Eighteen paddlers, in various kayaks and 2 open canoes, paddled the docks today hoping to see the Tall Ships Parade of Sail. After a leisurely paddle we entered the Albert Dock, which of course was rather empty, the tall ships etc. having now assembled in the River Mersey after exiting through the Hartley Bridge into Canning Half-Tide Dock and then into the river. We then paddled into the Salthouse Dock and stacked our boats neatly on the slipway by the bandstand and proceeded to walk around the dock complex to the Flagpole on the waterfront.  On arrival we were greeted by gun fire from HMS Suffolk who, I believe, was leading the parade with the water siphon tug boat just ahead.  The gun fire was to signal the start of the parade. H,M.S. Suffolk I couldn’t get all the photos I wanted as the crowds lining the waterfront were, in some place, 3 to 4 people deep.  The Parade of Sail then began and below are a small selection of the ships involved, many being sail training ships. After walking back to the bandstand slipway and a few “munchies” we set off for the return stopping by “Seal Island” for a bit of fun and games.  We had jumpers, seal launching, and very brave “swimmers”. We then made a slow return in the glorious sunshine via the Watersports to the slipway.  It had been a lovely day and I think we timed it just right for the Parade. Julie Brookes Liverpool Canoe Club  

29th Liverpool Waters international Canoe Polo Tournament A big congratulations to the Liverpool youth team for winning the 29th Liverpool Waters International Canoe Polo competitions class 4 division on the 26th and 27th of May over the bank holiday weekend starring Aaron, Callum, John, Luke, Dean and Myles. Winning all four games on the Saturday (with Deano Scoring two against his brother’s team Liverpool Coburg) and a further two wins on the Sunday to end the league format unbeaten in six and moving into the knockout stages of the competition. After a long wait with some false starts on the Sunday they won their semi-final 3-2 despite being 2-0 down and Deano being subbed after being struck with a paddle by one of his own team mates (Callum). Then to the final against Liverpool Coburg which then won 4-3 with a superb hattrick from Luke and hung on despite a late fightback by Coburg. Congratulations to both teams, first and second for a great weekend. Norman Cook (team coach) More Photos………  

Liverpool Waters International Canoe Polo Tournament 26th + 27th May 2018 We had two teams in this tournament over the bank holiday weekend. Our youth team Liverpool U18`s beat our open team in the final of Div 4. An excellent result for all the players. If you would like to get involved with canoe polo or come down to join in, we play on Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm at the docks. All the equipment is there so just pop down and have a go. Both Teams Liverpool U18`s and Liverpool Coburg Liverpool Coburg and Liverpool U18`s More Photos……..

Our usual Sunday Docks paddle had a bit of a twist this morning as this is the Tall Ships Regatta 2018 late May Bank Holiday weekend. Seventeen paddlers started out from the compound in a variety of kayaks expecting the usual Sunday paddle.  As we entered Salthouse Dock there were quite a few colourful decorated barges moored by the pontoons, a few motor yachts as part of the Northern Boat Show and of course the Watersports 4 pedalo swans, Drascombe, Wayfarer and ‘Wheelie’ mobility motor boat.  By the bandstand there was a “Message in a Bottle” focussing on the issue of plastic pollution. As we paddled through to the Albert Dock we spied 2 Royal Naval vessels, HMS Smitter and HMS Ranger, 2 Sea Cadets training vessels TS City of London and TS Sir Stelios, the schooner Challenge Wales and the gaff ketch Brian Boru. As we approached the Hartley Bridge we were beckoned through by the River Police who informed we could paddle around Canning Half-Tide & Canning Docks where more Tall Ships were moored. Just before exiting Canning Half-Tide dock we spied, heading towards TS Royalist, The Ship’s Cat & Super Rats on the quayside.  These had been created from 1,000 reclaimed milk containers. We paddled around the Albert Dock looking at the ships and a contingency of Lancashire Nobbies which originally came from the Southport/Morecambe Bay area where they trawled for shrimps and flatfish.  This fleet will be joining the Parade of Sail and you can spot them by their colourful red sails. By this time everyone was ready for the usual sausage rolls, cakes and biscuits which were devoured on the slipway at the bandstand and huge plastic bottle.  As a speciality Jim Duffy treated us all to strawberries and it’s not the tennis season yet! […]

