On Saturday night, Andy was confidently saying that he was going to do a Holyhead circumnavigation on Sunday. This is nothing unusual for Anglesey weekends. Once the beer starts flowing, ambitions grow – starting at a trip round the Stacks, then it’s a Holyhead circumnavigation, then later in the evening it’s a full Anglesey circumnavigation and 5am start. Yeah right! Surprisingly, Andy was still up for it the next morning, so, with Lynette and Ian Bell, we got ready at the (rather pricey) Borth Wen car park at Rhoscolyn. With minimal faffing, we caught the tide down to the Cymryn strait. There was enough water left to prevent grounding on sandbanks and thanks to good navigation, we picked the right channels to reach Four Mile Bridge. The water was still pouring through, filling up the inland sea. There was enough space for anyone brave enough to get swept under the bridge, where they would inevitably swim around collecting bits of their boat. I suggested that we portaged at the take out beach to the right. Ian muttered something about rather dying before being seen portaging. So that was it, under the bridge we went. I made it look difficult by having to roll, but the others made it look easy. Mind you, I was the novice of the group. We paddled up to Stanley Embankment, where the big stopper was in full flow, so we stopped for lunch, waiting for the tidal flow to reduce. There was a lone whitewater paddler playing on the wave in the smallest boat I’ve ever seen. She was clearly an expert and it great to watch her skilfully twisting and turning. When the flow decreased, we paddled under the rail bridge and headed towards Holyhead Harbour. There were two big ferries about to leave, […]

Sunny Day again on the Dee – Lee I hold my hand up to you anyone who paddles one of them C1 things …..deserves a medal. Gary / Dave excellent skills and Stuart thanks for keeping Kieron amused.

Have you ever wanted to try canoe polo?  This is a non-contact, skilful game played in kayaks with a ball.  It is similar to netball and basketball with teams of 5.  It teaches you manoeuvring and kayak handing skills, confidence in a kayak and is a fun team sport. Josh Cook and most of the Brunswick polo team will be on the water to guide and look after you.  Age does not matter but you should have some basic paddling experience to get the most out of the session.  If you can paddle a kayak, turn, can draw the boat sideways then you have all the skills needed.   We have all the equipment you will need (boats, paddles, helmet and buoyancy aids). Just come along to the morning session at our compound at the docks 10:00am to 12:00 midday.   Open to all club members no matter the age.

Andy, Lynette, Tony & I set off from Cemyln Bay shortly after 10am, having had a faff-free start. Yay! The weather was great and the sea was calm, so we bimbled along the coast, rock-hopping and enjoying the sun. Although it was nearly Springs, Andy had timed the tides nicely for us and there was nothing daunting in terms of tide races. There was a bit pushing off the headland between the porcelain factory and brickworks, so we had a bit of a play in the waves, before stopping at the brickworks for lunch. We were joined by Lynette’s partner  Mike, who had been keeping up with us on his bike, cycling along the coastal path. Unfortunately the brickworks have recently been hit by graffiti and were “overcamped” when we arrived, so it was hard to take photos that showed the character of the place. Luckily, we had the beach to ourselves and lazed in the sun, before heading back. We headed out from the cliffs to catch the tide, which soon pushed us back into Cemlyn Bay. Thanks to Andy for organising and leading us & thanks also to Lynette, Tony & Mike for the company! John Maddock           More Photos……….

A rainy drive down the A55 after work on Friday cleared into a pleasant evening when crossing Britannia Bridge onto Anglesey. After some confusion as to which group of kayakers to join the majority of LCC members pitched up in the far corner of Bodfan farm ready for a weekend of paddling. In the morning the stray paddlers were rounded up from the outskirts of the Ribble canoe club’s plot. With a sunny start to Saturday the little boats went to 4 mile bridge and the long boats headed to south stack.  Those heading to the Alps were busy practising their rolls in the safety of the inland sea, while Sarah and Jack improved their moving water inflatable boat skills. More Photos………. Everyone returned to camp to form BBQ groups to enjoy the full moon by firelight. On Sunday another calm day allowed the sea paddlers to circumnavigate Holy Island. The others set off to Trearddur Bay or went swimming in Rhosneigr.  Another successful weekend, with more members than I managed to count!

