Will Completes A Canoe Expedition For His Gold Duke Of Edinburgh's Award
Upper Sixth Former and Marketing and Communications Prefect, Will Marshall, is one of 35 students working towards their Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award. As with the Bronze and Silver awards, a key element of the qualification is the expedition. Most pupils choose to back pack but Will opted for an expedition with a difference. Will took part in a canoe expedition on the River Wye, he completed his qualifying expedition at the end of August, and he tells us about his experiences here:
I completed both my practice and qualifying Gold Duke of Edinburgh expeditions with an external outside adventure company called Live Life Adventure. After my Silver Award I decided I wanted to look into other sorts of expeditions instead of the traditional backpacking trips. I looked into kayaking and canoeing as they appealed to me but you can complete a cycling or even a horse-riding expedition. I opted for canoeing because that seemed the most available and it did not require any previous experience.
I was in a team with three other people, they too had all wanted a change from the walking expeditions. I had little contact with my team members before the practice expedition but we were soon working well together as a group. Covid-19 was an extra challenge, as each of us had to have our own tent and cooking equipment as well as food, so we had lots of gear. The canoes could hold two people (socially distanced) and the kit for those individuals as well as any miscellaneous kit that needed to be carried with us. As part of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, you have to be completely self-sufficient so we carried all of our food, water, supplies and even a portable toilet and toilet tent.
For the Gold expedition you have to complete eight hours of activity time (on the water canoeing) per day. We started the expedition in Hereford and finished in Monmouth and we had very long days, as we had to get ready, eat, pack up all the gear onto the canoe before we could start paddling. Not to mention the same process in reverse when we reached a campsite in the evening. Many of the campsites along the River Wye were shut down for Covid-19 but we were able to find basic campsites we could stay in.
The weather during the practice expedition was fairly mild, however the previous week had been pouring with rain so the river flow was at a peak and moving very fast. There were trees and debris in the water and the strong current could sweep you and your kit away if you capsized. However, our training, that was incorporated in the practice expedition, was thorough and took place in high waves and choppy waters. I capsized on the first day, but luckily this was before we filled the canoe with kit, so my stuff remained dry. The weather on the qualifying expedition was much better and the river was calmer, so we had a better experience and even got to enjoy the environment around us and appreciate the scenery.
It was a fabulous experience and I would really recommend it to anyone looking to do an alternative expedition.