Yorkshire Coast Paddle 2010 - in Aid of the RNLI

On the morning of Friday the 27th of August Dave and myself set out from Skiningrove on the 90km paddle down the coast to South Landing Flamborough. The following three days paddling were some of the most demanding the team had done. It was the first time for both Dave and myself to use the kayaks for expedition. the whole idea of packing a sea boat for three days paddling did have its headaches for the inexperienced like us.







The forecast was always going to be rather borderline and we launched apprehensively from Skiningrove into breaking waves.



Heading down towards Staithes the large northerly swell was very much evident. We met up with the rest of the group coming out of Staithes. Nicky, Angela, John and Martin. As a group we made our way towards Whitby.







Into the harbour for lunch, poor Nicky, more at home in open boats, wasn't very comfortable on the swells and called it a day. Really good effort though.

Martin and Dave publicised our quest.



Then out through the harbour and on our way to Robin Hoods Bay were we made camp for the night.







Day 2 started with a nice cooked breakfast before we packed up & headed off at 09:00 leaving the sleepy hollow in pristine condition, the swell had subsided a lot overnight and we had a little play in the surf over the steel before we headed south again

The wind was a fresh westerly and despite the fact we were paddling against the tide we made good progress, we still had the problem of getting ashore so we just got a nice rhythm going and by lunchtime we were into Jacksons Bay.



Back on the water and the weather was getting worse now with squally showers and a fresh westerly pushing us on, which makes keeping a straight course a bit difficult.Fortunately we picked up the strengthening flood tide off Casty & were soon riding the jetstream down to the Brigg. We were still a bit unsure were we could spend the night, so we visited Barry at the cobble landing were he kindly bought us coffee & supplied replenishments to our beer cabinet.



We also took the opportunity to have a look at the weather forcast, it was pretty obvious that sunday was going to be a nasty day to be afloat. We reasoned that we would either have to end it here or get as near to Bempton as possible and then get an early start to get around the head before the worst weather arrived. -Plan B it is then.

The wind was already fresh & another hour got us to the beach between Rieghton Sands & Speeton, we found a nice quiet little spot & set up camp. A little more than 40km today, so a few aches, but not too bad really. Off the water and camp sorted.





Tents erected on the cliffs...





And what a view out of the tent door...



And a chill out with a beer, good food and a great bonfire.







Sunday morning and with a gale force 9 imminent it was necessary to get on the water for 5.30am and shoot down towards Flamborough Head. This last section was the most challenging yet, evil gusting winds, choppy unpredicatable swells and then a force 7 in our faces as we rounded the head, it was never going to be easy.









Finally at 9am Sunday we reached our destination, South Landing, Flamborough. Exhausted and tired we simply fell out of the boats and dragged them up the slip. The RNLI gave us a warm welcome and hot coffee.





An amazing if rather challenging few days, expeditioning really does get under your skin and I think we are all keen to get out there and do something again soon.

Importantly we collectively have raised over a £1000 for the RNLI, a brilliant achievement.



90Kms covered, two days on......and I'm missing being out on the kayak.
Thanks for reading.

Brigg Blast with Neil

Good friend Neil came down from Coldstream to collect a boat here in Hull and so it was too good an opportunity to miss, the seas were up and there was only one place to go play - Filey Brigg.

He had just puchased a new P&H Delphin from Wet & Wild, a boat perfect for playing around in rough seas, the Brigg should be a great test.







The mixed up seas were very difficult to predict making it quite challenging, there was a very large underlying northerly swell present too.













Enough of this tom foolery and it was across the bay to play on the surf beach.













A lovely day with a very good friend. And did Neil like the new boat? He certainly did, nearly as much as I enjoyed him purchasing it ;-)

Fundraising for RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Fundraising for RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Independant paddlers, Scarborough Canoe Club and staff from East Barnby Outdoor Centre are paddling the full Yorkshire Coast, a distance of over 90 km from Saltburn to South Landing in aid of the RNLI. Do please give just a little at the above link if you can.



Thank You so much.

The Eddystone Challenge 2010

The Eddystone Challenge, organised by the Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club, is a race from Plymouth to the Eddystone Lighthouse in the Western Approaches of the English Channel and back - a distance of 40 kilometres in open sea.
The race is open to any rowing boat, eg Quad sculls, Sweep oars, Celtic Longboats, Cornish Gigs and Canoes etc.

The event is a tough mental and physical challenge. The winning time is dependent on the weather, it has taken just under six and a half hours in force six conditions, and under four hours in force one. The event only has one rule, and that is to follow the safety instructions at all times.

Two years ago, after a disasterious day in force 7 winds and spring tides up the Tamar, I swore I would not attempt this challenge again, Saturday saw me back at the Mayflower Club and on the start line at the Mount Batten Pier.



With a force 4 forecast  the main event to the lighthouse was on. The trip out was good and quick, the northerly wind had everyone surfing around the Eddystone rocks in record time, the journey back was a different story.


Battling against strong head winds, frequent squalls and the odd storm thrown in it was never going to be easy. Many dropped out but a few kept going. You could see the storms coming over Plymouth as the town dissapeared into a grey blur, then moments later we would be trapped in great big squalls and thundering rain and all you could do was paddle for support and at least keep upright..

I'm so pleased to be able to say that with a combination of a bit of training, good planning and a little bit of nutritional and dietry guidance, I actually finished the event this year in just over 6 hours. It really is a grind, the Plymouth breakwater never comes into view and when it does it never seems to get any closer. I don't think I will be in a rush to do it again.

A really big well done to John Willacy who is breaking records left, right and centre, another first place for him in the Rockpool Taran - a paddler who is at the top of his game in a most amazing boat, what a combination. Well done to Mick too making it a 1st and 2nd for 'Team Taran'.



Results here:

http://www.mayfloweroffshorerowingclub.co.uk/eddystone/eddystone2010results.html

Flamborough Revisited & A Few Bass

Met up with paddling friend Dave at South Landing, also coming along for the first time bass fishing was Geoff, a KKC coach and keen sea paddler.

Conditions were not ideal with a strong SW wind but it didn't deter the lads form bagging a few fish, heres Geoff with his first ever sea bass.



Then Dave goes one better and catches a fantastic fish just short of 6lb.



Up on the scarrs for lunch and Geoff is well pleased with himself



It was a wonderful afternoon and one of the biggest ebbs of the year so I spent much time messing about around the scarrs and caves.





A lovely nice relaxed afternoon afloat, so made up that Geoff got among a few fish, mission accomplished.