Mid-week paddle fellas? Oh it’s alright for some! Three of us in fact as Onmas, Steve111 and myself decided that a night-time coastal trip was in order. The flood-tide would be starting around 8ish so we figured we could have a good paddle down from Gorleston beach to Dogger with the current to clear the cobwebs and get a bit of paddle fitness. It was a pleasant enough evening; a bit cold but not too bad and a reasonable easterly with a bit of swell running which would make it a bit of fun.
We arrived at Gorleston, got kitted up (Steve with his new paddle) and launched at around 8:30 or so. There was a small bit of surf to get through then a couple of feet of swell all the way down to Hopton...it was quite interesting around the wreck of the White Swan as it was low water and due to the wreckage and uneven ground etc there the water was a bit random. We considered going to chat to the beach angler (sneak up then say hello) but decided not to bother. Down to Hopton there are a couple more interesting patches where some wrecks/debris lie and we went through both of these – we had no GPS with us but I knew the moment we reached them ;D
Once clear of Hopton the sea wall reflects the swell (you can hear the crash of the waves) and it's a really confused sea - 1/4 mile out you have waves coming the wrong way, ie FROM the beach; we could have surfed some of them last night. We were having a natter and drifted into it which gave us the heads up to pay attention and stop chilling out ;D It stayed quite lumpy down to Corton where the sea wall ends and then it was pretty much ok (back to a couple of feet) until we got just past Gunton, where Onmas had left his car as we’d planned to stop there originally). Then it was short paddle before we got close to Ness Point (most easterly point of the UK) and the rig constuction site / harbour where we got some strong currents, eddies, some rough patches over wrecks / rocks and some really stinking patches (ie confused 3-4ft sea) that bounced the kayaks about a bit.
Almost at the end now, it was around the harbour before we came in between the two piers on the beach down from my house. We landed, then after dumping phones etc went back out and played in some fun surf for an hour. We just strolled down the coast and it took us maybe an hour and a half to cover the 8.5 miles, followed by an hour surfing - a perfect after-work paddle, a good workout and a fun time. We got plenty of confidence building moments and had no scares at all – Onmas was out in a Scupper for his first proper paddle in one and where he’d been reluctant to get into one on the Waveney not so long ago he loved it last night. Definitely to be repeated...
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