Category: Trip Reports Page 30 of 77

Team P&H have been on the road again making the long haul from Runcorn to Southampton. This inaugural event was hosted by the Woodmill Canoe Shop at the adjacent Woodmill Outdoor Activities Centre. The venue is situated on the banks of the River Itchen where it meets tidal waters in the Southampton suburb of Swaythling. The weekend workshops included: first aid, navigation, VHF radio, rough water handling and guided trips. The ‘paddle to the pub’ was by far the most popular of the guided trips on offer.

Saturday evening brought an opportunity to borrow a short boat from the canoe shop and try a few moves in the play spot of the Itchen Weir. The traditional slide show preceded an excellent barbecue. Generous portions of meat and bread were used to stem the flow of alcohol to our senses. Later, desert was cooked over a huge bonfire. Seered marshmallows and spiced rum… Yum!

The highlight of the paddling was the trip around The Needles at the western end of the Isle of Wight. Dodging the ships in The Solent, rounding the mighty chalk stacks and riding the tide races in brilliant sunshine. This may seem like a simple recipe, but these ingredients work every time!

The event was really well organised by the staff from the shop and outdoor centre who are a really friendly and helpful bunch. It is worth keeping an eye on next years calender as the organisers hope to make this an annual event.

Over the last Bank Holiday weekend the P&H team met up with around 80 other sea kayaking enthusiasts at the outdoor centre known as ‘Stackpole for Outdoor Learning’. The centre is set in beautiful grounds, just back from the coast in the rolling south Pembrokeshire countryside in south Wales.

The emphasis of the weekend was on ‘Paddling Lightly’, or in other words; enjoying our sport with the minimum impact upon, and with the greatest respect for our wild and beautiful marine environment. The modern sport of kayaking can involve heavy use of motor vehicles. But last weekend’s events showed that with careful planning impact upon narrow lanes, small car parks and the wider environment can be minimised.

The events on the water were largely organised by Pembrokeshire’s collective ‘Sea Kayak Guides’. The staff at ‘Stackpole for Outdoor Learning’ were amazing too. Louise Smithson and the rest of her team were extremely efficient, especially when it came to meal times when great food was turned out in plentiful dish loads.

Peak UK and P&H Custom Sea Kayaks were out in force to support the event and brought kit and boats to try & buy, a splash of colour and a bouncy dog called Georgie!

On the Saturday the blustery weather kept the paddlers in sheltered waters of the Cleddau and other sheltered shores. In the evening we were kept well informed by a local wildlife expert and local sea kayak guide Nigel Robinson. Afterwards the adventurous Olly Sanders recounted tales of how he clung to walls, paddled amongst icebergs, caused an explosion in a hunting cabin and watched helplessly as his compatriots were kidnapped by murderers.

The stories grew taller and taller and and we drank late into the night …

On Sunday a more adventurous group went to circumnavigate the exposed island nature reserve of Skomer. The tides here proved as entertaining and tricky as a bucking bronco. Circumnavigating the monks haven of Caldey Island, or traversing the rugged coastline between Solva and Porth Clais was quite enough for mere mortals in the chunky rolling swells of the day.

The evening started with a sumptuous barbecue before descending into a musical furore instigated by a local ceilidh band.

Bank Holiday Monday was more sedate. A few more gentle palling trips before tea and cakes and home to reality. Ho hum…

There are more photos from the weekend on the festival Facebook page.

Well I just finished my solo trip from Key Largo to Key West and I feel great.

Day 1: 9 hours – 26 miles
Launched from John PenneKamp State Park and was on the water by 10:00. Grey day with big storms brewing out over the Atlantic. I had a bout a 2.5 foot chop most of the ride and was staying cool due to the weather. Stopped in Tavernier Key to have lunch at a marina there and was welcomed by a huge manatee under my boat.

Fought the 6knt channel back out to the ocean and pressed on. I hadn’t paddled in at least a week and had not done a 20 miles paddle in over a month. I was feeling a little tired by the 20 miles point. Finding a camping spot in the upper keys is more difficult than the lower. Could not wait to find a non Mangrove island. Reached Indian Key around 7:00 and was thrilled to be there. I set up camp and spent the night.

