Enjoy the CDU Newsletter
Published: Fri, 02/03/17
531
3rd February 2017
Message Bank
Everyone seems excited about the Avon River flooding but
it's not all good news as the dirty polluted water coming
down the valley is ending up in the Swan River. Not good for
swimming or rolling and I wouldn't be surprised if the river
will end up having an algae bloom. One year parts of the Swan
River were closed because of the algae.
************************************
The high water raging rapids are not for everyone.
We have seen even the most experienced get into difficulties
so think hard before you take to the water, are you experienced
enough, and do you have the skills to paddle a high river
and keep out of trouble. Social media has its benefits but
it can entice the less experience paddler to take to the water.
Paddlers will capsize in high water, paddlers will get stuck
in trees or around rocks so if you are a leader of a group
or if you are in a group with no leader, - Are you prepared
if something goes wrong!
Sometimes not taking part, not having fun,
not saying that you have paddled the river when it was high
is the most sensible thing to do.
Just make sure you stay within your comfort/ability
zone.
For some paddlers a high river is a walk in
the park but for others it can be mean disaster.
************************************
The Friday morning DR Practise Around The Buoys
has been going really well with about 20 paddlers taking part.
It's great to see paddlers improve. It's also interesting
to see paddlers move from a Wavehopper to a DR kayak as a
DR is a lot more challenging and not as easy to paddle as
paddlers find out. A Wavehopper tends to be more stable and
is a lot easier to turn than a DR. If you have a DR kayak
and you are thinking about taking it onto white water come
and practise around the buoys first. If you find it difficult
to paddle on flat water then it is probably best to keep off
the white water until you feel confident.
If you find it too easy paddling a Wavehopper
it's maybe time to try a DR.
We have a race on Tuesday evening at Sandy
Beach, Bassendean at 5.40pm for all those aspiring DR paddlers.
Last week Luke Dooley took out 1st place in
the short race we have after practise, this week Phil Edwards
and Avon Descent DR winner came along and beat him by 3 seconds.
Michael Liddle did well coming 3rd, his dad Peter 4th and
Baillee Liddle 5th. The best in the Wavehopper was Peter Gigenjack,
Michael Laloli 2nd, Chris Hollier & John Breed joint 3rd.
************************************
Before the Rain
Last Saturday night looking towards home from
the Ascot Kayak Club. Just before the rain came
*************************
Jess Fox is Still the Best
Fox picked up a 2 sec penalty in the women’s
K1 final but still finished more than a second clear of France’s
Nouria Newman at the Vector Wero Whitewater Park in Manukau.,
New Zealand
Ben Pope in New Zealand this week
Cody Pope at Walyunga this week. Photo John
O'Sullivan
Bells Rapid on Wednesday. Photo John O'Sullivan
Someone couldn't retrieve their boat. Bell's
Rapid Thursday 2nd Feb
Bell's Rapid Thursday 2nd Feb. One day after
the water came down
Bell's Rapid Thursday 2nd Feb.
********************************
Fifi getting used to her K1 on the Swan before
the flood.
Best not to capsize now as the water at the moment looks far
from healthy.
**********************************
Training & Courses
Monday
Night Training
Ascot Kayak Club
5.45pm
*******************
Saturday Morning
Training
7.15am for a 7.30am start
Sandy Beach Reserve, West Road,
Bassendean
Ascot KC Come
& Try Slalom
11th & 12th February
*******************
Summer Down River Training
2 more sessions to go
Claughton Reserve, Bayswater 6.00am
Summer Down River Training Around Buoys
Open to all paddlers
0417 977 330 or terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au
Best suited to DR Kayaks and Wavehoppers
Practise on flat water will benefit all paddlers paddling
on whitewater
Being fast is one thing but being able to control and position
your kayak around turns using boat leans and paddle strokes
is another.
organised for the WA Wild Water Committee
Alan Moreby left and Hugh Trivett
6.00am Friday morning
Brett and Jason
Evening Race this
Tuesday Evening Sandy Beach Reserve, Bassendean 5.40pm
Featured Products
Take the opportunity
to Social Paddle
Drifter 2 (Dagger)
List Price: $1 590.00 Special Price:
$1 090.00
You Save: $500.00
The Drifter 11 (Australian Made) is
incredibly stable, tracks well and comfortable to paddle.
