Flatwater Proficient - finally

There's been some debate on the AR mailinglists about requiring different water proficiencies for adventure races. The next Ystervark AR (early next year) will require at least flatwater proficiency, so a few us went through the process on Saturday. All of us in the picture below :)

We spent a bit of time with Bill (the safety officer) on Saturday afternoon. A short theory lesson where we discussed how to choose a boat, what to take with if you go paddle, and what to do if you fall out. Here's Eric comparing his notes with what Bill told us.

Here's Francois and Oupa Gerrit on one of the 2 laps where we had to prove that we could do some distance (as far as 2 km counts as 'distance')

Here's Oupa Gerrit and Francois again, this time demonstrating that they could do an emergency stop before hitting Tony and Nando's boat. In the background Adri and Keanne is getting ready for the steep turn.

... and this is what the proficiency really is about: falling out of your boat without loosing the paddle ...

... see? Leon still has his paddle :)

Tony and Nando swimming back

... and emptying the boat.

thx hardy for organising this!

tripping the wilge

The paddling club invited the adventure racing club to trip the Wilge last weekend.

They (the paddlers) must have been thoroughly entertained with the adventure racers falling out of their boats at every tiny little bubbly :)

The venue was great, the paddlers friendly and patient and generous with their tips, the potjie was fantastic, the river mild and forgiving, the company great, the weather perfect - even the night-cycle in the rain without lights :)

Some muscles are sore in a 'it-was-a-good-weekend' sort of way, and my kayak now is more stable through bubblies than it was before the weekend.

here's to many more!