PAXMEAD PADDLESPORTS CAMP …..

Paxmead water camp is a camp where Scouts of all different troops come together for a 2-day water camp. You will learn how to kayak and canoe preparing you for future water camps and eventually white-water rafting.

Day one started off with us getting fitted to go on the water, such as getting into water clothes and getting our lifejackets on. Then we were split into our 4 groups, each group had 2-3 leaders showing us were to go and how to do certain things, like rafting up (everyone in our group connects boats) how to steer and back paddle, then ended with spicy rice and pork for dinner and as evening entertainment a choice between a fire or movie on white water kayaking.

Day two started off with breakfast which was a choice between cereal or sausage baps. Then we got changed again into our water clothes and started off with canoeing up stream along the Thames. On the way there we saw a duck nest with ducklings and the two parents, we also past some locks witch on the way back we rode closer to then when we were about 100 meters away everyone threw their paddles and we had a river race in the canoes. As our second activity of day two we kayaked downstream and around an island, then returning back up stream on the river, to end it off we did capsize drills, packed all the kayaks and canoes away, put all the tents down and said our farewells.

I personal enjoyed the Paxmead camp because it is a good way to learn how to kayak and canoe it is also a fun adventure filled weekend. My favorite part of the water camp was the capsizing drills because it teaches you how to stay afloat when you boat capsizes.

Report by Alex, Scout