Club weekends and major events for the Club 2019 – for more detail check the online Club Calendar……. You need to be a current member of the club to paddle with us (Insurance and emergency contact details etc) 17th – 19th May 2019 Anglesey Weekend #1 Click for more and to book a place – based at Tyn Rhos Trearddur Bay – coordinator Peter Massey. 19th May 2019 Sea Kayak Leaders Training as part of Anglesey Weekend To book a place – coordinator Ian Bell. 19th May 2019 Foundation Safety and Rescue Course To book a place – coordinator Anthony Brockway. 24th – 27th May 2019 Pembroke Bank Holiday Weekend Click for more information and to book a place – based at Newgale Campsite – coordinator Jenny Brown. 26 th May 2019 Liverpool Marathon – Sunday Docks paddle cancelled as no access to the Marina due to road closures Please arrange your own paddling 8 – 9th June 2019 River Trywern and camping Weekend – coordinator John Cook 14 – 16th June 2019 Anglesey Junior Club Weekend #2 Click for more and to book a place – based at Anglesey Outdoors LL65 2LP  coordinator Keith Steer. 15th June 2019 Different Strokes Course for Beginners (must have completed introductory Course or be paddling at the docks) To book a place 7th July 2019 Hilbre Island Race – Club event for all More information…….. Why not give one of the courses a go. 12th – 14th July 2019 Anglesey Weekend #3 Click for more and to book a place – based at Bodfan Farm, Rhosneigr  – coordinator Jenny Brown. 19th July to 4th August 2019 Alpine Holiday Alpine Rivers Holiday – Briancon France  Coordinator Keith Steer 8th to 18th August 2019 Lofoten Islands Sea Kayaking Click for more information – coordinator Andy Garland […]

Photo of the Month Please send any photos to website@liverpoolcanoeclub.co.uk June 2019 Click here to see the photos and to vote for your favourite.

Photo of the Month Please send any photos to website@liverpoolcanoeclub.co.uk May 2019 # 1 Taken just before I started my early morning session on the Mersey at Rock Ferry Colin Smith 28 votes (25%) # 2 Steve Alcock running serpents by Allan Potts 24 votes (22%) # 3 Our very own ‘Nick of Arabia’ at our LCC coach’s 1st aid by Craig Ellingham 17 votes (15%) # 4 Greetings from Sunny Wales by Martin Eley 16 votes (14%) # 5 I have met this young lass a few times now, she rests on the dredging pipe just off shore from Bromborough Colin Smith 14 votes (13%) # 6 River Mersey Paddle 2019 Kristiaan D Aout 12 votes (11%)

Easter Saturday – Arisaig Sea Paddle Saturday saw the sea kayakers head to Arisaig for the day. After taking over the car park and launching we proceeded to follow the coast and explore all the dead end channels for a couple of hours. Along the way porpoise (or was that Friday?) and a sea eagle were spotted, along with heron and seals. It is quite likely that some gel coat was left behind on a few rocks as a few people with brave enough to follow Nikki A into some narrow/shallow gaps. Lunch was a short break that coincided with the sun hiding behind a cloud and the last of the ebb, so a longer carry to the water after lunch – who planned that? Some exploration of the main channel into Arisaig led us to the unusual sight of seals behaving more like dolphins – they were leaping out of the water and they definitely were seals – very entertaining. The paddle back to the get in saw the cloud gather and Eigg disappeared into the mist. The longer drive back to the hostel was the perfect excuse for a visit to the fish & chip shop in Kinlochleven for some.

Easter weekend – Good Friday sea paddle  After a planning session on Thursday evening when maps were perused and tide timetables checked, a decision to paddle from a layby on the A828 to Appin was made. A 9am sea kayakers huddle took place with instructions and trip plans before the convoy set off to find the get in. The day promised sunshine, calm water and light winds, and our trip actually included paddling with the tide each way. Due to the large size of the group, our sea leader (Ian Bell) encouraged a buddy system to make it easier to keep tabs on 12 people with a range of experience on the water. Will there be wildlife was a question at the beginning of the day – the answer was yes as porpoise, seals and sea birds were spotted on the leisurely paddle to Appin. The water was flat calm and the beach at Appin was soon reached. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch stop with some of the group contributing to local economy by frequenting the café/restaurant before a gentle paddle back to the cars via Castle Stalker.

Scotland Bank holiday Easter Club Trip Day 3 Falls of Lora by Sarah Gille It was Easter Sunday and the hostel woke to decision making and weather watching. River boaters split into 2 groups today. One of which set off to paddle the Spean gorge led by Ian bell. (In his river boat – not his sea kayak (lol)) while our group set off to have a bash at Falls of Lora. His is a kind of tide race passing under a bridge which forms large play waves. When we arrived, it was clear that it would be an epic day as all the names and faces of the playboating world started to arrive. Don’t ask me who- but one had long curly hair, there was expensive carbon playboats and a Pyranha van. As we waited for the waves to build, we saw 3 seals playing just upstream. Is it up steam because it’s the sea? Roy and David could not contain their excitement so hopped on early to get familiar with the water and show the professionals how it’s done. Next with Craig on bank watch myself, rich, Liz and Aleksander made the seal launch into the sea. Does this count as sea kayaking, I wondered? I was defiantly cracking it. We all bounced down the massive waves safely and for me with absolutely no skill or grace and regrouped in the eddy under the bridge partition and watched the pros at work surfing the first wave. They even cued in a neat and orderly line. As the featured developed people started to climb out around the bridge partition and get in again as more waves formed slightly up stream/sea?? One of them looked amazing – apparently called the eternity wave. The waves where far too big and scary […]

Scotland Bank holiday Easter Club Trip Day 3 by Kirk Williams Haven’t paddled the Spean Gorge for a while and although levels were low, they were up a bit from Saturday and we knew people had a decent day then an intrepid team of John C, Ian B, Mark B, Jenny B, Chris T and Kirk decided to give it a go. Shuttle done so all cars at the get out (thanks Marianne) the put in at the Spean Bridge Woollen Mill was a bumpy bony experience but we managed to get moving without too much muscle strain. The first rapid of note is the Fairy Steps, a series of small but significant drops as the name suggests. The team managed to negotiate each step with no major problems but some nervous grins…. The river now moves into the gorge section proper and narrows significantly. We scouted and navigated a few more tight flows and small drops between the rocks, each providing interesting opportunities for practicing our river leading skills, line of sight etc We arrived at one of the key rapids on the river, the infamous Headbanger, and as usual portaged this after having a good look at it and talking confidently about how we would run it if we dared! The portage doesn’t remove all the fun as it comes with a tricky seal launch, either into a tight turn drop with a submerged tree or from pretty high up on the rocks. Both options were exercised, some with style! Much fun was had at a 1+ metre pour over/drop that managed to tail end a few big river boats, and Ian excelled himself by getting his nose stuck in an undercut, side surfing the hole and eventually pulling a 180 nose pirouette to successfully escape its clutches […]