Buri, to get a ferry to the islands of Mu Ko Surin National Park, some 60 km offshore. We decided not to paddle out to the islands to save time, plus there are no points on the way to stop if any problems happen.
10TH FEBRUARY At 8.30am we were waiting at the quay for our boat ride to Ko Payam. The previous day we’d driven down to Ranong and located a tour company who could take us and our kit over to the island of Ko Payam and Ko Chang. We’d got up early to get our kayaks fully packed for two or three days out, as we didn’t know what was available on the islands. We were ready to board the ferry when we were told the tide was out and we had to take our kayaks to another pier to get another ferry. Luckily the guy who arranged our trip took us and our kayaks some three kilometers to the other pier; paddling to the islands at that time wasn’t an option because the tides were all wrong and there was no place to launch from. When we arrived on Ko Phayam we were spotted by Tony (Australian) and his wife Pen (Thai) – they had bungalows about 50 metres from the pier and a wheeled trolley for our kayaks. It was too late to plan a trip that day, however, we did discover that there was nowhere to land or camp on either island, so booked the accommodation for three nights and started planning some day trips.
15TH FEBRUARY – CHAO LE GYPSY VILLAGE: 6KM The next morning we set off on our ferry for the National Park. Once we’d arrived we made enquiries about paddling the islands. Apparently we couldn’t land on any of the islands, only at the two campsites and the sea gypsies’ beach, to safeguard the sea turtles and their eggs. That afternoon we paddled out to Chao Le village the home of the Moken sea gypsy community, where we were shown around by the headman of the village who was over eighty-five years old. He took great pride in showing us the local school and community centre, and the two open canoes he had carved out of tree trunks and his carved wooden paddles. The Moken sea gypsies still practice their traditional way of life and culture. It could be perceived as a primitive existence, however, they have a great respect for the environment and worship their ancestors and ask the spirits to protect and take care of them. They also pay tribute to coloured statues very much like Native American totem poles see picture of myself and Andy standing by one of them.
11TH FEBRUARY – KO PHAYAM: 26KM We decided to start with a circumnavigation of the smaller island of Ko Phayam, stopping for lunch at a small resort and passing Buffalo Bay on the way. It was a very windy day – the locals said they hadn’t seen weather like this in twenty-five years. The weather forecast for the next day was for even stronger winds. 12TH FEBRUARY – KO CHANG: 40KM Today’s plan was to circumnavigate the larger island of Ko Chang. The wind was lighter than forecast so we decided to go for it, hoping to get some tidal assistance up the east coast and reach the top of the island before the tide turned, then back down the west coast in time for lunch at the small resort. However, the east coast turned out to be a really hard slog against the wind, which had picked up in strength again with breaking waves. As for the west coast, after about an hour of battling through rough waters with wind against tide we found a little resort for some well-earned refreshments. We finally arrived back on Ko Phayam at 6pm. That evening we found a dive boat that could take us from Ko Phayam to our next destination, Ko Surin Island some 60k offshore, they promised to contact us the next day with their finalized schedule.
16TH FEBRUARY – KO SURIN: 26KM The plan for the day was to circumnavigate South Surin Island, touching base on Ko Mungkam and the other outer island of Ko Tarila. The weather was very windy and rough, once again unusual for this time of year. We travelled down the west coast of the island and the outer island of Ko Tarila. The wind seemed to come with the flood tide then drop off after high water. We landed back at the campsite and made our plan for the next day – to circumnavigate the north island, which would be a lot longer journey.
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17TH FEBRUARY – KO SURIN: 35KM Today was going to be a big day – a 35km circumnavigation with only one stopping point (a campsite) over three quarters of the way around. We set off at about 9am into a fresh northeasterly wind with white caps and breaking waves. About halfway around the island, after paddling through two tidal streams and lots of surf, we headed for Hing Khong Island where we snorkelled for an hour or so. As we were snorkelling the wind dropped off again and for the first time on the trip it became flat calm. The north island is the best place to see reef sharks, rays, sea turtles and whale sharks. Although we didn’t see any (it was probably too rough) we did meet a family from the UK who had taken boat rides and seen them all. 18TH FEBRUARY Today we were heading back to the mainland, ready to drive down the coast towards Krabi to check out some islands in the Andaman Sea. Whilst I packed up all the gear Andy went out in a fishtail boat to swim with sharks for a couple of hours. The Surin islands are really lovely, however, during the day there are too many noisy fishtail boats ferrying day-trippers about. After about 3pm when all the tour boats leave it is lovely and peaceful. If you arrive without your own tent there are bungalows or it is about 80 baht (£2) to hire a tent.
