DART TRIP Feb 2003

Lee picked me up at 11.30am (I wasn't ready) and my 4-year-old son was most disappointed that he could not come with us. By the time we got to Chalkwell Paull White and Matt Lacey were both ready. Load the car and drink tea then off to the joys of the M25 & M4.

We turned off the M4 at J27 and took a detour to Tiverton for fuel and a look at the rivers Exe and Barle. Both were low and the shuttle drive for the Barle was very long. As we were all in one car we crossed these of our list of things to do on Monday.

Shopping in Tiverton, chips in Ashburton and everyone's favourite bunkhouse at Poundsgate by 9pm. No heating, no coal, no farmer so off to the pub by 9.30pm. Paull's daughter Helen and Simon joined us as did Claire Plus Three.

Saturday 8th

Blain joined us at the bunkhouse after the usual porridge and bacon breakfast. Unloaded the boats at New Bridge and waited for the drivers to come back on the bus. Helen and Simon missed the 1st one so by the time they turned up even Claire and the students had arrived.

The water was below the ledge (4' per the EA Gauge) so after action man had a play under the bridge we set off down river. Avoiding the rocks just below the surface and playing on the waves we soon got to the right hand bend with the "No Boating" sign.

Inspired by the online guidebook calling this "the best spot on earth for learning how to do tail squirts" and Lee and Matt's fine examples I had a go:
1. Failed
2. Failed
3. Got up, went over and did my 1st ever roll in anger!

The students caught up with us by the River Webburn and we headed down through "Washing machine" and "Lover's leap" together. Action man had another go at Lover's leap (photos to follow) and Lee showed Matt how to "Splat". Even I managed to get on a few waves.

Blain holed his boat so had to shoot ahead, get out and empty it then shoot off again. Other than that all went well until the "spin dryer" where Paull ran into Lee at the bottom wave and ended up swimming as both the boats that got to him in time were on the opposite side to his hand!

We watched with interest the two rafts full of kids go over the left side of the 30m wide Holne Weir while the man from the centre stood on the right side with a 20m line.

Simon had a play in the "The Anvil", surfed left but could not get out. He looked happy so we all watched until he just fell over and stood up! Tall chap!!

Rode the wave-train to the end then nice warm drinks and showers for everyone.

Back at the bunkhouse the coal had turned up so Lee and Matt found some wood to light a fire and made a lot of smoke. The students went to the pub and we had a beer or two while the toad in the hole cooked. Meal for 6 split 4 ways filled us up so having put a whole bar of coal on the fire we went to the pub in the rain (a good sign?).

Sunday 9th

7am and the rain stopped. Sun came out and SCC got up and out. By 9.30am the boats were in the Riverdart Adventures trailer for the trip up to New Bridge.

The river was up by some 14" so we were all glad that we had not gone surfing with Helen and Simon. Less rocks, more waves but harder to get on them as most were washing through.

Kept meeting a large group with two "adults" in canoes, one of who knocked Lee off a wave in the rapid above the River Webburn. I was breaking in and out ok but still not getting the timing right when crossing the main flow which resulted in another roll by the Webburn.

Mucked up the "Washing machine" line but got away with it. Everyone stayed away from the Lover's leap splat wall as the size of the recirculating eddy and boils was something to be seen.

At "Triple Falls" we all went down T1 ok and broke out right except Paull who missed it and went straight down T2. On seeing this Lee declared, "it goes" and went so I followed. Lee went down the right of the chute ok but I hit the stopper, and was sucked back in and flipped. I did my best roll of the weekend and got out right before T3. Matt had seen the end of my boat go up in the air but was already on the chute so got caught out as well.

At T3 Lee went down right then surfed the face of a wave over to the left to avoid the rock. I portaged this only to see Paull and Matt take an easier line straight down the left. The big group with the canoes were here but those standing on the rock only had flasks out as they took turns in the bottom wave.

Lee went right at the "Spin dryer" the rest of us took the safer left line. We all went left over the last two weirs the bobbed down the wave-train to the end.

Don't try a use the showers in the main building on a Sunday afternoon, as everyone has to check out before 11am.

Lee and I found the wood to get the fire going with a lot less smoke than the night before and the pasta bake defeated us so it was off to the pub again.

Monday 10th

Poundsgate bunkhouse strikes again. Still no heating, burnt all the coal and now the gas for the cooker ran out. Cold crossed buns and milk for breakfast, packed and left.

Nice hot breakfast in the Little Chef at Buckfastleigh and then off up the A361 to Barnstaple and beyond. The surf at Saunton looked big and dumping so we went on to Croyde and parked and walked down for a look. None of the surfers were getting up for more that a few seconds before the waves broke. (Looked even bigger at sea level) so back to the car.

Over the top of Baggy Point and into the car park at the Putsborough end of Monte Bay. It looked ok from high up in the car park with about 10 surfers in the water so we got changed and headed for the beach. Matt and I had never surfed in a canoe before so we tried to follow Lee and Paull out. Lee just made it over a wave as it started to break leaving me facing a wall of water. I turned, paddled hard and luckily caught it and ended up doing the fastest diagonal run I could have imagined. Within 5 minutes my arms were dead and heart beating double time. Time to get out to watch and learn.

Paull was the next to get tired and we ended up beach combing and kite flying while Matt and Lee played in the soup. (There is a rumour that at some point Chairman Lee had an Out of Boat Experience. It may be something to do with being Chairman and paddling a Zwo. Ed.) In the end we all climbed the hill back up to the car park to get changed. Warning young women on horseback can see over hedges.

Salt water and rubber seals did wonders for some peoples necks but after a good dose of cream it was in the car for the drive home.

Thanks again to Lee for a fun (scary at times) weekend.

Andrew Piggott
(Must get fitter for next time)