Adrian’s Account of the race

 Whether on the water or watching from the banks, the excitement of overcoming a river in full flood captivates both canoeists and spectators alike, with ten weirs, two stretches of rapids, a punishing portage and the daunting “jungle” to contend with it is not for the faint hearted. Guaranteed water conditions add to the occasion as the Electricity Board releases 30 million tons of water through their hydro stations to ensure a massive flood for the event. Our own preparation for the event started several months earlier when training for our Shannon navigation so stamina was not going to be a issue, we did however spend some time on the Thomastown weir before it collapsed perfecting our technique over the weirs.

The event took place in September, myself and Russ arrived in the event car park in Straffan just after nine am and collected our race bibs and info pack before continuing on to Islandbridge to leave a car with which to transport thecanadian  back to base after the race. On arriving back in Straffan the carpark was wedged with vehicles and kayaks of all descriptions.

Turas – the Liffey Descent  atmosphere and banter was electric. We readied our boat, geared up and together with the 1100+ other boats and paddlers, many of the other boats were open canoes we noted. We had our gear scrutinised for safety at the gate to the field, where we were given red patches if they passed. All the boats were then carried down the road to the gates of the K Club, where only the boats with the red patch were allowed to go through. Everybody was supposed to be out of the field by 11:30 to be ready to race, the first class being off at 12:30. Spectators had to crowd onto the Straffan bridge, where they could watch the boats launching. All boats had to be paddled 1 km upstream to be held in their groups ready to go. Eventually the first group started, only 15 minutes late.

The excitement begins almost immediately, as barely 1km downstream from the start line lies Straffan Weir. This is one of the most feared hazards on the course as the paddlers begin to sort themselves out as they approach it, still tightly bunched together. Myself and Russ had decided to shoot on the left but were slightly disturbed as we saw the bulk of the competitors going to the right the casualty rate was quite high with people swimming in all directions having capsized their kayaks. In order for an Open Canoe to take a weir, the weight must be moved right out of the bows, to make the front of the boat much more buoyant. Most Open Canoes prepared for the race by filling every possible part with large air bags, leaving just the two gaps for the two paddlers legs.

Once Straffan has been negotiated, the next few miles encompass the “Jungle”. Anyone paddling the course for the first time quickly discovers why this stretch is so named – as it is all swirling water and encroaching trees, narrow sections of river and is un-life guarded. A slip anywhere here can lead to a long swim seeking a suitable place on the overgrown bank to come ashore prior to rejoining the race. .

Beyond the “Jungle” are two weirs, Vanessa and Templemills, situated half mile apart. Both are relatively easy shoots, but should be treated with respect. Shortly after passing under the bridge in Celbridge, the competitors find themselves in the turmoil of Castletown Rapids. Again caution is called for as each year this rock strewn stretch entices a number of kayakers out of their boats for a swim.

With Castletown behind them, competitors now enter calmer waters as they cross Leixlip Lake towards the dam. The portage is approached on the right hand bank, and involves a grueling 500 yard run over which the paddlers must carry their boats prior to re-entering the river at Leixlip Bridge.

The next major hurdle is the Sluice Weir. One route through necessitates shooting the weir on the right, but a miscalculation can lead to a broken bow. Alternatively, the weir can be shot through the 12 foot gap once occupied by the sluice gates. While this route is faster it is also far trickier as a very large standing wave waits at the bottom,

Having unsuccessfully negotiated the sluice Next comes Lucan Weir, and again the paddlers have a choice of shoots. It can be taken sideways down the face (the most popular), down the fish steps (definitely not recommended for K-boats), or, for the thrill seeker, over the “High Drop” on the far face., Russ and myself went sideways down the near face

The next obstacle to be overcome was the Anna Livia Weir, not nearly as demanding as the previous two but still deserving of respect. The only way over this weir is down the fish slide.

A long flat stretch now gives the competitors ample time to consider the next hazard, the notorious Wren’s Nest Weir. Essentially a large “V” shape it is imperative to approach at the correct angle or it’s into the huge stoppers on either side and an almost certain swim. Having safely conquered Wren’s, the paddlers barely have time to settle down before they arrive at the second of the big “V” weirs at Palmerstown. A series of enormous standing waves lurk at the bottom and if the competitor does not enter the shoot at precisely the apex, the waves will be hit at the wrong angle resulting in an almost inevitable capsize.

