darnsarf

I agree, I think a license is the way forward but 100% of the income should go back in to sea angling development and there is the catch. Not worried about policing as in other countries those that pay will report those that dont. Saw this actually happen in Jacksonville. I also love their Slot Size system all born out of the collapse of their Stripped Bass stocks. We can learn 2 lessons there, dont wait until your Bass stocks collapse before you protect your primary breeding stock. Bet we dont learn either.

Sadly there is no money to do anythjng and the commercials still have huge political clout. This will go someway to addressing that but no funds will be the excuse why words will be the only activity. However, the stats are here and ready to be a used in anger if the real opportunity presents itself.

10KTS. I will try to get close but even the Marlin might struggle. Need a bigger paddle.

Thanks and Good Luck! The guys are officially mad. Should be an interesting journey............

Huge thanks to Tiddler. He raised £80 by auctioning off the computer. That equates to 2 Hawley Lake lure fishing sessions. Thanks Jim.

Thanks Jim and Rob. Appreciated as always.

Wrong!.... Paragon our IT sponsors have already done it tonight. Good on them..

Should be uploaded by close of play tomorrow.......thanks

Thanks Rob.

Lofty passed on the great news that the club have agreed to adopt HOW as your 2014 charity. Firstly, thank you to the committee, Lofty and all the club members that passed the motion. As a small charity this is huge for us. It also means we are in a position subject to diary to support any fundraising activities you hold. If you would like us to attend any event with the HOW marquee etc then please let me know. Can someone please email me your club logo and I will get it uploaded to the Sponsors banner on our website and link it back to yours. pfennell@heroesonthewater-uk.org I look forward to 2014 with you guys, thank you.

Long may it continue ...

Well done Lofty......anf flatties showing yet

Don't worry Jim. The clubs support has been brilliant and you guys will always be on my keep updated list. I just don't want to swamp you with niff naff and trivia so if it gets to much don't be afraid to say so. Paul

On Tuesday HOW returned to Hawley Lake, a closed fishery renowned for Pike, Perch. Its also the Royal Engineers training lake and as an ex-Sapper it was re-assuring to hear the same old bridge building commands being used as I was taught in the 80s. Our 2 guests, one a double amputee, mastered the high wind and rain without a problem and lure fished hard. They blasted the water with everything from Mepps and soft plastics to trolling with Rapalas and crank baits. Not even the Big S got a sniff. The reason, probably a new fishing excuse, was that the RE were holding a Battlefield Simulations Day on the neighbouring Demolitions Range. Now I know from personal experience there is nothing a Sapper likes more than to blow something up, the bigger the better. Well they excelled themselves. They realistically simulated everything from IEDs and Mortars to air strafing attacks, all at full volume. Well done them. Killed the fishing though, you could feel the water shake underneath you and the fish just disappeared. Still as one guest said, "its just great to be out on the water" Had a problem getting one guest off the water, he was desperate to catch a fish. First time out for both van and trailer, worked well. We have another fresh session booked but also hope to hold our first sea session shortly.

Fingers crossed

Rob...Im hoping to have a double amputee taking to the water............. go on give it a go

Chris that's appreciated and you are very welcome but I must admit I am only looking to get them to paddle from Lake Pier to Rockley. This will be the first outing on the sea so need to break them in gently, the harbour is perfect for this and should see plenty of HOW activity next year as we bring more guys from Freshwater to Salt. Here is our first pathway success from yesterday. We had another session with injured Marine Martin Payne. Got very competitive, Marines v Army with the Army winning 23 to 21 fish. Martin is progressing very well. He is able to rig his own kayak and fishing gear. Best of all despite pelvic and lower back blast injuries he mastered the pain and a bit of coaching carried out a perfect self rescue. He will now take to the sea and be a our first HOW Team member. His first outing will be Poole Flounder Meet in December. We hope to enter HOW teams into as many future comps as possible including PBSBAC kayak comps. Here are a couple of pics from yesterday.

Yes Jim, I have one confirmed HOW guy and hope for one, possibly 2 more. A lot will depend on the weather. It will their first outing on the salty stuff and although the harbour holds little fear for the experienced for an injured novice it can throw up some interesting challenges.

