Yakkers in the mist

Stevie put fingers to keyboard…

River Clyde, Sunday 9th – Stevie J, Andy D, John P and Chris

No swimmers on this trip however i did get my head wet with a few (successful

:)

)practice rolls so i have come out of retirement to reprise my role as “The guy who writes trip reports all the time because he can’t stay in his boat”

The drive to the get in is due East from my house and the low lying winter sun did it’s best to fry my corneas on the pleasant drive down into the valley. I watched as the temperature dropped from a balmy 5 degrees at my house to nearer 2 degrees and i started to regret my choice of wetsuit shorts.

I arrived with John already there, shortly followed by Andy D, followed by new member Chris. Shuttle sorted, the temperature dropped further with the trudge down the field to the rivers edge. I reckon with a wee dusting of snow you could sledge it down in your boat. All said and done we were on the water for about 10:40

The level i believe was around 1.3m and dropping which give the river that swollen look at the get in, not much int he way of Eddies on either side. With the usual warm up via ferry gliding practice and we were away after about 15 minutes.

Not a great deal to report other than triple falls, which was a bouncy blast. No nasty rocks, just a fun two or three minute descent of the rapids. I was up front and i spun round about half way down to have a look at my three fellow paddlers and was met with a spectacular sight, the sun, still low in the sky provided a stunnning backdrop against triple falls, the spray from the white water had created a fine mist rising up from the water and the sight of the three kayakers all at different points on descent of the rapids was jaw dropping. What a photo opportunity it was, i wish i’d had a camera. The old River Clyde is not too shabby at all in the looks department.

The rest of the trip was rather uneventful, no takers for a play at the bridge and it turned out that I was fine in my shorts after all, not cold at all. Even hands were fine and warm by the time we got off the water around midday.

A great wee short trip at a decent level. Chris doing well on his first outing with the club and his first time on a river in a while.