The South Coast has been hit by very strong winds over the past 24 hours. The BBC reported gusts of 100mph off The Needles and Southampton (my home town) was hit by 60mph winds. I had pretty much written off paddling this weekend however this evening it looked as if there was to be a period of calm before the next front of wind and rain moved in. Was a paddle possible?

P&H Cetus

Rather than head down to Calshot or Lepe I chose the closet put in to my home – Hythe Marina. With High tide at 9pm this mean’t I could put in at the Public Slipway and if needed hug the shoreline keeping well clear of the main channel.

On arriving at the marina, I found the slipway was barricaded due to maintenance work so a slippery clamber down some rocks was called for. I set off under the Hythe Pier as the small train carrying passengers out to an awaiting ferry to Southampton. The water was incredibly calm which was amazing considering earlier in the day I had shot down to Lepe to see waves crashing over the shore road which had been closed by the police.

Southampton Water At Night

Having fired off several shots I was soon back on the water heading up to the moored oil tankers at Esso Refinery.

The journey back was enhanced by the frequent passing of the Fast Jets running their regular service to Cowes on the Isle of Wight. A minute or so after they pass you are rewarded by large, smooth swells as their wash heads to shore. I was able to get a couple of good surf runs every time they passed feeling very lucky to be surfing by starlight.

Hythe Marina At Night

Once the boat was loaded back on the car, I took the opportunity to snap a few more pictures of the yachts moored up in the marina before driving the 2 minute journey back up to my house.

A unexpected but very welcome paddle in the clam after the storm!

Route: View route on Google Maps

The Needles are one of the iconic landmarks of the Solent. Projecting out from the western tip of the Isle of White, the three chalk stacks rise majestically out of the sea. They are capped at the Western tip by the distinctive red and white stripes of a light house. For confident paddlers, the Needles provides a somewhat committing and exhilarating route.

Needles In The Distance

Although Keyhaven is the usual start point for the a trip to the Needles, I opted to launch from Lymington. Putting in 2 hours before Low water, at the Bath Road Public Slipway, I hugged the edge of the marked channel out into open water. Low lying cloud semi obscured the Isle of Wight however there was enough visibility to make out Fort Albert which lies West of Yarmouth so I headed directly across the Solent.

From Fort Albert, you head through narrowest point of the Western Solent, with Hurst Castle on your Starboard side. Whilst being on the Island side of this gap keeps you out of ‘The Trap’ (the fast tidal flow caused by the narrow gap) you start to feel the effect of the open sea ahead of you.

The Needles

Following the coast line brings you to the tip of Alum Bay and from here I opted to head directly across the bay to the Needles, rather than hug the coast line. Although the conditions were relatively calm, the swell grew and at tmes I would lose sight of yachts on a similar course as they dropped into the troughs leaving only their masts visible.

Nearing the Needles, I could see waves breaking between the stacks which mean’t that ‘threading the Needles’ would need to wait for another day. I spent a good twenty minutes bobbing around taking photos and enjoying the exposed nature of my position before heading back into Alum Bay.

Alum Bay Chairlift

Landing at the bottom of the cliffs in Alum bay gave me an opportunity to admire the multi-coloured sand and clay of the cliffs. A chairlift provides tourists visiting the Alum Bay Park with an easy route down the cliffs so the beach was very busy. The relatively unusual sight of my sea kayak drew a small crowd and I found my coffee break became an impromptu Q&A session on sea kayaking.

By now, the tide had turned so from Alum Bay, I paddled out into the trap and was able to ride the flood tide back to Hurst Castle. After a brief stop for more photographs I headed across the bay past Keyhaven and back into Lymington Marina.

Tidal Information.

Crossing The Trap To Hurst Castle

I planned this paddle to use the last of the ebb tide to aid my passage out to the Needles, with my arrival timed to coincide with low water. This ensured I could use rather than fight the flood tide back. The tidal flow through The Trap (between Hurst Castle & the Island) can reach 4.4knots and in certain wind conditions (South Westerly) can be tricky.

If you would like more detailed information, it is well worth reading Mark Rainsley’s route description in the excellent ‘South West Sea Kayaking‘ guidebook.

Also, check Easytide for up to date tidal information.

View Lymington to The Needles in a larger map

Large Swell Approaching Needles

View From The Kayak

Return To Lymington

Another night paddle. Very calm conditions tonight but the forecast clear skies didn’t materialise. However, I took the opportunity to play with a 50-200mm lens on the Pentax and ran through several takes of each photo making small adjustments to ISO, then exposure time to compare and contrast the results.

A reasonable moon made occasional appearance allowing me to use much quicker exposure times – around the 8-10 seconds mark which help reduce the blurring when I posed in the photo. I’ve included the four best shots. As ever, click any image to see a larger version.

P&H Cetus

Sat By P&H Cetus

Favourite Shot Of The Night

Facing Newtown Creek

A very still but cloudy night tonight so I headed out from Calshot with the DSLR & tripod packed in a dry bag with the intention of having another go at getting some long exposure photographs. Started to drizzle and get a little misty which made me glad of the good weather proof seals on the Pentax.

