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ActivityActivity dateActivity description
Carrick Roads and Restronguet Creek 2019-07-14 With the promised easterly being more like a southerly, there was a long enough fetch for some waves that weren't to Scooby's liking. So after lunch and some icecreams (which were to Scooby's liking) we diverted into Restronguet Creek for some quiet top-of-the-tide paddling past The Pandora and onto Point. Then back below the rather marvelous Tregunwith Farm campsite (£9 / night for 2 adults, 1 dog, 1 camper van, 1 car and a canoe) and back to Mylor Yacht Harbour.
Messack Point 2022-09-04 For a change, we went north from St Just In Roseland round to Messack Point for lunch. Very nice walk slightly spoiled by Scooby Hound trying to eat sheep shit and to play with electric cattle fences.
Trelissick on the Fal estuary 2013-09-16 A woodland walk round the Trelissick estate on the Fal estuary. The last part of the walk was to the Iron Age fort and Roundwood Quay
Sunny Corner Quay and the Tresillian River 2015-09-23 From the small Sunny Corner Quay on the edge of Truro round to the Tresillian River on the Fal Estuary. Not too far today as there was a keen wind to be paddled against on the way back down the Tresillian.
Trelissick walk 2023-11-22 A very pleasant walk round Trellisk. Been a while since we've done it - come here more frequently by kayak! Hold the front page - turns out I quite like celeriac soup.
Tags: Fal
Loe Beach to Flushing 2017-07-08 A paddle along the Fal estuary. Down from Loe beach round the Flushing. Almost ideal weather - light winds and tide with us on the way back.
Tags: Fal
Mylor, Devoran and Loe Beach 2023-09-08 Another lovely day paddling on the Fal. Went up Restronguet Creek past The Pandora to Devoran. As the tide has just turned, we didn't go any further. Then back via Loe Beach for an ice cream.
Tags: Fal
Carrick Roads paddle 2023-05-17 From Mylor Harbour to Loe Beach for lunch. Then back via the Pandora Inn (to beach and empty out some water). Lovely early summer's day. Bit shorter than planned but that meant be could meet up with Derek and Ruth H for dinner at the Waterside in Flushing.
Tags: fal
Looe beach to Malpas 2014-09-16 A canoe trip from Loe beack up pass Trellisick and King Harry Ferry on to just past Malpas (on the way to Truro). It was a bit windy - force 5 ish - so we didn't go all the way to Truro although we'd got up very early on a holiday day to catch the tide.
Tags: Fal
Percuil Paddling 2021-09-16 From St Mawes on the Fal up the Percuil River just about as far as is navigable.
Tags: Fal
Fal Estuary Paddling 2021-07-01 From Mylor Harbour up past King Harry ferry with lunch on Roundwood Quay and Trelissick. Scooby much happier on the inflatable Sea Eagle kayak.
Tags: Fal
Tregunwith Farm to Mylor Harbour 2016-07-09 From Tregunwith Farm campsite to Mylor Harbour and a little way beyond. Saw Pat T and Graham I just coming back from a Tideway outing.
Tags: Fal
Exeter and back 2016-12-03 A windy ride into Exeter and back, Liz still in post lurgie mode.
Sail with Liz and Julian 2012-04-14 No wind but some thunderstorms. Not the ideal sail on the estuary for Lizs brother.
Up river cruise to Goat Walk 2012-05-19 An up river dinghy cruise from SYC to the Goat Walk. Light winds on the way back. About 15 boats out.
Monday evening sail 2012-05-21 A suprisingly breezy Monday evening sail.
Exe to Dartmouth 2024-07-03 The plan was to get to Salcombe but the fairly strong westerly winds would have made the Start Point to Salcombe bit quite arduous so we stopped in Dartmouth instead. Dartmouth was "full" so we picked up a buoy in Dittisham instead.
Pole Sands Paddling 2020-08-31 An ideal days paddling. Wind and tide with us on the way out and on the way back! Liz fell in when getting out of the kayak on the Pole Sands. Much screaming from Liz and Scooby when we came back round the outside of the Pole Sands.
