After hiring kayaks and Canadians over the years I final took the plunge and bought one for myself. £750 got me a barely used Mobile Adventure Symphony 16 and brand new paddles, PDFs and other odds and sods. My girlfriend and I picked it all up from Carmarthen yesterday and thought we'd try it out in a small, sheltered harbor by the mouth of the Afan in Port Talbot. The water there is usually very smooth with a nice long, shallow beach and gentle breakers. It looked perfect for a first try.
That's the kit and location. Us?
I've played about in grade 1 & 2 in hire boats on and off (mostly off!) since I was a kid. Not the greatest experience but I know the basics. When I was younger I often helped my dad on his boat, running nets and fishing in vessels from 14 ft to 30 ft up to 20 odd miles offshore. I'm also certified to a basic level in power boats with the RYA. On top of that I've had some training in rough water self rescue and throw lines with Mountain Rescue. The interesting part was learning to read the river, the exciting part (also know as terrifying!) was running the grade 3 water in Llandysul without a boat!
Helmet - Check
PFD - Check
Whistle - Check
Mind numbing terror - Double check!
The girlfriend? No experience what so ever other than a leisurely 7 miles down the Wye and through the Symonds Yat rapids last Saturday. Not being the most athletic or confident of people she was nervous but up for a try.
So, to the initial wetting of the boat!
We got to the harbour shortly after low tide (my mistake, I didn't think to check the times beforehand). Not enough water and a long carry from the car. Wanting to (ahem) conserve energy for the paddle we adjourned to a café for coffee and Panini. After a while we decided there was (barely) enough water to play in and we learned our first lesson of beach paddling, incoming tide and a moderate onshore wind result in more breakers than usual. The usually quiet beach was a bit more lively than expected. In no way scary with a number of kids enjoying the surf but a bit more energetic than I'd hoped.
Soon we learned a very valuable second lesson, trolleys are worth the cost! After a surprisingly tiring drag/carry we finally made it to the water. We kitted up and pushed the canoe out in to the water, Paula scrambled to the forward seat just as a wave came in. I managed to hold her steady and tried to time my climb on board.
Third lesson learned! Well, Paulas third lesson and one she took quite a while to learn. If the boat is a bit shaky and youre a bit nervous DONT HOLD ON TO THE GUNNELS! Yes, as soon as the next breaker came in and I was half way on board she squealed and gripped the boat so hard I thought she was leaving dents in the plastic! Over she went and so went the first of three attempts to launch and board in the depressingly light surf!
Fourth lesson of the day was that a canoe full to the brim with water is not easy to maneuver and a Tilley hat is no replacement for a proper bailer. With much grunting and groaning (not the enjoyable kind!) we finally worked out how to use the waves to help lift the boat just enough to empty some of the water and allow us to tip her over and clear out the rest.
All this while an audience was growing on the beach. A couple of groups of dog walkers had seen us splashing around and falling about. They thought it was very amusing with all the screaming and laughing! We ended up having a chat with them while having a break after 90 minutes and our third attempt. One couple would normally have headed home an hour before but walked up and down the beach just to watch and enjoy the show! They were very impressed with our determination and had expected us to give up a hour before.
After a chat and the realisation that the waves were gentler as the tide advanced and the beach widened, we decide to give it one more try. With much encouragement from our fans we went for attempt number four and it worked! Finally we were afloat to a round of applause from the beach! With the occasional swell (and squeal from Paula) we paddled around the harbor, practicing turns, sprints and other maneuvers. Basically we had fun! Surfing the breakers back to the beach was fantastic! After a while I had a go soloing in an open canoe for the first time and what a revelation that was. Yes, the Symphony doesnt have a keel and can be pushed around by the slightest breeze but this makes it very, very easy to turn (when youre not fighting your paddling partner) and it has a surprising turn of speed.
After a few hours playing in the surf we wound down practicing with the throwline. And yes, she was a terrible shot. I hope I never have to rely on her throwing skills!
The one disappointment of the day was that the tide takes a long time to come in. Not only did it mean we had a late start and the breakers were a bit challenging, but we still had a depressingly long drag/carry to get this big lump of plastic to the car! The joys of eBay, a trolley is winging it way to me as we speak!
After a busy day we got home, hosed off all the kit and settled in for a good cuppa. The Symphony now lives in my garage, ready for another day on the water. Im now looking for some quiet water nearby where we can practice a bit more and get used to the boats handling. When Im happy that Paula is confident on the water well start dodging the anglers on the Afan. Until then she just better keep her hands off the gunnels!