Day 2 :11 hours – 31 miles
Woke up around 6:30 and explored the Island a little. Old cisterns, cottage remains and a watch tower were spread out across the island.

Path roadways connected the whole thing a made a very cool experience. Got on the water by 8:00 and headed for Marathon over 30 miles away. Headed off and stopped to take a lunch at Lower Matecumbe Harbor. Had my first of a series of medium crossings.

Took off for a 4.5 miles crossing from Lower Matecumbe Key to the outside tip of Long Key. The wind and chop were in my face and continued that way for the first 3/4 of the day. Crossed pass Duck Key, Curry Hammock State Park and finally did one more long crossing from Key Colony Beach to Vaca Key where I followed Sister Creek into Boot Key Harbor. I met up with Mike, Nancy and Randy from Burdine’s Marina for a wonderful meal and nights stay in preparation for the 7 mile bridge the next morning. I had seen over a dozen shark by the end of the day 🙂

Day 3: 10 hours – 40 miles
Got up around 6:30 and a had a quick breakfast and shower and said goodbye to my most hospitable hosts at Burdine’s.

Once about 20 minutes out in to the Seven Mile Bridge crossing the wind and swell picked up nicely. Foretasted 25knt winds from the E, SE were spot on and I had a rocketing 3.5-4′ swell following me almost right behind me. An ear to ear grin came upon me as I surfed the Cetus LV like a mad man for the rest of the day. Crossing took 1hr and 20min to complete and I was on my way headed towards the beautiful Bahia Honda State Park.

Took a 30 minute swim and consulted the charts thinking, did I really do that crossing that fast. The Cetus surfs like none other. Here the trip really started to get good. Took off again and stopped before my last big crossing of the trip. Ate a snack at Big Munis Island where there is a private resort reachable only by boat (kayaks anyone) and marveled at its beauty.

Got back out a mile and a half to catch the wind and swell again and surfed the 8.5 miles crossing from Munis to Sugerloaf Key where I planned to camp. Google maps had shown an almost empty large beach called Sugerloaf beach and looked very inviting. As I surfed with fury across I almost missed the beach due to it not looking anything like I thought it would! Houses all over the place and all private. The only houses that were not occupied were the hurricane ravaged ones on the west side.

Noticing 2′ plus iguanas all over the place I though better of camping there and decided to press on past the 34 miles I had already gone. A strong day of surf assisted paddling left me feeling still pretty energetic. Pressed on to Geiger Key where I took out unhappy of all the rest stops I carelessly took after noticing the great time I was making. Had I not I would have made Key West on the 3rd day!

Day 4: 1.5 hours – 6 miles
Got back on the water to complete my journey at 8:30 and paddled my last 6 miles to Smather’s Beach on Key West by 9:50.

At this point 6 miles felt like not even getting in the boat. As I pulled up on the beach and got out in wait of my ride home to Naples I marveled at my first solo trip and how luck I was to have the boat that I do.

P&H was well represented at ECCKF by the team from Asheville, and team paddlers: Ben Lawry, Bryan Smith, Russell Farrow, Donna & Don Thompson, and Tom Nickels. And, Karen Knight was there with a team logo on her spiffy new Cetus LV.

Some Blue Angels in a tight bank.

Here are 4 of the 6 Blue Angels. throughout the weekend we were treated (?) to the sounds of acrobatic jet aircraft. Once in a while we even saw them.

Karen Knight

Here is Karen Knight putting her new Cetus LV into a spin.

Team members spent many hours teach on-the-water classes, doing skill demos, and giving lectures in tents or classrooms.

On the left is a typical tent session. This one is What’s the right paddle for you?

On the right: Donna & Don taking a break after teaching .

Team paddlers spent many hours teaching on-the-water classes, giving demos, and giving lectures.

Brightly colored canapies, tents, and kayaks surround the lake at ECCKF.

Throughout the weekend we were treated to the sounds of the Blue Angels. Once in a while we even saw them.