This Sunday the club headed to the Wharfe for a beginners club trip. I popped along to have a play with my new Werner carbon cranked Sherpas. They work.
So we paddled the Wharfe - the bit with Conniston falls on it. It is reasonably flat with a few bumps, then there is Conniston, and i believe what is called Ghastrills strid.
The beginners were awesome. They all ran the left hand line on Conniston without any problems. I had a play running every line 1,000,000 times and enjoyed a little side surf at the bottom of the right hand drop.
Ghastrills strid was a nice bit/rapid/thing to practice. I took a left hand line, and then did a grade 5 inverse portage to run the right hand line. I didn't run the far right slot.. because.. well.. I pussied out.
At the end a few of us ran Linton Falls. I got out and had a look. It was a lot higher than the last time I'd run it. I ran it 4 times or so.. a few goes on each line. The right hand line was easier IMO. My final attempt of the boof line went a little wrong. I have attached an image of where I ended up. Please note that it was much higher water, and i was being surfed. Please also note everyone except for Raffan had gone back to the car, and he looked more scared by the situation than me.
In general my lines on Linton Falls were good ish on the right hand line, and less than good on the left hand line. There is room for improvement.. mainly technically - actually hitting my lines, but i stayed in my boats although I rolled after the bottom drop at least a few times.
/photos/linton-bad-line.PNG was here
Good day in all. The freshers were awesome, my paddles were nice. Bon !