ExpedSchools > Trip Progress

ExpedSchools
Trip Progress

See a map showing the Teams progress here

Here's an update on the Teams progress. Pics tomorrow - Ted, Tuesday 5th July.

See a new pic of the team here.

April

May

June

July

August

September

JULY 2005

July: 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,

Friday 29th July
Cemas on Angelsey

STOP PRESS!!

I've just heard from the Team. They've landed back in Cernas on Angelsey exactly Eighty Days after they left ,establishing a new record for circumnavigating the UK by kayak. Well done to them all for an extremely hard journey and many thanks to all the people who helped them and offered them hospitality along the way.

More updates soon

Ted

Monday 25th July
Weather N 3 to 5 rain visibility poor
Route Dinas Head to near Aberporth
We were in our boats by 10 and had a bumpy start crashing through tidal races on the head lands. The wind was against us so we knew we would not get far. We stopped by 3. We hope to finish our trip this weekend and have about 150 miles to go. Harry climbed the hill by the beach at sun set to take photos.

Cardigan Bay

Tuesday 24th July
Weather wind NE 3 to 5
Route Windsands bay St Davids Head To Dinas Head
A poor forecast today and we had big tides against us too. We got of the beach by 10am and had the tide pushing us along but the wind and rain pushing us back which slowed us down. The rain was hitting us directly into our eyes so it was very unpleasant and at times we couldn't see. By the time we got to Strumble Head the tide had turned and we tried in vain to get round and had to take a few hours break till the tide was less strong. We finally got to Dinas by 9pm all tired. We pitched the tent cooked and fell asleep.

Strumble Head

Friday 22nd July
Weather wind N 2 going W, visibility good
Route Lundy to Broad Haven South. Distance 29 miles
We were up at 5am this morning for an early start. We saw the sun rise and by 6am we were off. Since we were crossing to Wales we reckoned we would see lots of wildlife. Today we saw lots of puffins, sheerwaters and common dolphins too. The sea was very flat and by 3.30 we had arrived back on the Welsh Coast . All going well we will finish our trip late next week.

Regards Team Exped

Thursday 21st July
Weather wind NW 3 to 4 visibility poor.
Route Bude to Lundy
Today we got a reasonable forecast allowing us to cross to Lundy. The past two days we stayed off the water as the forecast was poor. We had to work out the effect the tidal flow in the Bristol channel would have on us as we could easily miss the island if we got it wrong. As it was we just about got it right but we had to paddle hard at the end to make sure we made it. The weather forecast looks good for tomorrow.

Lundy in the distance

Monday 18th July
Trevrose Head - Bude
Wind SW-W 4-5
Another early start and the wind had picked up today, fortunately it was mostly behind us. It was very rainy and misty and we couldn't see very far in front so we had to use our compasses to make sure we were going in the right direction. We saw a sunfish and took a picture of it. These fish swim very slowly near the surface most of the time. They have a circular body which is why they are called sun fish. We landed at Bude where Phil's mum and another friend of Phil's,Pat, met us with a picnic with lots of fresh fruit and salads.

Sun Fish

Sunday 17th July
Wind NW 2-3
St Ives - Trevrose Head
We had to get up early today to take advantage of the tide. Our route kept us far off shore and it was quite misty. This means we have to work hard with our navigation using compass bearings when we lose sight of the land. We came in close to land again at Newquay when the tide started to go against us. We paddled past a surf competition at Fistral beach before landing on Trevrose Head.

Phil photographing lizards underwater!

Saturday 16th July
Weather NW 3-4
Porthcurno – St Ives
Our route today kept us close in to the cliffs as we rounded Lands End. This was fun as there were many caves to explore including an arch that ran under Lands End itself. Soon after that the tide was so strong against us we had to stop and wait for it to slow. We then pushed on to St Ives.

Sea Arches around Land's End

Friday 15th July
Wind - NW3/4
Route Porthallow to Porthcurno
This morning we had eggs and potatoes for breakfast and then left the shingle beach at Porthallow to head towards Lands End.

We stayed close to the shore for the first 10 miles passing some stunning coastline and a working quarry. We had a short crossing to Lizard Point where we had a quick break to cook some lunch.

Wreck off Cornwall coast

After lunch we headed out into Mount Bay for the 19 mile crossing to Lands End. We had hoped to round Lands End and get to Sennan Cove for dinner but by 8pm we decide to stop short and pulled in at Porthcurno. As we entered the bay we could see an open air theatre up on the cliff known as the Minack Theatre, which had a performance as we passed.

At the top of the bay is a cable station dating back to the Victorians. This station was a telegraph linking the UK to America , Gibraltar , Canada , India and parts of Africa . This was like our modern day internet but slower and very expensive to use.

Thursday 14th July
Polperro - Porthallow,27 mile
Weather: Wind variable 2 to 3 visibility poor fog in places.
The sea gulls woke us very early at 4 am but we managed to get back to sleep. After breakfast we were packed and gone by 9.30.. Soon a very heavy fog set in and we had to navigate by compass and charts. It was really strange as some times yachts would drift into view briefly and then be swallowed by the fog. After 3 hours the fog lifted and we had good visibility again. We keep paddling an 10 hours later arrived in Porthallow. Now we are preparing our kit to paddle around The Lizard which is the most southerly point of Britain and then we turn north round Lands End.

