Full Moon Rising
Ramblings of the Hawkesbury Howler – August 2010
2010 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic - 23rd / 24th October – TwoFull Moons to go !!
There are only two full moons before the 2010 Hawkesbury Canoe Classic.
Enter now by going to www.canoeclassic.asn.au and following the easy links.
Go on – do it today !!
When entering online be sure to download the HCC Landcrew Declaration, complete the form and have your landcrew sign it and then email to entries@canoeclassic.asn.au. This is the only document that cannot be completed and submitted online.
By entering now you maximize the opportunity for friends and supporters to donate to your fundraising efforts.
Important : Make sure you complete the paddler profile area on the website so that potential sponsors can find you online, read about your exploits and DONATE !! You can upload a photo of you and / or your kayak. Follow the link at www.canoeclassic.asn.au
Race Books available
The HCC Race Books are available and we are in the process of mailing them to all paddlers entered for this year’s Classic.
The Race Book contains valuable information that is compulsory reading even for those seasoned Classic paddlers who have done it all before.
There are always minor amendments to the information so please take the time to read it.
Remember if you are hungry for information check the website www.canoeclassic.asn.au
2010 Fundraising Target – $500,000.00
We have set a fundraising target of $500,000.00 for the 2010 Classic.
This follows on from your record-breaking effort last year when paddlers raised a massive $313,000.00. Of that fantastic figure The Hawkesbury Canoe Classic Association Inc. donated $280,000.00 to the Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation www.arrow.org.au
The HCC has been associated with Arrow for 15 years and in that time paddlers have raised over $2,000,000.00 for leukaemia research and patient support services.
The major recipient for 2010 will again be the Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation. Take a look at www.arrow.org.au and see where your hard-earned fundraising dollars are put to very effective use.
One easy way to raise your $200.00 minimum fundraising amount is to sell raffle tickets.
The prizes this year are 1st - $2500 worth of travel of your choice, 2nd - $500 worth of Coleman Outdoor products and 3rd - $300 worth of Bunning Vouchers.
If you require more raffle ticket books simply email entries@canoeclassic.asn.au
Prize for top fundraiser Thanks, Apollo Craft
Mark Osmond from Apollo Craft has very generously donated an Apollo X1 kayak as a further incentive for paddlers to go all-out in their fundraising efforts for this year’s Classic. The top individual fundraiser will receive the X1 kayak. Take a look at the prize at www.apollocraft.com.au.
The Myall River Classic
If you are looking for a serious hit-out in the lead-up to the Hawkesbury Classic why not consider the Myall River Classic to be held on Saturday 25th September 2010.
The Myall River Classic is sponsored by paddling club, Just Paddlers Inc., in association with Paddle NSW Inc.
Tea Gardens is only approx two hours north of Sydney (from the start of the freeway at Wahroonga)
You can choose between 47km, 27km or 12 km distances, all starting from the banks of the beautiful Myall River at Tea Gardens at 9.00am
Mike Eggleton 0417 533559 or Elizabeth Van Reece 6554 1612 are the Just Paddlers contacts and you can either enter online or obtain an entry form at www.paddlensw.org.au
PaddleNSW Membership
If you are not already a member of PaddleNSW or for that matter any other State paddling organization why not think about joining. Simply go to http://www.paddlensw.org.au/membershipinformation.html
PaddleNSW is run by a keen group of volunteers dedicated to providing member paddlers in NSW and the ACT with the best opportunities to pursue their sport or recreation.
Hypothermia – Avoid it at all costs
The threat of Hypothermia is something that we all should be aware of. Regardless of how experienced you are and regardless of the prevailing weather conditions, it is an insidious condition that can sneak up on you and then bash you across the head.
In the 33 year history of the Classic it has been shown that even on the warmest of nights hypothermia raises its ugly head.
Prevention is the best cure and we encourage all paddlers to choose the right clothes to wear during the Classic. The experienced paddlers will tell you that “layering” is the way to go.
Make sure that you choose a fabric that keeps you the driest. Wetness conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than dryness AND when clothes get wet, they lose about 90% of their insulating value.
DO NOT WEAR COTTON……it absorbs moisture !! Choose wool, or even better, synthetic fibres like polyester. Many of the newer synthetics actually wick moisture away from the skin, keeping you even drier and warmer.
Layer your clothing to create a dead air space that acts as an insulator, keeping the cold out and body heat in. Depending on the weather you might, for example, start out in a short sleeved light-weight thermal under your PFD but ensure that you have an additional long-sleeve thermal in your craft ready to put on should you start getting cool before you see your land-crew at Sackville.
Make sure that you have warm head covering – again avoid cotton and aim for either wool or there are even beanies now made from thermal material.
It is a well –known fact that most body heat is lost through the head….especially if you are follically challenged like your Hawkesbury Howler !!
Dehydration – Avoid it at all costs
Dehydration contributes to hypothermia, so drink plenty of liquids before, during and after the Classic.
If you have not trained on sports drinks DO NOT decide to drink them during the Classic.
Experience has shown us that sports drinks can cause major problems for paddlers whose bodies are not used to them. Remember that toilet facilities down the river, apart from those at the major checkpoints, are pretty much non-existent.
It is also recommended that you avoid drinking too much coffee or tea as these can also cause the body to lose heat. Staple energy foods like nuts, fruit (bananas have been found to be a great energy booster in the middle of the night – make sure that they are ripe as these contain a higher level of sugar than those less ripe and will not give you a pain in the stomach). Energy bars are also used but once again do not decide to use them on the night of the Classic. Make sure that you have trained on them so that you know how your body will react to them.
www.canoeclassic.asn.au
The HCC website provides just about every piece of information you are going to need to know about the Classic.
