CSCC Reports 2006: Symonds Yat 9 September 2006

We arrived at Symonds Yat on Saturday morning. Everyone except Martin and Dr Dan was bright and ready having stayed locally overnight (even Hils and Pete who had arrived at a campsite on Friday night to find group singing going on, and fled to a hotel). Since I was last at Symonds Yat East they've put in a 10-foot slide from the bank to the river, which made launching more interesting. Even if I couldn't talk anyone into doing it backwards.

We went through some skills on the flat bit - low-brace turns, support strokes and ferry glides. Then we headed down for a quick go on the rapids, to practice in moving water. Some practiced their techniques, others did their best to paddle back up the rapid - though no-one that day managed to get up the top wave. Then back to the cars for lunch. Lunch was on a scenic patch of grass by the river, sharing orange and carrot muffins, which were nicer than they sound. Rosie found a 4-leafed clover, which had to be lucky, didn't it?

After lunch we scoured the gear shop, which had a sale on. Unfortunately Dr Dan had already recently bought all the kit he needed. Back on the water, the group split, as Hils led a group on a sight-seeing trip upstream, while Dr Dan, Pete and Martin tried to see if there were any waves at all to surf. There weren't, but not for lack of looking. After a while there was a loud cry and Dan J appeared over the top, and he and the others showed off their training by joining us in the eddy. On a ferry-glide, Rosie demonstrated that probably we should have told her about edging the other way as you enter an eddy. Best not to rely on multi-leaved foliage to avoid a capsize, then. After a bit more playing we somehow found ourselves in the pub, eating salmon and horseradish flavoured crisps.

Martin

All images ©2006 CSCC. Pictures by Martin S, Dan J, Peter and Hilary.