Paddling in the evening

Regards Team Exped

Wednesday 13th July
Bolt Tail - Polperro, 26 miles
Today we left the beach at 10am . It was already very hot but it was pleasant in the sunshine, later in the afternoon we passed the entrance to Plymouth and it was busy with lots of ships and sailing boats. It was a beautiful evening as we got to Polperro and paddled into the harbour passed the old life boat. We slept on the beach.

The Old Lifeboat at Polperro

Tuesday 12th July
Torquay - Bolt Tail, 27 miles

Bolt's Tail

Monday 11th July
Seaton - Torquay, 25 miles
Now on the Devon Riviera we stayed far from shore to avoid the effects of tides. Even three miles out we could hear voices carried from shore by the breeze. We reached Torquay where our friend Pat met us with fresh juice and nutritious food to help us keep going.

Sunday 10th July
Portland to Seaton, 26 miles
Today was very hot. We had to drink a lot of water to maintain the amount of fluid in our bodies. Water is more important than anything else we consume in maintaining our health.

Barry off of Portland Bill                     Helcopter flying out of Portland naval base

Saturday 9th July
Southbourne to Portland, distance 33 miles
In the morning we saw James’s horse Bobbin in the garden. Bobbin is a retired milk float horse that James rescued. Bobbin keeps the lawn nice and tidy! We launched the boats at midday and paddled all the way to Portland. This part of the coast is called the Jurrasic Coast because there are lots of fossils found in the rocks.

We passed Portland Bill a head of land famours for its rock. It was from here that the stoned for St Paul’s Cathedral was quartried in the Seventtenth Century. We camped on Chesil Beach, an 18 mile beach of pebbles grow in size as you travel from south to north. See here for more details. As it’s very warm we sleep without using our tent on the beach. After the wind and rain of the north it makes for a big difference.

It's not all paddling!!! Phil meets with Bobbin!

Barry and Phil near Weymouth

Friday 8th July
Hayling Island to Soutbourne, 34 miles
Wind SW 3-4
Today we paddled 35 miles with a very strong tide pushing us along the Solent . This is a very busy area with lots of ferries and sailing boats going to and fro. There is lots of recreational sailing and we saw 180+ boats. Leaving the Solent we had a tide of six knots pushing us along! We lost the tide at Heagbury Head and met our friend James who took us home for food and a bed which was a treat as ever!

Yacht in The Solent

Thursday 7th July
Littlehampton to Hayling Island
We had lots of head wind so it was very slow going and only managed 17 miles to Littlehampton where we rested. Here we got hot showers and stayed with Arun Sailing Club. Many people around the country have offered us hospitality, helping us in our trip because they work and play at sea and understand the difficulties and dangers we experience.

Wednesday 6th July
Brighton to Littlehampton

We left Brighton sad to say goodbye to our friends Ben and Mandy. The seaside city of Brighton has two piers. The West pier was destroyed by a series of storms and two fires during 2002-3. There are lots of pictures of its gradual demise here.

Whilst we were staying with Ben and Mandy we met Ben's friend Ray and his wife Betty. Ray was blinded during the Second World War. He was part of the forces that were parachuted into Arnhem in The Netherlands to try and capture bridges over the Rhine River . Ben and Ray go for a bike ride every week on a tandem , a bicycle designed to take two people. Ben steers and Ray pedals behind as the 'stoker'. Ray, aged 84, did a parachute jump last September to commemorate the battle to capture 'The Bridge Too Far'. We were all very impressed by Ray's fitness (he swims a mile regularly) and wanted to show you a picture of someone who has maintained his health and fitness well into later life. A great example to us all.

Ray and Ben with Ray in his 'Red Beret',
the hat associated with The Parachute Regiment

We had lots of head wind so it was very slow going and only managed 17 miles to Littlehampton where we rested. Here we got hot showers and stayed with Arun Sailing Club. Many people around the country have offered us hospitality, helping us in our trip because they work and play at sea and understand the difficulties and dangers we experience.

Tuesday 5th July
Eastbourne to Brighton
We got up at 5 am again because it is often less windy early in the morning at the moment. We paddled the 16 miles to Brighton with a reasonably strong headwind and the tide against us but we didn't want to stop and wait in case the wind got stronger. At Brighton we met up with some friends, Ben and Mandy Sherratt, who took us home for dinner and a bed.

Beachy Head - 535 feet above the sea level

Monday 4th July
Bexhill to Eastbourne
Strong headwinds again, we only managed about seven miles before the wind got too strong and we had to stop.

Eastbourne pier

Sunday 3rd July
Dungeness to Bexhill
We got up at 5 am to cross the firing range and made good progress as the head wind was not too strong. We got to the far end of the range by 7.45 am , just in time as they were due to start firing at 8 am . At 10 am we stopped and met up with some fiends, Simon and Jo, who had come from London to see us. They cooked us a big breakfast on the beach before we got back in our boats and paddled on to Bexhill where the sailing club let us have showers in their club house. Later that night we were visited by a fox who urinated on Phil's sleeping bag. Yuk!

bad fox!

Saturday 2nd July
Littlestone-by-the-sea to Dungeness
Again it was a strong head wind today as we paddled the eight miles to Lydd Firing Range . This is a place where the Army practice firing their guns and you are not allowed to paddle too close to it in case you get shot. We radioed in to the Range Control when we got there and were told that they were firing that day so we would have to wait till early the next morning to cross.

