UCC Canoe Club Blog

 

Day 1 – Cans, fire and ferry.

 

On Thursday June 3rd eight UCC paddlers began their epic journey to the Alps. Cars and Scoobs trailer were heaving with pots, boats, gear and one fantastic barbeque. We set off at 10am on Thursday for Roslare. Myself and Lee, the co drivers of the trip took on the first leg of the journey as far as the Ferry.

Half way to Roslare Scooby’s car went a ‘bit’ on fire, flames coming from the overloaded cigarette lighter. Boris car suffered an even worse fate while negotiating a speed bump at speed causing roof rack and boats to career across the tarmac. Back seat passenger’s aka backies Bucks and Fergal held the roof racks in place as team Pedo Patrol rolled onto the ferry.

Team university challenge (Luke, Scooby, Tom, Seamus) were waiting on the boat for team Pedo Patrol who were by then sporting 4 straw caps and many cans of carling

Within moments of camping ourselves in the bar we are told, “no eat” (everybody munching on Supervalu pastries) and “no cans” after our cans of carling were exposed.

Like outcasts we made our way to the outer deck.

Drinking on deck proved entertaining with an encounter with Ross the curious 1 year old. Many scornful looks from a number of elderly passengers didn’t stop the party.

The events of the evening got interesting upon the arrival of the “overly friendly couple” who lavished us with free booze. Bucks chatted up the wife while I argued with the husband. It was all great banter.

The night ended with myself and Fergal sleeping outside on deck, Bucks on various couches, Seamus awol, Lee, Scooby and Boris all in the reserved seats.

 

Day 2 – Traveling

 

After some surprisingly decent sleeps in various places we disembarqued the ship to begin our epic drive across France on our way to Italy. Our convoy lasted all of half a mile. Team university challenge was left in the dust of Pedo Patrol but due to a dodgy GPS ended up arriving within minutes of Team University challenge. The journey proved to be uneventful for university challenge apart from an exceptionally poor food from Flunch. I did however acquire a knife and fork courtesy of Flunch, a nice consolation after some terrible motorway dining. On board team Pedo Patrol things didn’t go so swimmingly. Former el Capatan Lee Morrissey had a stomach full of booze and it just didn’t want to remain where it was. Ordinarily this would not be an issue however traveling at 120kmp down a French motorway brings in the “Spray back” effect, the spray effect occurs from fast moving air causes liquid to return back into the car. What was later described as a thin mist of vomit covered the exterior and interior of the car. The rest of the journey was a collection of 4 hours driving stints discussing all manner of subjects ensuring tiredness was warded off.

We arrived in our campsite in Italy at 5am after leaving the ferry port at 10:30am the previous day.

 

Day 3 – Rivering

 

After a sleep in the car / grass in the car park we got up and pitched out tents. My tent and Fergal’s tents were pitched. We both hoped they would survive the holiday. (At least I did)

Once we got some food we collected Matt. He emerged from the train station clutching a bag held together with copious amounts of duct tape with a wide grin on his face.

The plan was to run the 11km stretch of the Lower Sesia but with the evening closing in fast we ran a short section of the middle Sesia by the campsite. It was a nice introduction into alpine paddling for myself. The more experienced members of the group paddled it first and then guided the rest of us down. It was a nice run with plenty of smallish holes. My plan was to shoot through it but ended up eddying out half way down finding out pretty quickly that my fitness wasn’t exactly high. Everybody made it down happy out with a few of the lads attempting some wiki wiki with creekers at the bottom hole.

The first night was a messy one, various concoctions were drank and great banter was had around the camp fire. Details of the night remain hazy. What does stick out was a particularly fiery game of switch.

 

Day 4

 

Today we ran the Lower Sesia an 11km section of bouncy class 3 rapids. The sun was beating down with the alpine scenery all around us. Lee and Scooby scouted most of the rapids with Luke taking the helm for a while. My scouting stint ended pretty quickly leading the group into one of the bigger features of the river blind. I ran the rapid after giving a few firm paddle hard signals.

The river mellowed somewhat after this until one tougher rapid, which had a hole, followed by a large cushion wave off a rock.

In the afternoon we scouted the Sorba slides and most of the group ran them. A series of fast slides follow one after another, three in total. Adrenaline was flowing long after the river.

Beers and food were consumed under the tarp in the evening as rain beat down on the campsite. It also became clear that team Pedo Patrol could be in for a damp night with their tent standing in a pool of water. Meanwhile my own tent was dry as a board J

Day 5

 

Today we did the run from Balma, a relatively continuous fast shallow run. I donned a wet suit a size too small, which proved to be a rather interesting look. Fergal ended up sitting out the run as he forgot his helmet. It was a nice run apart from some scrapey bits. For one of the more interesting rapids I found myself upside down. On the lead in to the rapid I found myself going left, I tried going left of the big f**k off rock but ended up ramping straight up onto it. It felt like 7 feet off the water but was probably more like 4. Going off the rock backwards I rolled up to find myself going down the next section backwards and wrecked tired. Again I capsized off a rock and rolled up …. Hairy enough. We ended up getting off before the get off marked on the guidebook after to Scooby found a clump of rebar at the get off.