  Oban to Garvellachs and surrounds Those who served:    Ian Bell, Simon Howlett, Roger Colman, Catriona , Julian Todd, Becka Lawson, Anthony Vaccaro I’m proud of under-planning and not thinking ahead, especially when doing something new.  Becka and I had never been out for more than one night in a sea kayak, and this trip was supposed to be five nights in the Scottish wilderness.  We had the kayaks, we had a Trangia stove and enough old soda bottles to carry our regulation supply of water.  At the last minute we grabbed our one working tent that wasn’t the pop-up kind.  I was sure we could simply shovel enough packets of random food from the larder into the holes around this gear to make something up each day. Becka drove us up to Oban while I provided the entertainment by reading aloud a food list for a French kayakers’ fortnight-long trip from the kayarchy website (including an oyster knife and one winkle-pick per person). By the time we reached Glasgow Becka insisted on some panic buying so she stocked up at Aldis and we arrived quite late. Other last minute decisions that happened frantically the next morning included packing our thickest sleeping bags (which could barely be rammed into a hold, even when you fed them right up to the bow through the hatch), and our choice to wear our skinny wetsuits for the whole trip because we didn’t have enough confidence that we weren’t going to capsize and be unable to roll.  The rest of the group (in their comfy, dry gear) were polite enough not to make it obvious that we were holding them up as we squabbled over what to take and Becka tried to cram in her mound of fresh fruit and veggies (it turns out […]

Saving Sheep on the Severn by John Vogler On Sunday last, 13th May, a group of us led by Carl Leung were quietly paddling down the Severn, when rounding a bend a sad bleating was heard. A sheep had fallen down a steep and overgrown bank. Condemned to stand in the water and unable to climb back to safety its situation seemed dire. What to do? One option would be to land somewhere nearby and attempt to alert the person farming the land. But the spot seemed pretty remote with no nearby buildings. Another possibility, that we began to explore, was to land and use what lines we had to haul the sheep up the bank. However, the subject of our attention seemed very unwilling to submit to being tied up and rescued in this way. At this point John Fay paddled forward to save the situation. Exiting his kayak into thick riverside mud he began to scale the bank with a view to assisting the sheep to climb back itself. The initial result was that the sad animal fell into the river. But, John persevered and finally managed to shove the sheep sufficiently far up the bank for it to get a footing. With a few bounds it was free and trotted off to join the rest of its flock – much to the general relief. Such a humane act deserves to be reported, but it is probably not unique. There are stories of cows being rescued by determined kayakers and even CPR being performed on half drowned ducks. Readers will surely know of other examples that deserve to be publicised.

My first time to Llangollen on Saturday. John showed me the way through Serpents Tail, tried to get me stuck in a stopper then tried to run me over on the bottom wave. Great day out on very busy river. Paul Harwood

14 paddlers turned out for a day out on the Mawddach Estuary and a trip to Penmaenpool and back. We set off in the morning with the last one paddling off at 10:30 and we arrived at Pen around Noon but minus 2 who had got stuck after going down a blind alley. After waiting 5 minutes for the water to rise they carried on and joined us at Pen. As soon as high water reached Pen we headed back down the estuary weaving around it trying to retain deep water and avoid getting beached. The estuary can leave you stranded if you don’t pay attention and the re was the odd scraping of sand with paddles and a couple of very short walks of shame during the day but overall no dramas and everyone survived. Thanks to those who turned up and made it into an enjoyable day out on the water.      

