Tamar Canoe Association
Newsletter – December 2014
Introduction from the Editor
Welcome to the December edition of the clubs newsletter – the last one of 2014! I hope you have enjoyed the
newsletters this year, and if you have any ideas on how to improve them, I’d love to hear from you. Just send your
suggestions to my email address below.
This edition has an article on the Club Winter Challenge issued by Canoe England which is a great idea aimed at
encouraging people to paddle in the less popular winter months. As well as your health benefitting from the exercise
and fresh air, the club could gain up to £500 if we win these challenges. It’s a ‘win-win’ situation all round, so get
yourself out on the water as often as you can this winter!
I’d like to wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and a happy new year, and I hope to see you on the
water soon, burning off those calories from all the Christmas festivities.
As ever, if you have any ideas, interesting articles, pictures or stories which you think should be included, please
submit them to me at [email protected] . I’ll review them and will include them in the newsletter if
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appropriate. Items for inclusion in the January 2015 edition should reach me 27 December 2014.
Happy Paddling,
Mark.
Canoe England Club Winter Challenge!
As the nights draw in, and the temperature dives, it’s easy to put off going out paddling and forget how much fun there
is to be had on the water. So, to encourage all those paddling couch potatoes to get out and participate, Canoe
England has again set out their Winter Club Challenge for 2014.
There are two great challenges;
- Most Miles Paddled Challenge
- Most Places Paddled Challenge
The TCA has registered for both of the Challenges, with £250 up for grabs for the winning club for each Challenge.
The Winter Club Challenge 2014 will run from 1st Nov 2014 to 28th Feb 2015 inclusive, so all members participating
in ANY trip (WW, Sea, or touring) need to record the details listed below in order for our club to be in with a chance of
winning. The information you send in will be collated and sent to Canoe England so they can identify the winners. The
details required are –
Date of trip
Start Location
End Location
Names of individual(s) on trip
No. of Miles in journey.
You can send the above information to me at [email protected] and I will pass the information on to Rose
Stuart who is looking after the master spreadsheet.
So, the Challenge has been set – dust off your winter gear and get paddling!
Congratulations!!!!
No new awards to report.
White Water 3 Star Training and Assessment.
Allen Willows will be running a 3 Star Inland (i.e. White Water) Assessment during January 2015.
Any aspiring 3 star paddlers who think they may be up to the required standard should contact Allen; Peter Crago or
John Casling to discuss the possibility of being assessed, and any pre-assessment training should be focussed.
If you are interested and haven’t spoken to them already, then you will need to be quick as your time for any
training/improvement before the assessment is quickly running out!
Volunteer of the Year Awards 2014.
As I reported in last month’s newsletter, Bob Ostler was shortlisted for the Volunteer of the Year Award which
recognises the hard work carried by the volunteers who run the hundreds of clubs in the Cornwall area.
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The final award ceremony was held at the Headland Hotel, Newquay on the 7 November, where the winners would
be named and presented with their trophies. In the true spirit of top award ceremonies, Bob couldn’t attend the
ceremony due to other commitments, but Bev Cowell and Rose Stuart kindly offered to stand in for him and accept the
award on his behalf should he be successful.
Unfortunately Bob didn’t win the award, but he should be congratulated for getting as far as he did due to his efforts
supporting our club. Thanks also to Rose and Bev who attended the event on Bob’s behalf.
Bev and Rose perk up as the dessert trolley approaches.
The main event
Club Paddles
Please check out the ‘Dates for Your Diary’ section below to see what fantastic paddling excursions the club has on
offer in the coming months. Touring trips are generally those which involve paddling estuaries or sheltered waters and
are great for all levels of paddlers including beginners. Sea trips involve paddling along the coastline in the open sea
and may require a bit more experience from participants. Contact Bob Ostler (Programme Co-Coordinator) or ask your
coach if you are unsure of your suitability for a particular paddle.
If you haven’t been on any trips with the club, I’d strongly advise you to give them a go – they are great fun and it’s a
wonderful way to see the beautiful coastline and estuaries we are so fortunate to live beside. Give Bob a big ‘thumbs
up’ for all the work he has done organising these trips, and make an effort to join in on them.
!!!! HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! 2015 Sea and Touring Programmes.
With minutes left before I issued this month’s newsletter, Bob managed to get his fantastic 2015 programme of Sea
and Touring Trips to me for publication. I’ve included them at the end of this newsletter for everyone to look at, and I
will incorporate them into the ‘Dates for Your Diary’ in the January edition.
