Nov 25 2009
Howsham Weir 21-11-09
Even with all the buzz around the floods that took place over the week, we took a group of beginners to the mighty river Derwent on Saturday. We did have an idea that the river would be up but what faced us was the best level that we have seen at Howsham Weir for some time!
It all started at the boat house at 9:30am on a cold and foggy morning. Meeting people with blurry eyes and I think there was the odd hang over as well. We spent the usual time sorting out kit and boats and getting it all into and on top of cars (some of us running to Bev’s for a quick coffee). Then we set of with high sprits and the odd nervous look from the beginners
The river was up around a meter and a half, which was running swiftly under the bridge at the get in. After a quick change on the road side, we set off to the get in, some of us getting in under the wooden bridge just up stream from the road bridge and the braver seal launching in from the opposite bank. We meet up in an eddy and sorted our self’s into our pairs, beginners with more experienced paddlers and off we went forcing our way up the river’s flow.
After a lot of puffing and panting we made it to the Mills bank just under the swing, where a breather was had and a couple of us went up to have a look at the weir. There was a moment of stunned silence as around the bend we came and faced the roaring weir. The water was at such a good level it was following around 5inchs over the top of the main weir, with four main flows and choppy water between them. Due to the level of the river there was a standing wave all along the base of the weir, which was a little sticking in place’s but good fun (ask Bev as she gave a perfect example of side surfing!).
We regrouped and paddled up to the get out point below the weir, disembarked and had a talk about the weir and what we where going to do. This involved breaking in, breaking out and eddy hopping. Slowly working our way up into the faster flowing current, we then all got back into our boats and made a start. Everyone was performing to an outstanding level, the beginners paddling for all they where worth, with screams of “PADDLE, PADDLE, PADDLE” reverberating in the air. Then it happened, I think it’s called the domino effect! One of the beginners took a swim swiftly followed by two other. This caused a mad rush from the more experienced paddlers to start grabbing boats, paddles and swimmers. After the boats where emptied and paddles returned to the swimmers off we went again.
Our brave junior representative was the first to run the weir, followed by another swimming casualty, “mad Mike” who had the unfortunate experience of going side ways down the weir and getting the back of his boat grabbed by the wave at the bottom. After pulling Mike to the side there was a mad rush to the waters edge and a brief portage by all to the top of the weir. Where the beginners all ran the weir with outstanding style, grace and limited screaming (Smurf please take note).
Two of the more experienced paddlers took on the “Hole” at the bottom of shoot, not surfing it but just melting down to see if we could get though it, with great results, i.e. no swimming. After running the weir a few times there was a vote “pub or not to pub” with the expected result. Most of the group left the weir to return to the cars with a few more hardy paddlers staying to run the three foot standing wave on river right of the shoot.
At the get out there was a moment or two of madness, which ended up with two wet car seats and a rather silly seal launch. Back at the pub videos and photo were looked at with much laughter and merriment. A really good lunch and a few pints followed. That sums up the average day trip that YCC runs almost every weekend of the year, so if you want to come along just speak to people on a Wednesday night. Every one is welcome to partake in the madness.
See you on the water, Marcus (a.k.a Greatwhite)
Have a look at the madness as it went down