Paddling for Pudsey
Steve Williams' expedition to kayak around the coastline of Britain and Ireland started on the 2nd of April 2006 and will raise money for Children In Need.Friday, June 23, 2006
12th June – Mon. Spent nearly 2 hours holding on to a barnacle covered post in the mouth of the river Roach, waiting for the army to stop firing a 9” gun. Sound was very scary and range control were friendly. Crossed Thames without incident and landed just past Warden on the Isle of Sheppey.
June 13th – Tues . Paddle to Reculver headwind all the way, a bit of a wet ride. Thank you to the kind fisherman who had to pull in his line to let me land and to Paul (Vigar) for meeting me there even though he was on nights! Not a good bivvy spot at the bottom of the mud cliffs amongst all the dog poo! Wet unpleasant night.
June 14th – Wed stuck re: weather at Reculver. Wind shifted a little and water coming under my tarp. Need to find better shelter. Big thank you to Peter and Lynne at the Caravan and Camping Site who let me stay as their guest and for all their help not to mention a great tea!. Moving all the gear up to the site would have been a struggle if it wasn’t for the army of school children on a day trip who helped me with it all.
June 15th – Thurs, blew a total hooley last night and poured with rain. Stormbound again for the day. Meet Paul and his wife, Catherine for pub dinner – thanks for treating me guys!
June 16th – Fri. Up at 05.00hs, eager to push on nearly caught out with a low wave waiting to cross Ramsgate Harbour, paddle on to St Margarets on Cliffe – I’m struggling a bit getting used to navigating with the charts and 4 mile to the inch OS maps. Not the topographical detail that I am used to and it takes me a while to decide that I have actually arrived!
June 17th – Sat. On the water around 09.00hrs and head for Dover where I am escorted through the harbour by launch. Then paddle well out nearly 2 miles off to clear the firing range at Hythe. I call them up and the safety launch escorts me ‘til I am well clear.
I get circled by a flock of scooters seem to be using me as a roundabout before shooting off in all directions. Jane is somewhere at Greatstone but I land near to Varne boat club and the RNLI slip at Littlestone. It’s a long haul across shallow muddy sand. Jane appears, not best pleased due to the long walk to get to me and is covered in the muddy fine sand.
June 18th – Sun Eventually reach the water after another long haul of the boat to where the water meets beach. Pass Dungeness and clear Lydd ranges whilst they are closed for the day. Misty and dead calm – a little eerie. What a perfect day – I paddle on to Normans Bay station. Real steep haul up the beach. Thanks to the nameless padder in the play boat who helped me haul up.
June 19th – Mon. Forecast not brilliant 4-5 SW gusting 6 and the outlook looks to deteriorate. It’s windy already and I’m doubting whether I should go, but I don’t really want to get stuck and stormbound here. I go and its not too bad, up to Beachy head as I’m still slightly sheltered. I commit tot eh trip and round the Head, it’s difficult steep waves that are frequently breaking with the wind up to a 5. they are right on my beam and it’s a very wet mind focusing ride. NO chance of a landing at Seaford so I make for Newhaven harbour really tired. Trying to use the radio and stay upright a real challenge.
June 20th – Tues. Stormbound. Big thanks to Newhaven Marina for letting me moor up and use the facilities. Friend Del (Howard) came down to meet me - the Viceroy India Restaurant is highly recommended. National Coastwatch guys – you’re doing a great job!
June 21st – Wed. Windy as hell from the SW due to change to the N and drop off tomorrow – I certainly hope so – fingers crossed.
June 13th – Tues . Paddle to Reculver headwind all the way, a bit of a wet ride. Thank you to the kind fisherman who had to pull in his line to let me land and to Paul (Vigar) for meeting me there even though he was on nights! Not a good bivvy spot at the bottom of the mud cliffs amongst all the dog poo! Wet unpleasant night.
