This trip was scheduled for 16th May but the weather was too
bad so it had to be postponed.
Sunday 8th August promised to have good weather and so it
was. Warm, sunny and light winds. It was cloudy in the
morning but we even had some sunshine in the afternoon. The
afternoon sea breeze kicked in and started ruffling up some
waves just as were coming off the water.
Eleven paddlers met at West Bay and launched without
incident down the steep shingle. The team included Ian on
his first outing since having his biceps tendons surgically
re-routed. (ouch!). Sharon – being shepherded by Dicky was
welcomed on her first club paddle. John – a guest from PHCC
had come along with Jackie to demonstrate how to catch
mackerel (or not). The rest were a few other usual suspects
including Jim and Beryl, Clive J, John C, Jill and John M.
This coast is a part of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast and is a
Mecca for enthusiasts of geology and palaeontology. The
striated cliffs display fossilised creatures that inhabited
warm shallow seas here 200 million years ago.
There is often rough water as the River Brit flows out
between the breakwaters at West Bay. However, all was calm
for us and we made good progress towards Eypes Mouth which
is the first of the valleys plunging to sea level
interspersed between tall hills. The beaches along the coast
were all very busy with holidaymakers on this sunny August
Sunday.
Eypes Mouth is divided by Thorncombe Beacon and Doghouse
Hill from Seatown a mile or so further west.
Golden Cap is the highest point on England’s south coast and
dominates the skyline. The name describes the lighter
Cretaceous sand on top of the Jurassic cliffs. The boulders
that extend out to sea can sometimes create rough water –
but not today.
Between Golden cap and Charmouth the cliffs are crumbling
and there are frequent rock falls. It was amazing to see
that there were many people ignoring the warnings about rock
falls clambering up the cliffs in search of fossils.
A few paddlers dawdled along trailing a fishing line and
despite being very persistent nothing edible was caught all
day. We reached Charmouth without incident and landing was
easy today at low water on the sandy beach. Half of the
group opted to stay at Charmouth, have a leisurely lunch and
catch some rays and five paddlers carried on for another
mile or so to Lyme Regis.
The cliffs between Charmouth and Lyme Regis are on the move
and the most recent major land slip was in 2008 when the
towns rubbish dump ended up on the beach. The five paddled
into the Harbour at Lyme Regis sheltered by the famous
Cobb, Britain’s oldest working breakwater. This solid
structure receives an annual battering in the winter storms
and is repeatedly rebuilt. All was quiet for us and we
drifted in – had our chips and ice creams and paddled back
across the bay in perfect conditions to join the others at
Charmouth.
The sun came out in the afternoon making for a sparkly blue
sea which was just picking up a few wavelets as we
approached West bay. Despite John and Jackie’s persistence
no fish were caught! The landing at East beach at West Bay
was not for the faint hearted. Ian went in first and was
there to help everyone else. Sharon, on her first outing
didn’t quite stay dry. Beryl’s landing was text book
perfect!
Barbara John and Jackie continued on down the coast to
Burton Bradstock. The cliffs between West Bay and Burton are
spectacular sandstone and as Jackie remarked look like
purpose built high rise for the gulls. The beach at Burton
was packed with holiday makers are they were well
entertained as Barbara scored 0 and John scored 0.5 for
style when landing –again, not staying entirely dry. Jackie
timed it perfectly and made it look very easy. A stroll up
to Beach Road brought an end to a very pleasant summer
outing.
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| Sharon on her first
club outing |
The group heading
towards Charmouth |
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| Some paddlers carried
on to Lyme Regis |
Beryl and Jim at Lyme
Regis |
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| Sharon getting it
wrong landing at West Bay |
Beryl at West Bay |
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| Jackie and John
fishing |
Heading back to
Burton Bradstock |
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| Jackie |
John at Hive Beach |
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| Jim giving the
pre-paddle briefing |
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