Kayaking The River Dee
Before the offer to paddle the Ystwyth with Joe and Imi on Friday, I’d put my name down to help out in North Wales. Chris Brain, an instructor was assessing someone for a kayak leader qualification and needed some guinea pigs to be ‘led’. I seemed to fit the bill. I’m a relative newbie that needs leading on fairly easy waters so I was likely to be the exact type of person that the new leader would have to lead. I hadn’t been on the water for a while either so it seemed like a good opportunity to do so. I’d be helping out and allowing someone to get qualified and I’d get a taste of a different river myself too.
Had I known I’d not only be padding on the Friday before but that the Aber Kayakers were organising 3 end of month day-trips for January, February and March then I might not have signed up for this, but I’m glad I did. Paddling locally would be less pfaff and cheaper but heading up to Llangollen isn’t too far and the more experience and practise I can get the better.
Snowy Landscapes and Road Closures
I set off early on Sunday morning and drove through the snowy hills of Wales towards Llangollen. The sun started to rise as I left Bala behind and I stopped off briefly at the roadside to take a few photos from the warmth of the van.
The roads were all clear, but there was plenty of snow and ice around and the mountains looked majestic in their winter white.
Just before Llangollen I went to turn off the road to cross the bridge towards Horsehoe Falls, but the road was closed and there were diversion signs. I know the other route so drove into Llangollen, crossed the river there and headed off along the other side of the river towards Horseshoe Falls Car Park. Strangely, the road here was closed too but as there was now no other option I drove past the signs and along the road anyway. It was being resurfaced but it was definitely passable. Once there I met Dave (who was the person being assessed). He’d spent the night in his van and was raring to go!
Another guy called Neil (from Llangollen) soon turned up. He was another one of the guinea pigs being led today. Another Chris was the third guinea pig and then Chris Brain the assessor turned up too. They had done to opposite to me with the roads. They had come to the road closed sign on this side of the road and then turned around and driven back into Llangollen to the other side only to find more road closed signs which they then ignored. Clearly the road wasn’t actually closed at either end!
Shuttles
After a little introduction, some chat and some logistics it was into the vehicles for a short drive to Mile End Mill where we paid for parking and then jumped into Neils’s pimped up van for the drive back to the top. Here there was a little more pfaffing, a slippery walk with our kayaks to Horseshoe Falls and then to the get in point and then we were ready to go.
The plan was essentially for Dave to lead me, Neil and Chris down the river with Chris Brain assessing what he did. If anyone went for a swim then Dave would have to deal with it. If not, then we’d have to volunteer to go for a swim later in the day so that Dave could do some rescues anyway.
I reassured them that the latter was unlikely to be required as no doubt I’d provide plenty of opportunity for Dave to practice such things on the way down anyway!
The River Dee
Dave was a little nervous and I guess fairly new to leading. The put in was a steep ramp that we had to launch ourselves off into the water below. Chris and Dave plunged down it first in spectacular style. The three of us looked a little tentative. I’d never launched quite like this before but stepped up to go next. I thought, well, here goes nothing, no doubt I’ll end up swimming before I’ve even paddled a single stroke.
Miraculously I made it. I plunged into the icy water and popped back out upright and OK. Phew, I hadn’t made a fool of myself straight away! The other two made it as well, although I have to say I was secretly hoping one of them would have capsized just to make me feel a little better!
We then paddled around and warmed up and practised a few little bits of eddying in and out. For some reason I’m rubbish at this on fairly innocuous looking water so had a few little wobbles. I didn’t go in but it was enough for Dave to look at me and say “you’re gonna cause me problems aren’t you!”
With that boost to my confidence, we were off down the river. There were a few little bumpy bits here and there but once in the flow I was OK. Breaking out of the flow into eddies seems OK too, but breaking in is definitely something I need to practise. So that’s what I did, with the inevitable few wobbles. There was once or twice where both Dave and Chris Brain thought it was time for some rescue practise but I somehow surprised them by staying upright.
