A Saturday morning on the River Bandon with the North Monastery Canoe Club.
Members of the canoe club from the North Monastery school led by Brother Brian, prepare for their Saturday five mile descent down river from Bandon town.
Canoes have come a long way from primitive man's hollowed out tree trunks.
The lightweight fibre glass canoes are designed for speed and ease of movement.
Back on dry land the trip is relived and rapids and falls are renegotiated over rounds of sandwiches and mugs of hot tea.
Liam Manley and John Roche, both experienced members of the North Monastery Canoe Club, describe what the conditions were like on the river. John Roche says that the best way to go into a rapid is to keep going straight and paddle hard. Liam Manley lost his balance on the rapids and ended up in the water. He explains what to do in situations like this to escape safely all the while holding on to the canoe and the paddle. The boys and their club spent a month of the summer in Schull with sea canoes. Their advice to anyone thinking of taking up the sport is to join a club that will be able to advise on the best canoe, equipment required and the costs involved.
Beginners start out in a pool where they undergo capsize training and learn paddling techniques. Once this has been mastered, the canoeist is ready to go on a river. Club members also learn how to carry out repairs on their canoes.
Presenter Pat Butler is fitted with a life jacket which he wears over a wetsuit. A helmet also protects the head in the event of capsizing. He then takes to the water with the help of the boys.
This episode of 'Youngline' was broadcast on 17 November 1977. The presenter is Pat Butler.
Youngline was a once weekly, half-hour magazine show for younger viewers. The first programme was broadcast on Tuesday, 23 November 1976 from 5.30 to 6.00 pm. Youngline continued until May 1984.
