Canoeists with some experience are being catered for by the Irish Canoe Union on its intermediate (level 3) course which begins at the Union's training centre at the Strawberry Beds, Dublin, this Saturday. This is a five-week course running on Saturdays. The cost is £90 and this includes all the gear you'll need. For those who can't make this session, there will be another starting on November 4th and the Canoe Union's Conor Ryan dismisses the suggestion that canoeing in autumn and winter means braving very chilly water. "The coldest time to canoe is around March," he says reassuringly. Those interested should contact him at (01)4509838.