Still a full on headwind. Looking good for tomorrow though. The last few days have felt bizarre. Visited a few cafes and wandered around shops, we're staying on a well equipped campsite - currently don't really feel like im on a kayaking trip. Can't wait to get going again and tick off the final few miles.
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
Day 110 Clacton on sea to Margate
Aftert spending the night in one of our least glamorous camping spots we are keen to move on. It was worth waiting a day to cross Thames as the weather today is almost perfect.
At the start of the day we have to paddle though a wind farm. These wind mills are massive and there are hundreds of them. As we are getting to the far side of the wind farm a boat comes over to check we are not kids. Aperantly there were some kids who had paddled out here on stand up paddle boards onetime.
We countuined paddling across, there was not as much shipping to contented with as we had expected so it was all pretty much routine.
10 miles offshore from Margate another boat this time a fisheries patrol boat comes to see if we are ok. We are so we carry on. We get to Margate at 7pm wear we spend the night on the beach.
Monday, 29 July 2013
Day 102 &103 Folkestone
Frustrating that now we've turned the corner to head west the sw wind has picked up. We feel we're so close to home now we just want to get going. However, although windy the sun is still shining most of the time and I've found some nice places in Folkestone to wander around. Also, weds onwards looks like the weather is alright so we'll be able to get going soon.
Margaret to Folkestone - Day 111
An early start, a chat with the very friendly night shift at Dover coastguard, and a requirement to keep our average speed above 4 knots to get to Folkestone before the tide changes. This, however, shouldn't be too difficult as long as we don't have too many breaks, as the tide flows fast around Dover. With fog, and thunder rumbling in the distance we make our way down to Dover. As we approach the harbour 4 massive ferries leave and we radio the very busy and calm port control to ask when is best to cross. Not only is Dover the busiest harbour we've crossed but we have no visibility into the harbour as we paddle along the eastern wall. So when we get the go ahead we shoot across both harbour entrances and paddle towards folkestone. We are pretty chuffed to find a campsite (with laundry) in walking distance from the beach. Wild camping has been getting more difficult everyday now so it's good to find a campsite where we are probably going to stay for a few days and sit out the headwinds forecast.
Rach
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Walton on the naze to Frinton on sea -Day 109
Today might be in the running for winning shortest paddle of the trip. We paddled around the Naze and a very long pier which unfortunately at the end, had a very grumpy fisherman who i think just wanted to shout at someone, we then paddled past the largest amount of beach huts i have ever seen. They had tiers and even had them on stilts when they ran out of land. We landed between Frinton and Clacton where i am currently bivied next to a cycle track (its not my best wild camp of the trip!) We don't want to go any further as it will just make our paddle out of the Thames longer and can't cross the Thames today as the headwind is too strong. So, spent a lovely afternoon walking around Frinton and planning our paddle tomorrow.
Rach
Thorpeness to Walton on the Naze. Day 108
Morning paddle to Felixstowe where we met Mike and Rohan (the dog) on the beach. We had met them previously a couple of months back on the west coast of Scotland, and Mike had kindly offered his support when we arrived at his home town. So on treating us to lunch, and my radio debut on BBC Suffolk (pretty scary) we relaxed on the beach for a few hours. After realising we weren't going to be able to paddle across the Thames tomorrow with the headwind forecast we did a short paddle across the Felixstowe shopping lane (with the biggest container ships I've ever seen) to a lovely beach recommended by Mike.
Thanks Mike and great to see you again.
Rach
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