SPLASH. September Table of Contents

Transcription

1 SPLASH Magazine of the NSW River Canoe Club September 2015 Table of Contents The view from the President s kayak... 2 Reflections on the Colorado River & Grand Canyon... 3 Action Story - Rescue on the Wingecaribee... 4 Cooks River Big Day Out Celebrating the Alliance PaddleNSW AGM & Club Forum - 10 th & 11 th October RCC Sydney Harbour Rogaine - 10 th October Thoughts about Open Water Paddling RCC Trip Calendar updated 25 September RCC Club Contacts RCC Equipment Hire Club members explore the Grose River as an alternative to the flooded Nepean River during the abortive 25 Miler 80 th birthday celebrations

2 The view from the President s kayak It s a sad day when I spend the morning scouring for more news about the deaths of two kayakers in New Zealand. A group paddle on the lake, cold water, cold winds, a sudden change winds up to 20 knots, the capsize, the extended exposure in the water, the swim to safety for some, the fire to keep warm, the walk for help. There is so much we are yet to learn about this tragedy. Personally I keep notes of the weather every time I paddle. There have been a number of crossings this year of the Sydney Heads against winds of more than 20 knots but I remember those days they are not good days safety always has to be our primary consideration. Timely for our Splash, the reports of these deaths segue morbidly to the republishing of the community discussion from a couple of months ago, spurred on by the Canberra Kayakers and in the spirit of ongoing learning, club members contributed their advice and experience for which we are all more knowledgeable. This spontaneous discussion reflects the ongoing commitment of the club s senior members to safety. Likewise we have an attached PDF of Kevin Songberg s account of paddling down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Kevin s meticulous approach to planning and safety come through in his article in spades, while his photographs and descriptions makes my laziness a guilt vice. Committee members have been working hard to identify a range of interesting paddling experiences. The short boats have been practicing out at Penrith and as I write should be on the first leg of their Spring Safari. The recreational paddlers have been active on the Colo and the Cooks. The marathon paddlers had a crack at the Myall Classic. Planning is underway for our xmas celebrations and other social functions. The calendar is filling out across through into Autumn (this is without open water making an entry). PaddleNSW are holding their AGM at Chowder Bay on 11 th and 12 th October 2015 including our club hosting a 3 hour Rogaining event. I will need about 5 volunteers on the morning of Saturday 11 th October to make this event occur. Our club is experimenting with a move away from the Come and Try days for non-members to a series of paddling pathway experiences for new members. This should provide new members with a better platform to build the kayaking skills and fitness, while protecting club members volunteering their time and effort from the rampant exploitation within the Come and Trys. Well done to the committee for working through the issues involved and developing a more effective and sustainable way of supporting new members. Spring is well and truly upon us, Sydney Harbour is especially a peach. Gone are the excuses for your wintery slumber. So let s get out on the water. The club is held together by volunteers who collectively do about a thousand jobs just to keep the community ticking over. In this edition of Splash, a call for volunteers has been made firstly to support the paddlers on the Hawkesbury Classic (24 th & 25 th October), as support crew, and secondly to support our Rogaining event on Saturday 10 th October. No skills are required for either event except good cheer. I hope you can help. September 2015 Page 2

3 Reflections on the Colorado River & Grand Canyon Colorado River & Grand Canyon A summary by Kevin Songberg Many people have wondered what it is like to paddle a kayak down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and what they would experience if they had the opportunity to go there. To invigorate your dream and imagination I have written a 9 page overview complete with many images, map, descriptions of what you encounter, perspectives and history to guide and inspire you. The overview reflects many trips down the river, walks along the canyon edge at tourist and other locations, adventures into wilderness parts etc. I encourage you to read through the overview and maybe you will become motivated to venture down the Grand Ditch then wrap up the experience with a scenery tour from accessible parts of the Canyon rim. I strongly recommend both. There is more to the trip than what is presented in the overview - the content is only to invigorate your imagination and make you realise it is not just a kayak trip it is much more. The overview is on the RCC website and is a supplement to this month s (Sept 2015) edition of Splash. Facing the hole in House Rock rapid The large water side of Horn Ck rapid Calm waters to glide through Views from above Side walks in geological history Read the full story in the attached PDF September 2015 Page 3

