Perfect weather for a first time sea paddle for five members on the Solent trip in October. Liza had us all doing warm up exercises under the watchful eyes of some donkeys in the nearby field, before getting on the water, then it was simply a matter of following the coastline.
We had perfect conditions: a little cloud, slight winds and small waves, with the tide with us both ways. Once we also thought we saw some cows on the beach, but on getting closer we saw they were New Forest ponies.
After 45 minutes of paddling in a straight line, it was time for the ‘peg game’, seeing how many pegs you could get from each others kayaks. After 10 minutes, Struan was announced as the winner of the prized Double Decker chocolate bar.
Then onto Lepe Country Park for lunch after crossing the Beaulieu River entrance, which became very busy as we approached it. After a break for lunch and tea, there was some messing about with paddles to warm up again. Later one broke in half and had to be replaced but it wasn’t because of this (honest, Rich!).
Then we retraced our route back to the launch point. With the cloudy dissipating and the sun beating down on us, it made for a hot return. Before landing there was the opportunity to practice some cooling off rolls and an anchored tow rescue (so the rescuer and rescuee would not be taken onto the sandbank near to the landing point).
After an efficient boat and kit loading it was time for a chocolate biscuit and photo on the foreshore, before heading back to the Arches through the New Forest, where we saw a family of Gloucester Old Spot pigs and piglets crossing the road!
