Portsmouth Canoe Club

A Perfect Winter's Day

2012-01-14T10:43:00.008Z

A very rare week day off work and perfect weather for a winter's bimble in the lowers reaches of the Bealieu River.

Who said Friday 13th is bad?

Anoraks & Bridges

2012-01-09T21:29:00.007Z

Here's one for the nerdy "Anoraks" amongst us!

Sunday's paddle was programmed to be Eastney to Portchester around the north of Portsmouth via Portsea Creek. The route would take us alongside the very noisy M27 motorway under three of the bridges connecting Portsea Island to the rest of the UK! The railway bridge to the east and the two bridges under the A3 Hilsea Roundabout to the west.

HW Portsmouth on Sunday 8th Jan was due to be around 1030 (possibly 20-30mins later at the top of the harbour?) As this would be around the time we arrived I thought I'd better cycle over the day before and check the air draught (Clearance) under the bridges.

So here it is:-
HW Portsmouth 0948
Height 4.4m
Weather: Southern England under a ridge of high pressure approx 1020mb (high pressure depressing tidal height and possibly delaying the time of high water?)

What do you think? Should we go or not?

Railway bridge at the east- HW +20mins.
Plenty of clearance under the north span. No real tidal flow.

Eastern Hilsea East Road bridge - HW +30mins.
Clearance touch and go sitting upright in a sea kayak? If it was low pressure the water would be higher. As a guide, if the plinth in the low foreground is just covered it's a definite no go (water 25cm higher)

Same as above - close up. Note the west going ebb already starting at the right hand edge pillar.

West Hilsea Road Bridge - HW+ 40mins.
Good clearance on this newer and higher bridge. Note the strong west going ebb already producing a big eddy at the right hand edge pillar. (I estimated it to running at 1.5 - 2knots when I went back past the bridge 5mins later!)

What did I do?
I changed the club paddle to a much quieter outing (no M27 motorway) in Chichester Harbour! One of my fellow paddlers on Sunday reckoned that a tide height of 4.2m was the highest tide you could get away with - I think he was right.

Sprucey

Blow Away the Cobwebs- Club Paddle 28 December

2011-12-29T12:03:00.003Z

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?

Saturday 12 November

2011-11-15T17:24:00.002Z

Summer sunshine at No4 Bar buoy.

Safely across to the small boat channel before a fastcat leaves Portsmouth.

The Mont St Michel creeps up behind us in the harbour. The sunshine disappeared later in the afternoon and it was Winter before we reached Eastney again.

Finally the evening pool session at Eastney. Come on Club bloggers, get blogging.

Club paddle and barbecue

2011-07-20T13:45:00.011+01:00

The bad weather continued for the paddle and barbecue from Tipner, here we are taking a break on Peewit Island, the calm before the storm. The run home was harum-scarum in a F7 squall, the sky black as pitch. Everyone did well to stay upright in what was very stormy weather for Portsmouth Harbour. Surfing, bracing and generally enjoying a wild ride with 1m high rolling waves. At Tipner, waves were crashing up over the footpath as the squall coincided with HW springs.

Our just reward. Plus, of course, the well stocked TBAC bar.

Devon Weekend

2011-06-20T10:53:00.003+01:00

June?? The Eddystone was clearly out of remit.

However, a good time was had by all, although the stormy weather meant abandoning the deep seas and rock hopping in favour of estuary paddling. Thanks Spence.

The Two Towers - a Trilogy Perhaps?

2011-06-03T20:35:00.011+01:00

2011 must be the Year of the Tower!

So far, PDCC trips have visited two of Britain’s remarkable offshore lighthouse towers:-

The Nab Tower, 7.5Nm south of Portsmouth was followed by a circumnavigation of Hayling Island to get home!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nab_Tower

and, the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse, 6Nm due south of Pevensey Bay in East Sussex.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Sovereign_lighthouse

Both have interesting histories and can be very lonely, exposed places in poor weather. Luckily for us we had great conditions but they are still committing paddles.

So what’s next? Another tower would make it a trilogy? For those that can make it, Spence is planning the big one, a paddle to the Eddystone Lighthouse off Plymouth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddystone_Lighthouse
This is planned for Friday 17th June as part of the Devon Camping & paddling weekend. I’m doing the weekend but sadly, work commitments means I will have to leave the trilogy to some other lucky club members. Two out of three aint bad!

Sprucey

The Nab

The Nab
The Royal Sovereign

The Royal Sovereign

The Royal Sovereign

The Eddystone Lighthouse

All-comers Tour de Langstone

2011-04-19T22:09:00.011+01:00

Last Saturday saw 10 paddlers venture into Langstone Harbour for the first of our new, regular monthly Saturday paddles.
It was great to see some newer faces out on the water and, as an all-grades paddle, we had a really nice mix of of experience, old and new. Mike Cox lead us around Sinah Lake, the Hayling Oyster Beds and under the Hayling road bridge into Chichester harbour & Fowley Island for a lunch stop at the end of Beach Road in Emsworth.
The return back to Langstone took us through the gap between Long and Baker's Island (plenty of birds but unfortunately no resident seals to be seen), scraping over some shallow lagoons on a falling tide off Farlington Marshes before finally riding the fast ebb back to Eastney.

A varied paddle - the distance, the building afternoon cross-wind and some choppy wind over tide waves (in the main Langstone channel) provided some challenges but everyone stayed dry and managed really well; it was great way to push some personal boundaries in a protected, supported environment.

The next Saturday paddle is on 28th May from Eastney – Sallyport & return. Suitable for all, it would be great to see more new members out on the water. It's fun and a great way to gain some trip experience in a safe, supportive group. See you all there!

Important Club Announcement

2011-03-31T19:50:00.019+01:00

The committee have asked me to make an announcement about a major new investment of member’s funds. As a result of both the survey conducted by the BCU and the recent EU “Canoe Raft and Personal” safety directive (CRAP 01/04/2011) the committee have become increasingly concerned about health & safety and how it affects their potential personal liabilities if a major incident were to occur on a club trip. An Extraordinary committee meeting was held earlier in April and it was decided to spend the club reserves on a share in a second-hand helicopter along with UHCC. A suitable rotary wing aircraft has now been found and Mark Spruce attended a flying course @ Culdrose, near Falmouth last week to do a training & conversion course with Sea Flying Cornwall. Our thanks go to club member Paul, a Navy pilot, who also gave up a week of his leave to train him.

Mark "Rock-hopping" while training in Cornwall

The inaugural club flight was a discrete fly past over the round Hayling paddle and I have posted the pictures we managed to snap from the cockpit (Below). There are clearly several ramifications for all members about this new venture. Obviously, in addition to obtaining the BCU 4* leaders qualification, all trip leaders will now be expected to pass their Private Pilots Licence (PPL – Rotary) in the current subscription year. In addition, it will mean a small increase in club subscriptions but the committee have assured me that it will only be in the order of 1000% for the next 100 years so they feel sure that, with such a good value, low cost subscription at present, most members will not notice this very small increase. The helicopter is based at Daedalus airfield, Lee on Solent and members who would like to see it can enter through the north gate on presentation of their membership card. It can be found next to the MCA helicopter at their base and it’s registration number is: G-LAPROLIOF0104. Please do go and look at your new helicopter. We would also encourage all members to keep an eye out for our chopper and give it a big wave when you see it when out on the water.