The final two weirs are almost easy in comparison; the first, Glenaulin, a simple shoot. The second, Chapelizod, is taken down a long fish slide but watch out for jutting rocks as many a paddle has been broken here. With all the obstacles behind them the competitors now face an energy sapping slog to the finish where you will be met by water and mars bars.

We soaked up the atmosphere at the finish, got the t-shirt the traveled back to Straffan and home for some rest and a celebratory BBQ. Highly Recommended.

Adrian Gallagher

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Russ’s Account of the Race

Russ and Adrian paddle the Liffey descent in a Canadian canoe on a beautiful summer September day.

Following the previous years descent in two sea kayaks we decided to do the Liffey Descent in a Canadian canoe. The Liffey river race covers just under 28km of what must be one of the best long distance canoe racing course in the Europe.

Once again the excitement canoeing a river in full flood captivates both canoeists and spectators alike, with ten weirs, two stretches of rapids, a punishing portage and the daunting “jungle” to contend with it is not for the faint hearted. Unlike other international river races guaranteed water conditions add to the occasion as the Electricity Board releases 30 million tons of water through their hydro stations to ensure a massive flood for the event. Our preparations included six short trips down the river Nore in a canadian canoe using the weir at Bennettsbridge in Kilkenny as our sole weir practice.

The event took place Saturday 5th of September, We both once again arrived in the event car park in Straffan just after nine am and collected our race bibs and info pack, and commenced preparing our canadian canoe which included making a makeshift cone to act as a wave breaker at the front of the boat. It was then of to Islandbridge to leave a car with which to transport the canadian back to base after the race. On arriving back in Straffan the car park was full with vehicles and kayaks with a tractor keeping very busy pulling cars that were getting stuck in the field.

All the boats were then carried down the road to the gates of the K Club, once again this year everybody was supposed to be out of the field by 11:30 to be ready to race, the first class being off at 12:30. Spectators had to crowd onto the Straffan bridge, where they could watch the boats launching. All boats had to be paddled 1 km upstream to be held in their groups ready to go.

The excitement begins almost immediately, as barely 1km downstream from the start line lies Straffan Weir. This is one of the toughest weirs on the course as the paddlers begin to sort themselves out as they approach it, still tightly bunched together. We had decided to shoot on the right but were slightly nudged by another Canadian and thankfully made it through without going for a swim; the casualty rate was very high with people swimming in all directions having capsized their kayaks. In order for an Open Canoe to take a weir, the weight must be moved right out of the bows, to make the front of the boat much more buoyant. Most Open Canoes prepared for the race by filling every possible part with large air bags, leaving just the two gaps for the two paddlers legs.

This was a big confidence boost for us clearing the first weir, the next few miles encompass the “Jungle”. Anyone paddling the course for the first time quickly discovers why this stretch is so named – as it is all swirling water and encroaching trees, narrow sections of river and is un-life guarded. A slip anywhere here can lead to a long swim seeking a suitable place on the overgrown bank to come ashore prior to rejoining the race.

Beyond the “Jungle” are two weirs, Vanessa and Templemills, situated half mile apart. Both are relatively easy shoots, but should be treated with respect. Shortly after passing under the bridge in Celbridge, the competitors find themselves in the turmoil of Castletown Rapids. Again caution is called for as each year this rock strewn stretch entices a number of kayakers out of their boats for a swim.

With Castletown behind them, competitors now enter calmer waters as they cross Leixlip Lake towards the dam. The portage is approached on the right hand bank, and involves a grueling 500 yard run over which the paddlers must carry their boats prior to re-entering the river at Leixlip Bridge. It is advisable to have wheels attached to your canadian to assist in transporting the boat.

The next major hurdle is the Sluice Weir. The weir can be shot through the 12 foot gap once occupied by the sluice gates. While this route is faster it is also far trickier as a very large standing wave waits at the bottom, this is the route we took, we were almost through when at the last minute we capsized and went for a swim, immediately we recovered our boat with the help of the rescue teams. discussed where we went wrong and then back in the boat and next stop the Lucan Weir.

Again paddlers have a choice of shoots at the Lucan weir. It can be taken sideways down the face (the most popular), down the fish steps (definitely not recommended for K-boats), or, for the thrill seeker, over the “High Drop” on the far face. we went head on down the near face and received a brilliant reception from the supportive crowd. The next obstacle to be overcome was the Anna Livia Weir, not nearly as demanding as the previous two but still deserving of respect. The only way over this weir is down the fish slide.

