Uncategorized – Nomad Kayak Club

05Jun 2022 by Mike No Comments

Hertford Lea Loop Trip Report

On Sunday 5th June, eight Nomad paddlers met in a Hertford at 10am to paddle the Hertford Lea loop. All were prepared for wet weather but fortunately we escaped the rain. Prior to launching, Ian and Chris spoke to some paddlers at the nearby Herts Canoe Club to try and gain some local knowledge from local paddlers who were also just about to paddle the same route. We then launched right outside Herts Canoe Club, all except Tony & Rafael who decided to paddle the lead in and launched a bit further upstream. After launching, we headed downstream on the River Lea towards the River Beane and played in Hartham Weir along the way, the first and easiest two step weir of the day. Although, whilst arsing about Rafael did…

11Jan 2022 by trips 3 Comments

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…

18Oct 2021 by trips 3 Comments

Grand Union Canal and Gade trip report

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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…

19Sep 2021 by trips No Comments

Symonds Yat trip report

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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…

12Jul 2021 by trips No Comments

Abingdon and Swift Ditch trip report

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On Sunday 11th of July eight Nomads led by Matt met at Abingdon lock for a circular tour up the Thames and down the Swift Ditch. The weather was better than forecast and it was already brightening up considerably as we carried our boats across the weir and lock to meet up with the late Simon on the other side at the put in. After a quick safety briefing focussing heavily on trees we put in according to our own style from the highish bank or the lower steps. We seemed a bit overdressed as we set off up river against a gentle current through fields and moored boats with the noise of what sounded like motocross in the background. Not far upriver we came across a sunken houseboat in…

11May 2021 by trips 1 Comment

Great Ouse trip report

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On Sunday 9th of May five Nomads led by Martyn met in the car park opposite Tesco in Bedford to paddle the not very inviting sounding Great Ouse. It was warm but not very sunny as we put in to a beautiful little pond on a side branch of the river and headed down a narrow channel to the join the main river. The first half of the trip was upstream on the main channel to the centre of Bedford, but the flow was hardly noticeable as we paddled through bucolic countryside towards Cardington lock. Before the lock we took a detour up a channel on the right to the bottom of Cardington white water course, which looked dry and forlorn as we imagined what it would look like with…

12Apr 2021 by trips No Comments

RIver Gade trip report

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Five Nomads led by Matt set out from the aquadrome on Sunday the 11th April for the club's first trip of 2021 - a local jaunt up the Grand Union canal to the river Gade and round Croxley business park to rejoin the canal at Croxley Moor. The club area was pleasantly busy with members for the polo session, the recreational session and the trip all there - almost like old times, except of course that social distancing and hygiene precautions were maintained. The weather was warmer than the previous week and it became pleasantly sunny as we put in at the lock and were joined by Graham on his first paddle with the club in a couple of years. Because of our novelty value we attracted much attention and…

05Apr 2021 by trips No Comments

First 2021 Recreational Session

News, Recreational, Uncategorized

On Easter Monday eight enthusiastic Nomad members met at the Aquadrome for the club's first post second lockdown recreational paddling session. We were mostly a bit rusty and the weather, though sunny, threatened snow for later. After a quick discussion we split into two groups with four members including Mike heading for Bury lake and four others including Matt heading up the Grand Union to the river Chess. Mike's group on Bury lake reportedly did three or four laps of the lake buffeted by an arctic wind and snow flurries before retiring around 11.30, while Matt's group got to the top of the navigable Chess and returned via a play stop on the W shaped weir on the Chess, which was flowing the best we'd seen it - enough to…

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…

17Jun 2020 by Mike No Comments

A Return to Club Paddling

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NKC will resume Club activities on Sunday 21st June, in accordance with Government and British Canoeing guidelines. Session sizes on Sunday morning will be limited to 6 members per session (session leader + 5) and sessions will run with the following staggered start and finish times. 09:30 – 11:30 Polo session10:00 – 12:00 Recreational session10:30 – 12:30 Polo session11:00 – 13:00 Recreational session Any member wishing to paddle will have renewed their membership. For those yet to renew, please visit our updated website and renew online https://nomadkayakclub.co.uk/members/join/. Members will also need to sign up for the session they wish to attend a minimum of 24hrs in advance of the session. Please note that members no longer need to log into the website to sign up for a session. To sign up for a…