MULLINGAR CANOE CLUB FRENCH ALPS 2008
Departure Date:
Thursday 12th June – Dublin Airport
Return Date:
Thursday 19th June – Dublin Airport
Flights via Ryanair from Dublin to Grenoble are booked, car hire from
Grenoble to Briancon and the trip duration has been booked.(The van with
all the gear will depart and return at an earlier time than those flying
over)
Accommodation:
Accommodation in the town of Briancon has been booked; max numbers of
occupants are 8-10 persons unless otherwise agreed. Bed lined and towels
are available to rent at an additional cost. The chalet is within walking
distance to all amenities.
Type of Rivers/Grade:
There is a large variety of rivers in the area, depending on water levels
we will mainly be paddling on grade 3 rivers. According to how the group
is getting on we may stay as one group or divide into two to cater for
everyone. We hope to get five days kayaking starting on Friday through
to Tuesday, there will be no paddling on Wednesday the 18th as the van
has to return for the ferry connection.
For anyone who wants to take a day off there are plenty of bars, restaurants
and shopping in Briancon. The old town is worth a few hours sightseeing,
there is an outdoor lake for swimming and kayaking with its own restaurant.
The area has plenty of cycle trails both on and off road. For anyone into
hill walking there are Glaciers nearby which can be explored. Or…
you can just stay in bed ya big Cissy.
Insurance:
It is the responsibility of each person to take out adequate insurance
cover for the trip. The British Mountaineering Council has a “Trek”
policy which covers Kayaking (www.thebmc.co.uk).
It is also essential that each person has a European health insurance
card with them. (E111)
Costs: This is not an exact costing but it will not vary too much, the
only other costs involved are food and drink and what ever else you wish
to spend. It is envisaged we will operate a kitty system for the duration
of the trip.
Flights; 100 Euro per person
Car/van hire:
135 Euro per person (Based on a seven way split)*
Accommodation: 175 per person (Based on a seven way split)*
Insurance (personal): 75 Euro
Fuel/ferry:
185 per person (Based on a 7 way split)*
The trip should cost approx 650 to 700 Euro per person excluding food
ect, obviously the more members we have going the cheaper accommodation
and transport costs should be.
Responsibilities:
Participation in this trip is entirely the responsibility of each person
travelling. No responsibility what so ever is accepted by Mullingar Canoe
Club, any members or any person co-ordinating this trip. This is the case
at all times including on and off the water.
This is a non-profit trip organised by those travelling for those travelling.
All of those travelling must be full members of Mullingar Canoe Club at
time of booking and at time of travelling and for the duration of the
trip.
Preparation:
A good roll is essential for this trip; it doesn't have to be bombproof
although this would be desirable. So, if you need it, get yourself down
to the pool sessions and work on that roll. River time... get out as often
as possible and push yourself each week. Get to Wicklow and similar places
on as many trips as possible. Work on safety and rescue principles and
techniques.
Aim for the level 3 proficiency award. Work on your Fitness!
Equipment Required:
Kayak.
Preferably a large volume kayak such as a Nomad, Burn, H3, GTX, Mamba
or something similar but not a playboat. You should be familiar with your
boat and have it properly set up.
Paddle.
Good quality paddle and a spare if you have one or maybe a spare (splits)
between three people. Make sure your paddle has plenty of hi-vis tape
so that is can be recovered if you have a swim.
Helmet.
Good quality helmet with good shock / impact dispersion properties. Should
cover the sides of the head particularly the temples. Small helmets that
look good don't always provide much protection. Again a hi-vis colour
is good. Good straps are essential as you should be able to securely fasten
the helmet. * The helmet should not push back to expose your forehead
*
Cag.
A dry cag is good, some people will prefer to wear a shortie cag which
is fine but the long sleeve cag will give you more protection.
Spray Deck.
Good neoprene deck is fine.
Buoyancy Aid.
Your B/Aid should be in good condition and should be sized correctly so
as to give you plenty of buoyancy. If the B/Aid has an attached harness
system make sure you are familiar with its correct usage. This, together
with your helmet are probably your two most important pieces of kit.
Trousers.
You can wear a neoprene wet suit or wet suit trousers, both will give
you good protection if you take a swim. Short / below the knee neoprene
shorts are good if you are confident that you will not take a swim. A
full dry suit is down to personal preference but remember the weather
can be fairly warm. (Hopefully)
Footwear.
Good footwear is essential. You are going to be moving about on wet rocks
carrying your boat and setting up rescue cover etc, something like a Teva
kayak shoe is a very good investment. Neoprene kayak booties are not really
sufficient for the Alps.
Throw Rope.
Everyone must have and be able to use a Throw Rope (Throw Bag). One with
a 12mm diameter x 18 to 20mtr long rope is good. The bag must be plenty
big enough to fully and easily repack the rope.
First Aid Kit.
A first aid kit in a water proof bag or enclosure is essential and everyone
must have one.
A Knife.
It is said in kayaking circles that if you have a rope... you must have
a knife. Get one that has a stainless steel blade and is easy to operate
with just one hand.
Dry Bag.
A 5 or 6 litre dry bag is good for carrying your bits & pieces.
Camera.
This one is up to you. You can consider anything from a disposable to
a waterproof digital with video or even a helmet cam.
Air Bags.
Full air bags in the back of your kayak are a must.
Sponge.
A sponge can be useful for getting that last drop of water out of your
boat.
Whistle.
A simple whistle that will operate when wet is a must... can be a very
useful piece of kit.
Sunblock.
Hopefully the weather will be nice and sunny so bring your sunblock.
NOTE.
Make sure all your gear has your name on it. Your kayak & paddle should
have your name and contact details.
Other Stuff.
A roll of duck tape and some cable ties can be very handy for emergency
repairs also if your B/Aid has a pocket, a 5 or 6 meter snake sling with
a karabiner attached is recommended.
Good Reading, Etc.
A very good book and one that every paddler should have and read whether
going to the Alps or not is White Water Safety and
Rescue by Franco Ferrero. This is available from outdoor shops
such as the Great Outdoors, and the Outdoor Adventure Store and Outdoor
Exchange. It is available on-line from www.amazon.com or from www.pesdapress.com
Another good book is White Water South Alps by Peter
Knowles. This is an excellent guide book to the rivers of the region
and is also available from outdoor shops and www.amazon.com. Canoe Control
have been running trips in the Alps for years.. During the '05 season
they compiled a DVD showing some of the rivers in the region. Again the
DVD is available from local outdoor shops or on-line from www.canoecontrol.com
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