A few aerial shots

I can never understand people who actually select a non window seat when flying because, without doubt, the best onboard entertainment is found from looking out of the window.  Frequently the flights pass over some of the more classic paddling destinations, so the advice would be to always keep your camera at the ready.  You are unlikely to be disappointed.

 An early morning departure from Heathrow gave superb views of London.   The Isle of Dogs is clearly visible and the more eagle eyed will be able to find the location of Shadwell Basin, where we were paddling last weekend. 

 Lihou is a small island off the west coast of Guernsey, where we have passed many a happy weekend.  This was taken in the aftermath of a February storm, hence the swell breaking on the north and west coasts.  We are there this weekend but the forecast is for much calmer conditions.

 Brecqhou, off the west coast of Sark.  The narrow channel is the Gouliot Passage, where the tidal streams can reach 7 knots on springs.  A very entertaining location.

 Just after take off from Ilulissat in Greenland and before the plane turns to the west and the south.  These waters had been much more ice choked when we had paddled south a couple of days earlier.

 Approaching the Isle of Wight.  The entrance to the River Medina at Cowes is clearly visible.  Calshot is largely obscured by the bank of cloud.  This picture was taken when heading south towards Jersey

 Heading north from Jersey you have a different perspective from the Isle of Wight.  We are just to the east of the island looking down Southampton Water.  Portsmouth Harbour is visible in the middle of the picture, whilst Langstone Harbour is to the right.

 Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands and the closest to France.  The harbour at Braye is clearly visible, whilst the small island is Burhou, a fascinating bird colony.  Between Alderney and Burhou is the Swinge, with tidal streams of 7 knots, whilst on the other side of the island is the famous Alderney Race, where speeds can reach 8-9 knots in places.

 Bonne Nuit bay on the north coast of Jersey, a popular place for the start of kayaking trips.  In the middle of the bay Cheval Rock is clearly visible.

 Departing from Jersey in a westerly direction, the cliffs at L'Etacq are exposed to the Atlantic swell.

Flying out of Milos in Greece, after what would have been another great weeks sea kayaking.  We are looking across to the summit of Mount Profitis Elias 748 metres (2,454 feet) high.  On one particularly windy day we did walk to the summit, from which we were able to see some of the finest sea kayaking destinations anywhere.

A few more aerial shots

It has been a while since I posted some images taken from the aircraft window, the last few months has seen some pretty turbulent flights so I haven't managed to get too many pictures.  Below are a selection of some of those I have taken over the last few years, generally illustrating some superb sea kayaking waters.  Remember the best entertainment on a flight is the view out of the window so keep your camera handy.

 The Cherbourg Peninsula, seen whilst flying north.  The infamous Alderney Races separates this tip of France from the most northerly of the Channel Islands.  Very challenging waters best visited for the first time on neap tides.

 Approaching Athens, landing in Athens is always exciting because it has inevitably resulted in some superb sea kayaking.

 Looking back towards Bonne Nuit, on the north coast of Jersey.  This was a particularly memorable flight as I had been running a course for the local Air Training Cadets, which resulted in a flight around Jersey in a Hercules.  Very memorable

 These are the Casquets, a wild group of rocks  with an unusual lighthouse about 8 miles west of Alderney.  As we were flying at about 18,000 feet it gives an idea of the size of the waves.  August 1989 was the only time that conditions came together to allow me to paddle out to this remote outpost of the Channel Islands.

 Cap Vani, the north west corner of Milos, in the Greek Islands.  Always great sea kayaking.  Contact Rod at Sea Kayak Milos for a superb trip.

 The Ecrehous, the shingle bank of this memorable reef is clearly visible.  Any sea kayaker visiting Jersey should aim to visit this delightful offshore reef.

 The north western corner of the Nuussuaq Peninsula on the northern side of Disko Bay.  A small piece of land can just be seen jutting into the ice.  This is the village of Niaqornat.  The 2013 film "Village at the end of World" was made here and is well worth watching.  I visited the village in 2012.

 The entrance to the harbour at Portsmouth.  From this height it is not obvious just how busy the waterways are in this area.

 Last Thursday morning as we passed over the Isle of Wight the Dorset coast was just about visible.  I have spent some great weekends kayaking along this coast with Portsmouth Canoe Club in the last few years.  Although not great views it seemed to be the first time for months that anything at all had been visible from the aircraft window.

Some more aerial shots

It has been a while since I posted a few aerial shots of some of the excellent sea kayaking destinations that I have flown over fairly recently.  They illustrate the advantages of keeping a camera at hand on any flights that you take.

