The PSPA Kayak Challenge

Setting off Stirling 11am

Avon aqueduct at 8.30pm

sunset at 10.30pm

After a cheery send of by friends and family from the Stirling rowing club, I was blown down the river in record time, I even had time to call at some locals at South Alloa to spread the word about PSP and to collect donations. 
I then had a challenging paddle up the river Carron against the wind to meet  Dave and have a quick food stop and even a cup of tea in the campervan. The next section from Falkirk to Edinburgh and back went really smoothly with perfect conditions through the night. Morna and Alex aged 13 and 14 from Polmont joined me at Falkirk and paddled in a double canoe with me to Polmont, this was the furthest they had paddled and they did really well and insisted on doing an extra section rather than get out close to where they lived. 






Later I had fun as my friends took it turns to paddle with me. All are seasoned paddlers but most have not been in a boat for a number of years so was quite a challenge for them, especially sacrificing a nights sleep to support me and the cause. Ian came from a wedding party and had told the disbelieving guests that he was not drinking as he was about to go for a paddle at midnight. 
It was a stunning experience paddling in the dark in peaceful conditions with magical images of reflections in the mirror like surface of the canal. Although we had lights on the boat we rarely used them.
My highlight has to be the paddle with my friend Jane, who I used to race with years ago. Jane and Gary started a canoe club at Strathallan school when their children, Angus and Eilidgh, took up canoeing, so that they had friends to enjoy the sport with. Eilidgh was selected to represent GB at the junior worlds this year. Whilst with Jane at about 5 in the morning we paddled through the Falkirk tunnel, a tunnel approximately 700m long. The lights in the tunnel created arches across the ceiling, which were reflected on the water creating the image of a complete circle which we were paddling through. It looked as if we could get out and walk on the  ground. 

paddling through the night for PSP

Breakfast at the Falkirk wheel 6am

Celebrating with Mum at home

Later in the morning I was at the Falkirk Wheel and had a reunion with my night time paddlers who had managed to grab 2 hrs sleep in their van in the car park, had porridge and hot chocolate before starting the long slog to Glasgow. Jock and Dave were on the towpath on their bikes.

With 15 miles to go I had a head wind and although it was not a strong wind, after 20 hrs of paddling it felt like force 10. It was such a great surprise when I arrived at The Stables just outside Kirkintiloch to find a group of supporters from Strathkelvin canoe club who had come out to support me. Even more of a lift when some of them paddled with me for a bit and good fun to chat with people I otherwise may never have met. Eric who has been paddling for years now mainly sea kayaking, had come out from Speirs Wharf in Glasgow to meet me and paddled the remaining 7 miles with me. I cannot emphasis enough the enormous difference that made for me at a time when I was really struggling to keep the pace going. I was never in doubt that I would finish but thanks to all my canoeing supporters and cyclists I would never have achieved it in such a good time. 100 miles in under 26 hours, I had aimed to finish at 12 and thanks to them all I was only 50 mins behind schedule. The owner of a local cafe bar at Speirs Wharf, cafe Ocho, was so taken with the challenge, she made an extra effort to look after my parents and supporters while they were waiting for me.

I was relieved to be at the finish if a bit shaky on my legs and now just a feeling of jet lag and sore spots all over from friction rubs. Otherwise my ordeal is over but for many they never have that respite. Thanks to so much generous support so far I have raised over £1500 and aim to use this story to raise as much awareness for PSP as possible.

2 hours to go before I start my adventure. Thanks so much to Mum and Dad for being such influential and inspirational parents. This is for you guys.
Thank you also to all my supporters who are going to get wet and tired on the water and those who are going to support me along the way, it will make all the difference.
This challenge is for all those people who are suffering with terminal illnesses with no or little hope and who rely on family and carers to maintain their dignity and quality of life, you are the true heros.

To all those who have contributed and sponsored me a huge thank you we have raised around £1500 for the PSP association and the total is rising.

This is my schedule for next week.

Sat 23rd
11.00 Leave Stirling rowing club. If windy may move to Speirs Wharf as the start.
18.00 Falkirk Wheel
19.30 Polmont
21.00 Linlithgow
22.30 Winchburgh
0.00 Ratho, joined by my paddle supporters up to Falkirk wheel
Sun 24th
06.00 Falkirk Wheel
08.00 Wyndford 4 miles (lock 20) just off the A803 West of Bonneybridge
10.30 The Stables restaurant just west of Kirkintilloch 11miles
12.00 Speirs Wharf, just opposite Cafe Ocho (G4 9TB). 7 miles
My toughest sections will be from Linlithgow to Ratho before I meet my paddlers and again from Kirkintilloch to the finish. So if any cyclists or runners wish to join me that would be fun.


