A few weeks ago, Petra asked me to write something on our experience of the Nottingham weekend. However, fresh from enviously reading the reports of Alpine adventures in newsletter 13, I am motivated to recall my own experiences this summer of a French river - the Lot.
I have to put this into context, of course. Where I would have loved to be was with "Team Kayak", taking on the icy waters. Where I had to be (fitting in with school holidays, the pressure of work, divorce prevention etc.) was on a family camping holiday a bit further South and West in the Aveyron. Don't get me wrong - the holiday was great - we just did not set out looking for kayak thrills... For starters, we are not a kayaking family. [Consider seriously a kayaking partner, oh ACC youth - it will stand you in good stead for those later years.] James (11) is learning fast thanks to the Club but kayaking competes with everything else from PlayStation to The Offspring, and encouragement is required. For Sophie (13) and Judith (about my age) there are other interests preferred which don't get your hair wet.

Suspecting that ease of paddling over distance would be more useful than manoeuvrability, the Spud stayed in the garage and the roof rack was loaded with a Dancer and something similar from Pyranha, which I have never fully identified. (Both are for sale. Any offers?). So it proved.

You can locate likely rivers by careful reading of nothing much more than the local 1:200’000 scale Michelin map and we knew we were in business as we drove alongside the Lot downstream from Entraygues, just after its confluence with the Truyere. The water was (a) present in navigable quantities and (b) flowing fast. Encouraged by this, we investigated further and found that sure sign of a worthwhile river trip - the "Location Canoes" (Canoe Hire) advertisement board and a fleet of unsinkable plastic canoe-like craft (UPCLs) working their way downstream. [I do realise that in the Alps this is the sign of rivers to avoid - but these are desperate times...]

So on to the Grand Descent - about 10km of delightful scenery and wildlife in perfect weather on warm and clean water with Grade II/III rapids (just). The best bit of the rapids was stopping to watch the UPCLs descend in various unorthodox ways. This was only James' second river trip (unless you count a descent of the Nottingham course) and only his second time on anything with current and waves. He performed admirably with no swims. James' highlight of the tour was the main Grade III section but also repeated descents of the Grade II stretch at the end of the run (at Le Port) in an inflatable rubber ring while we were waiting to be collected by the dry support team.

The highlight of my trip, however, was right at the start where a "barrage" (weir) extended about 50m right across the river - except for a canoe-friendly gap of about 4m. In the low water this provided the only route for the flow and the most perfect streamlines I have ever seen leading into a modest but beautifully shaped play wave. My delight at this find was only tempered by the thoughts of how much better it would be in a shorter boat! Having spent the most time possible surfing there consistent with the need to actually arrive at the other end I pledged to return.

“Barrage” is also French for a dam, and above Entraygues are a number of hydroelectric barrages on all major tributaries into the Lot. Signs by the banks warned of the risk of rapid and unexpected water level rises from the dam releases required to provide France with her peak electricity needs. I did wonder when they might occur.

On my (second) return visit to the play wave, late in the evening of the last day of our stay, the river looked very different. A dam release had raised the level by a metre and upstream rapids had been submerged. A careful inspection of the play spot showed the whole of the weir now overtopped but its rough stepped downstream face prevented the formation of stoppers making the whole area no less safe than before. [I feel sure that this weir was designed by a canoeist.] Most importantly, the wave was still there in the gap but significantly bigger and faster and providing me with the best play of the trip. Just me, kingfishers, dippers and herons and the wave in the fading light... And not a UPCL in sight!

If you are on your way to France to seek the best then don't go to the Lot. However, if like me you end up in the Aveyron then you could do worse than spend a day there. You never know - you might just catch a dam release, too.

by Robert Warren, September 1999
[And many thanks to Judith for allowing me this passion.]