Hi, and thankyou all for taking an interest in Cancer Research and my fundraising effort.

Today is Wednesday, 2 days after the race, and I am writing this in my crew hotel in Shanghai, perched gingerly on the edge of my seat to give my bruised backside a rest! I finished the canoe marathon at Westminster Bridge on Bank Holiday Monday morning: 125 miles of Kennet and Avon canal and River Thames in 25 hrs 33 mins 53 sec. A total of 324 boats started and 250 finished - challenging weather on Good Friday taking a higher than usual toll on competitors this year. The following is an extract from my Ship's Log ..

As I was paddling alone (Billy no mates), race rules mean't making overnight stops at Newbury, Marlow and Teddington, hence the 4 day event. Good Friday dawned with wind and rain in the face as we struck out east along the canal, leaving a sleepy Devizes in our wake. Through Pewsey and the Vale of the White Horse, wind and current thwarted our progress. Tell me if I'm getting carried away. The cheering sight of my wife, Helen, faithful support team of 1, waiting at as many of the bridges and locks that she could get to, undoubtedly kept me going through a difficult first half day. The quarter mile long Savernake tunnel brought respite from the elements, but is as black as a witches hat in the middle, and unreservedly the second most terrifying section of the course for this paddler. Emerging from the tunnel, wobbling and relieved (a capsize in the middle is a long wait for a rescue, and an almost certain race finisher), the course is technically downhill the rest of the way! Morale was further lifted as the rain eased and the wind swung around to the beam, (aarrgghh, shiver me timbers, shipmates), as our great line of canoes and kayaks snaked on through Hungerford and the Berkshire countryside. At the stage finish line at Newbury my time was just over 8 hrs for 34 miles; not looking at all good for my personal target of 24 hrs, but with the Thames and near flood conditions to help us on our way yet to come.

Saturday saw me back on the water just before sunrise. As one of 3 kayakers in my class over 50 years young, and a little slower (well, OK, quite a lot slower) than the real youngsters, I was allowed a head start - definitely a good thing as it assured me some company, albeit generally whilst being overtaken, during the long days paddle. The grind of canal racing continued: paddle for a mile, hoist boat on to shoulder, slip and slide on muddy towpath round lock or low bridge, drop boat back in again, paddle on for another mile, hoist boat ..

Just before midday and another 18 miles as we ticked off Reading on our list of race landmarks, the canal suddenly opens out onto the broad, meandering Thames. Deep joy - the water is now visibly moving in our direction, and quite quickly too (1 - 2 miles an hour) thanks to all the rain. After a bolted down lunch of pasta and chocolate raisins, provided by Helen, and a brief bit of backside relief, provided by standing up, I was off toward Henley. After making an unintentional, though fortunately not disastrous, guest appearance at a "proper boat race" on a previous traing paddle down the famous mile, I was happy to discover that this time the audience was for "Nelly" and me. Yes, after hours of just me for company, I had now given my boat a name and was talking to it, er, her, when I thought no one else was within earshot. Fortunately for me, the other woman in my life was talking back to me, and again helped me through a brief afternoon "doldrum" (negative attitude) before I was off toward Marlow and the finish of stage two. 7 hrs 47 min for 36 miles - getting better.

I think most of us had forgotten what day it was by the time we paddled away from Marlow town on a chilly but still Easter morning. I was reminded when a kindly spectator offered me my first egg of the day. Though my support team was feeding me more than adequately, I scoffed it down. Seemed churlish to refuse really. 38 miles of majestic Thames today, undoubtedly the second most royal feature of which was the sight of Windsor Castle signalling half the stage done. The best thing about the day had to be the current, up to 2 miles per hour working with us, meaning under 7 hours for the stage for me, and a near record breaking run for the leaders. Everything comes at a price of course, and paddling a big river in flood is no exception. Engorged by the heavy rain the giant Thames weirs had to be given a wide berth, but there was often no choice but to put the boat back into the turbulent weir race after portaging the lock. I saw many capsizes, but more through luck than judgement, managed to wobble my way through the rough water, shaken but right side up!

The final stage, a relative "dash" at 17 miles, following a massed start at Teddington, awaited us on Monday morning. For me, this was the bit of the race that caused me the most anxiety beforehand, and I wasn't disappointed when the day arrived. The problem was "Nelly" and my lack of experience on difficult water in a streamlined and therfore characteristically "tippy" boat. The Thames is tidal from Teddington downstream, and wind and tide often work against eachother on this very wide stretch of river to create standing waves, which can be particularly tricky around the large bridge pillars. Add to this the wake from faster moving river craft, and small boats propelled by excitable 50 somethings can be in for a tough time. And so it was. I avoided the maelstrom of flailing paddles at the massed start, putting my own stability first by commencing the final stage at a steady mince, comfortably behind the main group. I hadn't put my race number on the bottom of my boat, so I was determined to cross the finish line at Westminster Bridge the right way up. And so I wobbled my way down the tideway, through Richmond and Chiswick, Hammersmith and Battersea, being passed by pretty much everybody, but staying the right way up - just! The central London Thames from the insignificant canoeists perspective is a bit like a broad but steep sided concrete canyon, with very few opportunities to get out easily if you fall in. After what seemed like an eternity (probably because it nearly was), a  left bend revealed Big Ben and the London Eye, and most welcome of all, a big white "finish" banner hanging from the parapet of Westminster Bridge.

I clambered up the steps at Westminster with slightly shaky legs, clutching finishers medal and with "Nelly" on my shoulder. While the watching crowd were being treated to the spectacle of several competitors turning turtle in the confused swell of the finish (all swiftly rescued), Helen met me with hot coffee and waffle the size of a small semi - what an act!

So, thanks go to the friends Helen and I made along the towpath and river, and joined in support: to Totty and Nick who fed us in Newbury (and washed my kit!!), Erica who shouted from the bank and took lots of photos, Cadburys Creme Egg Man and Flapjack Lady, Tony and Angela in their canadian canoe; school teachers from Abbotsholme who I enjoyed sharing canal and river with for many miles. To all of you who sponsored me - plans to skip the the country were in hand had I not finished ..

And most of all, to Helen, without whom I'd have packed in the whole thing about 10 miles out of Devizes, and gone home.

Finally, if you've got this far, well done, and if you havn't already, it would be great if you could spare a few quid for Cancer Research.

Thankyou very much

Warm regards

Clive Baylis

 

PS I will put some photos on here when I have them