Last hurrah of the summer? 2021-10-10 Lovely morning on the estuary on Nigel H's Dart 18. The wind filled in a bit - nay just have guested F4 occasionally.
Starcross Steamer 2017 2017-02-05 Down to Starcross Yacht Club for the annual Starcross Steamer dinghy pursuit race. One hundred boats on the water.
Exeter and back 2016-11-28 A windy ride into Exeter and back. Luckily the wind (F5 to F7 on Met Office forecast) was mostly on the side,
A very gusty sail 2012-07-29 A very short sail as Liz wasnt too keen on the gusty conditions. It was windy as the top speed of 8.2 knots was actually against the tide. It felt fast for an old Wayfarer with a lot of the front of the boat out of the water as we planed down wind.
Monday evening sail 2012-07-30 A Monday evening sail to the Goat Walk - quite gusty.
Down river dinghy cruise 2012-08-18 To the beach cafe and back. Sunny weather and F2 to F3.
Down river sail 2024-07-31 A down river sail in Malcolm B's RS Vision. Against the fairly weak tide and down to the floating cafe. Tried helming the Vision on the way back. After all these years, it's the first time I'd used a centre sheeted main sheet. Very odd!
Exe Estuary Darting 2020-08-30 Back on Nigel H's Dart 18 for the first time in a long while. Lovely trip down and up the estuary. Wind was up and down - nothing too strong and it didn't completely die away/ Lovely.
Work cycle ride 2017-06-20 Hot. Very hot.
Lympstone and back 2017-01-28 Round to Lympstone and back with Liz. Got rained on at Countess Wear.
Exeter and back 2016-11-27 Liz's first time back on the bike at the tail end of a two week lurgy.
Slow bike ride 2012-12-09 First time back on the bikes for quite a long time. Ride was slow and painful and painfully slow
Tags: Estuary
Safety boat at SYC 2013-02-17 Too windy for us to go out sailing as we havent been out for a couple of months. So ended up doing safety boat. Good fun - a little bouncy. Suspect the occasional max speed peaks are GPS data anomalies.
Swing bridges and back 2013-03-03 Along the estuary and canal to the swing bridges on the newly serviced bikes. Stopped for a cup of coffee at the Turf on the way back
Tags: estuary
Bull Sands paddling 2024-04-18 After tailing the safety line while Derek H went up the mast of his Fulmar, down to the Bull Sands against the wind and tide (only F3 and neaps). Lunch on the Sands and then an easy paddle back as the wind and waves got up a bit. Top paddling / exercise!
June sea breezes 2017-06-17 A splendid sail in the Wayfarer on the Exe Estuary. Drifted about for half an hour waiting for the sea breeze to kick in. When it did it was a splendid steady F4 to F4. Combined with neap tides, it made for a splendid sail. Liz helmed and we went to rescue a pair on a Topper that capsized and seemed to be filling with water. Luckily a passing rib helped as after we had a couple of goes we still hadn't found a spot on the Bull Sands where Liz could stand up in the water! Then went and had a look at the B14 event and got slightly in the way of one of the crews (oops - apologized later!).
Lympstone and back 2017-01-22 Round to Lympstone on a lovely winters afternoon. Enough wind for the sailors at Starcross Yacht Club but not so much as to make the cycling unpleasant. Photos are from Lympstone looking at SYC and from SYC looking at Lymptstone.
Little Russell - Exe Estuary 2023-04-04 A kayak trip down the Exe to look at the channel near buoy 13 and the Little Russel buoy. It is much narrower than previous years. A summary note with photos and notes at https://aidanwhiteley.com/docs/lower-exe-and-little-russel-v1.pdf
Exe Estuary dawdle 2013-05-12 Not quite the F4 gusting F5 that was forecast. That and the fact we managed to get the furling line wrapped round the head sail furling drum means that we didnt go very far.
