Kent Coast, June 2002

As I arrived at the car park in Ramsgate the rest of the group were already assembled. It was a windy, and the sea looked lively to say the least. I eyed it anxiously as I parked and walked over to where Paul, Pete, Joe, Maggie, and Clive were studying the map. Unfortunately Nigel had been struck down by the flu on his way to the meeting point and had had to go home. I was relieved to hear that everyone had already decided that conditions were too rough for the proposed trip around the North Foreland to Margate and back, saving me from being the one to chicken-out first.

Paul had driven via the north Kent coast and had seen that conditions were much calmer there. We decided to drive over to Minnis Bay and have a look. Unfortunately, by the time we got there it was just as windy and choppy as it had been in Ramsgate. We had tea and cakes at the cafe next to the car park, but as far as I can remember no one tested the all-day breakfast. We decided to abandon the paddling for the day, but to meet again the next, depending on the weather.

Although originally planned as a one-day trip, Raquel and I had suggested an overnight camp that Saturday night and a paddle on the Swale on Sunday. Joe and Maggie would get in touch in the morning to see what the plan was and where to meet. The rest of us set out for the field where I had arranged for us to camp. I took the group on a scenic tour of the fine Kent countryside as I tried to find my brother's place. We finally arrived, in time for lunch. In the afternoon we had a walk around the reserve at Oare Marshes, had a look at the causeway where Nigel had (allegedly) once tried to cross the Swale by car, and we visited The Shipwright's Arms on Faversham Creek. That evening, back at the campsite, we were joined by Tracy and (eventually) Raquel for a (late) barbeque.

The weather on Sunday was much better. We returned, with Raquel, to Minnis Bay, where we met up again with Maggie and Joe. The sea was slight as we set off west towards Reculver. It was gentle paddle, with everyone in relaxed mood: Clive had wisely removed the banana from his deck lines and eaten it, thereby avoiding a repeat of the near catastrophe which had struck a few weeks earlier in Dorset. On that occasion a marine mammal, possibly a sea-monkey, had been attracted with such force to the banana on Clive's front deck that he had nearly capsized. This had been a stern lesson to the rest of us novice paddlers not to carry fresh fruit in full view on our kayaks. As Pete had so rightly said at the time of sea-monkeys, "You may not see them, but they can see you..."

We stopped for lunch at Reculver, and later wandered back on a calm sea. It was a very peaceful end to the day's paddle.

Thanks, as always, to the more experienced in the group for their advice and guidance with decision making, on and off the water, on both days.