Tower Hamlets Canoe Club

River paddlers - a date for your diary ! Sat 28th June 2008

Yes, I do realise that's 7 months away ! However, this is the only realistic date for the trip proposed, so it's important to book it early !

This is the same trip MikeOR regularly organises but with a logistical twist. Normally, we drive the boats to GRAVESEND, launch from Gravesend Rowing Club pier, paddle to SHADWELL, then recover the cars afterwards.

This time, the idea is to eliminate the car logistics altogether by dividing into 2 teams and timesharing the boats: 

• Team #1 depart from Shadwell around HW (08:30) and paddle to Gravesend on the ebb, arriving LW (which on this special day is ideally timed ! around 14:30)
• Team #2 meanwhile travel to Gravesend by train, get changed, then climb into the SAME BOATS and paddle them back.
• Team #1 dry off and go home by train.
• Marathoner's can elect to paddle both ways

Cunning, isn't it ? No cars, no double-journeys, and you only need half the number of boats.

One-way distance along the river centre-line is around 40K, with Mike's logs over recent years showing that it's a 4.0 to 5.5hr paddle (plus stops). Hence it it all fits within daylight hours, and just needs a bit of mobile phone co-ordination on the day.

More detail nearer the time - but for now, put it in your diary ! (and mentally decide if you're a morning or an afternoon person - or both)

Cheers
TonyR

Sounds fantastic. Usually we can't get weekend access to the basin and the boats until 9am, and this sounds like a 7:30 kick off, but i hope that for a special trip like this we can perhaps get a special favour, and perhaps pick up the keys the night before. (We'd be happy to try to key holders the night before if it works for people that way)

We're morning people and are happy to help out getting everyone out in the morning (and joining in of course) 

Dan (and Sarah)

Dimitris and I are up for this!

I guess we should be able to arrange the shifts at some later stage in the next seven months, but we are flexible

Joanna

I am up for this too.

However, having to use public transport is mildly disturbing

I'm up for it.

Cheers.

David 

Sean:

I am up for this too.

However, having to use public transport is mildly disturbing

I am sure we can all squezze in your Mercedes Sean, is it a two-seater one?

Hi Tony,

Count me in great idea!!!

Pete.

fantastic plan, have reserved the date in my calendar.

Anne

Is indeed a cunning plan. The master has been at the books again!

I'm in for both ways.   Now.. where can i borrow a Klepper, an enormous hamper, a tea urn, a labrador or two..  ?

I wonder - if teams 1 and 2 meet at a boat club - would it be possible for them to store the boats overnight?  If so we could do this more often, not have to wait till mid summer.  That way also it is no problem if the first team is delayed.

And since everyone expects it of me by now, i'll ask - would we be offered showers at the boat club?  ;)

steve

The "overnight break" is a nice variant. I wish I'd thought of it:)

Trouble is, I'm not sure we'd persuade any boat clubs en route to let us park boats there when there's nothing we can give them in return. It does remind me, though, of HarryW's idea to rent a shipping container and store it on the riverbank somewhere. He was thinking of this as a permanent base, but it could be interesting to move it around a bit. So for Gravesend, for example, you quietly deposit it somewhere in Tilbury Docks. Who is going to notice ?

There again, someone might load it on to a ship and send it off to Panama...

TonyR 

I guess it would make a change from going to Panama yourself

leave a broken kayaker floating off the coast somewhere and his boat can turn up shiney and suntanned 5 years later having claimed on the boat insurance  - somehow I don't think it would create the same uproar.

My mum is not so worried about my boat being found drifting on its own since that means a move to somewhere warm should follow!

Can I please have a morning slot? Committed to a dinner that evening...

Sean:

I am up for this too.

However, having to use public transport is mildly disturbing

it need'nt be too bad, dockland light railway to lewisham then jump on a 

quiet overhead train to gravesend. the trains are reasonably quiet not at all like tube trains.

what are the training requirements for a journey like this? apart from being able to paddle for 5.5 hours i mean, what level kayaker do you have to be?

cheers.