Super summer sail 2013-05-18 A lovely sail up to the Goat Walk at Topsham. We had planned to go as far as the motorway bridge but the wind didnt have the west in it that the forecast said it would. Met Malcolm and Graham at the Goat Walk. The max speed of 6.9 knots isnt bad given that there was no tide to speak of.
First beach cafe sail of the year 2013-05-25 From SYC down to the beach cafe and back. The forecast said next to no wind but a lovely sea breeze kicked in. Top sail.
Pole Sands paddling 2024-02-27 Down to the Pole Sands for lunch. Going to have to be renamed The Pole Pebbles - it is much more pebbley this year.
Whole fleet paddiling 2019-06-29 Paddling with Richard and Helen - first time out on canoes.
Work cycle ride 2017-06-16 Into work and back
Exeter and back 2017-03-10 Into Exeter and back. Average speed not too bad given that there was quite a strong headwind on the way back.
Scooby's first canoe trip of 2013 2013-07-07 Up river to the new wreck just north of Starcross and then back down to the Bull Sands where Scoobie ran non stop (when he wasnt digging). Luckily we were too early for the Olly Murs sound check!
Canoe trip from SYC to Turf Pub 2013-07-08 A canoe trip from SYC to the Turf Pub on the Exe Estuary. Set out near low tide. Journey follows the just greater than paddle depth contour on the way out and later, with the higher tide, on the way back.
Sunny summers evening sail 2013-07-10 A lovely summer evenings sail. Just enough wind to go down estuary against the incoming tide.
Pole Sands Paddling 2019-06-22 Out to the Pole Sands in the canoe with Scooby.
Work cycle ride 2017-07-28 Very windy (WindGuru said 25mph gusting 40) on the way back and wet. Wind was maybe 30 to 45 degrees off being dead on the nose so slightly easier than it might have been.
Work cycle ride 2017-08-07 Got rained on
The not-Topsham sail 2013-08-18 Thought the westerly wind would be ideal for a sail up to Topsham. However, it turned out to be too gusty and with large wind shifts to make that a good idea.
Exe Estuary sea breezes 2013-08-26 A lovely gentle sail in light sea breezes to and from the Beach Cafe at Exmouth
SYC to Pole Sands 2018-07-14 A canoe paddle down from SYC to the Pole Sands in company with Ellie T and Marco F (and the hound). Strong Spring tides both ways but a sea breeze made the paddle out hard work and super easy on the way back. Scooby enjoyed having four different people to throw the ball for him on the Pole Sands!
Exe Estuary paddle 2022-07-06 Across to Exmouth for a paddle up the east side of the estuary. Just past Lympstone the wind picked up to a F4 and paddling became hard work. Pleased and surprised to see I was still doing about 2mph against a F4. Stopped at SYC on the way back for lunch.
Exe estuary paddle 2022-09-20 A short paddle across the Exe estuary.
Lizzie bike ride 2014-03-07 First time back on the bike after a couple of very wet months. To the Swing Bridges and back again.
Swing bridge and back again 2014-03-08 A lovely cycle ride to the Swing Bridges. Bit of a sod on the way back straight into the southerly force 5 all the way. Aidans first time back on the bike for a couple of months.
First sail of the year 2014-03-09 A lovely breeze and some sun for the first dinghy sail of the year in the Wayfarer. Pottered round the club for a while to see if anything would break after the winter period without any sails. All fine - so headed up river. Bang! The port hand shroud parted company with the boat! A quick tack and then Liz repaired the problem (the circlip had come away from the pin holding the stay to the boat - luckily the pin was still hanging there). Lovely sail then back to the club.
Beach cafe paddle 2024-11-01 Too little wind to go sailing so Malcolm B and I headed down river in the Sea Eagle kayak
Out to sea dinghy cruise 2021-06-12 About 16 boats sailed down from SYC to the Pole Sands and Beach Cafe. Then a little way out to sea (up and down around the safe water mark). A little bouncy for about 100 yards in the swashway as the last of the ebbing tide meet the sea breeze. Comparatively little screaming heard from the crew.
