SW/ South Devon get-together 09?

[Mark R]

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/even ... 0371010820

[Sea Otter]

This sounds great. I hope I can get a boat to use soon.

informal graded trips

talks

specific technique sessions

all sounds good.

Anyone thought of Plymouth Sound as a base. easier to get to than torbay by car. fantastic coastline. shelter from elements from different directions. great watersports centre at Mount Batten and brilliant canoe club. port of plymouth canoe association. camping?

[Mark R]

If you're planning on coming but haven't emailed me yet (see the bumf posted on my blog, linked above), please do so soon - I'm counting up places available.

Cheers,

[Mark R]

http://southwestseakayaking.co.uk/2009/ ... date-1609/

[Mark R]

Weather might just be okay for the weekend!

Fingers crossed ...
http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/tod ... e=salcombe

[Mark R]

Many thanks to all who helped make this into a very enjoyable weekend.

[Tourer]

Many thanks to all who helped make this into a very enjoyable weekend.

so so sorry I didn't make it. Just felt a bit drained after a 50 hour week worked plus ~ 300 miles driving I just couldn't face another 166 miles from here x2 just for some fun.

One thing is for sure: I'll be in Landeda www.Ckmer.com 15.-23.8. (well 14.-28.8. travelling) which I think is a similar format plus French/Breton food and music but deliberately without manfacturers and some old friends long time not seen, sure there'll be new ones as well.

Rainer

[Mark R]

Cheers in particular to the folk who presented talks last night, to PH Kayaks and the folk who organised paddling trips ... I'm in debt to quite a few folks.

A few pics here ... most are by my wife, I didn't go mad with the camera as I was of course somewhat busy.*
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8 ... 4bb94cfc8f

Mark R


*Drinking, to judge by the pics.

[Mark Gawler]

Thanks Mark for putting on a excellent weekend, It all seemed to run without a hitch. It was a stroke of genius to combine the event with a local cricket tour!

I have a load of pictures of of varying quality, which I will post up tonight.

[Mark Gawler]

A selection from the weekend...

[TechnoEngineer]

Much nicer looking weather on the 2nd day, with some surf, looks like I missed a good session! Where did you launch from? How long did you stay out?

[Mark R]

Much nicer looking weather on the 2nd day, with some surf, looks like I missed a good session! Where did you launch from? How long did you stay out?

We all launched from Thurlestone beach. Some went to explore Burgh Island, some went along the cliffed coast past Bolt Tail. Conditions were great, with light winds, a smooth swell exploding into the cliffs and blue skies.

[tizereyes]

Really grand weekend.

The paddling was great (even in the fog), people were lovely, the pub was bonkers, the talks interesting, demo boats shiny, booze & cake plentiful and the sheep shit got everywhere!

Thanks so much to all involved. You provided a very good bday weekend!

[Richard_M]

Here's some of my pics of friday......


Eurion finding another use for a split paddle!












Can anyone shed any light on this cross, it was on the cliff near Compass Cove, we think it was some sort of memorial to a 'Reginald Cruickshank'.



A great weekend.

Richard
http://www.seakayak-porthsele.blogspot.com

[TechnoEngineer]

OK - some frames taken from the video camera. Please excuse me if I've got any names wrong, and please excuse the dodgy camera angles ;)

Some friendly folk from Taunton Canoe Club:


"JetBoil". Great for making the tea!


First Out...take a deep breath....


Warmup exercise (waiting for the sun to come out) :P Spot the Scorpio paddler figuring out where to put the helmet...


More people on the water


Sally, plus a seal popping his head out of the water in the distance


Heading out


Heather and Laura. There's actually a "For Sale" sign on one of the houses at the top of the cliffs.


Start Point Lighthouse, with some kayaks


Mark exiting (very skillfully) from a cave


Me in the cave


Sarah and Heather in a rock garden. Rock gardening is such great fun!


Inquisitive Seal


Lunch. With P&H chocolate!