Photo of the Month May 2018 Click here to see the photos and to vote for your favourite. Please send any photos to website@liverpoolcanoeclub.co.uk April 2018 # 1 River Mersey Paddle – photo by Kristiaan D’Août 28 votes (36%) # 2 Surf Ski in Tarifa 2018 Julian Tod 27 votes (35%) # 3 Craig and Ian at the Burrs – Photo by Neil Jones 7 votes (9%) # 4 Sunday morning paddle at the docks 2018 John Allerton 6 votes (8%) # 5 Hilbre Island 2018 Pete Massey 5 votes (6%) # 6 Group at the Burrs – Submitted by John Allerton 4 votes (5%) March 2018 Top of Form # 1 Bonfire paddle River of Light on the Mersey by Kris D Aout 27 votes (34%) # 2 Craig surfing at Burrs Weir by Steve Stanford 16 votes (20%) # 3 Pete discovers he is a zen master somewhere near Glenuig by Kathy Morton 15 votes (19%) # 4 Late entry for paddler of the year, Olivia 3 years old by Martin Eley‎ 11 votes (14%) # 5 How stable is a sit-on-top by Chris Fay 9 votes (11%) # 6 Hilbre Island 2018 Phil and Isobel 2 votes (3%) Bottom of Form

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Firstly thank you all for all your help during the tournaments; reffing, helping with the goals, and doing the table (a shout out here is deserved to the man from Dolly’s who looked after the table single-handedly on Saturday). Thank you also for your understanding with date and pool changes, I think this last tournament was a really good one in the end! So, the final results are…. Liverpool in first place and Dolly Mixtures in second! Congratulations to both teams and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves during the league. Team P W D L GF GA GD PTS Liverpool 15 13 0 2 52 18 34 39 Dolly Mixtures 15 9 1 5 51 26 25 28 Durham Uni 15 8 0 7 36 31 5 24 Lancaster 15 6 2 7 43 38 5 20 MUCC 15 5 2 8 34 48 -14 17 Hallam 15 1 1 13 7 62 -55 4 Finally, I just want to advertise the Ladies Development weekend which is being ran in Liverpool in September. Any individuals can go of any level, there is no need to enter as a team. Best wishes! Rachel

Liverpool Canoe club coach development programme 2018. Aim: To offer free update/CPD sessions to club coaches and potential club coaches of the future. Plan: The sessions will focus on several key areas and will consist of both theory and practical sessions. (A timetable can be seen below.) You are free to join in on any of the sessions however it is intended that you will complete the whole programme. Participants: Numbers will be limited to 10 and can consist of already qualified coaches at any level or anyone who is thinking of becoming a coach in the future. All that is asked is a level of personal paddlesport performance equal to 2 star or above. Dates Session 1 – 6th June 18 18:00-20:00 Venue TBC Session 2 – 13th June 18 18:00-20:00 Venue TBC Session 3 – 16th June 18 10:00 – 16:00 Docks Session 4 – 17th June 18 10:00 – 16:00 Docks Session Number Session type/duration/when Session content 1 Theory (2 Hrs) Evening session Stages of learning (aware/practiced/acquired) Decision making 2 Theory (2 Hrs) Evening session Leadership Structuring practice 3 Practical Full Day Application of the above in a variety of boat types. 4 Practical Full Day Coaching ideas for a variety of boat types. It is envisaged that the day will be split between River kayaks, canoes and sea kayaks. (Specific timings and detail depending on interest.)   If you are interested please book a place via the link below. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/liverpool-canoe-club-coach-development-tickets-44719267533 Matt Giblin L4 Coach

62 people came along for the come and try it sessions run by our coaches during the day. Over a hundered club members join in on the try a boat session and Pyranha demo fleet.   If you are interesed in tryng any other boats in the Pyranha fleet why not drop in to the Go Kayaking shop in Runcorn.  Go Kayaking NW…. Congratualtions to all those that took part in the rolling competition.   The final was really exciting: 1st Place – Sarah Gille 2nd Pace – Harvey Harwood 3rd Place – Karl Tattum More Photos………