Porlock Weir and the Jolly Green Giant

With Paul licking his wounds after his unfortunate accident he was feeling really down and quite gutted at having to miss out on his planned training in Anglesey this weekend. This was to have been followed by his four star assessment the following weekend. Couldn't have happened at a worse time for him. :(

I was eager to get out on the water with the Jolly Green Giant and get some familiarising miles under my belt. The weather looked good for both Saturday and Sunday and I really wanted to take advantage of it with an overnight trip of some sort. Stuart had been in contact to ask if I'd like to go with him and Taran to Flatholm - I'd love to normally but really wanted something to get my teeth into and with a gift of two days low wind I asked if he'd prefer to join me for a challenging journey over the Bristol Channel to Porlock Weir, camp the night and return on Sunday. Besides we could all have a lie in Saturday morning and start later in the afternoon than his Holm trip and be back by lunch on Sunday. All sounded good.

So the three of us met up at for a 1330 launch at St Donat's.

Stuart and Taran preparing to leave the green green grass of home

After loading up all the gear for an overnight trip, (the Cetus HV can only be described as cavernous as it swallowed up all the gear without effort), we set off towards England. Couldn’t see it mind you, it was “over there” beyond the mist. There is something quite special about staring off on a crossing when you can’t see the other side, anticipation of where you will actually end up and the satisfaction when your navigation works out.

Once you start on a crossing like this, there is not much sight seeing. We don’t talk much as we get our heads down and into the paddling zone. We do get to see a group of three gannets fly over, which we thought was a bit early for them.

Stuart approaching Porlock Weir

Taran following up behind as we approach the dried out Porlock Weir

3hrs 15 mins later we are landing our boats at Porlock Weir. My God it’s cold on the hands when we stop!

It's a long tiring carry after paddling all this way!

It’s a cruel horrible carry up the beach that seems to go on for ever . . . and it’s getting cold as the sun has lost all it’s heat and is heading past the horizon. Porlock Weir being on the North of the Somerset coast doesn’t get direct sunshine as it’s tucked in behind the Exmoor plateaux so it’s not surprising that the grass still has a little bit of frost on it when we start to set up our tents for the night.

The top of the beach at Porlock Weir

Setting up camp near the pub for refreshments

Changing swiftly out of sweaty paddling gear to stop the rapid onset of cold that’s occurring, we retreat into our tents to stuff warm food in our stomachs. After an appropriate amount of chill out time the call of the public house is heard and we head over to sit in front of the log fire and warm our cockles while enjoying a pint of ale.

Taran and Stuart warming up by the fire

It doesn’t take long for me to start nodding off, so I decide to head over to get my head down for some kip – to be woken around midnight by a massive bang and a whole load of fireworks being let off. It was the wedding party at the hotel enjoying a finale to their days celebrations. And what a cracking calm and clear night it was too!

Up at the crack of dawn to catch the tide right for our return – not so far to portage he boats thank goodness.

Getting the boats to the water in the morning to launch isn't quite the arduous that getting them out was

Stuart heading out of Porlock Bay

Taran and Stuart heading home to Wales

Progress across is as on the first leg, except that the wind picks up slightly to provide a few white horses. In the distance we spot what looks like a couple of mast, but as we draw closer the top signs of cardinal buoys are made out. Well I hadn’t known these were here! Just goes to show that we need to continually check up for updates of our charts. There are updates posted on the Admiralty web site for each chart that they produce so you can pencil in new buoys. I’ve since found out that the position of a new wreck had been found and four cardinals had been set up to mark it’s position. Two of them have subsequently been removed. I logged their coordinates to transfer onto my chart later.

Didn't notice this one before

With a force 4 cross wind and semi loaded boat it was really quite a pleasant surprise to find out something regarding the skeg on the Cetus HV. My normal application of skeg in this situation is full on with the Cappella, but hey what’s this, the HV was lee cocking! I had to double and triple check this!! It certainly was, in fact I had to back the skeg right off to about 1/3 its travel (4 clicks out of 12). Another thing about the skeg control is that it is ultra ultra light, but I’ll touch on that sometime when I go over the boat in another post.

We arrive back at St Donat’s after another 3hrs 15mins doing the reverse crossing. We had to work hard though to get back in to the shelter of the bay and not overshoot into Nash Sound as the tide was starting to really rip as we approached the Welsh coast. But we got there.

Taran Taran Tarra Easy Peasy - Taran arrives back home -

Just over 26Nm in 6.5 hours across a spring tide

Have a read of both Stuart and Taran's take on the trip. It seems they both enjoyed it. I certainly did.

Jolly Green Giant

Find out more about the Jolly Green Giant for the UK Circumnavigation Expedition.

P&H Cetus HV

Man Flue - kill or cure

Suffering from the tail end of a second bout of some lurgy I wasn't too sure if it was a wise move to partake in exercise. However, as the aches had gone away, I couldn't resist getting some fresh air in to my spluttering cough heaving air pipes when Stuart invited me to join him  Taran, Jules and Andy on a short trip along the coast starting from Llantwit Major.

Time and Tide wait for Andy:)

We convened at the beach to get on the water with an hour left of good tide before the flood began, unfortunately by the time Andy had extracted himself from the frozen depths of the valleys we were left with only half an hour before the tide turned. We'd have to get a pace on to have a chance of rounding Nash Point before it became futile. There would be a short hard paddle to get us past Nash and in to the slacker water that would enable us to make progress against the flow towards Southerndown.

Looking west from Llantwit Major beach toward Nash Point

The sun was out, low winds and calm waters - game on for a workout - heads down to Nash.

