Kingfisher Canoe Club

Hey all. Following on the meeting on Wednesday, here are some updates on what is happening.

Polo Taster Session

Thanks to Chris who has arranged an agreement with Oxford Brookes, we can access their pool a Sunday a month for some Polo practices. The next one is on 12th May from 9 to 11.30 at the Harcourt Sport Campus. Polo boats are already at the pool. You only need to bring what you will wear (BA may be advisable?!). If you are interested, contact Chris Bloomer. The cost is about £2.

The session will be shared with Brookes Canoe Club.

Ditch Clear Up

Spring has arrived and with the recent flood, there is a whole load of rubbish in the river. We are looking for some volunteers to come and give us a hand for a quick wiz down the Ditch with some opens in order to clear it.
We will be doing this on a Sunday morning. Raises hands if you are keen (and then email me), and let us know which Sunday morning would be most suitable. We are looking at a week end in May, ideally the one not clashing with the Polo session (so either 19th or 26th May).

Trips

Some are heading to Slovenia at the beginning of June. Wish them to have excellent fun. In the meantime, if some are keen on organising some UK paddling (Tryweryn or other?), then please let me know.

Hydro

A proposal has now been formalised and will be sent to the Environment Agency shortly. After that, it will be waiting. The plan is to setup a push button to open one or two of the small radial in order to release the water..

Site

There is some work being undertaken by Simon, Louise and Dave to sort the issue.

Taster Session

We are going to be running a couple of taster session this month, with one during the Go canoeing week on 22th May on top of the one on the last Wednesday of the month.

Beginners Course

We still have a few spaces left on the Beginners course starting in a couple of weeks. If you know anyone interested, please let us know. Do pass the message around you…

Paddling

Hey all! With Spring finally arrived, we are back on the water every Wednesday Evening – meeting at about 6pm at the hut. In order to arrange for hut duty, for those with a key, please let me know if you are there so that I make sure someone will be present for kit borrowing. This Wednesday additionally is the last Wednesday of the month – Taster session, so if a couple of people can assist, that would be great.

We also have people doing their training for 2 star.

Pub Paddle

The 2* group are doing an Oxford Pub paddle on Saturday 27th April! Meeting at hut at 9:00am, and then heading up to Oxford for the day. Lunch at the Victoria Arms I think! Back and finished by 4:00pm. If you are interested, let Chris Bloomer know.

Blastathon

Provisional date for the diaries – 22nd June if water levels allow.

Trips

Short of trips for May – anyone has a week end they would like to paddle – let everybody know, I am sure there are people interested – Tryweryn could be an option.

Reminder on the site – as mentioned, Wiltsham road is to be use at the moment only on Wednesday night and Sunday morning.

Monthly Meeting

Wednesday 3rd April will be the club meeting. As people will be on the water it will likely be a bit later around 8.30 – 9pm.
I am saying this now as I am on holidays from tomorrow. Enjoy the rain… should do some good boating conditions over Easter.

Trips

As you will have noticed in previous email, 12-14th April, camping/paddling trip wherever the water is – just man-up and come camping its actually not that bad

Chris and Neil are planning on organising a trip for 2* on either the week end of 27-28th April or 4-5th May. This will be discussed on the first of the 2* coaching session on 3rd April.

After that, we would be looking at trying to get in a pub paddle for the end of the Beginners course.

Duncan seems to be going for a trip towards the Alps in the last week of May in Val Sesia. From discussion it seems to be left open as to where the water is, but considering the snow cover in the Alps you will likely have ideal conditions wherever you go. Let Duncan know if you are up for it.

Hut rearrangement

We need to do some upgrading of the racking at the hut. The plan is to meet up there on Sunday 7th April for some DIY work. If you are about please do come and give us a hand.

Courses

The 2* training will be starting on 3rd April. Those interested, please try to let Louise know.

An FSRT will be run later in the year by Louise – details to follow
Start of Beginners soon. Details to follow on website

Trasher

If you have any articles please send them through to kcc.trasher@gmail.com

Taster sessions and Wednesday

Please let me know if people with keys will be around on Wendesdays so that we ensure there is someone to open the shed. We also need to have people on last Wednesday of each month from April for the taster.

Costs

For members, kit can be borrowed £5 a session.
If you wish to borrow the opens, please book it using the agenda in the hut.
Non-members can borrow kit for £10 (and would need to be supervised).
Taster – first free, if coming back, £10 for kit borrowing as non-members
Both the above need to fill in a temporary membership form.

Polo

There are some development on this front. Once all details are sorted, there will be further details. At the moment Chris is in negotiation.

