South West Sea Kayaking

On a wet and stormy night a few days back, I stayed up late and tapped out a few thousand words for the book. It was good to get some work done, but I also discovered that typing is a surprisingly awkward and uncomfortable thing to do in a tent. My back still feels sore and stiff.

A few days before that, I observed a workshop on expedition paddling gear, led by über-sea kayaker Olly Sanders. The workshop was interesting, useful and entertaining. However, I openly laughed at poor Olly when he said that he always carried one of these on his expeditions.

He was right. I was wrong.

The Dart is well known as a white water river. I’ve paddled it hundreds of times! However, below Totnes the river becomes one of South Devon’s many rias. Last week, Heather and I enjoyed a paddle for the ten miles of the tidal Dart down to the sea. Very nice it was, too.

This is the paddle steamer Kingswear Castle, which ferried tourists between Totnes and Dartmouth in the early twentieth century. After being used as a hospital ship, it was burned and abandoned to avoid the risk of contagion. The engines were transferred to the new Kingswear Castle which is still in service today.

Dartmouth is the home of the Britannia Royal Naval College, where the Royal Navy’s officers are trained. In 1992 I tried to earn a place here. I went through the three day long officer selection process (AIB) and somehow actually passed. However, on the following day I failed the medical for Bridge Officer on account of my slightly dodgy eyesight. So, I can’t tell you what the College is like inside…