sea kayaking round the Isle of Wight (IOW)

Friday, 30 September 2011

sea kayaking round the Isle of Wight (IOW)

A good friend ask about 3 months ago about doing planning a journey, with a couple of changed dates we arrived on the last week of September, chuffed with the potential forecast we set of for the IOW. 6 hours latter and many ...stops we arrived at Keyhaven and lovely small village and protected harbour, with a long spit and a castle on the end. A drive about soon identified our put on for the morning and place to park and leave the van for the time away and for our sleep in it overnight. After some food a walk to the local seemed a good idea!

The night before and looking out from the main land at the Needles (IOW)

We were on the water for a relaxed 1000 and saw loads of birds in this protected inlet, many egrets (lens not big enough to capture them) on the way out

Approaching the Needles near the start of the ebb ...

The Needles and two guys up top painting the light house ... im sure their really pleased with the forecast!!

On the way to Freshwater, with a wow ... section of stunning coastline and some good swell, running

Arrival at our camp, after a few moments checking tides and re checking that all would work for the morning!

Having completed about 33k and with another 3 hours of day light and a super beach to camp on, we settled down for a the evening.

We were up at 0530 and away at 0645, and strait away we had current ... and as we headed on around St Catherine's Point, we were greeted by a small glowing ball rising out of the sea, a truly amazing sunrise ...

Heading for a distant headland with a good push on the tide...

One of a number of passenger ferries that passed us, thankfully this was the closest!

Cowes was proper busy and as the SW sea kayaking guide book says, it can be challenging when boats are coming in and out of the main channel and you have current pushing you forward ... exciting!