4 Action Story - Rescue on the Wingecaribee From RCC Safety and Training Coordinator: An incident on the Wingecaribee River, The spirit of paddlers is very evident in the RCC yahoo group and Facebook discussion. Thanks to Tim Sindle, Griffith Thomas, Bjorn, Steven Molino, Gary Luke, Ben, Andy Singh and Michael Law, Mike Woodard, Andrew Bovis and others who provided very positive comments. I have taken the liberty to condense the thread but pretty much otherwise left it as written, Tim starts the discussion: Below is a good review of an incident on the Wingecaribee river from the Canberra crew. We were the paddlers just ahead of them, but were unfortunately oblivious to the situation as we left the lunch spot just a few minutes before it happened. The "sustain" and "Improve and Fix" recommendations are a very good reminder for us all. The NSW Paddle Safe App is also a good resource for trip planning and recording emergency details for the rescue teams. Hi All, Below I have copied a message from kayaker who recently got airlifted from the Wingecarribee River. It makes some good points on how we can be better prepared for the unplanned, particularly in remote areas Two weeks ago I broke my leg on the Wingecarribee River, paddling a section with four amazing lads, whom I am now indebted to. Below is a review of the incident by Griff Thomas, detailing improves for ourselves and those going on remote area trips in the future. I`d like to thank BJ, Duanne, Ruggy and Dan for their selfless actions on the river for me that day, thanks to Griff for jumping into action on the day and acting liaison with Rescue Services, organising a debrief, and writing up the review, and cheers to all paddlers that have checked in said G'day and sent disparaging messages to pep me up. By Griffith Thomas May 15 at 6:04am Recently a group of five experienced Canberra based paddlers had an incident on the Wingecarribee River. One member of the party broke his leg whilst conducting a portage in a deep gorge that required aeromedical evacuation and subsequent surgery. The remaining four paddlers spent an unplanned night beside the river and paddled out the next day with the extra boat and equipment. The paddlers where all skilled kayakers and most had paddled this section of the river in the past. They were well equipped for the river conditions and had three PLBs and a Spot among the group, however they were less well equipped for an unplanned night beside the river and whilst they had a fire going, the night has been described as less than September 2015 Page 4

5 comfortable. The river on that day was at a solid level measuring ~1.3 on the Greenstead gauge. The incident occurred at Double Drop, a section that all paddlers had decided to portage. Whilst on the River the group communicated with another group of paddlers who were slightly ahead of them. They were unable to contact this group once the incident occurred. A timeline of the event is below. 2:00 PM Paddler breaks leg during portage. Immediate first aid provided and attempt to contact other group on river through whistle blasts unsuccessful. 2:15 PM A 406 MHz PLB is activated. 3:15PM The PLB signal is identified by a commercial airliner and a message passed to the Canberra Rescue Coordination Centre. No location fix available at that time. 3:41 PM A satellite pass picks up the PLB and coordinates passed to CRCC. Helicopter now airborne 3:45 PM CRCC contact the contact person for the PLB. She confirms the details of the group and that they are paddling the Wingecarribbee River. 4:08 PM The group sets of a Spot. Spot Tracker sends out location data at 5 min intervals thereafter. 4:12 PM The contact person for the Spot receives a phone call. Not answered and SPOT contact CRCC. 4:30 PM Air Ambulance NSW helicopter arrives on site and winches in a paramedic. Helicopter departs to Goulbourn to refuel. 6:30 PM Helicopter returns and conducts NVG winch operation to extract the injured paddler and paramedic. Departs to Goulbourn to refuel. 8:00 PM Injured paddler arrives at Liverpool Hospital. 7 10:00 AM Next Day Remaining paddles complete recover of all equipment to vehicles. Overall the management of the evacuation was a success, the injured paddler was in Liverpool Hospital some five hours after the accident, messages where able to be passed to the other paddlers families that they would be delayed and all equipment was recovered. One week after the incident and once the injured paddler had returned to Canberra the crew got back together to review the situation. As with any such situations there were a lot of things that they did in preparations for the trip and in reaction to the emergency that on review they would sustain into the future. There were some things that upon reflection they have decided to change. Sustain Timings on the river. The crew left Canberra at 6 AM and on the water at 10 AM. This left them with a contingency of daylight to deal with any unforeseen delay / incident. Initial reaction to incident, communication attempt with other party and first aid. Briefing / equipment check prior to commencing the paddle meant that all paddlers September 2015 Page 5

