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Take along your baking for the Balmaha Bake-off!  

We expect to launch from Balmaha.  Meet point will be Loch Lomond stores at Balloch (6pm) or Balmaha (6:45pm) [see maps below].   

      • Please note: this is a night paddle in the winter.  Some additional consideration is required with respect to keeping hands warm while on the water.    Pogies or Palmless Mitts are recommended over neoprene gloves (more detailed info in The Craic’n [club newsletter].
      • Please notify the Trip Leader if you are planning on coming.  We are looking for a volunteer to make/add some soup for the DCKC Soup Flask for this months trip 😉  perhaps this could be you?  

Unsure if this trip is for you?

To come along on this you should have:-

      • done a capsize drill or ‘wet exit’ ( as it’s sometimes called ) with a spray-deck on, either outdoors or in the pool
      • been canoeing / Kayaking outdoors on lochs, or the sea, a few times before.  Example outdoor trips would include Second Saturday / Roots / Loch Lomond Tuesday evenings

What to bring

At very reasonable cost you can hire the following from the club:

          • kayak
          • paddle
          • sleeveless wetsuite
          • cagoule
          • spraydeck
          • Buoyancy Aid

Additional items to bring

          • Something to munch on / share
          • A mug (for warm drinks)
          • Two thin and one thicker (fleece?) long sleeve top/thermal to wear underneath cagoule / wetsuite
          • Poggies or Palmless mitts (might be possible to borrow)
          • wet-boots or old trainers.  If you have wet-socks best to wear old trainers to save them getting trashed!
          • a big towel or changing robe to get changed in
          • a warm hat
          • a headtorch + spare batteries
          • a spare dry thermal or fleece for off the water
          • a  warm jacket for off the water
          • Small dry bag for phone / keys (you should be able to ask someone else to take your phone / car keys if you need them with you and you don’t have a dry bag )
          • A bigger dry bag for spare warm clothes (you should also be able to ask someone else to take your dry clothes if you don’t have a dry bag )
          • £5 trip fees

Optional items to bring

          • Gloves for off water
          • Flask
          • Folding chair
          • Snacks
          • Map and compass

If finding one or two pieces of equipment is an issue please reach out and we my be able to find a solution.

Notes for membership & guests

Non-members & guests are welcome to come to several DCKC events to see if you like it or not.   We aim to keep paperwork to a minimum but we would appreciate if you can bring your I.C.E [ In Case of Emergency ]  details which should include your own phone number and email and that of a person to contact in case of an emergency.  After three or so trips you might consider joining and we welcome you as a new member [details for this are on the website].   If you are a long term or returning participant you should be a club member to join this trip as other club trips.    The club achieves a huge amount on a small budget, organising many trips per year in all kinds of wild and wonderful environments – club membership fees help a lot with this. 

 

Meeting points:

You can meet us at one of two places:-

1. If you have your own transport and equipment you can meet us at waterside in Balmaha and offload before parking in Balmaha Public Car Park (beware of the nearer private car park). We are aiming to be on the water as close to 7.15pm as possible, although it may be a little after this.
2. If you wish to borrow a kayak and/or equipment (paddle, wet-suite, spray-deck, buoyancy aid) from the club then meet at the club container at Balloch at 6:15pm.  We’ll load kayaks and share lifts from Balloch to meet everyone in Balmaha