Freshers! Kayakers! Welcome!

HELLO! 

We at Liverpool University Canoe Club (LUCC) thought we'd post a variety of FAQ's and Top Tips about the excellent sport of Kayaking and the equally if not more excellent club that is Liverpool University Canoe Club! Freshers and those new to Liverpool, read on!

Read on for all you need to know about joining, loving and never ever leaving us!!!

What the b'jesus is kayaking?
Kayaking is an 'extreme' water sport, technically. Kayaking is not Canoeing, despite what our name suggests we don't really canoe at all. A kayak is a closed cockpit boat (usually in a pretty colour!) that you throw yourself down a river in, then paddle some. It's exhilarating, so much fun and an amazing way to see the world. But despite it's 'extreme' title, kayaking can also be very chilled and a fun way to spend an afternoon floating down a river in the countryside. 

What is LUCC?
We are a University kayaking club and regularly 'train' in the pool, go on weekends away to Wales and the Lake District and longer trips to Scotland and the Alps. We compete three times a year in BUCS events- river racing, slalom and polo- and attend big weekend events with other university canoe clubs from all over the UK. But we also have amazing socials and are all friendly and spend most of our time lounging about in pubs, each others houses and on the side of rivers. We paddle, party and live together for the most part! 

How can I join?
Find us at Freshers Fair, join the AU at the sports office when you decide you've fallen in love and want to spend your University career getting wet and quite drunk, then seduce our secretary JJ (she's easy) into giving you a membership form, then you're in! Couldn't be simpler.
JOIN US. 

Where do you do it?
Every Tuesday and Thursday in the University pool in the sports centre on campus. Polo on Tuesdays and General messing about on Thursdays. We meet at sheds across the road from the sports centre in the underground car park- but don't worry, for the first few weeks we'll all hang around and show you exactly where you need to go!! 

I'm at a different Liverpool Uni, can I still join?
YES. This is a big part of who we are and we love it! We have lots of JMU paddlers and always have done! Although we only recruit freshers from UoL, if you're a paddler and at JMU/Hope/LIPA etc, get in touch!!! It's a little different cost wise but not by much! 

What do I need?
The urge to try something new and the balls to try something out of your comfort zone I'd say. 
But equipment wise, not much! We have a store of boats, paddles, decks, bouyancy aids, helmets, wetsuits and cags for all those new to the sport. We also have private sheds for those with their own boats and paddles. Come along to the pool session with swimming stuff and shorts/tshirt to wear in the pool and we'll provide the rest! 

*Editing partly done by B.Waller, try to find his slightly risque/mean comment!

Alps 2014: The Concise Story

So, having just found my rather limited diary of our French Alps Trip 2014, and having nothing much to do, I thought I might post a few lines about our Summer adventures as the nights draw in and to paraphrase The Stark's 'Winter is kind of on it's way'. Enjoy!

Much like last year, my diary is littered with rather personal anecdotes which I will try to edit out on most occasions- but sorry if you get bored by my ramblings about cheese etc!!

Friday 13th June
Thwaites or BLT as I shall call him (how have we not cottoned on to this nickname before??!) picked Maeve and I up from the Love Shack at around midday and after a not-quite tearful goodbye to Dr Draper, she kindly returned both my name and her keys and left 133 forever *sob*. Anyway, back to the Alps.
There was FAFF FAFF FAFF at sheds as people decided to run VERY UNNECESSARY errands right before we were supposed to leave. We forgot to bring any splits, but made the ferry in very good time and had some excellent Dover fish and chips and Jack gave us massages as we waited to board.
The Ferry: Dom lost wallet, noisy foreign children, JessCornerSleepingJenga.
BLT, Jack and I took the graveyard shift (I actually know where the phrase Graveyard Shift comes from now, but I'll save it for another day eh) and we drove all through the night, finally collapsing at around 6am when we decided that Ben swerving for butterflies was not conducive to good driving- we were a little crazy from no sleep its safe to say.
Arrive L'Argentierre about midday, met the Van crew, set up, enjoyed the sun and chilled.
K-N-A-C-K-E-R-E-D

14th June
Standard Sunshine Run fun was to be had. Alpine water was a slight shock to system for a second year running but we were all back in le groove after a few minutes. For the second year running the Sunshine Run didn't live up to it's name as the weather decided to be a bit rubbish, but the waves made up for this as we washed away the boating cobwebs.

And that is where my diary ends... I do apologise.
Alps was amazing as always.
Cheese, Salami, Sunshine and Wine.
Oh and some paddling too ;)
Here's to next year!

Girls Trip!

“My sister models as her hobby - How did I end up doing this?!”




Not the words you expected to hear on a girly weekend to Wales, but Avneen had a fair point. 10 minutes into the upwards climb to our ‘cute’ bunkhouse, I had wondered how I’d ended up there myself. A handful of torches between 15 girls to make the slog up the mountain, we arrived to our bunkhouse before realising there was no electricity, no sockets, not even one match with which to light a candle! While the bottles were opened, Fiona marched around with gas cannisters, and soon the lights were on, the fire was lit, and the Camembert was on the stove to start off the wine and cheese night to a gooey success. 


