Training paddle - Clarke Lane <-> Adlington Marina (bit short of time!)
On water for about 1hr 15min, about 2/3rds of which was at a reasonable pace.
How to not miss your flight
1 month ago
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Friday, 3 July 2009
Macclesfield Canal - 3rd July 2009
Training paddle - Clarke Lane <-> High Poynton Marina.
Out in 53.50, back in 54.50. Calm and sunny. Nice to not have the threat of a thunderstorm or downpour! Seem to be getting fairly consistent times. Just need to work out what to change to get the next time improvement!... perhaps some fartlek might be appropriate.
Out in 53.50, back in 54.50. Calm and sunny. Nice to not have the threat of a thunderstorm or downpour! Seem to be getting fairly consistent times. Just need to work out what to change to get the next time improvement!... perhaps some fartlek might be appropriate.
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Macclesfield Canal - 29th June 2009
Training paddle, Clarke Lane <-> High Poynton Marina.
53.40 out, going fairly well on return but slowed down when reaching Bollington due to blisters on right hand... still to develop suitable callouses... Pat from Macc CC said I'm not paddling enough.
53.40 out, going fairly well on return but slowed down when reaching Bollington due to blisters on right hand... still to develop suitable callouses... Pat from Macc CC said I'm not paddling enough.
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Conwy Ascent - 27th June 2009
This event is a tour and race that uses the incoming tide to go "upstream" on the river Conwy. The race starts at the car park on the "beacons" and goes 15km upstream to finish at the bridge at Dolgarrog. I entered the single kayak race and this included racing K1s, sea kayaks, white water racers and a surf ski.
The le mans start makes it a bit of a scramble to get going, and then you are straight into a busy fast flowing channel. So you are dodging bouys and moored boats while contending with the wash from boats motoring in the channel. This makes for quite bumpy conditions better suited the sea kayaks and WWR boats rather than the K1s. I was 4th going under the bridge leaving the main marine/port area - by this time Ian Tordoff had already established a big lead that he was not going to lose.
The river then flattens out with only small boils and eddies to keep an eye out for plus the occassional wash from a jet ski or waterskier. The fastest flow is not always obvious and it didn't pay to cut corners.
Once under the bridge at Tal-y-cafn the river changes character again, narrower with reed beds on the banks and a couple of islands before the finish. I took the RH channel at the islands and this seemed the best choice.
In the end I finished 4th. (Time of 1:06:41 see full results) Depending on definition of sea kayak, I was first in that class. Ian Tordoff was paddling a "sea vanquish" but this is practically a racing K1 with a couple of deck lines... but then again my Epic is generally faster than the more traditional sea kayaks.
The le mans start makes it a bit of a scramble to get going, and then you are straight into a busy fast flowing channel. So you are dodging bouys and moored boats while contending with the wash from boats motoring in the channel. This makes for quite bumpy conditions better suited the sea kayaks and WWR boats rather than the K1s. I was 4th going under the bridge leaving the main marine/port area - by this time Ian Tordoff had already established a big lead that he was not going to lose.
The river then flattens out with only small boils and eddies to keep an eye out for plus the occassional wash from a jet ski or waterskier. The fastest flow is not always obvious and it didn't pay to cut corners.
Once under the bridge at Tal-y-cafn the river changes character again, narrower with reed beds on the banks and a couple of islands before the finish. I took the RH channel at the islands and this seemed the best choice.
In the end I finished 4th. (Time of 1:06:41 see full results) Depending on definition of sea kayak, I was first in that class. Ian Tordoff was paddling a "sea vanquish" but this is practically a racing K1 with a couple of deck lines... but then again my Epic is generally faster than the more traditional sea kayaks.
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Macclesfield Canal - 24th June 2009
Training paddle, Clarke Lane <-> Higher Poynton Marina.
53.5 minutes out (new record), just under 55 return. That includes a bit of boat traffic too.
Sunny, warm and no spraydeck.
53.5 minutes out (new record), just under 55 return. That includes a bit of boat traffic too.
Sunny, warm and no spraydeck.
Coquet Island Race - 21st June 2009
5 mile kayak race from Amble (the Braid) out of the harbour then around Coquet Island clockwise and back to start.
