Expressions of Interest for a kayak working bee and skills session.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about the sea kayaks and build essential skills.
On the weekend of the 20th-21st of Feb we will be doing some repairs/upgrades on the sea kayaks (mainly installing electric pumps). There will also be time to learn or practice rescue skills and various other techniques on my large farm dam in Bywong (30 minutes drive from ANU). There is an option of treating the exercise as an overnight kayaking trip and learning what gear to take and how to pack it and what foods and sleeping gear is realistic and practical. If there is time and enthusiasm we may also practice some basic navigation, communication (hand /paddle signals, as well as how to use the club's VHF radios, signal mirrors, V Sheets and other safety gear), and possibly sailing skills. Learn how to receive and record ocean weather forecasts using HF radios and possibly watch a kayak video or 2 in the evening if we're not kayaked out.
Developing an understanding of how various components and systems (rudders, footrests, pumps) work on the sea kayaks is essential to being able to assess and repair them if need be, while on a trip. Helping to install and tune those systems under supervision is an ideal way to gain such understandings. You will also contribute to making the boats sea-worthy, safer, and ready for future club use upon the bounding main. We'll also run through a 'Trailer Familiarisation' session at the pre-trip when we load the boats, with the actual designers of the trailer!
Signing up to this trip does not guarantee a spot! To attend, you must have been to at least one lake kayaking session. Numbers will also be limited and spots on the trip will be decided by who contributes to the club, and/or shows enthusiasm for progressing their skills (assuming of course, that there's a flood of people wanting to come along and learn more about seakayaking).
PS: the property is mainly nice open grassy woodland, replete with lots of marsupials, birds and yes, reptiles. There'll be time to stroll around (appropriately dressed) and enjoy the bush if people feel like it. I will gauge what people are interested in doing, at the pre-trip and we can adjust our plans accordingly.
SATURDAY
9:00- Meet at the ANU Boatshed and load boats onto the trailer
9:30- Leave the Boatshed
9:00 – arrive at Bywong, park the cars and pack all requisite gear into the kayaks for the first on-water skills session, which will be in fully laden boats. All subsequent timing is then dependant on temperature, efficiency and enthusiasm. We will alternate between working on the boats and playing/learning skills on the dam.
17:00- Return to Canberra without kayaks or settle in for drinks and nibblies beside the water, cook dinner on stoves or a fire and learn some off-water kayak skills or watch a video.
SUNDAY
8:30- Wake up, smell the wattle, possibly curse the noisy geese/kookaburras, have breakfast and get stuck into more kayak business. OR, meet at ANU sport and drive to Bywong, before getting stuck into more kayak business. -
16:30- Arrive back at the boatshed and unload boats
17:00- Trip finishes