It was a beautiful warm spring evening when Luke and I found ourselves in the Aosta Region of northern Italy, on the banks of the beautiful Ayasse river, with a good level and a bottle of wine.
Having arrived late in the evening, we camped out by the river for the night, only to be disturbed by a savage boar with an insatiable (and frankly undertstandable) craving for pesto alla genovese. Luke poised himself, ready to fight back, whilst I racked my brains for literary examples of heroes coming face to face with wild boar. The best I could come up with was the mythical gaul Asterix, and as we’d run out of magic potion just that week this was of no use. In the end we chose the bold tactic of going back to sleep, and thankfully woke up in the morning having escaped a tusking.
Having survived the night’s excitement, Luke and I were pretty fired up to blast down the lower gorge first thing. The section is about 500m long, and includes a selection of small slides and drops, including a spectacular triple slide combo at the canyon exit (see picture above). We figured this would serve us well as a pre-breakfast wake up.
Things got off to an entertaining start when both of us misjudged the lip on first boof of the day. Luke got away with it and I got a shoeing. Thankfully I managed to fight my way out with only a bruised Ego. Check the photo, this line was certainly sub optimal:
After negotiating the remaining slides without incident we found ourselves committed to the lower triple combo, which involves a short portage over some big boulders to a sketchy seal launch at the lip of the 30 footer. Here Luke carries his boat, before tucking up and taking the hit.
Luke’s line was exemplary, however this is quite a low volume river, and the hit at the base quite hard. He found himself therefore in a C1 situation in the boily eddy at the base of the falls. After sorting all this out, a cheeky minute or two spent in an innocuous looking cave, a terrifying hidden siphon and an abseil to retrieve an accidentally abandoned camera, we found that it was much later in the day than we’d hoped – more like dinner time than breakfast time.
This was a prime example of how a ‘pre breakfast blast’ can turn into an all day comedy of errors, and feeling somewhat beaten, we took the afternoon off for some cheese and meat appreciation.
More Fun to come soon from Extreme Sport Week in Norway, but for now here are some more shots of epic fun and freeride action from Valsesia this spring, enjoy the pics…
Photos from Luke Farrington, Joe Casey, Nick Horwood.
For the steep creeking connoisseur, spring in Piemonte is always a treat, and this season has been no exception. This year the Gronda racecourse became pretty much part of our daily routine, offering 391 metres of steep technical fun, finishing in a truly classic ski jump drop that will leave you grinning for days.
Here are some photosfrom the last month of this golden Italian mini classic.
Photos from Luke ‘The Boar’ Farrington, Clem Holgate, and Nick Horwood, stay posted for more updates from the land of Pizza, Ice cream and Grappa, in that order.
Keep it steep,
Nick
Palm’s current line up of products are out on the water and on test by paddlers all over the world. We’re really pleased with our products and glad to say the good reviews have been pouring in.
Check out this in-depth review of the Aleutian Sea kayaking suit from solentseakayaking.co.uk:
(click on the image to go to the review).
Palm’s whitewater specific suits have also been going down well with the industry’s reviewers, check out the immersion suit group test in Canoe and Kayak UK magazine: (click on the image below for a link to the review).
The Latest Issue of Canoe & Kayak UK magazine also contains reviews of both the new Palm AMP buoyancy aid, and the ‘modern classic’ whitewater kayak the Dagger Nomad. Issue 106 of the Magazine can be found at your local kayak shop, on any UK high street, or direct from their website at www.canoekayak.co.uk.
Here at Palm we’re always keen to hear feedback and opinions about our gear, so please let us know what you think of your Palm gear in the comments section below…
Jon Best on form, Nile Special, Sunset.
With the cold and dark turning paddling in the UK into a truly character building experience, It was decided that we had quite enough character already, and some warm water paddling was in order. With this in mind, and with the completion of the Bujagali Falls dam drawing closer everyday, Tim T and I booked some last minute tickets, packed our flip flops and suncream, and boarded a plane to Uganda.
As the sun rises through the mist, the local fishermen are already at work.
Almost a mile wide at its source, emerging from lake Victoria 1100m above sea level, the Victoria Nile is a geographical marvel, and kayaking aside, would be worth the visit purely to look at.
Sitting almost squarely on the equator, the Nile enjoys year round warmth, with an average daily temperature of ‘very hot’, and water which can only be described as ‘quite warm’.
