This was probably the hottest open weekend ever.  We had record attendance on Saturday and Sunday, a record number of people camping over on Saturday night, and I think a record number of boats. Huge thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make it a success and as usual, extra special thanks to Nina Marshall who manned the club stand for virtually the whole weekend. She doesn't even paddle (although she is grateful to the club for taking her three children, Bryan, Rob and Johnny, off her hands for a few hours at the weekend). She didn't even complain when most of the coaches cleared off up the lake for an hour on Sunday morning for a canoe lesson with local Canadian guru Martin Cope (Canadian is this sense refers to an open canoe - the type preferred by the original natives of the Americas - are we still allowed to call them Red Indians?).  The club will have a lot more involvement with open canoes this year, partly due to changes in the BCU performance awards and partly because they are tremendous fun. 

Desperate Measures of West Bridgford again did us proud by bringing along their big top stuffed with gear, big gazebo, big sound system and loads of demo boats including a beautiful composite Aquanaut sea kayak for the exclusive delectation of club chairman Roger Davis. Lincoln Canoe Club came down with some racing boats and showed us how to get in and get out of them.  

Thurlby Lake Sunday Sessions - 2008

These will run from April until the end of September, blue green algae, suitable supervision availability etc permitting. Please see Events page for details of specific sessions. 

Boats and kit problem

We are having problems with people going home and leaving their boats and kit on the jetty. If you or your children have been using club kit it is your responsibility to put it away in the container when you have finished with it. If you don't know where it goes then please ask. Do not abandon boats, paddles, buoyancy aids etc on the jetty. It is not the job of other club members to clear up after you.  

Sunday Lake Session Rules 

No bin litter policy - Please take all litter home with you - we do not have bins at the site.

Buoyancy Aid Rule - Everyone on the lake must wear a buoyancy aid

Club Kit usage - £2 for members, included in the £4 "taster" session fee for guests.

Putting stuff away - Please return all kit to the container after use. It is a pain retrieving boats, paddles etc at the end of the afternoon which have been abandoned by the lake.  

Child supervision - This is the responsibility of parents and guardians unless specific arrangements have been made with a club coach for a particular lake session.  

Spraydecks for inexperienced paddlers. Before using a spraydeck for the first time, please contact a coach and practise capsize drills - entrapment (i.e. where the boat is upside down on the surface and you are still sitting in it counting fish) is extremely unpleasant for the inexperienced. 

Courses

We are planning to run several BCU star courses this year. There will be at least one 1* course and one 2* course.

The following is for information only. We intend to organise more pool sessions starting in October 2008. 

Pool sessions are superb for developing certain areas of technique, particularly learning to roll. All the upside down stuff is so much easier in a pool than in a lake or on a river. If you wear goggles you can really see what is going on under the water. 

Following BCU guidelines, buoyancy aids and helmets are compulsory. This is a change from pool sessions in previous years. Coaches have a legal duty of care. If a BCU guideline is ignored and there is an incident then it may be argued that we failed in that duty.

This year we will be using two pools, Gainsborough and Southwell. Lincoln is no longer available to us.

*This session has been arranged with Southwell Leisure Centre to promote Newark Canoe Club and the Leisure Centre. More details to follow. Coaches will be required. The plan is to attract people to the pool session who are interested in the sport and are potential members. The day which has been chosen is Easter Saturday. 

Places are limited. We can only fit a finite number of boats in the water so you must book. You can't just roll up unannounced and assume there will be a place for you and a boat and kit available should you need it. You will need boat, paddle, buoyancy aid, helmet and possibly a spraydeck. Please contact the people below. 

Booking

For Gainsborough contact NewarkCanoeClub - Bryan Marshall

For Southwell contact Webmaster - Adrian Draper

"Taster" sessions 

In addition to the "taster" sessions available on Sunday afternoons, The Newark Canoe Club also offers sessions to organised groups e.g. birthday parties, social clubs, office outings etc. The sessions are organised and run by BCU qualified coaches. The club will provide all kit, and the aim is to provide an introduction to paddlesport while of course having a great time. The clubhouse has a large meeting room, changing rooms and a toilet.

For children's birthday parties we recommend a 90 minute paddle session and the charge is £50 for a group of 10. 

For adult groups we recommend a 2-3 hour session and the charge is £100 for a group of 10. 

Please contact us to discuss your specific requirements.

Leptospirosis Information

Please read these links if you paddle rivers, particularly the Trent. Flooding can wash a lot of unpleasant debris into the river causing the quality of the water to be even lower than usual (if that is possible).

leptospirosis.org