04Jun 2024 by Michael Quinn No Comments

The Big Paddle Clean Up 2024

News, Recreational, Reports, Trip, Trip Reports
Where: Rickmansworth - River Colne/Grand Union Canal & Bury Lake When: Sunday 2nd June 2024 Volunteers: 14 Bags Filled: 9 Distance cleaned: 4.9km As part of British Canoeing’s Clear Access Clear Waters, ‘Big Paddle Clean-up’ Campaign. Nomad Kayak Club members paddled the River Colne & Grand Union Canal in Rickmansworth on Sunday 2nd June 2024. The event was lead by our Clear Access Clear Water Champion Ian Walker Ian and Nigel paddled the large red canoe which acted as the refuse (and rescue) vehicle. A further 10 kayakers (Dan, Darrell, Anton, Robert, Philip, Sue, Annette) , Hannah & Rachael cleaning the River & Canal banks by foot. This main group set off from the club house along the Grand Union Canal. A sub group led by Graham Summers assisted by…
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17May 2024 by Michael Quinn No Comments

Polo Update

News, Polo
Congratulations to Nomads Polo squad (Aled, Anthony, Callum, Chilly, Lleyton, Nigel, Tony) for an excellent performance at the first 2024 Div3 SE polo tournament held at Nomads over the weekend of 27-28 April. With five wins and one loss we are ranked second and are well placed for the second tournament on 29-30 June. Our young players shone with some excellent sprinting from Lleyton and inspired goal keeping skills from Aled. Also a thank you to Chilly for organising.
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12May 2024 by Michael Quinn No Comments

River Colne Clean-Up Sunday 2nd June

Event, News, Recreational, Trip
As part of Paddle UK’s ‘The Big Paddle Clean Up’, Nomads plan to meet at the Clubhouse at 10am on Sunday 2nd June to once again paddle the Colne loop removing rubbish from our much loved river & canal preventing harm to the river and local wildlife. The main clean up will be on the River Colne between Batchworth and Springwell lock. Members will be armed with gloves, sacks, litter pickers provided by Paddle UK’s ‘Clear Access Clear Waters' campaign and will scour the river and banks from kayaks for every bit of rubbish they can find, that is not too big or too dangerous to pick-up. Open canoes will be used as bulk carriers for collected rubbish which will be transferred to Ian’s car at Springwell Lock and disposed…
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23Dec 2023 by Michael Quinn No Comments

River Lee at Hoddesdon Trip Report

News, Recreational, Trip, Trip Reports
When: Saturday 23rd December 2023 Where: Dobbs Weir Car Park - River Lee to Broxbourne Mill returning along the River Lee Navigation Paddlers: Michael Quinn (Trip Leader/Organiser), Nigel Atkinson, Chris Brown, John Murray and Dan Wickham After a week of persistent rain we arrived at Dobbs Weir car park to be met with blue-ish skies and brilliant sunshine, perfect weather conditions for the Nomad pre-Christmas paddle. After an obligatory mince pie whilst getting changed we made the short walk across Dobbs Road bridge to the launch site below Dobbs Weir. The customary safety briefing and warm up ensued before we took to the water and headed south under the road bridge along the first section of the river. Whilst one of Santa's not so little helpers assisting with launching, the…
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25Nov 2023 by Michael Quinn 1 Comment

St Patrick’s Stream Trip Report

News, Recreational, Trip, Trip Reports
When: Saturday 25th November Where: Reading Wokingham Water Centre (RG6 1PQ) to St George and Dragon, Wargrave (RG10 8HY), via St Patricks Stream approx. 5.5 miles Paddlers: Nigel Atkinson (Trip Leader/Organiser), Ian Walker (Organiser), Mike Quinn, Chris Brown, Britta New, Thomas Carrick, Conrad Chambers, Dan Wickham, Pierre Leon and Sue Leon (Report writer) We arrived at Wokingham Water Centre on a bright and sunny but very cold morning and unloaded just outside the locked gates (we were not going to be staying here and so it wasn’t worth paying £5 per person for entry and, in any case, the barrier height is such that those carrying kayaks on their roofs would have had to unload first). Cars were driven to the end point and Nigel acted as shuttle driver bringing…
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08Oct 2023 by Michael Quinn No Comments

River Ivel Trip Report

News, Recreational, Trip, Trip Reports
When: Sunday 8th October Where: The River Ivel, Bedfordshire - 'Put in' Sandy to 'Get out' Tempsford where the Ivel joins the Great River Ouse Who: The Paddlers - Ian Walker (Trip Organiser and Report Writer), Tony McKenzie, Conrad Chambers, Sue Leon, Chris Harper, Sue Sleeman, Andy Slatford, Jason McNulty & Martin Edwards The section of the River Ivel that was paddled is generally Grade 1 to 2 with several different types of weir along the route, making it good for intermediate paddlers looking to get used to moving water.  The route running approximately 6 miles downstream, took about 4 to 5 hours paddle including a lunch stop. The trip gave paddlers the opportunity to shoot a few weirs and practice some ferry gliding however the tallest weir (approx. 2…
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22Jul 2023 by Michael Quinn No Comments

Llangollen Canal

Event, News, Recreational, Trip, Trip Reports
Paddlers Dave H. Trip Leader Conrad C, Assistant. Hannah S, Report Writer, Rach H Jai A, Assistant 2. On Sat 22nd July 5 Nomads went to Wales. A trip that has been long in the planning. We finally made it to Wales ( to embark on a 3 night camping and kayaking adventure along the Llangollen canal from Llangollen to Whixall, approximately 31 miles in total. 11 miles of which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been a dream to kayak over the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (known as The Stream in the Sky); the highest navigable aqueduct in the world at 38m above the river Dee, and the longest aqueduct in the UK at 307m long. We also visited Horseshoe Falls, crossed the Chirk Aqueduct and paddled through…
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28Oct 2022 by Michael Quinn No Comments

River Thames Section 8 – Pangbourne to Reading

Event, News, Trip, Trip Reports
Participants were myself (Dave Hiller), Sue and Pierre Leon, Conrad Chambers, Chris Harper, Phillip Gent, Hannah Smith and John Murray. It’s often said ‘It’s not all about the water you're paddling on, but who you’re paddling with’, well today was just that. This write up is from me, as I saw it (and with the lack of a volunteer to do it, it has landed on my lap). So here goes (sorry to bore you). Section 8, of the River Thames, Pangbourne to Reading, the shortest section yet but the hardest so far to sort out. At this point I must say a massive thank you to Pierre who went above and beyond and sorted our parking from a building he was once shackled to. Eight of us on the…
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23Oct 2022 by Michael Quinn 1 Comment

River Dart Trip Report

Event, News, Trip, Trip Reports
Trip report by Nigel Atkinson. On Friday 21 October evening we met at the Dartbridge Inn in Buckfastleigh to plan the weekend's activity with a hefty meal. With more non paddlers than paddlers (5 kayakers, 2 cameramen, and 4 support personnel (wives)) logistics were simple and we arranged to meet the following morning at 9:30 (after a hefty breakfast) in the hotel car park in kayak kit ready to depart for Newbridge our put in for both days. After a quick safety briefing and a warmup enjoyed by all bar the oldest and grumpiest in the group we launched onto this beautiful river Dart with the water at a perfect height (just touching the slab at Newbridge). Considering the time of year, the forecast and the possible water levels the…
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