The weather has, unfortunately, played a bigger part in the clubs ability to get as many Sea Transition Paddles arranged as we would have liked. That said we have had three groups out with two more groups, involving 5 Leaders/Volunteers and 10 transition paddlers, arranged for this weekend. Additionally, this also gave the Leaders/Volunteers a chance to paddle together in some lumpy water. A group of nine Leaders/Volunteers had a paddle around the Great Orme on Sunday 2nd May, in some moderate conditions, where we had an opportunity to practise some deep water rescues and do some towing. We had two groups out at Dove Point, Leasowe, and a small group out on Sunday (9th) in some windy conditions upon Lyn Padarn, Llanberis. There they had the chance of paddling into, across and down, some big wind waves for short periods of time and all the while enjoying the wonderful scenery this location has on offer. Interestingly on this trip not only did we introduce some paddlers to bigger waves we had the opportunity to introduce a newly designed kayak to bigger waves too! I am very pleased to say both the paddlers, ‘Joey & Liz’, and the Kayak, ‘Ocean Glide’, behaved well and performed brilliantly. Club member Dave Brown, owner of DBXcellence, who normally make hand crafted polo and surf kayaks, brought along his new Sea Kayak ‘Ocean Glide’. And boy, does she. His newly designed kayak, with a planning V hull fully customised in Carbon and Carbon Kevlar, will be made locally in Chester. This 16’ kayak is light, manoeuvrable and glides beautifully giving a fast, dry ride. At lunch David Allanson and I had a quick try. David found her easy to roll and performed a graceful side sculling balance brace with ease. I found her quick […]

Mersey Estuary Paddle 1st May 2021 – by Keith Steer The weather looked ace, light winds and blue sky so I suggested a paddle – probably the Mersey. People had been telling me of an easy get on at the Rest Rooms Pub / Tranmere Sailing Club ramp on the Wirral. From here we could take the flood tide up towards Eastham and the Marshes beyond. The slipway gives good access and avoids all the nasty pontoons and terminals to the north. While the flood tide is very strong, it does whisk you along and we were soon paddling past several wharfs and commercial slipways towards Eastham park. Here the Deep-water shipping channel gets very close to the shore and you need to keep a good eye out for any of the small tankers and craft heading for either the Shell oil terminal or Ship Canal locks. We spied a couple of mid-tide stopping points but carried on past the Ship canal towards Mount Manisty (a mound of spoil from where they dug out the ship canal 100yrs ago). The tide was still rising, and we found a small drain under the ship canal that provided a sheltered channel for a snack. Before long, the tide rose enough to enable a safe and mud-free exit. The sandy beach proved ideal for a lunch break while we waited for the tide to turn. There was even an old tent and stove discarded on the beach and ideas developed for a local camp from sea kayaks in the future. We took the ebbing tide and wove our way around two large vessels waiting at the lock entrance. We even found a tunnel under one of the little used wharfs which was exciting. A stiff headwind had developed, and we even found a […]

River Leven Paddle 25th April 2021 – by Craig Ford The first opportunity for many, many months for paddlers to get out to the Lake District saw an organised group of 24 paddlers arriving early Sunday morning at the River Leven get in. Like turning up to the beach when the tide is out there was talk of “Where has the water gone?” This was going to be a first for everybody paddling this stretch of the Leven at such a low level. No need for the usual queue to get on to the water and everybody waded out ankle deep into the river to get in their boats. A gentle float down to the first feature where normally we would stay away from the weir, which today had no water running over it.  With the insight that the remainder of the river would be very scrapey we were encouraged to use the play wave here to have fun in, along with ferry gliding across for those keen to practise. Then it was time to paddle downstream which now gave new features with proper drops and the ability to scramble back upriver and have a couple more practices. Everyone safely over the drop and it was time to navigate down river around the rocks and the newly named “Gravel Yard”. Even with the low levels the get out had the usual “socially distanced” conversations about the enjoyment of the day’s paddle. Thanks to everyone for making this a great day out and especially the leaders and assistants for volunteering to run this trip. Happy paddling Craig More Photos……….