Results not quite as successful as last trip. The main issue I found was getting the shots in focus in the pitch black. However, amongst the incredibly blurred images I found a couple which were reasonable. If anyone out there has any suggestions for getting setting the focus manually in very dark conditions I would be very grateful for some advice!

For some exceptional long exposure shots (although not sea kayaking related) take a look at this site.

P&H Cetus

Cetus At Stansmore Point

Looking out at Cowes

Not sea kayaking, but simply stunning – even the shopping trolley! Landscape Photo of the Year

A large number of sea kayaks come with a recess for mounting a deck compass. For most paddlers they remain empty and hand held compasses or the removable deck/hatch mount versions are used. Having a deck mounted compass installed during construction is usually an optional extra and you pay for the convinience. The typical price for a Silva deck compass is around £70. To have one pre-installed when you purchase a new Sea kayak means adding around £120-£150. Therefore, many paddlers choose to self install.

Tools & Parts

Tools & Parts

1. Drill & Drill Bit
2. Sikaflex
3. Stainless Yachting Nuts & Bolts x 4 (optional)
4. Template
5. Silva Compass
6. Kayak Stand (optional)
7. string line

Template

Step 1:

Clean the compass mounting area thoroughly.

Step 2:

Ignore the template! Well, not quite, but I used the template initially but also relied on the compass mounting itself which was slightly different. The template is stuck to the deck (easy peel to remove) and I used this to mark the holes, then utilised the actual compass itself to double check to position of the holes.

Drilling Holes

Step 3:

Drill slowly each of the 4 holes. I used a larger bolt size than the supplied self-tapping screws as I wanted to more secure fitting. Due to this I also had to drill out the compass housing and the brass insert that comes with it to the correct size.

Step 4:

Apply a very small amount of Sikaflex or similar to the holes. Drop in compass and feed bolt through holes.

Inserting Bolts

Step 5:

Apply more generous helping of skiaflex to the underside of the deck around the bolt before attaching the nuts and tighten to hand tight. This should allow the actual compass the be rotated in its housing to align it.

This may prove to be tricky – I used a small adjustable spanner held ‘upright’ to the nut to hold it in place as I screwed the bolt in. Screwing the compass down would have proved simple but not, I fear, as secure.

Aligning Compass

Step 6:

Aligning the compass: It is vital that the compass is set so the lubber lines are in line with the longitudinal axis. The best way to achieve this is to run string from the bow to stern centre points and use this to rotate the compass in it’s housing until the lubber lines are in line with your string.

Step 7:

Tighten the bolts. This will seal the holes fully and also now prevent the compass from being turned in it’s housing.

Finished Installation

Care & Maintenance:

To keep the compass in tip top condition, there are a few things you should do. Firstly take care carrying the kayak – catching the compass on a roof rack bar or wall edge (as I nearly did) could cause terminal damage. The glass needs regular cleaning with a lint free cloth to keep it readable. Finally, you should recheck the alignment on a regular basis.

Sponsor Sean Smith AKA Fat Paddler on the 111km Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. Raising money for Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation.

The nice weather and good tides brought out the paddlers this weekend with Lepe Beach being the favoured launch point. Having previously only met a couple other paddlers at the beach I was really suprised to pull in to the car park and find a whole row of cars with padded roof bars, j-bars and uprights.

The New Forest Canoe Club were just launching on a trip to Newtown Creek, Lymington and back. Hamble Canoe Club had only recently departed for the Beaulieu River and a couple of keen ladies were setting off for Bucklers Hard.

Peter - SOT off Cowes

I opted to cross to the Isle of Wight by Gunnard then fight the tide up to Cowes. Stopping on the Sea front for a coffee and the much needed chocolate I watched a sit on top kayak work it’s way towards me. The paddler, Peter, stopped for a chat and we spent an enjoyable few minutes comparing kit, experiences and common paddling acquaintances.

He had caught the Sea Kayaking bug when attending one of Owen Burson’s courses at IOW Sea Kayaking. He had nothing but praise for Owen and the team and decided to take up paddling. His family had stumped up the money for a christmas present and he had picked up a second hand sit on top, paddles and other equipment from Island Kayaks – the shop part of IOW Sea Kayaking.

Strip built Sea Kayak

My return to Lepe was a quick affair. I aimed off at the Calshot chimneys and threaded my way through the plethora of sailing boats enjoying the wind. The tide was moving fast allowing me to ferry glide across the 2.5 mile stretch between Cowes & Lepe landing on the beach as the Ladies I had watched launch earlier returned from Bucklers Hard.

We spent an enjoyable half hour trading stories and experiences, along with some delicious ‘Indian Sweets’. Penny, one of the ladies had a wealth of paddling experience and some fantastic stories. We swapped contact details – and if you are reading Penny – the link to the Sea Kayak With Gordon Brown DVD should be on the right of this webpage: hugely recommended!

