White Water Rescue & Safety Weekend

 

Course Title:	White Water Rescue & Safety,
Course Dates:	20 - 22 March, 6 - 8 Nov 2009
Cost:	£160

Who Is This Course For?
This course is a follow on for those who attended our relevant  ‘Moderate Course’ eg ‘White water skills’ or have similar experience. It will take place in moderate conditions – on grade 2/ 3 rivers. This course is ideal for those wishing to apply and develop their white water safety and rescue skills. Suitable for those progressing as 4 Star paddlers.

If you are an active river paddling on grade 2 looking to develop your white water safety then look no further. This course will help you develop the necessary skills to journey safely as a member of a group. This day is also relevant to Level 3 Coaches looking to reinforce their skills.

Improve understanding and the risks associated with river paddling

Develop and apply relevant boat handling skills in a positive learning environment.

Develop a level of confidence and independence through greater knowledge.

For our staff to provide an individually tailored coaching experience.

Course Aims

-          Improve understanding and the risks associated with river paddling

-          Develop and apply relevant boat handling skills in a positive learning environment.

-          Develop a level of confidence and independence through greater knowledge.

-          For our staff to provide an individually tailored coaching experience.

Skills Covered
When the staff meet the group and discuss aspirations and previous experience, they will decide on a more accurate structure for the Weekend.  This will ensure that all participants will have the opportunity to learn new skills at a pace that suits them.  They will also bring course participants into the planning process, looking at the current weather, water levels, equipment required…. 

A variety of skills will be covered over the weekend, including:

-   River journeying, picking lines on rapids, setting up rescue

-   Focusing on turning the group into an effective team on the water, communication, equipment carried, leadership,

-   Develop White Water safety and rescue skills, - Effective use of throw bag, positioning, selecting anchors, the chest harness.

-   Equipment appropriate to this environment and how best to carry it

These are some of the essential skills required to journey on a river. These skills are relevant to those planning on journeying on rivers. All of these areas will be covered in a practical way during the course and reinforced on the evening sessions, giving you the opportunity to learn from the staff and other course participants alike.

Outline Programme

Fri 7.30 p.m.	Arrive at Tollymore, registration and outline for the programmefrom staff.
Saturday	Full day on the water, lloking at a range of techniques and scenarios
Sunday	Full day on the water, returning to the centre for debrief and wrap up Course End

It is important to note that the above outline programme is a guide.  Times may vary due to weather conditions or other reasons.

Our Staff
The instructor(s) who will work with you are all highly experienced and qualified.  Tollymore prides itself in the knowledge and experience that its full time and part time staff bring to its courses.  Our staff are all keen canoeists who know all the local ‘hot spots’ enabling them to choose the most suitable site to run your course.  You may well have met them on the water in the past, if not you’re sure to bump into them in the future on days when they are not working!

All are obliged to attend annual staff updates and training courses

What do I need to bring?
The following list is of equipment we recommend you bring.  All essential equipment is available from our extensive stores.  We advise you not to rush out and buy kit for the course, but use it as a chance to find out what would best suit your needs. But if you do have any of your own equipment do bring it along our staff will be required to vet for suitability equipment such as buoyancy aids and helmet. You should bring the following personal equipment with you:

 

Footwear  - wet suit boots, thermal tops, paddling kit (wetsuit / cag / salopettes), warm outdoor wear (fleece is ideal), hat, gloves, towel, small first aid kit, vacuum flask, personal medication, notebook and pen.

 

Footwear – wet suit boots	Thermal tops
Paddling kit (wetsuit/caq/salopettes)	Warm outdoor wear (fleece is ideal)
Hat	Gloves
Towel	Small first aid kit
Vacuum flask	Personal medication
Notebook and pen

Tollymore Information
Tollymore Mountain Centre, on the edge of the Mournes, is Northern Ireland’s National Centre for Mountaineering and Canoeing Activities.  It is funded and managed by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland as a National Centre. The Centre is an attractive, purpose-built facility of log construction with accommodation for 30 people in 2, 4 and 6 berth bedrooms.  Quilts, pillows and bed linen are all provided.  The Centre is well appointed with toilets, showers, modern kitchen, lecture room, workshop and drying room.  Outside there is ample parking space, a ropes course and a floodlit granite-climbing wall.  A modern indoor climbing wall is open year round.  The centre is ideally situated on the edge of the Mournes, with quick and easy access to the hills.

The Central Council for Physical Recreation opened Tollymore Mountain Centre in 1969.  In 1974, it passed to the newly established Sports Council for Northern Ireland Trust.  In 1995, Tollymore achieved the management standard BS EN ISO 9001:2000 for the quality systems it operates.   However, as part of Sports Council for Northern Ireland’s ongoing commitment to the development of the National Centre, Tollymore will be undergoing a major redevelopment, commencing in 2007.  The facilities will be improved and expanded, to ensure that Tollymore remains as an example of best practice in the provision of mountaineering, hillwalking, climbing and canoeing courses in Northern Ireland.

Accommodation
Your course is a one-day course; however, you are welcome to use our showers and changing rooms after the course ends.  Tollymore has a number of comfortable meeting rooms, where the instructors will meet the group prior to the start of the course.  We will also meet here and discuss the course and what to do next over a cup of tea or coffee.

Catering
Your course is self-catered, so you will need to bring a packed lunch and some spare food.

What next?
Our one-day white Water Safety course provides you with an introduction to the skills required to safely enjoy the river.   The logical next step are courses such as, White water Wicklow, White Water Donegal or the relevant ‘Rough Water’ course.

You may choose to join a canoe club, or join the governing body, The Canoe Association Of Northern Ireland (CANI). A full list of clubs is available from CANI

Useful Books

Recommended by and available from Tollymore
British Canoe Union Handbook, published by Pesda Press

Useful contacts:

Canoe Association of Northern Ireland

Unit 2 Rivers Edge

13 – 15 Ravenhill Rd

Belfast

BT68DN

Email: office@cani.org.uk

Web: www.cani.org.uk

Tel: 0870 2405065