Team flood: Mat Budgen, Katie de Wolf, Nic Ramsden, Dave Reid, Lee Rogers, Mark Roworth, Thom Scott-Phillips, Lindsay Snow

Wow. What a weekend. Eight people, loads of rolls, three new sections, one lost paddle, four swims, two police encounters and shit loads of water. Fantastic.

It's hard to describe what canoeing is like to non-canoeists. It's even harder trying to describe what it's like paddling in spate conditions. Usual stories of fear and nerves, relief and exhilaration don't do it justice. The English language doesn't seem to have the right adjectives.

Maybe the best way of conveying the feeling is to resort to our usual method: shouting.

IT WAS F***IN' AWESOME. HUGE, MASSIVE WAVES. CONTINUOUS FAST, HONKIN' WATER. LOADS OF THE STUFF. SUPER-FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC. WHOA.

Yes, I think that just about sums it up.

In fact, there was so much water that one of the roads leading into Brecon was flooded on the Friday night causing a lengthy detour for Lee, Katie and Dave. It carried on raining through the night meaning that we got on the Cilieni at a level a local described as: "the highest I've ever seen it". Maybe not the wisest start, what with the trees everywhere causing a swim for Mark and rolls for Lee and myself. With Mark's paddles and Dave's nerve going missing, they both binned the river leaving three of us to continue. The grade IV in the guidebook was really a grade V and Katie and I both had further rolls, Katie's leading to her first swim of the trip (oh yes, there's more to come). Meanwhile, Dave and Mark called the police (!?), thinking we were missing when in fact we were trying to pull Mark's boat out after finding it thoroughly pinned in the middle of the river.

Onto a section of the Usk. Normally a grade II bob. Well, I suppose it was still grade II but what a grade II... up 'n' down, up 'n' down... I've never seen such a big grin on Lindsay's face... well, apart from that in the Cherrypicker's B&B a few hours hence that is, but more of that later.

Buoyed by another group succeeding where Lee and I had failed in trying to rescue Mark's boat, we headed to the pub. Decent food, good beer and an England victory in the rugby made for a very nice evening.

As we didn't get to do the Honddu on the Saturday 'cause we couldn't fit a boat under the bridge in town, we did it on the Sunday morning instead, when we could fit under the bridge by kissing our decks. Continuous III building to continuous IV by the time we reached town, finishing in a weir that Katie, Nic and particularly myself can all confirm wasn't very nice. Having said that, it did let us all go, something I doubt the Alsatian that wanted to have Katie for lunch would have done had she climbed into his garden to get out from the riverbed after her swim.

One last section: the lower Usk as normally done by the club on the autumn beginners trip. But not in these levels. Alpine-esque. Just like Imst-Haiming with water, for those that know it. Lindsay got her first experience of a powerful tow back - 8.5 for the loop out - and all of us got off the river with even bigger grins than Lindsay had the evening before.

One last trip to the pub rounded off a super weekend. If it keeps raining, we'll just have to come back and do it all again next weekend...

Thom Scott Phillips

Hmm, maybe I should mention that the innuendos about Lindsay's Saturday night aren't really based on fact, more... loose speculation.

Well, suggestion then... active imaginations.

Ok, so they're a lie. So sue me.

Same trip by Lee Rogers

I thought I'd just tell you about our superb weekend's paddling!!

Drove up to Brecon Friday night, and after been diverted around several closed main roads (due to flooding!) and driving through loads of deep puddles, including one grade II rapid running across a roundabout we got there!!!

Paddled the Cilieni, a tribrutary of the Usk, supossed to be III with a IV (CSR) in the book, a local later told us it was the highest she had ever seen it. First half was very tree dodgy, me and Thom both had rolls under a tree. Mark Roworth swam and his boat dissapeard! Dave binned it. Me, Kate and Thom carried on, and I ran the Grade IV which had become a Grade V with a Grade IV lead in and out, bloody cool and big volume. Then we carried on, kate had a few dodgy rolls, and we tried to free Mark's kendo from the middle of the river. Then just before it joins the Usk, there are two big stoppers one after the other. Weasle was been surfed in one and Katie in the other. They both had 3 rolls each before kate swam into a very flooded Usk! Woops. Retrieved her kit quickly, and paddled down some fun
big volume Grade III!