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Christmas Paddle 13 December
This is the last touring paddle of 2014, and the last time many of us will see our paddling buddies until after Christmas
and the New Year celebrations, so please make an effort to participate in this very pretty trip which will run from Notter
Bridge to Saltash.
Brian Day will be the trip leader, and Bob Ostler is the contact (07847 302496). Paddlers are asked to meet at the club
sheds at 0900 to pick up boats and arrange the shuttle to Notter Bridge (which has very limited parking, by
arrangement with the pub Landlord)
As this is the Christmas Touring paddle, it is usual to bring along some Christmas nibbles to share with fellow paddlers
on the trip. Can you please let the contact for the trip know what you intend to bring along, so we can ensure there is a
real smorgasbord of festive fair available for all to sample.
Fancy dress (either you and/or your boat) with a Christmas theme is also the order of the day, so feel free to dress up
as you see fit!
That’s all from me for this month, hope to see you all on the water soon!!!.
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Don’t forget to me send me any articles and pictures you think may be of interest by 27 December.
Mark
Paddling Gear for Sale.
This section is for members to advertise any paddling equipment they may have for sale. Please send any items you
want advertised to me, via email, complete with wording and pictures. I’ll edit as appropriate, and include the Ad in the
next published Newsletter. All ads will only be included in 1 newsletter, after which they will be removed.
Club Officers.
Your club officers for 2014 are :Chairman
Vice Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Media/Newsletter Ed
Membership Secretary
Equipment Co-Coordinator
Programme Co-Coordinator
Pool Session Co-Coordinator
Coach Co-Coordinator
Senior Co-Coordinator
Family Rep
Junior Representative
Website Manager
Club Welfare
Social Secretary
Chris Waters
Brian Day
Rose Stuart
Stephen Boon
Mark Everson
Phil Thorn
Brian Day/Steve Peter
Bob Ostler
Adrian Endacott
Peter Crago
Ina Nicks
Di Luckhurst
Jack Luckhurst
Chris Waters
Emma Lock Di Luckhurst
Ian Noden
Membership benefits
If you are looking at picking up any new kit, don’t forget that Club membership gives you 15% discount at the following
retailers:
Kayaks and Paddles, Lee Mill, Plymouth, Devon.
AS Watersports, Haven Road, Exeter, Devon
Cornwall Canoes, Newquay Road, St Columb Road, Cornwall
Nookie The Paddling Company, Gunnislake, Cornwall (new) – please quote code CKCLUB15
Facebook
If you have a Facebook account and you are not already a member of our closed Facebook group, please send a
‘Friend Request’ to Bob Ostler (search Facebook for Robert Ostler in Plymouth – there’s only one!) and include a
message to let him know you are a TCA member. He will contact the page administrators and get you added as a
group member.
This is the best place to keep up to date with activities going on within the club, so it’s well worth joining as you may
miss out if you don’t.
IF YOU ARE NOT UP-TO-DATE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP FEES, THE GROUP ADMINISTRATORS WILL NOT
BE ABLE TO ADD YOU TO THE GROUP
Dates for your Diary.
The details of the trips below are correct at the time of issue of this Newsletter, but may change. Please check Facebook and your emails to ensure you have the correct
trip information and the exact launch points.