Its adjustable sliding seats allow you to adjust the trim
for solo and double use.
Its wide cockpit allows for paddlers
of all sizes to enjoy the benefits of paddling. This is the
perfect boat if you are starting out and want to enjoy social
paddling on our great waterways.
The delux model has padded seat with
adjustable comfortable backrest and a rear hatch and sealed
compartment.
This is one of our most popular double
kayak for social paddling. And it's at an affordable price.
It is also a favourite with schools
and outdoor centres as the kayak builds good team work, easy
to handle, lighter than most other doubles and canoes and
needs virtually no maintenence.
And best of all it's Australian Made
and Australian Quality.
Features
Adjustable foot rests
Moveable seat with adjustable backrest
Rear sealed compartment
Water bottle holders
Deck rigging
Carrying toggles for carrying and rescuing.
Length: 3.98 m
Beam: 0.78 cm
Weight: 28 kg
List Price: $1 590.00 Special
Price: $1 090.00
You Save: $500.00
*************************
Epic GPX
The Epic GPX appeals
to a broad range of kayakers with its prefect blend of stability,
light weight, and optimal tracking.
The GPX is the ideal choice for anyone
looking for a comfortable, responsive day-touring kayak that
is as easy to manage on land as it is in water. This is a
great kayak to paddle and being lightweight it's just a dream
kayak to own.
Available in three construction types
weighing in at 17kg, 14kg or 11.4kgs, carrying a GPX to and
from the water is a joy. The GPX is outfitted with two bulkheads,
front deck cutaways, a large rear storage hatch, heavy-duty
full deck lines and outfitting, and an adjustable seat and
adjustable backrest designed to fit any paddler.
Colour: White
Length: 3.94 m (12'11")
Width: 63.5 cm (25.0")
Weight Club model 17kg
Depth: 28 cm (11.0")
Capacity: 125 kg (275 lbs)
Cockpit: 90 x 46 cm (3.5.5" x 18.0")
Storage Capacities: Stern: 78 litres (20.6 gal)
**********************
It's not long now
The Avon Descent
Avon River Guide - Terry
Bolland
The Avon River Guide
is a must for all paddlers entering the Avon Descent or paddling
socially down the Avon River.
It not only has heaps of information,
training tips, it also contains detailed maps of every rapid
and has 353 colour photos of the rapids. Another Terry Bolland
Production.
Cost: $ 40.00
Specs: A 4 size.
Stories
To Step Out
Onto The River
How lucky I am to be able
to see the river from virtually every room in the house. The
only time I'm not looking at the river is when I'm in the
shower, in the toilet or in bed asleep. When I awake I can
open the curtains to see how calm or how rough the water is.
When I have breakfast, or sit down to watch TV or sit at my
office deck or work in my garage, or relax on the balcony
the river is right there enticing me to step out and get on
it. I have paddled on the Swan River for forty years and I
have never got bored of it and now being semi-retired and
being so close to the river I am using it more and more.
(I have lived no further than 300 metres from the river for
40 years. It was part of my long term plan back then.)
A 20 minute paddle or a steady cruise to check out the birds
or to take a few photographs is all I need to feel on top
of the world. I don't have to do long grand trips to be happy
but when I do those I am happier.
Being on a river is like going on holiday,
it calms you, you can shut out the world and really think
about life or totally relax. Although we live in a city once
on the river the stresses of everyday life is put aside and
for some it could be the first time in their day that they
can relax. What better place can you be to get away from the
hustle and bustle of the city or work and be totally immersed
in your own world and feel safe. Paddling is so different
from other exercise sports like running and cycling where
you are pacing the pavements and dodging the traffic, where
even greater stressful elements and dangers exist.