Stuart passing St Donat's

Taran landing just past Nash Point for a refuel and recharge after battling against the flow

Paul approaches Cwm Nash

Traeth Mawr and Traeth Bach

Taran enjoying playing on some of the breaking waves on the ledges

Yeeee haaaa! We have lift-off

The Heritage Coast

Rounding Witches Point and into Dunraven Bay, there is quite a bit of nice surf to play with.

Taran and Jules' sedate arrival at Southerndown with Stuart and Andy waiting for a big set out back!

Andy (left) and Stuart ride the same wave in

Big smiles :)!

Time for a coffee and sandwich

We all land for a short break to drink warm drinks and eat some grub. Then it's back out through the surf to ride the tide back to Llantwit Major.

Thanks for the invite Stuart, really enjoyed the paddle, was good to meet up with some of the expanding local sea kayaking community.

Great Day out - definitely a cure!

Cockney-shell Heroes on the Thames Tideway

Taffy visits London

A reciprocated visit to paddle on Paul's patch is duly accepted. Streets, or rather waterways, of London here I come.

Friday night is curry night and a fine prerequisite to a full days paddling.

The weekend dawn is just breaking as we arrive ready to get on the water at Chiswick. It's quite a chilly morning, actually really cold. We have to be careful not to slip on the pontoon at the put in due to the thin layer of white powdered frost. It's so cold that while boats and kit are being sorted I have to stand in my boat to keep my toes from freezing.

The Motley Crew: David Mattingley, Roger Wiltshire, Jen Clough, Paul Lazenby-Barrett, Carlo Briffa, Jason Cole and Jason Paul Tolmie.

Roger getting set on a chilly January morning

The early morning Thames scene is quite enchanting. A beautiful wispy mist rises off the water, and through it the appearance of other rowers that have got on the water well before us. Dedicated nutters!

Dawn Raid at the break of dawn on the misty and enchanting Thames Tideway

I have to admit to being quite excited when I starting to see the famous sights of London from the water. Like the first trip to London as a kid, I remember then being vaguely in awe at the busy-ness and magnitude of the place. The low morning winter light was amazing on the historic monuments and tourist spots.

The Tideway isn't a docile little river paddle by any means, definitely need to keep your whits about you. It's a very busy waterway with ferries buzzing about throwing up small but beautifully barrelling surf waves on some of the sloping banks, and various static obstacles to be aware of. The tide doesn't hang about and produces some locations where there is a little lively water.

Musically iconic grade II listed power station at Battersea

Battersea power station - - over 500MW of power generated from the two coal fired stations, Battersea A and B what an Animal!. Designed by the same industrial designer and architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott,  who designed the iconic red telephone box.

London metropolis - Westminster Bridge

A few heads have nodded off here. Hear! Hear! - Houses of Parliament otherwise known as Westminster Palace

The Golden Hind - 1577-1580 circumnavigated the globe under the captaincy of Sir Francis Drake

Don't see this from the gold paved streets above

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast and a group of Cockneyshell Heros

Here-on  on the Thames

The Millennium Dome

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and finished 1710

Must have cringed to think his design was so close to the Millennium or "Wobbly" Bridge.

St Paul's cathedral

You are being watched -The London Eye

Vauxhall Bridge detail

A few heads have rolled here - The Tower of London

Anybody having the opportunity to paddle the Thames Tideway should grab it with both hands as at least for the first time you do it it is truely

There's some folks who always worry, and some folks who never care,
But in this world of rush and hurry it matters neither here nor there.
Be steady and realistic, don't hanker for gold or gems,
Be carefree and optimistic, like Old Father Thames.

High in the hills, down in the dales, happy and fancy free,
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down to the mighty sea.
What does he know, what does he care? nothing for you or me,
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down to the mighty sea.

He never seems to worry, doesn't care for Fortunes fame,
He never seems to hurry, but he gets there just the same.
Kingdoms may come, Kingdoms may go, whatever the end may be,
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down to the mighty sea.

High in the hills, down in the dales, happy and fancy free,
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down to the mighty sea.
What does he know, what does he care? nothing for you or me,
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down to the mighty sea.

He never seems to worry, doesn't care for Fortunes fame,
He never seems to hurry, but he gets there just the same.
Kingdoms may come, Kingdoms may go, whatever the end may be,
Old Father Thames keeps rolling along, down to the mighty sea.

 Raymond Wallace and Betsy O'Hogan

Nearly 53km paddling on The Thames Tideway- a grand day out!

Chasing Rainbows

Taking the Cetus out for the first paddle of the year.

No gold found though

Raynard's Cave at Tresillian Bay on the Bristol Channel

Cockney Visitation

Paul comes down to South Wales for a spot of chilly post Christmas paddling in the surf at Porthcawl. More about it here.

At least we got out for a few hours - didn't go far, just played in the surf

Loaned Cetus from P and H

P and H have kindly sponsored both Paul and myself for the circumnavigation of Britain. While they build my boat they have kindly provided me with a demo Cetus to start paddling with. The boat they are building will be the new Cetus HV, slightly different to the original Cetus, but that's for another time.

Some more pics here.

Playing in the soup with the Cetus

very refreshing!

Paddling Challenge

It's been a little manic to say the very least over the last few months and as such the blog has taken a bit of a back seat. I've committed to partake in an exciting adventure with a gent who was looking for a partner to circumnavigate the UK by sea kayak.

One thing has let to another and I'm now trying to play catch up. The trip is due to begin in April 2012 so getting hold of a boat and various kit has taken a high priority, and various other logistical aspects are competing for attention. The tick list is long and nowhere near finished - the list that is - not the ticking off of the items on it!

In an attempt to move into some form of mobile blogging arrangement I've chosen to move to wordpress, so have been setting up a website for the circumnavigation expedition.

The story kind of starts here. I hope you enjoy the ride - it's starting to build momentum and take on a life of it's own.
 
www.kayakaroundtheuk.co.uk