Encourage your friends to visit the website and to take advantage of the “Sponsor A Paddler” facility as an easy means of supporting you
We welcome suggestions of ways to improve our online presence so please drop us an email at info@canoeclassic.asn.au
The Classic on Facebook
For all you crazy “facebookers” out there take a look at the Classic’s page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=128704410480402&ref=ts
PFD testing dates and venues
Your PFD must be tested for flotation either before the event or on the day of the Classic.
To be accepted all PFD’s must have their Australian Standard Compliance label attached and pass our testing
Conforming PFD’s are Type 2 or Type 3.
Dates and venues for PFD testing are :
- 3rd September - Armidale - 12pm at UNE and 3pm at The Armidale School
- 8th September - Lane Cove River Kayakers - Chatswood War Memorial Athletic Field, Mowbray Rd, Lane Cove North 8pm - 9pm
- 19th September - Lane Cove Marathon - Blackman Park, Lane Cove 12pm - 2 pm.
- 19th October – Narrabeen Lakes (in front of Pro-Kayaks) 6pm - 7pm
Who is looking after us once the Classic starts ??
Without the ongoing support of a number of fantastic organisations and many individual volunteers the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic Association simply could not hold the Classic each year.
These are some of the organisations who work tirelessly all night while we go for a little 111km paddle !!
• MARINE RESCUE NSW
For more years than we might care to remember, the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol has been a mainstay in providing the Classic with water-borne checkpoints, rescue craft and personnel plus their comprehensive radio network that is the backbone to our safety plan.
The RVCP is now an integral part of Marine Rescue NSW, a new organisation which brings together the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association and the Volunteer Rescue Association.
This year we will have 27 Marine Rescue NSW vessels (including 2 water ambulances) on the river
• WICEN
WICEN originally started life in NSW as a sub-committee of the Wireless Institute of Australia, but is now a separately incorporated body and is a member squad of the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA). This offers (among other benefits) our members the protection of an insurance policy designed to protect volunteer workers while working for the community.
WICEN still maintains a close relationship with the WIA as we feel that the two organisations have shared goals in furthering the access of amateur radio to the limited spectrum space available
• PINK FIRST AID www.pinkfirstaid.com.au
Pink First Aid came to our assistance following the decision by Red Cross to no longer support the Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment, a group that provided us with frontline first-aid for the duration of the Classic plus preventative pre-race bandaging at Start.
• NSW STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE
The SES provides magnificent support to the Classic through the manning of checkpoints , providing parking control at major checkpoints and with the provision of 15 flood-boats for use as rescue vessels and safety control at the car-ferry cable crossing points on the river. Their radio network adds to the overall coverage we have with NSW Marine Rescue and WICEN.
• SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPY GROUP
Nick Stepkovitch and The Sports Physiotherapy Group have been the saviour of many a Classic paddler, including the Hawkesbury Howler !!
You will find Nick and his team set up at Start providing massages and stretch exercises to assist paddlers and hopefully prevent muscle problems. Once paddlers are under way Nick and his team move downriver to the major checkpoints. A massage at Wiseman’s Ferry has enabled many a paddler to make it to Finish, where again you will find the team at the ready to treat paddlers.
I want to enter a “Class” but am unsure where my craft fits
Our Chief Scrutineer, Rob Grozier, has kindly offered to make himself available at the Lane Cove Marathon Race to clear up any questions you might have in relation to which “class” your boat fits. Rob will be at Blackman Park, Lane Cove on Sunday 19th September between 12.30 and 2.00pm. Bring your kayak down and Rob will check it and confirm the appropriate “class”.
If you are paddling a known “production” craft and you are unsure as to which “class” it fits then we suggest that you call Rob on 0410 573635 and he will clarify the situation for you.
Paddlers in the “Brooklyn or Bust” classes do not need to worry about this. It mainly applies to “one-off” and new production craft.
Should I “Brooklyn or Bust” or paddle in a “class” ?
That is always a vexing question. We encourage paddlers to “have a go” at challenging their mates and the only way that you can challenge for a record is to paddle in your “class”.
Hopefully we will be blessed with good conditions for this year’s Classic so take a look at the “Records” area on the website http://www.canoeclassic.asn.au/results/records.htm and work out how you might go against the record-holders. The fastest time ever for the Classic was set way back in 1985 when Garry Byrne, Grant Hughes, Cameron Tunbridge and Brett Worth hurtled down the 111km of the Classic in a K4 with a time of 7 hours, yes 7, 11 minutes and 7 seconds !!! Simply amazing !!
Major Check-points
Major checkpoints are “A” – Cattai National Park, “D” – Sackville, “I” - Wiseman’s Ferry and “O” – Spencer land.
These are the only places where landcrew can have access to their paddlers.
Landcrew access to minor checkpoints is PROHIBITED unless at the express direction of HCC officials.
The Classic organisers rely on the fantastic goodwill of the landowners on the river to provide access for our safety network so we insist that landcrews respect the no-access rule. A breach of the rule will result in the immediate disqualification of the paddler/s associated with that landcrew.
It is mandatory for landcrew to visit Checkpoint “D” –Sackville and Checkpoint “I” – Wiseman’s Ferry.
Checkpoint “D” - Sackville
There is NO VEHICULAR ACCESS at Checkpoint “D” – Sackville.
Parking is provided at the Sackville Memorial Oval approximately 2.2 kms up Sackville Ferry Road .
Shuttle buses provide the only means of access. We have added a third bus for 2010. The buses will have trailers for the landcrew's gear which we ask be kept to a minimum. A backpack is ideal.
There is absolutely no pedestrian access from the parking area to the Checkpoint !