Work cycle ride 2017-05-02 Cycle ride to work and back. Not that windy but the wind was against on the way to work and against on the way home!
Exmouth and back 2016-12-28 A slightly longer cycle ride than usual. Average speed would probably have been a fair bit better if it wasn't for a strong wind right on the nose for the last 6 miles.
Another 100 mile week 2016-10-28 Exeter and back - bringing up the 100 miles for the week. For much of the ride, the smoke from the large fire from the buildings surrounding Cathedral Green was visible. Very sad.
Evening up river dinghy cruise 2014-06-12 A lovely evening's sail up to the Goat Walk at Topsham. Sun and a decent wind (which only died as the last couple of boats arrived back). We had a brief detour a little way down the Clyst taking advantage of the high tide.
Beach cafe sail 2014-06-16 A sail down to the beach cafe in our Wayfarer with Bob and Andy in the Wanderer. Big tides and some lovely winds. Top sailing.
Sail on Nigel's Dart 2014-07-14 Beach cafe and just a bit beyond on Nigel's Dart 18. A day of lulls and gusts. A max speed of 14.6 knots is just a bit faster than I'm used to with my Wayfarer
Clyst paddling 2023-08-26 A paddle with Marija and Jeremy L up the Clyst as far as the Bridge Inn at Topsham. Quite neapy so not a lot of water at the mouth of the Clyst (even near the top of the tide). Wind was probably the F3 gusting F5 advertised so some good exercise!
Work cycle ride 2017-09-26 First time back on the bike after two week summer hols - hard work.
Lympstone and back 2017-04-29 Dinghy cruise was cancelled because the winds were too strong so Liz and I went cycling. Doh! Hard work on the way back from the Swing Bridges as it was straight into the F5 winds.
To St Davids and back 2016-10-27 Slightly longer cycle ride today to make up for doing the last 2.5 miles yesterday by car (due to having broken three spokes on the rear wheel). So it was on the "spare bike" today which I hadn't ridden in about a decade. That's a Ridgeback Genesis Day 2. I stopped riding it as the estuary path used to be too rough for it. With the new cycle way its an ideal bike. At maybe a couple of stone lighter than the normal bike (with its panniers etc) and with no breeze at all, it felt like cheating. Keeping up with Liz was much easier than the last couple of time!
October beach cafe sail 2014-10-11 Good winds and big tides for a late season sail from SYC down to the beach cafe. Some excellent winds round the Warren and the Docks. Died away a little bit for the last mile back to SYC.
Starcross Steamer 2015 2015-03-15 First cycle ride in ages. To SYC and back again for a brief watch of the Starcross Steamer pursuit dinghy race.
Estuary sailing in the Wayfarer 2015-04-10 A near enough perfect spring breeze made for an ideal morning's sailing on the Exe Estuary. Maybe 12 to 14 knots of steady south to south easterly wind made for a great morning's sailing in the Wayfarer with Liz's brother Julian. Chose the right day to take off work for once! The average speed isn't too bad but reduced a little by having to sail back up the estuary against the tides.
Up river paddling 2023-08-24 Up river loop via The Turf, the Clyst and Lympstone.
Work cycle ride 2017-09-06 Work cycle ride
Work bike ride 2017-04-28 Into work and back.
Xmas day bike ride 2016-12-25 A ride with Liz into Exeter and back. Lots of kids on the cycle path with shiny new Xmas present bikes.
Another twenty miles 2016-10-26 Out with Liz for another cycle ride into Exeter and back. Trying to "power" up the bridge at Powderham, I broke 3 spokes on the rear wheel. So the last 2.5 miles are Liz alone as she went home to get the car to rescue me and the broken bike. That means the "reserve" bike tomorrow - the almost unridden Ridgeback Genesis Day Two.
Paddle to the Pole Sands 2015-08-17 A paddle from Starcross to the Pole Sands making the most of the sunny almost windless weather. Scooby ran miles on the sands.
