River trip
Back in November, eleven students from the University of Chichester set out to spend their weekend taking part in an environmental adventure. They aimed to paddle down the River Arun to pick up rubbish that surrounded a beautiful area in West Sussex.
The group was comprised of first and second year students studying Adventure Education and took part over the first weekend of November. The idea first came when the students were taken to Houghton Quarry on an afternoon field trip as part of the university course. Their task was to write a risk assessment for the area, looking at the potential hazards that the site may present for an abseil. Walking around the area and discussing the different uses of the site, it was apparent how much of a gem it was! There is a large area of flat green grass, on one side there are huge white chalk cliffs, opposite those is a wooden area and through that is the River Arun. What became even more apparent was the state of the area, because of its suitability it had been used and also mistreated.
There was a great deal of rubbish, empty cans of beer, plastic food wrappers, glass bottles and even a pram! Walking through the woods to inspect the river there was even more rubbish and once the group got to the river bank there was a whole mountain of rubbish that must have been building there for at least a year. As individuals who enjoy the outdoors and share a similar passion for the environment, there was a shared drive to do something about this mess.
For anyone who isn't aware, the River Arun in West Sussex is affected by the sea that it feeds into, so timing the canoeing trip so that the river was flowing in the right direction was important. Members of the group have paddled along the river and learnt the hard way about how hard it is paddling against the current!
The idea was to paddle tandem open canoes whilst towing an empty canoe from behind. The group would paddle start their journey from a small concrete ramp in Pulborough at around 11am, they would then paddle down the river with the current and reach Houghton before dark at 3pm, there they would set up camp, eat and get a good nights sleep. In the morning, the group would start cleaning the area at first light, then pack up the empty canoes with the rubbish and make the rest of the journey down river to Arundel where they would unload the rubbish for the council to pick it up the next day.
It was the morning of the river trip and the group eagerly met at university to pack their gear for the weekend into the canoes and then load the canoes onto the trailer to start the adventure!
For a November weekend the weather was surprisingly good, it wasn't too cold and there was no rain forecasted for the whole two days. Which meant it would be perfect for the trip, feeling very optimistic the group arrived at Pulborough and did their final bits of preparation before launching themselves down a particularly slippery concrete ramp into the river.
Although the River Arun doesn't scream out action and adventure it is still a valuable asset on the south coast for trips such as this. Chris Heaney a senior lecturer on the Adventure Education degree at the University of Chichester explains that “Its incredibly rewarding to see our students out having adventures! While living on the south coast does not immediately lend itself to the more exciting aspects of adventure activity that we see on film, the internet or in magazines. I believe steadfastly that being active in any fashion feeds the flame of our adventurous spirit and will always contribute something to the more exciting opportunities life throws up.”
Logistically it is often hard to plan trips to faster flowing rivers and areas, with having to factor in the minibus and trailer as well as the trip itself, pick up and drop off points it soon becomes a fairly dizzying experience.
Richard Cooper who is a student at the University and also one of the heads of the student run adventure sports club says that “The planning of a journey such as this is not only an important aspect of the journey it is also a rewarding aspect, planning for almost every eventuality leads to smooth execution of the trip and if any unpredicted hazards present themselves it allows for opportunities to act, react and adapt hopefully promoting some sort of learning experience! Without the lecturers help, guidance and inspiration many of these adventures that we dream up would not be possible”
Travelling along the river in open canoes is always an enjoyable experience, there is a sense of journeying and at 'oneness' with the river, using the energy of the river and current to help with the paddling but also being able to travel quietly through the landscape not disturbing any of the wildlife that may often get disturbed by motorised craft. Soon the group had been paddling for a few hours and had been making steady progress. The weather was decent and it meant that the group had the opportunity to paddle a little slower and take in the sights.
Dragging empty canoes behind the manned canoes often got some funny looks from local fishermen and dog walkers, the group even stopped off outside a river front property and explained what the objective was of the weekend. The home owner praised the group for doing a trip such as this. The dragging of the canoes wasn't too much of a hard task but the group knew that once they were full of rubbish it would be a different story! Again timing was crucial the group needed to be on the river at the right time in the morning to utilise the river's power. Upon getting on the river earlier in the day it soon dawned on the group that the high and low tide times that the group obtained were for the exit of the river and were very much different 30km upstream, the tide takes effect a few hours after it is expected to up river, yet luckily its effect isn't as strong as it would be down stream. It is this sort of local knowledge that is so important when undertaking trips such as this. As mentioned earlier learning through experience is much more of a valuable learning method as it initiates a deeper way of learning that will impact on subsequent trips and even allow it to be transferred to other trips.
Upon passing Amberley a 'put in' used by the team in the past it was evident to everyone that Houghton quarry was approaching. The towering white chalk cliffs that both areas share acted as markers to how far the group had come. It was only less than an hour more paddling until the group arrived at the camp site. After a full days paddling almost 17km all the group wanted to do was set up camp, eat and sleep. Some of the group paddled ahead to reach the camp first to set up the camp site, but from the river it was hard for the group to identify the correct place to get out! The tide was in full swing now and was flushing water out making it hard for those canoeists down stream who had missed the spot to get out. While the rest of the group got out from the river, those who over shot the exit had to work hard and paddle upstream against the current. It was hard work but they managed to get back up stream and out of their canoes safely.
