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Boathouse party - 30.06.2001
In order to compensate for the natural fluctuation in the ranks of the Clausthal RainRiders, we use, as some of you may have already noticed, opportunities that arise to introduce ourselves and our activities to potential kayaking enthusiasts and thus let one or the other lick blood. The TU Clausthal's annual boathouse party is particularly suitable for this, as the participants are virtually "pre-selected" hydrophilically. Accordingly, this year we are going to the Okertalsperre again.
A previous brainstorming session had resulted in, among other things, demonstrations of basic techniques such as going straight ahead, bow strokes, pull strokes as well as rolling techniques and the basics of modern rodeo techniques, guided mini kayak tours, recovery maneuvers, relevant whitewater videos and, of course, the answering of many questions. As the university swimming pool has just been closed for the vacations, we move all the equipment into the boathouse and can lay out all the colorful treats as a decorative lure in the burning sun. While we are setting up, I somehow have the feeling that some visitors are loitering around us, but I don't have time to think about it. I take a quick look at the timetable for the other sports, create my own and put it up in a big way, and then the first trial paddlers arrive. A quick interview - have you ever paddled before, can you swim? - a briefing on the essentials and off to the jetty with boat, paddle and spraydeck. As I walk back up to the boathouse to catch up, I see Friederike chatting with the next group, and Shandor, Patrick, Sven, Matthias, Christian etc. are also busy after a short time. It's slowly getting crowded on the jetty, so I duck out onto the water with Jan and Armin, where we go for a nice spin and talk about more than just paddling. Incidentally, I'm at the end of a chain of silent posts here and hear an amusing version of Gunnar's unintentional overnight stay in the gorge last year, which has come back to me via many detours and is undeservedly attributed to the Clausthal RainRiders. Then I can tell the "true story" for my part...
Back at the jetty, I can see that the demand is keeping the others busy; there are only a few of our boats on land, and that hardly changes over the course of the afternoon. There are always curious people on the water in small groups and there are just enough of us to look after everyone. Unwanted swims are the exception and, with the paradisiacal weather and warm water, not unpleasant. The "station jetty" is a hive of activity and everything is going well. Oops, we remember just in time that we need both boats and capable paddlers for our demonstration, so we interrupt the test paddling for a short time. From the terrace of the boathouse, those who are interested soon watch our three demonstration models in the reservoir and have their maneuvers such as basic techniques, roll training, stern squirts and others explained to them. Afterwards, I recognize many of the previous listeners on the jetty during the resumed taster tours.
And so it goes on into the late afternoon, asking people, testing, paddling - not just with us, of course, there are more surfboards, sailing dinghies and rowing boats on the water than on land, and the lake is busier than ever. At some point, a deep black storm front moves in. It stands motionless at the other end of the lake for a very long time, the sun continues to shine here and there is virtually no wind, much to the annoyance of many of the more experienced sailors and surfers. I decide to put my dry clothes in the boathouse in case it starts to rain. I go in with an armful of clothes and put them at the end of the corridor. When I come back outside, the world has changed: Outside the door, some surf sails are flapping wildly in the storm, spray rugs and chairs are sliding around, everyone is frantically running around carrying gear, doors are slamming - a view of the lake: choppy waves as far as the eye can see, surfers have become water bugs, there are more dinghies floating keel up than right side up, and I can't see anything of the two groups of paddlers that are on the lake.
I walk through surfboards taking off and flying paddles, swaying people and small sailing items to the jetty, which is only hanging on to the shore by one corner due to a broken rope. Shandor comes paddling towards us from one of the groups and urgently wants life jackets and ropes. He goes back with Friederike to help the others, and Patrick, Christian and I throw ourselves into life jackets, grab another throw bag and paddle after them. We make slow progress against the wind and waves and are soaking wet long before we reach the others. A "testling" had been taken out of the boat by the storm and had reached the next shore swimming with the group. After he got back on board, Friederike improvised the recovery method of "forming small packs and towing", which we soon used to get to the boathouse as the wind drove us towards it. Meanwhile, I watch as the small DLRG boat has a lot to do to bring all the drifting surfers to shore. We get our little sheep, who are in kayaks in different parts of the lake, to dry land ourselves. Quick question: is there anyone else on the water? The three of us paddle around a cliff, but as far as the eye can see there is nothing except drifting sailboats and surfers. At the boathouse, we count the kayaks again and again and make sure that everyone is really on land and that someone hasn't pulled an *empty* boat out of the lake. They were all in groups, but you never know... Soaking wet, I come to rest amidst a mountain of frantically thrown together equipment and watch the ongoing hustle and bustle around the boathouse. The rowing jetty has been torn loose and is drifting towards the sailing jetty, where a moored sailing boat has tipped over. The sailors are sitting like ants in front of it, on it, swimming around it. Things are still being collected. The DLRG is hopefully doing one last safety round of the lake. Slowly we can think about eating again.
What have we learned? It makes sense to keep a list of which boats and / or people are on the water at large events of this kind. A throw bag is also useful on the lake. Small groups are an advantage. And: dinghies tip over faster than kayaks!
It was a great day on the reservoir. It was great that so many people helped out; and thanks to the involuntary storm test paddlers for staying cool! Maybe some of you have got a taste for more.