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19TH FEBRUARY We left our resort and set off to find Khoa Sok National Park on our way to Phang Nga. There are lots of jungle treks here and some of the biggest flowers in Thailand grow here. Its also home to lots of wildlife; Asian elephants, tigers, primates and birds. There is a huge lake, which was formed by a rock fill dam and power plant, that has many limestone pinnacles protruding from its waters which are full of caves. It looked like a great place to explore in kayaks and with lots of bungalows to stay in or camping. After spending an hour or so at the park we headed off towards Phang Nga. 20TH FEBRUARY – PHANG GNA: 30KM After breakfast we headed to the National Park HQ for info on paddling the islands around Phang Nga and any likely campsites. We were advised that there was a campsite on Khao Phing-Kan Island, sometimes known as James Bond Island after the film it appeared in. At 11.30am we got on the water for a very late to start our journey to Khao Phing-Kan Island. Some of the islands here have hidden lagoons inside them which can only be accessed through caves. On the way we stopped off at the fishermen’s sea gypsy village for lunch and a break and then paddled on to Khao Phing-Kan Island, passing mangroves and amazing rock formations, and exploring some of the many caves. We arrived on the island to find there was no campsite and only a small area to pitch
our tents. Just a beach and lots of shops with palm thatched roofs selling souvenirs to the day-trippers. And the only proper shop was closed. However, as we always had plenty of food and water in our kayaks this wasn’t a problem. As it got dark the Rangers came to see us and we had to explain our situation as best we could. I speak very little Thai in spite of living here for nearly eight years, and it was too late to go back to our start point by then. However, they were very helpful! They gave us hot water to make tea, and fish and rice. We had already had some pot noodles but wanted to be polite so ate with them in their little cabin carved into the rocks. At 9pm we decided to turn in for the night. Just as we were going to get into our tents we were surrounded by a huge thunderstorm and lightning flashes. Luckily for us it only rained a little so our tents kept dry. 21ST FEBRUARY – PHANG GNA: 45KM We awoke early and packed our tents and gear away before the day visitors arrived. The Park Rangers gave us hot water and we said our goodbyes, heading south passing Ko Khai and three other islands. We then started to explore the large island group around Ko Hong. The southern end has several open entrances into a huge open sky lagoon with a large cave entrance also linking into it, hence the name Hong which in Thai means room. In the lagoon I saw a large jellyfish with about twenty small fish in its tentacles which it had just stunned. On the outside of the island there is a large pontoon where the tourist boats moor. They are then taken by individual inflatables paddled by guides into the lagoon. It can get very busy at times. We then made a forty-minute crossing to the island of Ko Phanak, which had more caves and inner lagoons. On the east of the island there is a cave which links into three open chambers over a distance of about 130 metres. You will need a head torch for this and we had come prepared! The downside again is that when the tour boats arrive it gets very busy. There are also some fantastic stalactites and stalagmites on the cliff faces. We had gone south with the flow and then started to head back north for about 10 km, passing many limestone pinnacles on the way. We then paddled in a north-easterly direction passing Ko Talu Nok on our left, which has an open cave passing through its centre. However, we had no time to explore. We then proceeded north-westerly, passing a large mangrove area and seeing the mountains of the mainland, before heading east through mangrove channels to arrive at the gypsy village for a quick drink of coke and a rest. With the tide behind us we paddled back to our start point at the National Park HQ. We arrived just before dark and packed up everything before heading to the resort we had booked for the night. Just as we were leaving the heavens opened and there was a huge thunderstorm. Andy had been reading up on all our intended locations in The Beaches and Islands of Thailand, he has a great memory for details probably from his time in the military this was a great help to us on our journeys. Unlike me at nearly seventy-one with only one brain cell, if I had another I could be a vegetable.