No girly sleep-in time was set for the next morning so at 7:30 the bacon rounds begun while texts from our resident rainchaser came through announcing plans for the Llugwy were scrapey at best and to head for the Lower Tryweryn. After three attempts at going in different directions, we were eventually heading the right direction and were on the river only a mere five hours after waking up! With Kim leading the first group ahead, Ailsa had her first go at leading the second, and we proved girls trip to be no less carnagey than any other fresher trip.

Back on the river, it flattened off after a cheeky portage of a particularly gnarly Grade 2 section, and despite the swims, the sound of “Would you like to build a snowman?” continued on in good spirits. Sarah demonstrated particularly well why trees are out to stab you in the back when one hugged her into a wet submissal, and made me roll after a particularly girly Rambo attempt to dislodge the branch, and Avneen and Charlie’s pile-onto a rock was a particularly good display of limbs flying everyway! A quick discovery of the joys of the portage leat (A personal highlight of my trip that proved more difficult than the actual rapids after losing my paddles, wedged between the narrow bank) and we had made it past Bala Mill Falls- which definitely had no tree stuck in it as Aaron and co. demonstrated when he arrived to the cheer of approval from freshers.

A quick collection of the van and some lost freshers from the side of the road, and we regrouped at the get off, where several girls were now sporting a variety of hats from the walking guidebook himself, Andy. After several hurried pardons, Kim and myself legged it for the comfort of ready-cooked food, alcohol and electricity of Plas y Brenin while the remaining girls packed the van and headed back to the bunkhouse for chocolate and toasted marshmallows. After touching the hands of Benny Marr himself, Kim was swapped out in favour of Ruth and at 1am, the trek into the wilderness was made again for a quick nap before the next day’s paddle.

The llugwy welcomed us- wet, cold and windy. Spirits were still high and after attempting to bargain with the WWSR students to practice their lining below Forestry Falls, we broke out of our eddy into the flow. 

And straight into the first river-wide tree, whoops!

A slow start had the minibus still in view after an hour, but the pace quickened considerably once everyone had found their river legs and lost their nerves! With Fiona and Schneids leading the day it passed smoothly on until the falls, where Maeve learned what it meant to be backlooped, freshers tried their first grade 3, and even older members were taken by surprise by the cheeky rock in the middle of the drop. Once everyone had had their fun, some even enjoying it a second time, everyone piled on down to the get-off, where Charlie proved girls trip could infact be a nice time when she’d spent the day in the cafe and sight-seeing the local Grade 5s!

A particularly muddy pack-up saw the girls back on the road to Liverpool, although considerably quieter than on the way…...

Until next time- Do you want to build a snowman?

Glen report

Two possibly still drunk people (Greg and Liam) got on the Fairy Glen on Sunday. After me (Liam) and my boat did a wicked splat move on henry moore I quickly sobered up. Greg got burly beatdown somewhere on there or cave drop we're not sure. then the second gorge went smooth as hell. We called it a day after out 10/15minutes of wet and intense paddling were had. We then discussed our run with the one and only Ben Marr then went for coffee and pizza and home.

THE END

Our two hero's in action

A return to the faithful Dee

On a cold sunday morning, three weekend warriors set off to the Dee. With promise of good levels and rain to come, it was set to be an interesting day of holes and good playwaves. At a (rainchasers) 0.87 we got what we wanted. With little else running in the area it was predictably busy but not so busy that we didn't get a lot of play in. We opted for a bit of a chicken shoot around horseshoe falls given they looked like they could swallow a horse.

After a good play on the first wave we moved down to serpent's,  and after a bankside inspection,  we decided it was worth a bit of safety,  a pluck up of courage and hit it head on! After watching members of Birmingham uni take the chicken shoot it was voted Ben take the first run at attempting to punch the hole. A slightly off centre line got him through nicely but a braver route directly at the hole seemed much more fun.

Graham having watched went second and followed the same first line, and a cautious Dom took a slightly more sensible river left line as to avoid the hole. After a second run from Ben punching at the hole, we moved down knowing we would be making a second run and giving us all another shot at nailing the beast.

All the drops at JJ's were meaty, but friendly, so we got in a lot of play, and some nice holes allowed the GTX to get a couple of (less than purposeful) play moves in.

A high looking town falls offered many line options,  none too tempting but all needing some skill, some luck, and a bit of a do or die/roll/swim approach. After a quick round of noses Dom lead the way, followed by a slightly dodgy line from Ben earning him a roll, Graham also made it to the bottom in one piece.  A great first run was done.

A spot of lunch, followed by a half hour slog up the canal, the labour of love leading us back up to the horseshoe weir, prepared us for round two of the day. Tired and less enthusiastic, we paddled down once more, still playing,  hitting the eddys and had a bit of 'king of the wave' action.

It seemed a little bigger this time but we powerhoused serpent's and worked our way down to town falls again, all trying a different line hoping for a bit more success or a slightly more challenging route.  Triumphant, the warriors egressed at the steps below town falls and Dom had a jog up to his car so we could all head back over the mersey until next time!

Paddlers:

Ben Thwaites

Dominic Williams

Graham Whiting