6 understood what emergency equipment the group was carrying. Multiple PLBs / Spots. Emergency blankets and first aid kits. Contingency planning after the incident and decision making by the group at the incident site. Maps of Area / GPS App on iphone (GPS Kit) that allowed group to confirm location and establish ground evacuation route if required. Improve and Fix The paddlers where unsure if the PLB had worked and CRCC initially did not have a fix and considered the possibility that the PLB had been an unintended activation. Fix is if available activate more than one PLB / SPOT straight away (separated by 100m). The injured paddler did not have ID / Medicare details or medical insurance details with him. Fix is for paddlers to consider taking phones in waterproof pouches with either photos or photocopies of licence / Medicare cards and medical insurance details. The unplanned overnight stay was less than comfortable. Fix is to insure that for river trips that have a possibility of an emergency overnight stay that dry thermals, emergency rations, emergency bivy bags are carried. Establishing the fire was difficult. Fix is the inclusion of fire starters or some old inner tubing in emergency kit. Confirmation of all paddlers on the trip took some time for those in contact with CRCC. Fix is the logging of details of paddlers and key emergency equipment that they have with them on more remote rivers. It was agreed that kayakcanberra.com was the best resource to record this information. A record of emergency contacts was not immediately available to those in contact with CRCC. Fix is the central recording of this information. Still establishing the best resource for this. Here is some footage of the incident Cheers - Björn - "Adventure: Absolute misery looked back upon with great fondness..." Steven Molino - This is an unfortunate accident but typical of what can happen on rivers both accessible and remote. I was fortunate to be able to paddle out of a New Zealand wilderness area with my broken knee in January but we were prepared for the type of incident that happened on the Wingecarribee. There are some good lessons recorded from this incident, which it would be good for us to take note of. I think I am reasonably well prepared for these types of emergencies but it has never occurred to me that I should carry my Medicare and health care details with me on the river nor to ask everyone who comes with me to do the same. I led a group on the upper section of the Wingecarribee on that same weekend and also on the Upper Nepean on the day of the incident. We too had multiple PLBs between us and I used the Paddle NSW app for the first time, which was excellent and easy to use. I can highly recommend taking the time to enter your details and those of your group into the app before you go. It downloads contact details of paddlers from your phone s contact list and saves them for future trips. It records what emergency equipment you have, car and kayak descriptions, start and finish locations and times, emergency contacts for each paddler and overdue time then sends all these details to your nominated emergency contact. There are a few improvements, which can be made, and I will be passing them onto the developers but someone needs to tell these Canberra Kayakers about the app. I can probably make a few improvements to what I carry on a trip for emergencies (such as Medicare details - I September 2015 Page 6

7 think I will now carry a photocopy of my Medicare card, health fund card and drivers licence in my emergency kit). So as part of a group continual improvement process I will list what I carry and if it gives you some good ideas, great and if you can see how I can make improvements that would be good too: In/on my PFD: Whistle Serrated knife for cutting rope (on light bungy) Swiss army knife with multiple tools Throw rope 8m length of webbing Flint and piece of inner tube for starting fires o Pin kit (carabineers, prussic loops and pulleys) Sun block In a water proof container in my kayak: First aid kit (includes note pad and pencil to record any medical observations) Space blanket (this can be improvised into a fly or simply used to cover yourself) Napthaleen fire starters Cigarette lighter Folding saw Roll of Gaffa tape Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) Water purification tablets (in case caught out overnight and need water) Protein bars (in case of an overnighter) Packet soup (in case of an overnighter) Mirror (for signalling) In a waterproof bag in my kayak Dry long thermal top and underwear Neoprene cap (can be used while paddling if water is cold or to keep warm overnight) Neoprene gloves (as above) Dry top (as above) Webbed gloves (last ditch resort if all spare paddles are gone) Aluminum pot and grabbers (in case of overnighter) Hope this helps and appreciate any other suggestions. Gary Luke - As flatwater convenor & leader... A small addition to this thread about safety and backup gear, even for the easy flatwater trips around the wider Sydney region where no- one assumes there's going to be big problems like the broken limbs and helicopter lift that started this. We check we've got one spare paddle for about each half dozen paddlers. I chuck into the hatch my "just_in_case" dry bag with these items - First aid kit, multitool, and a few other fixit thingumys. Space blanket (in case anyone suffers from a dunking & chill) Gaffer tape (so far no holes in kayaks). Cigarette lighter. Dates and a couple of grain & nut health bars (diabetes?). Rain jacket (fits over my PFD). Phone number for the bush rescue group is on my waterproof smartphone. Float plan with everyone's details & intended return time is left on the car seat Scans of personal medical and other details on a smartphone is a good idea.... and I really hope it's been a total waste of effort and none of it gets used. PS - flatwater kayakers, paddling easy rivers, solo or with friends, should think about what could go wrong, and figure what emergency items to include as a standard kit. Andy Singh - Last year I did the Marine Rescue radio course. They spoke about Personal Location Beacons. If you set your PLB off expect a two hour delay for the signal to be picked up. In the example given, it took 90 mins for the satellite to pick up the signal. I was then told to expect at least an hour delay as they try and work out if the signal is a real emergency or September 2015 Page 7

