The first paddling session for 2022 run by Coach Steve These sessions are built around improving the level of club members paddling skills. This specific session, due to the almost ideal tide was run in whitewater boats. We started out by fitting each other into the club’s boats. This is probably the most important part of the session for without a good fit, it’s much harder to manoeuvre the boat around on the water. Next issuing everyone with a very short whitewater paddle, much shorter than they are used to paddling with. This all took time, which was for the benefit of the session, as Coach ..read more

In early December we were lucky to once again hold our annual club Christmas meal, and the celebration was a great success. Starting with a paddle for the hardy members amongst us, a festive crew headed towards Hammersmith to spread a little cheer in their santa hats. River photos with thanks to Judy It was then on to the George & Devonshire where the staff had decorated the room with Christmas decorations and crackers galore, and we tucked into seasonal food and drink. And even some non-seasonal drink too. Apart from the banter, the highlight of the evening was the lucky dip. Every club ..read more

Date 15 May 2022 Lovely weather for a paddle and to start with a lovely tide and then the tide gods turned against me. I had cancelled the club session I normally run on the grounds it was too dangerous a tide. I wasn’t wrong and that was a mere 7.7 m one I guess not helped by the previous night’s rain and it felt like every other boat that could float was out on the water. Not only the rowers, (single, doubles, quads and eights) there were five personed out rigger canoes, four paddling and a steers person. Add in the sight seeing boats transiting our area and a couple of outlandishly fast spe ..read more

We all know that coaches know everything about kayaking, right? Well,,,,, up to a point. We do know what’s needed to get you onto the water safely, how to paddle, sometimes in a straight line and get you back home again, but even those who think they know everything can learn from the best. So some of us coaches recently took a busman’s holiday to Southwater Park in the leafy Surrey Hills and got some coaching. It was presented as a rescue session with first aid thrown in. Skills we all hope never to have to use, but good to have them, just in case. (If only navigation had been part of the cou ..read more

Canoe Session at Chiswick Pier Canoe Club Date 8 May 2022 Five open boats paddle the mighty Rover Thames at Chiswick with Coach Steve A great day on the water with all the club’s open canoes in operation. Now this wouldn’t have been possible without our club’s kit man (Julius):and his efforts to kit them each out with kneeling thwarts. We had two people completely new to paddle these canoes, one who hadn’t paddled one for over a year and a newly qualified coach and of course Coach Steve. The day was helped by excellent sunny weather, so the sun screen was slapped on by all. There was a bit of ..read more

Only a few members wanted to brave the rather chilly-looking conditions today, but it turned out to be sunny and no rain! The ebbing flow meant it only took us 40minutes to get to Putney, so we decided to carry on to explore the river farther than we normally get on an average Sunday paddle. We went past Wandsworth bridge to the Heliport. Everyone had brought a thermos with hot drinks so we stopped there for our break, sharing our snacks and watching the helicopters land and take off. The tide had then turned so we headed home, arriving back before the PLA had warned us that the river would ..read more