Friday 1st July
Folkstone to Littlestone-by-the-Sea
This morning we waited until 11.00am to catch the tide but as soon as we got around the harbour wall we hit by the wind which came at us head on once again. Not only do the strong winds tire us out but after days and days of them they also begin to wear our spirits down.Today we managed 8 miles before pulling in at Littlestone-by-the-sea. As we went in to the beach we saw a huge concrete structure called a Mulberry Harbour which was built during World War 2.

When we landed the tide was out and we had to get the kayaks right the way up a very long muddy beach. As soon as we were changed we cooked a nice healthy meal of pasta with fresh vegetables and pesto. Again we were allowed to stay and keep the kayaks safe this time at Varne Boat Club. When we are not in quiet areas one of the most important things for us is to find somewhere safe for the kayaks as we carry a lot of important equipment in them and if any of it was damaged it could cost us a lot of time and money.

- - -

JUNE 2005

June: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,23,24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Wednesday 30th June
St Margerets Bay to Folkstone
We woke this morning and after our cereal we had boiled eggs and then launched the kayaks to go with the tide towards Dover . Dover is a very busy port with two entrances to cross with ships entering and leaving every few minutes so we had to be very careful not to be run down and not to cause a hazard to any ships. We carry a VHF radio with us so we called the port control authorities who let us know as soon as it was safe to cross.

Dover Ferry

It was a hard slog from there onwards and once again we were forced by the wind to stop, this time at Folkstone Harbour . The tide was out and there were lots of fishing boats, some of them being repaired whilst not in use. Folkstone seemed like a very busy little fishing town and as soon as we were changed Harry and I tried some pickled herrings from one of the fish stalls on the quayside.

After having a look around the town we were told we could leave our kayaks somewhere safe for the night by Deena, one of the divers from the yacht and boat club and even invited us to stay in the club overnight as there was nowhere to camp. St Margaret's Bay,

Tuesday 29th June
Deal to St Margerets
First thing this morning we gave in to the temptation of a cooked breakfast as a cafe opened about 30 meters away. After that we were on the water again but the wind was incredibly strong and after 2 hours and only 4 miles we decided we would be better off stopping as we were all becoming very tired and we still have a long way to go. We got out on a gravel beach at St Margerets Bay, a very pretty bay surrounded by high chalk cliffs with caves in them which we think were used for defence in the Second World War. The bay formed a sun trap so we lay our wet clothes out and spent the afternoon sun bathing.

Tuesday 28th June
Margate to Deal
This morning we woke up on the beach at Margate which is a very busy seaside town in the summer. As soon as we had finished our breakfast it was back to it again and we paddled in to a strong headwind towards North Foreland. We had to go around the big headland with fast tides and strong winds making the sea very rough for us.

We had lunch in our kayaks on the water and carried on until we came to a small town called Deal, where we looked out for somewhere to land as the surf was dumping large waves onto the steep beach. Phil went in first and grabbed Harry's and my kayak as we went in to land. We were welcomed by Andy Roberts, a friendly coastguard who arranged for us to have a shower in the sailing club before we had our dinner. Not long after that the sleeping bags were out ready for another nights camping on the beach.

Monday 27th June
Wind NE 3/4
Harwich to Margate
After a good nights sleep in a proper bed we launched our kayaks, said thanks to Hugh and Deborah and paddled out of Harwich and on to Walton on the Naze to start the Thames Estuary crossing. We planned to land somewhere near Margate which is 30 miles away. We couldn't see land on the other side so we used our charts and compasses to find our way across. There are different buoys marked on the charts which we used to check our position throughout the day.

About half way across we saw an old concrete and steel structure called Knock John Tower which remained from World War 2. Soldiers would liveinside it and try to shoot down enemy planes that were sent over to bomb London from Nazi Germany. For more information click here.

The Knock John Tower

Throughout the day we saw a lot of ships passing up and down the shipping lanes then after a long day on the sea we eventually landed at Margate in the dark. We got into our dry clothes, prepared dinner and found somewhere on the beach to pitch the tent.

Sunday 26th June
Southwold to Harwich
When we woke we had a nice surprise when Paul brought us out a tray with hot drinks and biscuits and let us have the use of the bathroom before we left. Once we left we had the wind behind us and the tide helping us along also. After about 2 hours we passed a huge nuclear power station called Sizewell which provides a huge amount of power for the national grid.

Once the tide turned we pulled in for lunch and a rest at the mouth of the river Deben. This was an extremely busy little river with lots of small boats and jet skis going in all directions, we had to be very careful here.
After lunch we continued to the port of Harwich where we had arranged to meet some friends Hugh and Deborah who had invited us to stay for the night and get cleaned up. Their house was very old and interesting, it even had a stairway going down into a cellar where smugglers used to hide about 250 years ago. One of the smugglers was very famous named One-Eyed Bob. People also used to hide there from the press gangs that used to go around forcing men to join the navy. It was fantastic to have a shower and get a good nights sleep in a proper bed.

Saturday 25th June
Winterton to Southwold
Wind NE 5/6
When we woke the wind had picked up and waves were crashing on to the beach. After our corn flakes and boiled eggs we climbed back into our wet cloths and paddled down the further down the coast.
After a few hours we stopped at a seaside town called Lowestoft for lunch as the tide was about to turn and run north for a few hours. While we were there Phil was able to meet up with a friend.

