When the Big Paddle came to town….

 

 

 

On a Sunday in June, the Big Paddle came to town. It snuck up in the night, and when morning arrived it bought with it tents, gear, a huge fleet of kayaks, and an enormous pile of cardboard waiting to be transformed via imagination and parcel tape.

The idea behind the Big Paddle is that there’s nothing quite like getting out on the water powered by your own paddle, and we want to share our love of paddling with everybody. Young or old, expert or first timer – The joy is the same!

Our Big Paddle events have something to offer for everybody, whether you’re having your first ever go in a kayak or canoe, or you want expert coaching from the most experienced paddlers in the business, and everything in between. Here are some pictures from yesterday’s fun!

 

The Harlequin Paddler was rescued once again in the Throwline challenge.

Expert advice and coaching was in abundance form the Palm Team.

 

 

And some paddlers couldn’t find the water to paddle on, but made the best of it all the same with the Ergo Challenge.

Afternoon came around, and various cunning creations lined up for comedy and catastrophe in the Cardboard Canoe race, which this time around saw flying robots….

 

… a traditional welsh coracle ….

 

 

… prizes for the winners …

… and a swim for the losers, including team paddler Chris who spectacularly failed to navigate the course in Charlotte’s Pirate Ship.

 

All in all we had a great time, and met a few of the next generation of paddlers, who seem hooked already!

 

 

 

The final date of the 2013 Big Paddle Tour is coming up next weekend at Teesside Whitewater course, so come along and join the fun! We’ve got everything to take first timers out on the water  as well, so if you know anybody who might like to come and have a go at paddling, bring them along too!

More information can be found at www.thebigpaddle.com, and you can also find us on facebook – search for the Big Paddle!