Night & Day

So what do industry types do for a boating fix -they go out at odd times.

Yesterday evening we headed off to Hurley weir on the Thames for a night surf as we’d heard the wave was rocking. Luckily we found that a crew had brought some lights (cheers Dan) so a great session took place under floodlights. Whilst there we caught up with Gareth from the TVF web site who told us about the upcoming Hurley Classic rodeo. If you are UK freestyler this is the spot to try and to get involved in the longest running UK rodeo comp – check it here.

 

Not having had quite enough we got our kit out again (all praise the dry suit) just after dawn this morning and went back. Thinking it would be empty we found the wave already occupied. Desperate Measures had beaten us onto the water after getting up at 4 am. The guys were fitting in a paddle ahead of a day collecting stock for their shop – another set of paddlesport industry employees getting thier fix at odd times!

After paddling we went off to visit the guys at White Water The Canoe Centre to check how they have altered their store ( luckily without loosing the massive collection of posters, signed photos, comp bibs and other paddling history they have covering the walls). As they showed us around, it seemed that the Scutt brothers, who co-run the store, were looking a little tired and it soon came out that they too had been out on dawn patrol, slalom training before the store opened.

 

So if you want to find the latest news about paddling, see the latest kit and meet the faces the best thing to do is set the alarm a bit earlier!