River Calder 2011

Registered Company No 2612775

Misty grey scenery greeted the 15 hardy paddlers who braved the mid November morning for a 7 mile trip from the club to Brighouse. Many of us had never been further downstream than the get out steps before, which is strange as there were some great paddling to be had.

Once all the logistics were sorted out (“who’s got a boat and a car and is coming back to the clubhouse?”) we cracked on and got on the River soon enough. Cliff had prepped everyone prior to the day asking us to be ready for a long day, so with flasks and pasties packed we set off.

It was Dave’s first time in a boat out of the pool sessions so he was a bit apprehensive about facing our white water course but handled it like he was an old sea dog !!

Dave Fuller & I kept getting the Brian ‘hairdryer’ treatment for hanging back and chatting - I was just telling Dave how much I admired his wonderful Movember Tash !!

After navigating a few rapids and some fairly steady weirs without any problems we pitched up around Elland for some coffee and sarnies.

Just after lunch Cliff found one of the most bizarre things I’ve seen on a river - a giant stuffed ant stuck in a tree !!! Of course he pulled it down and it became his ‘river companion’ for another mile or so.

When we got to the evil ‘killer’ weir we all portaged around and saw for ourselves why it was so dangerous, the banking nearly claimed one of us before we got back on the water but luckily all was ok.

From there the paddling was steady with a few interesting rapids river right and then the drop at Pennine Canoe Clubs new premises. This was again handled with relative ease by all including the not so experienced - so nobody swam again !! - I make that at least 3 club trips on the trot that nobody has taken a dip. (We were later to find out that Pete had taken a few swims over at HPP but that’s fair enough as it is HPP, he was in a playboat for the first time and his paddle was a pre-war relic !!!)

Back to the pick up and everyone had had a great time, a lot of us had paddled pastures new and given maiden voyages to new drysuits.

Big thanks go to Cliff for organising and running the trip, Brian for assisting and the ant for the strangest sight on a river.