When I step out on the river I don't know what bird or animal
I'm going to see, what scenic beauty will grab my attention,
what craft will pass me by, who will I meet to have a great
chat and what experience I'm going to take home with me. Paddling
on the river throws up a different experience every time I
go out. The river is full of life, you might not see it when
you are racing or on a hot 30-40 degree day but when you slow
down and look or if you paddle in the cooler parts of the
day the river and its surrounds abound with life. Some birds
like the pelican, the cormorant, the darters, the ducks, egrets
and the parrots are easy to see but if you look deeper into
the trees you will spot kingfishers, night herons and a multitude
of smaller birds. On your bike you have the sounds of the
city traffic but in your kayak you have the sounds of birds.
Stop in the middle of the river upstream of Maylands on the
Swan or around Riverton on the Canning and you will hear more
bird calls than you would have ever imagined. You just need
to stop and listen.
I've paddled lots of big long rivers but I always love to
come back to the Swan and see the bird life between Maylands
and Midland because there is so much more bird life in that
section than I have seen anywhere else in the world. You read
about the millions of wildlife in these wilderness places
like the Yukon but usually they are spread over hundreds of
kilometres and beyond the river banks in the waterways that
you are not paddling. There is nothing like seeing a squadron
of ducks or cormorants heading towards you and you are so
close you can feel the wind and hear the flapping of their
wings or watching pelicans take off, glide, soar in the thermals
and land like a float plane. There is so much to see if you
look, even if you don't you will get surprises like a fin
of a dolphin rise up beside you or a darter surfacing with
a fish in its mouth like Stuart and I experience on Sunday
night as we paddled next to each other. Unfortunately I was
too slow to get my camera out and it eventually dived coming
up on the other side of us with a bulging neck, the fish had
been swallowed. On the river you mix with nature and witness
encounters like these that make living that much better. It's
so good to be alive.
Of course I also race and then I see less of my surrounds
but I get a good fitness base, a different type of joy of
competing against others and hopefully it will help me to
live longer. I believe that I have the perfect balance between
the two, the social and the racing.
So on Saturday night as the clouds rolled
in I took to the water for a casual paddle up-river. Very
few serious paddlers are on the river on a Saturday or Sunday
night but it wasn't long before passing a number of swimmers
and recreational paddlers in short boats at Garvey Park. A
few minutes later I checked out the darter nest across from
Sandy Beach and the four young darters of the first nest were
now out of the nest and precariously balancing on branches
nearby. They wobbled and didn't look very secure but they
were now too big and nest too small for them to share it.
The river was a lot quieter than on Australia Day but soon
after Sandy Beach 3 big boats came steaming towards me. With
the tide being high, the wash from the boats was pounding
the river bank and with every wave I could feel the waves
were undercutting the soil beneath the trees. Soon another
tree will be lost.
When the waves dispersed there was quiet. I passed a boat
anchored on a beach near Pickering Park and the family was
enjoying the relaxation, the swimming and paddling around.
It reminded me of the time I paddled through the recreational
areas of the Mississippi River where boaties would camp for
the night on the beaches and have a good time.
Fifi about to empty her
kayak after a capsize
Ahead in the distance I
could see a hi-viz orange PFD. Soon after I saw the PFD floating
in the water with a little head poking out and a kayak being
towed along. I instantly recognised the kayak and PFD. It
was Fifi. She was paddling her very tippy K1, well let's say
at that particular time she was swimming it to shore. With
camera in hand I closed up. Fifi was all smiles as usual.
You could see that this wasn't the first time she had capsized
the K1 as she had mastered the art of emptying it out. Oh
Terry, she said, I can't brace properly so I keep falling
out. Having a good brace stroke is so important when you are
learning to paddle a K1. If you don't have one, expect to
spend a lot of time swimming. (Learn how to do a brace stroke
in a more stable craft and make sure you are doing it right
and it becomes second nature.)
