Dorset, May 2001

Sitting in the queue of traffic leaving Swanage on Bank Holiday Monday evening, I was thinking why we had chosen Bank Holiday to come paddling here? Sitting in the queue of traffic leaving Swanage on Bank Holiday Monday evening, I was thinking about the 3 days good paddling we'd just had! That's why we'd come!

The weather forecast was not brilliant but still 11 of us got together on the Friday evening (and early Saturday am) for the weekend ahead.

We set off from Ringstead Bay on Saturday morning with a slight swell and a sea mist hanging around. I had never paddled this stretch of coast before and was looking forward to seeing it. Fat chance! The mist wasn't going to lift.

Plenty of rock hopping here, under weatherworn arches, behind disjointed lumps of cliff now sitting isolated in the sea and beaches, only accessible by sea, were found and remembered. We also learnt a new stroke - The Leicester Brace: If caught on a surfing wave, between 2 rocks, throw away your paddle, put out your hand and shout 'STOP' at the wave. (Works equally in the pub as well).

The Durdle Dor landmark soon appeared but provided no surfing today. A few kilometres later and we reached Lulworth Cove for lunch. Normally throbbing on a Bank Holiday, the beach was quiet today - not many people could find it in the mist! Chatting idly over lunch we watched the mist get thicker and visibility started to get worse. We could still see, so off we went for the return trip. Seeing the cliffs in the mist added something to their beauty, and the sea now had a glassy oily sheen to it.

Sunday and we chose to launch from Studland beach and run to Swanage. Under the shelter of the cliffs we enjoyed the spectacle of Old Harry's Rock, Old Harry's Wife and the other pinnacle rocks that sit along here. A stiff breeze in Swanage Bay made the going a little slower for some, but still enjoyable. Anyway, lunch was here so we had to make a landing.

The wind was on our tails for the return trip and hadn't settled down. An interesting ride back and if anyone knows why Avril and her Greenlander have to speed off like that - please tell her where the brake is!

The wind was forecast to even stronger on Monday so we opted for a gentle paddle in Poole harbour, putting in at Studland and winding our way up to the RSPB reserve at Arne. Substitute gentle for full head on into a F4 breeze would be more accurate. It didn't matter, Poole is always worth a visit and the whole weekend had been great again.

My thanks to those who joined us there. SESK almost became international with friends from all over including Leicester, Cheshire (up North), Stafford, Faversham and the Home Counties here for the weekend