New parking restrictions at the docks – No more parking on any road (whether it has a single yellow line or no line!) Please be aware the parking situation has recently changed at the Marina and surrounding access roads.  You are no longer allowed to park on the single yellow line or the side road with no road markings as new signs have been put up indicating a £100 fine. The good news is that we have 3 options: 1/ Park in the free British Waterways slipway carpark next to the barrier by our compound.  This has space for about 8 cars. 2/ Park in the Marina pay car park and get up to 3 hours free by entering your car registration number into the iPad like device on the left hand side of the bar at the marina.  You do not need to buy anything – just find the white iPad like screen and enter your reg.     3/ Use the concrete beach next to the compound – the barrier may be opened by the session coordinator when she or he opens the main compound.  Please be aware the barrier will be locked when people are on the water and will only be opened again at the end of the paddling session. This has all come about because of excessive illegal parking on pavements, double yellow lines etc from residents, fisherman and other docks users. Please remember to park carefully in a line on the left (top) of the beach (Facing the garage and building in order to get maximum number of cars on). Do not make excessive noise around the area or moored boats. Please do not make waves or a large wake in the area around the moored house boats. Never, ever go near the moored […]

I have never been to the Skerries before, so when the trip was advertised I jumped at the chance.  The trip to the Skerries is a serious undertaking, they are a group of offshore islands surrounded by tidal races and overfalls (up to 6kn in speed) that you encounter in each direction. For this trip it was scheduled to be blue skies, light winds and neap tides – so all good for a first trip. Even better, the Skerries is a key RSPB reserve, and the birds were due to be nesting. Under sunny skies the group met at Cemlyn bay, sorted kit and headed off. The winds were slightly stronger than forcast, but nothing we could not cope with, and the tides were timed to perfection. A dog leg route due to the tides saw us landing on the islands with pinpoint precesion. The islands were great, a fantastic lighthouse on a rocky outcrop that has a really remote feel. The sunshine helped the feeling as well! Properly fed it was time to explore.  This is where it gets dangerous. Cap on to prevent being dive bombed, you stick to the path and watch your  footing. Even then, care must be taken not to disturb the birds who have taken a rather circuitous 56,000km round trip to the Antarctic – wow! Thats some trip for a small bird.  After marvelling at the Terns it was time to oggle the Puffins – Aww (Cracking shots Mr Blake)  All too soon it was time to leave the island, play in more races and head back to the start.  Cracking trip

The Hull International Canoe Polo Tournament is held at Dacre Lakeside Park, NewRoad, Brandesburton, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 8RT.  This site is ideal as camping is right next to the lake and the four polo pitches there.  All the facilities are on site and the sun even came out on both days. Saturday A good day for our div 4 team today – played 4, won 4. Loads of goals from our juniors with some really good build up play. It was clear that our juniors developed in game experience and confidence as the day progressed. Sunday Penrith B gave us a tough game in the morning but our speed up front let to 3 break away goals.  Sheffield University proved a good match for our younger players but they eventually defeated them easily scoring many goals in the process. Played 6 and won 6 gave us a place in the final. Manvers were a strong team that had also won all their games.  Most of their players were senior and played in higher divisions but we still gave them a good game narrowly loosing 2 goals to one. More photos…….  

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Our junior team entered this tournament and have been training hard every Wednesday evening at the docks. They started a little raged on the Saturday but with every game improved and end up passing like Pro’s. They eventually made it to the final of the junior league only to be narrowly beaten by the best of the best. Losing to only one team during the entire tournament , admittedly twice. Second place felt like a victory in the end! More photos……. If anyone would like to try canoe polo then you only need the basic paddling skills to give it a try – why not come and join us at the docks on a Wednesday 6:30 to 8:30 – all the equipment is there.

