It’s 11:00am and I’m already part way through my first crab roll of the weekend for brunch. Today is a travel day as we’re on the Northumberland coast and it takes about 6 hours to drive up from Kew Bridge. There are 8 of us paddling plus a cake maker and support dog. Over the course of the day everyone arrives at the Airbnb, which overlooks the massive sandy Budle Bay, near Bamburgh, in the distance. Claire is not able to come because she’s hurt her back but has sent up a vegetable chilli for our Friday dinner!
On Saturday we’re all excited to launch at Craster Harbour, where we have to pay £5 a boat to launch, although Liza haggles and is able to get us a group rate. Once we are out of the harbour we stay close to land in the wind shadow of the land, passed Dunstanburgh Castle under some ominous looking skies.
Some of the points forced us to go further out away from the land and here the gusts got stronger. Crossing Beadnell Bay was initially a challenge, although it got easier as we got more shelter from the dunes. Luckily we had set up a shuttle so there was no need to paddle back in the strong gusts.
On Saturday we all assembled on the beach near Seahouses to launch for Inner Farne. Inner Farne is a National Trust island with a large puffin population, although we had been told on Friday that there were only 2 puffins on the island. Paddling over to Inner Farne we saw both of them! And then a lot more on the water and on top of the island.
As we had a tidal gate, we only stayed about an hour before paddling to Outer Farne, via Knoxes Reef which provided plenty of waves.
Arriving at Craford’s Gut we had a tough 50m paddle against the flow to get to the Longstone lighthouse, but everyone made it.
Then it was back across glassy seas to our launchpoint, via the cliffs of Inner Farne.
A very enjoyable weekend paddling with good company, good cake, interesting paddling and lots of birdlife. We only wish it wasn’t so far away from us!