Sunday 27 March

2011-03-31T10:43:00.005+01:00

Twenty two Club members set off from Langstone Bridge to East Head and met two more members there. Twenty four, is this a record? Only part of the flotilla is in the picture.

Eleven of the party went on out of the entrance over lunch and were rewarded with swell "1' and glassy", 10 seconds apart and rearing to head height (seated in the kayak!) in places. Despite being 1/2 mile offshore we could surf the deeper channels catching waves which formed and reformed for miles (at least 50 metres). Ankle deep water nearby facilitated the inevitable boat emptying. Swimmers pronounced the water pleasantly warm, it must be Summer.

Fervent February & Mad March

2011-03-18T19:40:00.024Z

I thought the blog was a little bare so here a few photos from some recent Sunday club trips to prove that we have actually been very active, even in the dim dying days of winter's end!

The water is starting to warm up a bit now (according to Peter. B anyway!), the days are definitely getting longer and the sun has shown his face on several days recently, so come on everyone, get yourselves out on the club trips. Many of the upcoming trips are shorter and less demanding - a great way to ease those muscles into your 2011 paddling season.
See you on the water soon!

Round Portsmouth & Hayling (RP&H)

"Bet you can get across in front, go on, you can do it, dare you!" (RP&H)

Three icons - one's a famous kayak, one's Portsmouth's tower and the other lives and paddles there! (RP&H)

Er Bill.... the other way! (Hilsea Creek, RP&H)

Second Breakfast or 1st Luncheon? (RP&H)

All set and ready to go (Selsey Bill)

"It's out there, honest. If you had come to my Navigation class, you'd know" (Selsey Bill)

Yep, I can squeeze in to my boat too - just! (Selsey Bill)

Your Treasurer, wondering when YOU are going to pay your subs! (Selsey Bill)

Always good to keep the RNLI close (Selsey Bill)

The Mixon (or R.O.T - the republic of Tim's land as PDCC's own Tim Sims was the first to lay claim - you had to be there!) (Selsey Bill)

The smile says it all. (Selsey Bill)

Comrade Tim, the first ruler of ROT (Selsey Bill)

Joe thought he could cunningly camouflage his kayak with the beacon but his drysuit gave him away! (Selsey Bill)

Sun 13 Feb 2011 - Bracklesham and Chichester Harbour

2011-02-13T21:57:00.012Z

Originally planned to go on the "Poole to Old Harry Rocks" trip, but a forecast of strong winds led to it becoming cancelled. As a secondary option I'd considered doing some kayak surfing at Bracklesham Bay; the surf forecast was predicting some big surf, and a southerly F5 wind which *should* have been cross-shore. Low water was about midday, neap tide. I was accompanied by two paddlers I know from London, Jae and Paul. We took sea kayaks.

We arrived at the car park at 9:30AM, got on the water at 10. The wind felt like it was blowing on-shore and it was really hard work to get out through the breaking waves (often at 4 or 6 second intervals) and strong wind. It was full-on effort with no time for warming up. After breaking through about a dozen waves, I couldn't see any end of the surf zone, so decided to wait for the end of a set to turn the boat and start to head inshore. My inshore surfing wasn't very good; I was slightly concerned about the bow sinking and being pitchpoled, and rather than using ruddering to keep straight I just kept allowing the boat to be broadsided. Some of the foam piles were the biggest I've experienced so far. It was good fun and worthy experience, although I much preferred to be in a big playboat.

Although it was fun, the amount of effort required was a bit too much. The conditions were better for the dozen or so kite-surfers there, some of them having lots of airtime. We probably should have got there an hour later, with the water lower and less groyne hazard. We decided to pack up and go for a paddle from Langstone Bridge. We went into Chichester Harbour, the wind was strong, about F4, against us, but we managed quite well. About 1 foot of swell was whipped up by the wind. We were passing Thorney Island, and noticed a channel that might take us to the shore. It did, although it was tricky to find where we could land without getting muddy, and I managed to get practically covered in it! We had a bite to eat, then decided to head back, zooming along with the wind and swell behind us, by which time the tide was rising, and we explored the marina and had a closer look at Langstone. We then got out on the very slippery sea wall by the car park. The whole thing was quite an adventure!

There's a video of my comedy-stand-up-after-exit-in-mud here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odf1BCX68D8

Some photos follow, as well as the route taken, surf and wind reports. Distance covered was approximately 4km each way. It was pleasing to see confirmation that what felt like F4 in the harbour was F4, similarly F5 in the sea.

Poole to Wareham - Sunday 23rd Jan

2011-01-30T21:28:00.010Z

Five of us (Andrew Wallace, Jason, Jane, myself and a non-PDCC friend Nick) met up on a calm but chilly Sunday morning near Hamworthy, overlooking the North of Poole harbour. We managed to have picked the same car park as both Poole Canoe club (who are based there) and the New Forest canoe club, but after a few social chats we went for a 2 hour paddle up to Wareham quayside for a sunny picnic before heading back.

Nick, Jason and Jane - paddling up to Wareham

A picnic on the quayside at Wareham.

Time to head back...

Wareham in sunshine.

Back at Hamworthy.

Kimmeridge to Lulworth 3rd January 2011

2011-01-03T21:41:00.007Z

A few photos from Sunday's paddle down Dorset way

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-22T21:15:00.003Z

There's only so much Turkey, Sprout's and Christmas Pudding that a PDCC member can eat before their mind turns back to the Sea; So here's a little something to help you with your withdrawal symptoms - See you on the water!

Mid-Winter Madness

2010-12-19T16:55:00.004Z

Eastney carpark was not the place to be changing on Sunday morning. Temperature well below freezing, snow and ice on the ground and a bone-biting north-easterly.

However, we had been invited for drinks at the RNLI nearby and the opportunity for a paddle beforehand was too good to miss.

It was a competition as to who could wear the most clothing.

Once on the water we were warm enough and paddled along the Hayling shore and back for a couple of hours. However, the ice on Sherril's boat was still there on the way back and we had problems with frozen skeg cables, the mountain bikers' solution of peeing on frozen cables was judged to be impossible with spray deck, drysuit and many layers in the way. Plus of course, the risk of an unwanted ducking.

The RNLI were serving piping hot cider punch; cider, rum and the RNLI secret spice mix. We were soon back to operating temperature; must have been the spices.

2010-12-18T23:35:00.003Z

Cloudless Skies

2010-12-13T09:28:00.004Z

What a contrast to the last post! A cloudless blue sky on Sunday saw us paddling from East Wittering to Church Norton via Selsey Bill. The tide cooperated perfectly with a good easterly push in the morning, reversal over the 1/2 hour lunch break, and a westerly push back in the afternoon, making the 14nm fly past with barely a need to tickle the water with the paddle. The tide at Selsey Bill set up some wavelets; seeking out a surfable spot, I was surprised at how shallow it was, even a good way out, with seaweed and rocks clearly visible below the keel.

