Over the past eighteen months I have researched, photographed and written a sea kayaking guide to the South West of England; from the Bristol Channel to the Isle of Wight.
I have been using this blog to keep folk updated as to my progress and to reveal some of the wonderful scenery, culture and wildlife of this little corner of England.
Mark Rainsley
www.southwestseakayaking.co.uk
All writing and photos by myself, unless credited otherwise. Please seek permission before reproducing my work elsewhere.
Mark,
Best wishes for your SW project. At present I live three fields back from Blue Anchor Bay near Watchet, Somerset. Life is a little unsettled at present but if I’m still here
when you get round to this part of your trip I would like to meet you, paddle with you, if you have time.
Yours aye,
Den Healey
Den, I missed this comment before - apologies.
Hopefully catch up with you when I’m that far north…
Cheers,
Mark
“Yankee Jack Sails Again” by Tony James; A sentimental journey to the forgotten ports of the Southwest in a replica of a Bristol Channel Flatner. Highbridge to Exmouth, most of your planned itinerary. I have only just started to read it but I think you may find it interesting and perhaps helpful.
fantastic project - all the best (from someone who was born in Christchurch, and now living across the pond!). Alison
I’ve been to Newfoundland…it didn’t look a lot like Christchurch!
Thanks for your good wishes.
Mark
Well………. you look nothing like your picture on UKSK……..
nice one
G
My wife took that picture on Mingulay last year. I’m not so keen on it, as it makes me look rather older than my 22 years.
Hello Mark,
I found your blog through FuelMyBlog. We have blogs in the same category. Mine is called The Wired Kayaker which is mostly about, but not limited to, recreational kayaking and gadgets for outdoor life.
I am very interested in the equipment that you are using while kayaking, everything from your paddle to your boat to the camera that you are using to photograph. I read in some post that you have a digital SLR. What do you do to keep it waterproof.
I’d love to see a blog post on your equipment for this project. also I am very envious of how much fun you are going to have writing this book. And I love the pictures you have taken so far.
I wrote up a blog post about your blog. And have subscribed to the site feed so I don’t miss an entry. Well, now I am off to continue to get caught up on your previous entries here on your blog.
-DREW
Thanks for your good wishes Ben/ Drew…good luck with your blog.
Mark
Hi there,
Great Blog, and some great pictures too.
I have one question, Long Island in Poole - who, where and how do i obtain permission to camp!!!??
Many thanks
Dave
For various reasons, I only have half the details at the mo (surprisingly hard to pin down) but will have them all by the time publication goes ahead.
Cheers,
Mark
Hi Mark, I have been reading your blog with much interest ! I live in Swanage and have just bought two “sit on top” Kayaks for myself and wife (and kids) and am really looking forward to getting out in the bay and having a look at the coast from a different point of view.
Good luck with all your doing
James
Hi Mark
Good luck with your trip, beautiful images on your blog. I haven’t paddled since I was at college 15 years ago and I was given a Kayak a the weekend. I’m off to get wet this evening on the Somerset levels with a friend! Great looking site too.
Good luck, hope you have a beautiful summer to get more superb photos.
Mark Cox
Hi Mark
I am following your blog with interest and am looking forward to your book being published.
I did quite a lot of kayaking when I wyour age at Uni in Scotland 30 years ago.
I got a kayak for Christmas and got going again. I live in Dorchester.
We have paddled from Chiswell Eastwards as far as Dancing Ledge (not in one go and some sections more than once). I did my CST in Poole Harbour last weekend but am not interested in doing other BCU tickets.We ‘ve also paddled the Fowey estuary and the Camel and the coast in that area.
On July 22nd 4 of us are setting off from Poole and paddling west for 10 days. Should get to Plymouth/ Fowey depending on weather alcohol consumption and how much time we spend exploring estuaries.
Pity your book wasn’t ready but perhaps it will be if we continue our journey later.
Good luck with the book.
BX
Barbara, what a great trip you have planned! I paddled that coast as part of a trip from Southbourne to North Devon in 1997, and will be covering all of it again this summer.