By early evening the tide had turn to help us on our way again. As we travelled along this stretch of coastline we noticed that there was a lot of erosion where large chunks of land had fallen in to the sea. We noticed some houses very close to the sea with nothing to stop the sea washing the ground from beneath them. We stopped for the night at a place called Southwold, we were cold, wet and tired. We knocked on a door to ask if there was anywhere to pitch our tent and were kindly invited by a friendly man called Paul Bedford to put it in his front garden. We were introduced to the whole family who are very keen cyclists... they told us that the coastal erosion is a big problem in that area seeing the coastline retreat every year!

Friday 24th June
Salthouse - Winterton
weather - wind northerly 2-4
We used the tide in the morning to help us along and then stopped and had a long lunch break while the tide was flowing strongly against us. When the tide started to go south again we got back on and paddled until it got dark. Now that we are further south it gets dark a lot earlier in the evening. We eventually stopped on a point called Winterton where Harry and Barry pitched the tent in the dunes while Phil got the cooker going to prepare a meal of rice and vegetables.

Thursday 23rd June
Skegness - Salthouse
weather - north easterly 2-3
We had to get up early this morning to be on the water by 7am so we could catch the tide across the Wash. The early start and with the wind behind us enabled us to get a long day in and do 32 miles. We landed on the beach and pitched our tent on the pebbles.

Wednesday 22nd June
Weather wind SW 3 to 4, becoming 3. Visibility good.
Spurn Head - Skegness

Today we knew it would be very important to get the tides right to get us across the Humber . Last night the moon was full so that meant the tides would be very strong.

Full Moon

We pushed of the beach heading south at 12pm. Crossing the Humber we had to wait till some of the ships had passed by before we crossed the shipping lane. The pilot, a local guide who knows the tides, currents and obstacles, came over to us and gave us advice where to cross. All ships that go in and out of the Humber must use the pilots for safety.

The Pilot

Once passed the Humber we saw fighter bombers dropping bombs on targets out to sea. The tide pushed us along quickly so we knew we would make it to Skegness. It took us seven hours to paddle 32 miles. For the last thirty minutes we lost the tide as it turned, so we had to paddle very close to the beach.

We have an early start tomorrow to get us across The Wash. Since heading south from Scotland we have noticed both the warmer weather and the further south you go the nights are darker unlike Scotland where it is bright for 21 hours a day during the summer.

For the past week we have paddled into Headwind, this has slowed us right down!

Tuesday 21st June
wind variable 2-4
Skipsea - Spurn Head
We met a fisherman this morning with a net that he puts from the shore out to sea. At low tide he wades out and collects the fish in the net. When he gets one he calls his dog from the beach, who swims out, collects the fish and takes it back to shore. We paddled all the way to Spurn Head, which is a spit, so that we were ready to cross the River Humber tomorrow. Our friend James Stevenson came to meet us that evening with food for the next couple of weeks.

Monday 20 th June
weather: wind variable force 2
Cayton Bay - Skipsea
Today we paddled round Flamborough Head, fast tidal currents run here. If you time it right you get pushed along with these and go quite quickly. We saw lots of puffins with sand eels in their beaks.

Sunday 19th June
Weather Wind SE 3 to 4 becoming 5. Visibility good.
Staites to Cayton Bay, Scarborough distance 23 miles
We left this morning with lots of tide speeding us along but soon we slowed right down. The shore here is nothing but cliffs which gave us some shelter from the wind. Once we got of the water there was a big electrical storm and we could see forked lightening strike the water. It was exciting but scary too....

Saturday 18th June
Weather wind SE 2 to 3, 4 later
Sunderland to Staites
Just before we left Sunderland the life boat crew were busy getting ready to launch the life boat. Fergus helped them and the second the boat hit the water its engine was on and boat was on its way to a rescue. We paddled off far from land and followed our compass bearing for three hours before we saw land again. It was difficult to make out the shore line as visibility was poor. The town of Staites where we landed is a very pretty town. The famous explorer Captain Cook lived here, we saw his house where he lived about 300 years ago; life must have been difficult then.

Friday 17 th June
Tynemouth to Sunderland distance 8 miles
The team only paddled a short distance today. Fergus from Sunderland Adventure Centre called us and allowed us to stay in his Centre, This was really good for us and ee had a good half days rest. When we got to Sunderland HMS Ocean came into harbour pulled along by big tugs.

Thursday 16th June
Weather wind SE variable visibility poor.
Amble to Tynemouth distance 21.
Yippe another day of wind against us!! However we were very lucky when we met Nick Kincaid from Tynemouth Sail club. He treated us really well once we got off the water, Because of the last few days of head wind the team is really tired.

Wednesday 15 th June
Budle Point to Amble, Distance 14 miles.
Wind SW 4 to 5, 6 later visibility poor.
Another day of head wind so we did not get far. On the way today we saw lots of ruined castles and churches. During the rain you can not see much. At six this evening we arrived at Amble and the weather got much better. Barry talked to some sailors from Coquet Sailing Club and they let use the showers and camp by our kayaks.

Tuesday 14 th June
Weather wind SW 3 to 5. Visibility good showers expected.
Berwick-upon-Tweed to Budle Point
Andrew from Berwick sailing club dropped us back to our kayaks and by 10am we were on the water. We were doing quite well but paddled close to shore to avoid the tide. Every so often a big swell would come along an crash into the beach. As we passed Lindisfarne the rain and heads winds started and then the tide turned and we werer pushing against the tide too. It was very hard work indeed! We made a lunch stop that afternoon at Seahouses and got back on the water. By now the wind was very strong so we called it a day and got off the water. We slept in an old wooden shed that belonged to Phil's friends.

