January 2023

Throwline

to all our members and their families

What happens next?

Here is a photo taken on Boxing Day just gone. Can you recognise two of the paddlers? Look over to the right hand side!

And page 12 shows what happens next.

Pool sessions start 13th January

Chairman’s Chatter for December

HAPPY NEW PADDLING YEAR!

I hope this year will be one of the best ever for Frome CC. We certainly have lots going on with the new developments at Langham Farm, the coaching bursaries and some outstanding paddlers getting out and doing their thing all over the country. We will also have a new website up and running before long as well as Spond which is proving a great tool for communication and administration. Read further on in the newsletter for more details.

Looking back at December and undoubtedly it has been a quieter month than recent for the canoe club. This was partly because our members tend to be busy shopping for new kit for Christmas, but also this year because the weather has not been so good for paddling. Cold dry weather has meant the rivers have run dry, and the thought of breaking the ice has put off all but the hardiest of paddlers.

Two highlights have been the young paddlers Christmas Party and also it was great that we were able to combine our December Committee meeting with a Christmas meal in a local bar (thanks to George for organising it). If you want to be part of the 2023 committee please talk to me about the opportunities to join the committee and help run our canoe club.

It is good to see paddlers out enjoying themselves over the winter months, but please remember with the cold weather, high river levels and dark evenings the risks to paddlers increase significantly.

The committee is in the process of reviewing our operating procedures (as we do regularly) which apply to all club activity. Details of our operating procedures can be found in the members section of our website.

As you read this our President Graham is in the process of making an impatient recovery from an operation. I would like to wish him a speedy recovery from all at the canoe club, we look forward to seeing you back on the river with us all (I think!!??).

As always there is lots of information in this newsletter, thanks to Pam for all her time pulling it all together. Please remember that this is your canoe club, it is great to read your articles about your paddling, please do take a moment to share!

As always I look forward to seeing you all on the river…… Chris.

Spond is now our main form of communication with our members. It is also the way to book and pay for any sessions.

Why?

★ It is really simple to both set up and use once you have set it up.

★ Spond works very well on mobile devices as well as traditional PC’s.

★ Young Paddlers can use spond as all communication is automatically shared with guardians.

★ We can send information and messages to relevant people.

★ Spond makes the administration by our volunteers and coaches really quick and efficient.

★ We can make essential information about our paddlers available to our volunteers and coaches in a confidential and convenient manner.

★ Payment on Spond is really quick once you have set up a payment card, meaning less administration for our volunteers.

★ From April our membership renewals will also be handled by Spond.

Sign up here: https://group.spond.com/LULST or install the Spond app and use group code LULST See pages 6 and 7 for some spond tips from Chris

Your settings

Tap here to change what notifications you receive and whether Spond adds events to your calendar

River trips

River Tawe

When 21st January

Meet Be ready to leave at 8am

Cost £25

Organiser George McGiveron

We aim to run the section from Glentawe to Abercraf which flows off the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. The river is a definite step up from the Dart Loop or Barle and so is suitable for those paddlers who are fairly confident paddling these rivers.

The guidebook describes the river as follows:

“A fantastic river, among the best anywhere in the UK. …… even taking on 'big volume' characteristics. …..

It's a bit quiet for a while through and after Glyntawe, with only an easy series of tiny weirs (which might be a hazard in very high water?). The easy mellow paddling continues for some distance, until a series of ledges and stoppers (grade 4) above a bridge. This makes for some good play waves and stoppers.

Below the bridge you reach Pen y Cae Falls, a series of enormous slabs which made an exciting grade 4 rapid when we've been there...but which will no doubt produce the mothers of all stoppers in very high water, due to their weir-like characteristic. Inspection is essential. The falls are followed by a long series of reef rapids with big surf waves.

A little way down the river, where cliffs rise on river left, is a horizon line which will keep you guessing right up to the brink! Inspection will reveal that it hides a river-wide 10 foot waterfall ….. it continues! If you fancy joining George on this river sign up on Spond and meet at the canoe club ready to leave at 8am. Cost is £25 to cover fuel expenses.

River Dart

When 28th January Meet 8am Cost £20

Organiser Chris Wilde

Depending on the group we will probably take a group to paddle both the Lower section (grade 2) or the Loop section (grade 3).

If you have not joined one of our whitewater river trips before, but you have some warm kit and are confident using a spraydeck then the lower Dart could be your next challenge. It is a beautiful flowing river with a few small rapids in the heart of Devon. The trip takes about 3 hours.