Amy Simcock, right hand line, Bujagali Falls
Sadly, several of the section’s classic rapids are very soon to be lost, as the final stages of the new dam are completed. The building site is now starting to look more convincingly like a dam, and is simply breathtaking in its scale. Estimates as to when the section will finally disappear range from sometime around Easter to a couple of years time, however if you’ve not paddled there before, I can’t reccommend a trip strongly enough, and sooner rather than later. Clicking on the link here will take you to Google’s satellite images of the Nile, showing the Dam’s current progress, and what is soon to be lost.
www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=0.494808,33.147554&spn=0.042914,0.055189&t=h&z=14
For those unfamiliar with the situation and the river; here’s a link to Sam Ward’s video ‘A Dam Shame’, filmed exclusively on the section of whitewater which will be lost upon the Dam’s completion.
Although the classic ‘Silverback’ Section is doomed, the Nile thankfully still has a huge amount to offer besides, with some of the world’s best waves, and incredible freestyle paddling. The standout wave on the river is the world famous Nile Special, which serves as the warm water training ground for the many of the world’s best freestyle paddlers.
James 'the artist formerly known as Pringle' Bebbington, in flight.
Some of the River’s mightiest Rapids will also still remain after the new dam is built, and probably the most well know of these is Itanda Falls. Once classified as a grade 6 monster, but now downgraded to ‘still one of the biggest rapids you’ll probably ever see’, this 300m long maelstrom of white chaos (beige disorganisation at lower flows) contains several of the biggest holes on the river, and has handed out some severe beatings to some of paddlesport’s finest.
This December however, saw the rapid’s 2nd successful (4th attempted) descent in a Topo Duo. With the unflappable Tim Trew at the helm, and a fearless Max Coney providing the Ballast up front, the pair navigated the craft flawlessly through the beast, much to the disappointment of the carnage hungry spectators.
Tim and Max, leaders in the tandem kayaking revolution...
If you can make it to the Nile before the new dam is completed, then do so. If not, then go anyway, whenever you can, it really is as good as everybody says…
Saturday night's talks had the bar jam packed - possibly for the talks, or for the free goodies given out in the interval...
This weekend marked the annual Gene17 Adventure Paddlers’ Weekend, bringing together boaters from across the UK and further afield to enjoy some of the Devon’s finest rivers. With good water levels on both days, and a huge turnout both on the rivers and in the bar, the weekend was certainly one to remember
Saturday night’s talks were as always among the weekend’s highlights, kicking off with Adam, Pete, and Spike’s Peruvian adventure, followed by Luke’s series of Vietnamese epics, and some stunning as ever footage from Big O himself Olaf Obsommer. Saturday night also saw a moving and hugely entertaining photographic tribute to Chris Wheeler, offering a brief insight into his incredible life and adventures.
Here are some photos from the weekend, thanks to everybody who came down and got involved. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event, so if you haven’t yet been, we look forward to seeing you there…
The group of miscreants collectively known as Team Palm pose for a photo in their shiny new PFD's.
Ed Smith on the lip of Euthanasia Falls.
An anonymous yet noble hero reaching out to a paddler in need.
Paul 'Cheesy' Robertson showing off some silky smooth skills in the Axiom
Tom Parker did sterling work whilst everybody else was dancing, managing to move all 78 of the imaginary boxes which littered the dance floor.
Germanic paddling Legend Olaf Obsommer enjoying the Plym on Sunday.
All Photos thanks to Paul Wilkinson.
From the National Assembly of Wales website:
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Inquiry into Access to Inland Water
The Sustainability Committee agreed on 24 June 2009 to undertake an inquiry into Access to Inland Water in Wales.
You may be interested to note that the Assembly Bus will be visiting the following locations to gather video evidence as part of the Sustainability Committee’s inquiry into Access to Inland Water. At these sessions the Committee are keen to hear from organisations and people who have not previously given evidence to the Committee on this topic.
Friday 20 November – Gwydyr Hotel, Holyhead Road, Betws y Coed between 11.30 and 12.30
AMs present: Mick Bates and Brynle Williams
Friday 20 November – Queens Square, Wrexham between 16.00 and 17.00
AMs present:: Mick Bates and Lesley Griffiths
Saturday 21 November – Guild Hall Square, Carmarthen between 9.30 and 10.30
AM present: Mick Bates
Saturday 21 November – Welsh Assembly Government Office car park, Merthyr Tydfil between 14.00 and 15.00
AM present: Mike German
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This inquiry is a real chance for the paddling community to be heard, so spread the word, and if you can then come along to support the cause and make your voice heard.
To learn more about the access situation for canoeists and kayakers in Wales, click here, or on the image at the top of this post.
Although many would reel back in horror at the idea of spending a rainy November weekend camping in a field outside Newcastle, team Palm are made of tougher stuff. With a van full of warm clothes and a fleet of kayaks and Canoes, we headed to the historic town of Hexham for one of north England’s biggest paddling weekends.
Yours truly keeping it old skool, Warden Gorge.
Every Year the Tyne Tour attracts hundreds of kayakers from all over the UK, for two days of paddling and to enjoy the now legendary annual Ceilidh. Here are some pictures form the weekend, thanks to Paul Wilkinson.
