July 2007

I had a fantastic time in the Bristol Channel. Hampered by bad weather, we managed relatively little paddling, and I learned a lot.

- Sea kayaking is easy. You just avoid putting yourself in risky situations in the first place

- Seaguls are scary

- Tides are easy. They go one way, and then the other

- Sea paddlers generally conform to stereotypes

- Small village pubs occasionally have fights over Harry Potter

Day One - The Holms

We set off from Sand Bay, and pottered down to Steep Holm. The gate was locked, so we broke in, got caught, and had a cup of tea with our captors. Then we paddled to Flat Holm and were given a health and safety briefing in the bunk house. No one got scurvy.

Day Two - Failed Escape

We paddled back through a powerboat race, swapped some people about, and spectacularly failed to escape Weston Bay. We camped on Brean Down, hampered by the wind.

Day Three - Escape from Weston Bay

We eventually made it to Minehead in heavy wind and rain, by car. Weston bay is minging.

Day Four - Minehead to Porlock

We paddled against the wind for a couple of hours. The swell and tidal races made it a bit more exciting. We had a lovely evening in The Ship at Porlock Weir.

Day Five - Run Away!

With the bad weather continuing and showing no let up, we went home. Mark is still out there, holed up in his tent. Good luck!

On Saturday morning I put to sea, for my first ever sea kayaking adventure. I see no point in doing things by half, and so I’m gonna kick off my sea paddling career with a 5 or 6 day multiday trip. I’m no fool, I’ve looked into this sea paddling malarky, and it seems you need to do some planning.

Totally by chance 2 days of boating coincided with Saturday and Sunday.

The Mellte get off, in lovely hot sun

Saturday started far too early in South Wales with Cheesy and Rosie. The Nedd Fechan is very jolly, and caused much hilarity, a short video - Click

After that, with levels dropping off, and the sun coming out the Mellte called to us, more fun video here - Click

The dark woods, Gandalf not pictured.

Sunday was wet, very wet. The Upper dart was honking along nicely at lunch time, a bit much for our group, so we ran a few little run gems further up the valley. Word on the street is that you shouldn’t paddle them, because it will ruin the access “agreement” on the Upper. If there is a good level in them, they are excellent. Show some responsibility and paddle these rivers high.

A short piece from the East Dart - Click

Having cruised down the lovely East and West, the upper had almost reached a nice cruisy level, so a few of us carried on down. Frankly excellent. There is a short video from that, as yet un-up-loaded.

What a cracking weekend. Next weekend I’m putting to sea, weather permitting.

In between the rain, summer creeking, coaching kids, and sleeping, we have built a few new dirt jumps. They are most excellent fun, I’m sure if its ever dry we will ride them again.

According to Wikipedia “Sapele, Sapelli or Aboudikro (Entandrophragma cylindricum) is a large tree, up to 45 m high (rarely 60 m), native to tropical Africa.” I have just bought a nice coloured lump of one of them, hopefully soon it will be a lovely wooden squirt paddle.

My little brother left school today, which made me feel old. Bloody kids.

The Mellte in South Wales has been “discussed” a lot recently on UK Rivers Guidebook, so it seemed only right and proper to go and run it again. Unfortunately it wasn’t quite as high as last time, but it still wasn’t that scrapey, how people tolerate paddling it lower I have no idea. Anyway an all star cast of Me, Cheesy, Rosie C, Rob C, and Danny Y got on about 8pm, and got off an hour and a bit later, grinning like mad men(and woman). That makes 3 days in a row I’ve been paddling in decent flows, and its July! We often struggle to get that in winter. Enjoy this short feature presentation…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfkW8HnIfqA 

Its July, and I’ve just got in from some frankly excellent boating. First off some tasty ditch slide fun time on the Tawe in South Wales, which would have been really awesome if the gorge wasn’t just a big pile of tree mess.

Cap’n Morse on the Tawe.

Next up, the massivly hyped, uni group breaking Mellte, but with a difference, it had some water in it. Not loads, but enough to keep it all clean.

Me on the Mellte. Cracking shot by Si Morse.

Back to Brissle, and lured in by pizza and garlic bread, I was heartlessly tricked into going to an Avon Polo Club evening. Turns out polo is actually really good fun, providing you don’t take it too seriously!

The more astute of you will notice that the day was a bit old school, not only because Mike Moxon came along, but because I carelessly left my creek-boat in my other house. Hurley or Dartmoor tomorrow. Hurrah!