It was a year since our great friend Keith Thomson paddled with us on the River Torridge before he died of cancer four days later.

On 22nd February a group of 23 paddlers in 18 open canoes met at Beaford Bridge in brilliant, cold, clear weather. The River Torridge was in excellent heart, and so were the paddlers. We travelled on down the valley between leafless trees but with the occasional splashes of brilliant white snowdrops and yellow daffodils. Kingfishers and buzzards watched our progress.

We camped for the night at Rothern Bridge on a low ridge of dry ground close to the River. Tents were put up and two hardy paddlers used shelters and bivvy bags. One of these fed himself throughout the weekend with a Kelly Kettle and half of a Trangia Stove fuelled with twigs!! We all celebrated at the 'Puffing Billy' pub before returning to the campsite for a desperately cold night. The morning showed heavy frost on the fields and ice on the inside of the flysheets.

100 yards below the campsite we stopped to remember Keith, drinking to his memory with a bottle of whisky which Keith had kindly provided with us in mind. Sally Ellis, Keith's colleague and helper during his illness, was with us, and had organised the transfer on the previous day. The occasion was the dedication to Keith of a slipway for less able canoeists which had been built due to the efforts of the British Canoe Union's Local Access Officer Icarus Edmunds.

The dedication over (and £76.50 collected to support the North Devon Hospice), we paddled off towards Bideford again in brilliant weather with snipe, lapwings, curlews, geese and ducks greeting us as we approached the estuary. Lunch was taken in the warm sun and we reached the steps just above Bideford at about 3pm to load and return home.

Keith was very close to many of us throughout the paddle and had clearly used his influence to provide excellent weather, (and a bootful of water for his great companion Gordon Summers.)

Our thanks to Sally and Icarus for organising the weekend and to Gordon who is already planning next year's rally. Contact him on gordon-summers@lineone.net