Approaching Jersey from the west to land on the easterly runway.  The broad sweep of St Ouen's Bay is clearly visible.

When approaching from the east aircraft normally turn over the Ecrehous.  On this day it was clearly low water.

Banking just after take off from Copenhagen.  It is always surprising just how shallow some of the water is and what a large area it covers.

 Sand banks off the north coast of Holland.

 Fawley Oil terminal en route from Gatwick to Jersey.

Glaciers to the north of the Nussuaq Peninsula, west Greenland as we started our descent into Uummannaq.  A 70 minute helicopter flight north was followed by a 3 week trip south.

The west coast of Milos.  Fortunately it wasn't as windy when we had paddled this coast a few days earlier but the wind strength produced an "interesting" flight back to Athens.

Milos Again

In October 2010 Chester and myself from Absolute Adventures organized a circumnavigation of Milos, that well known sea kayaking island in Greece, to raise money for Jersey Hospice and Centre Point Trust.

A total of 30 kayakers, from Jersey, headed towards southern Greece for the last week of October and we were blessed with some excellent weather at the beginning of the week, followed by some more entertaining conditions.

 Sulphur Mine on the east coast of Milos.  A great spot for a break and a swim, even in October.

 Cooking porridge on the west coast of the island, after a night of violent storms.  Tents were flattened, sea kayaks blown along the beach and the night sky lit by lightening storms.

 Kleftico.  The south west corner of the island with a superb range of arches and stacks.

 The final day along the south coast.  Clouds of this size produce entertaining squalls!

 Sarah proving that even after a night on the beach it is possible to look reasonably glamorous.

On the north coast of the island.  Ideal conditions for exploring the geological features.

In October 2011 we are returning to Milos again with the aim of raising more money for these two charities so if you are interested in helping to raise funds whilst paddling in one of Europe's great sea kayaking destinations why not get in touch.  Contact myself for further information and consider heading south this autumn.

Sea Caves and Cliff Jumping

 Jumping into warm water allows modification in the paddlers equipment.  Each stretch of coast is viewed by the kayaker as a potential jumping site.

This has been a difficult post to write, not from a literary perspective but rather from a safety point of view.  A number of people may find some of the ideas somewhat controversial.  The idea of encouraging people to jump off cliffs into the sea must cause numerous Health and Safety inspectors to turn in their graves.  We need to be realistic though, generations of young people have flung themselves from bridges, cliffs etc, all in the pursuit of pleasure..  It seems to be more sensible to offer suggestions on how to jump in safety as opposed to discouraging people and perhaps forcing them to indulge in this pastime without any guidance.
As we are all aware the sea kayak is the ideal craft for the minute exploration of the indentations of the coast line.  The small nooks and crannies, often with steep sides offer excellent opportunities for climbing out of the kayaks, scrambling over the rocks and jumping back into the water before paddling on.  This can be one of the great pleasures of paddling but to enjoy it safely requires some knowledge and technique.  These are ideally acquired before heading out onto the open ocean.

 This is an ideal practice jump.  Not too high but clearly over hanging so if there is a mistake on take off the jumper will still hit the water.

Probably the key to safe jumping is confidence and this is best acquired in a controlled environment.  My ideal choice is a small harbour with a good set of steps.  The depth of water is normally clearly indicated and the sea bed will, for obvious reasons, usually be free of obstacles.  It is vital to check for any local laws and to keep clear of any boats which are operating in the area.  The flat harbour wall provides a solid base for the feet prior to jumping.  Select an area in which you want to land, at least a metre away from the wall.  Place one foot in front of the other and then push off confidently.  When flying through the air use your arms to steady yourself, making sure that you pull them into your sides just prior to hitting the water.
Ideally it should be a short swim back to the steps and you are ready for another go.  There are a number of harbour walls, nearby, which offer jumps of differing heights, so that as experience is gained and confidence increases it is possible to increase the height of the jump.  In areas with large tidal ranges it is possible to vary the height by using the same location but visiting at different phases in the tidal sequence.

Although this looks like a good jumping location, it is not a sensible place to explore.  It was a reasonably difficult climb to the top of the stack with a couple of moves we would not have wanted to repeat.

