The famous Liffey Descent. I have wanted to do this for ages!
There was not a big crowd from our club who went down last year but this year there was a far greater number so I decided to go. Karen, Malcolm, Desi, Philip, Jim, Jordan, Martin, Norman, Pete Mark, Claire, Willie, Gordy & me. It was absolutely brilliant fun.
I travelled down with Gordy & Philip Leith. We set up tents at a campsite and headed for registration at the Arc bar where we all met up. We picked up our number vests, sticky number for the boat, a Liffey Descent 50th Anniversary T shirt, a groovy key ring, a free meal voucher for after the “race” and other stuff. We had a meal there, and shared a couple of drinks before heading off to our respective tents, B&Bs, hotel rooms or wherever we were all staying.
The campsite was well populated by many entrants with all manner of boats and all this only added to the excitement and atmosphere of the event. (There were still numerous spaces left at the campsite (10 euro))
Got up at 7.15am and of course didn’t sleep well at all. Packed up the boats onto the roof again and about 8.30 headed for the start which was in a car park 200m from the get in. We arrived at the car park about 9.15 (having done a few little detours) and initially decided not to risk the shuttle to the finish due to the last shuttle bus leaving the end (Pheonix Park) at 10am. However at about 9.40 Peter Dew and Mark suggested we could do the shuttle by bringing one car back so 3 cars we headed for Pheonix Park. There we met a very kind organiser who actually brought back all three drivers arriving back about 11.30. (Note how long it takes to do a shuttle).
Many competitors had made their way to scrutineering so Philip & Desi helped me with my boat. The scrutineer checked I had my buoyancy aid, helmet, spraydeck and gave me a red sticker which allowed me to proceed to the get in. The get in is a few hundred metres above the first weir “Straffan” but in order to split up the bunching of people the actual start is a good paddle up stream. I hope this makes sense. Flow wise there is the holding area for each of the boat classes which are identified by markers on the riverbank; About 200m below this is the start; then 800m below this is the get in, then 500m after this is Straffen. The location of the start therefore gives paddlers about 1300m to split up before the first obstacle. From the car park all paddlers dragged their boats through the trees, and paddled up to the holding areas for their boat classes. Paddling up really close to the bank was definitely less hassle than paddling up the flow, although some chose to do it.
Straffan weir...
Throughout all the weirs there are rescuers in kayaks, swimmers and for the real bad stoppers, divers who retrieve capsized paddlers, their paddles and boats. It was a brilliant spectacle to see throw ropes flying and rescuers in kayaks all working to get people on the water again. Very reassuring.
The rescuers get to have a little fun swimming or tubing down Straffan at the start too ...
The photos above give you some idea of the size of the face of the weir, it's much bigger than it looks in the first photo (as with all river feature photos).
There is always carnage at Straffan...
The wiers and the way to shoot them ...
Generally the huge water flow which is released on the day makes paddling pleasant but there is a lake maybe about 2km long (Leixlip Lake) which is a drag. Good tailwind though on the day. The little dots in the distance are more canoes and kayaks heading across the lake. It goes all the way to the trees and then turns round the corner for more!
After the 200m portage around the dam at the end of the lake (it may not sound like a lot, but after that lake, thank goodness it was over a tarmac path at least) I had been warned to make sure to paddle out well into the flow so as to shoot the middle arch. A Canadian to my right did not paddle hard enough and they were swept and pinned against the right hand bridge pier. But again rescuers were there to assist.
We didn't attempt the sluice, taking the chicken shute instead, and then it was on to Lucan, which is actually a fairly easy weir ... especially if you take the route at the far left of the photo and avoid the fish steps and the main face of the weir.
Here's a slightly bigger view stitched together from several shots, click to enlarge...
At the top of each of the more difficult weirs there was always someone who advised on the best line. The most memorable of these was Palmerstown. At the top was a big guy who looked like a fisherman standing in the water. I had no view of the drop at all. A rescue girl in a kayak above the weir told me to go just to the right of the “fisherman” and I obliged without fully appreciating the importance of the exact spot to run it. It fell down the most amazing water chute which would not have been out of place at some water park. I paddled along the bubbling top of a narrow river with big drops on either side. I did a huge chest & face plant into several standing waves on the way down into a very wide river where numerous rescuers in kayaks had throw ropes slung over their shoulders attached at the river banks by other rescuers pulling in the capsized kayakers. What a great spectacle!
Gordy & I got down it taking our time in 3:58. It was a complete blast and I would recommend anyone in our club to go down next year and give it a go. It cost 40 euro to enter so long as you didn’t leave it too late. I would definitely do it again but would not be interested in racing it. I remember with only about three weirs to go looking down at my “map” (duct taped to my deck) that I wished there were even more weirs to go. I got a great sense of achievement after it was over. So think about it for next year.
Some of this years Belfast Kayak Club Liffey Virgins ...
Words .. Kevin Murray
Pictures .. Karen Vincent
Video .. Desi Law
