Page 170 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Rafting playing in a stopper
EXPEDITION VIKING CHALLENGE
Cadets experience the fury of Norwegian white water and serenity of open Fjordland canoeing!
Expedition Viking Challenge was our first ever canoeing expedition to the Setesdal Valley in Southern Norway. The aim of the expedition was to introduce a number of our senior cadets to grade 3/4 white water. Also, to complete a
venture to Norway, the question was, what were we going to call it? Well,...........with water and boats in mind and a fair amount of challenge and fear to overcome it had
to have a Nordic theme to it, so exercise Viking Challenge was born. For twelve days in July six cadets and two members of staff spent part of the school holidays in the land
the deafening noise and the sheer volume of water crashing over the steep rocky drops. Once on the rapids the turbulent water seemed to take control of both the direction and stability of the kayaks and
for a split second both paddler and kayak were submerged in the turbulent and confused white waves. Many a photograph was taken, each facial expression telling a different story. There was the grimmest as the each cadet approached the rapid, then into the white fury, a change of expression, utter focus and determination to get through to the calmer waters below. Once there, for some the body relaxed, there was a sigh, a smile, a wink, thumbs up, overall there was a sense of relief. For the more eccentric it was a’ howl’, a shout of victory, success, sheer exhilaration!
The main impression for all will hopefully be the challenging white water, team spirit, personal achievement and new experience gained in this stunning, yet wild and rugged area of Norway, where for part of this expedition we were well away from the creature comforts of modern civilisation.
3 day, 60km open Canadian unsupported expedition.
Many a photograph was taken, each facial expression telling a different story
of the mythical Trolls, not that we saw any!
During the expedition / camping phase we were enveloped in the
sheer beauty and tranquillity of the place as our open Canadian
In technical terms
this was a relatively
inexperienced group.
They were either upper
sixth, lower sixth or year
11 cadets, aged 16 – 18. None had done this level of kayaking before. The group did gain experience on the grade 2 rapids at Symonds Yat. All could Eskimo roll, but not consistently in moving water.
canoes serenely glided along the vast open Fjordland with most of us not having a care in the world, lost in our own private thoughts, with the cadets probably thinking how much further to go! Then there was a dramatic change of tempo, the adrenaline pumping white water phase where each rapid was approached with a great deal
of fear and trepidation, accentuated by
During the white water phase we were based at Trollativ an outdoor pursuit centre which is situated 5km north of Evje. This is run and owned by Tim Davis, an ex-serviceman, stationed at The British Outward Bound Centre (BOBC) Norway
in the late 1980’s. The Centre provided us with hutted accommodation, showers, dining area and drying room. It is set in the spectacular Setesdal Valley and more importantly it was only a 100m’s from the major rapids at Syrtveit.
“There was the grimace as each cadet approached the rapid, then into the white fury, a change of expression, utter focus and determination to get through to the calmer waters below”
Over the years we have carried out numerous adventure challenges, from Alpine Climbing to Nordic ski expeditions. This was going to be our first canoeing
Our last campsite near Hornnes (Evje)
168 CADETS
THE RIFLES