Speeding Bell's!

[Davy Crockett]

THE SPEEDING BELL'S!!!

Thetford to Brandon (Norfolk).

Somewhere on a previous post I mentioned that I would be paddling the Little Ouse from Thetford to Brandon, with the 'Chestnutprospectors'.
Joe Ford suggested that why didn't we make it a mini 'Bell Chestnut Prospector Owners' meet, not only entitling Joe himself to attend, but also to get my boat of said name out of the cotton wool and actually get it wet....and God forbid...scratched.

So, this Sunday past, we found ourselves bound for Brandon, roughly 25 miles from my abode. To simplify the car shuttle my daughter offered to come along too, and her car was left at the leisure centre in Brandon en route to Thetford.
She was in her 14' 9" sea kayak, which I said could technically be allowed on the trip with us, to provide rescue cover for Joe

We arrived at Thetford Bus Station, which is situated in the heart of Thetford, and thoughtfuly placed right on the side of the river, providing not only ample parking, but also a very nice slipway too! (Very convenient if you do not have a car, and own a folding canoe...or one of the increasingly popular inflatables....there's a thought!)

I turned on my new Garmin GPS, which I can now do without the supervision of my grandaughter, and off we set off for our little trip.

The team:
Steph and Mike (Chestnutprospectors) in a red one of the same name, Joe Ford also in a fetching red model. Myself, my wife Jane (at the front end where I can keep an eye on her paddling technique whilst I rest and just skillfully steer from the rear) and in the middle our grandaughter 'Lucifer' (Lucy) who was busy throughout the entire trip doing the most important job of all......guarding the cakes
And of course, my daughter, 'DOD' (Daughter of Darkness) in her kayak providing the safety cover for Joe...have I mentioned that yet?
Oh! Nearly forgot to mention.....our's is the sophisticated dark Forest Green with the Ash trim and not a mark on it.....(yet).

So away we paddled through the shopping centre (I kid you not!) I was too busy trying to pack away my new all weather 'as used by the SAS' GPS (didn't want to get it wet) that I forgot to get any photo's....hopefully the others can add to this later.

After portaging the towns weir, we found ourselves in some extremely shallow water....yipee....time for some poling
With a firm grip on my pole (Missus) we were soon covering some ground....er...well....water.
As we passed into a slightly deeper part of the river I spotted a childs cycle through the clear Little Ouse water....never being one to miss an opportunity for something to flog on Fleabay I twisted around as we passed over this treasure, deftly flicked my pole around in the blink of an eye, and down into the water it went, snared the cycle wheel as if I were spearing a fish, and taking the strain proceeded to lever my trophy from the depths
I must say I was impressed with my own skills......a big grin was forming upon my wizzened face......I new the others would be well impressed too....perhaps this skill would be added to the BCU 5 Star Award......But then I saw the wheel start to slip along the ali' pole, I quickly applied more pressure in a vain attempt to prise my prize from the depths.....Alas.....not to be....in an instant Davy Crocketts catch was gone back to Davy Jones Locker......and in the same instant, the force I was applying to the pole was released......and the couple of foot of pole that was behind me was directly over Lucifers head.........with a loud hollow thud the two made contact (to put it mildly).
Lu' swears the hollow sound came from the pole

And, just a few pictures:

Joe's rescue cover.....Steph and Mike getting a free ride on the wake.



Jane in the front, with Lucifer's concussed cranium under a slighly flatter cap.......Joe's canoe to the right.....not too sure where Joe is though...umh!



Lu' discovered this lovely little spot next to the last weir before Santon Downham......while we hauled the boats about the girls went to check it out ......oh! to be a woman!





A brew was brewed.....knew I should have taken the Kelly Kettle.....I love the little Trangia...but it lacks the atmosphere of the Kelly.....lovely surroundings...shame previous Homo Sapiens who also enjoyed it didn't take their rubbish with them, must remember to take large bin bag in future for such a job.


While we were sitting there we heard the sound of other canoes being portaged. I went to see if assistance was required, and met a very nice family who it seems were out in opens for the first time. Mum and Dad and the two kids....they were really enjoying themselves, they were headed down to Santon Downham from the main road bridge near Thetford, quite a trip for the first time out. They were all handling the canoes very well (lent by a friendly local canoe shop, that sounds like 'shoe's').

