”7 years of fun!” – Steve (former student)
The Canoe Club was started by Pete Scott in 1987… 20 years later and the Club continues to thrive. Pete teaches Physics and Electronics at Exeter School and is a BCU Level 4 Kayak Coach.
Canoeing Activities at Exeter School …
More than 10% of the students at Exeter School get involved in the Club’s activities each year. The Canoe Club runs kayaking courses for all years, 7 to 13, boys and girls, and all abilities … from 1 Star beginner courses on the river Exe and Exeter Canal to white water training trips to Norway and the French Alps. The icing on the cake … has always been the club’s major expeditions … to Turkey in ’95, Nepal in ‘99 and Peru in ‘02 … with another expedition to Peru planned for July 2007.
So, for the keen and enthusiastic students, it is possible to start by doing a 1 Star course in Year 7 and then to be paddling class IV rivers in Norway by Year 11!
5th & 6th form games takes place on Wednesday afternoons … activities include WW training/playing(!) on the local Exe weirs, Dart trips on the “Loop” and kayak-surfing trips to Saunton on the N Devon coast.
”I’ll never forget Norway and the Wednesdays that got me through Exeter School!” … Ben
After school club sessions … these run during the autumn (up to half-term) and summer terms … usually on Mondays from 4 to 7pm. Students can sign up for 1, 2 & 3 Star courses and “Introduction to WW”.
CCF on Friday afternoons … cadets from the Army, Navy and Air-Force sections have a range of opportunities for kayaking … introductory courses (leading to 1 and 2 Star), and 4 Star courses, which run every Spring term.
Weekend and multi-day trips in the UK … for the 3 Star+ paddlers, the club runs weekend trips to N Wales. We do a lot of our basic WW training at the Welsh National WW Centre, on the river Tryweryn. Then there are the more “full-on” trips to rivers like the Ogwen and the Conwy. Some of the more memorable days out in N Wales have been running waterfalls with Spike Green on the Gamlan, the Pont Cyfyng falls on the Llugwy and the Cwm Llan, which descends steeply from Snowdon. During autumn half-term … Fort William, Scotland, has become a favourite destination for ESCC.
”Best 5 years of my life … great paddling, people and laughs … will never forget ESCC!” … Ed
Level 2 Coach training … The older students give invaluable help to the younger paddlers and act as assistant instructors on all the 1, 2 & 3 Star courses.
Their expertise and enthusiasm is undoubtedly the “life-blood” of the canoe club’s activities and one of the main secrets of its success over many years.
The Club has an on-going programme of Level 2 Coach training … each autumn Dan Owen runs a Training weekend for six or more of the 6th form canoeists.
Pool sessions … the Canoe Club takes over the pool every Friday lunchtime - during the summer term and the first half of autumn term - – anyone can turn up. It’s a great chance to gain confidence when capsizing or to learn to roll and, for the “experts”, a welcome opportunity to practise their stalling, cart-wheeling and other freestyle moves … all under the supervision and guidance of a core team of keen kayakers from the 5th and 6th forms.
”Thank you for accepting me into ESSC’s little army of kayakers and allowing me to experience life-changing adventures!” … Dave
Canoe Polo … We play our own lively and fun adaptation of 3-a-side Polo in the 20m school pool. In previous years, ESCC has successfully competed in the S.W. Regional Polo League.
K2 Marathons … During the summer term, when WW is scarce and the surf often elusive, the Club takes to K1 and K2 marathon paddling.
We have a brilliant partnership with the Exeter Canoe Club and are very appreciative of their long-term and ongoing help and support.
ESCC has quite an impressive tally of long-distance, relay-type marathons under its belt … Leeds to Liverpool (x2), Cheshire Ring (x2), Bristol to London (175 miles) (x2) and, most recently, Birmingham to London (137 miles, 166 locks and 3 tunnels).
Fund-raising
The club has raised over £15000 for charity over the past 7 years … £6000+ for LEPRA during 1999-2001 - www.lepra.org.uk . In 2003 …
£3500+ for the Peru Children’s Trust - www.peruchildrenstrust.co.uk
£2000+ for Dental Project Peru in 2004 - www.dentalprojectperu.org
£3500+ for Peru’s Challenge in 2006 - www.peruschallenge.com
” 7 years of fantastic kayaking and amazing experiences … ESCC will live with us for ever!” … Jamie
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