Wilge Weekend (May 2011)

Dabulamanzi’s novice weekend had 60 paddlers joining in the fun. Thanks to Bill and Debbie for making new members feel welcome.

06h15 Saturday 14 May: The convoy fires up and departs Dabs boat rack car park.
I am towing our new boat trailer – more on this later.
Looking in my rear view mirror I see a snake of  vehicles with boats on roof racks stretching at least a kilometre behind me – NOW THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!
Saturday is all about digging in and doing all the river proficiency “stuff”!
We then head off for our first tour down the river. Actually we first paddle up stream for a whole bunch of exercises including negotiating a rapid going against the flow, eddy in & eddy out, ferry & reverse, ferry gliding to name but a few. Then it was back to the ‘pond” where falling out in moving water is practised. Real brave souls these new paddlers!
Our first trip took 2 hours and 21 minutes to complete. Second trip – with young Warren Thiel and all the other “lighties” at the head - takes only 34 minutes.
We have some amazing talent lined up for the next few years!

This is where the trailer kicks in. Hello – you need to get yourself and your boat back to the start! Rob Shuter, Philip and company were fantastic taking turns to tow the trailer and give lifts. We had no less than 43 boats that need transport back to camp.
Our trailer does this with ease and is incredibly simple and light to tow. I am not going to state how many boats we loaded for the return trips as I will have Jason H. (our legal eagle) and the boss on my back. The trailer is a huge success and a great asset!

So – paddling done for the day we settle in for our traditional braai in the lapa. This, preceded by the barman using up all the hot water! The large lapa is bursting at the seams and it soon becomes “standing room only”.

A great night was had by all – What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!!

Sunday 15 May:
After the most incredible full moon – the brightest I have ever seen – a night’s sleep.
I am woken to the sound of my kettle boiling. Harry’s (from the Ridge School) dad – who imports coffee – has the most majestic coffee pot with the finest coffee blend brewing outside my window. Did I mention that “life is harsh” in the Wilge bush?
Shot Bru – or – should I say brew!

The morning kicks off with a boat repair session. Doris, whose paddling skills match her secretarial skills, wrapped her boat in “S” bend rapid the day before.
Dustin – armed with the latest and tiniest bottle of “mutie” – AND – a “babalas”  that could only be matched by the day after a stag party an Hugh Heffner’s mansion, comes to the rescue. Like I said – what happens in Vegas……………..!
In a jiffy Dustin has the boat repaired.

Well – there were numerous prayers before the crew’s departure onto the water.
Various trips, distances and sections were covered by all on Sunday.


The Wilge Weekend would not happen without Debbie Thiel! The organisation starts months back and all the logistics put in place by Debbie makes the “Landing on Normandy” pale in comparison. A huge thanks to Debbie for her tireless effort.

The Wilge Weekend has moved up a couple of notches and become a slick operation.
(Please read comments after my report for reference to the following)
1. Gordon G. is aspiring to take over John Oliver’s tasks and will be doing the new 
grading ladder for river paddling and compiling batches.
2. Alex H. will be taking over “entertainment” and will be in charge of pyrotechnics
(i.e. starting the braai fire).
3. Gillian J. will be in charge of dessert – her new nick name = “Pudding”!
4. Our barman is banned from the showers – he used up all 1 gazillion litres of hot
water.
(End reference material)

Yep – we had fun and some great paddling – old and new alike.
Another round of applause for our “old salts” who came on board to assist.
You Guys were great!

I will leave the rest of the report for those who joined us – Please read below

Cheers
Bill

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Hi

To Debbie

Tks for ur hard work in organizing a lovely weekend. A beautiful exciting & technical but safe stretch of river!!

To Bill

Tks showing me & many of the other experienced paddlers that ur never to old to learn!

The proficiency course was very informative & I'm sure all our new & old guys learnt a lot throughout the day!
I know I certainly did!

Warren

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Hi Bill & Debbie

Thanks for a lovely weekend on the Wilge – Joburg’s best kept secret!  Well done on such a well organised trip.
It was refreshing to paddle a new river and the scenery was awesome.  We really enjoyed the 16km stretch down to the big bridge, and the water level was absolutely perfect.  It is definitely a great river for beginners, but no reason why we seasoned paddlers can’t enjoy it as well, and help by taking some novices down the river. 
Do you guys know if the camp site still hires out tubes for the kids to go ‘tubing’?  Would really like to do that with them in summer.
It is also a good venue for some mountain biking weekends, provided the owners don’t keep putting their camping fees up too high.

Best Regards
Robin & Ian Rheeder

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Hi Bill & Debbie

Thanks for a fantastic weekend! So chuffed to have got my proficiency.

