WW weekend

Here is a video from Richard H

Nab Off and Calshot On

Two separate trips this week. Spence & Sprucey's aborted attempt (due to fog - only 300m to 1nm maximum visibility) and the very windy Sunday paddle from Stokes Bay to Calshot.

On the beach at Bembridge- visibility getting better - do we stay or do we go? It was good watching the big fat heron in the background stalking the water's edge.

Bembridge - ready to start a Nav Ex on the way home

The amount of plastic floating on a tidal eddy was very sad. If we all picked up just one piece of plastic on every trip we went on and brought it home for safe disposal, the sea would be a much nicer place?

Sunday's trip from Stokes Bay to Calshot was wet, windy and bumpy. The wind on the return leg was up to 32knots at times. Of course (due to excellent planning by the trip leader!) we had wind and tide behind us both ways! It's not often that happens.

Calshot for lunch. It was bit too windy for photography on the way home!

New Club Double Kayak

The club have just purchased a new Rainbow Atlantis Double sea kayak to add to the fleet of club boats that members can rent.

We hope it will see a lot of use both on Monday night training sessions to help introduce new paddlers to the sport or as a tool to help demonstrate stroke work and technique.

I'm sure the more experienced members will be keen to practice their rolling skills.

It's also a good way for a less experienced or less strong paddler to join in some longer and more technical trips.

Apologies for the poor quality pictures - it was only delivered yesterday and, as you can see, is still wrapped in it's protective wrapping but we wanted to announce the news as soon as we could.

A perfect day off Portsmouth

Once again a good briefing is vital but what is hiding under that hat? Sandwiches? Trip Leader's EPIRB? Rubber Duck to diffuse any potential aggresive contacts bewteen paddlers?

Final adjustments before the "off"

Smiles in the sun all round

On parade at South Parade Pier

A neat tidy line in the sun at lunchtime

A Trax folding boat joined the fleet -adjustable rocker and adjustable sideways bow curve in place of a skeg, all controlled from the cockpit without taking off the spray deck. Jim took it home on the back seat of the car!

A few clouds appeared for the return trip - have a word with the Trip Leader, will you!

The tow line (nicely slack here!) came out to assist some for the return against a strong Langstone ebb tide. Others elected to land at the base of the pier and portage the last 300metres.

A great paddle, thank you Andrew but we still don't know what was under your hat?!