Hamble Canoe Club

I started loading up the boat and looking out to the Western Solent saw Hamble Canoe Club returning, led by a beautiful strip built wooden sea kayak.

All in all a fantastic days paddle, enhanced by the opportunity to meet so many other paddlers and chewing the fat on this fantastic pastime of ours.

I’m lucky enough to teach an A Level student, Sam, who is a keen photographer. He’s been giving me some advice on various manual settings on my DSLR, in particular night scene photography for which I am extremely grateful.

Thought I would share my first efforts. Pretty pleased yet so, so much to learn! Click either photos to see a larger version.

Star Filled Sky

Looking Towards The Isle of Wight

I’ve been using the Yak Koast Buoyancy Aid for several months now. Designed as a low profile, touring buoyancy aid it utilises a side zip fastening allowing for a large pocket across the front of the PFD and one large rear pocket.

Constructed from ’supersoft’ foam and tough ripstop nylon, the Koast is a rugged yet comfortable piece of equipment. I have found the lower profile of this buoyancy aid to be extremely comfortable to wear, allowing a full range of movement without ever feeling restricted.

Yak Koast Buoyancy Aid - Front

The front of the Yak Koast sports a single, top opening pocket which covers almost the full width of the buoyancy aid. This pocket has a top opening zip with 2 zip pulls, allowing the pocket to open from the centre point. On the front of this pocket, is a seperate knife pocket, with a downward pulling zip. The main compartment contains D rings for attaching equipment and is easily large enough to swallow my VHF along with other equipment. I have the aerial sticking out of the centre of the pocket which is ideal, as it keeps the VHF aerial central avoiding my arms catching on it during strokes – a problem I have had with some ’side’ pockets.

The other benefit of the large, top opening is it reduces the risk of items dropping out as is the case with vertically opening pockets. The knife pocket is a reasonable size and easily holds a small to medium size diving style knife.

Also on the front of the Yak Koast is a standard lash tab suitable for attaching a torch for night paddling or a knife for easy access.

Yak Koast Buoyancy Aid - Back

The rear sports a large pocket designed primarily for a hydration pack. Their is a suitable opening and channels across the shoulder to secure the drinking tube. This pocket has a flap closure and side zip making it easy to stow the hydration system before donning the buoyancy aid.

The combination of an over the head with side zip method for donning/removing the Yak Koast is very welcome. I find it easier to put on/take off on the water (when removing or adding layers) than some front zipped buoyancy aids, although the side zip took a little getting used to doing up.

Yak Koast - Wide Neoprene Shoulder

The wide, neoprene shoulder are very low profile and extremely comfortable, with webbing and buckle adjustment. The Yak Koast also boasts multiple side adjusters to get a snug fit. These are all easy to adjust on the water, even with cold, wet hands.

The colour scheme is bright and high visibility backed up by reflective panels. This has proved invaluable during recent weeks as my sunset filled evening paddles slowly become full blown night paddles with the nights drawing in. An addition I would love to see, given it’s suitability for low light/night paddling, would be light stick holders as some other buoyancy aids are now sporting (for example, the Yak Escape).

In use, the Yak Koast has proven to be extremely comfortable. I like the lower profile and uncluttered/fussy design. I also like the fact the single, wide front pocket keeps items closer to the body, rather than smaller, bulging pockets. The fact I can keep my VHF on my person, yet out of the way by sitting central to the buoyancy aid is fantastic.

Yak Koast Buoyancy Aid - Side Zip Closed

The large, top opening means I am never concerned about accessing items, although the single pocket may not appeal to those who like to more flexibility in segregating/organising equipment. For me, it’s never been a problem however.

I’ve been reliably informed by observers that the reflective patches combined with torches on my person/boat work well and provide enhanced visibility.

As with all equipment I test, the Yak Koast has been given quite a hammering and shows no signs of damage or significant wear and tear.

Along with the Yak Conquest Cag, it makes an ideal, comfortable, durable and high visibility combination.

The final consideration is price. Compared to some of the sea kayaking/touring specific buoyancy aids on the market, this is a real contender. For example, Bournemouth Canoes are selling this at £68 – this is between £30-£60 cheaper than some of its rivals (Palm Taupo, Peak Adventure Zip, Palm Kaikoura Tour). Yak seem to have a knack of producing no-nonsense, well designed equipment at very reasonable prices.

Yak Koast Buoyancy Aid - Side Zip Open

Yak Koast Buoyancy Aid - Open Back Pocket

Yak Koast Buoyancy Aid - Lash Tab

From Yak:

Yak Koast

1. Ergonomic foam shape for maximum comfort
2. Multi point adjustment for the ultimate fit
3. Bright colour and reflective panels for excellent visibility
4. Expanding front pocket and knife pocket for additional storage
5. Vertical back pocket designed to accommodate hydration pack

Price: £70 approx

More details can be found on the Yak Website, along with details of their other Buoyancy Aids. The Yak Koast can also be seen in action in this short video clip.