We'll definitely be back!

Kim Browne

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Thanks Debbie, Thanks Bill

To take up paddling as a sport is potentially intimidating: You have to acquire equipment with strange names, clothes that compliment all your physical inadequacies and you hear about proficiency tests. You also hear about rapids that swallow boats. You might enter the club house on a Thursday night and see many enthusiastic paddlers, glowing after showering and loudly gloating about their tt-times and soon you find yourself in a corner, wishing you scored better on the extrovert scale.

I remember enquiring at Canoe Concepts about how one gets started in the sport. Copper’s reply was not encouraging: “You get in a boat and paddle around the dam. Some people have it and some don’t.
You’ll soon find out.”

My first month on the dam was better for my swimming than my paddling and I started to think that I fell in Copper’s category of people who don’t have it. During my river proficiency test I received two bits of
advice: “keep your nose in the V” and “paddle decisively in a rapid”. Good advice, no doubt, but I did not understand the first and never stayed upright long enough to try the second.

That is why I was impressed with Bill and Debbie’s Wilge Weekend. I wish I could have started paddling on a river with this kind of support
8 years ago: The proficiency test for the new members and the juniors was not like a test rushed off on a Saturday morning between Sports Ground and Caravan Park at all. Bill took time to explain and discuss everything, from equipment and safety to technique. It was a learning experience rather than an examination for which you had to memorize some silly information about black flags from an outdated booklet and to stay upright in Double Drop. Explanations and demonstrations of what to do and what not to do were given in an entertaining way, with input from experienced paddlers and opportunity for discussions.

Then the novices were taken on a river and the flow of water around obstacles was pointed out and discussed. Mistakes were corrected and explained. I’m glad my son could attend this learning experience, in a friendly, encouraging environment, on a safe river that asks the basic questions from a learning paddler. Camping and braaiing with the others also means that no novice will be completely lonely in a corner of the club house next Thursday.

Thanks

Willie

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Hi

Thanks to both Debbie and Bill for organising a fantastic weekend.I learnt a great deal ina short  time.
Also thanks to all those who assisted transporting paddlers back to the camp after each trip.

Cheers
Dino

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Hi Debs and Bill,

Awesome weekend, as usual!  So sorry I had to trade in my paddles for rowing blades on Sunday, as I would have loved to trip the river again on Sunday.  The best is meeting new people, and I do find paddlers a friendly bunch.

Bill, I felt the group was very big this time around.  Had Meyer been there, the group could have been split, making the first trip a bit faster.  I think alot of people were confused by the delays, which put them off tripping in the afternoon (apart from being cold, and wet, of course). They then did not realise that moving down the river so much faster the second time is a breeze, and usually alot drier for some.  I bet they worked it out on Sunday.

I also think that a basic timline should be put out to new comers.  There is dead time in the afternoon after the second trip on Saturday, and I heard alot of questions as to when, where and who was getting the fires going.  If everyone knows that we meet at say 5 to light the fires (all get involved) and have a few drinks there would be less apprehension.  As I've done this once or twice, I know that you spend the time seeking out new friends and just join in, preferably with drink in hand!

Did the magic potion work on the wrapped K2?  I left too early to see the results.

Thanks again for a stunning weekend.

See you next trip.

Oh, just another thing.  You asked why I don't paddle more often .... what would be really great is for a bunch of beginner/intermediates to get together and organise the odd Saturday/Sunday river paddling.  We don't know where to go, and are intimidated by the pro's.  We feel like idiots, and would love someone to show us the ropes ........ time trials are SCARY for us!

xxx Alex

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Hi Guys

Thank you very much for all your hard work in arranging the weekend – my only regret is that, due to a prior commitment, I was unable to stay over. It was great fun and a real “eye opener” to just how little I know regarding paddling in rivers.
With that in mind, we obviously now need to gain experience and I would like to know what the next step is? We would like to start tripping the Klip on some of the easier sections. Should we just go on our own or are there groups that do this on a regular basis?
Debbie, Johan De Wet’s mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Thanks once again, it is much appreciated.

Regards
Jerry Pierce
Hi all

Absolutely fantastic, I learnt a lot!!!!

Regards
Tim Ross

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We had a great weekend yet again and our kids loved it. Thanks so much for organising !

After 25 years of swimming down rivers on my back with my toes peeping out its great to learn a new technique!

