The River Dart
Saturday – it really wasn’t all about the swims!
Twas a wet, rainy and strangely mild January weekend when an intrepid group set off to paddle the Dart Loop. The eleven kayakers split into two groups, led by Roger and Marion. The water level was middling to high after all the rain, so some swimming was anticipated by some.
The first swim happened before we got to the bridge at the bottom of the car park. This was soon followed by an eskimo rescue – the river was at a ‘testing’ level. We paddled down stopping at most features to play (or swim!).
Rogers group paddled the Loop using the minimum information method: no names were mentioned which helped with the pre-rapid nerves.
However, Marion insisted on telling her group what every feature was called, so that we’d at least be able to say down the pub “did you see me swim down ‘—‘ “, and many of us did. That said, most of us made it down Washing Machine and even Lovers Leap relatively ok. Triple Falls, however, was more like multiple swims – nearly everyone felt the need for a dip to cool down, followed by a pause on the bank for a rest / drink / wee… but everyone was still in good spirits.
From then on things deteriorated as the water level rose. At least the rain had some sunshine thrown in, so we had some great rainbows to look at as we lay gasping on yet another piece of river bank after another out-of-kayak experience…
Spirits remained high though, buoyed by thoughts of warm showers and the extra large solid fuel stove at the excellent bunkhouse, and beer in one of Dartmoor’s many lovely pubs.
Some braved Holne Weir, some portaged round and watched the brave souls who fought their way through the wave at the bottom. Peter C, on his first ever white water trip, showed the more experienced paddlers how it should be done by blasting straight through the stopper!
After that excitement, the rest of the descent was fairly uneventful, though Lyn managed to fit in one final swim on the last flat stretch before the get out while trying some reverse ferry gliding!
At this point some of the group decided to re-do the Dart Loop, the wiser / less experienced / more knackered ones went directly to the nearest pub to tell tales and compare injuries…!
No-Swim Sunday – for Lyn at least!
With the river levels high we avoided the Loop and went from Holne Bridge to Buckfastleigh.
After getting everything and everyone in the right place (and convinced Phil’s car boot to stay shut..) we started at 11am. First stop was Holne Weir, after yesterday many decided to walk it [- good choice!].
Then it was over the Anvil and down the wave train with many “Wahoos!” from Lynn and Mary J
We bimbled on downstream. At the island it was swimming time for Dave who obviously had decided he’d too many layers and had to have a dip to cool down..! In the rescue attempt Phil decided to turn it into synchronised swimming (that or wash the cat..).
On to Furzeleigh Weir. Some decided to walk it but Phil, Marion, Roger, Adam and Mary went over the weir with Peter questioning our sanity. Mary survived the drop, breathed a sigh of relief before demonstrating her support strokes – but no-one swam.
Waving to some baffled ladies we continued to the get-out just above the weir. On exiting her craft, Mary slipped.. there’s debate as to whether this counts as a technical swim. She then happily assisted the rest off the water.
Lynn would like to state, for the record, this was ‘No Swim Sunday’ for her.
After changing and loading we went to the Dartbridge Inn for a nosh up and compared notes with our fellow canoeists before heading home.
Dave Dunlop and Mary Hands
7th & 8th January 2007