The Serpents Tail
Next, we arrived at the main feature of this part of the river. The Serpents Tail. We jumped out to take a look and discuss tactics. Neil decided against it as it looked a little too much for him. He’s a better paddler than me and seemed to know what he was doing so maybe I should have followed his lead but you know me. Chris said he’d do it and so when Dave and Chris Brain looked at me I obviously said ‘yep, I’ll give it a go’. They all looked a little dubious about this decision but went along with it anyway – I guess they thought that Dave was going to have to do some rescue practices at some point, so why not now!
In fairness to myself, it did look like fun and it looked doable. There was basically an initial fast looking drop through some fairly bumpy water with a couple of big waves beyond it. These led straight into another little drop with a bit of a turn and then a squeeze through a narrower section to some more bumpy water and then some boily water beyond that and finally into some flatter water at the end. My usual assessment involves assuming I’ll fall in before I get to the first drop and then wondering what it looks like to be swimming through the whole of it. Essentially I guess I’m wondering if I can hold my breath for the duration of the feature until I pop out at the other end somewhat bruised but still alive! Top to bottom on the Serpents Tail didn’t look too far so I thought I’d give it a go!
I did ask Dave if I could have a bit of a run in to it. As I’ve said above my breaking in isn’t great so I feel more comfortable if I can do that, then settle back down before the main feature starts. If I have to break straight into it then I’m unsettled when the fun starts and I fall out before I get going. Dave led the way with me next and then Chris behind us.
I actually did OK. Breaking in early meant I had time to line things up, I could put in a few paddle strokes before the drop and feel settled when the fun began. It’s all over pretty quickly but I did have to put in a few meaningful paddle strokes on the way down to stay upright and facing in the right direction. A few seconds later I emerged out of the bottom still upright and broke out into the eddy.
The surprise on both Dave and Chris Brains faces was clear to see. They had obviously been fully expecting me to swim. I do seem to cope better with the slightly more exciting features than I do on the less difficult sections. I myself wasn’t that surprised but maybe a little relieved that Ihadn’t made a fool of myself (yet!). Chris made it too and commented on the fact that I’d made a better job of it than he did. He too seemed quite surprised that I’d made it as did Chris who had portaged past the feature.
Down to Mile End Mill
We all re-convened and then headed down to Mile End Mill playing on a few features as we went. We then successfully paddled the features at Mile End Mill, played on the bottom wave a little and then stopped for a quick snack after carrying our boats back to the top of Mile End Mill.
Rescues
Next, it was time for some rescue practice. We all agreed to go for a swim so I was up first. I think by volunteering first I actually had the easiest one to do. I just had to fall out and be helped to the shore. I paddled into the flow to play on the wave and fall in on purpose. Typically, now that I was supposed to be falling in I suddenly felt much more relaxed and in more control. Playing on the wave in the main flow felt easier than it had before. The pressure was off I guess. I was supposed to be capsizing so whatever happened that was the plan. It didn’t happen organically though so after a few seconds I just tipped over and plunged into the water. I got out of the boat and Dave made sure I was OK recovered the boat and helped me to the river bank.
Next up was Chris’s turn. He was supposed to be an unconscious casualty so ended up with his head in the icy water for a little longer than I did. He had to do it a second time as well so that Dave could instruct me how to help him out.
Next we moved down the river a little bit and as we did Neil managed to fall out of his boat. At first we weren’t sure if that had been a planned part of proceedings to keep Dave on his toes or not. It turns out that it wasn’t. Neil had just got stuck in the stopper and had capsized ‘organically’. More practise for Dave! Chris managed to do the same thing on the same wave as well so there was an action replay for Dave.
Next there were a few more planned scenarios for Dave to deal with and then we were done for the day.
It had been nice to meet a few new people, nice to paddle a different section of the Dee and nice to paddle at Mile End Mill again. All in all some more useful practise on white-water. I don’t think I’m improving much yet but it has to be helping. The drive home was nice too with a stop in Bala for some food and some dramatic views of the Arans and Cadair Idris.