In the afternoon we ran the section from Scopello to Piode. We got on at the wrong get on which resulted in running an interesting rapid blind.

Shortly afterwards some of us got off while 4 continued on and blasted down a slightly easier section.

The story of the evening involves heroism, dedication and abandonment. Bucks and I were dropped off at the ATM only to be abandoned by Boris. Bucks, barefoot had a harrowing walk back to the campsite in front of him. This was made worse by the prospect of every supermarket being closed …. No beer. As luck would have it through some interesting gestures and charades we managed to communicate with the lady in the café bar that we wanted some take out. We returned triumphant to the campsite with a ‘bag of cans’.

Day 6

 

Today we stepped it up and ran the section above the campsite. The first rapid was a short but intense scramble through a small boulder garden. The next section was easier but I ended up flipping, my first roll attempt failed but somehow I got upright on another attempt but without my paddles! (Think I just pushed off the ground with my hands) The next section was easy but rather disconcerting without paddles. I ended up swimming while Boris paddled down river after my boat. By the time I had negotiated the rocks on the bank to get to my boat I was exhausted and decided to walk off. The rest of the group portaged the siphon bridge and made it down a section of many drops and accompanying holes.

Later in the day we finally come by a gas canister for the BBQ, bombolla! Let the culinary genius commence.

 

Day 7

 

The stronger paddlers of the group ran the Lower Sermenza today as well as the top drop of the Egua. The top drop of the Egua was described by a nice park and huck but turned out to have a class 5 lead in. The tarp at this stage was proving to be a great asset with rain coming down on the valley. The campsite dog Argo, a rather smelly golden retriever had befriended bucks. Some say it was their similar hairstyles that drew them to each other. Today was my first day on cooking duty. Matt, Luke and I rustled up some mighty fine stew. Admittedly it did take bloody ages to cook on the barbeque gas ring. We finished off the day exchanging stories with NUIG around the campfire. Alberto the colourful campsite owner joined us for a spell providing us with great entertainment with his broken English and eccentric ways.

Day 8

 

There were some sore heads after the previous nights exploits. Scooby, Boris and Matt ran the Lower Sermenza again . Some of the group did the Middle Sesia in the afternoon. The handy get on at the campsite is the start of this nice grade 3 / 4. The final drop is steep with a decent hole and the bottom; you don’t want to hit this left!

For our final meal in Italy we splashed out and got pizza. Matt and Lee tackled some horsemeat which they gave a firm thumbs up.

 

Day 9

 

Another day of traveling was ahead of us as we woke up today. An interesting drive lay ahead of team Pedo Patrol. With Boris’s phone broken they had no means of navigation. With the additions of Matt Team University Challenge at this stage had 5 members in the car. By the time we had packed up it was mid afternoon. Both cars agree to meet up Portgruano to make a long awaited stop at Decathalon. True to form team Pedo Patrol sped off but still arrived much later at our destination of Portgruano. It turns out the ‘Force’ is no match for a SAT NAV!

 

We find out that Pedo Patrol’s tardiness is due to their diversion to find a Decathalon off the motorway. It took them an hour to rejoin the motorway!

Team University challenges’ journey is uneventful until we hit Bovec by which time the car’s breaks are smoking furiously. The first campsite we find is a little fancier than usual. Its seems to be near where Lee’s directions point us so we bust out the camping chairs and have a few beers. After a rather angry conversation with the campsite owner we discover we are at the wrong campsite. Soon afterwards we find Camp Toni, a much larger campsite full of like-minded paddlers. We’re not long there when we hear some activity in the corner of the campsite. Sure enough NUIG have set up camp here as well.

We set up the two tents before Team Pedo patrol arrive hours later. The AA road watch directions prove to be adequate if ones stays on track but once you go off track you’re on your own. Luckily a drunk Slovenian hoped into his car a guided them toward the correct road.

 

Day 10

 

We woke on day 10 to some of the most amazing scenery I’ve ever laid eyes on. Mountains on all sides surround the campsite with a river flowing adjacent with the clearest water you will ever see.

Before we got on a river we needed to get our river pass. We headed into town and bought our river passes and got some meat pastries, the best kind of pastries. Once we’re we head up the road from the campsite to find the get on for the Upper Soca. Some rafters warn us off saying nobody runs that section. We continue tentatively. Once we reach the river it seems particularly mellow. The fist few hundred meters are flat and shallow. Lee and Scooby scout each section. The river narrows in places with some small drops and rapids. Toward the end of the river we meet the gorge section. The river narrows with steep walls on either side. The entry is a small slide that is best hit slightly left of center. Next is a long slot with an eddie just before it. A fun bouncy ride through the slot is the last bit of action before the river widens after the gorge with some small wave trains. Lee is sure to find the correct get off after paddling on for miles on his previous trip to Slovenia.