Daily Picture - 34

The island woke up to a light covering of snow this morning, resulting in the normal traffic chaos so it was on the bike.  Instead of heading straight to Fort Regent I took a slight detour onto South Hill.  An area overlooking the south coast of Jersey, which I rarely visit.

To the east the sea was flat calm although most of the reefs were covered although Icho Tower was visible in the distance.  The small island directly off the point is Green Island, where some archaeological remains have been found, which are now found at La Hougue Bie.

This is great sea kayaking territory.

Jersey Towers Part Three

As we continue our journey by kayak around the coastal waters of Jersey there are number which we encounter on a more regular basis.  Fliquet Tower is probably the closest to the Jersey Canoe Club premises although we probably paddle past Archirondel more frequently.  Three of the towers are on offshore islets, the two shown here plus Seymour Tower, off the south east corner.

In the late 18th and early 19th century the island was clearly under threat of invasion by French forces and the authorities took this threat seriously as demonstrated by the number of towers which still exist around Jersey but they do add another dimension to our paddling.

The tower at Fliquet is seen regularly by members of the Jersey Canoe Club, who pass by regularly on their summer evening paddles.  The tower looks unusual because the top fortifications have been removed.  It is one of the oldest towers and was in existence before 1787.

In the centre of Portelet lies the small island, Ile au Guerdain.  On its summit is the tower which is known locally as Janvrin's Tomb, this is due to the death of Philippe Janvrin, the captain of the vessel, the Esther, from the plague.  The authorities refused to allow the body to be brought ashore and so the crew buried his body on this small island, within sight of his home.  The grave has long been replaced by the Tower which was built in 1808 to help protect the island from Napoleonic forces.

Another tower which is situated offshore is Icho Tower, built in 1810 to help protect the south coast.  For the paddling bird watcher this is a particularly productive region during the winter months, with a wide range of species.

Victoria Tower, built in 1837 was the last one to be built in the 19th century.  It is unique amongst Jersey towers because it has a moat and a drawbridge.  Behind is St Catherine's Breakwater, the home of the Jersey Canoe Club.

Looking south from the top of Mont Orgueil Castle across the Royal Bay of Grouville.  This area was particularly vulnerable to attack from French forces so within this bay alone there were six towers plus two Forts.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of sea kayaking in Jersey is the historical background to the paddles.  The Jersey Towers are just one aspect to the rich and varied history of this small island.

South East Towers

The south east corner of Jersey is a unique marine environment which is frequently referred to as Jersey's  last wilderness.  The sea retreats with amazing speed, particularly on spring tides, creating a fascinating sea kayaking playground.  Swift tidal streams swirl around the isolated heads whilst numerous birds feed in the area.

Green Island is an ideal departure point as the tide floods, assisting the passage out to Icho Tower, which was flat calm on the day as opposed to previous visits when the westerly swell was breaking heavily on the surrounding reefs. 

The tidal assistance was even more beneficial as we carried on towards La Conchiere, a navigation beacon which has been upgraded over the last 12 months.  Pottering around the reefs is always entertaining and today it was followed by lunch on the platform in front of Seymour Tower, which gives an unusual perspective of the south and east coasts.

The temptation to linger is always strong, but as the tide dropped it was necessary to jump onto the tidal streams to avoid a long carry back at Green Island.  Mis-timing your arrival in this area could be really inconvenient!  A seal appeared on several occasions on the way back, they are not that common in Jersey waters so are always a pleasure to see.  

What is great about this paddle is that it can be completed in a couple of hours at any time of the year, a delightful way to explore Jersey's last wilderness.

 Icho Tower is the more westerly of the two towers, built slightly later than Seymour Tower, in response to Napoleonic threats

 La Conchiere Beacon was the most southerly point on the paddle, several miles offshore.  On large spring tides the foreshore dries this far out.  The familiar bent navigation pole which has survived for years was replaced this year with the south cardinal mark.

 Jersey looks along way off when at the Conchiere.

 On the way to Seymour Tower we passed another of the navigation marks in this area, Karame, easily identified by its top mark.

 It was possible to land on the sand bank close to Seymour Tower.  On a spring tide it would have disappeared and so landing would have been much more problematic.

Built as a result of the French invasion of Jersey in 1781, Seymour Tower is one of the classic landmarks off the south coast.  Now managed by Jersey Heritage it is a great place to spend a night.

The inevitable photograph of the kayak on the beach.  Looking towards Gorey and the east coast of the Island.