Improvers trip on the River Dee (Ponsonby to Ty Mawr) – by John Cooke Today saw the first club paddle since the easing of lockdown, 30 paddlers met at the Ponsonby Arms to run the section down to Ty Mawr, the river was low but for some this was their first time on moving water and for others it was a nervous return. After a flawless shuttle considering the numbers, we were soon ready to get on the river. We split into groups of six and the first group were soon off downstream. A few people were caught out early on and received wet ears! After a while we stopped for lunch and a leg stretch but were soon back on the water. We soon reached Trevor rocks and a few small play waves were still running, well done to everyone who had a go. Off again and we soon passed under the always impressive aqueduct and made our way down to the get out at the country park. The weather was good, the atmosphere relaxed and all in all a good day, always nice to see a Heron on the water. Thanks to everyone for coming, hope it gave you a taste of white water and hope to see you on the river soon. Thanks to the leaders and assistants for helping out as without them these trips could not run. John More Photos……….

Hilbre Island from Dee Sailing Club – Sunday 11th April 2021 – by Clare Brown The paddling plans were sent out on Saturday evening by Keith detailing the schedule for Sunday 11th April.  A change of plan to the original paddle details were made due to the ever-changing weather, wind and sea state. Hilbre Island For LCC Members who are not familiar with the Dee Estuary and have yet to experience this lovely part of the Northwest coastline.  Hilbre Island lies at the mouth of the Dee Estuary, close to West Kirby about 1 mile from Red Rocks Nature Reserve in Hoylake, this is the nearest part of the mainland to the island. Hilbre Island is an unbridged tidal island and along with Middle Eye and Little Eye form a line of islets that run parallel to the Hoylake coastline.  All three islands are formed of red bunter sandstone. The main island and Middle Eye are less than a hundred yards apart. Little Eye and Middle Eye are both unpopulated, but Hilbre Island has a few houses, some of which are privately owned, however there are no longer any residents on the island. Below half tide it is possible to get to Hilbre on foot. To get there by kayak you must allow 2 hours either side of high water, and even then, you need a spring tide of 8.5m for extra depth over the many sandbanks. The plan was to arrive at Dee Sailing Club at 9.30am for a 10am start on the water.  2 paddling groups had been formed by enthusiastic members ‘raring’ to get back out on the water following the recent lock-down.  Ian Bell leading one group and Keith Steer leading the 2nd.  Both groups were on time and organised, ready and excited to return to the freedom of the sea once again and to have […]

Dee Estuary to Flint by Julian Trigg Back on the sea, cold and sunny, with LCC It was good to get back on the sea – and good to meet up with LCC members I hadn’t met before (or for some time). I’ve mapped our track on several maps and it’s interesting to compare especially the satellite imagery of the sandbanks. Obviously, they change over time and the different platforms show subtle differences. Map with GPS track (click on icons) The general-purpose Navionics Chart Viewer is here: https://webapp.navionics.com Toggle between Navionics and Sonar map views (bottom left hand corner icon) Measure distances with the calliper icon in the bottom right-hand corner Other features I haven’t tried on the Menu Setting off from the Dee Sailing club and heading upstream to the far shore towards the TSS Duke of Lancashire. Approaching the inlet at Flint Time for a break Heading around the corner to see the castle remains It was a hard paddle back against the wind, not gaining much help from the outgoing tide and then we ran aground on a sandbank. It was a long way back but after a few hundred metres we were back in the water Finishing on the slipway More Photos……

River Lune 0.54m great level for intermediate paddlers Low gill viaduct to road bridge on B6256 – Grade 2-3 Strid okay at this level Gorge not too bad, no obvious hazards.

Surfing at Lewsowe Bay Monday 5th April, 4pm. Surf the incoming tide at Leasowe Bay. It gets busy here with the local Dippers. Parking can be an issue. Vehicle needs to be under 2m to get through the barrier. Cracking surf beach. Surf with the boarders! Wind will be around 22mph. Onshore wind with nice waves. Much nicer surf than Crosby. An alternative, if parking is impossible, is Perch Rock, New Brighton. Surfing is a naturally social distanced sport. If you fall out of your boat, keep hold of everything and walk back to the shore. It’s not an official club trip, but Karl and I will be there and want to let you know.