June 14th – Wed stuck re: weather at Reculver. Wind shifted a little and water coming under my tarp. Need to find better shelter. Big thank you to Peter and Lynne at the Caravan and Camping Site who let me stay as their guest and for all their help not to mention a great tea!. Moving all the gear up to the site would have been a struggle if it wasn’t for the army of school children on a day trip who helped me with it all.
June 15th – Thurs, blew a total hooley last night and poured with rain. Stormbound again for the day. Meet Paul and his wife, Catherine for pub dinner – thanks for treating me guys!
June 16th – Fri. Up at 05.00hs, eager to push on nearly caught out with a low wave waiting to cross Ramsgate Harbour, paddle on to St Margarets on Cliffe – I’m struggling a bit getting used to navigating with the charts and 4 mile to the inch OS maps. Not the topographical detail that I am used to and it takes me a while to decide that I have actually arrived!
June 17th – Sat. On the water around 09.00hrs and head for Dover where I am escorted through the harbour by launch. Then paddle well out nearly 2 miles off to clear the firing range at Hythe. I call them up and the safety launch escorts me ‘til I am well clear.
I get circled by a flock of scooters seem to be using me as a roundabout before shooting off in all directions. Jane is somewhere at Greatstone but I land near to Varne boat club and the RNLI slip at Littlestone. It’s a long haul across shallow muddy sand. Jane appears, not best pleased due to the long walk to get to me and is covered in the muddy fine sand.
June 18th – Sun Eventually reach the water after another long haul of the boat to where the water meets beach. Pass Dungeness and clear Lydd ranges whilst they are closed for the day. Misty and dead calm – a little eerie. What a perfect day – I paddle on to Normans Bay station. Real steep haul up the beach. Thanks to the nameless padder in the play boat who helped me haul up.
June 19th – Mon. Forecast not brilliant 4-5 SW gusting 6 and the outlook looks to deteriorate. It’s windy already and I’m doubting whether I should go, but I don’t really want to get stuck and stormbound here. I go and its not too bad, up to Beachy head as I’m still slightly sheltered. I commit tot eh trip and round the Head, it’s difficult steep waves that are frequently breaking with the wind up to a 5. they are right on my beam and it’s a very wet mind focusing ride. NO chance of a landing at Seaford so I make for Newhaven harbour really tired. Trying to use the radio and stay upright a real challenge.
June 20th – Tues. Stormbound. Big thanks to Newhaven Marina for letting me moor up and use the facilities. Friend Del (Howard) came down to meet me - the Viceroy India Restaurant is highly recommended. National Coastwatch guys – you’re doing a great job!
June 21st – Wed. Windy as hell from the SW due to change to the N and drop off tomorrow – I certainly hope so – fingers crossed.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Steve has had a great week with great weather (hasn’t everyone!) and tides. He has raised further funds by rattling his nalgene bottle and handing out more cards with the internet sites. The wrist is holding up well ( but we’ll say that quietly!) He has stopped at the following locations:
4th Sea Palling
5th Gorleston. Our thanks to Jenny and Arthur for giving Steve some company abd food and for the surprise breakfast in the morning. Another cuppa was appreciated with the lifeguards!
6th Southwold. A fantastic fish and chips in a local pub – Harbour Inn and an overnight stop on a floating quay!.
7th Hollesby. A quiet spot for camping but friends Sarah and Dave were still able to find Steve and have a chat. Long paddle today so day off tomorrow.
8t5h Felixstowe ferry. Steve decided not to have a day off but to travel a little closer to Felixstowe crossing, to assist the crossing the mouth of the R.Orwell and R.Stour, a short 5 mile journey. Arthur joins Steve for tomorrows paddle – a welcome companion ofr the day.
9th Arrived Clacton/Holland on Sea in the evening. Arthur was picked up by Jenny early in the morning following a bivvy next to the beach. Jane arrives midday on the 10th and collects Steve from the shore, a real pain, to take the luggage up the paths leading from the beach to the promenade. Steve and Jane had Saturday together ( the majority of the time looking for a camp site). Friends Huw and Nicola join us for supper.