Harbour walls are just the beginning; the excitement comes from paddling along secluded sections of coasts and identifying areas to explore which are beyond the scope of most other people.  An ideal location would have somewhere easy to climb out of the kayak, although at times it is easier to climb out of the kayak in deep water then swim ashore.  The water should be clear so that any potential hazards are easy to identify from above.  The jumping spot should be flat and reasonably large in size.  In addition the walls should be steep, ideally overhanging so that there is no possibility of hitting the rocks if a slip should occur or if the jump isn’t as positive as it should be.

Another good jumping spot, this is off the north coast of Milos.  Jumping over the entrance to the arch ensures safety.

Start off with simple jumps in protected inlets in the company of other experienced coastal explorers before attempting more demanding jumps.  There are some important points to consider.  It is perfectly acceptable to say no to a jump and do not give grief to people who are unwilling to attempt certain jumps.  This is an activity which is meant to be enjoyable and  fun.
Always have the right equipment; shoes are essential and protective clothing for the arms and legs, such as a wet suit.  This is to help protect against barnacle rash, a painful affliction which occurs when skin comes into contact with barnacle covered rocks.  Many people prefer to keep their buoyancy aid on when jumping but it is important to hold it tight when entering the water to prevent it riding up.  It does offer extra protection if collisions with rocks are possible.  If a swell arrives when you are in the water then the safest option is to remain in deep water, where it is unlikely for the waves to break until the waves die down.

Once you have experienced the thrill of exploring the coastline and jumping into the sea it is unlikely that you will ever view the cliffs and gullies in the same way again.  Each rocky knoll becomes a potential site of adventure and challenge with weather and isolation doing very little to dampen enthusiasm.

The sea kayak gives access to new areas.  This is a well known jump off the main rock of the Paternosters, off the north coast of Jersey.  Depending upon the state of the tide the jump can be up to 55 feet high.

 

 A historic photograph to illustrate that cliff jumping isn't a new activity.  The paddler is Derek Hutchinson at one of the Jersey Canoe Club Sea Kayaking Symposiums in the early 1990's.  The intrepid jumper is Barry Howell.

Greek Sea Kayaking Again

As temperatures in the Mediterranean start to rise (hopefully) it is time to head south again. This evening we had a useful meeting planning for our trip next week when we aim to kayak from Milos to Santorini and back. If all goes to plan and the weather is on our side then we should spend at least one night on each of the islands marked below.

Packing at Pollonia on a previous visit. Hopefully our departure point next weekend.

The lighthouse bay. This should be our first camp site and the start point for our crossing the following morning.

If you haven't experienced sea kayaking in Greece before then consider it for this year, you won't regret it. We have our fingers crossed for the end of next week.

Milos West Coast

After two relatively easy days along the east and north coasts it was clear that the weather was on the turn. Early morning rain and strong winds hinted at more challenging kayaking conditions, particularly was we were heading out towards the more exposed west coast.
By 09.30 though conditions were more settled and we were able to take advantage of a lull in the wind to head across the entrance to Milos harbour towards Cape Vani.
Although the weather did deteriorate later in the day by then we were safely ashore but more importantly we were in a position that one more good day would mean that we should be able to complete the circumnavigation of Milos one day earlier than planned.

Approaching Cape Vani, the north west tip of the island. The cliffs are in this area are spectacular.

A brief stop was made at the old manganese mine just before Cape Vani. There were plenty of ruins to explore.

Manganese Mine. The first ore was extracted in 1898 and it is peak there were 250 people employed at the mine. In total 220,000 tones were extracted with the mine finally closing in 1928.

The beach at the mine was a rich source of driftwood which was going to come in really useful later in the day.

Chris and Shirley loaded with wood off the west coast of the island. The island behind is Antimilos, which is high on my list of places to paddle to.
The complex geology of Milos creates a fascinating backdrop to the kayaking. Alternate bands of rock produce a colourful coastline. This is heading south along the west coast of Milos.

We had planned to reach the south west corner of the islands but a rapidly increasing wind forced an early finish at Agios Ioannis. This was fortunate as the wind increased in strength very quickly creating challenging kayaking conditions. We were ashore by this time.

Happiness is a small tent on a Greek beach.

Strong gusts of winds blasting off the surrounding high land created problems for the tents despite to use of extra pegs and heavy stones. This is one tent being recovered from the sea.

When on a kayaking trip always try to take a chef with you. Gary was able to produce delicious meals for 30 people in no time at all. The driftwood from the manganese mine was particularly useful.

During a drop in the wind we were able to admire the sunset and monitor the build up of clouds to the west which hinted at the outbreak of thunderstorms.

Some of the locals! Fortunately the small building was open and we were able to find shelter during the worst of the thunderstorms.