The Loop is a great fun grade 3 section of whitewater which is suitable for those who are fairly confident paddling the Lower section or the River Exe, and have probably paddled the River Barle with reasonable success.

Coaching info

We have one space remaining for this weekend course which is suitable for paddlers who are fairly confident paddling grade 3 whitewater. It is a challenging but fun course which will help you with your river running and safety skills. Sign up on spond or contact Chris if you have any questions.

Darren Joy is running this course for FCC. The location will be on rivers in the South-West, most likely the Dart Loop so candidates need to be confident on grade 3 water.

The syllabus can be found here: https://paddlesuptraining.com/courses/white-water-safetyand-rescue-training/

Cost of travel will be met by candidates £40 for the weekend, all other costs paid by FCC/ coaching bursaries. Transport will be shared each day. If you would like to attend the course please contact Chris in the first instance (07907025070).

This qualification is a face to face course which is essential for all our coaches and volunteers. It is aimed at all persons who have contact with children or adults at risk and will provide them with a good understanding of safeguarding and the knowledge to identify possible safeguarding concerns and know how and who to report these too.

Cost of £5 per session ( 2 sessions, please sign up to both) will be refunded after completion of both sessions. (FCC is fully funding the course at a cost of £35 per person). There are limited spaces available so please sign up on Spond now.

Young Paddlers Party

On the Friday before Christmas, some of our young paddlers enjoyed a Christmas Party at the canoe club.

We played a few silly games including pin the nose on the chairman, pass the parcel (sponsored by PeakPS) and the human planking vending machine!

We were then surprised by a special guest before we enjoyed pizza and popcorn while watching home alone.

Thanks to Jaz for organising and also to Santa for the very special presents.

Special thanks also needs to go to PeakPS who, as well as making the best paddling kit, are also generous with their donations of some very cool beanie hats which we used as prizes.

What will 2023 bring?

We thought we’d ask you to have a think about the kind of activities you would like the club to organise this year.

Some highlights of 2022 were the two slaloms we organised, the Biblins weekend, the sea kayaking trip, the regular Saturday afternoons at Langham Farm and the increase in the rankings of paddlers in the national slalom tables. So far we have got the two slaloms booked in (dates on page 4). BUT there are lots of other things we could organise! ThIngs like mini slaloms at Market Yard on a weekday evening. Or what about some mini polo competitions at Market Yard? We have had some success in the past with fun activities like a Pirates and Princess Fancy Dress Paddle or a

Cardboard Challenge - racing in boats made entirely from cardboard and duct tape. They were both great activities.

What do you fancy? Would you offer to help organise anything?

Think out of the box maybe, and make some suggestions! Which might be as simple as ‘more paddles on the River Frome’!

Draw up your list of your wishes, your ideas!

Bring them to the AGM on 22nd February or just email them to Chris instead.

What did you do on Boxing Day?

For over fifty years it has been traditional that all the paddlers in Bedford meet at Duckmill Weir to show off the latest kit they have had for Christmas. It is also an opportunity for old friends to reunite, and also remember any members of the canoeing family that we have lost during the year. Usually there is some whitewater to play on, before everyone assembled performs an eskimo roll at 11 o’clock. If you look carefully you may be able to spot Chris, and Toby who joined the gathering this year.

Here are Toby and Chris seven years ago for the 40th Boxing Day roll.

Dedicated or crazy?

Aimee, Maddie and Jazzee headed to Lee Valley on the last weekend before Christmas for the latest of their England Slalom Team and Southern Region Talent Academy training weekends.

The week before had been extremely cold in Somerset, by the weekend the worst seemed to be passing. As we travelled along the M4 the temperature climbed to the relative warmth of +2 degrees Celsius. However, once we turned onto the M25 the gauge dropped with every passing mile. We arrived at Lee Valley to be greeted by thick snow and an air temperature of minus 6 degrees at 10am……. Paddlers just leaving the water had frozen hair and ice on their boats, the lake was frozen solid and could not be crossed. Undeterred our team took to the Olympic course and put in some brave training runs. Maximum respect!

Maddie

The Bonkers Barle Trip, 27th December, by Toby

Yesterday, we paddled the River Barle. Matt, Joseph, me (Toby), Tim, Andy, Terry, Alex, and Grumpy Gareth were the paddlers. Although Gareth to be fair to him was not actually all that grumpy on the day!

