Big Spring Paddle around the Isle of Wight

The Vernal Equinox is just over a week away so as a welcome to the near beginning of Spring I'm meeting up with Mark, Richard and Graham, for the second year on the run, to circumnavigate the Isle of Wight as some emerging spring pagan paddling ritual.

The forecast is set for low winds all weekend on the south coast of England, perfect paddling conditions are promised. It all starts with a three and a half hour car journey after work from Wales down to Keyhaven on the southern coast of Hampshire opposite the Isle of Wight, it's going to be a tiring weekend but well worth the effort I hope. Last year I had such a great paddle, (all be it battling into head winds and withstanding freezing conditions),  and was up for another test of endurance this time round. The general idea was that this big spring tide was going to help us get around this chalk mound a little on the quick side if the timings were right.

Kayak packing in the dark

Looking over the salt marshes to the Isle of Wight

Arriving at the get in at dusk, the mudflats and salt marsh of Keyhaven, I have to laugh with utter amusement as I pack the Cetus HV with a weekends worth of food, water and camping kit - it just disappears inside with no effort or puzzle packing.

The moon has not risen yet as we wait for the incoming tide to creep in over the mud flats. There are examples here of medieval salt workings, not that we can see any of them in the pitch black. We paddle out into the dark towards the spit and out through our first small tide race to cross over the Solant to The Needles. It takes about an hour to cross over and pass through them and then to head east along the south coast towards Freshwater.

Our progress is slowed right down now as we are paddling against the tide and there is a little bit of a swell running creating quite a bit of excited water caused by the waves reflecting off the vertical chalk cliffs meeting the on coming wave - clapotis. We bounce between the nodes and antinodes like bobbing corks. Eventually after 2hrs of slogging through and against this we arrive at Freshwater. Unloading and hauling the boats off the steep shelving pebbly beach we all trudge up with our gear to camp on top of the cliffs that over looks Freshwater Bay.

Quietly, except for that familiar metallic clink and chink of poles and pegs, we each put up our tents and crawl in. I'm really tired now, it's been non stop since 9am (yesterday) when I dropped the kids off for school, it's about two in the morning and I've just realised after getting into dry clothes and my sleeping bag that I've left my water in the kayak down at the foot of the cliff on the beach - I REALLY can't be bothered, and make do with a bag of crisps and finish off the hot soup in my flask before flaking out.

It's mid morning by the time I come around - and what a great day it promises to be!

Chill time - we wait for the tide to turn

Amazing what you can pack away in a sea kayak if you are careful!

After suitable refueling and some more snoozing it's time to get the kayaking kit on and load up for the day's/night's paddle. Time and tide waits for no man and all that.

Leaving Freshwater Bay

The last of the sun

The sun slips over the horizon as we approach the tide race off St Katherine's Lighthouse and we continue in darkness stopping off at Ventnor to stretch legs. The moon has not yet risen as we push on across Sandown Bay and rises as we approach Bembridge Harbour.

Newly risen moon looking back across the entrance to Bembridge Harbour

Nice little camp spot

After a fairly misty dawn and a lazy morning, we pack up and get ready to ride the tide home along the northern part of the coast.

We make good time with the tidal stream and about four and a half hours later we are turning in past the spit back to Keyhaven and close the circumnavigation circle. The final half hour is a slog against the rapidly draining marsh land to arrive back at our start point.

Total satisfaction.

Now all I need to do is load up and sit on my behind for a further 3 hrs or so and drive home!

Hurst Castle and lighthouse as we approach the gravel spit before entering Keyhaven

 Another great weekend paddling. Good company and a cracking challenge.

100km in 13.5 hrs of actual paddling of which 8 hrs were at night

Ramsey Circumnavigation - West Wales Day 2

It's Bank Holiday Monday, and a wonderful hot sunny day is promised. While we wait for the tides to come into alignment with out intended circumnavigation of Ramsey Island, Claire, Ian and I head off to the Blue Lagoon at Abereiddu. Claire and Ian swim around to the abandoned quarry, while I take the easy option and paddle around.

Ian takes to the water in the Blue Lagoon

The lagoon isn't quite the sun trap we had hoped for, with still quite a breeze blowing in.
This young chap seems to have found a little sheltered spot though.

Bank Holiday's are made for for lazing in the sunshine!

