Thursday 29 December 2011

Blow Away the Cobwebs- Club Paddle 28 December

Weather forecast SW5-7 becoming NW 5-7 possibly 8. It didn't look promising for the 'round Hayling paddle', but the sea didn't look too choppy, so we set off along the seafront. In fact, a part from the odd gusts, it remained at 5 all day and even dropped to 3 at convenient moments on our up wind leg. Everyone found some waves to enjoy, here Liz finds a nice piece of chop. Chichester entrance did have the odd large sea, but the tide was just high enough for them not to be breaking too far out. The tide carried us swiftly to Langstone bridge. However, it ended badly for one paddler, his knee buckling sideways under him as he slipped launching the boat from the slippery concrete slipway after lunch. Something we had not practiced in our Monday night sessions, but will do so next year; recovering a floating paddler who has lost the use of one leg on a treacherous surface with no alternative way out. The boat had to be left in storage with the beer kegs as the remainder of the group completed the paddle back to Eastney. The emergency services were initially suspicious; a sea kayaking incident in a pub car park?