Date/Time
2014
Type of Paddle
Location/Meet Point
Sun 7 Dec
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Dart, Salmon Steps to Staverton
A384 Layby – SX748662
tbc
Sat 13th Dec
0900
Touring
Notter Bridge to Saltash
Brian Day
Pool
Saltash Pool
Various
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Moving Water
Lynher, Newbridge
Newbridge – SX347677
tbc
Contact – Brian Day
Sun 21 Dec
Time - tbc
st
Moving Water
Fowey
A38 Layby – SX157653
tbc
Contact – Rose Stuart
Sun 28th Dec
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Tamar, Horsebridge/Greystone
Horsebridge SX399749
tbc
Contact – Peter Crago
Sun 28th Dec
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Tavy,
Tavistock Car Park SX476738
tbc
Contact – Bob Ostler
Sun 4th Jan
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Dart, Holne Weir to Salmon Steps tbc
Holne Weir Layby – SX734708
Contact – Ian Noden
Sat 10th Jan
0630 – 0730
Pool
Saltash Pool
Various
Sun 11th Jan
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Tamar, Greystone/Horsebridge
Greystone Bridge - SX368804
tbc
Contact – Peter Crago
Sun 18th Jan
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Lynher, Golberdon
Kerney Bridge – SX319710
tbc
Contact – Phil Thorn
Sun 25th Jan
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Dart, Holne Weir to Staverton
Holne Weir Layby – SX734708
tbc
Contact – Adrian Endacott
Sun 25th Jan
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Dart, Loop 3* Assessment
Newbridge – SX710710
Sun 1st Feb
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Tamar, Horsebridge/Greystone
Horsebridge SX399749
tbc
Contact – Di Luckhurst
Sun 8th Feb
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Lynher, Newbridge
Newbridge – SX347677
tbc
Contact – Chris Waters
Sat 14th Feb
0630 – 0730
Pool
Saltash Pool
Various
Sun 15th Feb
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Fowey
A38 Layby – SX157653
tbc
Contact – Brian Day
Sun 22nd Feb
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Dart, Loop Alt 3* Assessment
Newbridge – SX710710
tbc
Contact – Bob Ostler
Sun 22nd Feb
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Lynher, Golberdon
Kerney Bridge – SX319710
tbc
Contact – Di Luckhurst
01566 782917
Sun 1st Mar
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Dart, Holne Weir to Staverton
Holne Weir Layby – SX734708
tbc
Contact – Rose Stuart
Sun 8th Mar
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Tavy,
Tavistock Car Park SX476738
tbc
Contact – Bob Ostler
Sun 15th Mar
Moving Water
Fowey
tbc
Contact – Mark Everson
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th
Sat 13 Dec
0630 – 0730
Sun 14 Dec
Time - tbc
Leader
Comments
Contact – Chris Waters
2015
tbc
Contact – Bob Ostler
A38 Layby – SX157653
Time - tbc
st
Sat 21 Mar
0630 – 0730
Pool
Saltash Pool
Sun 22nd Mar
Time - tbc
Moving Water
Fowey,
tbc
Layby just b4 Trago – St Neot turn.
Contact – Ian Noden
Moving Water
Fowey
A38 Layby – SX157653
Contact – Di Luckhurst
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Sun 15 Mar
Time - tbc
Various
tbc
Proposed Sea Trips 2015
Date
0718 5.3
1335 0.9
MeetT
ime
0900
th
1042 4.7
1645 1.6
0900
2048
Mountbatten – Newton Ferries Approx
17miles
th
0421 5.0
1046 1.1
0900
2128
Looe – Polperro Approx 11miles
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1528 4.8
0906 1.6
0900
2126
Fowey – Par Sands
0800 5.5
1413 0.5
0900
2101
Bigbury - Soar Beach
1027 4.7
1608 1.8
0900
1922
Bigbury – Erme
th
5 April
10 May
14 June
12 July
nd
2 Aug
th
20 Sept
HW
LW
Sun
Set
1953
Trip Details
Lead
Richmond Walk – Rame Approx14miles
Proposed Touring Trips 2015
Date
HW
LW
0846 1.9
1932 2.2
1712 2.1
Meet
Time
0930
1030
0930
Sun
Set
1644
1732
1819
th
1530 4.7
1256 4.4
1108 4.6
1219 4.4
1030 4.6
1756 2.0
1653 1.8
0930
0930
2004
2108
Club - Calstock
Club - Kingsmill
Aveton Gifford – Bigbury (meeting
Bigbury)
Calstock – Gunnislake Weir Return
Notter Bridge - Club
th
1548 4.7
0925 1.8
0900
2132
Mountbatten – Cawsands (return)
1332 4.4
2154 2.2
0930
2111
1939 5.7
0202 0.5
TBC
2101
Sun 23
Aug
th
Sat 29 Aug
1146 4.4
1740 2.2
0900
2023
1832 5.7
******
TBC
2008
th
1215 4.6
1034 5.3
1304 4.9
1121 4.9
1825 2.0
1619 1.2
1941 1.8
1746 1.8
0900
0930
1030
0930
1953
1851
1625
1614
Fowey – Lostwithiel return (one way
optional)
Canoe/Small Boats Tideford Pub
Return
River Exe – Canal return (Depends on
lead Quals)
Sea/Touring Boats Tideford Pub
Return
Looe – Looe River – Looe Island
Calstock - Club
Club – Lopwell Dam
Club – Kingsmill (Xmas Paddle)
Sat 17 Jan
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Sat 14 Feb
th
Sat 14 Mar
Sun12 Apr
th
Sun 24
May
th
Sun 28
June
th
Sun 26
July
st
Sat 1 Aug
rd
Sun 6 Sept
rd
Sat 3 Oct
st
Sat 21 Nov
th
Sat 19 Dec
Trip Details
Lead