Returning under the lifeboat station.

Nature Paddle - Langstone Harbour 28th November 2010

2010-11-29T16:37:00.028Z

Twelve Hard Core members (Read; Lunatics) braved the - 3 C wind chill and enjoyed a leisurely rummage around Langstone Harbour on Sunday.

It's amazing what you find when you slow things down a bit.

I know that there are some that are keen on Inuit style paddling, but this is taking it a bit far... That harpoon only just missed Ingrid!

Nearly a white out - anyone remembered their compass?

Don't move too quick - you might break something off!

The wildlife were pretty obliging (no, I'm not referring to the picture above).

There were plenty of sightings, unfortunately the highlight of the day was only witnessed by Liz, Peter and myself; As we sat down to eat our sarnies a magnificent Short Eared Owl took to the air only 30 yards away.

Hide & Seek with a pair of Grey Seal was fun, I don't think this young one had seen a kayak before.. or was it Pete's whistling that made it so inquisitive?

Stop!... (Liz fancied some Oysters for tea).

And it's Bye bye from Pete!

Ships that pass in the night

2010-11-25T12:21:00.009Z

Good to see some newcomers to the Club out on the water last night,

alongside familiar faces.

A black black night last night, luckily the wind at 4kt wasn't inducing much wind chill, or it would have been very cold. One of the joys of paddling a busy place like Portsmouth Harbour is the interest of passing shipping and being only a few yards away from large ships whilst keeping things safe for everyone, crossing deep water channels responsibly and letting QHM know your intentions.

Here is the Bretagne, 24,500 tonnes, 2000 plus passengers (but only 400 tonight), 130 man crew, creeping up behind 7 kayaks, 0.5 tonnes and 7 passengers and crew. It has engines generating 18,000 kW, how many kW can we manage between us? Its 26m beam almost exactly measures 50 Anas acutas side by side, but it is only 20 times longer, so we are the sleeker craft.

Watching each other, it passes as we head outbound to No.4 buoy

and continues into the night for France, whilst we cross astern, back towards the shore and a well deserved drink at The Wellington.

Hillhead to Hamble last Friday

2010-11-22T22:38:00.007Z

Here's a few photo's taken last Friday on my lone paddle from Hillhead to Hamble Village.

As you can see, the conditions were wonderful

I had the pleasure of seeing an amazing variety of wildlife including a Great Northern Diver, a Slavonian Grebe, a flock of Eider and Common Scoter and another seal (though this time it was a Grey).

It was great paddling in the rain

But even better when the sun came out

I wonder when we'll see conditions like this again

The Thursday Paddle: Gilkicker to Cowes

2010-11-22T18:47:00.018Z

4:30 am!! My alarm clock squared up to me, beeping defiantly as it waited to receive its early morning clout. The next thing I remember is running through the pouring rain at Gilkicker. I decided to chance putting my dry suit on in the loos; surely no one would be about in this weather? But a tall lady came in just as I was squashing a pile of clothes, food, flasks, scattered dry bags and booties against the wall. She pointed at the door and said “out!” very sternly. I glanced around nervously, and was relieved to see, from the patient clouds of breath coming from her unseen dog around the corner, that I was not the one being evicted.

We were Tony, Sheila, Mike and Stuart (not Martin this time) made famous earlier this year by a song about four crazy people paddling to Ryde on a Thursday morning.

There was some discussion about how to deal with shipping; play it by ear or apply the time table? The rain started to ease off and in a fit of optimism we decided on the former and launched into a now mellowing Solent.

We were soon making steady progress towards a huge brown vessel
looming smokily at anchor beside the shipping lane.

Some of its yellow jacketed denizens in a small attending boat assured us that it would depart for Lima “in ten minutes or an hour”, so we honoured tradition by paddling anticlockwise around its rusty hull, taking photos while Mike made us nervous by telling us he was going to shoot the gap between the rudder and the ship.

The sun had come out and the last leg to Cowes was very pleasant. Stuart lead us to a tiny strip of shingle beside a slipway that surprisingly absorbed all our kayaks for the duration of a leisurely lunch.

Our ship, outlined against a big chunk of rainbow, was underway and turning by the time we were back in the shipping lane. Tony advised us that if it picked up speed and headed towards us, we ought to catch a ride on its bow wave.

I stopped thinking of exchanging my sweaty woolly hat with ear flaps for a cap and decided to keep paddling instead. The rainbow kept pace along the seafront, shimmering above GAFIRs’ big orange doors, while two further magnificent arcs, the longest and brightest I have ever seen, soared towards us out of the grey skies over the mainland

The sunlight was failing and a hazy Solent dusk was already gathering behind the Island, sepia tinted and bordered with clouds like an old fashioned photograph with torn edges.

Back at Gilkicker, Ian and Mike practiced rolling enthusiastically. A few onlookers gathered on the shore, possibly hoping to see some lifeboat action. Mike was being driven to extremes by the dreaded rolling gremlins, but did some very impressive re-entry and rolls that would be the envy of most kayakers. I got to practice my bow rescue, and just as we were beginning to think GAFIRS might be about to come down the slipway to drag Mike from the water, he decided to call it a day.

A car of onlookers drove off. We passed around the hot chocolate and reflected on the fickleness of the rolling muse, and what a good day we’d had.

The Solent last Saturday

2010-11-16T21:50:00.009Z

I couldn't make last Sundays paddle but managed to get out on Saturday instead. A combination of high winds and lots of rain had been the prelude to the weekend and I have to confess that I hadn't expected the scene that greeted me as I arrived at Hillhead, there was not a white cap to be seen.

Setting off in the direction of Portsmouth Harbour I was assisted by a nice tidal flow and a gentle SW. I paused for lunch at Stokes Bay where I watched a Common Seal bob up and down several times as if intrigued by the 'Common People' that trudged along the shingle, oblivious to its presence.

After lunch I followed the Seals route to the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour before heading back to Stokes Bay and then out into the Solent where, to my surprise, there was hardly a breath of wind.

The scene was a picture of tranquillity, the Solent was like a sheet of green silk. I weaved my way through a field of becalmed yachts, mindful that my wake was greater than theirs.

On my return to Hillhead it was far too nice to come in and as I waited for the Sun to set I occupied myself with some rolling practice and was reminded that it was mid November after all..... Brrrr!

(My camera struggled in the fading light, the outcome was some interesting painterly effects).

Sallyport to Fishbourne Sunday 7th November 2010

2010-11-10T22:28:00.007Z

With a noticeable chill in the air just seven members (and their 'Pogies') gathered at Sallyport for the two trips that were scheduled last Sunday. Three of us joined Steve E for a pleasant jaunt across the Solent to Fishbourne whilst two members were guided along the coast to Lee on Solent by Richard S. On our return, any thoughts of a gentle 'wind down' were summarily dismissed by several million litres of water rushing through Portsmouth Harbour entrance creating a veritable torrent; it was interesting to say the least, but fun (in a masochistic sort of way and at least we weren't cold anymore!).