Once the canoes had been carried onto the bank and portaged a short way through some woods to the camp site it was time to set up camp for the night. Further reiterating the popularity of the area, there was a large family already there enjoying a bonfire, the night started to cool and the sight of a bonfire was a very welcome. Tents were set up, food was cooked, gloves and hats were put on and the group sat down in front of the bonfire and told the family what the plan was. “What an excellent idea, this area is such a gem and people who don't take their rubbish with them spoil it for everyone else” said the mother of the family, Clare Foster.
Soon the family left and the only light and warmth came from the fire which was kept burning with some dry wood found nearby. The draw of the teams sleeping bags was strong and it was suggested to go to bed. “It was only 8:30pm” Jade Holmes exclaimed, “All the boys were rubbish and wanted to go to sleep I couldn't believe it!”
As to not upset Jade, the group stayed up a little later and all shared stories around the fire. The situation was very much like the old image of a group sat around the campfire sharing and telling scary stories to frighten each other, there were plenty of scary stories told that night but the majority were of a drunken night after the student union bar had closed! The talk soon took a more spiritual turn possibly the nature of the day, the campfire and the cloudless sky prompted the group to be open and feel comfortable sharing their own opinions. Rebecca 'Bex' Turner shared her thoughts and feelings on religion and even though it may not have been others thoughts and feelings they were welcomed and appreciated.
Finding yourself in situations such as the groups' can have a powerful affect, “The opportunity to work co-operatively, develop an understanding of others and one's self requires action to place one's self in a situation that provides an opportunity to reflect,attach meaning and develop understanding” stressed Chris Heaney. This is why experience's such as this should be undertaken more. It is the common perception that adventures only take place up the side of a huge mountain or in the depths of a dark jungle, but adventures can take place anywhere. Taking part in an adventure is to take part in an activity where the outcome is not known, there is too much emphasis on achieving a particular goal nowadays, it is much more fun and rewarding to have a goal that might be upset by some hazard or amount of risk and it is so much more valuable when this is overcome.
It was a good nights sleep and the group woke up to a cold damp morning, soon it was on with thermal clothes and on with the main event; the clean up. Using litter pickers and refuse bags leant to the team by West Sussex County Council, the team soon set about cleaning up the area. A huge mound of rubbish soon started to dwindle with 11 sets of litter pickers on it. The empty canoes soon started to fill up with refuse bags, empty beer bottles, empty cans and that push chair! Before the group knew it the canoes were full and the rubbish was much smaller, but unfortunately not all gone. The canoes filled up faster than expected and it would have taken another five empty canoes to finish the job, perhaps a job for another day...
As the group had finished early and the current was flowing upstream, it was a waiting game. Richard and Jack Gower are keen 'geo cachers' and soon disappeared into the woods to retrieve an ammo box hid in some obscure place, whilst the rest of the group used the cliffs for what we had originally written a risk assessment for when it was previously visited; an abseil. Some members of the group are in the process of gaining their Single Pitch Award and it was a perfect opportunity to practice rigging up an abseil at the top of a cliff. The cliffs are about 30feet high and gave those who were brave enough to abseil down and get a great view of the surrounding area. Soon after this, it was time to finish the journey.
The group de-rigged the abseil, and got back onto the water, this time having to drag a fully laden canoe behind. This part of the journey was much shorter, only 4km in-fact but it felt almost as long as the day before, as the river meandered it soon became faster and wider, the paddling become incredibly hard and some members struggled pulling their canoe. Other members of the team soon picked up on this and helped them tow their canoe. Pitching in and helping in this way wasn't about bravado or an opportunity to show off, but a way to work together for a common goal and becoming sympathetic to those who need a helping hand.
The last leg took around three hours, and the group were met by their lecturer in the Black Rabbit pub, who were nice enough to allow the team to use their glass bins to dispose of the empty beer bottles. The group was driven back to a car park which was arranged with the council as a designated drop off point previous. The next day while the group were all back at university in lectures the council came and picked up the rubbish and disposed of it.
In reflection the trip was a success, the area has been cleaned up and the group got from the start to the finish in one piece, but more importantly the team worked great together and it is natural for each member to individually reflect after the experience and to take something different from the trip, possibly some feelings of accomplishment, mastery, team work or maybe just generating some 'good karma'. This wasn't the groups first journey, and it also won't be the last adventure on the same river, there is always more trips to be done and still more rubbish to pick up, so a return journey may take place in the new year. There is always the call to go and tackle something bigger and badder, and by putting in the practice and obtaining basic skills, will allow for easier transition into a more challenging environment.
Thanks for sharing pics of your trip - it looks like you all had a good time.
