A Dee Tour

Three cars, and three open boats making a convoy up the M5 at the crack of dawn, the closer to Llangollen (where the event is held) the more dense the number of boats per square mile it got until it seemed there was no more room in town. Trying to get accommodation was nigh impossible. There was talk of a Bridge Convention in town, is that what they all do on their outings, line bridges and cheer the boaters as they pass beneath?

Anyway 'Two Tone' and myself with a keen as mustard first timer in tow, (well he confessed to having paddled as a youth back in the USA so I stuck him in the front of my boat), met up with 'Buckshot Bob', 'Two Gloves' or is he 'Four Gloves' and Chris and Selina (there were many others but we avoided them) to see if we could paddle from Carrog down to Horseshoe Falls without falling in. To cut a long journey short we did......paddle without falling in.



My bowman as a first timer kept up a good head of steam under the whip and I arrived at the get-out with plenty(!) of energy left, so that we could create as much carnage as we could on the canal back to the Eistedfod field (it's how you get back to your car, there isn't a car park at the falls you see). It was the best part of the day! I say that 'cause the digs Two Tone and I had found left a lot to be desired! Well how was I to know the Landperson had an intolerance to light! We survived, Two Tone rather better than me: when we share a room he sleeps I don't.

Sunday morning saw us doing the portage back over the yard fence and down to the cars. We didn't fancy a trip to the local cop shop to report boat theft so we did the portage in the evening from the road outside around to the rear yard, through a narrow alley and over a 6' fence, to pile three boats one on top of the other against the fence while avoiding the washing! Take my advice -Stay away from Wrexham! ( Yeah ‘three boats’ indeed; I took two okay! My keen as mustard Bowman doesn't own a boat and went home after the trip)

Another good reason to stay away from Wrexham is there are no good places to eat in town, unless you like Chinese 'cat foo yung'. I walked my legs off to find a place to sit down and eat, a pub that served meals, and when we got inside the manager of the establishment says to be quick the kitchen is about to close. It was Cat or Cajun, I opted to stay and ate the cajun.

Well, Sunday morn, glad to be on the road again, boats safely tied onto the cars, 'Two Tone' Tony figures he can navigate out of Wrexham without a map and compass and GPS, twice around the first roundabout and off in the wrong direction and I was busting my sides with laughter. It was going to be a good day!
We located the road to Llangollen and sped off, this time encouraged by the sight of kayaks on cars travelling in the same direction!

Arrival at the Eistedfod car park, 'Two Gloves' or was it 'Four Gloves' was there all togged up and rarin' to go. 'Two Tone' was going to play photographer today and position himself in the best spots for those once in a lifetime shots! 'Two gloves' Andy and I launched on to the Shropshire Union canal for the race to the start! (only a couple of miles). When we reached the end we were at the start, got it? Actually the end is the start of the canal which is fed from Horseshoe Falls below which was our start point for the run down to Llangollen, at the end of the tour. You still keeping up?

After watching some magnificent seal launches from high up on the river bank, followed by some ominous thuds the two of us warmed up on the pool below the falls before turning downstream into the fray. There's not much time to get 'switched on' before Serpents Tail and its attendant rescue crews is reached, the first major rapid. A few minutes to inspect and watch the carnage, as Uni. Students hurled themselves down towards the gap, in a never ending line to provide more entertainment than those more proficient, keeping the Swiftwater Rescue guys busy with plenty of practice at line throwing, body hauling, body mending, and playing with their new toy, a rocket launched throwline................ now how about that for a piece of kit!

Back in the boat, I turned and headed down. I got a good line to avoid swamping on the curling wave at the top, and kept it going down the tail when I got pushed too far right at the gap to avoid the black undercut. I had to fend off, obviously not very successfully, and when the low brace failed Serpents claimed another victim . Well I did it once backwards!

Captured on film and back in my boat and all fired up by now, I wasn't going to let Town Falls have me, this was to be a clean first. Andy saw fit to portage the 'Tail' this time, and the two of us paddled down to JJ's for a cuppa. The gauge showed 3.9 opposite the shop and the flow gave us some fun through the slalom course, a good place to spend an afternoons paddling to sharpen up those skills.



We continued together till the bridge showed ahead, announcing Town Falls, and we found a spot river right to get out and check the route, and make sure the photographer was on stand by! From the bridge the entertainment was even greater, as more Uni. students careered down in a line toward a certain trashing from extreme river right, lemmings to the slaughter as many paddlers capsized high up the falls and bounced off 'The Thing' at the bottom. The crowds moaned "Ooooooh!" each time one scored a direct hit. Why do they do that? I mean, why do they all follow the leader down the worst possible route to certain carnage! Again the rescue guys were doing a magnificent job, they had used up most of their field dressings by the time I arrived, and some lemmings had to float by to the backup crew below the bridge (because all the throw lines were in use) where they were hoovered up with a new piece of kit like a raft on two poles.

Pushing through the spectators lining the bridge , sure enough, there was Tony squeezed into the best spot amongst the assembled crowds with the camera at the ready. We discussed the route: Andy was to take the sneak route, I was to run in from the left. As I moved off the bridge back to my boat I swore I heard the chant: "Three Boat, Three Boat, Three Boat!"

A sprint down to the Legend and within a moment I was strapped in, polished my No1 paddle, a salute to the crowds, and I was off!.... before another group of lemmings could catch me up! Over the weir and safely down the nasty V with not a drop of water inside, 25 yards to go, eddy out and a final check before the setup. Sizing up the job ahead and a deep breath turning close to my markers, a short burst landed me on the first shelf of white stuff . Holding it for a moment to turn the bow right and a couple of power strokes to push off onto the main shelf and avoid the backtow and we were nearly home and dry. Where is the 'Thing'? Well clear now, left turn and down into the main flow and safely through the sentinel rocks either side and it was all over bar the shouting. Its GREAT to have a crowd rooting for you, I'll go back to run the tail again soon, as for now 'Carpe Diem'! and a twirl of the paddle.

Keep your paddles wet,
Dave Evans