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| Just a typical scene on the Medway |
My inlaws arrived yesterday so I thought what better day to go on a canoe trip down river towards Yalding. That would be an achievable destination as it looked about half way on the Medway Canoe Trail map which I'd managed to get hold of when I went on my last excursion on the Royal wedding day (scroll down if you must.) This time I was a little late setting off from the slipway at Tonbridge park but reckoned on about six hours maximum even with stops. (Incidentally I should point out, just in case they read this, that I wasn't really going off on a trip to get away from my sister in law and family, honestly I wasn't, it was just that the conditions were almost perfect: calm, fairly still waters, sunny but not baking hot, bit of a gentle breeze, river flowing but not too fast; conditions which you only see every few weeks on the day you can spare the time.)Having gone down part of this canoe trail a couple of times now I really cannot think of a better way to unwind. I like the gentle exercise, I like the song of the paddle and the canoe as it glides through the water, I love seeing the wild life and I like the feeling of being close to home and yet in a completely different environment. The only thing I could do without is those damned lock gates; for a solo novice canoeist, in an open canoe, they pose a bit of a challenge. The town lock fish gate is an easy way to get down the lock, it's a slow controlled shoot which just gently plonks you down and on your way towards the Cannon Lane bridge and beyond it the next lock, Eldridge's where there was supposed to be another fish gate/canoe shoot. This should have been finished in June but clearly work has over ran which meant a 100 metres portage (that's what we canoeists call carrying your canoe from the platform above the lock to the one below or vice versa. Fine did that no problem. Next lock was Porters Lock where I'd had a little scare last time when water rushed in my canoe, who's name is Tallulah by the way, so I was wary of this steep little shoot which is graded easy but I'd say they need to look at that grading again. I was quickly down towards the bottom and expecting the surge of water coming over the back gunnels, so leant forward slightly and, rather stupidly, stuck my paddle in to slow myself down a little. This action, and my over compensating lean, resulted quickly and dramatically in a capsize! Over I went one way, paddle still in hands, Tallulah the other way, water still rushing from the shoot pushing us both further down stream. I have done capsize routine before though not since my school days so, to be honest I knew I'd be alright so I was more concerned about the canoe. It all happens in seconds but you kind of go into slow motion mode on occasions like this. In a short space of time I'd got a hold of the canoe, now half full of water but the right way up, put the paddle inside it, noticed a shallow area on the bank to the left and swam my way to that point across the current of the shoot. Phew! Safely on the bank, now to check my gear and empty out the gallons of river water from my canoe. Thankfully, I had prepared for such an eventuality so this didn't actually take that long. I'd had the foresight to have my gear in a water proof holdall, my mobile phone was around my neck in an Aquapac water tight bag and similarly my money in an Aquapac wallet. My Yak buoyancy aid had done what was expected of it. I hadn't had the foresight though to wear swimming trunks or a wet suit so the next hour or so was going to be wet and uncomfortable but it was sunny and canoeing is a great way to keep yourself warm and I wasn't going to let it spoil a lovely day. I hadn't even got half way by this point, so I paddled on all the way to Yalding. I decided to portage round the next three locks to avoid a similar incident especially since the shoots were all graded red or black ie. moderate and difficult. Another time I'll be a bit more adventurous but I'd had my one swim for the day thank you very much! The sight of my support vehicle at Yalding (my wife) was a very welcome one even though by now my clothes were pretty much dry. I could go home to a very well earned hot shower followed by dinner with the inlaws washed down with a couple of bottles of beer....
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| Hampstead Lock. End of the trail... for now |
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