Sallyport to Bembridge (Well, not quite) 31st October 2010

2010-11-02T21:30:00.018Z

Eight members enjoyed a lively paddle across the Solent on Sunday. Whilst the original plan was to head to Bembridge visibility was poor and we were concerned about making the return trip in fading light, it was decided that we would haul out on a lovely sand beach about half a mile to the East of Sea View (I think the real reason was due to some not wanting to miss out on a bit of 'Trick or Treating').

Stokes Bay to Cowes - Sunday 17th October 2010

2010-10-18T21:55:00.018+01:00

On Sunday it seemed that someone forgot to tell the weather that it was mid October, although our esteemed trip leader (SR) would have us believe that it was due to 'devine intervention'

following much time on bended knee. Perhaps they are right when they say that the sun always shines on the righteous.

Anyhow - whatever the cause, we had a great day out (all twenty of us!) and I thought it only appropriate to mark the occasion with a 'photo fest'..........

Around Hayling Island 10th October 2010

2010-10-13T20:46:00.009+01:00

Here are some photos taken last sunday on our trip around Hayling Island.

Trip Report - Kimmeridge to Durdle Door 2nd October 2010

2010-10-04T22:16:00.010+01:00

Ooh err..... Kimmeridge Ledges at Low Tide.

Clavel Tower is a good landmark for the return trip

Fibre glass..... yum yum!

What lies beneath

What lies above

Our trip commenced at Kimmeridge, a charming horseshoe shaped bay and part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, as well as the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve (the marine centre is situated near the slipway, as is the coastal watch station which is manned whilst the Army ranges are open. These guys are equipped with a rib and have been known to rescue sea kayakers, it is therefore worth noting their phone number - 01929 404819 and that they operate on channel 85).

Kimmeridge is situated about 5 Nm to the East of Lulworth Cove and about an hours drive from Southampton (off peak). We parked in the convenient car park (complete with toilet facilities) and opted to trolley our kayaks the 50 meters or so down to the slipway.

The stepped rock ledges in and around the bay create some sizeable breaking waves as the seabed rises steeply from a depth of over 50 feet just half a mile out, to an average of 4 feet in the bay. It is wise to resist the temptation to surf at any time other than HW as more than just a scattering of jagged rocks (complete with Barnacles) wait patiently just below the surface for their next victim; Fibreglass, plastic, skin or bone - they didn't look too fussy.

Although we had a mild SW there was still plenty of evidence of the previous days F7 and we opted not to take the western channel out of the bay, the surf was up and it would have taken us through the highest concentration of breakers (In these conditions we would have needed our wits about us to avoid being unceremoniously dumped onto the hideous rock ledges - complete with cavernous craters and Barnacles, that protrude over a quarter of a mile out to sea).

Equipped with our 'Mark 1a sense of self preservation' we followed the Eastern buoyed channel on a bearing of 230 degrees for about half a mile, taking note of Clavel Tower standing high on the Eastern headland (a good land mark for the return trip) before heading 245 degrees and rounding the surf that was crashing onto the ledges.

Here we entered the prohibited area of the Lulworth Gunnery Range which stretched before us for 4Nm across the Bays of Hobarrow, Brandy, Worbarrow and Mupe. Not relishing the thought of a 16Nm paddle out to sea and around the restricted area we had checked with the range prior to setting off (whilst the Army normally gives the local Bunnies the weekend off from being blown up, it is best to check first).

Once clear of the ledges we hand railed the shore at about 200 meters out, where we were provided with some stunning sun drenched views of this incredible stretch of coastline. Looking across to Gad Cliff felt like we were paddling on a flooded Grand Canyon and I half expected to see the Heads of the Presidents of America carved into the towering rock face. It suddenly dawned on me that it would take a life time to explore and fully appreciate the 20 Nm of coast from Studland to say Osmington Mills, every bit of it as likely to be as amazing as the next - and it's all on our doorstep! - mind blowing (well for me it is).

It is worth noting that the Bays are relatively shallow and choosing to paddle in the surf zone meant that we needed to keep a wary look out for rogue breakers. In contrast, by the time we had reached Gad Cliff, where the sea crashes against cliff face, we were experiencing a white knuckle ride on the back of a substantial amount of clapotis. (Also worth noting is the fact that during a previous paddle in strong Northerly winds the cliffs provided little shelter as the terrain behind them, being generally higher, only served to funnel the wind into our path).

The timing of the trip meant that we were heading into the tidal flow but a combination of Neap tides and keeping to the shallow water meant that we were unhindered (On Springs the trip Westward can be timed to benefit from tidal assistance by starting 3 hours after Portland HW but you'd need to time the return trip for 3 Hours before Portland HW to get assistance both ways - not really practical unless your camping).

Worbarrow Tout marks the entrance to Worbarrow Bay, here we noted a sheltered 'get out'; 'Pondfield' is a small stony beach on the Eastern side of the peninsular, as you'd expect, it comes complete with submerged rocks so care needs to be taken.

From Worbarrow Tout the 1 Nm mouth of the Bay can be crossed by heading 275 degrees and over the deeper water to Mupe Ledges which would provide some interesting rock hopping in appropriate conditions (on our return trip a Gale warning was issued so we opted for the quickest route, straight across the Bay). Due to time restraints we resisted the temptation to explore the beaches of this enticing Bay but hugged the coastline whilst making a mental note that it is well worth a trip of it's own (Launching from Lulworth and exploring Bacon Hole, Arish Mell, Mupe Bay and the remaining Worbarrow beaches would make a great trip in calm conditions).

As previously mentioned, the large scattered rocks of Mupe Ledges provide the potential for some fun, although on this occasion we declined the invitation of the sizeable breakers to stay around and be toyed with. Instead, we timed our rush through the gaps in the rocks with the utmost precision, missing out on getting our boats redesigned by a minute or two (Probably best to go round them in these conditions next time). We were gutted, in all the excitement we totally missed Bacon Hole!

There then followed 1Nm of the most incredible clapotis (I thought my fillings were going to come out) before finally we surfed into the sanctuary of Lulworth Cove and a well deserved cup of coffee.

The video below shows the remainder of our outward trip from Lulworth to Durdle Door where we stopped for lunch. The return trip to Kimmeridge was a bit of a sprint, we could feel the wind gaining in strength and were mindful of the F8 that was forecast later that afternoon.

Kimmeridge to Durdle Door 2nd October 2010

2010-10-03T18:17:00.037+01:00

Last Saturday Sean and I did a bit of exploring down Dorset way, it left a big impression on us and we vowed to return sometime soon.

Whilst we had tentatively hoped for a pause in the relentless waves of low pressure that had washed across the country in the preceding week, we were unprepared for the sight that greeted us as we crossed the border into Dorset.

We travelled through the lush countryside, following the winding lanes that twist their way through upland and downland. All the while the sun sparkled through overhanging trees before the glint of a shimmering sea announced our arrival at Kimmeridge." Wow, we've hit the jackpot here" we both thought, (well, at least I did).