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22ND FEBRUARY We then set off south again to see a group of islands near Trang in the Hat Chao Mai National Park. We had intended to spend two or three days here, before travelling up to Don Sak near Surat Thani to the Sadet Ko Phangan National Park for some more paddling and then driving back to meet our friend Gareth in Jomteinfor on the 1st. However, over dinner we realised that this month only had 28 days. So we decided to cut this side-trip down to only 1 day which would give us enough time to travel to the Sadet Ko Phangan National Park and back to meet Gareth on the 1st! 23RD FEBRUARY – KO MUK: 27KM For the previous few days I had been coughing and running a temperature and decided that I needed a day off. Weighing up the trips we had planned it seemed like this would be the best day to miss, so Andy was on his own today. I ferried him to a nearby jetty and went back to the resort to try to shift the fever as the next day was a very long 500km journey to our next destination. Andy paddled to the island of Koh Muk which has a lovely beach and a cave some 80 metres long that leads to an inner sea lagoon which you have to swim through at high tide to reach. When he arrived a lot of Chinese tourists were going through the cave, as they couldn’t swim they were roped together to take them through into the lagoon in a line. I have seen this practice used before on the
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islands around Koh Chang in the Gulf of Thailand when they take non-swimmers snorkeling. Because of the large numbers Andy decided not to take the kayak through, but he swam through instead. 24TH FEBRUARY Andy’s research had paid off, he had found and contacted a tour company who ran boats to the Mu Ko Am Thong National Park. They would drop us off at the National Park HQ on Ko Wua Talop island and pick us up two days later so we could kayak as many islands as possible and camp out every night. All we had to do now was get to to Koh Sumui island some 500 kilometres away … 25TH FEBRUARY AN THING NATIONAL PARK: 20KM The best laid plans … When we arrived at the National Park HQ we went to see the Chief Ranger on the island to inform him of our plan. Unfortunately he did not like the idea of us paddling all of the islands, and was worried about our safety as we would be far from his island HQ. We tried to persuade him to let us do as many islands as possible but he would not budge from his decision. He gave us a print out of the weather for the next two days and it looked as if the windy conditions were following us. We had to follow his wishes as there is a heavy fine for disobeying a Park Ranger’s instructions. So we decided to stick to the area inside the inner islands which he had
mapped out for us. We set off as quickly as we could, so we could get to as many islands as possible. We did manage to paddle around Ko Mae Kow and see the Emerald Lagoon, however, we couldn’t get in through the cave as it was high water when we arrived so we could only access part of the cave entrance. As we were heading for Ko Sam Sao we were hit by a large tropical storm which showed amazing rainbow shapes on the water’s surface, and we lost visibility for a while. Then we landed on the beach of our island campsite for the night on the northwest corner of Ko Sam Sao. We pitched our tents, showered, made a meal and of course tea (cha r hon). I don’t go any where without it. A British thing from years in construction industry. During the night lots of thunder and lightning in the distance then at about 4am it poured down; we had some water into our tents and all the clothes on our lines were soaked. Before retiring for the night we climbed 100m up a rock face (with the help of fixed ropes) to a viewpoint with an amazing view of most of the islands. 26TH FEBRUARY AN THING NATIONAL PARK: 6KM 7am – all our tents and clothes were soaking wet, so we made a brew, had a snack and waited for the tents and gear to dry out. As we were packing the tents it poured down yet again and the wind got stronger. An hour later we decided to take the window in the weather to get back to our start point on Ko Wau
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kilometre away and we could meet the fishtail there. Finally he agreed and we launched through the surf and paddled to the other large boat. By the time we arrived the fishtail was waiting for us. It took us to the ferry anchored by the Emerald Lagoon where they had a hot meal waiting for us. We could have paddled that distance easily as there was only a little bit of tidal flow on both headlands – the rest was sheltered and not too rough. With hindsight if we did these islands again we would go further west along the coast and launch to island hop to the most southerly islands most of which are not in the National Park. We did not know we would be restricted to such a small area. 28TH FEBRUARY We woke up at 4am to get to the terminal at 5am as instructed. Despite this we didn’t get on a ferry until 9am after a four-hour wait. I then had about a 900km trip to get back to meet our friend Gareth in Jomtein. I decided to get as far as I could that day and reach Prechuap Khiri Khan on the coast to show Andy the area it is only about 15km from the border with Myanmar, which my friends and I have cycled to in the past. 1ST MARCH We stayed the night and set off to finish the rest of our journey to Jomtein to meet our friend Gareth. Andy was flying back to the UK on 5th and had to be in Bangkok on the 4th.