8 not. At lot of PLB activations are mistakes. To confirm an emergency is underway they need to contact the emergency point of contact. This is the weakness in the whole system. For this group, confirmation for the PLB came quickly, but it never came with SPOT. In this case the dispatch/arrival of the helicopter takes another 45 minutes. So from an open water perspective, if I have gone into the water, I could expect a delay of 3 hours before the helicopter arrives - that s a long time to be in the water. To break this delay, the primary emergency communication device is a mobile phone, radio or satellite phone, essential to communicate the nature, scale and severity of the emergency to rescue services. PLBs and SPOT provide precise location, are secondary emergency communication devices. The third communication strategy is a well briefed emergency contact person with full details of the trip and the paddle, stored on the Paddle Safe app so this information can be sent to the CRCC with the push of a button. Marine Rescue radio courses are a great way of understanding the limitations of rescue services, reinforcing the personal responsibility of each paddler to have 3 levels of communication available, every time they paddle. Marine Rescue advice was up to a 3 hour delay, in this case there was a 2.15 hour delay they were pretty accurate and this would have been a long time if I was floating in open water. Ben - If you ve got the ability to set two EPIRBS off, I would consider it. Also think about the remaining crew on the ground. If they had problems on the last leg of the river the next morning, would they have still had an EPIRB if you d used 2 the day before. Michael - This has been a very interesting and useful forum. My name is Mick Law, and I'm not sure my membership is even current at the moment, but I thought I might have something useful to add to this discussion. I work as a doctor on the Hunter area rescue helicopter. From that perspective here are a few tips when expecting a helicopter response; 1: If it is safe to move the patient, (not if spinal injury is possible), try to move them to a flat area which is open (not close to cliffs, large rocks, or trees). 2: Have some bright coloured objects (easy...all kayaks!) to help be spotted by the chopper. At night, a strobe or head torch will be picked up by a NVG several km away. Do not shine a torch directly at the chopper at night, as the NVG will flare and temporarily blind the pilot. 3: all loose objects can become FOD (flying object debris) which can seriously damage a helicopter. Prior to the helicopter arriving, try and secure all loose objects. The downwash of a helicopter, particularly in the hover, is up to 5 tons (depending on the type). 4: Once the helicopter is above you in the hover, it is very hard to hear, communicate, plan, or even think straight. Try to have everything sorted out before hand. 5: Landing near the site is the preferred method of retrieving the patient if the helicopter can land in a proximity that allows the patient to be carried to the helicopter. 6: A winch will usually be the next option if it is possible. If winching and landing are not possible, they will mobilise rescue personnel to the scene for a long and arduous patient carry. In the event of a winch; They will winch down a paramedic and doctor first, then some equipment, then the helicopter will fly away and either do orbits or go off and re- fuel. If the patient injuries are such that they can stand, (dislocated shoulder, ankle, etc) it is likely the patient will be winched in a quick strop (over water) or ARV, a type of sit- in hammock (over land). If the patient cannot stand, it is likely a rigid stretcher will be used. Finally, as a doctor but nothing to do with retrieval helicopter, the most useful first aid for a fractured femur (the long thigh bone) is early traction. This reduces pain and internal bleeding by about 50%. Believe it or not, this can be achieved with a pair of trouser legs, two straight sticks, and some string (taught on "wilderness first aid" course). Better still, the club could buy a CT6 (small and light and probably not that expensive) from the ambulance service and this could be loaned for remote trips. September 2015 Page 8

9 Andrew - One little suggestion for emergency kit/plb when Basil was choppered out of Nymboida, the air crew said that reflection from the mirror tape on back of beacon was what they saw first, and saved time while they were on grid pattern search. Don t know if current PLB s have that, but a worthwhile addition. Note below response re financial support to these wonderful rescue services. Steven Molino replied - Thanks Mick this is really useful and having done a couple of heli- paddles lately can confirm that the pilots are very particular about everything being secured before they land. They don t want loose debris creating a worse accident.it has also reminded me of yet another item in my emergency kit which I forgot to write on my list last night a head lamp. Also a piece of break down paddle can be used as a splint (particularly a three or four piece) and the gaffa tape used to secure it. Mark - Just to add to the PLB discussion, late last year I had a PLB go into an alarm state whilst Canyoning (beeping & strobe light flashing) obviously there was no phone reception to ring the authorities to tell them it was a false alarm & no tools to be able to disable it. We performed kinetic maintenance on the PLB & buried the it in the bottom of my pack surrounded by as much spare metal hardware as possible to try to muffle the signal, then continued on whilst nervously watching the sky for helicopters. Upon reaching civilisation we located the AMSA phone number & gave them a call, they confirmed that the signal hadn t been picked up. I was then asked to actually turn the plb on & then off whilst the operator was watching (there happened to be a satellite pass at the time). Signal still wasn t picked up & the PLB was still in its alarm state, so the operator asked me to disassemble the PLB & remove the battery connection whilst still on the phone, he then inactivated the PLB in there Data Base. The PLB was returned to the manufacturer & replaced under warranty. I guess if we had actually needed the PLB on that trip we would have been in real trouble. Based on this, more than one PLB or other communication device will be my preference! Hi Julie, I put a blurb in the years ago when Andrew Love got choppered out from Wingecarribee. Basically the rescue service that choppered Basil out of Nymboida is partly volunteer funded, as is other regional services, but the ones closer to Metro areas such as that covers Wingee is govt funded and operated. So I recommended people give to the North Coast one ( and the Canberra one ( as they rely heavily on public and corporate donations plus they cover areas we (ok, y all) paddle. After seeing their magnificent work extracting Basil from Nymboida to Coffs Harbour Hospital (and the care of nurses who were looking fwd to a somewhat younger mano!), I ve continued to support them partly to both read the amazing rescue stories in their quarterly newsletter and get a tax break! Our Safety and Training Coordinator is currently examining options for a Remote First Aid Training Course a really important opportunity to think and practice first aid when the ambulance in not around the corner look out for more details - Andy September 2015 Page 9

