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The trip was preceded with an intensive week of watching
weather forecasts and studying the surface pressure charts
during a week of severe weather for the whole Country,
Portland having 85mph winds in that time. It looked at least
slightly possible from the Met the day before so I said Yes,
expecting to possibly call it off once we were down at the
water’s edge. However once again Poseidon was on our side,
the four of us arrived on a sunny Saturday morning at
Ringstead Bay. The party was only four, Dicky Bird, Jon
Massey, David Cotgrove and gracing us with his always
appreciated presence the one and only “Lord” John Miller.
The wind was still around 18mph WNW with gusts pitching
in too, but the sea state after a week of being bashed had
settled nicely.
We set of with a following wind so we were constantly
trying to hold our direction but mostly zig zagged the first
third of the way. Jon decided to try Bat Hole so I moved
around the point for safety cover and out he popped the
other two already in my wake. The next amusement was Durdle
Door itself where John provided safety and the 3 of us
judged our timings nicely to proceed without incident.
Lulworth Cove provided the halfway point and lunch stop
where an elderly couple come over to show us their pictures
of us at Durdle Door, whilst they were walking the Coast
Path. Their pictures are now on the gallery page.
The return trip promised confused wind over tide but
again we exited the cove into rather pleasant conditions and
the progress back was of a good pace, even with the wind in
our faces. This time allowed for us all to pass in and out
of Durdle Door, Jon realising just how hard it is to take a
picture whilst on a kayak, as I hoped for my own fame in the
photo album.
The four of us all slipped through Bat Hole and upon our
return gracefully landed at the water’s edge. So another
great paddle, my first along this stretch. I cannot wait to
see it in the summer now. |
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| Ringstead Bay in the
winter sunshine |
Approaching White
Nothe |
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| White Nothe |
Lulworth Cove |
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| Dicky heading out of
Lulworth |
Durdle Door |
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| John and Jon at
Durdle Door |
Jon and David at
Durdle Door |
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