Several shops and manufacturers temaed up to make a mini retail village.
Saturday night's Party and Ceilidh - Far more fun than you thought organised dancing could possibly be.
The demo fleet of Axioms were out having fun all weekend.
For many the rapids in Warden Gorge are the first taste of whitewater paddling.
A good spot to enjoy some soulful surfing and watch the carnage unfold in the rapids above.
Hello all
This weekend Matt Tidy and myself, along with a crowd of assorted heroes and villains of the padling world headed up to Fort William for the annual Wet West Paddlefest. Despite the dry weather, dam releases had been organized on both the Garry and Moriston Rivers, as well as a big saturday night party, and fter a truly epic drive up, we arrived in the small hours of saturday morning in time to get our heads down for a few hours before the fun began…
We awoke on Saturday to news that the Falls of Lora were running, so headed over to Loch Etive for a spot of playboating. The Falls of Lora is a tidal rapid that forms of on a falling tide as the water flows out to sea, creating a series of large and varied waves with potential for spectacular playboating. Having seen photos of the waves, but never been before, I was excited to find out if they lived up to their reputation, and I was not to be disappointed.
Loch Etive from the bridge.
Having come prepared for a weekend of river paddling Mat and I were not armed with playboats, however Mat’s new Axiom proved more than a match for the falls, and taking turns in this cartwheeling and surfing speed machine provided enough fun for both of us. There are some meaty whirlpools downstream of the main wave, and after seeing a few dizzy beatings, the extra volume of the Axiom over a full on playboat was secretly quite reassuring when negotiating them.
Matt tidy carving it p on the green…
And Cartwheelin’ in the foam.
As the tide began to drop and the waves slowly shrank, we decided that it was time to head over to the Garry for an afternoon blast, before grabbing a bite to eat and gearing up for the party. After a talk from Max Bilbow about his recent trip to Russia the party kicked off in earnest, with funky tunes laid down, and grooves being fully busted long into the Night. The Morning after arrived far too early as always, and brought with it the promise of a hearty release from the Moriston Dam.
As a Moriston virgin, I was excited to see what was in store, and despite having heard many stories of big downtime and the odd gnarly beatdown, I put my trust in Mat and Luke, blindly following their tails over the first horizon…
The first drop; Go left, then sit at the bottom and watch the wide eyes as those who went down the middle eventually resurface.
Charge left, and grind that shelf; Luke Farrington shows us how…
The upper sction of the Moriston is short and sweet, making it a classic spot for doing a few laps, and the huge number of people on the river made for crowded eddies and brilliant spectator sport…
The longest continuous section, with plenty of spots for potential carnage.
Matt Tidy brings the Axiom in for a perfect landing.
After several laps of the Moriston we headed back to the car for cake and medals, and to embark on the long drive south. This was my first trip up to Scotland for a few years now, and every time I go I tell myself that I should spend more time there. Matt’s staying up in the highlands for next weekend’s Etive race and I’m off back down south for some warm autumn weather and smooth dartmoor granite, but there are still many trips left to cross off on my Scotland list so watch this space…
I look forward to seeing the more southern bit of the paddling community in a week or two at the South West Canoe Show. If you’re interested go here: http://www.swcanoeshow.co.uk/
Cheers,
Nick
I’ve just returned from a trip to Iceland, which as the name might have suggested to a more observant traveller, can, at times, be quite cold.
I
Iceland - not just a name...
Having spent the large part of my summer working in Norway, there was a large part of me that was questioning why I don’t go to warm places. Within 24 hours in the country however, we’d already paddled a truly incredible river in one of the most stunning gorges I’ve seen, been welcomed by the unrivalled icelandic hospitality, and scouted our first park ‘n huck…
Man of steel Adam Dumolo punches through a hole – Jokulsa river
Scouting Reykjafoss from the lip
Having in previous years spent more hours than I can count watching Valhalla (the best* kayaking movie ever made, in case you were wondering), my trip to Iceland was something of a pilgrimage, and a chance to follow in the footsteps of boating heroes. It was, therefore, with the footage of an unlucky Seth Warren breaking his ankles playing in my head, and Valhalla’s pounding metal soundtrack playing in my ears that we set off around Europe’s most volcanic** island.
A sweet 9m stomach-in-mouth boof.
The Adam and Nick show: perfectly synchronised, Small Gothafoss.
If you ask the right people very nicely, you might acquire directions to this crack, which can be found hiding in the middle of an ancient, featureless lava field. If you find it, and can then find a safe way down 12m or so of vertical polished walls into the depths, you will be rewarded.
The Norse gods know how to run a good bath.
