Walberswick last Summer

Another day from last Summer, July 23rd this time. Crabbing, paddling and some swimming at Walbersick with Mike and Val.

Paddling Corfyn with the children, having forgotten to put their buoyancy aids on. Luckily we were probably only in three feet of water:

Mike had a turn:

Then over the sand dunes for a swim off of the beach. Tolerably warm:

Picnic at Stiffkey last Summer

A day from last Summer, 28th July, up at Stiffkey salt marshes on a neap tide. Corfyn unloaded from the car and waiting with the picnic and paddling gear on board:

The day started with crabbing on the bridge while we waited for friends to arrive:

All on board to paddle the short distance to the corner sandy picnic place just down creek:

Picnic time:

Paddling Corfyn on my own after the picnic:

Tony's turn:

A good time was had by all.

Corfyn on the upper tidal Blyth

Paddled from Blythburgh Bridge, launching by the A12, up to Blyford Bridge and back down. Upstream with the last of the flood tide against a brisk westerly breeze then back down with the ebb and a tail wind. Fantastic paddle, hot and sunny.

Launch point with the last of the flood tide still pouring up under the rather busy A12:

The first section was open with a decent fringe of reeds which kept some of the wind off and the last of the flood tide helped:

Working upstream the river became narrower, much more sheltered and somewhat obstructed. The flood had finished by now and the ebb just begun so it was safe to squeeze under. Lying down in the boat to do so!

Just emerging on the upstream side, looking back at the squeeze. This was HW on a 5.12m tide at Walberswick. Another 40cm and it would have needed a wait or a portage:

At HW the flow of the (very dry!) Blyth drops in to a foot or so of water rather than on to flat concrete:

The river above is quite different from the tidal section:

Looking downstream from under Blyford Bridge. Time to head back:

At times this upper section got quite narrow:

But there were lots of cattle for company:

Daniel and the kayak

Daniel's first try in a kayak. With the keel moulded in to these sit-ons it's a matter of get in and go!

Now a doting relative has said he does not have to wait for Christmas for his own kayak!

Cowley Steps video clip

Cowley Steps on the Exe at low flow levels from Petro Dobromylskyj on Vimeo.

Memories of Cowley Steps

This is Cowley Steps on the river Exe just north of Exeter. We visited last week as part of a holiday in North Devon. This is where I finished the Exe Descent marathon race, somewhat prematurely, by breaking my paddles. Back in the late 1970's. The river was in high flood at the time and there was no way to avoid being rotated where the slope meets the wall and curls over... This is very low summer level. The race was after an overnight downpour.

I didn't leave the boat at that point but tried to push up off of the bottom to stay in to the race. That's probably when I snapped my paddle. I dropped over the next drop more or less sideways and got stuck in the stopper. A helpful frogman (provided by the race organisers!) lifted my bow out and pushed it downstream towards the last drop. That's the stopper I got stopped in, showing rather white.

At this point I realised one paddle blade was missing, by trying to use it for support. This proved to be time to swim over the last drop, under the bridge and drag the boat to the bank. No way to replace the paddle, so that was it.

I've heard, on T'internet, that Cowley Steps was designed by an engineer with a pathological hatred of all kayak paddlers.

Amen, brother. Amen!

Self Heal

Forgot to put this one up. Self Heal is one of those exquisitely pretty flowers which are so common, a bit like Ground Ivy, but still worth looking at:

Orchids around Metfield

A pleasant hour at Winks Meadow. Among the thousands of Pyramidal Orchids all over the meadow there was a small group of about six of these. Each had that neat little circle of crushed grass in front of them which says "Multiple photographers were here". So I took some pictures:

They don't look like anything on the web site for Winks Meadow or on the information board there. After some time browsing the web and my pocket guide I decided they must be the same as these:

This is from a year or two back on a reserve just outside Lowestoft where Southern Marsh Orchids are the predominant species. So I'm guessing that's what they are.

The overwhelming orchids for July are the Pyramidal Orchids which are, happily, pretty ubiquitous all over the place.

The meadow itself is covered in them:

On the way back to Weybread I had to stop for a group of Common Spotted Orchids growing on the verge (with a few Pyramidals mixed in). This one came out nicely:

Canoe building

New canoe is nearly finished, then back to the Waveney...

Orchids on the A146

Pyramidal Orchids are just coming in to flower on the A146 near Beccles

Short walks at Hales Green and Sisland Wood

No orchids on Hales Green yet but the Ground Ivy is very nice

The Beeches are looking magnificent in Sisland Wood

And although the Bluebells are going over they still make a lovely display

Shotford to Homersfield at 0.25m on the gauge

Launched at Shotford, particularly nice shallow gravelly section down to Mendham which was a bit dry to shoot but I managed:

Portaged Limbourne Mill past the dozens of notices beginning with "Private" and "No" etc. Most unpleasant place on the river and a long portage. Then down the very shallow gravel riffles where the old sluice at Homersfield has been removed:

Then down to finish at Homersfield Bridge:
   
Homersfield Bridge from Petro Dobromylskyj on Vimeo.

Billingford to Shotford, back in the 'yak

Paddle with Tony from Billingford to Shotford Bridge yesterday, About eight or nine miles and 5 little weir shoots. Lots of fun, glorious day.

Paddle from Syleham to Shotford Bridge

Before visiting Winks Meadow I paddled the canoe from Syleham to Weybread. Great day. This is the Waveney just after the (very muddy) start:

Down the river to Needham, cows and Greater Celandines in the water meadows:

Then squeezed down the flow gauge at Needham mill. A bit wet but easier than carrying round!

Portaged at Weybread then down the gravel riffs below the weir pool:

Then a stop for a swim just above Shotford Bridge. Still a little cool at this time of year, but very nice never the less:

Early Purple Orchids at Winks Meadow

Revisited, the Early Purple Orchids are out in abundance now. Lovely.

Shotford with 0.3m on the Billingford gauge

The little rapid just below Shotford Bridge on the Waveney. Bit of a scrape at this level in the Canadian canoe, should paddle tomorrow:

EDIT: Paddled next day, if you follow RHS there are no scrapes at 0.29m on the Billingford gauge in the Canadian canoe.