Pershore Bridges to Tewksbury

The day started just before 0800 with a delicate limbo exercise as I coaxed the car and kayak under the barriers at the Pershore Bridges car park. I was greeted by Jacqui who, somewhat bemused, was trying to calculate the best way to get 3 people transferred in their 3 cars to somewhere in Tewksbury, before coming back to the start point again.

Mission accomplished, and with some able assistance from her husband, Chris, Jacqui and I set off for our 24km paddle down the Avon, Aevon, Uvon, Ivon…..or whatever it’s called colloquially.

In many respects a relaxing and chilled event, certainly compared with the wash-rinse- repeat experience in the Welsh surf one week earlier. Bucolic meadows, weeping willows, nettle lined portages, and the bemused expression of a few stationary river ‘sailors’ who, desperate for a mere zephyr of breeze, looked hopelessly at their flapping rigs.

Conversation was cordial and informative although I was somewhat concerned that Jacqui had, after around 5 years paddling, only just reached a point of ‘equilibrium’ with her equipment, discarding various unsuitable items in the interim period. Having been in the game for about 9 months I shudder at the future prospects of filling the garage shelves with yet more ‘trial gear’ in an effort to reach that lofty ideal. Efforts to explain to my wife that it’s all about ‘different conditions’ is wearing thin!

On the port bow, Chris, ever a font of useful and obscure knowledge, kept the pace flowing. His knowledge of all things kayaking, and several other subjects besides, ensured the kilometres, passed smoothly. I concluded that what he doesn’t know about paddling could be scribbled on one blade of his Greenland shovel – a device which I found somewhat akin to stirring porridge with a knife.

We arrived in Tewksbury, negotiated a slipway thoughtfully decorated by swans who must have feasted on a hearty curry the night before, and headed home - only after Chris had bid his farewells to ‘Paul’ – we had only been chatting together for 5 hours!

Many thanks to Jacqui for the organisation, and Chris for filling my head with enough technical jargon to compel me straight back to the Flow Kayaks website…..