With just the slightest of winds, the remnants of the weeks adverse weather were only detectable in the character of the sea as it sloshed haphazardly against the ledges and cliffs that are synonymous with this awe inspiring coastline.

Mupe Ledges.... I was thinking of a different name for them as we sprinted through before the next breaker came.

Yep... He's in there somewhere

Is that a buoy...?

Now you see him....

Now you don't.

Now you see him..... Okay - you get the picture.

More CK Mer Pictures

2010-10-01T19:51:00.026+01:00

Pictures from two of the paddles last weekend.

The first from Eastney to Seaview, IOW on Saturday and the second on Sunday, a circumnavigation of Portsmouth. We also did a night paddle at 2230 on Saturday night but that was a top secret, stealth session in Porstmouth Harbour so no pictures! (Oh, OK, I'm not too good at taking piccies in the dark).

It was surprisingly bumpy on Sunday going north in Langstone harbour and going south in Portsmouth harbour.

Around Portsea Island 26th Sept 2010

2010-09-30T20:26:00.021+01:00

Here are some photo's taken during last Sunday's circumnavigation of Portsea Island with our friends from CKMER.

Return from Sea View Sunday 12th September 2010

2010-09-14T21:35:00.003+01:00

Sallyport - Sea View 12th September 2010

2010-09-13T21:02:00.006+01:00

A glorious day awaited as eleven of us unloaded our boats at Sallyport. Whilst the sun warmed our backs, a cool wind rushed down Portsmouth Harbour and through the streets of Old Portsmouth... Ummm, what do you think; Long sleeves or short sleeves?

A strong Spring tide awaited us for the programmed crossing to Fishbourne and it was with this in mind that Steve E made a welcome amendment to the plan....... Sea View it is then - (Phew!)

It's a hard life.... I wonder what the poor people are doing.

Sea View..... Obviously

The Needles - Sunday 5th September 2010

2010-09-07T20:31:00.016+01:00

Just three of us joined John B for an improvised trip to the Needles last Sunday

We left Keyhaven under a dull and cloudy sky. On entering the Solent we initially encountered some playful chop around Hurst Castle as the South Easterly pushed against the current.

We entered the main flow and commenced our ferry glide toward the Needles,
the GPS recorded a speed of 7 knots... sideways!

Protected from the wind we enjoyed a smooth crossing that was interupted only by the turbulence and boils produced by the confused current that rushed to exit the narrow straights between Hurst and the Needles - which were now approaching fast!

As we rounded the Needles we encountered the full force of the South Easterly.

We had planned to head on to Freshwater Bay but were thwarted by the strong wind. After battling for twenty minutes we realised that we were on a 'hiding to nothing' and settled for an early lunch stop at Scratchell's Bay; a steep pebbled beach beneath towering chalk cliffs.

We sat on the sheltered beach, basking in glorious sunshine. We ate our lunch and enjoyed the view.

Spot the sea kayak!

After seal launching down the steep pebbled beach we entered the placid water of the bay before heading out into more turbulent waters and through the Needles.

On our return we opted for the scenic route; hugging the coast and enjoying the varied scenery of Alum Bay, Totland Bay and Colwell Bay before pausing at Fort Victoria for an ice cream (Courtesy of JB), after which we rode the wind waves for a quick crossing back to Keyhaven.

Keyhaven to Newtown 29th August 2010

2010-08-31T20:47:00.016+01:00

Here are some photos taken on last Sundays trip to the Isle of Wight; as you can see i was experimenting with a new camera angle (though next time i promise i'll put a bag on my head!).

The outgoing leg was pleasant; we were running with the tide, had a decent westerly on our backs, we rode the gentle following sea all the way to Newtown and were there in no time.

Following an exploration of the creek and a civilised lunch stop we new that we were going to have the wind in our faces on our return and with an ebbing tide would need to ferry glide back to Keyhaven. As we left the shelter of Newtown we could see the brooding dark clouds, beneath which, the Solent frothed and boiled. The Westerly was now gusting 30 Knots against the tidal flow, creating some excellent rough water conditions.

I had changed the position of the camera for the return trip which wasn't a good move, the camera switched itself off, initially i thought the battery had drained but later realised that it was taking the full force of some nasty breaking waves (shame as i'd really liked to have shown you a photo of Richard B. being bongo surfed down the middle of the Solent or maybe even the sight of a yacht with it's bow pointing skyward whilst two thirds of its keel was airborne!).

An easy ride across the Solent maybe, but we still needed our wits about us as yachts in full sail passed at speed, not to mention the international power boat race!

The tranquility of Newtown Creek.

The wind increased as we entered the Solent which was awash with whitecaps.

Oooh Errr...... What do you think?

We hauled out on a small shingle beach to survey the scene; do we wait a while for the tide to slow? or do we go for it?

With conditions set to worsen we bit the bullet and enjoyed a somewhat invigorating paddle back to Keyhaven.

West Wittering Surfing

2010-08-24T22:33:00.004+01:00

On Monday 23 August, I was running late for the Monday training session, however a good surf forecast appeared on MagicSeaWeed, so I decided to try out West Wittering:

Morning all and what a good start to the week! Its sunny(ish) and there is finally surf. The shore break challenge is on!! high tide is at 12 and there are messy waves at around 2 foot.

MSW was indicating a 5 foot surf prediction, with a strong onshore wind. Low tide was about 6PM. I arrived in Jolliffe Road at 8PM, just as a number of windsurfers were leaving. It was the first time I'd been to West Wittering, and was relieved to discover the groynes were out of the water with the tide being so low. The surf height only appeared to be 2 or 3 foot, although that was enough to have fun on.

I took a playboat (SuperFun) and found it quite, erm, interesting, to surf. It was hard going getting away from shore, since the waves are frequent. I did get a few good, long runs, although I had to be very careful with my body positioning. I found I needed to lean forward to catch the wave, but then the nose would start to dive, and I needed to lean back enough to get the nose back up, then lean forward a bit again. With careful balancing and corrective strokes, I was able to sit on the foam pile and enjoy the ride.

Last time I did any proper kayak surfing was at Bude 2 years ago, on this occasion I found the edge control much easier; having experience of river-wave-surfing at Hurley and the Nene has undoubtedly helped with this.

It was a good 45 minutes on the water, considering I've been wanting to get on there for about 2 years now!