After lunch we were back on the river again, Cas' (DOD) spotted a pair of Kingfishers, and two other individual ones, plus a Heron and numerous Moorhens and other feathered creatures.
Joe reckoned he was in difficulty at the weir, getting in his boat, but Cas' just ignored him and looked the other way.(Actually she was saying " point that b****y camera the other way Dad!) And of course I did as I was told...after taking the picture.




Another family out for a paddle together, as Joe, and Steph and Mike set off.





Natives appeared in the distance....approaching at speed....turned out the local scout camp is situated on the Little Ouse just a little further down stream....they seemed to be having a great time.






The odd fallen tree added a sense of adventure.



The family that I met earlier at the weir, now on their return journey, back upstream to Thetford. Having a ball by the looks of it. Fantastic.





This fallen willow branch stretched right across the river....like exploring a jungle river now.....








In the distance we hear noises of 'the public'... we are nearing Santon Downham, and quickly and silently pass through.....




The bridge at Brandon signals that our journey is almost at an end. We get out at the weir a short distance further on....collect the cars....load up....and this stretch of river has delivered another beautiful paddle.

Great company too with Steph and Mike, and Joe too....good idea of yours Joe.
Nice to have Jane along too for a change, I know I'll get her out in the winter too one day

Very nice to have my daughter Cas' along as well, and she enjoyed the kayak....pleased about that.
And not forgetting the girl with the bump on her head......well done Lu'.

Thanks to Tony and Sue (sounds like Shoe's Kanoes) for the map on his web site showing the put in and get out's etc.

And..........what about the "speeding" bit no doubt you ask

Well, my new toy was going to tell me the distance we had covered.....the top speed....and the average speed....and hopefully NOT my IQ.......for I had not cleared it's memory prior to the start of the trip

So......the distance and speed recorded: Thetford to Brandon: 52.08 miles at top speed of 59.7 mph

Will have to get Lu' to show me how it works (again) ...er... when her head is better.


Davy

[packman]

make a great blogg featuring some mighty fine looking canoes ,people enjoying themselves mucho and magnificent paddling sceneryw

[wilf]

Great Fun!

Hey, those Bell boats (note not Bellboats ) look really sweet as a (Chest)nut.

Sorry, I could not help myself. But they really do, don't they look great on the water?

Sorry again if this was just caught at the wrong moment, but these paddles are upside down ya know! A lot of people can get caught out with asymmetric paddles!

[Davy Crockett]

Great Fun!


Sorry again if this was just caught at the wrong moment, but these paddles are upside down ya know! A lot of people can get caught out with asymmetric paddles!

I hadn't noticed that Cas' had them the wrong way around in the picture..
I think she was just happy to be going in the right direction, and with so little effort compared to the other little kayak she had.
I know she was using them the correct way most of the day, and looking at the picture I think this was taken just after we had stopped and stretched our legs on the final stint.......and I decided to seal launch her from quite a steep bank into this rather narrow river
Because this has a vee to it's hull it rather suddenly lent to one side as the weight of the front was taken by the water, with the rear end still on the bank as it slid in....oop's! Cas' grabed for the nearest support, which was Joe's boat, and took that across the river with her into the far side bank. It was probably after this that she just picked up the paddle and after taking a swipe at me, we all set off......we didn't notice because we were still curled up laughing

Yes.....great day out....great fun too

Davy

[Bootstrap Bob]

Excellent blogg
And nice to see I'm not the only one with a red Bell Chestnut Prospector

[Quercus]

Speeding Bells - going like the clappers? - has a ring to it.

There is something about the shape of a Bell canoe that is pleasing to the eye.

That's a nice part of the country you have there. (visited the forest and walked by the river at Santon Downham when working in forest research.)

Great pictures - make me want to head south for some warm and windless paddling.

[TGB]

A grand blog with photos to match.

TGB

[Steve D]

Nice blogg, great to see Joe getting out and about too. We must get back on a river soon mate.

Well done.

Steve

[joe.ford]

Nice blogg, great to see Joe getting out and about too.

I do like to try new rivers And it isn't really a Bell owners meet with only 2 boats

[Davy Crockett]

I do like to try new rivers And it isn't really a Bell owners meet with only 2 boats

You only counting the two red ones Joe???......or was I too fast in my green one for you to focus

Davy

[Juno2]

erm...........

MY green one!

You got it by default!

Alan L!

[Davy Crockett]

erm...........

MY green one!

You got it by default!

Alan L!

Nope!!! Mine Mine Mine

Davy