Events & Trips

Big Splash Games Day - This annual games event replaces a normal club session later in the summer and includes the hilarious Canadian Dragon Boat race, Team Raft-building, the battle of Canadian Tug 'o' War, Children's Treasure Hunt, amateur Canoe Polo and more. Further details will be available on the day. It is a great fun day for all the family to take part in and we often have visitors from other canoe clubs attending

River Rescue and First Aid Sessions - as some club members paddle rivers in the UK and abroad it is important to have the necessary skills to cope with moving and white water and the risks involved. These events are open to all members to attend and allow everyone to see what methods can be used to enable safe and effective rescues of paddlers and their equipment and appropriate first aid. We normally use the tidal section of the River Cuckmere either at the rivermouth or at the Golden Galleon bridge when the tides simulate a swift moving river. We cover the use of throwlines, tag lines and 'V' lowers to demonstrate effective rescues. If possible we also demonstrate the recovery of boats in situations where a boat has become 'pinned'. First Aid scenarios are practiced to help members understand how to avoid problems and make sure small problems don’t become worse.

BCU Star Courses - our club runs the new British Canoe Union star awards scheme for club members and our Club Programme will tell you when the courses are being run. One star is the starting point and beginners sessions at the club introduce the paddler to these skills. Assessment for one star is carried throughout the club season, dependant upon demand. Courses for two star and above run for five or six weeks with an assessment at the end. Assessment costs start at 10 pounds for one star and 25 pounds for two and three star courses (training and assessment) All successful candidates receive a BCU certificate and badge.

River Wye Trip - this trip is a great weekend paddling the River Wye in South Wales. Most people travel up on the Friday afternoon/evening although you could travel up early Saturday morning if you are an early riser. The journey takes about 4 1/2 hours to Symonds Yat, which is not far north of Monmouth. Most of us camp for the weekend although there is B & B accommodation nearby if you fancy a decent nights sleep! On the Saturday we usually paddle from a suitable point up river, down to Monmouth which can be a 9 or 12 mile trip dependant on the launch point. It is an all day trip in Canadian canoes which carry 3 or 4 paddlers with kit. A few club members use this trip as an opportunity to get the rest of their family paddling. It it a good social trip as the river flows gently for most of the trip and you can easily chat to other paddlers in adjacent canoes as you go along. At Symonds Yat rapids the water livens up for a 100 metre section of Grade 2 rapids, which, dependant of water level can be a bouncy laugh or an intimidating 1 minute ! Having calmed down you can now get back to some relaxing paddling down to Monmouth where we use a shuttle to get us back to the camp site. The Sunday normally sees the kayakers paddling and playing about at the rapids for a good part of the day. Those on the trip who may already be tired and would prefer a quieter day can use the opportunity to explore some of the wonderful sites in the area - such as Goodrich Castle, Symonds Yat Rock, Clearwell Caves or just go for a picturesque walk. If it’s a Bank Holiday weekend some paddlers stay behind for another day, otherwise mid to late afternoon on the Sunday we make our way back home. Silence normally falls upon the car passengers on the way back as well!

'Come and Try it' sessions - we run these sessions at various points during our season so that prospective members can have a go at canoeing and then decide whether they want to take up our recreational sport. Go to the Club Programme to check out what dates we are running for these. The sessions are on a 'first come first served' basis for up to 8 persons in total as we have a limited number of instructors – and each session must be booked in advance with the instructor. They cost 5 pounds per person and include use of all equipment. The session involves basic instruction and maybe a water game such as 'Water Basketball'. These sessions are a great opportunity for a family or group of friends to do something together, without the full costs of joining a club, only to find 4 weeks later that you do not like it ! If you do decide to apply for membership of the club whilst the membership is open, the 5 pounds Come and Try It fee will go towards the cost of your membership. Go on then, we challenge you, have a go!

Nene Whitewater Centre - the club has made numerous day trips to this centre, which is just outside Northampton. It is a man-made whitewater course of approximately 300 metres long and is ideal for introducing paddlers to moving water, especially those wanting to progress onto whitewater rivers. See their website at www.nenewhitewatercentre.co.uk for more details on the facility. We have arranged group transport in the past, and for most trips junior paddlers are able to attend (with parents watching from the dry waterside. It is is not uncommon to find 25 or 30 paddlers from the club attending. It is hoped that we will run at least one trip to this centre each season, subject to available coach cover, transport availability and interest from members.

Alfriston Trip - when the tides are right we have a trip up the River Cuckmere from our clubhouse to just above Alfriston. We catch the incoming tide and stop at an agreed access point for lunch whilst the tide turns and return with the outgoing tide. This trip is ideal for those wanting to clock up some paddling hours and is a good day trip for those who want to venture beyond the clubhouse based paddling. .The trip lasts about 6 hours including the hour or so break for lunch. It is suitable for most craft including kayak, canoe and sit-on-top. Kayak and Canoe playboats should be avoided for this trip as they are very hard to paddle over long distances!

Other River Trips – we always try to arrange other trips on more challenging water or greater paddling distances, but these trips are always dependent on the weather, coaches availability and members interest. The club programme is kept up to date with the latest planned trips, and if there isn’t one on there you like, you can always volunteer to help us organise a trip somewhere fun!