Monday 13th June 2005
Weather: wind NE 4 to 5 occasionally 6, rain visibility poor.
Route Dunbar to Berwick on Tweed , distance traveled 22 miles.
Last night when we got into Dunbar it was raining so most of our dry kit got wet. When we are camping once our stuff gets wet its very hard to dry it.

sheltering from the rain

Dunbar is a small town with a big harbour surrounded by the high walls of an old castle. We pitched our tent in part of the old fort. We managed to get a shower this morning in the life boat station. The Life boat station officer was very kind to us and showed us one of the two different boats there. The coast line here is battered by winds which come from the north and east so there are two different life boats at the station. The big life boat is called a Severn and can travel up to 250 miles in very poor weather, the crew of 6 who man the boats all live locally. The smaller boat is called a D class and used for local rescues and can be launched much easier and has a crew of 3.

life boat

We left the harbour and had the wind, rain and swell behind us. When it rains you can't see very much because of all the water flying about! Since starting our trip south the cliffs are getting smaller, so there are not as many sea birds on view. We still see the occasional puffin, gannet or guillemot. Yesterday we stopped on the Isle of May for lunch and saw small rabbits running every where and puffins nesting in what looked like rabbit burrows.

We got into Berwick at about 8pm and met Andrew from the sailing club. He took us back to his farm and cooked us dinner. The town of Berwick is full of history and like Dunbar is surrounded by castle walls. This town has been fought over by the Scots and the English for hundreds of years and changed hands thirteen times. Andrew showed us around the town last night and its historic buildings.

Regards Team Exped

Sunday 12 June 2005
Dells head to Dunbar
Weather: Wind North westerly 4-5, rain.

Today we had some large open crossings to do. We set off early and stopped for "lunch" at 5pm. Towards the end of the day we passed a large Gannet colony on an island called Bass Rock. The Gannets were diving head first into the sea to catch fish. We finished at 9pm having done 35 miles.

Saturday 11 June 2005
Caterline Harbour to Dells Head.
Weather: Wind North easterly 4-5.

We woke early at 5am as the local fisherman started his boat up. After a while he returned and he told us about fishing for lobsters and velvet crabs. All the crabs and lobsters are caught in pots or creel. Once the crustacean enters the pot they are unable to get out. Most of the catch goes to France or Spain where it fetches a good price.

lobster pot

We got on the water at 11 and soon were moving quickly. With the wind behind us we made good progress in the morning until the wind swung round to a head wind slowing us down. This wasn't in the forecast and it reminded us to always be careful with the weather. We were not far out to sea though so we were able to carry on slowly. A large pod of dolphins came over to check us out and gave us a great display, jumping high out of the water.

Thursday 9th June 2005
Weather wind W to NW 3 to 4 visibility good
Route from St Combs to Aberdeen . Distance travelled 35 miles

This morning Barry got up early at 6am to cook breakfast. Further north the summer nights are very short and its bright as early as 4am. After we finished eating we packed our kit away and were on the water by 9am . Soon we had the tide with us which makes the boats travel faster. We plan our day to make best use of the tide. When the tide comes into the North Sea it travels towards the south. Another way to describe the incoming tide is to call it the FLOOD tide. The out going tide heads north and is called the EBB.

lighthouse map reading

All around this area is the oil and gas fields miles out to sea. By Rattray Head gas and oil pipes come ashore. On the shore you can see flames burning like a torch from the tops of the chimneys at the oil plants. This is where excess gas is burnt off. All day we saw helicopters travelling back and forth from the oil rigs, these are just like buses taking workers to work and bringing them home. Outside Aberdeen there are lots of oil tankers at anchor waiting to be filled up, can you work out if this ship is empty or full, a clue is look at the different colour paint.

tanker near Aberdeen

Just before we landed we saw a dolphin swimming toward us.

Finally if you are wondering how we send the information to the site, we first take a picture with the camera, look at th epicture below, and then send the image to Ted using the phone to Email it to him using the phone. Ted then puts the pictures and words onto the website from his computer. Rather than carrying batteries we charge both the phone and the camera using a solar charger. This collects energy from the sun and converts it into electricity. This means we are using a renewable source of power, the light and heat of our sun rather than valuable and short-lived forms of energy such as that which comes from coal, gas or oil.

phone, camera and solar charger

Regards Team Exped

Wednesday 8th June 2005

Yesterday morning we set off from Lossiemouth excited again after Harry rejoined us the night before. It was great to be back together as the team. We have noticed that this side of Scotland is very different from the west, with aircraft bases, oil terminals and a lot more towns dotted along the way.

Yesterday afternoon we were lucky enough to be paddling alongside a large pod of bottle nosed dolphins which seemed to be having great fun swimming between our kayaks. This morning we kayaked past an enormous colony of gannets which were nesting up on ledges on the huge cliff faces of Troup Head.

birds flying overhead

This afternoon we passed a town called Fraserburgh with all its large fishing boats travelling in and out of the harbour. At the end of a hard days paddling we usually cook ourselves a good, healthy meal but tonight we decided to treat ourselves to the local fish and chips. The people here all speak in a local dialect called Doric which differs from village to village.

Sunday 5 th June 2005
Weather: Wind North Westerly 2-3

The members of the Moray Firth Watersports Association, www.mfwa.co.uk , turned up to go kayaking, windsurfing and sailing and found Barry, Phil and their kayaks outside their club hous.

