Club evening paddles are always a great opportunity to get out on the river see places from a different view and socialies. This club evening paddle on the River seven was definitely one of those opportunities!.
Turning round the corner arriving at Diglis get on point went from deserted industrial estate to a hive of boats and paddlers ready to hit the wet (and a bit brown) stuff at the river side!
After negotiating the steep ramp down to the waters edge and deciding to seal launch or clamber down into the boats, a quick briefing later we all got off to a lovely paddle into the glorious sunshine. It was actually hot!
First thing that become apparent after the “watch out for rowers, they move fast” during the briefing was…. Fast moving rowing boats! Appearing out of nowhere and dispersing just a fast, meant eyes on the Water level views of Worcester AND what else was on the water with us.
Moving up the river the other item raised in the briefing was… Swans! Luckily they didn’t seem to take offence to the brightly coloured boats and paddlers coming past. This could however have been down to the chap on a mobility scooter driving up and down the walkways with an impressive sound system blasting whilst swigging a beer. At that moment it was hard to work out who had made the best life choices.
No time to dwell on the partying mobile disco drinker as we paddled under the main Worcester bridge across the river! Interesting observation being how evident it was from underneath the old side on the north big old stone blocks and newer more uniform side on the southern side! That and the scrapes which could have been debris during flood or a very tall person in a canoe.
Coming up past the rowing club we had the “in, out, in out” song from the children learning to row coming past the other way. Probably a song to rival a Pepper Pig or Bob the Builder for repetitive road trip songs you wouldn’t want stuck on a loop!
Worcester cleared and into the quieter and peaceful northern part of the river where we stopped ready for the trip back down. Having not really taken many photos up until this point, it turns out the second you take a phone to photograph something, you spin 180 degrees EVERY TIME! Certainly a technique to remember when coming up to some white water in the future and needing to turn round to paddle away.
The trip back was much easier going with the flow, certainly apparent in white water boats but less so for the touring boats I’m sure. Heading down the river this time no longer to the sound track of “in, out, in out”.
A group photo before crossing under the Worcester bridge (more spinning). Mobility man’s boom box clearly having a lasting effect subdued the swans for our safe passage back past. Arriving at the get in point with no real drama or issues to report.
Hopefully my first paddle review didn’t send everyone to sleep, hopefully not to many typos writing on a phone rather than computer. Great to see Worcester from a new angle in the sunshine with a great group!
For more pictures from this paddle go to our gallery
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