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door rock-hopping

2010-08-24T21:26:00.013+01:00

On Wednesday, 18th August, I visited Lulworth Cove with a couple of kayak friends from London. The forecast was for a fresh F3 breeze in the morning, building to a full-on F5 in the afternoon. High tide was to be around noon. So we intended to get there early, of course, I was late as usual:

We were able to reverse the cars down to beside the slipway, and unload. Nobody was about! Car parking cost £5 for about 6 hours (coins only - D'OH!) We set off around 9AM, and were soon exploring Stair Hole:

We found a smaller second hole, which is linked to the pool behind the main hole:

Further on we found a small ridge of rocks, with a gap that looked just about deep enough to whizz through, with some care to wait between sets:

In the open sea, I drifted for a minute, and found we had about 1 knot of tide and wind against us. We were soon upon Durdle Door, and paddling through it:

We went further on, where there was a lot of spaghetti-like seaweed, and Bat's Hole, where we stopped for lunch. The swell was picking up, and from time to time there was a surfable wave breaking. I attempted a side-surf landing, however the towback kept pulling me back in. A comedy exit soon followed when attempting a "normal" landing!
The swell and wind were making conditions quite lively for returning. We donned helmets for going into Stair Hole (slightly nerve-wracking going into the small hole), and then came out to discover a pair of playboaters, one outside his boat. We performed a deepwater rescue, but he only stayed back in for another 30 seconds, so we helped out with towing the poor bloke back to the cove. We also encountered a number of people on sit-on-tops, being led by the local kayak tour company. Quite lively conditions for first-timers! There was some nice breaking waves at the cove's entrance, and the tourist rib threw up some good surf as well, which was nice! Must remember, next time I tow someone's boat, empty it out first!

GPS Log:
http://tinyurl.com/36g7uw8

We attempted to do some surfing, but didn't catch much. We were back ashore by about 3PM, with lots of people around. Most people looked at us as though we were from another planet! We were able to reverse the cars down to the slipway although this was distinctly frowned upon by a number of folk. So an Ortlieb dry bag with straps is now on the wishlist to facilitate long portages....

Images courtesy of Jason Paul Tolmie and Becky Clarke.

Christchurch Harbour from Hengistbury Head Sunday 22nd August 2010

2010-08-24T20:57:00.011+01:00

History, Culture, Soggy Sarnies... and a Damn good soaking; what better way to spend a rainy Sunday!

Here's some pictures taken on our scenic tour of Christchurch Harbour last Sunday...

RNLI Fund Raising Day 15th August 2010

2010-08-16T20:57:00.006+01:00

Fund day? Fun day? or just plain old Sunday....... Call it what you like, it was all in aid of a good cause.

A trip to The Trap

2010-07-27T22:17:00.007+01:00

Here's some video taken earlier this month of PDCC members having fun at 'the trap' off Hurst Castle.

Moderate water at Hurst Castle - part two (or should that be adrenaline junkies r us?)

2010-07-15T20:19:00.012+01:00

Oooh, errr!

I was hoping to post a bit of video from our trip to Hurst Castle a couple of weeks ago but "the computer said no" - so here are some belated photos instead.

After a hard, yet enjoyable workout in "The Trap" it was nice to get into the lee of Hurst Castle for a break and some eats.

After our pitstop we headed out for round two.

Around Portsea Island (& back for a BBQ!) 12th July 2010

2010-07-13T14:57:00.006+01:00

A gorgeous day awaited us as we arrived at Eastney for our circumnavigation of Portsea Island. Despite the forecast predicting an overcast afternoon with winds up to F5, we were delighted to find that the conditions were absolutely perfect; just enough to work up a healthy appetite!

The tide gave a helping hand up Langstone Harbour and Russell had planned it to perfection as we passed beneath the railway bridge at Hilsea, with inches to spare.

Now on the home stretch we followed our noses back to Eastney and a well stoked bbq..... A great day out was had by all.

'Moderate' Rough Water at Hurst Castle

2010-07-05T14:38:00.005+01:00

Although less than ideal on the water snapshot conditions, Hurst Castle provided a roller-coaster ride at the weekend for some club members. The inshore eddy allowing rapid progress upwind into the rough stuff; with a choice of a smooth run back down the middle with the tide, or stop-go surfing at all angles, tide against wind and waves.

Around Hayling and Portsea Islands - Sunday 27th June 2010

2010-06-28T21:39:00.013+01:00

Wide brimmed hats and factor 30 were the order of the day as eleven of us mustered on the beach at Eastney for a 9.30am start.

With the mercury rising as fast as the Spring tide we set off into the low sun that heralded a glorious day.

The cooling breeze was appreciated as we paddled out of Langstone Harbour against the flow.

We whistled up Chichester Harbour with the flow, recording a maximum speed of 9mph!

We had made good time as we passed the Langstone Pub and continued on to the narrow creek at the top of Portsea Island where we stopped for lunch and waited for the tide to ebb enough for us to pass under the low railway bridge at Hilsea. Sheltered from the breeze we could feel the heat of the day and Steve tried to tempt us into a swim, Liz couldn't resist but the rest of us were happy soaking up the mid day sun.

An impromptu stop.... Pete isn't trying to pinch one of the flags, he just fancied a closer look, but still came away non the wiser.

In the background a modern day stealth Warship of the Royal Navy, it's angular lines designed to assist in its avoidance of radar and missile attack. In the foreground, two vessels with similarly angled lines designed to assist with the avoidance of tennis balls, something that Pete had demonstrated earlier as Steves 'smart ball' was no match for Petes counter measures.

The strong spring flow aided our exit of Portsmouth Harbour, whilst the entrance was calmer than usual it still managed to provide some interest, of the lumpier kind.

P.s Our thanks to the English football team and all involved for being so predictable and not making us feel that we should have missed this fantastic paddle for fear of missing some good footie.

Close encounters in Cornwall - Part Two

2010-06-24T20:30:00.024+01:00

We had found what we had come to see (or should that be; What we had come to see had found us), the experience had far exceeded our expectations but there was more to come.....

Our initial encounter had been very exhilarating but all too brief, it had also raised the question of why the shark had seemed so interested. It didn't feel as though it was a coincidence and we would later be offered an explanation for this seemingly inquisitive behaviour.

We had paddled for the remainder of the day, frequently glancing over our shoulders in hope (and trepidation) that we may repeat the experience.

Our decision to return the next day was born of our own curiousity. We knew that we must cover as much water as possible to stand any chance of success and it was with some reluctance that we left our kayaks behind and joined a local 'sea safari' trip, the company we chose were based in Penzance and agreed to take us to the place of the sighting.

When we arrived the morning trip was just returning and we were concerned to hear that they had seen no sign of any unusual wildlife, let alone a Shark. We boarded the rib and it was not long before we had arrived at the location of our last sighting.

We were in awe of the sight that greeted us; Up to twenty sets of dorsal and tail fins were moving in all directions, slicing gracefully around the protected water of the bay. We were informed that this was an extremely rare sight, we were witnessing the courting ritual of the illusive Basking Shark, it was a trully amazing and majestic display.

We felt both humbled and priveleged as we watched; The males (we assume), some of which were easily thirty feet from nose to tail, follow closely behind the females, they moved gently but purposefully. There was no aggression, in fact there seemed to be a form of etiquette in play as two or three males joined in the procession behind one female.

I couldn't help but wonder if the previous days encounter had been a case of mistaken identity; Could it have been that a male Basking Shark had taken a fancy to my kayak?.... another shiver went down my spine.

We watched this amazing spectacle for an hour or so before we were able to tear ourselves away and continue our exploration of the nearby coastline, we counted a further six individuals along the coast before returning to Penzance.