I have some info and notes that might be of use to you already completed, and I am happy to be used to bounce ideas off if that helps. Drop me an email at markATukriversguidebookDOTcoDotuk
BTW if you were my age 30 years ago, that’d make you nearly 70 …
Best wishes,
Mark
Hi Mark
Thanks for your message and your offer of help.
I didn’t like to say that you look much much older than 22 in the photo and took you to be a straightforward honest sort of guy. I was obviously wrong! I did think that you may just look really old as Heather is obviouly so much younger than you!!!!
No I am only a decade or so older than you. I did my early paddling at Uni in Scotland. The guy who instructed kayaking was Barry Smith who I think was the first to paddle around Cape Horn. this was 1978/79.
On sunday 24th we are paddling from Lake pier to Poole Quay to take gifts to the RNLI life raft 24 hours in a life raft as part of the RNLI fundraising week.
We then will paddle out on the ebb round to Swanage for lunch and then back in the afternoon. I know this is your home ground but we have never paddled out of the entrance and round Harry’s Rocks so it will be an adventure for us. It is neaps so there willl not be much tide running and we have an ebb until 12.00 and it is flooding until 20.00. Weather is forecast showery with light winds.
BB
Hi mark, I’m looking at getting a sea kayak, and I’m not very experienced, but my hubby has plans for us to kayak out to lundy next year!!! What sort of Kayak have you got, is it plastic or composite?
Good luck by theway, it looks like you’ve been having an amazing time, wish I was doing it with you! Take care,
sue
Hi Mark
Already thinking about plans for next summer and a few of us (intemediate) kayakers are planning to take 3 or so weeks off to explore the South West. Do you have a publication date for the book?
Alison
I think that the book will be appearing in Spring 2008.
Thanks,
Mark
Mark
I am trying to promote a sea kayak symposium in Feb 2008. I work at a non profit DCC centre. We have the coastguard doing a wet winch among other cool workshops. If you can help me promote this in any way reply to me and I will send on my posters, flyers etc.
Cheers
Happy paddling
Paul Hurrell
Dorset LCO
Paul, check your email.
Mark
Mark,
I’m a bit slow off the mark and have only just stumbled upon your website.I am a member of BOG (Bude old gits) kayak fishing club and am busy piecing together a circumnavigation of the Southwest from Holsworthy (where I live) via the Tamar all the way round Lands end and back up the Torridge to a few miles from Holsworthy to the north.
By the time I finish I willactually have done most of it twice as I have to paddle back to the car.I intend to explore up every creek as far as it will float my kayak.Nearly got jammed in a culvert beneath Truro cathedral last weekend.
Best section so far was nipping out to Lundy for a chicken flavored pot noodle and back (from Hartland Quay) on good friday.Flat but foggy and had close encounter with car transporter.Didn’t leave pot noodle to soak for long enough so sore tum on way back.
You mention not being able to catch fish while paddling.If you troll a spinner or plastic sandeel while paddling you will catch a shedful of fish during the summer-bass,garfish,mackerel,pollack.Guaranteed.
If you are unlucky you might foul hook a basking shark…oops.
Book is looking great-top pics.
Regards Rupert Kirkwood
Hi Rupert - unfortunately I seem to paddle to fast for the fish to bite!
Let us all know how your paddle goes - sounds awesome.
Hey Rainsley!
how are you??
talk soon!
No, I can’t guess. No idea at all.
Mark
Mark
I was the one who said hello on Flathom (short grey hair).
It was North Avon Canoe Club NACC sea kayak training weekend organised by out L3 Ralph Childs.
We enjoyed on weekend.
Thanks for publishing our photo on your blog.
Cheers
Wayne Gibbens
A pleasure to meet you all, Wayne - glad you found Wales in the mist!
Mark
My son who is into kayaking showed me your site when I was looking to create http://www.Blackpoolcam.co.uk . I like the look and hope you don’t mind that i cribbed your style to some extent. hope your book is a great success!
Mark,
I have bought your book and find it very informative with a good sense of humour. Having just bought a sit-on sea kayak, living in Weymouth and having family in Torbay & Plymouth, the book very much covers the area of interest to me.
One thing that puzzles me, on your maps there are green fern-like symbols for which I can find no entry in list of map symbols - what do they represent?
Peter
Peter, the symbol denotes an SSSI.
Mark
Mark,
Thanks
Peter