Nick Dennis
WCHA UK
The May Day holiday weekend tends to be a popular one for events and this year it was the "Clash of the Titans". Along with WCHA-UK Chapter paddling weekend on the Norfolk Broads there was also the Kringlefieber meet in Germany and the ever popular Open Canoe Festival on the river Drome in France. Paddlers were well spread. Four intrepid WCHA members joined with another paddlers group at Barton Turf on the Norfolk Broads which is colloquy known as "Britain's Magical Waterland". It is an area of large "Broads" formed when medieval peat diggings (peat was dug in massive quantities to fuel not only the locals and their landlords but the hiuge cathedrals in Norwich, Ely and Lincoln) flooded with the Broads being connected by a network of rivers and dykes. This provides a huge variety of flat water paddling routes and opportunities and is especially suited to wooden canoes. The other benefit is that there are pubs everywhere as paddling is thirsty work.
I packed some essential supplies for the evening as thse medications do help people sleep.
I had loaded a pair of canoes for the weekend, my Henri Vaillancourt birchbark and my Chestnut Deer.
I was joined by a a friendly Robin. He spent the weekend pooping over my canoes, tent and gear. Someone has it in for me!
Alick arrived with his self built Peterborough stripper and Paul with his Valkeriecraft canoe built by John Wilkinson in Northern Ireland. Whilst the friday was a warm and sunny day there was a fierce wind so we deferred paddling until supper was had. It was a full moon so we were able to stay out on the water until 9pm and watched the "Flower Moon" rise. Andy was delayed and was to meet us on the water Saturday in his Peterborough 16S
Our turnaround point was Hunsett Mill. This is an old drainage mill with the mill house which has been extended; we rented it a few years ago to celebrate my 60th birthday with fiends.I was able to paddle every day from the mill house which was perfect.
Saturday started with a mist hanging over the marsh. We had slept in tents to the sound of the deer barking and the Tawny owls screeching above our heads. The Robin had got in my tent during the early morning and left some gifts.
For our Saturday paddle we circumnavigated Barton broad visiting Neatishead and then down the River Ant stopping at How Hill for lunch, coffee and ice creams. There was a wherry moored up and a few Norfolk yachts racing each other up the river to the Broad. Tacking on the narrow river is both a science and an art.
How Hill
We were paddling for five and ahalf hours and covered just less than 12 KM. Wind and tide were fighting us at times.
We were well fed at the Centre in the evening; the wine and scotch flowed as we put the world to rights.
On the Sunday morning after breakfast I took the birchbark down to the dock and put her on the water for the others to have a go and enjoy/experience paddling a birchbark canoe. Whilst I waited I was joined by a young otter who wasn't phased by my prince. He was busy exploring as I suspect mum had just kicked him out of the holt to take on the world as an independent otter. We had about 20 minutes together which is always quite magical.
The guys arrived and enjoyed the birchbark. Compared to me the three of them are lightweights and the canoe did not leak. I paddled it for an hour later and it stayed watertihght but on the return journey it did let in a couple of cupfuls. I suspect like all things in life there may be a magical 100KG limit; I do like a pie!
After they were done we paddled up to the Museum of the Broads, had a good look at their exhibits, enjoyed coffee and cake in the sunshine before paddling back although Andy and Alick diverted via the pub.
All in all it was a great weekend. Folks kept saying that "there's rain in the air" but we stayed dry on all three days with the only rain falling at night when the effects of good red wine and Scotch meant that we didn't care.
Happy paddling folks.
Nick
I packed some essential supplies for the evening as thse medications do help people sleep.
I had loaded a pair of canoes for the weekend, my Henri Vaillancourt birchbark and my Chestnut Deer.
I was joined by a a friendly Robin. He spent the weekend pooping over my canoes, tent and gear. Someone has it in for me!
Alick arrived with his self built Peterborough stripper and Paul with his Valkeriecraft canoe built by John Wilkinson in Northern Ireland. Whilst the friday was a warm and sunny day there was a fierce wind so we deferred paddling until supper was had. It was a full moon so we were able to stay out on the water until 9pm and watched the "Flower Moon" rise. Andy was delayed and was to meet us on the water Saturday in his Peterborough 16S
Our turnaround point was Hunsett Mill. This is an old drainage mill with the mill house which has been extended; we rented it a few years ago to celebrate my 60th birthday with fiends.I was able to paddle every day from the mill house which was perfect.
Saturday started with a mist hanging over the marsh. We had slept in tents to the sound of the deer barking and the Tawny owls screeching above our heads. The Robin had got in my tent during the early morning and left some gifts.
For our Saturday paddle we circumnavigated Barton broad visiting Neatishead and then down the River Ant stopping at How Hill for lunch, coffee and ice creams. There was a wherry moored up and a few Norfolk yachts racing each other up the river to the Broad. Tacking on the narrow river is both a science and an art.
How Hill
We were paddling for five and ahalf hours and covered just less than 12 KM. Wind and tide were fighting us at times.
We were well fed at the Centre in the evening; the wine and scotch flowed as we put the world to rights.
On the Sunday morning after breakfast I took the birchbark down to the dock and put her on the water for the others to have a go and enjoy/experience paddling a birchbark canoe. Whilst I waited I was joined by a young otter who wasn't phased by my prince. He was busy exploring as I suspect mum had just kicked him out of the holt to take on the world as an independent otter. We had about 20 minutes together which is always quite magical.
The guys arrived and enjoyed the birchbark. Compared to me the three of them are lightweights and the canoe did not leak. I paddled it for an hour later and it stayed watertihght but on the return journey it did let in a couple of cupfuls. I suspect like all things in life there may be a magical 100KG limit; I do like a pie!
After they were done we paddled up to the Museum of the Broads, had a good look at their exhibits, enjoyed coffee and cake in the sunshine before paddling back although Andy and Alick diverted via the pub.
All in all it was a great weekend. Folks kept saying that "there's rain in the air" but we stayed dry on all three days with the only rain falling at night when the effects of good red wine and Scotch meant that we didn't care.
Happy paddling folks.
Nick
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