Returning to Porthsele to launch, Richard takes us around Saint John's point towards Ramsey Sound. The north going flow causes a big back eddy that starts near St Justinin, which we utilize to take us down to the southern most tip of the mainland. It is quite strange to be paddling easily with the back eddy going south and seeing the main flow moving rapidly north just a few feet away from you. Water flow is seriously on a grand scale here as the water flowing in from the Atlantic is constricted through the Sound as it begins filling St Georges Channel between Wales and Ireland.

At Pen Dal-aderyn we begin a ferry glide across the sound, losing ground rapidly and watching The Bitches getting closer as if sucking us in for a good tossing over. We make it of course over to the east side of Ramsey without incident.

Looking back across Ramsey Sound to the mainland

Here we explore the caves and arches and get followed by numerous seals. 

Approaching Ynys Cantwr and the Midland gap - this is our point of no return, as once entering the gap there there is no returning and we are committed to going up around the island's west coast. 

Continuing up along the west coast we get to explore various caves, cracks and play with a little bit of the swell.

South Bishop lighthouse - though not today's destination . . .

South Bishop lighthouse appears below the clouds

Looking out westward toward Grassholm on the horizon

It really was quite a mellow evenings paddle. The tide now taking us fairly swiftly north.

Rounding the northern tip of the island we continue paddling now against the tide using the back eddy to take us some way into the sound. This gained ground we've "banked" in order to lose as we cross over the main flow, heading back to the mainland.

Thanks to Richard for the "Introduction to Ramsey Sound Back Eddies - easy conveyor belt seakayaking".

Circumnavigation of Ramsey Island

The Butthole Surfers and Southern Comfort - Twll Dîn ar Ynys Echni

With the official opening of a public house on Flat Holm last week by the mayor of Cardiff, it seemed my duty to go check out the most southerly waterhole in Wales. The weather was looking good to go and after a ring around the usual suspects, Richard and I launch from Sully to head out to Flat Holm.

Sully Slipway - slap some of that cream on it's going to be hot!

After launching we quickly decided that it would be a shame not to utilise more of what great weather we had on offer today after such a terrible run of bad weather. With the forecast for increase in wind before easing off latter, we opted for a slight diversion around Steep Holm first to get a thirst up for the anticipated quenching pint. We changed our bearing and paddled out across the channel

Passing Flat Holm

Brean Down I think in the distance

Steep Holm on the horizon

After what seemed a quick hour and a quarter we arrive at Steep Holm. 

Approach to Steep Holm

The gulls are in residence, but neither of us take any direct hits from the stuka dropped guano as they let us know their concern of their newly hatched chicks. 

Screaming, sihtting, gulls

Rudder Rock at Steep Holm

We circumnavigate the island with a little explore around the small arch at the Rudder Rock before crossing over to Flat Holm.

Flat Holm lighthouse and the pub housed in the barracks to the left

A 40 minute jaunt we arrive at the southern tip of Flat Holm after crossing through the lively standing waves thing that goes on there, even managed a tiny bit of surfing.

Flat Holm lighthouse and WWII search light emplacement

An enlargement of the above clearly reveals a buried Victorian cannon
at the foot of the lighthouse, stripped naked of its mounting block

We land on the small pebbled beach south of the main landing area and walk up the track making a b-line for the barracks and the pub within.

Taking in the sights as we go.

Looking back to the Welsh capitol, Cardiff

Alleged Welsh comforters

Flat Holm lighthouse

Steep Holm from Flat Holm

Flat Holm Sanatorium - uniquely the only Victorian Isolation Hospital located on a British offshore island.
The last patient to die here, did so of bubonic plague in the C19.
Closed 1935.

We finally arrive at our goal, The Gull and Leek

Nice poster stuck on the wall behind the bar
where Sam  dispenses  the necessary refreshments

Richard supping on his reward

It didn't stay long in the glass

The tide has now turned, it's time to make our way back to the mainland. As we wander back to the beach we bump into Stuart, Jules and Taran who have come out to play in the sun.

Getting busy out here!

With the beginning of the ebb we leave the island to arrive back at Sully some 30 minutes later. There was no increase in wind as forecast to day, the sea state became glassy smooth and we cruised in to the Sailing Club at Sully passing al the sail boats limping along with lifeless sheets.

As I carry my boat up the slipway and look back to Flat Holm savouring that earned pint, the Ballad of Naked Man by the Butthole Surfers began playing in my ears again.

Crossing back to Sully

13Nm of island hopping fun

26/6/11