At last, some rain during the week meant there was some water in the Taff, not a lot but enough: lower 5 on the weir at Abercynon weir gauge (and filthy looking water coming in from the Cynon further down) . Five of us went out at short notice, arranged on Friday night once we'd heard the pool session was cancelled. As well as the old hands, Matt and me, we had three paddlers new to the river: Phil D., Paul Mac and Dave C.
This was a particuler adventure for Paul: first trip on movig water for some twenty years and, as he didn't have a proper helmet, he choose to undertake the trip wearing a Met cycle helmet. Luckily, he quickly found his stabilisers and had an incident free trip, though wisely choosing to portage the Graveyard G3 rapid.
Phil tried a stern squirt below Quakers Yard weir, following Matts example, but didn't pull it off. He did, however, pull off his first in-anger white water roll! Dave C. also got a roll in at the same spot.
We all rushed to the end to have a cup of coffee while changing in Matt's backyard. The civilisation of it all. Will we ever be prepared to change standing in the road in hailstones again?