Talap for our trip back the next day. The forecast was for the wind to increase and for big surf on the beaches. The forecast was right – when we arrived the surf was over a metre high so we had to make a surf landing. We didn’t bother with the tents but took a three-bed bunkhouse type room for the night so we could dry everything for the ferry trip next day. As we ate our dinner later on we had another two big storms. We turned in at about 9pm happy to be warm and dry in nice beds for the night, the wind also increased during the night. 27TH FEBRUARY We awoke to even bigger surf dumping on the beach and to the news that the ferry could not dock, instead a fishtail boat would take us and two other people to meet it at the Emerald Lagoon. The fishtail arrived and with great difficulty got the other people on board. The surf was now over a metre high and it then left without us and our kayaks. After waiting one hour we went to see the Ranger again – he thought we had gone already! We suggested that we should paddle to meet the fishtail but again he was worried about our safety, as the surf was now bigger. We said it would not be a problem for us and we had seen another large boat in the lee of another island about 1
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It was a wonderful journey around some of the islands off the Thailand coast and there are still plenty more to explore. We travelled about 4,000 kilometers in all to get to our various destinations, however, it was well worth it to visit and see such lovely offshore islands. The nautical charts of our journeys in the Andaman sea can be downloaded from andamanyatching.com Chart number 307 for Ranong to Phang Gna. The only sad thing was the amount of rubbish and plastic on some of the island beaches. What made it worse was it was on islands with lots of tourists. It was very bad on the beach near the pier on Ko Phayam – lots of glass and broken bottles where we landed. We asked our hosts at the resort about the problem and they said that they only take back plastic to the mainland and he and another foreign friend had been trying for years to get the problem resolved. The person in charge of the local authority says it is not their problem it is the responsibility of the local authority in Ranong. He is going to email me their addresses so I can contact them and I am going to write to the Tourist Authority of Thailand about the issue. On the island of Koh Chang in the Gulf of Thailand, where I spend four or five months in the dry season, my friends and myself keep the beaches clean – if I take an empty kayak to the islands I always collect all the garbage and bring it back to Koh Chang for recycling or disposal. To be honest I think the tourists should complain more if they care about our environment.
CROESYCEILIOG CANOE CLUB
FOUNDED 1971 CANOE WALES TOP CLUB AWARD NEWPORT CLUB ACCREDITATION SCHEME TOP AWARD
2017
RIVER USK CANOE RACE
In memory of Alan Baker our founder and president, 1946–2017
SUNDAY 16th July 2017 START: Newbridge on Usk FINISH: St. Julian’s Hotel, Newport
Distance: 8 miles Start time: 12.30pm For details: E-mail uskrace@croesycanoe.co.uk Web www.croesycanoe.co.uk
Sponsored by:
www.canoeandkayakstore.co.uk
decision making
Words: Chris Brain Photos: Chris Brain or as credited
I
n nearly 20 years of paddling canoes, kayaks and everything in between, up until recently I could probably count on one hand (probably only using 3 fingers on that hand) the number of times I have got on the water without a PFD. By wearing this simple foam vest every time I got on the water I was safe (or at least I thought I was). It just seemed so far removed from my norm to be on the water without it that I never really questioned as to why I was actually wearing it in the first place. It was only when I started stand up paddle boarding that it seemed potentially acceptable that I might remove it, based upon the fact that I was leashed to a giant floating object.
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Discussing options and making a decision with a team of paddlers .
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If it has gone wrong, where did it start?
To a lot of canoeists and kayakers not wearing a PFD certainly seems to strike a chord and without a doubt creates a debate usually surrounding rescues, unconscious people and safety. Those of us that have experience in SUP will know that wearing a PFD doesn’t necessarily help to solve any of these problems and for me this debate brings about a bigger issue than whether you are wearing a PFD or not. The issue is about the choices that we have, the decisions that we make and how much we repeat behaviours simply because it is what we have always done.
IF YOU DO WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS DONE ... I can guarantee that if you’ve spent any time around me you’ll have heard me say, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.” Usually when I say this I am trying to encourage someone to challenge themselves, explore a new area, try a new discipline or change their practice routine and structure. When used in this context I think it’s a pretty motivational statement and one that some people use to great effect to push their comfort zones, but if we apply it to the field of decision making and safety it could be dangerous. For example, pick any rapid that you know well, the kind of place you have been to 100 times before. The kind of rapid that you always run the same way and you know the line really well in most water levels. Do you scout it, or do you run it? What if there is a tree pinned across the river half way down, leaving you with very few options. Consider the decision you have just made and whether you avoided the tree because you saw it beforehand or whether only
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spotted it mid-way through the rapid. When it comes to decision making if we do what we have always done we might not get what we have always got.