Read about Mitch and the crews epic Scottish fundraising paddle.......... http://www.heroesonthewater-uk.org/blog If you are looking to hold a sponsored fundraiser please consider HOW. Being a small charity we are able to personally support all our fundraisers and every pound makes a very definate difference.... Mitch's efforts will help us buy the kayak roof carrying system and cover the costs of many sessions. The next 2 of which are on the 24th Oct and 5th Nov. I am also pleased to say the first HOW "team" will fish the Poole Kayak Flounder meet on 7th December. If you are on the water, look out for any kayak with a HOW sticker and come say hello.

Thanks again to Mal Thomas for his donation from his recent voucher auction. Quick update the registration process is grinding on and we now at least have a Charity Comission Registration Application Number. As the winter approaches Dry Suits have become our number one priority. Had a great session last week with injured Marine Martin Payne at Upper Tamar Lake. He caught his first ever fish. Can you remember that moment. The small Roach was one of 19 fish but that fish will live with him forever. Unfortunately, cant seem to upload the photo from the Tablet but the smile is almost as big as the fish. Thanks again.

Big thanks to Chris Witheford who made a donation today to cover the cost of the recently fitted towbar. Really appreciated Chris, thank you.

Also had a session yesterday. One of our volunteers did a bit of filming......gives a good taste of what goes on. An algae bloom made the fishing difficult with just one Perch making a proper appearance but it didn't matter........ Quote of the day from guest Royal Marine Martin Payne "this isn't just fishing, this is therapy" http://vimeo.com/73862698

Update - Pleased to announce that following our supporters donations in August we have now reached the Charity Commission turnover target. We will be applying for registration ASAP but the Charity Commission quote a 12 week period from application to charity number allocation. Once we have the number we will let everyone know. Again many thanks to those that donated at the presentation,

Great story. Reminds me of the time we were in Canada Grizzly watching from a flat bottomed boat at the mouth of a creek in the Rockies. We inadvertently got caught in the middle of a Grizzly domestic as mum decided to drive off teenage cub so she could find a new mate. Foaming at the mouth with grizzle fully raised she charged her son who ran for his life just past the stern of the boat. She crashed through the water, very angry. I was at the stern with the guide and used the chance to get some great photos even if she was a tad too close for comfort (10ft). The experience was over in a few seconds and when I looked around I saw the rest of the party in various states of shock, the skipper had reached for his rifle. However, the funniest thing was seeing a German guy holding his wife out in front of him as a Human Shield/Bear Bait. They didn't speak for the rest of the trip. Often wonder if they are still married.

Hi. Firstly thanks for the support we have received from club members to date. From conversations I have had its probably worth just clarifying the charity registration number issue. We are desperate to reach the financial target of £5,000 turnover set by the Charity Commission. Only then will they issue any charity with a number. Here is an extract from their website. "Can we register as a charity if our income is less than £5,000? Usually, the Charity Commission does not register charities with an income of less than £5,000. This is purely to reduce the regulatory burden on smaller charities - they otherwise receive all the benefits of charitable status. - See more at: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/frequently-asked-questions/faqs-about-registering-a-charity/can-we-register-as-a-charity-if-our-income-is-less-than-£5,000/#sthash.9D0KESeI.dpuf " Understandably those that are not aware of this rule will always question a charity that does not have a charity number. However, as the Commission point out "you do not have to register to be a charity but you do need to be a charity (>£5,000 turnover) to register." Frustratingly despite only being a few months old we are very close to this funding requirement (literally less than £1,000 short of £5,000). Once we hit it we are set up to exceed all other Commission requirements regarding Governing Documents, accounting and Trustees. When we reach target the Commission will take up to 3 months to administer the request (very frustrating) before issuing the number. This administration resource shortfall is the real reason they are not interested in the thousands of small but legitimate Charities. In the meantime we are currently registering with the HMRC for charity tax status but again this is likely to take a few more weeks before they have completed things from their end. I will keep you all updated on the above as the wheels slowly grind on. While we are all waiting I am very happy to provide copies of our Governing Document and an accounting report for the club committee to go over so that all can feel comfortable with Heroes On The Water. I hope that has cleared rather than muddied the waters. If you want to know more please call me on 07946 814446 and I will be very happy to discuss and clarify any points you want answering. Once again many thanks for your support, it is vitally important and correct you are totally comfortable with any organisation you choose to support so please do call me to discuss any queries you may have, no matter how small. Many thanks Paul Fennell Founder & Trustee Heroes On The Water UK