The river was at a good medium level, which meant that there were not too many rocks to hit. As we set off it was clear that there was going to be a bit of challenge with this trip. Matt was already trying to become one with the trees in just the first few 100 metres. However, Matt did style it out and manage to miss the tree, which we all thought he was certainly going to. That would have been a very bad day if he had!

The other challenges were Joseph not wanting to get a single scratch on his new paddle, as in some places it was very shallow. Also Andy kept trying to see if the dry suit I got for Christmas was good or not, as he kept trying to push me in.

When we were on the flat spots there was a little game that we played. This was how many times could we take the mickey out of Joseph for wearing his new poggies on the river (there is nothing wrong with wearing them just Joseph doesn’t normally).

As we got further down the river, we encountered a tree that had split into three pieces. To get round it we had zig zag though.

After this we reached the play and stretch your legs spot where Andy, Joseph and I had a play in the feature there.

The rest of the river wasn’t too exciting. There were a few surf waves here and there. When we got closer to the get-out point there is a weir that we had to navigate. It was quite funny that the dummy for testing the line down the weir (Tim) got stuck on it and everyone else didn’t.

When we reached Dulverton there was a good eddy that we did dips in, and just a little bit further down, closer to the get-out there was a little channel that most of the water was flowing through. This meant that there was a lot of water moving though it which helped to get the tail down. This was fun.

After that there was a short paddle to the getout and that was the end of the Bonkers Barle trip 2022. I hope to see you all paddling rivers and paddling down the club in

‘A newsletter to be proud of’ - a letter from Pip

As a past editor of Throwline back in the late 1990’s to 2006 I really look forward to receiving and reading each month’s issue. With Pam taking over from me, the newsletter has grown, matured, with new ideas and is now the best newsletter I see. The layout is presented in a friendly and interesting way that draws readers into each of the articles and keeps their interest. Today’s communication between members using the many various digital mediums; Twitter, Whats App, Facebook etc are great for interaction and communication between members whereas the newsletter is able to present informative articles to show both members and others interested to join what to expect from such a successful canoeing club. Some of my happiest times were spent kayaking with the club and the newsletter lets me follow what going on from south Devon. You have been editor for now 15 years and Pam I for one cannot express my congratulations on how you have developed the newsletter into what it is today ‘an exceptional asset and credit to the club’. Many best wishes for 2023, Pip

Ed: Thank you so much for your letter. It was lovely to hear from you. Many current members won’t know how much Pip did for our club. Not only did Pip coach regularly, and help at club sessions, he was was on the committee and he did the newsletter. He had a special gift of being able to pass his own paddling passion to others, especially young people. However the most significant thing some of us remember him for, is the work he did in getting us the clubhouse we have today. He did all the paperwork for the application to Sport England and the British Canoe Union, obtaining substantial grants for the building. He then took on the role of contact when the build started and saw it to completion. I do have one correction to your letter, though Pip! We mustn’t forget that Keith took over the editorial role of the newsletter for a couple of years recently. From the archives - a Frome trip

Pool sessions

Our first session of 2023 is on 13th January at Frome Sport & Fitness, Princess Anne Rd, Frome BA11 2SA.

The cost is £4 per 30 minute session. You can book on spond to guarantee your space, or just turn up on the night and pay cash if there are any spare sessions available.

Our pool sessions are a great opportunity to improve skills, practise rolling and have fun. There is coaching available in the shallow end of the pool (no need to book a specific session, just head into the roped off area).

We always have 2 lifeguards on duty as well as our own supervisor and a coach or two to help out. Boats and paddles are available to borrow, or you can bring your own as long as it is very clean!

Any questions please ask on Spond or contact Chris (chairperson.fcc@gmail.com)

Key people at the club:

President: Graham Warnecke

Vice Presidents: Rich and Jane Arney, Pam Dixon

Chairman: Chris Wilde chairperson.fcc@gmail.com

Vice Chair: vacant

Treasurer: John Kent jfkent@blueyonder.co.uk

Secretary: Christine Lines fromecanoeclub@gmail.com

Committee members: Lisa Bell Gareth McGiveron

George McGiveron Dave Pilbeam Steve ScammellPaul Walford

Kit:George McGiveron

Welfare:Christine Lines welfare.fcc@gmail.com Paul Walford welfare.fcc@gmail.com

Safety: John Kent

Frome Canoe Club is affiliated to British Canoeing and is a registered charity (1104728).

Canoeing and kayaking are “Assumed risk” - “Water contact sports” that may carry attendant risks. Participants should be aware of and accept these risks, and be responsible for their own action and involvement.