Found Nic, Lindsay and Matt Budgen and paddled down the Usk (10 KM) to Brecon. Cool Big volume Grade III. I think I saw a 10ft high wave!!

Sunday morning, the rivers had dropped a little (they were just very high now!). We paddled the Honddu, another tribrutary of the Usk, joining in Brecon, we were going to paddle this the day before, but there wasn't enough room under the last bridge and no breakouts, Yuck!! A really cool, twisty yet fast and furious river. Despite 3 tree portages in the upper half, it was superb. A couple of bigish rapids to inspect, before the last KM of furious water into Brecon. We had inspected the hole just before the end and new it was going to be sticky!!! I shot it left and got through with no problems only to turn round to see Kate and Nic both going into the hole and been looped round and round!!! Woops. Kate swam out, and Nic looped out. Then Thom followed them into the stopper for apparently 5 minutes of hole surfing (he blames it on a bit of drainpipe!!!). Mark and Matt managed to walk round by climbing up a sheer bridge, and Kate climbed up into someones garden and knocked on the back door to be let out, oh yes there was a big dog there too!!!

In the afternoon we paddled another section of the Usk, Talybont to Llangynidr which we have done a few times with the club. The mile and half
flat at the start took 20 mins instead of the usual hour and half, then from the big rapid down (which was unrecognisable) it was massive grade III/IV big volume (very similiar to Imst to Haming last summer!) all the way to the end!! Cool.

Poem By Mat Budgen

Spontaneous Usk Trip - 2nd, 3rd Feb 2002
(USK = Unmistakably Serious/Silly/Stupid Kayakers?)

Wild weekend in Wales, where the rivers are high,
The current is fast and the waves touch the sky!

The Usk is deep red, chocolate brown if you like,
You couldn't go this fast if you went by bike!

Haystacks like small hills and holes like big craters
A river so wide that you fear alligators!

The trees in the river will sure make you quivver,
If you swim in a big hole you'll probably shivver!

The first section that some did made underpants rumble,
The tree- packed wild malestrom made brave souls more humble!

With rolling and swimming, and head-butting trees,
One wisely opts out with walk in the breeze!

Another decides to try a new wheeze
And loses his paddles; his boat pinned in trees!

The two plot and scheme, like a pair of wild geese,
And just to be safe, make a call to the Police!

There's barbed wire in breakouts that are far between,
The piles in the trees point to levels obscene!

And what of the boat that was pinned in the tree?
Five play-paddlers grabbed it and made it come free!

One hero in drysuit gets tied on a rope,
Four others then lowered him; all filled with hope!

What weir? Said the group when we met them mid flow,
"Don't know 'bout no weir - or which side to go!"

The get-off, a grab at a wall that was high,
The wall is so deep now, its up to Thom's thigh!

Lindsay, at a B+B, "Cherrypicker" - "What d'you get for this?"
The only answer Thom can give, is "Come here, and give us a kiss"!

You'll save 2 quid if you share my bed,
It's a cosy little double; we'll pretend that we're wed!

Another cherry picked ? and we're back on the ride,
The overnight rain means there's no place to hide!

The rain now holding off, almost perfect Feb weather.
Met a stopper so strong it'll hold you forever?

A test for your sculling, or rolling prowess
Dig deep for the bottom, and you'll get a rest!

Play wave tricks and ride it, or roll like a log,
Or climb up a tree, just look out for that dog!

This time the police called by a local couple
When one more fine paddler succumbs to the trouble!

Her paddles and boat gone, another gives chase,
He finally gets 'em; a hell of a race!

So here are the people that decided to go
As to if they regret it ?, better ask them to know.

Loony Lee, Kamikazi Katie;
A river full of bits of tree,

Mad Mat and Naughty Nic;
Where's the breakout? Paddle quick!

Danger Dave and Mental Mark;
A flood like this goes with an Ark!

Teaser Thom and Lucky Lindsay,
(Who has seen my lost Cherry ?);
All 8 alive, we say, "Yippee!!!"

By Mat Budgen.