By Richard Harpham
Bio
Richard Harpham, FRGS, is a human powered adventurer, coach and inspirational speaker who has completed over 11,000 miles of expeditions by kayak, canoe, SUP and bike www.richadventure.com
Richard runs the award winning Canoe Trail watersports and adventure business with his wife Ashley. Thanks to BAM Clothing, Paramo, Valley Sea Kayaks, Palm Equipment and SilverBirch Canoes for sharing the dream. www.canoetrail.co.uk
Foreword: Rich Adventure
Time seems to be flying by with days rolling into each other but the recent announcement of a roadmap back to paddling and adventures did provide ‘reasons to be grateful’. Over the past few months we have been employing ‘reasons to be joyful’ to see the ‘half full’ glasses, whether it been kites soaring on thermals, deer basking in the winter sun or perfect reflections glimmering, waiting for glorious slow setting sunsets.
Closer to home, we have launched Canoe Trail online adventure talks providing regular zoom talks featuring paddlers, adventurers and other inspirational types (www.canoetrail.co.uk/adventure-talks). The Paddler magazine and other media partners have been fantastic, sharing dates and information. The response has been incredible, tapping into our little black book of adventure contacts and friends. The first two talks have seen over 300 registrations for us, sharing paddling tales of Canadian Wilderness and slalom kayaker, Helen Reeves, recounting her Olympics dream at Athens 2004. Colonel Andy Reid MBE captivated the audience for talk three from the Afghan battlefields to achieving incredible journeys and charity challenges.
Andy’s story of the Warrior Challenge, hand biking 400 miles before kayaking 128 miles from Devizes to Tower Bridge, brought tears of laughter. It is challenging for those in the know with 77 portages, tide calculations, and attrition from serious endurance paddling. As former Royal Marine, the late Paddy Ashdown said of the DW race known as the ‘common man’s Everest’… “It was crippling. We took 25 hours to finish the course, and I can only think of one person in history who has spent a worst Easter.”
For Andy as a triple amputee it was brutally tough portaging at each lock as well as kayaking. Back to the tears of laughter, Andy covered several multiple lock sections by handbike. As bravado and overconfidence kicked in, he increased speed powering along the riverbank keeping pace with our double kayaks. All was going well until he clipped a large tree root, continuing on two wheels like a James Bond stunt before getting big air and leaving terra firma for the middle of the canal. We launched international rescue with Glen one of our team hauling Andy from the canal. Squaddie humour kicked in with all parties roaring with laughter. The handbike short-circuited and powered up accelerating off down the bank like the sorcerer’s apprentice meets Fantasia and ended its days back in the canal. More hysterical laughter ensued.
Weekly paddling has remained my salvation during lockdown three, switching between canoe, kayak and SUP. That head space on the water has been fantastic close to home to avoid travel. Clearing up after the floods has been collecting a random assortment of balls, dinosaurs, floats and even half of a raft, which we paddled 100 miles down the Wye over a decade ago on the Char Raft Race. Hello old friend!
As we have all adapted to a new normal with life on zoom and other such platforms we have embarked on some British Canoeing online CPD modules. Whilst I would prefer face to face interaction, they have been genuinely excellent delivered by the effervescent Phil Hadley. A brilliant way to commit to lifelong learning.
So that’s a wrap. Here’s to heady days of summer once spring has sprung with infinite paddling days.
Happy trails and stay safe.
Rich