Phil and Barry

They invited them in for tea and coffee. Keith and Ruth Ewen invited them back for a meal and Ruth's parents Mame and Bernard Brown put them up in their lovely self-catering cottage at Auchentae Farmhouse in Buckie, tel: 01542 834293, if anyone is in the area and looking for a nice place to say. Meanwhile Harry kayaked south to Latherinwheel ready to do the crossing tomorrow and meet up with Barry and Phil.

Saturday 4 th June 2005
Weather: Wind North Easterly 2-4

Barry and Phil kayaked 35 miles across the Moray Firth and landed at Lossiemouth, they camped in the grounds of the Moray Firth Watersports Association.

Harry had a very good day kayaking 40 miles with Jeff, from Armadale bay round Duncansby head to Freswick bay. His shoulder didn't hurt too much and he felt he was okay to carry on with the trip so Barry and Phil decided they would wait for him at Lossiemouth.

Jeff who paddled with Harry when he was injured

Friday 3th June 2005
Weather: Wind North Easterly Force 2-3

The weather was a lot better today and we went round Duncansby head at John O'Groats and finally started heading South. We were very happy as we had been heading north since we started. We paddled as far south as we could, to Dunbeath, ready to do a thirty five mile crossing across the Moray Firth the next day. Meawhile Harry had a quick go in a kayak today and his shoulder didn't feel to bad. He decided to try setting off from Armadale bay tomorrow and see how he felt. A friend of the team Jeff Allen, who had been looking after Harry in Ullapool, would accompany Harry on the water just in case his shoulder started hurting.

Thursday 2nd June 2005
Weather: Wind Force 6-7 North Easterly

Again there was a strong headwind and we only made 6 miles in 4 hours. We decided to stop when we reached John O'Groats as we were getting very cold. John O'Groats is the northerly point where people go to or set off from whenever they want to go from one end of Britain to the other. The southerly point is called Lands End, down in Cornwall . We met some people who had had just cycled from Lands End.

land ahoy!

Wednesday 1st June 2005
Weather: Wind Force 6-7 North Easterly

There was a really strong headwind today. We tried to paddle into it but only made 2 miles before it became too strong to go on. We landed near some caves and decided to sleep in them as it was so windy and raining hard.

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MAY 2005

April

May

June

July

August

September

May- 06, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,

Tuesday 31st May 2005
Weather: Wind Force 2-3 North-westerly

Phil and Barry said goodbye to Harry on the beach at Armadale and kayaked 27 miles east round the spectacular cliffs covered in seabirds at Dunnet head.

Monday 30th May 2005

Today Steve and Mandy were good enough to lend Barry and Phil their car to go and try to find Harry's boat. They found it but it was damaged and so one of the friendly coastguards from the day before, Shona, agreed to look after it.

Inspecting the boats

Harry was released from hospital and came to the Strathy Inn where he was also very well looked after. The team all had a meeting and decided that Phil and Barry should carry on without Harry. Harry would go to a friend in Ullapool and recuperate for a while before trying to see if he could paddle on.

Sunday 29 th May 2005
Weather: Wind North westerly force 4-5, sea state rough

We met Carol today who had very kindly brought us food supplies. We packed the boat with these and were very glad to finally set off again. Although the sea was rough we managed to make 24 miles before deciding to land at Armadale Bay. As we surfed the waves into the beach Harry hurt himself, dislocating his shoulder. Barry helped him out of the sea and Phil called the emergency services. The coastguard came and helped Harry off the rocks and to the ambulance. He was taken to the local hospital in Wick where he was treated and kept in overnight. Unfortunately Harry's kayak was not able to be rescued and floated out to sea. Steve and Mandy Smith, from the Strathy Inn, email: thestrathyinn@aol.com, very generously gave Phil and Barry shower's, food and beds for the night.

Saturday 28th May 2005
Weather: Wind North force 8 gale

The wind was so strong in the early hours of this morning that it broke three of the tent poles and tore the tent. We spent the day repairing the tent and stayed in a local youth hostel that night.

Friday 27th May 2005
Weather: Wind North force 8 gale

The wind picked up in the morning so we took the tent down and walked in to the local village of Durness and spent the day sight seeing.

Thu 26th May 2005
Weather force 8 SW gale.

We are ashore six miles east of Cape Wrath after rounding the cape last night.

Cape Wrath

It was so windy this morning that our tent was nearly flattened by the wind. We got up at 5.30am and packed all our kit in the boats and grabbed our stove and what's left of our porridge oats. We are now cooking breakfast behind a wall which is giving us shelter from the wind. Later on today we will need to find a shop to buy fresh food and snacks which keep us going on the water. It will be a rest day for the team as the wind is stopping us from paddling.

Regards Team Exped

Wed 25th May 2005
Weather wind N to NW 2 to 4 visibility good.

We have got forecast and it looks like the weather is going to slow us down. Very strong winds are forecast and if we don't get around Cape Wrath soon we will be stuck for days. Over the next 24 hours the wind will definitely increase to a gale. Our boats were packed and we seal launched off the single beach at 11am . A seal launch is where you jump off of rocks when you're sitting in the boat.

Point of Stoar

We headed for Cape Wrath which was 30 mile away. Once we rounded the light house at the Point or Stoar, we felt positive that we would be able to paddle into the strong wind. Over the past few days we have eaten well finishing the last of our fresh vegetables and fruit. As we are doing so much exercise we need lots of energy. When we are paddling we top up our energy reserves with nutritious snacks. As our supplies are low we've been eating spoonfuls of honey and chunks of cheese to keep us topped up with energy. It's a big surprise to find out honey and cheese keep us happy!!