Paddled the Epic with the wing paddles. Was around 8th leaving the harbour, with the leader way out ahead already. Gradually moved up through field to finish an exciting second, though still well behind the winner (a good half mile or more!). He was paddling a Rapier 20... another 2ft longer than the Epic! My time was 48.30, 4 minutes behind the winner... full results are here.
Time was just under 50 minutes, conditions were a slight swell with small surf around the island.
Think I need to get closer to footrest/pedals as I didn't feel totally comfortable as I'm slightly stretching. Got cramp in my calf muscles pointing toes to use the rudder. Not convinced rudder is that effective in the swell. More practice needed, but at least I won a prize!
Paddled the Epic with the wing paddles. Was around 8th leaving the harbour, with the leader way out ahead already. Gradually moved up through field to finish an exciting second, though still well behind the winner (a good half mile or more!). He was paddling a Rapier 20... another 2ft longer than the Epic! My time was 48.30, 4 minutes behind the winner... full results are here.
Time was just under 50 minutes, conditions were a slight swell with small surf around the island.
Think I need to get closer to footrest/pedals as I didn't feel totally comfortable as I'm slightly stretching. Got cramp in my calf muscles pointing toes to use the rudder. Not convinced rudder is that effective in the swell. More practice needed, but at least I won a prize!
Farne Islands - 20th June 2009
North West Sea Kayakers trip to Northumberland, camping on the Farne Diving Services field in Beadnell.
12 paddlers launched just N of Bamburgh Castle (car park at NU179353) and paddled out to the NW side of Megstone. Tidal stream was flowing SE down the coast and was about 1-2 knots as we crossed, so we paddled on a more northerly bearing to keep on track.
After round Megstone the group split - the group of 6 I was with headed for the NW tip of North Wamses (small race on W side) then across calmer water to land on Longstone (small quay and inlet on NE side of lighthouse). Short stop as 3 of us then decided to head further out to see what was going on at the Knivestones. Tide was moving pretty fast as we headed out, fast smooth water then turbulent downstream of the rock features that were just below surface. At some points you could see the rocks below and realise that although paddling very hard, you were hardly moving. Flow must have been around 4kn. Small whirlpools and waves were traversed on the way back. This was just about 1hour before high tide.
After lunch we headed back on the SE side of the outer isles admiring the bird life and dodging the tourist boats. This was the first time I'd ever seen Puffins in the flesh, so was quite exciting. The various bird colonies consisted of Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots, Cormorants, Shags, Terns plus other gulls...
We stopped on the NT owned island of Inner Farne (£5.80 landing fee!) and could witness the Puffins and other birds close up. The terns are very aggressive and peck your head - hat/umbrella/crash hat needed next time!
Finally paddled back to launch spot, small surf on beach. Very interesting paddle.
Wind was variable 3 or less, sea state was slightly choppy on way out with tidal features of small races. It was high tide just after setting off back, and sea was much calmer on the return.
12 paddlers launched just N of Bamburgh Castle (car park at NU179353) and paddled out to the NW side of Megstone. Tidal stream was flowing SE down the coast and was about 1-2 knots as we crossed, so we paddled on a more northerly bearing to keep on track.
After round Megstone the group split - the group of 6 I was with headed for the NW tip of North Wamses (small race on W side) then across calmer water to land on Longstone (small quay and inlet on NE side of lighthouse). Short stop as 3 of us then decided to head further out to see what was going on at the Knivestones. Tide was moving pretty fast as we headed out, fast smooth water then turbulent downstream of the rock features that were just below surface. At some points you could see the rocks below and realise that although paddling very hard, you were hardly moving. Flow must have been around 4kn. Small whirlpools and waves were traversed on the way back. This was just about 1hour before high tide.
After lunch we headed back on the SE side of the outer isles admiring the bird life and dodging the tourist boats. This was the first time I'd ever seen Puffins in the flesh, so was quite exciting. The various bird colonies consisted of Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots, Cormorants, Shags, Terns plus other gulls...
We stopped on the NT owned island of Inner Farne (£5.80 landing fee!) and could witness the Puffins and other birds close up. The terns are very aggressive and peck your head - hat/umbrella/crash hat needed next time!
Finally paddled back to launch spot, small surf on beach. Very interesting paddle.
Wind was variable 3 or less, sea state was slightly choppy on way out with tidal features of small races. It was high tide just after setting off back, and sea was much calmer on the return.
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