You could think you are
paddling the Margaret River
Within a few minutes she
was back in the kayak and headed upstream with me paddling
close by. For someone who hadn't paddled such an unstable
K1 very often before she was doing very well. Many paddlers
don't realise how hard it is to keep a K1 upright. Take the
most unstable ski and it will still be a lot more stable than
an Olympic K1.
I paused for a moment to check out a pair of grey egrets which
usually roost in the trees nearby. Meanwhile Fifi was well
away and getting in such a great rhyme that I found it hard
to catch up with her. She was going strong but she didn't
yet have the confidence to move her head sideways to talk
to me as she was in full concentration looking to where she
was going as one wrong move could cause a capsize.
The railway bridge Bassendean
It's very scenic around
Fishmarket Reserve
We passed Point Reserve,
Guildford Bridge and the railway bridge and then at Fishmarket
Reserve Fifi headed towards the left bank where it looked
better to get back in if she should capsize. Houses and gardens
towered above her aloft a high sand cliff which in places
grew thick vegetation that looked more familiar in places
of Queensland than Bassendean. A little further a family was
swimming from the boat pontoon at Success Hill. Unbeknown
to them Fifi was paddling close to the pontoon at the exact
time the dad and younger male decided to grab the hands and
feet of an even younger male and throw him, with a few big
swings into the water. Lucky for Fifi the throw of the child
landed a foot away and not on top of her which would have
hurt both of them.
Fifi being oblivious to what had happened calmly carried on
passing the reddish sand cliff which sparkles like the ochre
coloured rocks of the Kimberley in the morning sun. Moments
later the scene changed again when marri trees and typical
West Australian vegetation became the back drop. Every few
minutes along the river there was a new scene being created
and with every scene it reminded me of a place away from Perth
that I had paddled.
Start of the cliffs at
Success Hill
Moving out into the countryside
near Success Hill. Watch for the Kingfishers in the trees
along this section around the pontoon.
On a high tide explore
Bennett Brook
As Fifi turns to head home,
just before the beauty of Bennett Brook she suddenly capsizes.
She was doing so well. After a short swim to a nice sand beach
she was soon back in to have a little more practise with a
low brace that I had been teaching her. It took a few goes
before she stopped slicing her paddle into the water like
a knife.
As we started to head home a power boat came through leaving
a wave but worse of all the back wash from the wave rebounding
off the banks created a form that reminded me of small rolling
hills of New Zealand. When the water calmed Fifi was still
going strong.
An egret watches us
pass
The sun brightens up
the day. Fifi striding away
Back at Point Reserve a
lapse of concentration had Fifi doing swimming practise again.
It didn't seem to dampen her spirit and was soon back in her
kayak taking a little more time to practise the brace stroke
again. The sun was now shining on the eastern shoreline creating
a beautiful crisp light and a beautiful time to paddle. Even
the egret, ducks and darters were more active and seemed to
love this part of day. We passed a fisherman before reaching
Fifi's get out point at Olive Farm. She was so pleased with
her paddle and herself despite the swims.
Another egret and the
striking colour of the dying sun lights up the river bank.
What a great time to be paddling.
Nearly home
I left Fifi and increased
my pace. The western shores were firmly in the shade and the
sun was getting closer to disappearing. Heavier clouds had
returned and as I approached Sandy Beach there were waves
of red and black across the sky. I stopped and talked to a
local stand-up board paddler and his partner who were out
with their dogs. He did mention, what are you doing out paddling
again today as I had seen him in the morning.
I moved on and took photos the sun bleeding through the clouds.