Most of the day the wind was very light but sometimes it would pick up and die away. We saw lots of puffins, gulimot, gannets and a big gull called a skua. There are far more birds here than we have seen up to now. Some of the birds seem to not notice us until we are very close, then they dive into the sea or fly away.

Minke Whale

At 5.30pm we could see Cape Wrath some 8 miles away. We wolfed down more cheese and honey and set out for the Cape . Suddenly a whale surfaced right next to Phil's boat, it gave him a fright but we knew it would not harm us. It was a minke whale and this was the second one we have seen. Soon we were moving again and picked up the flood tide as it whisked us around the Cape . The cliffs were stunning with lots of sea birds. Finally at 10.06pm we were ashore after 11 hours and 37 miles paddling. We were very lucky with the weather today but the wind is on the way.

Tue 24th May 2005

Mon 23rd May 2005
Weather. Wind Varable 3 to 4 visibility good.
Route Apple Cross to Slaggan via North of Kogh Ewe.

Today we were on the water by 8.30 after we all slept badly the previous evening. The coast line up here is very rocky with very few people living along it. The most exciting thing we have seen is the Tornado Jet fighters as they practice low level flying about 200 feet above us. They scream over our heads so fast and the noise is deafening.

Jet Aircraft

We stopped at lunch time and cooked some food on Ionga Island . We were feeling very cold so we lit a fire to stay warm. It is generally much colder here some 500 minutes north of London, so when it is a bit chilly in the capital here it is like a winter's day!

After lunch we headed north and the size of the swell, the waves created by the wind, increased and the water crashed into the headlands and caves which are dotted along the coast. When we landed it was a 3 mile walk to get fresh water. We are about 40 miles south of Cape Wrath now.

Regards Exped Team

Sun 22nd May 2005

weather vane

Sat 21st May 2005
From camp site to Island of Eigg, currently having lunch will paddle on to Sleat Peninsula. Distance paddled this morning 16 miles.

Fri 20th May 2005
Oban to 1 mile west of Tobermoray. Distance 25 miles Paddled.

Thu. 19th May 2005

Today we took a rest day. Phil went to the doctor to get some medicine for his sore feet and we bought some fresh food, dried our clothes and had showers.

Wed. 18th May 2005
Wind SE 4 visibility poor
From the Island of Danna to Oban

Finally a day with the wind behind us, helping us along. Another early start, getting up at six to cook breakfast and pack up the boats, getting on the water at eight. There are a lot of strong tidal currents in the section we paddled today. We tried to make the most of them by using our charts to work out at which time they would be flowing in the right direction to us. We paddled past the Corryvreckan which is a tidal race (where the fast moving tide is constricted by narrow land) that is so big it can sink boats that make mistakes and don't plan the tides right.

The 'Bridge over the Atlantic'

We got past it okay and headed on under the 'Bridge over the Atlantic ' which joins the Island of Scil to the mainland. We then headed to the Kilbowie Outdoor Centre where we did a talk for the school children there about trip.

Children at Kilbowie

Tue. 17th May 2005
Weather wind NW 3 to 5 visibility good
From 12 miles north of the Mull to the Island of Danna

We tried to get up earlier today to make some progress in the morning before the wind got too strong. In the first hour we met a pod of about fifteen dolphins coming the other way. They seemed to take no notice of us and just swam straight past us. Although there was still a head wind it wasn't quite as strong and we were able to make some progress.

Seal

Later that day we saw lots of seals sunbathing on the rocks. All around them were the shells of sea urchins that they had just eaten. Barry started to get a sore back so we stopped a few miles earlier than we were aiming for. It was still a good day though as we covered 27 nautical miles (a nautical mile is one eigth longer than a regular mile, 27nm = 31 miles = 50kms), which wasn't bad considering the strength of the head wind.

Mon. 16th May 2005
Weather. Wind NE to N 5 to 6 Visibility Good.
Left 4 miles North of the Mull heading up the coast and only covered 8 miles.

Today we got on the water at 10.30. There was already a strong head wind blowing and we knew were in for a tough day. As soon as we started paddling the wind started to increase and make our progress slow. The big problem with head winds is they slow the boat down. You're being pushed back by the wind as your body acts like a sail. As you paddle forward the boat crashes through the waves slowing you right down. At times our boats were edging forward at only one mile an hour. It was so difficult that we could not continue so we only did eight miles and camped. The winds we have had so far have been from the North and are very cold making camping difficult.

Choppy waters in the strong wind

We saw lots of sea birds from our tent as they dived for fish, gannets, razor bills. On the rocks we saw Oyster Catchers and Shell Ducks.

Sun. 15th May 2005
North to Tornamoney in Ireland and then across the sea to Mull of Kintyre, Scotland

For the past few days we have worked our way up the coast line of Northern Ireland and yesterday evening crossed the North Channel back to Scotland just a few miles past the Mull of Kintyre. We battled into a force 4 to 5 head wind to get to our crossing point at Tornamoney Point. The wind was also bouncing off the hills which made it very gusty and increased the wind speed. After an hour on shore we made our final calculations on our route across North Channel that would take us from Ireland to Scotland . During the crossing we saw lots of puffins and gannets. A Portuguese fishing trawler came by very close to wave hello.

trawler

In the Channel there is a lot of tidal movement and we had to be careful in getting our departure time right. The start of the crossing was difficult as we still had head winds but once clear of land the wind was hitting us side on. We coulld see the Mull of Kintyre clearly and 4.5 hour later we arrived in the dark and have found a sheltered bay to camp in. We are all tired but looking forward to exploring the Scottish coast, last night a highland cow slept out side our tent and mooed late into the night! But we soon fell asleep.

