Swanage Weekend

Despite the poor weather forecast, 14(+1) hardy souls arrived at Woodyhyde Campsite just outside Corfe Castle on Friday evening and Saturday morning this weekend. The forecast of SW – WSW F4-5 was spot on and Saturday saw a dry day with plenty of afternoon sunshine through the gaps in the clouds.

We tackled a simple but interesting (due to the wind) paddle from Knoll car park, Studland and into Poole Harbour circumnavigating Brownsea Island. It was tough paddle with a consistent 18-20knots of wind accelerating through the gaps between islands to 25-28knots on the nose. It was hard work for most of the group and we abandoned our intended lunch stop at Shipstal Point on the Arne peninsular and went ashore at Pottery Pier on Brownsea Island instead.

Lunch saw one of the rarer kayaking injuries one is ever likely to encounter. One unlucky paddler received a 4” slice to his right cheek care of an irate Peacock who wasn’t getting as much of the paddler’s lunch as he would like! It was potentially a very serious injury but the group’s first aid skills handled it well. All that was required at hospital later was a tetanus jab. Well done team!

An enjoyable surf down the back of Brownsea was followed by another slog into the wind back to Studland but the sun stayed out and we were back at the campsite in time for a an evening swapping tall sea stories around the braii.