| Paddlers |
|
| Tony Sandry |
|
| David Cotgrove |
|
It was thought that around five club
members might make this trip, but in the event I met up
with Tony alone on the beach at Seaford on Friday
afternoon at around 1.30pm. After the usual faff and
parking the cars in an unrestricted area (free on sea
front but limited to 12 hrs), we were on the water just
after 3.00pm. Tony had planned this trip and assessed
tidal flows and weather conditions (hot and sunny with a
fresh NE wind Force 3 -4 gusting to 5) as favourable to
travel along the coastline. The plan was to paddle East
to a spot in Pevensey Bay for an overnight wild camp and
next day assess conditions for a trip out to the Royal
Sovereign lighthouse and a return to Seaford.
Fully loaded we set off with the wind in our faces
rounding Seaford Head. Passing the mouth of the River
Cuckmere, with coastguard cottages perched on the edge
of cliff, the impressive white cliffs of the famous
Seven Sisters came fully into view. Arriving at Birling
Gap we needed to stretch our legs and make use of the
facilities provided by the National Trust cafe on the
cliff top, by way of an impressive steel staircase from
the beach. Tony bought the ice creams. Progress had been
slow to this point and we still had a long way to go.
We paddled on past Belle Tout lighthouse on a rising
Spring tide under the enormous chalk cliffs as Beachy
Head lighthouse came into view. We passed the sobering
site of a wrecked car clearly visible on the rocks
between high and low water, the scene of a suicide just
a few days before.
Stopping briefly for a photo shoot by the lighthouse and
further assessment of our slower than expected progress
we rounded Beachy Head and the environs of Eastbourne
eventually came into view, with the smoke of barbecues
clearly visible on the beach and the need to navigate
round a late afternoon swimmer or two. By around 7.00
pm, in evening sunlight, we were getting tired and began
seriously looking for likely camping spots on the beach,
as it was evident we were unlikely to reach our intended
overnight objective. Against the NE wind and minimal
assistance from the current it didn't just seem like an
age to reach a landmark such as Eastbourne's pleasure
pier and after further assessment and with plenty of
daylight left we paddled on to Langney Point. On
approaching the point, landing was clearly not advisable
owing to a steep shingle beach and a dumping longshore
drift. In failing light, increased headwind and swell I
surveyed the scene, took a deep intake of breath and,
followed by Tony, rounded the point and found the
entrance to Sovereign Harbour and calm waters. We had,
in fact, after a trip lasting some five hours reached
Pevensey Bay!
We set up camp on a shingle beach in the outer harbour
and changed into warm clothing with Tony saying he did
not feel at all well and was off his food. We used the
boats as windbreaks and not bothering with the tents
slept under the stars on a warm night. Our night on
Langney Point under the shadow of a Martello Tower was
not without incident however. Thinking the police had
arrived with blue light flashing to move us on it was in
fact the Coast Guard having had reports of a blue boat
adrift off the point - not us. Later, closing time
produced a number of noisy youths passing close by and
we kept our heads well down. Later still, we were joined
by a young couple intent on some serious love making
just a few yards away and totally unconcerned by our
presence!!
After a calm night (weather wise) the
strong NE wind had returned by morning and cloud had
thickened. It required little discussion to decide that
our trip to the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse was off and
that there was little point pressing on into a headwind
further into Pevensey Bay. Planning to leave around high
tide at 10.00am, we watched boats leaving the harbour
through the swell funnelling in through the outer
harbour mouth and round the point West into a calmer
sea. We aimed to do the same, straight into the wind and
turning West giving the point a wide berth. Tony said he
was well enough to start the return trip but with the
option to land on Eastbourne sea front and get a taxi
back to the cars.
Once into calmer waters Tony suggested
striking out straight to far distant Beachy Head rather
than hugging the coastline which I took as an
encouraging sign that he was feeling better.
With a strong tail wind we made great
progress on the return leg reaching Beachy Head
lighthouse in around an hour. There we encountered the
Newhaven lifeboat having launched a small rib searching
the coastline for we know not what. Following another
leisurely stop at Birling Gap we rounded Seaford Head
for the last time and were off the water sometime after
2.00pm for a late lunch on a hot sunny beach.
Despite missing out the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse we
agreed this trip was well worth the effort and not
without its interest and challenging moments.
