22May 2022 by Michael Quinn No Comments

Rickmansworth Festival

Event, News
A lovely weekend at the Club alongside a very busy Canal Festival. Some late activity saw the fence and a gate completed to restrict goose entry to the Nomad site; well done Chilly and Darren, it is looking really good. Four excellent Come & Try sessions led by Mike with some able assistants (two on Saturday morning and two on Sunday morning), put forty four on the water (and only three in it!) and we will undoubtedly get a few new members from this judging by the smiling faces and feedback. Dave and Darren BBQ-ed Sausages, Bacon and Burgers greatly appreciated by Club members and visitors who were either watching, enquiring or just resting under our parasols. There were Club members fun sessions during which some tried alternative craft on…
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29Apr 2022 by Michael Quinn No Comments

Private Paddle Report – River Thames: Lechlade to Tadpole Bridge

News, Non-Club Activity
River Thames: Lechlade to Tadpole Bridge (write up by Pierre Leon) The project is to paddle the length of the River Thames in sections. This paddle, on Friday 29th April, was a section starting in Lechlade-On-Thames in Gloucestershire and ending at Tadpole Bridge in Oxfordshire. A distance of just over 10 miles on the river and nearly 8 miles as the crow flies. On the route there are five locks, four of which we passed through thanks to the volunteer lock keepers and one we bypassed via a lively canoe pass. So no portages – hooray! Our get-in point was from Lechlade Riverside Car Park.  After carrying the kayaks about 100m from the car park, the entry point is an easy step-in from the north river bank. The Team L-R…
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01Apr 2022 by Michael Quinn No Comments

Private Paddle Report – Wolvecote Circuit

News, Non-Club Activity
Wolvecote Circuit Paddle (near Oxford) organised by Dave Hillier This paddle on Friday 1st April was organised by Dave Hillier to do the Wolvecote Circuit near Oxford as detailed in the Peter Knowles' Pub Paddles book. The circuit combines part of the Thames heading downstream, followed by a return to the start point, at the Trout Inn, via the Oxford Canal. As on his previous Medway paddle Dave, with his wife Zoe in tow, had walked the circuit in advance to undertake a risk assessment and highlight any potential issues. One issue was the recommended car park which had a height restriction which stopped van and roof rack access hence the change to the Trout inn get in. The only downside of the change, was that the loos were in…
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20Mar 2022 by Michael Quinn No Comments

River Colne Clean Up

Event, News
Article from My Ricky News by Bryn Holmes DIRTY RIVER: Rickmansworth kayak club cleans up Colne river for conservation - My Local News (mynewsmag.co.uk) A team of Rickmansworth kayakers gathered together at on Sunday, March 20 to clean up the beloved River Colne, collecting more than 20 bin bags worth of rubbish. Locally based Nomad Kayak Club (NKC) are affiliated to British Canoeing, who have pledged to protect and improve the health of the country’s rivers and waterways, as part of it’s ‘Clear Access, Clear Waters’ initiative. Led by Ian Walker, the team scoured the part of the river from the Batchworth Canal and the Springwell Lock, managing to fill two canoes worth of rubbish. Paddlers went into the water in dry suits to provide easy access in and out…
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11Jan 2022 by Michael Quinn 3 Comments
Middle Wye trip report

Middle Wye trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports, Uncategorized
On the weekend of the 8th and 9th of January seven negatively COVID tested Nomads led by Matt travelled to Wales to paddle the middle Wye. In the end only three of us made it to our lovely self catering accommodation at Trefecca farm near Talgarth on the Friday night with the remaining four joining us on the Saturday morning at the put in in Builth. An unfortunate brush with a dodgy Burger King double cheeseburger the night before also meant Amie was unfit to join us for the first day's paddling. We needed some water in the river, with the level at Erwood having fallen from 2m to 1.5m over the past couple of days, but we could all have done without the grey overcast and continuous rain at…
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14Dec 2021 by Michael Quinn No Comments
St Patrick’s Stream trip report

St Patrick’s Stream trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports
On Sunday 12th of December 9 Nomads, 3 of them on their first trip with the club travelled to Wargrave to paddle the Thames and St Patrick's stream led by Matt. We were to have been 10 but unfortunately Pierre's COVID booster had knocked him out for paddling, so he helped launch and took photos and videos. Unlike previous weekends the weather could have been generously described as bordering on warm and though cloudy no rain was forecast, so the paddle could be looked forward to. There had been some rain and the Thames had a good flow without being in flood, so a good bit of exercise was to be had on the upstream leg. Matt gave a quick safety briefing then, according to our confidence, we either seal…
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16Nov 2021 by Michael Quinn 1 Comment
River Ivel trip report

River Ivel trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports
On Sunday 14th of November 15 Nomad members and a friend travelled to Sandy in Bedfordshire to paddle the river Ivel, famous for its weirs and fishermen. A trip report will follow, but in the mean time here are some photo and video highlights of the trip. Well done to everyone for getting down the high weir without a single swimmer!Thanks Ian for organising and leading this great trip. Martin showing us how it's done on the high weir Simon was unusually restrained on the trip. Too long at the 19th hole the suspected cause! Tony's paddling had come on a million miles since he was last on the Ivel, his first club trip and this time he was going for everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0Nc-EZRY0o
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18Oct 2021 by Michael Quinn 3 Comments
Grand Union Canal and Gade trip report

Grand Union Canal and Gade trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports, Uncategorized
On Sunday the 17th of October 12 nomads led by Matt and Mike met at the Club for a local trip towards Watford to explore the canal and river Gade. Despite a good forecast the weather didn't look too promising with a light drizzle as, after a safety and introductory trip briefing from Matt, we made our way to the canal to put in. The high bank was a challenge to our newer paddlers who acquitted themselves well, but we had our first swimmer of the trip as Sue attempted to get into her new boat. She may have been wet, but was undaunted, as she declared herself warm enough to continue and we headed slowly toward Batchworth lock mindful of the longer distance we'd be paddling today. A large…
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19Sep 2021 by Michael Quinn No Comments
Symonds Yat trip report

Symonds Yat trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports, Uncategorized
On the weekend of the 11th and 12th of September 8 Nomads and a friend travelled to the river Wye at Symonds Yat in Herefordshire for a camping weekend and two days of kayaking led by Matt. About half of us arrived on the friday afternoon and pitched camp at the River Wye Caravan and Camping park in good time for the following day then retired to the nearby Old Court pub for dinner and drinks to await Martyn who arrived later. A pleasant evening was had before turning in to a sound night's sleep. Getting up was leisurely and breakfast very hearty for some (well done Darren!) and our remaining members arrived in time to allow us to depart almost on schedule to the Kern Bridge put in, where…
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