It goes without saying that we have reserved our seat for next years performance!

Close encounters in Cornwall

2010-06-20T14:26:00.031+01:00

We had given ourselves just four paddling days to find what we had come for, but in the end it would be they who would choose to find us....

The subject had been mulled over for some time and finally after considering our options we decided to go for it, agreeing that Cornwall would provide us with the best chance of success.

We based ourselves on the North coast, just outside Tintagel, figuring that the high cliffs would give us the panorama that we would need to spot them from the land.

So far we were in luck, following the normal contradictory forecasting it seemed that high pressure was really building and on our arrival we rushed to the cliffs to begin our search in earnest, but the sea had other ideas; With the haze, the chop and the white caps we were doing well if we could spot a small fishing boat, let alone something that was just 3' in height. As the sun began to set over a turbulent Atlantic we realised that we were going to have to revert to plan 'B'; so we went to the pub.

We planned to paddle the next day but we needed a clue as to where we should start, we chatted with locals, fishermen and even the lifeguards but comments such as "I've lived here for forty years and not seen even a glimpse of one" began to remind us that this really was going to be like searching for a very small pointy thing in a massive pile of dry grass.

The tides allowed for a later start and we used the early morning to scour the internet for any reports of our quarry but it was to no avail. Our remaining option was to shuffle the numerous laminated maps that we had prepared in advance and it was chance that declared our first paddle be from Trevone Bay, an idyllic beach located around the headland to the SW of Padstow Bay.

We headed out from the protected bay and as we rounded the headland we found what seemed to be another world, almost a land that time forgot, unseen by the gadding crowds. Bright white Gannets wheeled overhead before folding back their wings and plummeting headlong into the sea all around us. Razorbills criss crossing our path (at speed!), skimming the surface, somehow avoiding the breaking swell (and us) as rafts of Guillemots bobbed in the mayhem of the clapotis that rebounded from the cliffs. Scores of Kittewakes and Fulmars provided a spectacular aerial display as they soared on the updraughts, the latter occasionally choosing to settle on the sea close by, unphased by the swell that seemed to us to be as big as houses. All this accompanied by an incessant roar as the Atlantic met with cliff face and outcrops of shattered rock, the only sound to compete being the screaming of hundreds of sea birds. We continued to handrail the coast but saw no sign of the creature that we had come to see.

The next day we decided on a different plan, conceived in the pub the night before, we headed south to Mounts Bay where under the shadow (wind, that is) of St. Michaels Mount we met with some Dutch paddlers who had just paddled around Lands End from Sennen Cove and who gave us our first tip off; they had seen one as they left Sennen Cove this morning!

By the time we had reached Sennen Cove it was blowing a 'hoolie' and the only chance of launching was with the Penzance all weather Lifeboat! So we gave it a miss. Instead we headed for the cliffs but again were thwarted by the might of the Atlantic as it frothed and boiled below us, we stood in awe at the view; The sun dropping into an angry sea, the spectacular disused brick engine houses in the foreground clinging to the battered edges of the near vertical coast, a sight that adorns many a Cornish postcard and a reminder of a bygone era.

We would later realise that our trip to Sennen Cove had not been in vain as it was there that we had chatted with a walker who returned to this area at least twice a year for the last thirty years and who knew the coast as well as any local. We followed his 'hunch' and returned to the south coast the next day, this time to the breath takingly beautiful bay at Porthcurno, a few miles to the west of Mounts Bay. Our commitment to the cause could not be questioned as we struggled with our boats down several hundred yards of sandy path before reaching the winding steps that lead down to the deep sand at the top of a long and very inclined beach. Following a portage that had covered the best part of a mile we reached the gentle surf and were grateful for the cooling breeze, the sea and sand were the colour of those that adourn the expensive travel brochures.... we were 'gob smacked'.

Beauty yeilded to drama as we made our way out into the bay and rounded the obligatory headland where the sight (and sounds) of the Minac theatre perched high on the cliff above provided the most surreal of backdrops. The northerly wind strengthend as we left the shelter of the land and it licked its way around and over the headland although the sea was the calmest we had seen so far, just confused wavelets breaking against the rocks, so we chose to paddle close in.

Barbara was the first to see it, on her third attempt she managed to attract my attention, "it's behind you!" she shouted. I turned around and looked at her in bemusement, the look on her face worried me and I quickly looked across my other shoulder....

A shiver rushed down my spine at the sight of the three foot dorsal fin glistening in the sunlight, about 15 feet off my stern... it was closing fast, it's wake frothing and streaking in the wind... whatever it was, it meant business! Distracted by more movement about 15 feet to the rear of the fin, my eyes were compelled to follow the line of the massive glistening, grey streamlined body that had now broken the surface.... a second fin! This time it was thrashing side to side, again plumes of froth streaked in the wind, I closed my eyes and braced myself for the impact.

A second or two passed and I turned to look across my shoulder, the sea had returned to normal and 25 feet of shark had disappeared into the darkness below.... For now.

Wednesday Night Paddle 9th June, 2010

2010-06-10T20:50:00.011+01:00

As mid-summer's eve approaches and with the evenings getting lighter, the "Hard-core Wednesday Night Crew" decided it was time for a celebration and a trip to the pub was called for!

We met at Eastney and paddled for an easy hour on a rising tide to The Royal Oak at Langstone.
The middle of Langstone harbour was full of jumping fish and a beautiful area of calm right in the centre of the the busy Solent conurbation - the rush of traffic and hustle & bustle everyday life seemed far away.

We were joined by two new Wednesday evening recruits to the crew - Steve and David. Welcome on board boys and we hope to see you again!

Landfall at Langstone Mill

New recruits David & Steve, about to undergo their initiation Ceremony "Drinking of the Pint"

The motley Crew!

"Just the one, honest my lud"

Time to get the Greenland paddles out for the trip home.

Seriously, it was a lovely paddle and it would be great to see more members coming out on Wednesday nights, especially in the summer. They are short paddles, tailored to the standard of the attendees and are a great way to get some experience and meet other club members in an informal environment.

Netley to Stokes Bay - 6 June 2010

2010-06-07T16:52:00.005+01:00

This was a 20n.m. trip which felt like 30n.m.

The down ward leg was nice and easy with very little wind, even the sail boats were struggling to fill there sails.

Just after lunch as we got back on the water the wind came from side on, followed by a change in direction right into out faces, which left us with a monumental battle to get back.

Lets just say there is a few aching bodies today !!!

A double thumbs up from our trip leader.

Kimmeridge Bay to Durdle Door

2010-05-31T12:45:00.001+01:00

4 of us decided on the kimmerage paddle on bank holiday Monday, as I had also offered to do a trip to Symonds yat.

Allan Sturman, Clare Thurger, Sheila Villet & myself set off to a really calm sea, max wind speed 2mph & 0.5knot Tidal assistance. I think every other Sea Kayaker on the south coast had the same idea as us.