Yipee we are in Scotland!

Sat. 14th May 2005
Finished at Garron Point

Today we paddled across Belfast Lough still heading northwards. The wind was always a force 3 or 4 and it caused a nice swell which we bounced over. The wind can be measured using what is known as the Beaufort scale. During forecasts the wind speed is given a number depending on its strength e.g. flat calm day with very gentle breeze could be a force 1 and a hurricane would be a force 12. See here.

Along the coast of Northern Ireland most of the harbours have break waters which protect them from the wind, espcially when it blows from the east.

breakwater

On reaching Blackhead there were a lot more sea birds as there are 20 metre tall cliffs which run almost from Blackhead toward the port of Larne . Nesting on the cliffs were gulls, guilmots and razor bills. We also saw and heard a peregrine, see a one here.

lighthouse at Blackhead

We camped at Garron point.

Fri. 13th May 2005
Finished at Donaghadee

The wind along the east coast of Ireland was not in our favour. Most of the time we had to paddle into a head wind which slows the kayaks down and tires us out. There has been a lot to see on the journey. We stopped for lunch by the fishing town of Portavogie . Here the trawlers were being prepared to return back to sea. Fishermen were laying out and fixing nets whilst other boats were being loaded with ice which keeps the fish fresh in the hold.

trawler at ice plant

That night as we got off the wind increased to a force 5 and we found ourselves surfing into the harbour of Donaghadee where we camped in the marina.

Thu. 12th May 2005
Weather wind East 3 to 4. Visibility moderate. max temperature 14C.
Route. Port Erin to Kearney, Northern Ireland near to Strangford Lough. Distance travelled 32 Miles.

Today we left the Isle of Man heading for Ireland. It was windy but the wind was behind us for most of the day. Because the direction off the wind was from the East it felt cold. On the journey across we saw Gannets which are diving birds. They glide over the sea and when they see a fish they dive like a dart into the sea. We also saw very big jelly fish drifting through the water. After leaving the Isle of Man we lost sight of land for about five hours because of poor visibility. For the whole journey across the Irish Sea we navigated by following a compass bearing. All the kayaks have compasses and we carry carts (maps) too.

compass

Upon arriving in Ireland, Phil and Harry pitched the tent while Barry cooked a healthy dinner, all our boats and equipment are ready for tomorrow. Weather tomorrow will be windy which will make progress slow.

Regards
Exped Team

Wed. 11th May 2005
Weather wind easterly 2 to 3, visibility clear, max temperature 15C.
Route Cemas on Angelsey to Port Erin on the Isle of Man. Distance travelled 50 miles.

Today we were on the beach ready to start by 7.30am . Simon and Jemma helped us lift our heavy boats while Derry , Simon's dog dug holes on the beach. We were in our kayaks at 7.45.

The weather was excellent and not long after leaving Wales we saw some porpise swimming not far in front of us. We also saw some greay seals. The crossing will take us about fourteen hours in total so for every two hours of paddling we stop for five minutes to eat some food and, very importantly, drink water. We saw lots of boats including ferrys, fishing boats and a tanker. Some of them came very close.

After six hours of paddling we started to make out the coast line of the Isle of Man and realised it would be a long time before we got there. When the visibility is good its often very difficult to judge how distant land is. During the crossing we saw lots of birds, Shearwaters, Razor Bills, Guilmots, Guls and eaven swallows flying in the direction of land. we also saw seals too sleeping on the surface with their noses just clear of the water.

By 6pm we changed our course and headed for the most southern tip of the Isle of Man. This is where we were going to land. It was finaly 9pm by the time we got to shore after thirteen hours on the water. It felt very cold once we stopped paddling and got out of the boats. Kerrion, our friend who runs a kayak schools on the island, met us and gave us a lift to his house where we had dinner.

Now we are tired and have finished sorting our kit out for tomorrow. We hope to either cross to Northen Ireland or Scotland. The forecast looks like we will have some bad weather days in store with lots of head winds slowing us down.

Regards,
Exped team

Fri. 6th May 2005
Well here we are on the coast of Anglesey. All our equipment is sorted and our food bagged up, but the weather is poor with lots of wind coming at us from the north. We will have to wait until we get either very little wind or wind blowing from the south and then we will leave for the Isle of Man which will be a forty-four mile paddle.

The weather should improve by early next week but till then we are doing day trips in our kayaks and exploring the coast. We have seen lots of Grey Seals today. The picture of the seal above was taken when we were sat on The Skerries, a rock outcrop six miles offshore. We sang to the seals and they came to see us! We also saw some puffins too. They have very colourful bills and only spend about three months a year living by the coast. The rest of the year they live far out to sea. Tomorrow we will be up early to paddle twenty-two miles to keep fit for the coming trip.

Regards,
Exped Team

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APRIL 2005

April

May

June

July

August

September

April 2005
We are busy preparing for our trip at the moment and there is still lots to do. This week Harry and Phil have been visiting schools to give out log books and do a presentation.

In North Wales where we plan to start are trip, Barry is working on the kayaks so they are strong enough to take all our equipment.

There is still a lot to be done!

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