Writes Daniel Z. (L6)
On the 20th of July, three members of staff and five Taylors’ students embarked on a journey to Wales with one goal in mind: conquer the raging rapids of Bala (North Wales).
Our quest was met by rain – an adventurer’s worst nightmare – but any kayaker’s dream. For many of the students, the first day marked their first encounter with natural white water on the upper stretch of the River Dee. By the end of the first day, we encountered the rapids, navigating them with a certain degree of caution. The newer boys had to quickly familiarise themselves with how the flow of water interacts with their boats, learning how to efficiently and deliberately work with the water, not against it. The next day was much of the same, this time starting just below Horseshoe falls. We paddled all the way down the remaining stretch of the River Dee, running Serpent’s Tail and Bala Mill Falls, finishing at TNR White Water Centre. Here, as any self-respecting kayaker would, we spent the better part of two hours on a set of play waves, trying to expand upon our wave skills. Aaron and I struggled desperately to perfect our flat spin (a reoccurring theme) with limited success. After a tough session, we rewarded ourselves with what we deemed the best pizza in Wales.
As the days progressed, the intensity increased as well. By the third day on the water (after having conquered the entirety of the River Dee), we moved onto the fabled River Tryweryn. Starting with the lower portion, we made our way down the intricate Grade 3+ waters, taking care to make sure we didn’t get stranded on an infamous island en route. As we paddled, we tried to hone our technical skills to ensure that we were prepared for the next day, which promised an assessment of our technical development. The goal was to conclude the trip tackling Grade 4 waters – the toughest yet.
The Upper Tryweryn was our final stretch of water, and it promised to be a challenge. In anticipation, we felt a tactical reconnaissance operation was needed; such a precise operation could not be rushed. We sent an inflatable raft downriver three times, before we took the plunge and launched ourselves in above the weir.
Excited? Naturally. Nervous? Only the normal amount.
We had to be careful. A few centimetres of water would be the difference between a nasty capsize and getting down safely. We progressed down Tombstone Weir and Factor Falls – a 15-metre Class III+ rapid that ends in a large hole at the bottom, before moving onto the very ominously named Graveyard. After came Pinball Alley, where we were dodging rocks left and right, then the Ski Jump, a large wave which would launch any kayak out very quickly acting just like a ramp. Naturally we all flew through it (quite literally!). Quickly after, our high spirits were humbled by the size of the drop under Mrs Davies’ Bridge, and the technical challenges that faced us at Fingers after. Finally, we reached large drops named Chapel Falls. It was a fitting ending to the expedition, having now conquered both the River Dee and Tryweryn.
Our drive home was dedicated to reviewing footage from both the phones and the GoPro cameras, as well as dreaming about getting back on the water next week at Lee Valley. Without a shadow of a doubt, this was one of the best trips I had ever done. It was not only remarkably organised and managed, but the skills of the students, staff and safety staff combined meant we could really push ourselves.
On that note, thanks is in order for Mr Noorem, Mr Williams and Mr Anderson. It was brilliant!