THE DANGER OF ALWAYS AND NEVER Consider these statements: • I’ve been here before, I know what this rapid is like, it always runs left • It’s hard to scout this rapid, it’s always clear • I’ve never needed a spare paddle, so I don’t carry one • There’s no way I’d paddle that, the guidebook gives it grade 4 When it comes to deciding what to do, regularly using words like always and never can often lead us towards sticky situations. The problem with using these words at either end of the spectrum can mean that we haven’t actually considered the options in front of us and that we have removed the need to make a decision. Often in many situations the best answer when answer when deciding what to do might be to say, “it depends!”
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT?? Saying “it depends” or “sometimes” is only part of the story but we still have to think about what we are basing out decision on
Ourselves Our own personal ability and our experience are of course a critical factor when making a decision. How effective are we at positioning our craft where we need to be? Is there a chance we will capsize? Have we done something like this before and are we using our experience?
The Environment Our experience in a similar environment will help us to make more effective decisions. Have we been somewhere like this before? Is the water high or low? Are the winds strong and with us or are they against us? What does the forecast predict will happen?
The Team If we are with other people what are their strengths and weaknesses? Does the challenge of the environment outweigh the ability of the team? How many people are in the group? What skills and experience do we have within the group? Is it enough to complete this task?
Be observant and respond to the subtle environment changes.
The Task What are we actually trying to accomplish? How difficult is the task? Do we have previous experience we can use to help complete the task? How fast can a group of this size complete this level of challenge? If these 4 elements are not in balance then we can potentially end up with problems along the way. For example, if a task is too much for a group or we have a team of too many people we will certainly struggle. If an environment is too challenging or our own personal skills not up to the task inevitably we will be dealing with people in the water or abandoning our task early.
Of course, on the other hand, if a task is too easy or environment not challenging enough we potentially will become bored. Therefore, balancing these elements is essential but without a doubt is a challenge in itself.
EAT, SLEEP, PADDLE, REPEAT This sounds great in theory and is what so many of us might think of as heaven, but if we follow this to the letter we won’t learn from our experiences and may keep repeating mistakes.
Experienced decision making will help steer a team in the right direction.
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It’s a simple process, but to move forwards we need to evaluate, plan and apply it next time. These easy steps can be often missed when we have a busy lifestyle or are too focused on getting to the next river, but they will make all the difference towards becoming a paddler with stronger decision-making skills. Consider using a simple structure such as • What worked? • What didn’t work? • If I could do it again what would I do differently? • How will this influence my paddling in the future?
Not all paddlesports are the same, some require different decisions.
You can also try and identify key critical moments in your day or journey when the decisions you made ultimately influenced what came next. These could be deciding the meeting time and location, how long you spent scouting a rapid, a moment where you felt particularly slow as a team, or even a moment when you felt like you rushed things. Ask yourself at these key moments, what was my input? Could we have done things differently? Did we narrowly avoid something that could have gone wrong? Being able to recognise these critical points as they are happening can be a real challenge but the more we review and analyse our performance the easier they will be to spot when they are happening.
Remember to review your experiences and apply it to next time.
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When making decisions consider yourself, your team, the environment and the task.
