Originally reported in the November edition of the The Linc.
From Canoe’s to tennis ball helmets. It can only be on thing. The Canoe & Kayak team return to Tyne Tour.
Every year members of the University of Lincoln Canoe & Kayak team or know as Lincoln University Canoe & Kayak (L.U.C.K) travel up north to Hexham just outside of Newcastle to take part in one of Europe’s biggest kayak & canoe festivals. And this year was no different.
The date was set, 1st – 2nd of November. So on the Friday the 31st of October members of L.U.C.K gathered to pack kayaks, paddles, helmets, spray decks and plenty of thermals. Once the packing was done a long road trip on Halloween night to Newcastle meant Tyne Tour had began.
37 members went on the trip. All from various year groups including some alumni members, joined up at the site and we made camp for the weekend. As soon as the hard work was out the way we explored the site and meet other universities from across the country. Including Sheffield Hallam, Newcastle University, York University and the University of Cumbria. It was a great evening speaking to other students about kayaking & just having a good time.
After a long night on the Friday the team where up sharp at 7pm to begin the whole reason we’ve travelled, to paddle the river Tyne. In terms of rivers the Tyne is a great all rounder. It provides generous flat water to get ready for its mixture of easy short rapids to long waves. With 35 of us on the water and 100’s more from other universities & clubs, we began 11am kitted up and rearing to go.
However before we got onto the water, another L.U.C.K Tyne Tour tradition was required. Each year members are challenged to decorate there helmets and come along with the silliest hats. This year they ranged from a Tennis ball helmet, reindeer head, duck shower caps to a hat made out of balloon animals. It is as always only a Lincoln tradition, so we did turn some heads from other universities.
The L.U.C.K team spent all day on the water and only stopping for lunch break. We had a range of different boats in our team. Most members paddled creek kayaks; these are boats designed for 1 person and allow a lot of connectivity with the paddler. This allows for the boat to respond to certain movements of hips & the body to allow easier control of the boat. These are the most common kayaks. However other members who’d completed Tyne Tour many times decided to challenge themselves with new boats. President of L.U.C.K Rachel Turner joined up with a member of the safety time to paddle the river in a duo sit on top kayak. While alumni members & club ‘legends’ Shaun & Ian tackled the whole river in a Canadian canoe. Amazingly they managed to stay afloat & dry until the last rapid in which they capsized in such a dramatic fashion it was almost ripped out of film scene. However as the photo’s show, it takes a lot to wipe a smile of these two.
As always many members swam in the river after being pushed out of they’re kayaking by rocks or waves. But thankfully after plenty of safety training & planning no one from the team was injured, only suffering was wearing the soaking kit for the rest of the afternoon.
Overall the first day of paddling was a success. All members found the paddling fun & challenging; from complete beginners to semi-pro’s Tyne Tour has something for everyone and with 100’s of paddlers on the water. We all looked out for each other, making a safe & relaxed atmosphere.
As the sun was setting down we reached the end of the river. Quick change into dry clothes and hanging up the kit. The evening’s festivities began. The festival organisers hosted the Tyne Tour classic Ceildhi, an evening of traditional dancing. Along with that, the clear November skies were filled with fireworks from the town centre. It was a much called for celebration after a day on the water.
However the weekend was not over! A few soar heads on the Sunday didn’t stop us. After packing the vans & cars we said farewell to Hexham & the Tyne and travel the short distance to Barnet Castle in Teesdale to paddle our 2nd river of the weekend. The middle tee’s. Less members took onto the river due to a paddle shortage in the club. The Tee’s offers a much more rapids & white water in the shorter river. In the 3 hours we took onto the water, we came across various rapids of different difficulties including abbey rapids, named due it being next to a disused Abbey.
The paddle finished at the site of the historic wooden drawbridge near the village of Whorlton. It also meant the last challenge of the day. This being the Whorlton Lido waterfall. While it not being the classic long rocky waterfall, It provides a 2 meter drop in the river. It might not sound terrifying on land. But when in a kayak sat down readying yourself to do a drop. It can be quite scary. Whorlton Lido has also gained a reputation within the kayaking community as being the site of a death of a canoeist last year. However our safety team assed the risked & supervised to make sure everyone paddle it safely. And all members who tickled it made it down with no swimmers.
As soon as boats where of the water. L.U.C.K began the drive home on the Sunday evening back to Lincoln.
Overall the weekend was a great success. All of our members enjoyed the time off water & on the water. And it’s always nice to travel & mix with other universities. Unlike our other trips with other universities, this was not a competitive event.
However the competitions will begin in March with the return of the NSR.
If you would like to know more about canoe & kayak team please feel free to e-mail us at canoe@lincolnsu.com. Or follow us on twitter @lincolnunikayak.
About the Canoe & Kayak Team:
The Canoe and Kayak Club at the University of Lincoln is a great, fun filled and exciting club that is now one of the biggest teams on campus. The team go on regular excursions across the region and further afield including Tyne tour, the National Student Rodeo and surf kayaking in Newquay. The club has progressed massively in the recent years with its highest ever membership. The club has a very active social side and and run weekly sessions on campus, on the Brayford Pool.
canoe@lincolnsu.com