As Luke was paddling with us, on his first river trip, we went up to Llanfihangel Bridge to run the Grade 2 section down to Llandysul. I'd never done this before and it was very pleasant though the weather had deteriorated to rain and wind in our face by the time we broke for lunch at Llandysul. While getting ready to put on, another paddler worked out that Luke must have been the youngest paddler on the tour and asked to take a picture of him in his boat. The photo is probably on the web by now: have a search for it.
Phil broke the ice by capsizing more or less immediately once we put on, a trick he pulled off about 10 times during the trip. Luke decided he wouldn't capsize until he got to a rapid, a good decision which made the incident much more interesting for the rescuers. Matt and I surrounded him and when he started saying it was cold, I decided to take pity on him and yanked him on to my front deck and started to paddle to the bank. He slipped off a few times (I think he thought that's what Les has taught him to do in the pool) but we reached the river bank pretty quickly. Matt tempted him back on the water with promises that all he had to do was to reach Becs to get a Mars bar. Once he'd had the one Mars bar I think he thought feigning capsize would be a good way to get another one so later on he had another go. While he was stopped on the bank I met up with Brian from Aberystwyth who I'd paddled with in Switzerland last May and he called an open boat over to give Luke a ride. So, Luke arrived Viking-like at Llandysul.
Unfortunately, the cold had got to Fran and Steve by this time, so it was just me, Becs and Phil who made the run down to Henllan. Phil took about 4 swims getting from the Llandysul put-in to get past the Cauldron so when we got to Pentrecwrt weir we decided he'd better portage while Becs and I ran it (there was still a tongue, just).
I ran Hendre successfully but Brian (who we'd caught up with) who came down after me took a bad move to go right, and swam, and he misled Phil who did the same, followed by Becs, who told me later (I think) just rolled.
All good fun. A shame not more members joined us. I'm sure everyone voted enthusiastically for the tour at the most recent meeting at the Plough. Next year maybe?