10 Cooks River Big Day Out Celebrating the Alliance I cannot help but start with talking about the weather. It was the best Saturday of winter; a beautiful sunny day of 28 degrees. We could not have had a better day for a leisurely paddle on the river. Nell had arranged with the organisers of the Cooks River Alliance for the club to give people a taster paddle on the river. The uptake for the day was great; the two paddles were booked out in advance. And there was a good crew from the club to help out too Tracy, Hazel, Deborah, Lynn, Dave and myself. Jeff came by to say hello and Andy came just in time for beer at the end. Can t deny how sensible he is! The first group of paddlers rocked up in dribs and drabs (one with own kayak) and after some negotiation about taking a young person in the double, making sure all forms were filled in and submitted and sorting those running late, everyone was ready for Lynn s safety chat. So there they all were, splendid in red vests in the sunshine with arms in the air making the box shape for holding the paddle. And one by one each person got into a kayak and out on the water. Each paddle was allocated an hour but by the time all the preliminaries were done, the group was lucky to get a 20 minute paddle. Still, no-one complained, it was such a glorious day and the Cooks River was fairly twinkling in the sun. Back at the ranch, Hazel and I answered some enquiries and before we knew it, it was time to be hauling people out again. The second group rolled up in a relaxed manner (code for sunny day time which is code for not really on time at all) and were put into vests and allocated boats. And so the process of putting people on the water started again. But wait, hang on, why is that little red boat upside down near the bridge? And why does Deb have a person clinging to the front of her kayak looking like a (wet) figurehead? Seems one participant was too keenly chucking a u-ey in the Rogue and managed to turn it over. She very graciously came back to land, laughed at her misfortune, appreciated her good fortune (did not lose her glasses) and decided it was a good idea to go home for a shower. She admitted to swallowing some Cooks River water but I wasn t sure what advice to give for that. Drink some bleach? Wash it through with lots of tap water? Come back for beer later? Not sure. What do you do in that situation just wait and hope whatever you swallowed does not want to make a violent exit later on? September 2015 Page 10

11 So the show continued on and soon everyone was on the water. Lynn took care of the clubhouse and the rest of us just enjoyed being out for a paddle. Deborah so kindly took care of a person struggling to go straight but the rest ploughed ahead and watched those on the land enjoy some of the other Cooks River Day Out activities. All except Tracy, that is. A dog having a swim started barking and heading towards the kayaks. Its owners on the far bank were calling it but the dog was on a mission. I think it thought this was its river and no-one should be paddling on it. It made a beeline for Tracy who tried to veer it back toward the owners on the bank. But the dog was not interested in that and so had a go at Tracy, who fought back with his paddle. Like we needed another person in the water! Well the owners had a mild fit and gave us a short history of the dog (victim of abuse) and asked Tracy not to hit the dog. Tracy asked them not to let their dog swim in the river when kayaks were there. I make this sound like it was a nice polite face to face exchange but it was actually quite a loud yelling match across the river, albeit fairly controlled. It was effective however, the dog swam back to its owners, they still loved it and Tracey stayed upright, unbitten and we all paddled on. The paddle back was uneventful and everyone got out of the water safely and helped with washing down the boats. And then the second best part of the day (after having a paddle in the sun, not fighting a dog!). It was time for a lazy beer (or two) at the Concordia Club. Nell was back from her other Cooks River Day Out duty, Andy was there and the sun was still shining. The perfect end to a very perfect day! And the lady in the water was called and was fine and might even come back for another go (at paddling, not swimming). Good on her. She should have come back for a beer. She deserved one! Miriam. September 2015 Page 11