Open canoe trip – Farndon to Chester The weather was too good to miss, and we had agreed to meet up in Farndon to paddle down to Chester. We had agreed to paddle as two groups on the river with social distancing made easy in the opens. Put-In: Holt (Roman) Bridge in Farndon, Bridge Street, LL13 9JH Take-out at Sandy Lane CH3 5UT At Farndon we stayed on the English side of the bridge but observed many cyclists and locals crossing to the Welsh side. Fortunately, the border ran down the middle of this part of the lower river Dee, so we were not breaking any Covid-19 rules. Whilst waiting for the shuttle we chatted to locals about the large flood in January which damaged part of the bridge which was closed for 4-5 days. We put in at the small public car park by the new build called “the boat house” just in case anyone is looking for a new 5 bed detached with nice views of the river and town. Despite being pretty low, there was a good current to help us whisk us along the pleasant countryside. Several large logs blocked part of the river channel in places, but we were able to chat to each other as we paddled. Elevenses arrived and we managed to get out and enjoy a brew. Both groups stopped in the same place, but we all kept our distance. I even observed some high hills in the distance – after some discussion we agreed they were the hills around Llantysilio. We paddled on past the Duke of Westminster`s old Estate (Grosvenor Estate and Eaton Hall) under the Iron Bridge and stopped for lunch at the sharp Elbow bend with the sandy beach. Mark had his “Kelly Kettle” and stove and was keen to fry […]

Training sessions in the Docks It was good to see lots of group out on the water over the first week after lockdown. Along with the many paddle start sessions, distance paddling, skills sessions and general docks paddles were the open canoe sessions and sea kayak leaders and transition paddles. Some photos below. To see further paddling opportunities check out the club calendar………….. More photos…..

It will be great to get back paddling after such a long break. Just a couple of pointers below to help things run smoothly. All paddling places MUST be pre-booked with coordinator, once on site you need to wear a mask (from “car to afloat”). When planning trips, please ensure they are well within your capability – we are all a little rusty with skills and fitness after such a long break. Group leaders MUST supervise their paddlers both in selection and especially putting equipment away. Please store boats on their side on the racks according to length (longest on the left – shortest on the right). Buoyancy aid zips must be done up and spray decks hung up by the release pull. Can we all remind ourselves of where boats go after a session – see the images in the compound and in this email. Absolutely no seal launching from the beach at the compound, make sure the boat is just afloat and parallel with the shore and be prepared to step into the water. See getting afloat video 1 and Video 2 All paddling is in small, distinct groups of 6. Canoe polo is a team sport and current guidelines allow groups of 6 to play and train together (eg two teams of 6), provided they follow all canoe polo COVID 19 guidelines. COVID 19 is a respiratory virus and you are at most risk when face to face so please try to leave the compound and site as quickly as possible after paddling and avoid post paddle social chatting. LCC COVID 19 guidance…. See you on the water LCC

Stolen North Shore Calypso 2 Sea Kayak Please could you post a picture of my stolen Kayak on your site in case anyone has seen it for sale online? It was taken from us in Argyll at the end of January. It is pretty old and not very valuable but has great value to us. It’s a north Shore Calypso 2. Any information would be gratefully received, Thank you so much. Best wishes, Mary-Lou Aitchison

Over the next week or so you find that club paddles and sessions will become visible on our calendar and bookwhen booking system. All paddlers MUST be pre-booked with the session leader either via email or for most docks sessions via the link to the bookwhen site. Generally, sessions become visible 7 days ahead of the paddle and closes 24hrs before the paddle to enable the organiser to coordinate any groups or last-minute details. Please remember that all our coordinators, coaches and group leaders are volunteers and while we do our utmost to put on lots of paddles, with the numbers in the club, we all must be patient and wait for the right opportunity to paddle. Please only book a place if you are absolutely certain you can make the session. Doing so will block the place to other members. Key points when at the compound: Do not leave valuable in sight in any parked cars at the compound Everyone has to wear face masks from their car to being afloat when at the docks Please leave as soon as you can after the session – no chatting or hanging around.  Click here for Full Sized Calendar LCC Covid 19 Guidance (paddling and Equipment) Guidelines on coordinating or running a club trip See you on the water after 29th March (safely distanced and in small groups) Covid 19 Guidance (paddling and Equipment)  LCC Home   Site Map Page last updated March 23, 2021  National lockdown: stay at home You must stay at home. This is the single most important action we can all take to protect the NHS and save lives. You must not leave your home unless necessary. Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household The Stewardship group have reviewed all the latest guidance and agreed on […]