It was one of those moments you just want the scene to last
longer so you can take it all in. Near the main beach a couple
were sat on the tailgate of their 4x4. The sun was shining
straight into my eyes so I couldn't see who they were or hear
what they were saying so I stopped to find out. It was paddler
Rob Jarrett and his partner having pizza and a beer. He instantly
commented on me being out on the river again, no wonder you
are beating me, he said. We had raced against each other that
morning and I had beaten him for the third time since he came
back from his holiday in New Zealand. It's amazing how much
fitness paddlers lose if they don't paddle for a few weeks.
Rob used to beat me and he will again very soon, but it's
great to be able to beat him for a few sessions at least and
have a taste of glory. I think Rob must have been at Sandy
Beach reflecting on his loss and how he was going to beat
me next week!!
Sunset at Sandy Beach
I left Rob and the romance
of sitting on a tailgate with his partner watching over the
water eating a pizza, with the sky turning blood red and paddled
over to one of the darter's nest which had been abandoned
a few days ago. To my surprise the young darters were back,
two cuddling together and the other two on other branches.
When I couldn't find them the previous day I thought they
must have drown or something as I didn't expect they were
at the stage where they could fly. They must have been hiding.
It was lovely to see them back. Birdlife Australia says that
chicks can swim after about four weeks and start to fly at
about 50 days.
I paddled over to the other nest and two of the chicks were
alone on different branches and the other two were near mum
chattering away and encouraging her to give them some food.
I kept my distance and left as I didn't want to see one fall
out of the tree. A paddler previously had told me she was
looking up at a nest and a young chick got so excited that
it fell out of the nest into the water to be never seen again.
These young darters are barely 4 weeks
old
As I rounded the corner
at Garvey Park and spotted home the sky was full of red dark
clouds, the water like a light red wine, it was a stunning
sight, even better than the Sandy Beach sky and a fitting
finish to my paddle. I returned home happy. How a simple paddle
can turn into such an amazing, enjoyable experience.
Paddling the Mandurah Canals with the
Swan River Kayaking Group, awesome weather, heaps to see,
a spur of the moment decision to walk over the Old Mandurah
Bridge resulting in a delicious cofee and toasted fruit bread
in town for morning tea! Geoff Corlett.
Photo Geoff Corlett
Photo Geoff Corlett
***************************************
Fox all class
in kayaking win
Australian Jess Fox showed her undeniable kayaking class,
while a tiny slip cost Luuka Jones dearly at the Oceania canoe
slalom championships in Auckland today.
Fox picked up a 2sec penalty in the
women’s K1 final but still finished more than a second
clear of France’s Nouria Newman at the Vector Wero Whitewater
Park in Manukau.
Her winning time was 98.37secs, with
Newman 1.32secs behind and another Australian, Kate Eckhardt,
clocking 101.34 for third.
Jones, who beat Fox to the silver medal
at the Rio Olympics last year, picked up an early touch, then
missed the penultimate gate by the slimmest of margins to
drop from the third-fastest raw time to 10th, a place behind
fellow Kiwi Jane Nicholas.
Fox, the 2014 world champion in both
K1 and C1, relished the small but talented field, which also
featured 2009 world champion Jasmin Schornberg (Germany),
who finished fifth.
“I was a bit more aggressive in
the final and it didn’t feel as flowy as my semifinal
but I pulled a lot harder in the straight sections,”
Fox said. “It wasn’t a perfect run but I was happy
with how I raced.”
This is the 22-year-old’s first
time racing at Vector Wero, which has been open for less than
a year, and she’s delighted the Southern Hemisphere has
another world-class canoe slalom venue.
“It’s been good to come out
and discover a new course - it’s really challenging and
we needed a few sessions to get used to it - but technically
I’ve improved on downstream stopper moves and I’m
looking forward to racing here again.”
Both Fox and Jones have qualified for
tomorrow’s C1 semifinals, with Fox rating the Kiwi’s
decision to take up both disciplines.
“I’ve loved doing both but
what’s hard is splitting your sessions. It’s hard
to find the half-half balance but I think Luuka is going to
be really good. She hasn’t been paddling C1 that long
and I’m really impressed by her paddling so with more
more, regular practice, she’ll just keep on improving
and be up there with the best in the world.”
Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Ryan
Westley capped a dream trip to New Zealand with victory in
the men’s C1 final, posting a clean run of 90.00secs.
Slovakia’s silver medalist in Rio, Matej Benus, also
had a clean run but was 0.91secs behind Westley, who was the
European under-23 champion last year.
Westley has been training with fellow
Englishman Joe Clarke, the Rio K1 gold medalist, with both
paddlers spending time training in Rotorua over the last month.
“To be able to come out on top
of a field like that is really, really cool,” Westley
said. “This course is similar to a lot of the ones we
get back in Europe ad I felt like I’d figured it out
a bit this week. It’s been a pretty good way to end my
month in New Zealand - I’ve had an awesome time and this
just finishes it off.”
Ian Borrows was the leading Oceania
paddler, with the Australian clocking 99.35secs to finish
sixth, ahead of eighth-placed compatriot Tristan Carter and
leading Kiwi Ben Gibb, who finished 10th.
Tomorrow’s action sees the women’s
C1 semifinals start at 8.45am, followed by the men’s
K1 semifinals, with the finals from 11am.
Results:
Oceania canoe slalom championships
(Vector Wero Whitewater Park, Auckland)
C1 men: Ryan Westley (Great Britain)
90.00 1, Matej Benus (Slovakia) 90.91 2, Martin Thomas (France)
91.86 3, Pierre-Antoine Tillard (France) 92.45 4, Zachary
Lokken (United States) 97.68 5, Ian Borrows (Australia) 99.35
6, Edern Le Ruyet (France) 101.23 7, Tristan Carter (Australia)
101.50 8, Tyler Smith (United States) 109.31 9, Ben Gibb (New
Zealand) 111.32 10.
K1 women: Jessica Fox (Australia) 98.37 1, Nouria Newman (France)
99.69 2, Kate Eckhardt (Australia) 101.34 3, Camille Prigent
(France) 105.50 4, Jasmin Schornberg (Germany) 105.94 5, Veronika
Vojtova (Czech Republic) 106.90 6, Noemie Fox (Australia)
109.88 7, Amber Maslen (Great Britain) 123.17 8, Jane Nicholas
(New Zealand) 136.19 9, Luuka Jones (New Zealand) 152.09 10.
***************************************
Ann Harris
Ann, a strong paddler
from Ascot Kayak Club has taken time out
I have just finished my
first week volunteering at Pilpintuwasi. Amazing experience!!
Keeping Greg the rate red faced uakari company, hand feeding
and carrying Pepe the injured macaw around, doing tours and
feeding Pedro the jaguar through the wire of his enclosure.
Keep having to remind myself this is real!!
Race of the Week
Canning River
Race
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Rego & Start Locations:
Main Race [14 km]: Deep Water Point, Mt Pleasant
Short/Guppy Races: Riverton Drive, East Riverton
NOTE: NO PORTAGE ANY LONGER
Main Race [14Km]:
To top of Bull Creek, left around buoy, back & right up
Canning River, past Shelley and Riverton fore-shore to Kent
St. Weir [short cut only permitted on way up], left round
buoy. Finish at Riverton Drive.
Note that novices and recreational paddlers
are encouraged to enter either the Short course or the Novice
course. The Novice course will be escorted.
Race Day Schedule:
Registration: 6.45 to 7.45
Briefing: 8.00
Race Start: 8.30
Hazards:
Mooring ropes in Bull Creek,
Shallow water in Canning,
Tree trunks in upper Canning,
Clearance limited under Riverton Bridge
Race Preparation:
Number on Boat: Ensure vertical & readable both sides.
No. slots w suckers on sale $15
Plan for Hydration and Sun Protection
Enquires:
Message via Webscorer
Late Entry:
At discretion of Race Director & will incur late entry
fee.
Race Sponsor Canoeing
Down Under
*************************