BEING DYNAMIC As our environment is rarely fixed when we are engaging in any adventurous paddlesport, the need to be dynamic and responsive to changes is essential. Being able to do this is a whole skill in itself and I’ve certainly witnessed paddlers, taking risks and chances, trying to wing it, making it up as they go along without any planning, whilst claiming that what they are doing is being dynamic! When it comes to decision making, being dynamic isn’t the same as making it up on the spot When we are being dynamic what we are really doing is being observant to changes in our team, our task, the environment and our personal motivation/ ability and responding accordingly with appropriate judgements and decisions. Try to be as observant as possible constantly evaluating your progress and decision making as you go. If something feels right, why does it? If something feels wrong, where has this feeling come from? If you are making a decision what are you basing this decision on, is it actual facts and information that you have gathered or is it feelings? If it is a feeling, where has this feeling come from? People often talk about “gut feelings” and we can either act on them or try and ignore them hoping that they are wrong. These feelings are created by the information that we are gathering from the environment/situation around us. We might sense that we are tired, we might feel like the group has had a long day, there could be a slight temperature change, we might feel a stronger breeze on our face or the water might have a slight colour change. We
are more perceptive that we realise so we shouldn’t ignore those “gut feelings” as it’s probably your brain trying to keep your body safe. The tricky part can be trying to rationalise those feelings based upon your knowledge and previous experience and the information you are consciously gathering when you are trying to make a decision. So to come back to my original point, if you ask me do I wear a PFD when I paddle my SUP, my answer is, “sometimes!” What this means that I am thinking about the situation I am directly faced with and making conscious choices as to what I do, basing my decision on all of the factors listed previously and using my skills, knowledge and experience to make what I believe is a sound judgement.
CHRIS BRAIN Chris has been kayaking, canoeing, paddling and coaching for the last 15 years and runs his own business Chris Brain Coaching, delivering paddlesport coaching, safety and rescue courses and REC First aid training. Chris would like to thank Pyranha kayaks, Red Paddle co, Palm Equipment, VE Paddles and Go Kayaking for their continued support. chris@chrisbraincoaching.com www.chrisbraincoaching.com
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THE FUTURE OF PADDLESPORT THE NEXT GENERATION Article: Justin Bunn, Youth Development Officer, Croesyceiliog Canoe Club
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H
ardly a day goes by when I don’t read a Facebook or Twitter post describing how the boundaries of our sport are continuing to be challenged. It’s a positive aspect of social media that there’s now more exposure and more discussion on kayaking than ever. But for all this publicity it’s a rare moment when a clip or snippet dedicated to a junior paddlers cuts through the melee. Maybe my perspective has been changed, having recently taken on the role of junior development officer at my local canoe club? For a large part of my teenage years I kayaked around the globe, visiting the Alps, Norway, Nepal, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, the USA. I was fortunate to paddle internationally in a variety of disciplines: recreationally, competitively and through my work. The sport not only offered me an opportunity to travel, it broadened my horizons and gave me many true friends, a few of whom I’ve entrusted my life to on more than one occasion. Ultimately, kayaking shaped me as a person, influencing much for the better, my future direction and outlook on life. Then inevitably, came family and new responsibility! I laid off from paddling while my children were small, choosing to spend those precious years giving them as many rich experiences as I could; encouraging my boys to try a broad spectrum of activities, providing solid foundations for them to develop into responsible adults. But as they grew older, it’s no great surprise that we came back to the sport which had influenced such a huge portion of my own development. There are some dedicated individuals and organisations out there, focusing on developing the youth of today, from youth groups to canoe clubs,
scouts & guides; even some kayaking specific ones, such as Seren Dwr, and CIWW Youth academy. Many of these are staffed by volunteers, without whom there would be scarce opportunities to drag today’s youngsters away from their electronic devices. Not all kids will aspire to be the next Dane Jackson, or have the talent to be a future Olympian, but by sharing the wide and varied disciplines our sport has to offer I believe that today’s youngsters can still reap rich rewards. Whether it be Surfing, Slalom, Freestyle, Touring or Polo … the discipline in a sense is unimportant; what matters is that taking part will provide memories and experiences that last a lifetime. Today’s aspiring kayakers are more fortunate than in my day. The manufacturers have realised there’s a demand for kid-specific equipment, and to this end, there are some great boats and kit out there. But kit alone is never enough – it was the help and support I received that made the most difference. Recently I attended the funeral of Alan Baker, one of the paddlers who inspired me to kayak. How fitting that the day I learned of his passing I was attending a youth event, helping to support the progress of the next generation – I think he would have approved! So I suppose my prompt to us all, and the purpose of this missive, is to say that next time we see a Facebook or Twitter post – or for that matter have a discussion in the pub about paddling – perhaps we should stop and think about the future of our sport and the part (big or small) we might play in shaping it for the better. Meanwhile, keep a close eye out for the #croesykids. Not heard of them? No worries, I’ll be making sure you see more of them in the future.
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A SURVEY OF HIGH RISK SPORTS HEALTHY VS UNHEALTHY RISK
WHY DO PEOPLE DO HIGH-RISK SPORTS?
