Being a newcomer to both sea kayaking and the club, the last couple of months have seen me transform from armchair aquatic enthusiast…to sea kayaking newbie and actually getting in a boat. With 2 x Pathway Paddles and 1 x Lagoon session under my belt…I felt it was time to venture forth and try my first ‘Grade A’ paddle! A big thank you to Richard L, Dougie and David for their time and efforts in making the day possible, enjoyable and a cracking learning experience.
Arriving at Milsey Bay for around 0830hrs saw a glorious morning, as we started boating preparations. With a flat sea, a gentle breeze and a warm sun beating down on us, this was a significantly better start than the forecasts had suggested. My first skills breakthrough of the day came earlier than expected and before I’d even got on the water. With the small car park height restriction barrier set at about 2.1m metres, Dougie kindly guided me under the gate with kayak on the roof. Having limboed the car & kayak successfully under the impossible, I considered this victory to be a promising sign for a good day.
After the beach briefing at 1000hrs, our small flotilla of 15 boats set-off westwards at a leisurely pace led by David to get us warmed-up. We made good progress and quickly found ourselves passing West Bay, hugging the golf course and onwards past Broadsands Beach. A speedy Stand-Up Paddle-boarder passed our group about this point, complete with music turned up on his radio and keeping perfect time to the beat.
Further up the coast, we found a quiet spot near the beach in amongst the rocks, where Richard and Dougie split us into two groups for some skills practice. We started by exploring the bow rudder and then moved onto the impressive sounding ‘hanging draw’. Having spent some time in the submerged rock garden by that point, I realised that mastering these skills could certainly come in handy!
As we got further up the coast around Yellowcraigs Beach, I heard some shouts from the front of the group. A snorkelling diver had appeared. Fortunately the diver had a coloured buoy so we negotiated around him and continued westwards. I guessed from the number of fishing buoys in the water that this must be good lobster ground. This had me considering the lunch menu and wishing I’d been more adventurous with my sandwich choice.
Further westwards we stopped to do some more skills practice, this time to learn the art of towing in the various forms. Having recently got a shiny new tow rope I was also keen for an opportunity to learn how to use it. As with every outing I’ve been on with the club, the leaders are more than generous with their time and experience to teach others. Thankfully they’re also very patient which is tremendous!
The quiet and sandy Archerfield Beach was our chosen lunch spot at 1200hrs. This proved a perfect location for relaxed dining, stunning views over the water and a good chat amongst the group. With one eye on the rising tide, we broke camp and our leaders guided us over to Fidra Island.
I’d seen Fidra for many years when visiting North Berwick and it had almost taken on mythical qualities, with me wondering what the island would be like up close. In the space of two weeks thanks to club outings, I’ve since found out and a milestone achieved. After exploring part of the island and the small harbour on this trip, it was time for our intrepid group to turn eastwards and head for home.
The wind had picked up by this time of the afternoon and made for a spirited paddle into the headwind and directly back to Milsey Bay. I’ve found that one of the joys of a trip like this is being able to chat with your fellow club members as you go along. Occasionally I’d find myself concentrating on the paddle stroke in silence and at other times, enjoying the chat and the rhythm of cutting through the water, as we progressed back to Milsey Bay.
As we rounded the headland of the harbour at North Berwick, my concentration was quickly focused once again with the unexpected sporting conditions and bouncy waves for a minute or so. With Cape Berwick safely rounded, it was a straight line back to our launch point with a debarcation time of around 1530hrs and a welcome snack.
Thanks again to Richard L, Dougie and David for making this excellent session possible and for making it so easy to get involved with the club. Thanks also to all the group members for making it a really enjoyable day out. I’m looking forward to the next Grade A paddle and one day….maybe even trying a Grade B!
NB: Thanks to Richard L for supplying the photo ‘Landing for Lunch at Archerfield’.
Keith Parsons