A Paddle on The River Cam with very few punts to dodge!
Last Sunday I met up with my friend Fi and we went for a paddle on the Cam. Having checked the forecast we knew the weather was going to be good and with a bit of luck we might even have a bit of sun. The plan was to paddle from Grantchester into Cambridge taking in the backs and then returning the way we had come. This is an easy flat water paddle which begins with the easiest of put ins by this bridge. As you set off with eyes peeled you may spot a few sculptures. I have pa
A Little Paddle to Wansford for lunch. (Well, Sandwiches and a Mug of Tea!)
A Little Paddle to Wansford for lunch. (Well, Sandwiches and a Mug of Tea!) Hello Folks I haven't been paddling for quite some time so it came as a surprise to find myself nipping to the workshop this Sunday for a short paddle while the sun was shining. Yesterday it was tipping it down and blowing a gale and today's weather was a total contrast. It was warm, still and to begin with sunny! I paddled towards the railway and there was the sounds and sights of a steam train in th
Felix's Canoe goes Paddling in The Cam!
Hello Folks Its a while since I have written a blog and I think It is because I have developed a slight dislike of all things online! I found social media and all the other stuff I do online (tedious stuff like paying bills etc) seemed to be occupying too much of my time. I would return home from the workshop, cook and eat my food and then suddenly find it was time to go to bed! So I eased up on it all for a while hence a lack of blogs. What this does mean is I have a backlog
Felix's Canoe and Dabchick No 2 go to Beale Park Boat Show.
Hello Folks This weekend I took Felix's Canoe and Dabchick No 2 to Beale Park Boat Show. I was there as part of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association and with my friends Nick, Andy and David we had a great selection of old canoes for people to admire along with my latest new creation Dabchick No 2. The Friday was slightly overcast and we had a downpour in the afternoon but there were still a few visitors to keep us busy. I had also brought a selection of paddles with some of
Flat water Makes for an Easy Paddle up River on the Nene
Hello Folks As the weather has been so poor lately I was glad to get out last Saturday even though it was on a stretch of river I have paddled many times. The thing with paddling is it is like an addiction and after a few weeks off you feel in need of a good day out to stretch your paddling muscles and relax your mind. This paddle was to be up river and I wasn't sure how far I would go, I just felt I would keep going until I had felt I wanted to turn around. I set off passing
Cwav Annual Frostbite Meet 2018
Some may be confused by this title as technically Cwav (Canoe with a View) no longer exists as the forum it once was but a few of the die hard members still keep up the tradition of the Frostbite meet Once a year at Ludham Bridge in Norfolk. 2018 sees us without our leader as Nige had messed up his holiday entitlements so was unable to attend. The day before arrival I had been paddling with Andrew on the Wensum so it was the 22nd February when we arrived and pitched our tents
How to inlay a loon into your paddle grip!
Hello Folks I was discussing paddle options with one of my clients and he expressed an interest in the Boni Youka style grip that I made on one of my paddles. I explained that it is very comfortable and I like it but it isn't true to the original design as that has a birds head carved into it and is assymetric in shape. Later after some thought he emailed me and asked if I could carve a loon onto the grip. I gave it some more thought and replied that it might look better and
My first taste of the River Wensum ,Swanton Morley to Attlebridge.
I had never been on the River Wensum so when Andrew suggested we go for a paddle on it on our way to the Cwav Frostbite meet I was happy to give it a go. As with any river one has not paddled before it is interesting to find out what it will be like. Will it be wide or narrow, sheltered or open to the elements? Filled with natural features and wildlife or running through towns and cities. Our put in was near a bend and actually starts on a backwater that joins the Wensum near
A Cold Weather Paddle on the Nene.
Hello Folks Apologies for the long gap between blogs as I have been busy building more canoes! Yesterday Al, Nick, Ian and I decided to go for a paddle on the Nene. We arrived at the workshop around 9.30 and did the usual faffing whilst deciding on a route up or down river.... The forecast was for strong winds around 16mph mostly in a downriver direction so we opted to paddle against it to begin with and make use of a tailwind on our return. You can see we were well wrapped u
Early Autumn on the Nene.
Hello Folks Recent problems with my computer have prevented me doing any blogs for a while and now at last I can catch up with a paddle I did last Saturday which turned out to be a particularly fine early Autumn day. The route I took was from Stibbington to ferry meadows and back and when I set off it was quite cool and cloudy with the sun only just beginning to show through the clouds. I had a break at the head of the backwater around Alwalton Lock and have to say I am still