The weather had been changeable all week but fortunately the winds moderated and the sun came out for the presentation ceremony.  Congratulations to all the participants, volunteers and club members who supported the event, it was a great success.  The event would not happen without the kind support of our friends at Dee Sailing Club and rescue boat support crews.  Prizes were donated by System X, Manchester canoes and Go Kayaking NW.   Mike Bell made the trophies again for us this year. For more information on the event please go to our events page of the website……… The results can be found here………. More Photos……….  

Why not come and support Liverpool Canoe Club today at Dee Sailing Club where we are running the annual Hilbre Island Sea Kayak Race. The kayaks all head off with a mass start from the beach at 12 midday. They all return after 1 to 2 hours where we have a prize giving and BBQ supplied by our friends and hosts from Dee Sailing club.   It is a great place to bring your family and friends and good place to chat and meet up with club members.  There are great views of the Dee Estuary and beach at Thurstaston. Hope to see you all there. START / FINISH Dee Sailing Club Station Road Thurstaston Wirral CH61 0HN

This Sunday (25th June) sees the club run the annual sea kayak race around Hilbre Island with our friends at Dee Sailing Club on the Wirral.   The weather is looking the best for years so if you have ever fancied padding around either the Little Eye or Hilbre Island with lots of safety support and a fun atmosphere this is the year to give it a go.  We still have lots of entries left and you can borrow  hire a sea kayak from the club if you don’t have one.  Indeed, you can paddle around the Little Eye using any kind of craft (Sit on Top, WW kayak or General purpose kayak, sea kayak etc) If you really do not want to give it a go why not bring your family along to the beach / sailing club at Thurstaston and watch or support the event.  There is a bar and BBQ from about 1pm (you can purchase drinks and BBQ items on demand) and the race is off at 12 midday (a mass or “Le Mans Style” start from the beach so you need to be there for around 11:45am to see it properly. We still need safety kayakers, photographers, help with car parking etc so if you can volunteer please get in touch. Please note the normal Sunday paddle has been taken off the calendar for this Sunday as all those involved will be at the event. More information from http://liverpoolcanoeclub.co.uk/hilbre/ See you all there to support the club and have a great day out with great views of the Dee Estuary. (either as paddlers, volunteers or supporters) Contact website@liverpoolcanoeclub.co.uk to volunteer

When first trying to edge or roll my sea kayak, I thought it may be helpful if my lower knee had something to push against.  I soon knocked up a pair of foam supports and glued them in place using water-based Evo-stick which lasted all of five minutes at Kingsway.  I later refitted the same prototype blocks using River Bond and they’ve never budged since. Foam blocks below the knee/thigh also provide general support while paddling.  Maybe I’m just lazy, but I now feel uneasy in any boat without them.  Having recently purchased a new sea kayak, fitting thigh supports was a must. Closed-cell foam is available from AS Watersports at £10 per block.  http://www.aswatersports.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=752  With care, a single 32cm square block would probably suffice, but having a second one will allow for cutting errors.   River Bond adhesive is available from Endless River at £16 per 250ml tin. http://www.endlessriver.co.uk/river-bond-250ml-p-774.html The above closed-cell blocks are 3” thick which may not be deep enough for some situations.  For my plastic Easky, I fitted single foam pieces on an angle to bridge the curve of the hull and thereby gain more height.  An alternative approach, which I now prefer, is to construct each side in two sections: a simple lower section which fits to the base of the hull, and a more intricately shaped upper section which rests on the lower one and can be easily removed and replaced during the fitting process. Pieces of insulating tape on the base of the cockpit area will allow each lower section to be quickly relocated.  The corresponding upper piece can then be slid into place along the lower one.   The first stage is to determine the precise location of each section of foam and to fashion their outer faces to match the shape of the […]

Great weekend away at Tyn Rhos campsite in Treaddur Bay. Messing at Four Mile Bridge, surfing at Rhosneigr and the sun even came out! Looking forward to the next one!  Paul Harwood   A Puffing Good Day at Puffin Island. Thank you all xxx More Photos……..