SERPENT’ S TAIL AND TOWN FALLS
After 14 weeks, I pushed myself and got back onto a river I knew and loved: the Dee in Llangollen. With the support of my friends, I felt ready to regain that feeling of freedom by going down Serpent’ s Tail and Town Falls.
At the top of the ramp, I reflected on how long it had been since I was there last. It was time for one little push to get back onto the river. As my boat hit the water, I could not stop smiling. I was thrilled to be back. On a river I loved and had shared so many memories with friends who had supported me solidly over the past few months.
At Serpent’ s Tail, I could remember the line but still felt the rush of nerves at the first drop. But this was what I loved: the water on my face, the water’ s roar felt like a song. Continuing down the river allowed the memories to flood back. I felt proud of myself for how far I had come in the past months of endless physiotherapy, pain killers, and ice pack rotations. The hard work had paid off.
Before I knew it, we had arrived at Town Falls. The line wasn’ t as cemented in my brain as it had been at Serpent’ s Tail,. I talked it through, and the nerves came flooding in. I took some deep breaths and paddled over the first lip, increasingly aware of the slots on either side of me. I flew through, paddled towards the end and was greeted with cheers from my friends on the water and the bridge.
It has now been 18 weeks. My shoulder is still not right; my outward rotation is still very stiff, but I’ m back paddling the rivers I love, with laps of the Tryweryn and weekly sessions at Lee Valley. Whilst my paddling is not where it was before surgery, my skill and knowledge are all coming back to me. I finally have the freedom and joy of surfing the waves and tailing on eddy lines.
All of the physiotherapy, x-ray, MRI scans and other endless appointments for my shoulder all seem a million miles behind me. However, I do know I still have a long way to go until I am back to where I was.
Unfortunately, I have been informed that another operation is necessary to partially release the anterior capsule, allowing for outward rotation. I continue to remind myself that it will be worth it in the long term, and I am forever grateful for the wonderful friends who support me.