River Alt from Hightown Neap tides and calm weather gave the opportunity to paddle from Hightown down the river Alt and along the Hightown Dune system. We are still restricted to daily exercise with one other person, so Graham and I decided to take opens and enjoy the evening sunset. We accessed the river down the concrete slipway by the boatyard from Lower Alt Road (near the nature conservancy building). We paddled along the course of the river past the moorings and on to the Hightown Sailing club. We chatted to a couple of fishing folk and then paddle out of the creek to open sea. Conditions were flat and we had a cup of coffee on the sand bank near the River Alt outer marker and watch the ferries and tankers come up the main channel and into the Liverpool Docks. We paddled back up the Alt to the pumping station at the Rifle Range and MOD property before getting off the water at the boat yard. A great evening paddle but parking is limited to a few cars. You also only have an hour either side of high water or risk the muddy banks. The club usually paddles in the opposite direction from Crosby coast guard station. It is best to allow an hour or so either side of high water. Looking forward to the return of club paddling after the 28th March (or when restrictions allow) .

The excellent weather forecast continued over the Sunday – Very light winds and blue skies.  This meant we had to go on the sea but where?  Midday spring tides gave lots of opportunities around the region, River Alt from Crosby, River Mersey on the flood and return, Hilbre Island, Runcorn bridge to Fiddlers Ferry and Dee Sailing club to Heswall and Dee Sailing club to Mostyn shore (TSS Duke of Lancaster).  Well, we wanted to keep away from the crowds at Hilbre and West Kirby so fancied paddling across the Dee Estuary to the check out the Mostyn shoreline. Ian and I met at 10:00am at Dee Sailing Club (where run the Hilbre Island Sea Kayak Race) a couple of hours before high tide.   We readied our kayaks and as the tide came over the causeway, we launched heading SW towards Mostyn.   There was fog out in the middle and we were unable to see the Welsh coast but after about 45 mins we started to see the outline of the Flintshire shoreline.   As we drew closer, we could see the outline of beached TSS Duke of Lancaster.   As we approached, we spotted a small slipway and harbour masters office and decided to draw up to stretch our legs and have lunch. As we landed an official looking person approached and said, “where are you from”.   Not wanting a confrontation during these difficult times, I replied Flint and that we were just having a cuppa.  He relaxed a bit but said we were not to go up into the yard area by the harbour.   “no worries we will stay below the high tide line.” After about half an hour the tide began to change, and we got back on the water to return to Dee Sailing club.  As we closed […]

Leeds to Liverpool Canal – Halsall to Aintree and back The sunny weather was too good to miss so Graham and I decided to go for a paddle on the canal heading south through Lydiate and Maghull to Aintree Lane to where the canal goes over the River Alt. We passed under several very low bridges but the one at Aintree Lan is unpassable and a definite portage up and over the road. Once reaching Lydiate we passed 50 or so motorboats and canal barges, the Mersey Motorboat club! There were many houses which now backed onto the canal and it was clear that many had been busy last summer building numerous summer houses, decking and seating areas at the bottom of their gardens to while away the summer. The tow path was packed with walkers and bikes but we glided by taking in the surroundings. On the return journey Graham collected lots of fishing tackle from the trees and bushes. We saw loads of wildlife including a couple of kingfishers. This just indicates the good quality of the water on the canal. The numerous canals and waterways that surround the region give ample opportunity for all to get out on the water. Access is easy with the numerous small car parks and access points. Click the links below and plan your next outing. You obviously need your own boats at the moment but there is always someone to paddle with as a pair. Just suggest a trip via the googlegroups and provided there is a few days’ notice lots of members would be willing to get out on the water. More get ins and locations to paddle…… Leeds to Liverpool Canal – All the canoe access points and routes  Bridgewater Canal – All the canoe access points and routes