A weekend planned to finish off the 2006/2007 White Water Season with a blast down a few of the more technical runs on Dartmoor started OK(ish) and finished up being adjusted to the more aggressive weather conditions that we envisaged.
The plan was to get the Erme done early, move on to the Plym, and lunch at the Plume in Princetown to finish on Dartmeet.
The weather forecast suggested good levels with everything well lubricated but not too high. The drive down at dawn suggested we were going to be wrong!
We got to the Erme at 9am and looked over the bridge at Ivybridge at the town weir.
Running well but not stonking, rocks were showing. The amount of rain on the way down hinted that it would rise. It never really takes us much more than an hour, we knew where and what to scout so a more cautious approach we would need to take. No problem!
We got changed and went up to the get on point. We walked a couple of hundred meters up stream, jumped on and off we went.
This is good! Not difficult but plenty of white swirling water. 1 tree to portage and we made it to the Slot Drop. A scout and a definite portage as it was on the extreme side of very dodgy.
The river had risen by a fair amount at a conservative guess.
We checked out the next drop, which was now a pour over, 2 of us walked and 2 ran it. No problem.
There was a large group in the pool below doing a Safety and Rescue course. Ideal place in it’s own right and obvious realistic scenarios to act out. Wouldn’t want to fancy the consequences if something went wrong though!
Some big breaking wave trains down a fair bit of gradient followed, where old-timer Sedge took multiple rolls and a wee bit of a swim. By the smell of it, it wasn’t wee!
He came out and his boat was chased for a couple of drops. We knew we had to chase it down the bank as there were some real gnarly drops coming. Unfortunately good-bye boat. Apparently it was stuck in an eddy and then someone said they saw it merrily going on it’s way under the A38 towards the sea!We portaged the broken weir mainly because I have history with it!
Jon walked out the rest but did safety where he could for Nick and I. The viaduct and gorge were scouted. All looked fine except first dog-leg, which looked extremely sticky, but we picked a line.
We went down through the viaduct rapid and broke out in the pool above 1st dogleg. Nick and myself had a bit of a battering through the previous rapid. It was a lot bigger, sticker and powerful than we anticipated from the safety view of the path.
After discussion, a dignified scramble out of the gorge pursued as our planned line might not work. You see, all eventual scenarios planned for!
We re-checked the weir in the town and we reckon on the plus side of an extra 3ft of water than when we got in.
Hmmmm! Next….
We binned the Plym for a rare run down the Meavy and Lower Plym.
Sedge shuttled us and off on the Meavy. We 3 went down but Sedge went to the seaside to look for his boat!
The Meavy started off easy, then got progressively harder but the trees kind of spoiled it. The last rapid at this "more than bank filled level" became a fairly long grade 4 with wood debris to miss. Short section of river but sweet that day.
Where the Meavy joined the Plym, Jon got off but me and Nick carried on.
About 1km later I saw Nick again in an eddy catching his breath and letting his heart beat go down. Wave trains and surging white and wood was the order of the last km and the next before it calmed down. Excellent!
A drive over the top to Dartmeet for a quick look. Didn’t take long to make a decision and a drive to Newbridge to paddle the Loop.
It took 15mins to float down the Loop, possibly 16mins. The level was pumping through the 3rd arch.
A quick change and off to Ashburton to celebrate surviving a cracking long day with a pint or two!
Dave Merrifield.