12 PaddleNSW AGM & Club Forum - 10 th & 11 th October 2015 The PaddleNSW AGM & Club Paddle Forum will be held at Land s Edge at Chowder Bay on Saturday 10 th and Sunday 11 th October. The Forum will include the AGM, Annual Awards presentation, Club Forum, Education coach/instructor Forum, and social and challenge paddles to enjoy the beautiful Sydney Harbour. We will attempt to keep expenses reasonable for all club executives and club members attending, especially for our regional visitors. We invite all to stay at Land s Edge (inexpensive dorm accommodation bring your own linen) right next to Clifton Gardens, the ZOO and lovely Mosman Galleries and Balmoral (for partners not interested in paddling). We will also encourage billeting by our metro club exec members. All meals during the weekend will be subsidised by PaddleNSW. There are 12 rooms at Land s Edge with multiple beds in each (shared rooms depending on the number of people staying). Café and fine dining right next door. We will be subsidising members of affiliated Club Executives (eg President, Secretary, Club Coach, etc) $80 for the weekend ($140 if staying two nights) and $100 for non-executive club members ($160 for two nights). This includes accommodation (bring your own linen), dinner (Saturday) and breakfast (Sunday). Schedule is: Saturday am River Canoe Club Sydney Harbour Rogaine 2-3 See next page hour event 12:30pm Club Forum Board, Clubs PNSW updates: Strategic Plan & Clubs feedback PaddleNSW Products: Waterways Guide, PaddleSafe APP. PaddleSafe Courses, Kids Programs, Junior development 4pm Annual General Meeting CEO, Board 5pm Sunset Paddle Recreation Committee 6:30pm Dinner & social drinks Board 7:30pm PNSW Annual Awards Presentation CEO, Board 8:30pm Guest Speakers or shared Personal Challenges Sunday am Sunrise Paddle Recreation Committee 8am Breakfast Exit Lands Edge 9am 10am Updating forward stroke and instructional techniques Chowder Bay 9am 4pm Instructors Forum Watsons Bay Education Committee 9am-12pm Safety Boat Training Tony Hystek 9am-12pm SUP Accreditation Workshop Karen Dallas 9am-12pm NeckSafe training injury management Dr Adrian Cohen

13 RCC Sydney Harbour Rogaine - 10 th October 2015 As a part of the PaddleNSW AGM, the River Canoe Club will host an inaugural rogaining event on Sydney Harbour. Rogaine was a popular sport at university where drunk first year students were dumped into the mountains behind Canberra and told to find their own way back. The sport has moved on since its early bastardisation origins. Officially regaining combines a combination of navigation, fitness and cunning to navigate through a course, find check points and collect points. We will be commencing our rogaining event at Chowder Bay, but all the action will be over on the eastern channel, from the nudists on Lady Jane beach to the latte sippers of Double Day, paddlers should be actively engaged for 2 3 hours trying to secure the most points. The event will be weighted to those capable of decoding cryptic clues, working out effective strategies, and conjuring some dumb luck, rather than those capable of paddling across the course in the quickest time. Participants will be paddling in sea kayaks with full safety equipment for open water paddling. To assist in the running of this event, I will need some volunteers to help across the morning of 10 th October September 2015 Page 13

14 Thoughts about Open Water Paddling Its spring and my thoughts are finally shifting beyond the rapidly approaching Hawkesbury Classic, less than a month away. I have been thinking about some open water paddles for club members. Early December Transition to open water 1 Yarra Bay and Botany Bay - 10 kms Early January Transition to open water 2 Yarra Bay to Malabar (return) - 20 kms February 2016 Club House to Bundeena Camping overnight 30 km each day March 2016 Mosman to The Basin (Pittwater) - Camping overnight 30 km each day April 2016 Port Stephens to Broughton Island Camping overnight 30 km each day So what will you need to join these trips 1. A sea kayak plastic, fibreglass or kevlar 2. All safety equipment required for open water paddling 3. Skills and knowledge required for open water paddling including eskimo roll and rescue techniques 4. The physical and mental ability to paddle 30 kms per day in adverse conditions 5. Attending the two training sessions to build skills and group cohesion If you are interested in paddling along some of the best coastlines in and around Sydney, and enjoy overnight camping, then these prospective trips may be of interest to you. Each trip requires significant investment in terms of time in planning and leading. So early commitment by club members will determine if I pursue them any further. Please let me know which, if any, trip you are interested in, or are committed to developing the skills, fitness and abilities to join. Andy Singh Broughton Island could be you September 2015 Page 14

