Freshers 2016

Hello!

Thanks to everyone who signed up to the mailing list during Freshers’ Fair; it’s great to see that there are so many people interesting in kayaking this term! Here is an e-mail letting you know what’s on this term so you can put the dates in your diary, with a bit of extra info on some of the juicy events. We also have a website (www.ouckc.co.uk) with all sorts of useful information and a Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/ouckc). We’re a friendly club that welcome anyone that’s keen to kayak, regardless of previous experience. If you still have questions after reading this email, feel free to get in touch! This week, we have the following:

Come and Try It sessions at Port Meadow on Sunday (9th October)

Ice cream social and then Pub crawl, Thursday (13th) 7.00pm G&D’s on St.Aldate’s street

Term card

Membership

More experienced kayakers

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Come and Try It sessions at Port Meadow on Sunday

Get ready for some fun sessions on the water! Although these sessions are aimed at beginners, more experienced folk are welcome. There will be a bit of coaching to help people get comfortable in a boat and then games. Pick a session, then come 20 minutes early to the car park on Walton Well Street (see map) and someone will lead you to the shed.

When: 11am, 1pm, 3pm (9th Oct). If you’re keen for canoe polo, come along at 11am where Chris, polo captain, will be leading a group covering the basics.

Where: The Shed on Port Meadow. Directions can be found through this GoogleMap (https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zXRsCUnbRcI0.k_Lc5n5h9s1I)

How: turn up a bit before the session to nab the shiniest kit as it will be allocated on a first come first served basis. to give us an idea of numbers for each session please sign up on this DoodlePoll – http://doodle.com/poll/x76m6p7ih4kuv66s

What to bring: you need to bring some enthusiasm and a complete change of clothes (a towel is also very useful). For on the river, synthetic sportswear or thermal type stuff is best. Make sure you have old trainers, wetsuit boots or something similar to

wear on your feet that you don’t mind getting wet. OUCKC will provide a waterproof(ish) jacket (called a cag), and all the actual kayaking equipment. If you do not bring the above then you will not be allowed out on the water. Bringing a bit of cash to get something in the pub (see below) after the session is recommended

Afterwards: we’ll head to the pub (Jude the Obscure on Walton St) for a hot chocolate/pint/chips where you can get to know us a bit better. If you’re at one of the earlier sessions, feel free to pop back to join us in the pub at 5/5.30pm. We’ll have membership forms and committee members on hand to answer any of your questions.

*Can’t make it this time? Not to worry, just come along next week (or anytime for that matter). New people are always welcome, but we do ask you to attend a minimum of 2 sessions before signing up for trips.

Ice cream social and then Pub crawl, Thursday (13th) 7.00pm G&D’s on St.Aldate’s street

As promised, a fun evening of getting to know other boating enthusiasts and meeting the amazing committee of this club. We’re a very friendly bunch and this promises to be a busy and fun evening. Meet at the G&D’s on St.Aldate’s Street (near Christchurch) at 7.00pm on Thursday 13th October to satisfy all your ice cream needs. We will then head off to various pubs for a fun evening of drinking and chatting, and potentially clubbing afterwards if people are keen. Come in droves-this is going to be great! 

Term card

I send out an email every week with a round-up of activities for that week, but a guide to the term is below to enable you to plan your diary in advance to enable you to come to as much as possible. The term card will also be available on the website soon.

ACTUAL KAYAKING

General Paddling sessions on Sundays (11am, 1pm, 3pm weeks 1, 2, 3; 2pm weeks 5, 6, 7, 8): everyone welcome! A bit of learning skills based stuff, some games, or journeys up and down the river.

Marathon training on Fridays, 7am @ Falcon Rowing Club: ideal if you’re keen to race competitively or just go long distances in a pointy boat. Sessions are open to anyone that feels comfortable in a kayak and cost £2 to cover Falcon Canoe Club equipment use. For further details contact Thomas (Marathon Rep)

Canoe Polo Training on Sundays 11am @ The Shed: everyone welcome! Canoe polo is sort of like basketball/water polo/netball/hand ball but played in kayaks. Our teams tend to regard enthusiasm more highly than skill.

SOCIALS

Ice cream social/pub crawl – Thursday 1st week (13h Oct), 7.00pm @ St. Aldate’s G&D’s

Freshers’ Meal Out – Thursday 3rd week (27th Oct), 7pm, location TBC

Crew Date with OUMC – TBC but probably 5th week

Christmas Dinner – Thursday 7th week (24th Nov), 7pm @ location TBC

And, when there isn’t a specific social on a Thursday, we’ll head to a pub for drinks (non-alcoholic drinks available too!). We also head to Jude the Obscure after every Sunday session.

TRIPS

Freshers’ White Water Trip – End of 3rd week (leaving 28th Oct evening, returning 30th Oct). Even if you’ve never paddled before, a few Sunday sessions will teach you all you need to know to be ready for this trip to South Wales. Sign up will open Sunday 16th Oct in the pub after the kayaking session. Cost £50 which includes accommodation, transport, and food for the weekend. Further details to follow.

Ladies Canoe Polo Tournament – Saturday 7th week (26th Nov). Afternoon/evening tournament in a nice warm swimming pool in a friendly team that aim to have fun.

BUCS White Water Race – End of 6th week

North Wales White Water Trip – End of 5th week. This trip will also be suitable for everyone that regularly comes along to sessions this term, regardless of prior experience.

BCU Student Safety Seminar (see details below)

First Aid Course-End of 7th week (26th/27th Nov)

Membership

Membership fees are £35 per year for Oxford University students, and £50 for everyone else. This covers the costs of buying and maintaining all the equipment and sessions the club offers, safety stuff like insurance, and storage of your own kit if you have any. Trips and tournaments are paid for separately. We also offer termly memberships which are £20 for OU-students, and £25 for everyone else. To join the club, fill in a membership form (attached) and pidge with a cheque to Jonathon Witty at St Catz College. Alternatively, bring everything along to a session to hand to Jon. Membership (new or renewal) must be paid before the first trip (end of 3rd week).

More experienced paddlers

If you are a more experienced paddler and would like some more adventurous/technical events to stretch your limits, fear not! Check out the term card:

-On the 22

nd/23rd October, the BCU Student Safety Seminar is taking place at Plas y Brenin in North Wales. This is a fantastically informative course which will be great for your personal development. (See website for more details- http://www.pyb.co.uk/courses-bcu-student-safety-seminar.php ). For anyone with previous paddling experience who is willing to help out at Sunday sessions and invest in the club, we are willing to subsidize the cost of the course for you, meaning it will only cost you about £40 (travel, accommodation) for a weekend trip. If you are interested in a place, TURN UP THIS SUNDAY (9th October) FOR A CHAT WITH ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

-The intermediate white water trip will be on more challenging white water and suitable for paddlers with a bit more experience.

-There will also be a First Aid course later on in the term, again subsidized if you get involved with club activities. 

Right, that’s all from me. See you all on Sunday!!

Serin

OUCKC President