We made a brief stop at Lulworth cove where there was 100's of people lined all around the stoney beach. There was a small group of novice kayakers that set off from there in borrowed boats, to our amusement this one guy (15 stone Mr Mussel type) was showing off to his mates how strong & fast he could go took 4 strokes and promptly fell in, to which he started to scream "Help me" as he doggy paddled back to the shore. That was the only kayaking he did that day.

we set off again around the corner to have a play in Durdle door and stopped for lunch in St Oswald's Bay. The return leg was rockhopping all the way to Worbarrow Bay where we stopped for a quick visit to Tyneham village.

A really great day was had by all

Photos by Alan Sturman

Hill Head to Upper Hamble - Sunday 30th May

2010-05-30T21:56:00.014+01:00

With no club trip programmed this weekend, due to the Jersey Symposium, a couple of us opted not to battle with the Bank Holiday traffic and instead stayed local (to battle with a stiff Westerly, which seemed to veer NW as soon as we reached the Hamble).

We headed west from Hillhead with an F4 against us, it was a bit of a slog but an hour or so later we entered the Hamble and after dodging the procession of pleasure craft we paused at Hamble village for a coffee.

Continuing up river we found the strong Spring flow more than negated the wind that now whistled its way down river on its way to the Solent. Ignoring the chattering of the rigging we shot past the remaining yachts that were still tethered at their berths, their stable mates off to join the seemingly endless stampede to open water.

In contrast the Upper Hamble was a picture of serenity and despite the Jolly Sailor looking very inviting we resisted temptation and continued with the flow.

Timing our return with the ebb we cruised down river (though somehow we still had the wind against us) and once at the entrance we were suprised to find the mass exit still going strong.

With the Westerly now on our backs we found exhilaration in the strong following sea that pushed us back along the coast and also helped make this twenty miler feel a bit of a breeze.

Iconic Portsmouth

2010-05-27T19:03:00.021+01:00

Round Portsea Island - Saturday 22nd May 2010

Liz & Peter Bisset hosted three french paddlers over the weekend and on Saturday Peter led a trip around Portsea Island and it's iconic landmarks. It was a great opportunity to see historic & modern Portsmouth and introduce some local colour in the form of Rob McC, RichardB and Sprucey!

There will be blue Birds over, the White Cliffs of (Do7%r) Portsdown Hill!

The Gosport Foreshore - now all marinas and waterside flats.

As usual, the narrow harbour entrance was busier than the January sales!
Spinnaker Tower and the Lipstick

The Old harbour walls and the New Spinnaker tower

Yes, we got wine too - Haut Medoc, no less!

The Ferry Boat Inn, Hayling Island (even busier than Portsmouth harbour entrance - it was good our guests brought their own wine!)

City of Sails (and Kayaks)

UUmmm?? (You tell me ....anyone for Jacks?)

Mince alors, nous sommes allés en Angleterre et il n'a pas plu!

2010-05-25T21:28:00.014+01:00

Warmth, wall to wall sunshine, the slightest of breezes - Yes it's true (you didn't dream it) our summer has started!..... OK, perhaps it's best not to get too carried away, but it's true to say that for those of us that were lucky enough to join the trip from Lepe to Yarmouth last Sunday; we couldn't have wished for more perfect conditions.

Launching from the shingle beach in front of the beach Cafe at Lepe we made our way across the shallows to the deeper water at the mouth of the Beaulieu River before heading out into the haze of the Western Solent. We were accompanied by three like minded friends from across the Channel with whom Pete, Liz and some other members had spent the previous few days showing off the delights of our home patch (Could it be that they had brought the weather with them?).

The Solent gradually began to fill with a cacophony of fair weather pleasure craft and we wove our course through the melee, maintaining a respectful distance as we frolicked in the gentle wakes that rippled across the surface of an otherwise flat calm sea.

Before long we arrived at Yarmouth and finally settled for the beach in front of the Sailing Club, we sprawled ourselves and our 'gubbings' across the shingle. As we prepared our cuisine, right on cue, there appeared a French man with a bottle of Beaujolais!

With such a glorious day it seemed a shame to head back, so after lunch we extended our trip for a brief exploration of Newtown Creek, some of us feeling compelled to sampling the constituency of the local mud (a seemingly regular theme to PDCC trips of late).

2* Assessment - 23rd May 2010

2010-05-25T21:19:00.008+01:00

While the more experienced club members escorted our CK Mer French friends on the trip from Lepe to Yarmouth, three rookies took to the water in Langstone Harbour for their 2* Assessment. Under the watchful eye of Richard Glover and with the enthusiasm of (ex) Chairman Bill's demos, we worked hard in the morning to not get wet and then tried even harder in the afternoon to get un-wet!

Not many pictures - we were a bit busy!

Is this how you do it?

How about this?

Just watch the experts!

Many Thanks to Richard Glover and Bill for their confidence inspiring guidance and leadership on the day and also to Richard S for his coaching on the early season Monday night training sessions - they were invaluable.

Oh yes.................................we all passed! Phew!

Seaford Head to Eastbourne - 16 May 2010

2010-05-16T21:46:00.009+01:00

Quiberon week - notes

2010-05-14T13:16:00.026+01:00

Here are a few views of the campsite and area for the Club's week in Quiberon, taken 4 weeks ago in April.

5* view from a 2* campsite

South west view across the Baie de Quiberon.

The mermaid is still enticing us

The café just outside the campsite, now transformed into bar, brasserie and food to take away.

Warsash to Ashlett Creek (Part 2)

2010-05-10T00:05:00.003+01:00

Warsash to Ashlett Creek (and then some)

2010-05-09T22:32:00.012+01:00

The blue tugs that guard the entrance to Southampton Water provide an excellent point of reference for the short crossing from Warsash to Ashlett Creek.

Arriving with the tide ebbing fast there was little time to explore this scenic little estuary, (although some did try and paid the penalty....., lets just put it this way; they'll be hoping that Persil is as good as the adverts say it is).

We carried on, passing the large modern day monolith at Fawley, pausing now and then to play in the gentle wake of the larger vessels leaving Southampton Water. We rounded Calshott Castle where shortly after, we crossed an unusual buoyed area before realising that we had interupted the start of the local model club power boat race... errr... Sorry folks! (they weren't too happy - they had a tanoy and everything).

After hitching a lift on the Westbound tide we hauled out on a steep shingle beach in front of the multi coloured beach huts a mile or so to the West of Calshott (and just far enough that we lost sight of the shaking fists of the model club'ers).

After lunch we attempted to retrace our wakes to Calshot but were thwarted by the receding tide and the now exposed gravel bar, those with shiny fibreglass opting for the wider route before continuing en masse to the entrance of Southampton Water.

After waiting for the larger traffic to abate we crossed the entrance, our route interlaced with those of the numerous craft that busied themselves with their own agenda's.

A Barmy Bank Holiday

2010-05-04T22:04:00.005+01:00

All weekend a cold wind had whistled down the harbours as a procession of dark clouds continued their trundle across the Solent... just perfect for a camping trip to the Isle of Wight (must be Barmy!) or for the less adventurous maybe even a circumnavigation of Hayling Island!

At least all was calm, and comparatively Balmy in the Lee of the island.