CSCC Reports 2013: Barle - November 2013

Martin, Gavin, Fiona, Mark S, Tom P and Robert went to South Wales on the weekend of 2/3 November for a bit of novice-friendly white water. Martin was trip organiser and leader.

The original plan was to go to the Barle but Martin, after seeing how high the water was and mindful of the high winds, decided that the wider rivers of South Wales would be safer.

A lack of faffing meant a reasonably prompt start at Garth on the Irfon on the Saturday morning. Apparently it was the first time the Club had paddled this river. The river was high, but trees did not seem to be too much of a hazard....or so we thought. At lunchtime Fiona went a few yards up the river for a moment's solitary contemplation and had a close call with a tree blown down by the wind just where she had been a few seconds before. Unfortunately the noise of the wind meant the rest of us didn't hear the dramatic crash, but it was a large tree that floated past us a few seconds later. Luckily it quickly got stuck in a eddy so didn't cause a problem further down.

There was only one swim which was from Tom on a deceptively flat bit of water. I suspect he was bored and wanted to try his roll, which he almost pulled off, but instead demonstrated his powerful front crawl to swim safely to the bank.

The most exciting bit was a rapid just before we got out at Builth Wells, which everyone completed successfully but with varying numbers of style points.

On the Sunday Martin picked a more difficult paddle on the Wye, starting from Rhayader and finishing at Llanwrthwl. The river was high and pushed us along quickly. Excellent coaching (yelling) from Mark, Fiona and Martin was much appreciated by the novices (Tom and I), and the breaking in and out manoeuvres improved. Gavin tried a jump off a rock (possibly unintentionally) which didn't go quite right, but his inimitable unflappable technique meant no spill.

We scouted the main rapid at the railway bridge (grade 3) and the experienced heads said it looked fine but just make sure you punch through the main wave.

We went down one by one and each found the main wave was not the problem - the problem was a wave train below the bridge. Tom had a dip (probably trying his roll again) and I got the wrong line, had to fend off a tree branch with one hand and had a wobbly moment. No spill, but bottom in style points again, I suspect.

A really good weekend. Many thanks to Martin for organising and leading and to Martin, Fiona and Mark for the coaching and encouragement.

Rob W