Finally I've got round to writing and posting up this trip.
Jack, my three year old son, has been asking to come canoeing for quite a while. He had been very excited to learn we would be going out canoeing during the half term break. This trip took place on Friday the 30/5/08.
Jack, my three year old son, has been asking to come canoeing for quite a while. He had been very excited to learn we would be going out canoeing during the half term break. This trip took place on Friday the 30/5/08.
Jack ready to go
Those paddling:
3 boats on the water
Me, Jack and Rich “Richie” Jones in 1 Boat
Dave “Tracker” Goodworth and Billy in the second
Kim George solo in the third boat.
Loaded the boat on to Richie’s van and all headed off to the Thames, arrived at the river 2:00. There had been several days of heavy rain early in the week, the river level was up by 2 feet and was moving very fast, much faster than is usual for this stretch of the river.
Got on the water around 2:30 and off at around 5:30. Jack was raring to go as the photos show. There are Green Parakeets nesting in the tree here, heard them but didn't get to see any.
I have launched a number of times from this spot. There are some very tall poplar trees just up stream of the launch site that Green Parakeets nest in. I have wanted to see this feral bird in the UK for many years now but never had the time to track them down or the luck to see them. Today was different, on our way up stream I saw my first parakeet woo : ). Later on in the day I saw a group of six or seven alight from their perch in a willow on the bank. A long awaited sighting gained, now I have to figure out what rarity I want to see next.
We paddled hard up steam to get to the weir, the current was very strong and it was hard work. Jack really enjoyed seeing the ducks, swans and two digger arms attached to some dredging barges. Paddled toward the weir and sat in the eddy that is formed below a small island to the eastern side of the river. We soon found this not to be the best idea as the water was flowing so fast that the eddy was dragging us back out toward the main tongue of water that was flowing down stream over the main sluice of the weir.
We paddled into the lock entrance for a rest and to gather our thoughts on how to cross the main current and head back down stream through the marina. There was a wall of pilings protecting the lock entry, this had some 1 and 2 feet wide gaps in it. Due to the speed of water on the top side and the force of the eddy back into the entrance, the water level was 2 to three inches lower on the top sideand water poured down hill upstream which was an interesting site to see.
The diagram below shows how we crossed the river
Jack really seemed to enjoy crossing the fast moving water, I thought it might scare him but he sat in the bottom of the boat and rode it out well.
As we rounded the corner and took stock of crossing the river. Billy and Dave pointed to the sky and proclaimed the presence of a pair of Red Kites and a Buzzard circling over the river They were quite happy with each others presence and seemed to be enjoying their flight together. I love seeing these two magnificent birds flying in the skies of the Thames Valley. The Buzzards recent success in regaining its foot hold in the UK is a great success and it lifts my spirits to see them. The Red Kites reintroduction and subsequent success is also very pleasing, it is just a shame that people are now saying that there are too many and something should be done about it. I say if there is enough food to sustain this population then so be it, nature and the way we run the countryside should dictate what happens to this burgeoning population, not people with guns and traps.
We paddle back down stream from the weir, having some fun on the way. Jack and Richie pretend to be scared for the camera. We pass our get in point and some interesting, very expensive houses (see the map above for comment on these).
We arrived at the island and tried to find our way in to the split between the up and down stream island. Richie and Dave had cut a way in on some previous trip and Richie and myself had removed more wood on another trip. After moving a little too far up stream and looking in the wrong place we found our way in and travelled to the interior of the island. Entering this over grown water way is like entering an unexplored jungle. I like getting in to tight spaces with the canoes while hanging plants add another dimension and boost the sensation of "exploring the unknown".
We pulled up and landed ourselves in a clearing on the down stream end of the up stream island for lunch. When I had suggested to Jack that we would go canoeing I said that we could have a picnic. I asked him what we would like and he said he would like a fire to cook sausages, baked beans and carrots, so this is what we did. Jack and Billy played, Dave made Billy a pointy stick and of course Jack wanted one so together they attacked the nettles with gusto.
We lit the fire and lunch was cooked and eaten. All ate well and were satisfied; Dave commented that he had never heard of a small person asking to have carrots in his picnic.
Jack, me and Kim with a brew on the fire
Jack with his pointy stick
The picnic site with a view on to the river
After eating, we explored the island a little further. Billy found skeletal remains of a goose and, upon closer inspection of the bones, found that it had perhaps died of a dog attack as teeth marks were visible on its leg bones.
We packed up and set off down stream turning back up stream around the lowest point of the island. The paddle back upstream was hard work against the fast moving current. My vaccinations for African were painful. They really ached every time I took a stroke using my shoulder muscles.
We paddled hard towards where we got in. As we got close to where we where getting out wenoticed a rather over grown boat house built in a castle like style, the doors where open! Well what could we do - we just had to explore : ). The dark of the inside of the house gave a great contrast to the light coming through the green of the climbers covering the gates. Jack loves echoes so when we started to howl like wolves guess who joined in, great giggles all round.
The over grown boat house
View back out to the river
We exited the boat house paddling the 100 or so meters to the get out point and pulled up the boat, here ended Jacks first canoe trip.
The whole trip was a great day out and Jack enjoyed his trip and his picnic. I enjoyed having Jack there and dealing with the fast moving water where we crossed the river. A good time was had by all. Must do it again soon.
This is a slide show of all the photos for the day, some are included in this post and others are included on the map - enjoy.
