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Boat maintenance and repairs

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We recently had a boat maintenance and repairs day, along with a much needed clear out of the garage. Huge thanks to Julius for organising this, and to Julius, Dean, Kiki, Liz, Elaine, Sarah and Michelle for all their hard work returning the fleet to tip top condition! The lost property and spare clothing boxes were overflowing and an email will soon be going out to members with photos of items for you to claim.

2021 05 16 A lovely gentle paddle from drizzle to sunshine!

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A typical Sunday gentle paddle upstream! Despite threatening skies, some drizzle and a breeze in our faces, our happy trio enjoyed a relaxed morning heading upriver against the ebbing tide. Why are goslings SO cute! On reaching Kew Railway Bridge, the Bulls Head pub looked shut but wonderfully The City Barge was open! So we all enjoyed a super warming coffee sitting with a river view. Thanks Liz! … and fantastically the grey clouds were … Read more

Five Tasters & Two Coaches teaching on two Consecutive Sunny Sundays

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Students : Jan, Philip, Niamh, Steve & Svetlana Coaches: Coaches Elaine and Steve Weather: Sunny on both days. Tide: low tide on first session, high tide on second section. Day 1 is basic kit up day. Check everyone has sufficient clothes for the session. Ask about their paddling experiences and share Coach Elaine’s and Coach Steve’s. Choose buoyancy aids and check they are tight enough not to fall through them should they swim. Down to the pontoon on route a … Read more

THAMES FLOODING – PADDLE TO TASTE NAKED LADIES BEER 29/4/21

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CLUB PADDLE TO TASTE NAKED LADIES BEER. Sea Kayak Paddle with tide from Chiswick to Twickenham and back. I have included some snaps from previous paddles which I never got around to posting. So a couple of stories intermingled. Sea Kayak Paddle 14.45- 19.00pm. Headed off on a powerful tide to Twick. Smooth paddle low wind. Not just the pigeons are exploiting CPCC’s sumptuous riverside pontoon. No stops lots of Canadian Geese nesting on moored … Read more

Sea Kayak taster session…

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Sunday 25/04/2021 Super relaxed session with a perfect mix of comfort zone defying explorers. Strong winds, sun & team. With Neil, Rhiannon – with Tom, David & Seb. Loads of smiles and happiness. Sunday afternoon Thames perfection.

Paddling through the Night

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20/04/2021 & 21/04/2021
with Elaine, Safi, Harriet, Leigh, James, Frank, Eliza & Federico.
Chiswick Pier to Richmond and back. Enjoying each other’s company,
the river (which was all ours), our kayaks, the silence, the sounds, moonlight and stars.

Federico, Elaine & Harriet – styling it…

Swans without lights… (clearly amateurs) and Kew Bridge.



Eliza & Safi – colour coordinated

Life is worth living again… First pint by the river (for some of us), Lovely staff… A fairly steep ramp to get out of…


We are still a little limited in terms of pubs and toilet breaks – but we got ‘lucky’ on the second evening due to indepth research of our scouting division.

Back home.
Brilliant fun! Big ‘thank you’ to everyone. Hopefully soon again.

Additional pictures by Frank.

The Third of a series of taught paddles

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Beautiful weather and an ebbing tide should have meant an excellent teaching opportunity. Unfortunately, both club members contacted me early cancelling their session. Should I have gone out without teaching, well yes and I did. This was a day where I could practice those paddle strokes and techniques that i don’t have time to do whilst teaching others. Low tide must mean practising poling, something not used in a kayak. For several hours I reminded myself how much … Read more

Second Coached Session for Club Members

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Another coaching session based around Chiswick Pier. Aim: to improve two distantly different skill level students whose experience of paddling is extensive, but technique needed some practice. Over time habits become ingrained and become the normal. Unlearning skills gained becomes frustrating, but quite possible with patience. Students: Federico (kayak) and Mary Jo (canoe) Coach: Steve Water conditions: Low water on a flooding tide. Firstly teaching a mixed skill and mixed vessel course is challenging, but … Read more

First Teaching Session with CPCC

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Our First Club Session back on the Water. Session Coach Steve On the water Coach Elaine Participates: Club paddlers Eva and Peter Conditions on the day: Ebb tide with visible land opposite the pontoon. Weather: Warm and Sunny. The session started with a discussion of paddle type and length. Boat number recorded in the club log book (so anyone would know what had be used on a previous session) and we were good to go. … Read more

Another fine day on the river – little did we know Lock down 2 was just around the corner.

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A Sunday morning with very few club members in slightly challenging conditions. It was our last opportunity to paddle pre lockdown. We set out in a pod of four. The pod was led by coach Elaine and Steve with Liz and a new club member Polly. Coach Elaine launched each of us at almost low water. We had previously discussed a basic strategy for the session. We would paddle a little way upstream before turning … Read more