South West Sea Kayak Meet - Day 1 12/06/2009

Leaving Cardiff on a sunny Friday morning Eurion and myself had high hopes for our weekend in South Devon organised by Mark following the success of last year's launch of his South West Sea Kayaking book.

The further we drove south though the worse the weather got and on arrival at the campsite at East Prawle visibility was down to about 100 yards and it was raining, marvellous!



After sitting in the landrover for a while we decided to brave the elements and pitch the tents with Eurion finding another use for his split paddle, to clear the grass of animal excrement, we think sheep, though bears and even werewolves were mentioned!


After pitching the tents we decided to drive towards Dartmouth and try and find somewhere with less fog to paddle from.



At Torcross we stopped at the Sherman Tank Memorial dedicated to the 946 men who lost their lives during Exercise Tiger in April 1944 training for the D Day landings.

It was in the early morning of 28th April that a convoy of 8 LSTs (Landing Ship Tanks -slow flat bottomed 4500 ton assault ships capable of carrying several hundred men, lorries and tanks) were attacked by 9 German E Boats (fast moving torpedo boats).

LST 507 was torpedoed and burst into flames sinking in about 45 minutes, LST 531 was hit by 2 torpedoes and sank in 6 minutes and LST 289 was also torpedoed but managed to make it to shore.



More men lost their lives during the exercise than did on the actual landing on Utah Beach on 6th June 1944 and it was not until almost 40 years later that the full details of the incident were made public due much to the efforts of Ken Small who found and raised the Sherman Tank 3/4 of a mile out at sea in 1984.


A very poignant reminder especially as last weekend was the 65th anniversary of the D Day landing!



Driving on further we reached Blackpool which was nowhere near as commercialised as it's Northern namesake. It was here that John Hawley and his army of local peasants defeated a 2000 strong force of well armed French knights at the Battle of Blackpool Sands in 1404.

It was good to finally get on the water and with the fog lifting and then coming back down we set off in the direction of Dartmouth.

Reaching Dartmouth we paddle past Dartmouth Castle built in the 1400's to prevent marauding Frenchies from entering the harbour.

Just around the corner we are greeted by Miranda the Mermaid sat on a wall just above the high water mark.

We paddle about a mile up the River Dart and then head back down river to Kingswear Castle and then back across the entrance to Dartmouth.

Just before Compass Cove we paddle under a small footbridge through a narrow inlet into a cave which Eurion explored.

Approaching Meg Rocks we spot what looks like a cross on the cliffs. Paddling in it is a memorial to somone but we can't get close enought to read it and as yet I've had no joy in finding out anymore info on it, if anyone can shed any light on it I would be very grateful.

We are soon back at a deserted Blackpool Sands where hopefully the fog is starting to lift.

A short paddle of nearly 7 nautical miles but at least we managed a paddle and were able to see some of the sights through the mist.

It is now back to East Prawle and sample the delights of the Pig's Nose Inn.

Ramsey Island 31/05/2009

Waking to another glorious day with flat calm sea, very little wind and the tides just right for a trip around Ramsey Island, Martyn didn't need to be asked twice!


We were on the water just before 11am with the idea to get across to Ramsey before the north flowing flood tide started to gain too much speed and then use it to our advantage on the west side of the island.
Rounding Penrhyn Dalar we had a little adverse tide but nothing to worry about. The water by here is a good gauge to see how things will be later on.

We paddle through Ramsey Sound a couple of hundred yards from the main flow aided by a south flowing countereddy.

Reaching Pen Dal-aderyn we break into the main flow and are immediately turned 90 degrees and taken back down to the Bitches. It is now a matter of a bit of hard paddling to ferry glide across the current and into the calmer waters near the island.

We now have a leisurely paddle up to Penrhyn Twll with its small arch that we paddle through and then hit a small bit of adverse tide.

Passing the high cliffs at Foel Fawr we stop to look at the Razorbills on their precarious nests on tiny rocky ledges.

Twll y Dillyn or the Devil's Hole is very calm today although we still whizz through there at a fair rate of knots.

Rounding Trwynmynachdy we paddle into Porth Lleuog the steep pebbled beach which is a popular pupping beach and stop for a drink and a snack, watched closely by a group of about 5 or 6 bull seals.

Paddling past the high sea cliffs leading up to Abermawr, which I think are some of the highest in Wales, we are followed by a few of the bulls making sure we are well aware of their presence by splashing and snorting as we paddle in front of them.

We then hit a bit of rough water on the headlands but it cools us down nicely, it's going to be a another scorcher.

Paddling across Abermawr we enter one of the large caves at the headland of Trwyn-drain-du. The cave has a main entrance and then a smaller tunnel that bypasses the headland.

Heading eastward along the north coast of Ramsey up to the NE corner of the island where, although Ramsey Sound looks flat clam, the tide is running pretty fast.

Using a south flowing counter eddy we paddle southward until we break into the main northerly flow.

It is then a leisurely ferry glide across to the mainland at St John's Point and back to Porthsele passing Sian who has caught the Pencarnan fishing bug!

A great paddle of nearly 8 nautical miles (just over 9 miles or nearly 15 kms) with the tide perfect all the way around.