Trips

Gerb is organising a trip in North Wales week end of 22-24th March. Depending on water, there is the Tryweryn or plenty of other rivers in the area… Accommodation to be determined, but he will try to get the bunkhouse. Let Gerb know if you are interested.

For April, I am leaving week end of 12-14th April free. Plan is to go paddling where the water is and camp. If interested, please let me know.

Finally, he may not like it, but there we go he is now designated, Duncan seems to be taking over the organisation of a trip in the Alps.

Trasher

If you have anything for the Trasher, this should be send to kcc.traher@gmail.com before 15th April.

Wednesday Night

With light coming back in the evening, Wednesday’s will be starting again. I will need to know slightly in advance who with a key be at the hut so as to ensure there is always someone who can open for kit.

Kit Testing

Chris will be at the hut from 9.30 on 24th March for doing testing of club kit for the new season. He is looking for helpers to come along. Date may potentially move if too many people go to North Wales. If you wish to test your BA as well, bring it along.

Blasthathon Provisional date

This is not quite this time of year yet, but a date of 22nd June has been set for the Blasthaton (water lever allowing). Get the training started…

Monthly Meeting

First Wednesday of the month means meeting. As usual we will meet at the Cherry Tree Pub in Steventon from around 8.30. Hope to see you all there. Its a good opportunity to catch up on what has been happening and what is happening… It will be the opportunity to run through some of the updates regarding the site following on recent development.

Renewal

Note that this is one of the last email going to a combination of last year’s membership and this year. After that, we will change password, and remove you from the Facebook group.
If you have not revewed, please contact Fattaur – kcc.membership@googlemail.com

2 Star Coaching

2 star training (kayak and canoe) wednesday evening 6pm at hut. Starting 3rd April for 4 weeks. Please let Louise know if you are interested in this to progress your skills or for working towards your Level 1 coach. This is a good course for anyone from last years Improvers course. Come and dust off those cobwebs!.

Trip for March?

Hey, at the moment there is no trip planned for March. Can we find a volunteer to organise something?

Beginners

Beginners courses will be starting later in Spring. If you have any friends interested, let them know as there has already been a fair bit of interest.

KCC Risk Assessment

Will load on the website in the next few minutes the updated club Risk Assessment.
Have a quick look through.

Hi everyone. For those I have not yet seen, I wish you all a Happy New Year full of paddling adventures and good time.

Pool Session

The last pool sessions for this season are coming, with the last three on 17th, 31st January and 21st February. As always there will be held from 8pm at Our Lady’s Convent in Abingdon.

First Aid Course

This is planned for the week end of 9/10th February at the Abbey Sailing Club (Next door to KCC). The cost is £40 for KCC members and it is open to all – highly recommended irrespective of your level of experience. If you are interested by the few spaces left, please contact Nick Smailes directly.

Kate’s Teifi Trip

Kate Wilson is organising a trip to the Teifi – South West Wales – on the 16/17th February.
This trip is suitable for paddlers at Grade 2-3 level and is good fun. Contact Kate if you are interested.

White Water Safety and Rescue Course

Owen Jones is trying to arrange a WWSR course on 16/17th March. This is designed for paddlers paddling at Grade 3 Level and is very useful to experience rescue techniques. The cost is between 110 and 135 for the week end and will depend on the number of people present. Remember that you can apply for some support from KCC – see website download section for details.
Contact Owen if you are interested.

Slovenia Trip

Louise is organising a Trip to Slovenia from 1-8h June. If you want to get started in White Water paddling continental style, please do come along. Suitable for most abilities, this is paddling in the sun, warm water and crystal clear, turquoise rivers… What else to say… If you are interested, contact Louise for further info and details.

Spring Trip?

I am trying to gather interest for a potential trip on the continent in Spring – May in Italy. This is for advanced paddlers as will hopefully be mostly on Grade 4 waters.
For the moment dates thrown around include last week of May. If you are interested, please let me know directly

Hello everyone… just back from a very dry Gene17 week end, but still good fun.
What’s up at the club?!

Monthly Meeting

Yes it is he first week end of the Month so this Wednesday, its meeting at the Cherry Tree in Steventon. We will aim to start the meeting between 8 and 8.30pm. See you there.

Pool Session

The next and last pool session for 2012 will be on the 13th December at Our Lady’s Abingdon school Swimming Pool. Starting at 8pm til 9.30.

Dates for you calendar

First Aid Course

Hydro Scheme

Finally, the closing date for consultation is this Wednesday. The club has put an objections centred on the fact that there is no provisions for us.
If you also feel that there is no provisions for our use of the weir, then please feel free to place your objections on the Vale of the White Horse district council website.

http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/java/support/Main.jsp?MODULE=ApplicationDetails&REF=P12%2FV2111%2FFUL.

See ou all on Wednesday.