NENE WHITEWATER CENTRE VISIT 22 AUGUST 2004

This article was orginally published in the Adur Canoe Club's Autumn newsletter in 2004.

Adur Canoe Club visited Nene Whitewater Centre on a Sunday in late August to have some fun before the water started to get cold. Luckily for us, Yousaf kindly made time in his pre-emigration schedule to act as duty instructor for the trip.

As ever, Dan got everything organised and we set off in two groups from Sussex to meet Yousaf there- Dan, Janet, Alex and Anne in Dan’s car and the Watsons plus Rob in the Watson mobile. Some entertainment on the journey was made available by a rather daring surfer trying to cross the M25 to pick up his roof rack and board that were in the outside lane- whoops. Lucky for us Dan’s roof rack seems to bolted on with titanium!!

At the centre we ate far too much in the café to ensure that we felt sick once we got on the water. All except Dan that is, who had made the most of Cara’s absence and eaten a cooked breakfast the size of Greenland before we left. It’s cheating to make yourself heavy to pull tricks!

We split into two groups with the juniors going with Yousaf to show off their moves whilst the less confident adults were tutored by Dan. Some initial hesitancy wore off when we’d all had our first dunking and before long we were all playing on the waves and trying to get our ends up. There were some rather uncalled for comments about needing to paint PTO on the bottom of my boat. I was just checking that I can roll. Rob and Janet did brilliantly for a first go on the course - not a swim in sight! Alex looked even cooler than usual in his new shades - Alan was on had to take photographic evidence!

Half way through the afternoon, everyone started to get a bit tired and frustrated by whatever they were trying to do as the course got busy. Some bright spark suggested a time trial round the course that yielded some very willing volunteers. Matt and Ben were in joint first place when the adults joined in. Sadly, we weren’t as polite as the juniors and the course instructor chased after Rob when he knocked him off the wave he was posing on. Unfortunately, Rob was the only person wearing club kit and so he had ADUR CANOE CLUB emblazoned across him in several places! Wisely, Rob didn’t tell the bloke that we were racing and pulled a rather clever "I can’t control my boat, guv" excuse. Hopefully we’ll be allowed back!

The day ended with everyone having a go at being swallowed up in the big hole (Pool A) and us all being dragged reluctantly to the changing rooms by the weary drivers. All in all a very successful day’s paddling and several very big smiles. Thanks to Yousaf and Dan for making it happen.

A Walker