Canoeing on the Wye and Symonds Yat - 22-23 October 2011

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<flickr>6527017199|medium|thumb|A scenic point on Saturday </flickr>

<flickr>6527082161|medium|thumb|Early Sunday and ready for WW training</flickr> <flickr>6527104371|medium|thumb|Owen working on some moves</flickr>

The mighty roaring thundering River Wye was the venue again for the combined touring-day / white-water-coaching-day weekend. This late in the season, Wyedean camp site was quiet, and the road system quiet enough to allow rapid travel (ahem, no convictions this time). We arrived in the dark and got tents up and then off to the Saracens Head in short order. The night was chilly, with vindictive owls and giant boar snuffling and grunting across the water (no-one is paying me for this nonsense, either).

Saturday

In the morning, breakfast and the obligatory safety briefing inwardly digested and out of the way, Symonds Yat was run and we relaxed through the winding gorge. Esther and Natalie went duo, and Sarah, Owen and Duncan solo. At around lunchtime we got to Monmouth, and most went on an extended coffee-and-vittles shopping expedition. The blue skies persisted into the afternoon. Heron and dipper were spotted. There were few other boats, apart from novice rowers in Monmouth. We arrived at the get-out at Brockweir pretty much on time and got our shuttle back in the Wyedean minibus. With the early dusk, we had a barbecue in the gloaming – plenty of burgers and sausages etc.

Sunday

And then the Sunday morning was coaching with Pod, doing breaking out and in, ferry glides and a bit of wave-surfing and rescue stuff. The rapids were very quiet at the end of the season, especially compared to August when Symonds Yat was more like Piccadilly circus. Then it was back up the rapids and quickly on to the Saracen’s Head for Sunday lunch, and home.


Media

View Natalie's video of the trip

Owen's Photos