Wednesday 30 March 2011
Dicking about on my day off...30.03.2011
I was planning to go fishing today but my whole week has been changed around so had to take care of some chores instead on my day off. A pity things changed really as it was perfect for fishing but boring as hell for paddling. Still, it gave me an opportunity to try out something from yesterday - I mounted a suction cup onto my headcam mount and popped it onto the Necky. These are printscreens from the video, my apologies for putting so many up but I really like them ;D
Sunday 20 March 2011
Pier to Pier 20th March 2011
Biggest tide of the year they said, biggest for twenty years they said. I figured that’d mean a nice fast ride down the coast from Gorleston to Southwold; tides a bit early but what the hell, aim for a 6am launch, should see me there at a decent hour. My wife agreed readily to pick me up as I’d been a good boy yesterday.
5am, alarm goes off. 530, drysuited and booted and I’m on my way. 6am sees me pull up next to John by the launch to a cracking sunrise; what a beautiful day to die.
It looked calm as we got ready to go.
It was still calm as we launched and headed south.
We ran over the White Swan, marked by a bit of swirling and down past Corton without too much in the way of disturbance from rebounds. A few eddies, swirls and bumps just north of Lowestoft harbour were about as much as we had to contend with apart from a bunch of boats exiting the harbour mouth. Stil calm we carried on, avoiding stopping at mine for bacon sarnies and thought we saw a seal at Kessingland but it turned out, bizarrely, to be a bucket.
John was loving it, having never done more than 4 miles in one go before.
The last 4 miles wasn’t so loved though and by the time we arrived at Southwold pier he’d had enough.
I was starting to lose interest too.
Well, it was 17.7 miles and we’d paddled continuously including going against wind and tide for the last hour or so, lesser mortals may have found this tiring.
I was just happy to land without falling in for once.
Time for a drink.
Of note was the fact that this supposed massive tide was rubbish, we never got much tidal assistance and it never seemed to have much speed, nor did it tally with my tidal software in any way; times seem at least one hour out and speeds completely fictional. A month ago I did the first half with another mate and we would have smashed this time by at least 40 minutes for the full journey due purely to conditions. Also of note was my not having to wait for John in his Ultra. Heavier and wider made no difference and we were evenly matched until the final leg when going against the elements; that was certainly food for thought.
5am, alarm goes off. 530, drysuited and booted and I’m on my way. 6am sees me pull up next to John by the launch to a cracking sunrise; what a beautiful day to die.
It looked calm as we got ready to go.
It was still calm as we launched and headed south.
We ran over the White Swan, marked by a bit of swirling and down past Corton without too much in the way of disturbance from rebounds. A few eddies, swirls and bumps just north of Lowestoft harbour were about as much as we had to contend with apart from a bunch of boats exiting the harbour mouth. Stil calm we carried on, avoiding stopping at mine for bacon sarnies and thought we saw a seal at Kessingland but it turned out, bizarrely, to be a bucket.
John was loving it, having never done more than 4 miles in one go before.
The last 4 miles wasn’t so loved though and by the time we arrived at Southwold pier he’d had enough.
I was starting to lose interest too.
Well, it was 17.7 miles and we’d paddled continuously including going against wind and tide for the last hour or so, lesser mortals may have found this tiring.
I was just happy to land without falling in for once.
Time for a drink.
Of note was the fact that this supposed massive tide was rubbish, we never got much tidal assistance and it never seemed to have much speed, nor did it tally with my tidal software in any way; times seem at least one hour out and speeds completely fictional. A month ago I did the first half with another mate and we would have smashed this time by at least 40 minutes for the full journey due purely to conditions. Also of note was my not having to wait for John in his Ultra. Heavier and wider made no difference and we were evenly matched until the final leg when going against the elements; that was certainly food for thought.
Sunday 13 March 2011
Sunday 6 March 2011
Just more paddling around…06/03/2011
I can't get into it this year. My seventh launch of the year, it's early March and i've not had a fishings ession yet. Weather, conditions, forecasts. It's all bollocks.
I surfed last week for a little while, that was good. Today was a run from Haddiscoe to Oulton Broad, solo, in the Necky. Anbout 8-9 miles in around an hour and a half:
Haddiscoe road bridge:
Bridge supports, Haddiscoe station
Bridge support I used to seal launch from as an eighteen year old, haddiscoe station. mate lived there, great parties.
Smock Mill at herringfleet.
Blurred because I was speeding
Rower my arse, I was going forwards, not backwards
Someleyton swing bridge
Needs painting
Sun peeping through at Oulton dyke.
I had the wind and flow against me a lot of the time and having been a landlubber for a fortnight (and that for an hour with another fortnight gap before it) I wasn't feleing particuylarly paddle fit.
Now, a month ago I dragged Tim out on his Dorado and Liam out in his orange wreck and we ran down from beccles to Oulton broad, around 15 miles. It was blowing a hoolie.
It's like taking a fat bird out with you when you're a skinny bird on the pull:
I just couldn't get him out:
Apart from that I've only really dicked about, went and played and practiced in this the other week:
Yep, it's been pretty bloody boring for me. Figured i'd better post something though. Trying to make my mind up on paddling/fishing in Scotland next week. Not sure I can be arsed though :(
I surfed last week for a little while, that was good. Today was a run from Haddiscoe to Oulton Broad, solo, in the Necky. Anbout 8-9 miles in around an hour and a half:
Haddiscoe road bridge:
Bridge supports, Haddiscoe station
Bridge support I used to seal launch from as an eighteen year old, haddiscoe station. mate lived there, great parties.
Smock Mill at herringfleet.
Blurred because I was speeding
Rower my arse, I was going forwards, not backwards
Someleyton swing bridge
Needs painting
Sun peeping through at Oulton dyke.
I had the wind and flow against me a lot of the time and having been a landlubber for a fortnight (and that for an hour with another fortnight gap before it) I wasn't feleing particuylarly paddle fit.
Now, a month ago I dragged Tim out on his Dorado and Liam out in his orange wreck and we ran down from beccles to Oulton broad, around 15 miles. It was blowing a hoolie.
It's like taking a fat bird out with you when you're a skinny bird on the pull:
I just couldn't get him out:
Apart from that I've only really dicked about, went and played and practiced in this the other week:
Yep, it's been pretty bloody boring for me. Figured i'd better post something though. Trying to make my mind up on paddling/fishing in Scotland next week. Not sure I can be arsed though :(
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