A long flat stretch now gives the competitors ample time to consider the next hazard, the notorious Wren’s Nest Weir. Essentially a large “V” shape it is imperative to approach at the correct angle or it’s into the huge stoppers on either side and an almost certain swim. Having safely conquered Wren’s, the paddlers barely have time to settle down before they arrive at the second of the big “V” weirs at Palmerstown. A series of enormous standing waves lurk at the bottom and if the competitor does not enter the shoot at precisely the apex, the waves will be hit at the wrong angle resulting in an almost inevitable capsize. And that is what we did go for another swim.

The final two weirs are almost easy in comparison; the first, Glenaulin, a simple shoot. The second, Chapelizod, is taken down a long fish slide but watch out for jutting rocks as many a paddle has been broken here. With all the obstacles behind them the competitors now face an energy sapping slog to the finish where you will be met by water and mars bars and a brilliant atmosphere.

Having consumed our beef stroganoff it was back to Straffan to collect the Land Rover Defender and back home all smiles and looking forward to the 2009 Liffey descent

Russ Ryan

http://www.liffeydescent.com/

Another two of our most used ‘gadgets on many a camping trip, and which both also served us well during our Shannon Expedition, the Grilliput Portable Grill and accessory ‘firebowl’ pack away neatly and are quick to assemble and disassemble.

The Grilliput packs away into a 29cm long 2.2cm diameter tube, assembling the grill take about five minutes and when assembled it presents a 23×26 cm cooking area, it weighs 560 g.

the firebowl is about 17.5 x7cm in Diameter when folded and 29x7cm when opened, it weighs 290 g, it is a collapsible stainless steel bowl that enables you to light a fire anywhere without scorching the earth. It has adjustable fins allowing you to focus the heat or to spread it out. We packed both of these items into one of our Kayaks during our Shannon Trip and regularly used them to cook lunch and our evening repast.

We have used the grill and bowl to barbecue steaks , burgers and sausages , and we have used both barbecue coals and small pieces of wood as cooking fuel.

The grill has a handy scraper as part of its container which makes it very easy to scrape of grease or small pieces of food off the grill wires before washing and packing them away.

The grill and the bowl are both relatively sturdy, though they did sometimes warp a little in the heat, but when they cool, they resume their shape, ready to be cleaned and neatly folded away. A cheap, highly compact and we think, kinda cool portable cooking solution, available widely online..

The IHPA is the National Association for the sports of Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Paramotoring and Powered Hang Gliding in Ireland. Founded in 1974 as the Irish Hang Gliding Association and later expanded to include the newer sports of paragliding and foot-launched powered aviation.
The IHPA is a democratic association of pilots run by its members, guided by its Constitution which it adopted in 1997. The Executive Committee is elected by its members at the AGM, and anyone may put their names forward for election. The committee comprises a Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer, the Training & Flight Safety Officer, a Hang Gliding and a Paragliding Competitions Officers.

For more information check out www.ihpa.ie

Mountain Hardwear have designed the one person Sprite tent for the solo backpacker or cyclist, the tent packs up very small and doesn’t weigh down a backpack very much. During our 2007 Shannon Expedition the Sprite was one of the tents that we packed into our Sea Kayaks. Easy to setup and to take down within a couple of minutes, which is helpful if its windy or raining. In fact I think this is one of the best aspects of this tent, it almost entirely removes the hassle of erecting and dismantling a tent, and of the three tents on the expedition was the fastest to pitch and to strike.

The front vestibule shelters backpacks, shoes and other gear and the efficient floor plan allows enough room for one person with space for any essentials at the top of the tent (beside your head when sleeping).

The Sprite weathered some heavy weather during our Shannon Trip and has been used on several camping expeditions since then. I’m looking forward to getting back into it this summer and will carry it on a planned overnight hike through the wilds of Connemara, which will also be documented here on the Turas site before the end of the summer this year.

The ‘two shell’ tent also provides an ‘Superlight’ option, that is to pitch with fly only and the footprint accessory which allows the tent to be used as a breeze and mosquito shelter.. I think its pretty unlikely this configuration will be much used in Ireland.. but we live in hope..

Coming soon the Killala Bay Sea Kayaking race. Once again the event will be hosted by the Moy canoe club Saturday 28th July 2012. This is one of Irelands premier sea kayaking challenges located in the quaint fishing village of Killala in County Mayo. The Atlantic sea kayaking is an event for all the family with a free after race barbecue for all competitors, families and friends.  For more details contact kayakevent@live.ie or find further details Face Book Ph/Text 087/2118998 after 6.30pm.

Limited number of places Available

View an extended (7 minute) version of this short film

http://www.focusireland.ie/