15 RCC Trip Calendar updated 25 September 2015 Most whitewater trips are organised through Yahoo group due to the unpredictability of river levels Impromptu flat and moving water trips are also arranged via the Yahoo group Subscribe to the Yahoo group via the Club s website ( Date Sat 26 th Sept to Mon 5 th Oct 2015 Wed 7 th Oct 2015 Sat 10 th Sun 11 th Oct 2015 Sun 18 th Oct 2015 Wed 21 st Oct 2015 White Water - Victorian Spring Safari Trip Details and Contact The best week of paddling of the year! Camping and paddling in the Victorian and NSW high country. Rivers paddled could possibly include the Eucumbene, Thredbo, Snowy, Murray (Indi), Cobungra, Bundara and Mitta Mitta. Grade 3+ whitewater. Grade 2 to 4 Whitewater depending on the experience and interest of the group. Contact - Will Stone whitewater@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flatwater - Mid-Week Paddle Beginner - Suitable for first timers and those just wanting to get out on water at a leisurely pace. These paddles will generally go up stream on the Cooks River or Wolli Creek. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Open Water - Sydney Harbour Rogaine & PNSW Club Forum / AGM On Saturday morning, and in support of the PNSW AGM, we are going to attempt a combination of sea kayaking, technology and Sydney Harbour to create a few hours of fun. The activity will be a harbour rogaine. This will be followed by the PaddleNSW Annual Club Paddle Forum including the AGM, Annual Awards presentation, Club Forum, Education coach/instructor Forum, and social and challenge paddles to enjoy the beautiful Sydney Harbour. Contact - Andy Singh openwater@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Windsor to Catti Creek This is a 13+km paddle on the Hawkesbury River, with the option to explore Cattai Creek. A small taste of the Hawkesbury Classic which is the following weekend. Trip Leader - John Larsen Contact - John Larsen flatwater@rivercanoeclub.com Recreational Flat Water - Mid-Week Paddle Fitness Paddle - for those who want to paddle hard and increase their fitness. These paddles will go out towards Botany Bay and are suitable for more experienced paddlers as they require a higher level of skill and fitness as it can get windy. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org September 2015 Page 15

16 Sat 24th / Sun 25th Oct 2014 Wed 4 th Nov 2015 Sat 7 th Sun 8 th Nov 2015 Wed 18 th Nov 2015 Thurs 25 th Sun 29 th Nov 2015 Sun 29 th Nov 2015 Competitive Marathon - Hawkesbury Classic Windsor to Brooklyn The RCC Midnight Train to Brooklyn team have been training all year We have paddled day and night, we are chaffed and sore. All we need now is the start, and some more support crew. So if you are doing nothing this weekend, and want to see the biggest kayaking event in NSW come and lend a hand. The 39th Classic covers 111 kilometers over Saturday night / Sunday morning. Contact - Andy Singh openwater@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Mid-Week Paddle Beginner - Suitable for first timers and those just wanting to get out on water at a leisurely pace. These paddles will generally go up stream on the Cooks River or Wolli Creek. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Shoalhaven Gorge Overnight Camp This is one of NSW most scenic paddles. We will paddle approximately 14km from Tallowa Dam up the Shoalhaven Gorge to Fossickers Flat and camp overnight. This is a flatwater S02 trip suitable for flatwater kayaks, seakayaks and open canadian canoes. Alternatively we could paddle from the dam downstream to Illaroo. This will be on moving water with some grade 1 and 2 rapids. This is a moving water trip suitable for whitewater boats, canadians and some touring kayaks. Grade Whitewater grade 1. Contact - Rob Walker Flatwater@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Mid-Week Paddle Fitness Paddle - for those who want to paddle hard and increase their fitness. These paddles will go out towards Botany Bay and are suitable for more experienced paddlers as they require a higher level of skill and fitness as it can get windy. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - WomDomNom Ten Rivers paddlers are taking part this year, paddling for 4 days from Wellington to Narromine on the Macquarie River and raising funds for the Black Dog Institute. Contact - Andy Singh openwater@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Nepean Gorge This is a day trip up the Nepean Gorge passing through Eskine Creek State Forest & the Blue Mountains National Park. Depending on the group the aim is to paddle around 10 kms into the gorge, have lunch & return. Grade SO1 so suitable for fit novices & touring kayaks of 4 meters. Bring lunch, snacks & enough water for the day. Meet at the boat ramp in Tench Reserve ( at 9.00 am. Contact - Tracy Hudson secretary@rivercanoeclub.org September 2015 Page 16