In the fog


Spot the other kayak group in the distance...


Err, crab


Hallsands. Really great to see this place for real after seeing it on TV.


The campsite

[Robbie C]

Cheers Mark for organising the event.
I missed the Saturday paddle but enjoyed the talks & Sundays paddle.
Thanks also to Andy, Dee & Joe for Sundays Trip.

Robbie C. (Borrowed North Shore buccanneer)

[Chris W]

Big thanks to Mark R for making it happen (something Mark is very good at) and for letting me loose with Powerpoint.

I have an aversion to paddling in big organised groups but I'm glad we chose to be sociable and join in on the Sunday, because it was a lovely atmosphere. After Andy L departed with part of our group, both Mark R and I realised that both our VHF radios' batteries had died. Oops!

Julia and I enjoyed Saturday's pea souper of a fog too (well, Julia did afterwards)- paddling round from Salcombe to Hallsands felt like a proper adventure (we could barely see Salcombe at times, from East Portlemouth, 200 yards away). Even in thick fog that coast is still beautiful.

That's the first 'meet' I've attended. The only down side was a minor touch of 'boat envy'. The Capella has never, ever, ever, been found wanting, paddling alongside £2K+ composites in all conditions, but it was like turning up at a Hells Angels rally on a moped. Well, sort of....

Chris.

[Mark R]

A few loose ends from the weekend to be tied up ... confessions please ...

- Who came back p*ssed on Friday night at 2 am and made such a racket?
- Who herded the sheep out of the field, early Friday night? The farmer's wife swears that paddlers did this.
- What were the weird hats in the pub all about?
- Who reversed over our tent?

[Mark Gawler]

Who herded the sheep out of the field, early Friday night? The farmer's wife swears that paddlers did this.

I think the answer to this one is obvious... think Wales.
I think he may have been part of the 2 am party, but not the rowdy high pitched one!

[Mark Gawler]

How much was raised for the Devon Air Ambulance and the RNLI?

[Mark R]

How much was raised for the Devon Air Ambulance and the RNLI?

Just short of £200, according to Maria - I'll send £100 to each, just as soon as I can be bothered to empty the pint class and count it all out.

Although there were far more paddlers on the water this weekend (I estimate that c80 different people paddled over both days?), oddly the evening event in the hall was much quieter than last year - no idea why this was.

[Richard_M]

A few more pictures, this time from Saturday.....


















A great day's paddling followed by a game of cricket and some interesting talks from Chris, Olly, Mark and Jim and finished off with a good night in the pub. As regards to your questions Mark...
1. Eurion and myself were both tucked up in our tents (separately of course!) way before 11pm .... so not guilty!
2. Eurion held the gate while the sheep went out and I suppose the land rover blocked the road .....so partly guilty!
3. Hats in the pub ... maybe some strange local tradition
4. Know nothing about your tent ...sorry!


Richard
www.seakayak-porthsele.blogspot.com

[chrisb_uk]

A Great Weekend. Many Thanks to Mark and all those who contributed to bringing it all together.
The Pub was truly exceptional, as were the attendees, the paddling and the location.

[journeyman]

[Mark R]

What a fantastic arch - where is it located?

[Mark Gawler]

What a fantastic arch - where is it located?

The answer is on Page 91, South West Sea Kayaking, Its a good book maybe you should get a copy.

[Mark Gawler]

I like this arch, I guess we missed it in the fog.

[dwbald]

What a fantastic arch - where is it located?

The answer is on Page 91, South West Sea Kayaking, Its a good book maybe you should get a copy.

I was just having my morning coffee reading this one, mid gulp, the computer is now drenched. lol

[Mark R]

I honestly didn't recognise Thurlestone Rock! There was surf breaking across it on Sunday, I'm impressed that anyone was brave enough to try 'threading' it.

[Mark R]

http://southwestseakayaking.co.uk/2009/ ... heers-all/