About the finish
At this site just past Speirs Wharf there are plans to create a paddlesports centre.
http://www.glasgowcanal.co.uk/regeneration-projects/paddlesports-centre

This is the story of brave and determined women; a family story about supportive parents, Olympic athletes and a story of what one daughter is doing to give something back to her parents and other members of society decades later. 

On the 23-24 June former Olympian Rachel Crosbee is attempting to paddle for 24hrs, canoeing from Stirling to Edinburgh and then to Glasgow covering more than 100miles on the river Forth and the lowland canals. The aim is to raise money for, and awareness of, a little known disease called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

The story began in the early ‘70s with a homemade wooden canoe in Harpenden, Hertfordshire and parents who made it possible for 2 of their 4 children to compete for Britain in European and World Canoe Slalom Championships and in the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympics. 

As Mums do the world over, it was also our mum who, on a day to day basis, kept the family together. Our parents firmly believed in encouraging their children to reach their full potential and when this involved supporting Richard and Rachel over a period of about 20 years on the banks of Britain’s, and later, the world’s rivers, encouraging them to become successful British athletes (see links below), mum didn’t shy away from living rough and cooking meals on a low budget for a family of six in tents in the sheep fields in Derbyshire, Wales and Scotland; sewing the tents we slept in during the canoe slalom competitions - on a hand-operated Singer sewing machine, no less - or experimenting with neoprene to make practical sandals before the days of modern sport sandals.  This mum, who was born in India in the days of the Raj, made an active contribution to every school, church and community she was associated with and looking back now, I wonder how, in 1981 within the space of three months she managed to keep a family of 6 going while volunteering as publicity officer and chief organiser of the refreshment tent for hundreds of spectators at the Canoe Slalom World Championships in Bala, Wales AND organise and cater for her eldest daughter’s wedding, making three bridesmaid dresses on the afore mentioned sewing machine and entertain  her new son-in-law’s non-English speaking family for a week after the wedding! This  Mum, who, took a part time degree while she was pregnant with her fourth child; who worked with Dad and others to found St Albans Canoe Club; who accepted his frequent absences when he served on the board of the British Canoe Union; who agreed to move to Lincolnshire when he helped organise and run the 1995 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Nottingham, who has written numerous unpublished articles and essays ranging from the History of Tea to the History of Ingoldsby, now has 8 grandchildren living in Australia, the US, Germany and Scotland, one of whom is coming back ‘home’ to compete in this year’s Olympics, albeit for Australia. This mum, a mum who has raised a family and contributed to society, the kind of mum who can be found the world over, is now suffering from PSP and her name is Jennifer Fox.

Jennifer has been incredibly brave in the face of this little-known degenerative disease: only last September she travelled to Germany with her then 79 year-old husband Roger, when she could no longer speak or walk unaided.  As her brain progressively ceases to function, she is fully aware of what is going on around her; she laughs at jokes and enjoys audio books and TV documentaries. Unable to bear her own weight, confined to a wheel chair, bent over double and only able to see the ground, she cannot feed herself and is finding it increasingly difficult to swallow. She is unable to communicate with others and has been forced to become accustomed to being talked over, talked about and talked at, but she won’t allow herself  to feel defeated. She still goes out in public and will be there in Glasgow when Rachel completes her “Kayak Challenge” in aid of PSP, she will be there in August when her granddaughter competes at the Lea Valley White Water Centre and we are hoping that she will have the opportunity to meet Lord Coe, vice chairman of the PSP Association.  One of her greatest wishes is that increased public awareness of PSP will eventually lead to more understanding about the illness and funding for research into treatment and possibly a cure for PSP and so benefit future sufferers. This is why I am asking you to tell the story of Jennifer and her daughter Rachel’s challenge on the 22^nd June.

Some related links and information:

http://www.pspeur.org/

http://rachel-crosbee.blogspot.co.uk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Fox_%28canoeist%29

http://jessfoxblog.blogspot.de/

http://www.london2012.com/canoe-slalom/index.html

Thank you so much for your time,

Daphne Klimmek

On Friday I managed 9.5 hours on the River Forth to Grangemouth and back against the tide both ways. Hard work but good practice session for 3 weeks time. Chatted to a local near Alloa who saw porpoises nearby last week. No sign of any wildlife though this time. The hardest section will be the cross to Grangemouth about 3 km across a wide shallow bay. Fine with little tidal current and mild wind but as I discovered the other week, in winds, especially cross winds, it takes about an hour to cross. Looking forward to that section!
Sat visit to the Falkirk wheel and checked out the plan for the portages. The canalscotland event listing lists the challenge on the 23-24th. So the word is official, no backing out now.
Sunday Physiofocus support the Stirling Triathalon with post race massage, all donations were for the PSP association. We raised £250, a big thank you to all the Physios for their hard work and the athletes for the donations.