trips – Nomad Kayak Club

09Aug 2020 by trips No Comments

Cherwell trip report

On Sunday 9th of August Simon Pettifer led 6 Nomads on a scenic trip to the Thames and Cherwell at Oxford. The day was forecast to be a scorcher, but it was pleasantly cool when we arrived at meadow lane car park in time to get parking spaces, get changed and wait for David to arrive. Once we'd all arrived it was over to the Thames for a short safety and COVID procedures briefing before putting onto the water avoiding all the passing skulls. The stretch up the Thames was short and pleasant before turning into the Cherwell on the right, just before several very fancy and expensive looking rowing club boathouses without a soul using them. We made good speed up the tree lined Cherwell against a very slight…

13Jul 2020 by trips 1 Comment

Henley trip report

News, Trip Reports

On Sunday 12th July seven Nomads and a friend led by Matt and Martyn in two socially isolated 'pods' met at Aston slip on the Thames below Henley for a leisurely paddle and picnic. It was an idyllic day with glorious sunshine, barely any wind and not too much flow on the river to hamper our upstream progress. After a short safety briefing we put on to the water, forming our two pods, before starting gently upstream toward Hambleden weir, our first and only portage and possible play spot. With the low flow the weir was a trickle over most of its width, but one gate was open and three local playboaters advised us on its safety (safe as you get). Having satisfied themselves they either weren't going to come…

28Jun 2020 by trips No Comments

New Sunday sessions well subscribed!

News, Polo, Recreational, Uncategorized

Nomads practicing social distancing The second Sunday since Nomad's return to paddling was well subscribed with the first recreational session and the polo session both full and the second recreational session half full.As Chilly and the junior squad practiced on the polo pitch, the recreational groups paddled round Bury lake getting used to the feel of their boats (and themselves!) again before venturing further afield. This may not sound too exciting, but some games and high brace and skulling support practice livened it up considerably.The first opportunity for river paddling for confident paddlers will be on Sunday the 12th of July on the Thames trip at Henley.Please do renew your membership and sign up for the Sunday and Wednesday sessions and trips, which will run as much as possible depending…

24Feb 2020 by trips

Gade trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports

On Sunday 23rd of February seven Nomads led by Matt converged on the Grand Union canal at the Grove in Watford to paddle the canal and river Gade back to the aquadrome. The scheduled trip to the Abbey Stream had been cancelled due to very high water in the Thames and all other local rivers were in flood, so the plan was to take advantage of the high water to explore the Gade through Cassiobury Park, which is usually too low to paddle. Despite a poor weather forecast, we set off in pleasant sunshine with only a moderate and slightly gusty wind portaging the first two locks past the golf course and into the park. The turn off into the river Gade was a little overgrown and Matt scouted out…

23Jan 2020 by trips

Middle Wye trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports

On the 18th and 19th of January six Nomads led by Matt traveled to Builth Wells to brave freezing conditions and paddle the middle Wye with good water levels. Matt arrived friday afternoon to inspect the river in the light, being joined by three more at the B&B that evening and two the following morning at Builth car park. Levels were high but not spate, 2.05m on the Erwood gauge which promised good paddling but fewer features, unfortunately for Tony on his first proper river trip and needing a few eddies to practice breaking into and out of. Instead he got plenty of practice with big waves. The killer wave 100 yards down from Builth bridge was miraculously avoided by all and we enjoyed playing in and surfing the many…

23Dec 2019 by trips

Pre-Christmas paddle

News

Seven Nomads enjoyed a pre-Christmas recreational paddle up the Grand Union canal yesterday in preparation for the festive season. The water was very high, almost over the towpath in places and, though cold it was quite a bright day. A new fallen tree prevented us venturing very far up the Gade toward Croxley Moor, so we called it a day and turned around there. On the way back the chute down to the left of Batchworth lock was about as full as it ever gets and very enticing to the white water paddlers. Ian tried it out first, getting pushed hard into the (undercut) left wall by the force of the stopper and then got out to provide safety for Martin who followed, getting well stuck and rolling in the…

10Dec 2019 by trips

Hertford Lea trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports

On the 8th of December eleven enthusiastic Nomads led by Matt braved the cold and wind to travel to Hertford to paddle the river Lea. Such was Ian's enthusiasm he couldn't wait to get to the normal put in and persuaded us to launch alpine style into the ditch next to the car park leading down to the Lea, which went without incident. Once on the Lea proper we grouped up by Herts canoe club to paddle the short stretch in glorious if cold sunshine with a kingfisher down to the first weir. Needless to say it was impossible to contain Martin, but the rest of us also enjoyed some ferry gliding and, for the more experienced, some playing in the stopper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM4rIJipods Before everyone else got too fed up…

29Nov 2019 by trips

North Wales trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports

https://youtu.be/VXNah3O7oUs Thanks to Ian for leading this exciting looking trip to the Dee finally, due to the Conway, Llugwy and Tryweryn not running. More details to follow shortly from Fane ... Thanks Ian for the excellent video.

12Nov 2019 by trips

Cassiobury trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports

On Sunday 10th of November nine Nomads led by Matt, assisted by Ian and Martin and including Elisabeth and Debbie on their first trip with the club drove to the bottom of Cassiobury park in Watford to explore the river Gade on it's way to the aquadrome. The weather forecast for drizzle proved wrong and it was nice and sunny and not too cold as we put onto the Gade after the safety briefing. We'd barely passed under the A412 before encountering the first of many argumentative trees that day, which yielded to Ian's manual pruning to let us pass. As we passed along the side of Croxley business park we met a number of central European looking fishermen who greeted us politely, evidently keen to pull something out of…

02Nov 2019 by trips

Ivel trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports

On Sunday October 20th five Nomads led by Ian, including Rose and Candice on their first trip with the club, traveled to Sandy in Bedfordshire to paddle the river Ivel. Despite the abundance of weirs, no one managed to swim on any of them with the only casualties being on the fast ferry gliding practice and Ian getting out of his boat (apparently)! Congratulations Rose and Candice on your successful first club trip and many thanks to Ian for leading.