Adventure, self-development, and exploring the unknown involves risk and is an integral part of human experience. Our development from childhood to adulthood − learning to walk, discovering new foods, entering into relationships (romantic/sexual or otherwise), involve degrees of risk that balance significant emotional or financial benefits but also costs. So, our ability to assess risk and select appropriate choices is key to allowing us to develop healthily and avoid injury. Despite an increasingly risk-averse and sometimes litigious society, each year sees a steady increase in participation in high-risk sports that can offer powerful leisure experiences but also opportunities for skill acquisition and selfdevelopment.
Reflection upon personal experiences, and observations of friends and colleagues who play and work in high-risk sports environments often raise questions regarding individuals who repeatedly participate in high-risk sports. In other words, “why do you do this?”
WHAT IS A HIGH-RISK SPORT? Although it could be argued that injury is inherent in all sport, high-risk sports are uniquely identifiable by an intrinsic risk of serious injury or death.
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Authors: M. Cox, Prof. R. Robert, Dr T. Woodman Photos: M. Cox
Given that risk can be a healthy aspect of life, one could counter with “why would you NOT do this?” Nonetheless, each year people seem to go a step too far on the risk spectrum, which raises the question: Why do some people take more risks in an already risky domain?
WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO? There is a lot of research that suggests that high-risk sports is just about sensation seeking. Sensation seekers are individuals who have a desire to experience ‘varied, novel, complex and intense experiences and sensations’ and have a propensity for taking ‘physical
http://www.surveygizmo.eu/s3/90019373/A-survey-ofhealth-experiences-in-high-risk-sports-men-and-women
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and social risks’ to achieve this (Zuckerman, 1979). The sensation seeking research (Zuckerman 1979; 2007) produced an argument that high-risk behaviour (sports or otherwise) stems from a purely physiological stand point: taking risks is ‘a means to an end’ to regulate physiological arousal (i.e. to experience varied, novel, complex, and intense experiences; obtain a physical thrill) (Zuckerman, 1994). However, more recently, an argument for a second motivation has emerged; that participating in highrisk activities can be used to regulate emotions and to gain a sense of agency. Woodman and colleagues (2013) found that sensation seekers make up only a proportion of the high-risk sport domain. They found that a second group of sportspeople is motivated by a combination of the desire to better regulate their emotions and a desire to increase their sense of personal agency (i.e. their sense of control in their life). They found that some high-risk sports people (e.g. some skydivers) are highly motivated by sensation seeking (i.e. to obtain a thrill or rush) whereas others (e.g. mountaineers) are more motivated by the desire to achieve a better level emotion regulation and agency than they might otherwise experience in everyday life. This suggests that people do high-risk sports for a variety of reasons, not just for the thrill. In fact, some people seek actively to avoid anything “thrilling”.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “EMOTION REGULATION”? Emotion regulation is the set of processes by which we control our emotions and can be described as actions that influence “which emotions we have, when we have them, and how we experience and express them” (Gross, 2002; 2007).
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AGENCY? – WHAT’S THAT? High-risk sports may enhance people′s sense of agency; the ability to shape the circumstances in which they find themselves. Agency can be explained through an analogy of chess. Those who lack agency may feel like a pawn on a chessboard, whereas those who experience agency may conceive themselves as the player rather than the piece. It is essentially the perceived power to shape the course of your life (Barlow et al., 2013).
ARE SOME MOTIVATIONS FOR HIGH-RISK SPORTS HEALTHIER THAN OTHERS? Neither motivation should be seen as superior to the other, they are just differences that explain what people enjoy and gain through participating in highrisk sports.
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE TAKE MORE RISKS THAN OTHERS DO? Some sport-specific classification (e.g. Sky diving Vs Mountaineering), or descriptions of motivation (i.e. sensation seeking vs emotion regulation and agency) can help us to understand why people might participate in high-risk sport, but does not explain why some people take more risks than others. For example, there are some sensation seekers for whom paddling Grade 3 is challenging enough to achieve a desired level of stimulation, whereas others must strive to paddle Grade 5 or 6 to achieve that same state. Equally, some sea kayakers may experience improved emotion regulation and agency from a one-day trip around a bay, whereas others may need to participate in a circumnavigation of Ireland before they experience any improved emotion regulation and agency.