17 Wed 8 th Dec 2015 Sat 12 th Dec 2015 Sat 12 th or Sun 13 th Dec 2015 Tues 5 th Jan 2016 Sat 16 th Jan 2016 Tues 19 th Jan 2016 Sun 31 st Jan 2016 Wed 3 rd Feb 2015 Sun 14 th Feb 2016 Recreational Flat Water - Mid-Week Paddle Beginner - Suitable for first timers and those just wanting to get out on water at a leisurely pace. These paddles will generally go up stream on the Cooks River or Wolli Creek. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Woronora River to the Needles Come explore the upper reaches of the Woronora River in south Sydney. Contact - Rob Walker Flatwater@rivercanoeclub.org Enhance Your Social Life RCC Christmas Party Weegie boards are being consulted So stay posted! Contact - Dee Taylor social@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Mid-Week Paddle Beginner - Suitable for first timers and those just wanting to get out on water at a leisurely pace. These paddles will generally go up stream on the Cooks River or Wolli Creek. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Southwest Arm, Port Hacking Paddle into one of the Royal National Park's tidal creeks and see if we can find the waterfall at the end. Contact - Rob Walker Flatwater@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Mid-Week Paddle Fitness Paddle - for those who want to paddle hard and increase their fitness. These paddles will go out towards Botany Bay and are suitable for more experienced paddlers as they require a higher level of skill and fitness as it can get windy. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Rozelle Bay & Fish Markets Explore the old industrial harbours of Sydney, Rozelle Bay, White Bay and stop off at the fish markets for lunch. Contact - Rob Walker Flatwater@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Mid-Week Paddle Beginner - Suitable for first timers and those just wanting to get out on water at a leisurely pace. These paddles will generally go up stream on the Cooks River or Wolli Creek. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Berowra Creek Paddle upstream from the Berowra Waters ferry to Rocky Fall Rapids and explore the side creeks along the way. Contact - Rob Walker Flatwater@rivercanoeclub.org September 2015 Page 17

18 Wed 17 th Feb 2016 Tues 23 rd Feb 2016 Recreational Flat Water - Mid-Week Paddle Fitness Paddle - for those who want to paddle hard and increase their fitness. These paddles will go out towards Botany Bay and are suitable for more experienced paddlers as they require a higher level of skill and fitness as it can get windy. Please arrive at 5.45 pm (latest) for 6.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Recreational Flat Water - Full Moon Paddle A paddle through the mangroves on Wolli Creek or exploring the Cooks by moonlight! This paddle is suitable for those with good skills and confidence in a kayak as paddling in the dark. Please bring a head torch or light to attach to your boat. Please arrive at 6.45 pm (latest) for 7.00 pm on the water. Contact - Nell Graham house@rivercanoeclub.org Trips may be added to the calendar or be subject to change. Further details of all planned trips can be obtained from the Club s calendar. ( Due to weather or other considerations trips may be changed closer to or on the day. Don t just turn up. For trips run by PaddleNSW; refer to their website September 2015 Page 18

19 RCC Club Contacts 2015/2016 Committee Members President Andy Singh Vice President Lynn Parker Secretary Tracy Hudson Treasurer Scott Button Social Secretary Dee Taylor Webmaster John Larsen Splash Editor Deborah Doherty House Officer Nell Graham Safety/Training Convenor Whitewater Convenor Jo Hendriks Wil Stone Flatwater Convenor Openwater Convenor Rob Walker Andy Singh New Member Enquiries: Andy Singh General Enquiries: For non-membership related enquiries please send an to Club Meetings: Held periodically either at the Clubhouse, or away by a river somewhere. Check calendar for the dates & venue. Splash: This Magazine is copyright to River Canoe Club. No part may be reproduced without permission. Non-profit canoeing clubs may reproduce any article without permission, as long as the source and copyright is acknowledged. Splash is published monthly without any spelling or grammar mistakes [they are randomly introduced inconsistencies]. Next Splash Deadline: 24th October 2015 September 2015 Page 19

20 RCC Equipment Hire Kayak Hire Prices Evening hire: $5 Single day hire: $30 Weekend hire: $50 Hire price includes: boat PFD spray deck paddle Helmets: Club policy requires all members to provide their own helmet that fits comfortably and meets relevant standards. Helmets are required for whitewater and surf trips. Marquee Hire: Marquee Use (members only) $30 per day $50 per weekend includes a $200 refundable deposit upon return WhiteWater Necky Jive x 1 Dagger RPM x 2 Dagger GTX x 1 Nomads x 4 Bliss Stick mini Pyranha Burn Pyranha Fusion Jackson Rogue Feelfree literally feel free Eskimo Topo (Double) The Torvill/Dean of WW Recreational Barker Nymph Perception Minnow Perception Spectrum Australis Platypus x 2 Q-Kayak Tui x 2 Open Water Wilderness Zypher 16 Q-Kayak Penguin Winner Double Kayak Hire Booking: Discuss with trip leader well before the day of the trip. Access to the club can be arranged through committee members (see contact list) Payment Options: Cash to Trip Leader at commencement Payment via Electronic Funds Transfer: Account Name: River Canoe Club of NSW Bank: St George BSB: Account No: Advise the trip leader if paying via EFT Include surname and reason eg: marquejones or boatjones in the payment comment. September 2015 Page 20