The alarm went off a 6am. Not a pleasant thought on a dismal Sunday morning. A peek outside the curtains. Still dark. Drip, drip... on the window. Good job I put the boats on the roof yesterday. "9am, the car park in Dulverton, dressed and ready to paddle..." that's what John Jardine had said - oh yes, and "...you can come in the back of my boat." So, an hour to get up and two to get there - bother... that is indeed 6am. Needless to say, Thomas and George were very fast out of the sack. Amanda made sure we got off with a good hearty breakfast and against the odds we were off at seven. Tom and George dozed... but not an option for me.

Amanda and I started paddling canoes at the Biblins training weekend earlier this year. We've been out on a few Wednesday evenings practicing and trying to remember what we had learned. For me this trip on the Barle was a big adventure. It is my first time on white water in a canoe. Kayaks aren't my thing, but I have been on some white-water rafting trips. Thomas and George are working up there whitewater wings in kayaks and another part of the pleasure for me is paddling with my kids - not something I do that often, being more of a dingy sailor. Anyway, back to canoeing. It's amazing what you can forget between the summer and autumn. John is now blessed with a lump in the back of his boat. It seems that it's harder work two-up :-). Latterly, John reveals that what makes it hard is having to think what he needs to tell me to do. Steering with the water pushing from behind takes a while to get used to. Want to drift right... point the boat slightly left, step the back in to the right and the bowman’s bow rudder pulls the bow toward the right. This simple idea was forgotten numerous times on the journey down as the moment takes control. However, by the end of the trip, the idea beings to sink in and even begins to become instinctive in the absence of pressure.

The autumn colours of the valley are beautiful. The drizzle gives them a slight sheen. The water is brackish and white. For the experienced paddlers I'm sure this is a walk in the park - albeit the Exemoor National Park. For the less experienced this is high adventure with new skills to learn. I'll need more practice at reading the water, lots more practice. John probably reckoned on the normal draft of his boat however it is unusually deep at the back-end - hence a few unintended scuffs on passing rocks. On the way down we stop at two of the more significant stoppers to let the kayakers play. John gives me lots of practice at eddying-in and eddying-out. The pause at the second stopper turns into lunch, grining one of our swimmers a chance to re-fuel. With the fueling stop done, John takes a big risk... we eddy-up toward the second stopper. It pulls us in. Unfortunately we begin to bear away. The back of the boat swings up to the water coming down the drop. We lean downstream. We take on a bit of water over the upstream gunnels, but not a lot. Soggy knees and disappointed spectators. We avoid the swim and go with the flow down the centre of the river.

There were lots of little 'white knuckle' rides on the way down. I imagine that John was in control of the boat most of the way down, except of course for those moments when he wasn't. I'm not sure that I would have risked putting me in the backseat to steer the boat. But, no out and out disasters and just a couple of near swims. As the party reaches Dulverton there is a weir. We reccy from the bank above the weir looking for obstructions, hazards and looking for some sight-lines before taking the plunge. John and I get to go first. Slowly, slowly forward in the flat calm above the weir. Gently rotate the boat to get the bow faced in the right direction, gently drifting sideways. We're on our sight line. Paddle, paddle - not too fast, wobble... we're over the lip and whoosh... down were go. Duck, steer left to miss the island and the avoid the holly. Eddy, eddy, eddy over on the left and it's all over in a matter of seconds. Just sit here and what for the others coming down, throw line at the ready.

The weir is almost the end of the trip. A gentle paddle now through an avenue of trees and there's the bridge at Dulverton. Eddy-in over there onto the slip way. On the slipway there's Andy in need of a hand out of his boat, and there, on behalf of Ralph, is John to give that helping hand. Splosh!

A gentle paddle in some choppy water. John was an excellent guide and coach. I want to do *more* of this. The water was interesting with some exciting moments. A great day out on the water. Thank you to all at NACCs who take us novices out on the water, induce a bit of adrenaline, and help us catch the paddling bug.... I'll be back for more.

Stuart Williams

21st Nov 2004