11th Steve returns to the point he left the shore and repacks with Jane. The café was kind enough to even put ice in Steve’s drinking water. Jane returned home, leaving Steve to still waters and 2 estuaries to cross towards the R. Crouch. He arrived at the Royal Corinthians Yacht Club at Burnham on Crouch, and received a very warm welcome (see website www.royalcorinthian.co.uk) They were kind enough to enable him to have full use of the club house facilities for the night as well as detailed knowledge of the tides and the local creeks.
And so onward… The R. Thames estuary lies ahead…..
4th Sea Palling
5th Gorleston. Our thanks to Jenny and Arthur for giving Steve some company abd food and for the surprise breakfast in the morning. Another cuppa was appreciated with the lifeguards!
6th Southwold. A fantastic fish and chips in a local pub – Harbour Inn and an overnight stop on a floating quay!.
7th Hollesby. A quiet spot for camping but friends Sarah and Dave were still able to find Steve and have a chat. Long paddle today so day off tomorrow.
8t5h Felixstowe ferry. Steve decided not to have a day off but to travel a little closer to Felixstowe crossing, to assist the crossing the mouth of the R.Orwell and R.Stour, a short 5 mile journey. Arthur joins Steve for tomorrows paddle – a welcome companion ofr the day.
9th Arrived Clacton/Holland on Sea in the evening. Arthur was picked up by Jenny early in the morning following a bivvy next to the beach. Jane arrives midday on the 10th and collects Steve from the shore, a real pain, to take the luggage up the paths leading from the beach to the promenade. Steve and Jane had Saturday together ( the majority of the time looking for a camp site). Friends Huw and Nicola join us for supper.
11th Steve returns to the point he left the shore and repacks with Jane. The café was kind enough to even put ice in Steve’s drinking water. Jane returned home, leaving Steve to still waters and 2 estuaries to cross towards the R. Crouch. He arrived at the Royal Corinthians Yacht Club at Burnham on Crouch, and received a very warm welcome (see website www.royalcorinthian.co.uk) They were kind enough to enable him to have full use of the club house facilities for the night as well as detailed knowledge of the tides and the local creeks.
And so onward… The R. Thames estuary lies ahead…..
Monday, June 05, 2006
5th June 2006
Steve was more than a little nervous heading to the Jersey Sea Symposium as it would be make or break for his wrist and the Paddling for Pudsey Venture. In fact he had decided that if he couldn’t continue to paddle he would get on his bike and Paddling for Pudsey would become Peddling for Pudsey along the coastline.
The Jersey Symposium was absolutely superb, as always and the wrist and forearm stood up to the job. Steve gave it as bashing surfing and it really does seem to be better.
A massive thank you to all of you who gave donations and purchased T-shirts, with special thanks to the jersey Canoe Club for the donation from the raffle. We now feel like the money is starting to come in.
Steve really hopes to see some of you on the water; your local knowledge would be appreciated. Thanks also to Andy Stamp for all his years of experience in the South-West, crammed onto maps.
Steve is now back on the water ( Sunday 04 June 13.00) and is heading south from Cromer hopefully without the need to stop!
Steve was more than a little nervous heading to the Jersey Sea Symposium as it would be make or break for his wrist and the Paddling for Pudsey Venture. In fact he had decided that if he couldn’t continue to paddle he would get on his bike and Paddling for Pudsey would become Peddling for Pudsey along the coastline.
The Jersey Symposium was absolutely superb, as always and the wrist and forearm stood up to the job. Steve gave it as bashing surfing and it really does seem to be better.
A massive thank you to all of you who gave donations and purchased T-shirts, with special thanks to the jersey Canoe Club for the donation from the raffle. We now feel like the money is starting to come in.
Steve really hopes to see some of you on the water; your local knowledge would be appreciated. Thanks also to Andy Stamp for all his years of experience in the South-West, crammed onto maps.
Steve is now back on the water ( Sunday 04 June 13.00) and is heading south from Cromer hopefully without the need to stop!
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