Sara James drops the big line on the classic Gothafoss. Why not send a collection hat around the crowd of tourists? It’ll pay for a victory ice cream…
On one of our outings we were lucky enough to paddle the Barka, another mysterious yet rewarding gem uncovered earlier this summer by the guys on Ben Brown’s trip (see his earlier iceland post).
Adam D on a clean looking 8m drop, Barka.
Tom P on a sweet double drop, Barka.
The stunning Gorge of the East Glacial river, Adam, Sara, and Myself enjoy the evening sunshine
All in all an amazing trip in a country which culturally, geologically, and grammatically exceeds all expectations. There is still as of yet a huge supply of unrun waterfalls and rivers waiting to be found, as well as a huge list of classic and not so classic whitewater ready and waiting. I can’t wait to go back.
A huge thanks to Mark and all of the guys at the rafting center in Varmalith, who sorted us out a treat.
I’m back in the UK for the winter now, and hoping for a wet one. I’m off to the Wet West Paddle Fest this weekend so hope to see lots of people there…
Big love, and safe hucking
Nick
*In my opinion, which happens to be correct, in my opinion.
**I couldn’t find a scale for volcanic-ness, but I’m pretty sure it would be.
Photos from Sara James and Nick Horwood
Jam in Sjoa, and the funky new Sweet Wanderer
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Hello all, I’m now back in residence on the banks of the beautiful Sjoa, with high water and beautiful weather, having just arrived after traveling up from the south for a week in Voss, the waterfall capital of Europe.
Hanging out on the banks of the Otra
The annual Voss Ekstremsportveko is a huge festival attracting thousands of athletes and spectators from all over the world for an incredible week of showing off at various dangerous and spectacular activities. From BASE jumping through longboarding to Kayaking, Mountain Biking and Skiing, the week has it all. We were of course there for the kayaking, and high water levels combined with unseasonably hot weather made for good times all round.
Lowri Davies on a meaty meltdown move, Raundalselvi
Much of the week was spent paddling on the Brandseth, one of Norway’s most beautiful rivers, and home to the downhill race, Ekstremsportveko’s biggest kayaking event. Water the colour of Bombay Sapphire, clean enough to drink flows down waterfalls, slides, and some tricky combo moves to create a kayaker’s paradise, albeit one with several possibilities for a beating.
Lowri and Paula. It's rare that a baby blue mamba is camouflaged.
Good flows made for a fast and exciting race, with good representation from the UK. A bad start on my part knocked me out of the finals and down to position 22 out of 80 competitors, however given the standard of competition and time only for a single practise run I was happy enough. A mention must go to Lowri Davies and Liz Bell who paddled to 2nd & 3rd place in the women’s race, after Norwegian machine Mariann Saether, who as always beat a significant proportion of the male field. In the Men’s race the slalom paddlers cleaned up again, with Italian Michele Ramazza winning on average, despite a blisteringly fast final run from Kiwi Sam Sutton.
Lowri Davies on the final drop of the competition run.
Towards the end of the week, News started drifting through that the elusive Teigdal was flowing, a rare treat indeed , and home to arguably the best paddleable waterfall combo in the world, the infamous Double Drop. Having psyched myself up for this waterfall every year but never found the right flow, I decided this was too good an option to miss, and after a big day’s boating Ric ‘the northern bullet’ Moxon and I headed over for an evenings hucking…
Yours truly. It's not often you get to boof from 22m above your landing pool. Photo: Will Clark
The drop consists of a 9-10m mandatory boof into a tiny (it’s smaller than it looks) pool, before plunging directly over another 12-13m drop with one or two rocky ledges waiting to punish any mistakes. You cannot see the halfway pool until you are right on the lip and it therefore feels a lot like boofing off the edge of the world. Ric Moxon went first, charging hard as ever, and after breaking his paddles across his deck on the first landing, pulled off a sweet two handed stroke over the lip of the second. Gnarly.
Northern bullet Ric Moxon: This guy's a big deal. Just ask him. Photo: Will Clark
I was up next, and feeling quite lonely by now in the eddy at the top. I pulled out of the eddy into the sunshine, took one last glance at the view, and prepared to fly. my first landing was soft, and within two strokes I was out of the mist and in freefall again. I landed more vertically than I had planned, resurfaced in the base of the fall, and another broken paddle later I hand rolled up in the pool feeling a little dazed, but buzzing nonetheless.
Nick & Ric: "Sick Line" (in ze german accent of course)
I’m now settling down once again to life in the Sjoa valley, and have been enjoying the classic Aamot and Store Ula runs, so stay posted for more pics to come. Anybody heading out this way over the summer, come and stop by the Kayak camp for a paddle and a cup of tea. There have been exciting new changes and some renovations this year, and with the Ula race making a comeback, the Sjoa festival is looking to be a good one.
Cheers, see you there,
Nick
