The freedom and fun of fishing from kayaks was introduced to an enthusiastic new audience at the Disability ‘Try It’ Day on June 27th at Llangorse Sailing Club, Powys. The event was promoted by the website Anglers Afloat and supported by Johnson Outdoors UK who took along a whole assortment of sit-on-tops. “It was a great day and we had a brilliant response taking up to 50 people out on to the water,” commented Mark Crame of Johnson Outdoors UK. “They absolutely loved it and everybody came back smiling."
Mark explained that there was a wide range of disabilities amongst participants but “no real difference once we were on the water. It was a case of assisting people into kayaks and then off we went. I was amazed at how quickly and easily the majority of people took to it. It was the first time for many of them and they were superb.” Representatives from the British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA) also took part and now want to promote kayak fishing to their members.
Above: kayaking for the disabled was described as 'freedom afloat'
The event was organised by Martin Hurst in partnership with Powys County Council and Disability Sport Wales. Martin is the manager of the Llandrindod Wells leisure centre and a member of the Anglers Afloat website. “The success of the day went beyond everybody’s expectations, it couldn’t have gone better” he said. “The president of the BDAA Terry Moseley thanked us afterwards for such a fantastic weekend and said kayak fishing was freedom afloat.”
Above: and the anglers made a catch!
Martin also praised the support given by the Disability Officers working with Powys Council and the Sports Council for Wales. The organizers were particularly moved by a lady who attended the event with her son. He was kayaking and at the end of the day she approached the organizers with her son saying she would love to have a go as well. She then told them she was blind. “We got her out in one of the Ocean Kayak Malibu tandems and she came powering in with one of our lads behind her like she had been paddling all her life,” said Martin. He added that parents and carers were coming up to him afterwards saying the day had been so successful that they hoped it would be an annual event.