Regards

Rob Shuter ( and Michael and Caroline and Harry)

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Hello Debbie and Bill,
Thank you very much for everything.
I used to be a more active canoeist many years ago, but for the past 11 years I haven’t had the guts to get back on a river, and this weekend really helped me a lot to build my confidence. I learned quite a lot, and I am sure there are many other canoeist that could benefit from a weekend like this.
I regret that I could only do one trip down the river as I had another appointment to go to, and I definitely would like to join another opportunity.

I think the “group” was a bit big, resulting in long periods of sitting on the water, and especially for myself it was tough as my legs went completely numb and it became extremely uncomfortable, I am sure the second and subsequent runs would have been much quicker.

All in all a very good experience and I thank all the people who organized the weekend, helped and assisted us.
Gerhard Coetsee.
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Hey Bill and Debs

Thanks for the awesome weekend, it was great fun.
Hi guys
Thank you very much for your effort, It was a lot of fun and I have no criticisms of anything.
Wish we could be there rather than being back at work.
Bill if you planning on doing a quick run down there again, let me know.
Thanks again

Michael Mann

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Bill & Debs,
Thanks so much for all the admin for this weekend – it was awesome.
I am missing my new green tie downs that have my name “LINDY STEYTLER” written on them. Please could fellow paddlers check and if you find them call me on 082 6070064.

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Hi Debbie and Bill

Thank you for the most fantastic weekend (day in my case) I have had in a long time!
I am completely hooked on paddling.
The weekend was well organised, great communication, excellent venue, appropriate grading of the river, professional and adherence to safety.

I look forward to joining more trips like this going forward.
Thank you too to all the helpers.

Regards
Paul

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Hi

My 2 cents:

The fact that there were so many experienced people was a very big PLUS - even for me (I never paddle in a river without going with someone more experienced than me). I went last May - and there weren't that many experienced paddlers - this time there were a lot - big difference and should be encouraged for future.

I really enjoyed myself. It was the first time I felt completely comfortable and in control in my K1 (and I haven't been in my K1 on a river for quite a while).

Thank you for the great weekend.

Claire

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Dear Debbie and Bill,

Thank you both for a great weekend!

Thanks Bill for the pre-brief - it was good to hear from a salted paddler what one needs to take into consideration before going down a river.

Maybe a suggestion is that if the group gets larger than say 30 people, to split the group up in 2 - with say half an hour in between - that way it will reduce the waiting time on the first leg down, but I know its a bit tough if there's only 1 safety officer!

I especially enjoyed the second leg - was great to be thrown in the deep end - I think thats probably the best way to learn!

Bill - I'll register this Thursday for CSA at the club.

Kind Regards        

Ewoud


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Hi Bill and Debbie

You guys have these novice weekends down pat. Well organised and this time you even managed to get the weather to play along - NO RAIN!!!

As always the company was excellent the facilities of the camp site (the boma for us) more than adequate and the most important Wilge Rivier was flowing at just the correct pace for me.

Always so good to have Bill in charge of us on the river, regardless of whether he thinks I'm a "seasoned paddler" or not it is a great comfort. Great work Bill and how you keep your patience with such a large crowd is mind boggling.

Debbie - thanks for the viennas. Don't ever forget them they're part of the camping regime now. Excellent work on making sure we all sort of knew where to go, what time etc etc etc.

I do however propose that in future if a large contingent of novice paddlers are going down that perhaps the group be split in two. I would imagine that the number of  safety officers available is a problem though. Alternatively some novice paddlers go down in the morning and then the second group of novice paddlers go down in the afternoon.

Also, is there any way to check that the "novice" paddler is in fact paddling in the correct boat or that their leg space is sufficient so as not to impede their paddling ability? I assume that the "seasoned paddlers" already have this under wraps.

I'm booking the chalet for the next trip.

Thanks again

Gordon

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Debbie and Bill,
We would also like thank you both for a seamlessly well organised weekend we as well as our kids loved it.
Please contact us for the next excursion.
Rob and Oscar
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Agreed – Fantastic weekend.

Thanks Bill, Debbie and all the other seasoned paddlers that kept an eye on us.

Cheers
Guy

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Debbie and Bill

Thanks for a well organised weekend.

What an awesome venue, what a lekker river!! Count me in for the next trip.

Mo

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Evening all

On the Saturday when I was there every thing was very well organised and you knew when every thing was taking place so you could be prepared.   The location is also excellent as the camp site is very nice and the ablutions are very nice as well.   I found it was a great way to meet people in the same boat as you as it were.   All in all it was great fun and its a pity I never stayed over. 

Are we now allowed to enter like the Florida Klip (22km) or is the Klip still out of bounds and what is the best way to qualify for the fish?

Correction: in the email  my CSA# is quoted as 1526. my number is 1536

Thank you for all you put into this weekend!!
Mike Way