I had 2 reports of the trip. Add comments to let me know which you prefer. The writer will be nominated for Club Journalist of the Year Award in the next AGM.
Report Number 1:
"Grant, Matt, Ieuan, Dave (new chap) and myself [Andy R] paddled the lower Taff from Radyr Weir to the Rowing club.Water was flowing quite well and grounding was not an issue! Grant lead the trip, and Matt practiced his leading abilities. We all, bar Ieuan, went over the Weir at the shoot on the right hand side. A good thrilling
start to the trip. Punching through the standing wave at the bottom was an exillarating experience. The Weir looked fairly deadly especially on the right side of the shoot was the water recirculating quite quickly. From the weir on down the river flowed fast, making the rapids that we'ren't washed out fairly playable, but the effort it
took to get on them due to the eddies being non-existant was in most cases hardly worth the effort. Matt was doing some useful stuff around leading and of course tail
squirting! Ieuan did well in his new boat and stayed upright throughout, even though he found it a little bit of a struggle due to the fast flowing conditions.Throughout the trip Grant was able to pass on some coaching tips to us all at certain points in the journey. Ferry gliding being a much practiced event. Note to self here, Pyrhana pro-zones are crap at facing up stream, as all they want to do is dive, not much good when your trying to ferry glide across a river. Anyone want to buy a Pro-zone?
Anyway it was a good trip thanks to Grant, Matt, Dave and of course Ieuan. Well worth a Saturday afternoon messing about on the river."
Report Number 2:
"Taff from radyr weir to Llandaff rowing club - level middling to high. Me [Grant], Matt, Andy, Ieuan & Dave
Started with running the weir - tricky finding the ramp but after my heroicly botched first attempt I was conveniently out of the boat to direct others. Lots of ferry gliding, breakins/outs and other drills including throwline practice at the rock garden with a live target after dead targets (pieces of wood) were unresponsive. One moment of
concern when Ieuan and Andy didn't break out immediately after the rock garden but went straight through the next rapid. I think this was partly lack of clarity on my part and partly the flow which carried down paddlers at quite a rate. Next time
ensure group knows where to break out and the leader makes the break out first as a marker. No harm done though and a fine paddle by Ieuan 'grin and
bear it' and Andy 'no roll with my soup' Rees, Cool hand Matt, Surfin Dave &
yours truly."
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