3 men in a boat

location: Newferry

participants: 3 - Gareth, Malcolm, John
craft: open canoe (1)
weather: calm

Arrived Newferry 9pm the place was very busy with jetskis and speedboats
launched from slipway, three in one boat.

paddled out into lough Beg heading southeast.  observed ducks, swans, herons, occasional fish jumping, and the smoke-like clouds of flies above the trees around the lough.

water is very shallow away from the navigation channel. 
On return, we landed on the island at the north end of the lough, but it's not easy to explore because it's so damp.

the one where we nearly left the car key.

location: Portna - Movanagher

participants:  4 adults 4 children (4-8 yrs) 2 adult novices, 2 adult some experience 4 children beginners
craft: open canoes (2)
weather: light southerly winds, intermittent sunshine

2 vehicles to put-in downstream of portna lock
vehicle transfer to movanagher.

stopped at unmarked canoe step east of Tully Hill (C928149) to picnic and assess for camping. [close to river - flat, suitable for tents; further in - trees suitable for hammock, but not tents]

paddled on to Movanagher - (C918163) paid lockkeeper and demonstrated lock to novices.

[Movanagher suitable for camping - tap outside house, flat areas for tents, south (west) side of canal suitable for hammocks or tents - plus visible from canal road for remote group assessment]

Participants: 2 adults (some experience) 4 children (novice)
weather: light westerly winds, brief drizzle.

parked at Portglenone marina, launched fom slipway
paddled upriver for just over a mile, brief stop at canoe step at forest.
turned and paddled back to slipway for takeout

location: Portglenone
participants: Community Rescue Antrim & Portglenone
craft: n/a

reminder of water safety protocol theory; practice in the use of throw bags and life rings both in the playing field, and on the river using a volunteer casualty.

BB trip down the Bann was a great success. It was windy, so instead of starting in Antrim and paddling across the North Shore of Lough Neagh the decision was made to start in Toome. In one way I was disappointed because I've never paddled the whole way before, but it would have been a bit of a hairy ride. There's places along that north shore where even in a canoe it's too shallow to paddle less than a mile out. That means you're exposed, and it means the waves are big and close together. Fun, but not with 20 inexperienced paddlers in tow. So, with two paddlers much less experienced than the others, Evan and I split up and took one each just before we entered Lough Beg. I had Ian, who is a rugby player. That means he's ... larger than me. and with the wind coming from the west across the lough, we were weathervaning the whole way. As Ian gained confidence and his technique improved, we were able to keep up with the rest of the group, and with both of us paddling on the windward side of the boat to counter the wind, we were able to work our way to the front. As we paddled through the group I was pointing out the techniques of the other paddlers to Ian, so when we got to Newferry he was ready to try steering. I didn't say too much, just kept a steady pace and encouraged him to feel what body, boat and paddle were doing. He'd absorbed the earlier instruction, and before long was steering the boat with confidence. first night we camped at Portna lock where there is a sheltered grassy area, toilets and a tap. Saturday morning we portaged down to the lower side of the lock, and set off. Evan and I got in early and played briefly in the moving water below the traps before heading off down river. We rested in the boats going through the lock at movanagher, and stopped a few times at some of the many canoe steps along the river. Coming up to Agivey Bridge, the weather was miserable, and it's a dreary paddle at that stage anyway, so we stopped for 20 minutes for a break. that was miserable too. I tried boiling the Kelly Kettle and making couscous curry, but didn't cook it for long enough. ugh. Chocolate saved the day though. back in the boats we paddled to Drumaheglis. At £16.50 per tent, per night, (and remember most of our lads were in 1 or 2-man tents), it was a huge expense, but the hot showers and other facilities were most welcome. I left the group after they had set up camp for the night. Next day they paddled to Coleraine Marina for the get-out, including rafting up and running the rapids into Coleraine.

participants: 10 BB duke of edinburgh, 3 DoE leaders, 2 canoe providers, Evan, John

training for the boys for their duke of edinburgh practice. 
paddled up to the bridge,
then carried out some exercises to demonstrate wind and the weathervane effect.
had a few races to practice moving sideways, backwards, forwards, stopping and steering.
showed one of the DoE leaders how to throw a throwbag
and we provided bank cover while the boys practised X rescues.

location: Lough Neagh
participants: 5
weather: cold, light wind

learned how to come up to plane, proceeded to river Maine, practiced turns.
continued on to Cranfield using markers to navigate.
returned to sixmilewater

location: movanagher lock canal
craft: open canoe
participants: Evan, John
weather: windy

tried Sixmilewater and Newferry before finding a sheltered spot in the lock canal at movanagher to try out the new canoe. 
spent a couple of hours practising technique including J, Indian, Canadian strokes, hanging draw, sculling draw, and bow and stern sweeps, both solo and paired up.
also commented on each others' coaching techniques.

presentation prepared on whitewater basics.

location: sixmilewater caravan park
participants: Lough Neagh Rescue Sixmilewater
craft: n/a
weather: n/a

theory and classroom practical on navigation markers, chart reading and navigation including use of compass, plotters and dividers.

location: Antrim Bay
craft: RIB
participants: LNR sixmilewater
weather: calm

introduction to high powered RIB craft, water safety and the use of throwlines and rescue rings.

location: Toome - Ballywoolen
participants: 2 adults (one novice, one some experience)
weather: moderate-strong north/north west wind.

day 1. travelled to Toome, put in at canoe step.
paddled to lough beg. couldn't control boat against wind.
made our way to eastern shore and lined.  required short portage.
began paddling among the islands further north.

From Newferry, began to get the hang of paddling in a straight line, and using banks to shelter from wind.

[Portglenone west bank, cooked and camped just off the public forest path.  (C976033) very flat and well kept, but busy]

day 2. bought supplies in portglenone, paddled through locks.  Had originally intended to camp at movanagher, but passed there before lunch. 
Hard slog, particularly unrewarding between Carnroe and Avigey - would be worth finding somewhere to put a break in there.
practised paddling in synch with front paddler.
head down and paddled to Drumaheglis. 
[camped in Drumaheglis, very good site, but far more than we needed.  very expensive]

day 3. Drumaheglis, Cutts, Marina ... as we paddled out towards the Grange, the river was shallow and the wind was very much against us.  Handled it much better than we had handled in Lough Beg, but did spend some time walking.

portaged and got picked up at Ballywoolen house.

location: Coleraine - Cutts to Marina
participants: 15
craft: rafted open canoes
weather: warm, calm

organised by Robin Ruddock
Church Youth Weekend
met Robin at Somerset Park in Coleraine, he kitted everybody out and we paddled from there to the Marina.

location: Newferry - Portglenone
participants: 2 adults (Evan, John)
weather: strong southerly

drove to Newferry, put in at slipway
paddled south into lough beg against the wind.
slow progress. 
when we reached the shelter of the large island, we turned and headed north up the bann. 
practised a variety of strokes including sweeps, J, Indian, Canadian and stern rudder.

got picked up at Portglenone marina.