My favourite though is the ghost ferry in Poole harbour loading the ghostly bus that you can see here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=poole+harbour&sll=34.887365,-169.275505&sspn=90.036502,119.355469&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Harbour+Lodge,+Harbin+Campus,+Wimborne+Rd,+Poole,+D...

I went board surfing to Ericeira which is on the coast slightly NW of Lisbon with my sons in 2008. The good points about it are that there are few Brits to annoy you, its a nice place, the town locals are friendly and the surf locals whilst standoffish arent agressively unfriendly. You feel "properl...

Hope I'm not stting the too-bleedin-obvious or teaching you to suck eggs, but I'd start off on a small wave day at a location where you'll wash nicely up onto the sand when it all goes wrong. I learned to surf a longboard on 1 foot conditions - I got the basics of takeoff and snap to feet before hea...

Top tip. Thanks..

I wonder if somewhere like ukskgb could be the forum for posting incident reports? If the forum software supports moderated forums, you'd create the incident reporting forum as a moderated one. The initial poster would post into the forum the details of their incident, the moderator would approve it...

In this case it might have been worth checking to see the vessel they were going to sea in was really suitable for the task in hand

Now, IMO, that is jolly British diplomacy at its very best.

Ah.. kinkyboots.... those were the days! An hour later my son went back and led it properly while I watched. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KmZlr2W8Mqc/TDbemSu9gMI/AAAAAAAACFU/28qdfK5xj18/s400/DSC05061.JPG It was great fun, but I'd have preferred them to have *chosen* to do that not had it happen accidental...

My 23 yr old son and two of his friends wanted the floating support of someone sensible and radio equipped in a kayak while they went spear fishing off the end of the Croyde Bay sewer pipe .. this is a few hundred yards from Baggy Point, a well known climbing area and tidal gate. It was a lovely day...

They forgot to put Croyde Bay in, though maybe the local monika of Crud Bay might have something to do with it. Luckily the dry weather means its been scoring "excellent" for the last few weeks while I was there. http://maps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/queryController?topic=coastalwaters&ep=2ndt...

You need to understand how their forecast relates to where you're going, which isnt always that easy, given you've probably never been there. My rule of thumb for North Devon is that I'll see about 1/3rd of the charted wave height at the beach. I dont venture far enough offshore to know what its lik...

One other thing to consider: stopping and taking stock. A couple of times, with my kids in the mountains, we've encountered situations caused by the weather turning unexpectedly against us. Heaving-to and taking stock can really help. You all get a rest, get some food and drink in you, and it gives ...

If you had a SOT yourself, your "roll" would be bullet proof: fall out, scramble in, no drama. Since I often paddle solo, the fear of a failed roll would overwhelm any positive experience of using a more traditional kayak. As others have noted, your whistle is your friend for group management, espec...

These sort of things are managed by the Crown Estate. For each parcel there is a managing agent. The one time I had to look up something, I found the managing agent helpful. It's a bit of a mission, but starting at http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/home.htm you should be able to find the managing agen...

TechnoEngineer wrote: So perhaps, what's already done on this forum is already sufficient enough?

I'd say so.

I am very sorry for your loss, and thank you for sharing the experience that others may learn.

I love the understated language HMRC use in their press releases in these situations: "He didn't have the usual maritime charts or navigation equipment," and "officers gave him advice on fuel usage." And, thank goodness, since it was farce not tragedy, we can all laugh about it and offer a Darwin aw...

Sometime mid May I'll be going over to Lundy for an overnight stay. First choice for me would be leave from Hartland but if a few of us then prob safer from Woolacombe. Paddlers need to be paddle fit, self sufficient and must laugh at all my jokes. I spoke to some paddlers who did this, and they la...

What a trip, thanks for sharing.

Best day ever in a kayak. Trumped a crossing of the Sound of Sleat many years ago.

I put the GPS track log into Google maps here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF ... 9&t=h&z=11

The tides in the Severn are definitely crazy: the track log indicates just the 43 miles paddled.

Folks. If anyone's interested to read, I was invited to paddle the Severn Estuary from Beachley to Newham on Severn last Saturday. I was in my heretical SOT kayak, the remainder of the team in canoes. Perfect weather and good company. It is certainly a trip that is accessible to a well equipped part...

Most of mine are admiralty small craft editions. I never carry them in the boat though - instead I scan and print the relevant sections or charts and OS maps and carry the scanned copy instead.

It's a Chesepeak Light Craft Sport Tandem from Fyne Boat Kits (though I just got the plans and not the Kit). It's faster than the Chesapeake Double (Have done 50 miles this weekend averaging 5.4 MPH on the Canal and 6 MPH on the river including portages) Sweet ... my canoe was from them, and actual...

My £1 says she isnt your own design though ... so are you willing to share which model of plans did you use from which company? Having recently built a canoe I feel a sea kayak could be the next project.

We are hoping to do a bit of rock hopping and a couple of day trips so we are open to all ideas! Cheers for the info so far! Well there's plenty of that, Baggy Point being the obvious potter from either Putsborough or Croyde depending on the tide (it ebbs south). If you look carefully you might fin...

I assume you've born in mind Woolacombe is a surf beach, so depending on what kit you're using that's either a problem or what you came for. Trolleys are your friend, because the beaches are very wide at low tide, and it can be quite a trek from where you can park. On a calm day Barnstaple to Saunto...

I am not surprised they are under represented by certain groups. I have a degree in computer science, but I couldn't figure out how to use their website and interactive map to provide feedback.

Ho hum.

I've done "proper" surfing as a "family holiday" in Ericeira in Portugal and Fuerteventura in the Canaries in mid to late August. I think the results speak for themselves (though to be fair it not necessarily like that *every* day). And Mrs Jcox enjoyed the beach... http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KmZlr2W8Mqc...

So I open it to the floor. What do I need to plan and prepare to run this journey? All help and advice is welcome. Experience. If I was doing this trip I'd plan a couple of simple journeys to learn what's what. I'd want to know how my tent/stove/boat/all other kit work, so a few learning and shake ...

Just getting back in the water and being silly after 25 years off did it for me!