A fun canoe and kayaking club based at Chiswick Pier
Went on a kayak paddle from Chiswick Pier to Hampton Court Palace and back (Molesey lock) with Kiki. We set off at a leisurely 11.20 came back around 9.20pm. 28.5 miles round trip (probably more like 29-30 miles as following edge of river not central fairway) Might be useful to use a gps: https://gb.mapometer.com/canoeing Could try this for planning and plotting: We thought we would catch the incoming tide which gave us a minor help … Read more
Went on a kayak paddle from Chiswick Pier to Twickenham and back with Kiki and Julius . We set off at a leisurely 9.20. We used Ventures and fusion boats. The weather was overcast with low predictions of rain. Our journey with the incoming tide was smooth, we went at an unusual leisurely pace via all the roundabout routes to look at the moored boats. There was strangely one rusting barge with graffiti paintings supporting … Read more
During the week or more likely last thing, the procedure from the club is the coaches who have made themselves available are issued with their paddling groups. This Sunday was no exception, however with the particular tide forecast for this specific Sunday it was a high tide paddle I had advised one of my group that it would be a tough paddle and not suitable for someone of their skills level. Harsh maybe, but safety … Read more
The club was contacted by English Heritage following an assessment of a historic bridge over the ornamental lake in the grounds of Chiswick House. The bridge had lost a couple of facing stones on the underside of the arch and to be sure that it was safe, needed to be assessed by a structural surveyor. Luckily he was a 2 star canoeist but health and safety required a safety boat – enter Dean stage left! … Read more
Greenwich paddle to see Cutty Sark. The pontoon had been hijacked by a family of swans with their four new babies, (cygnets) did anyone know that a male swan is a cob and a female a pen! In fact they seemed to be treating us like squatters and almost seemed to be ignoring us, unperturbed by our two sea kayaks being made ready to launch. We headed off with the tide around 9.20am for a … Read more
Another Sunday where although fewer club members than the previous week, despite the sun shining and the water level being low. We thus did have sufficient coach cover to take all those that pre booked out on to the river as it was a very low tide which made for an easy paddle towards Kew. Before I write about what we got up to its a welcome back to Coach Elaine who has been self … Read more
We had a very easy paddle to Putney where the pub was vetoed for a delicious coffee in the church in the square instead. Our return was obviously much harder whilst now paddling into the wind, but there were only shorts bursts that felt like we were stuck in time (and motion). Otherwise it was a challenging but fun paddle. We didn’t see Sarah’s and Dave’s group – Julius caught us at Putney Bridge and … Read more
Having finally waved the last of the fast(?) group off on their way to Putney and to decide whether to grace Wetherspoons with their custom, we launched a small, select group: Sarah, David, Louisa, Dee, Marissa and Julius. First challenge was to get past the lifeboat; we managed to launch just before low water at Chiswick Pier and getting past was an exercise in pulling past the lifeboat (in an appropriate safe fashion). There was … Read more
The club is currently working on the basis of one coach to a comfortable number of pre-booked club members. We have had to change our ‘turn up and paddle policy’ so it is now invite only. Sarah D is scheduling departures, to minimise possible contact time on the pontoon. To reiterate it is ‘no longer turn up’ and join the club Sunday paddle. It is for club members to contact Sarah D to be allocated a paddling … Read more
We are now in our fifteenth week of lock down and we are still trying to find ways of getting back out on the water to paddle. This is more to let you know we are still experimenting with coach and a couple club member’s paddles. These have thrown up various issues, but we are coming to terms with how to we can over come them and still operate. We are now able to take even more club members out provided … Read more
