A day paddle in the relatively sheltered waters of Chichester harbour was an ideal way to test out a trip the club can offer to members looking to build their experience on the sea. It is also a trip which can be reached by train/bus with local kayak hire available. This opens it up when we don’t have enough cars with roofracks to transport all the boats a group needs from the Arches.
So, Fiona, Mike and I set off from sunny South London on Saturday morning and headed for West Itchenor. We went straight to Fluid Adventures’ base on the beach, where we got set up with our pre-booked kayaks. There was good parking close by and toilets at the Harbour Office where we could change.
Fluid Adventures’ set up on the beach at West Ichenor
Chichester Harbour turned out to be an excellent choice as there was a brisk Southwesterly wind (Force 4 gusting 5) which could have made conditions in the open sea tricky to deal with. We launched from the shingle beach and headed up the easterly arm of the estuary towards Fishbourne.
Our first challenge was to navigate our way through the many boats moored in the harbour. We continued up the channel seeking shelter from the wind at its edges, which also helped us avoid the many dinghies taking part in Saturday races and the ‘foilers’ enjoying the windy conditions. It felt really fun to be part of such a lively water sports community.
Once we got into the quieter part of the channel we caught sight of more wildlife including cormorants, white egrets and a buzzard. We also had a good nosy at the impressive houses coming down to the water’s edge, one with its own sculpture garden !
We stopped for a snack as the tide was turning, nosing our boats onto a grassy bank out of the wind. Heading back was a bit of a tougher paddle, but still really enjoyable. We had a little help from the tide but the wind was definitely stronger, so we had to put our heads down and brace into it for a few stretches. We crossed the channel at Longmore Point and as we headed back on the southern side of the channel to West Itchenor the wind was pushing us to the right and the current pushing us forwards, requiring careful positioning so as not to be pushed onto lines of moored boats.
We were welcomed back by the Fluid Adventures team after safely navigating all the boats and obstacles in the harbour. That left us time for lunch and an ice cream before heading home!
The recce was so successful that Fiona is planning another trip on 11th Oct. See our Sea Trips page for details.
