This extraordinary granite arch is found on the islet of Enys Dodnan, located off Land’s End in Cornwall. It is a highlight of one of the best coastal trips in Britain. The murky final image was taken on a rainy misty day last February, but is included here to show the whole isle. The jagged stack [...]
Archive for the ‘Land’s End’ Category
Enys Dodnan Leave a comment
Traffic Separation Scheme Leave a comment
Crossing between the mainland and the Isles of Scilly… The Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) will certainly give you something to look at. The TSS crosses the middle third of your voyage, a massive maritime motorway. The two ‘lanes’ that you cross (north going, then south going) are each 4.5km wide with a 3km ‘central reservation’. [...]
Californication Leave a comment
The above photo is one of my favourites. I like it because of the warm fuzzy memories that it triggers; it shows Heather (Mrs R) and Claire Cheong-Leen at Land’s End in Cornwall, framed by the monumental arch of Enys Dodman, a vast stack that has separated from the mainland. It was a magical evening, and [...]
The Sea Kayaker’s Trident 2 comments
The following article was published in ‘Paddles‘ magazine a few months back, for their ‘Sea Kayaker’s Trident’ column. The column is used as a ‘sounding off’ point for sea paddlers. The article is in part adapted from text in South West Sea Kayaking. Three of us on the very edge of Britain. The [...]
Never Say Never Again 4 comments
The sun went down, sinking into the ocean to the west of England’s most westerly point. We were there. It was wonderful. I’ve now confidently and definitively announced that I’ve finished working on South West Sea Kayaking at least half a dozen times! Every time I dare to stick my head above the parapet and say [...]
Fellow Travellers #1 Leave a comment
My wife Heather has suggested that I introduce readers to those who were good enough to paddle with me last year during my south west research. This was a more grinding experience than might be imagined; these folk had to put up with endless deviations and diversions, stops and starts and also, “Hang on …”s [...]
The End 6 comments
Well, not quite. But a week of <shock horror> good weather has allowed us to complete all of the exposed coast that hadn’t been covered yet. Until the weather broke, it was looking dicey for a while! The Land’s End peninsula was simply magnificent, some of the best sea paddling we’ve ever done. More to [...]
The Torrey Canyon 3 comments
The Seven Stones are a reef located roughly halfway between Land’s End and the Isles of Scilly. There has been a lightship anchored here since 1841, although in March 1967 this failed to prevent the Torrey Canyon running aground in broad daylight, causing a catastrophic oil slick along the Cornish coast. Classic British amateurism was displayed [...]
Man Down! 5 comments
Yesterday I fell and broke my foot. Above is India Juliet, the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter serving the Solent area. It’s the helicopter which would have come and rescued me, had my accident happened anywhere more interesting than the stairs in my house. So, this has not turned out to be the most productive [...]
Nor any drop to drink 4 comments
The crossing from Land’s End (the south west tip of Britain) to the Isles of Scilly is nearly 30 miles, heading straight out into the open Atlantic. You cross strong tides at the start, and then two busy shipping lanes. If you are going to attempt this, then choose really solid companions. On this day I was [...]
Asleep at the Wheel Leave a comment
The RMS Mulheim currently resides between Sennen Cove and Land’s End, being progressively disintegrated by successive Atlantic gales. It ran aground beneath the granite cliffs on 22nd March 2003, rudely curtailing its voyage to carry waste to a toxic landfill site in Germany. The Mulheim was sailing under a ‘flag of convenience’ and the competency of [...]
Launching Out… Leave a comment
This year I am researching, writing and photographing a Sea Kayaking guide to South West England, from the Bristol Channel to the Isle of Wight. This is a pretty exciting undertaking. I have paddled all of this wonderful coast before, but I plan to revisit it all during 2007. Such a chore! I intend to [...]