REFERENCES
OUR PROJECT In this survey, we are interested in finding out more about, not only what risks people take in high-risk sports, but also more about their health. We wish to find out more about the links between people’s motivations for taking part in high-risk sports, and their mental health experiences; both good and bad. Learning more about these things could help us to identify the different ways in which people find high-risk sports rewarding and why it is important in their lives. Please help our research by completing this websurvey. To take part, you just need to complete this short questionnaire online. Your answers will be anonymised and grouped together with hundreds of other responses and will be treated in the strictest confidence. There is no possibility that you will be identified as an individual in any of our findings or in any publications. You will see a progress meter at the bottom of each survey page so that you can track your progress through the survey. As a thank you, we are offering a prize draw to win a Kindle Fire HD 10.1 WiFi’ 16GB device (with an approximate value of approx. £160). To enter this prize draw, you will need to enter your e-mail address at the end of the survey. However, this address will be separated from your survey responses to preserve your anonymity. The prize draw will be made on the 31st of July 2017.
http://www.surveygizmo.eu/s3/90019373/A-survey-ofhealth-experiences-in-high-risk-sports-men-and-women
Bandura, A. (2006). Toward a psychology of human agency. Perspectives on psychological science, 1(2), 164-180. Barlow, M., Woodman, T., & Hardy, L. (2013). Great expectations: Different high-risk activities satisfy different motives. Journal of personality and social psychology, 105(3), 458. Barlow, M., Woodman, T., & Hardy, L. (2013). Great expectations: Different high-risk activities satisfy different motives. Journal of personality and social psychology, 105(3), 458. Castanier, C., Scanff, C. L., & Woodman, T. (2010). Beyond sensation seeking: affect regulation as a framework for predicting risk-taking behaviors in high-risk sport. Journal of sport and exercise psychology, 32(5), 731-738. Cooper, M. L., Agocha, V. B., & Sheldon, M. S. (2000). A motivational perspective on risky behaviors: The role of personality and affect regulatory processes. Journal of personality, 68(6), 1059-1088. Gross, J. J., & Thompson, R. A. (2007). Emotion regulation: Conceptual foundations. Gross, J. J., & Thompson, R. A. (2007). Emotion regulation: Conceptual foundations. Hunt, P., & Daines, B. (2004). Defense processes enacted through mountaineering and their impact on climbers. British Journal of Psychotherapy, 20, 441– 452. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0118.2004.tb00162. Hunt, P., & Daines, B. (2004). Defense processes enacted through mountaineering and their impact on climbers. British Journal of Psychotherapy, 20, 441– 452. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0118.2004.tb00162. MacGregor, A., Woodman, T., & Hardy, L. (2014). Risk is good for you: An investigation of the processes and outcomes associated with high-risk sport. Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport, 46(1), 175. Shapiro, R., Siegel, A. W., Scovill, L. C., & Hays, J. (1998). Risk-taking patterns of female adolescents: What they do and why. Journal of adolescence, 21(2), 143-159. Slanger, E., & Rudestam, K. E. (1997). Motivation and disinhibition in high risk sports: Sensation seeking and self-efficacy. Journal of research in personality, 31(3), 355-374. Thayer, R. E., Newman, J. R., & McClain, T. M. (1994). Self-regulation of mood: Strategies for changing a bad mood, raising energy, and reducing tension. Journal of personality and social psychology, 67(5), 910. Zuckerman, M. (1979). Sensation seeking. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. Zuckerman, M. (1994). Behavioral expressions and biosocial bases of sensation seeking. Cambridge university press. Zuckerman, M. (2007). Sensation Seeking and Risky Driving, Sports, and Vocations.
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Tryweryn Festival
21st – 23rd July 2017 At the National White Water Centre Schedule of Events Friday 21st July
7pm
Bar opens
7.30pm
T-Fest Quiz
10pm late
DJs and dancing
10am
NRS Extreme Race
1pm
Pyranha King of the Wave
3pm
Palm Throwbag Olympics
5pm
NWWC/Patagonia Team Raft Race
7.30pm
Food in the main tent (included in ticket)
8.30pm
Talk from Save Our Rivers/Patagonia
9.55pm
Prize giving
10pm late
SPACE themed party
10am
Half-day subsidised coaching sessions at ÂŁ10 per person
Saturday 22nd July
Sunday 23rd July