SYC trip to the beach cafe - by bike 2015-09-05 A first SYC organised cycle ride. From SYC on the west back round to the beach cafe at Exmouth on the east bank. Ten participants.
Wednesday evening safety boat duty 2015-09-09 A Wednesday evening on the Exe Estuary crewing for Bob J on safety boat
Work cycle ride 2017-09-01 Into work and back
Lympstone and back 2017-07-23 Round to Lympstone and back with Liz. Liz's first time back on a bike for about a month.
Xmas eve ride 2016-12-24 Into Exeter and back. First solo ride for a couple of week and the slightly higher speeds made it hard work!
First beach cafe sail of 2016 2016-04-23 First SYC sail to the Exmouth beach cafe in 2016. The forecast was north easterly F4 to F5. However, on the way back from the beach cafe it was really quite gusty and I'd guess that the gusts might just have been F6. Combined with a fairly large tide and the NE wind being against the tide, it made for an interesting sail back.
Beach cafe sail 2016-05-07 Wind forecast was for a F4 gusting F5 and, after a slow start, that's what we got. Stopped half way down to put in one reef. Top choccie ice cream at the Beach Cafe. With the wind well behind us on the way back, put two reefs in the main and had full headsail on the way back. Still went quite fast on the way back. The top speed of 9.8 knots - in a Wayfarer - is a clue to the size of the tides.
St Peter Port to SYC 2016-06-04 Up at the hideously early hour of 03:00 to catch the first of the tidal flow up the Little Russel at 04:00. A lovely clear night at 4am with all the navigation lights clearly visible. After Platte Fougere we "turned left a bit" to allow for the strong Spring tides. For much of the time the weather forecast was correct and what little wind there was was on the nose. However, the visibility was good making crossing the shipping lanes a lot easier than on the way out. The photos of the Channel Light Vessel show an absolutely flat sea. The wind did pick up for a bit after this which made for a lovely sail with flat seas. A while north of the shipping lanes we were joined by about 6 to 8 dolphins for about 20 minutes. An hour or so later a much smaller porpoise made an appearance. Amelie's engine held up well and we were back on the mooring at SYC by about 19:30.
River Clyst paddling 2023-06-09 Up the river Clyst for a couple of miles and then back via Topsham. There was still more navigable water to be explored on the Clyst but left that for next time.
Teign Estuary Paddling 2022-07-08 First paddle on the Teign Estuary. Having lived so close for so long, it is surprising that this is the first time I've paddled on the Teign. Pretty much a perfect paddle. Lots of sun, round the top of a neap tide and cooling sea breeze on the way back. Marvellous!
First Wayfarer sail of 2017 2017-04-02 First time out in the Wayfarer this year. A very gentle sail and then a drift back down with the tide as the wind died away as forecast. Some noisy scroat was scaring up the birds in a hovercraft between the Clyst and the Goat Walk.
Exe Regatta Committee boat 2016-07-16 On a rather nice Westerly acting as the Committee Boat for the catamaran racing of the 2016 Exe Regatta. Knowing nothing about dinghy racing, we were pulling up and down various flags at the request of the endlessly patient PK. No real idea what most of the flags meant and I suspect a very goodly proportion of the competitors don't (I think they just listen for the alternate sound signals). Still a very pleasant way to while away a Saturday afternoon on the Exe.
Bike ride to the Double Locks 2016-07-17 A bike ride along the Exe Estuary and canal to meet up with Rose and Midge for the first time in ages. Wobbled back along the cycle path and stopped at SYC for a quick view of the 2nd day of the Exe Regatta.
Mackerel for tea 2016-07-18 A glorious summer sail on a Dart 18 with Nigel H. Caught some mackerel for the first time ever - a few hundred yards off the safe water mark. Blisteringly hot and light winds - ideal for a summer sail / drift
Kayaks and canoes with Jacqui and Carol 2023-06-03 A lovely June day, bottom of the tide paddle down the estuary with the Canadian canoe and the inflatable kayak. A top picnic lunch and then across the estuary to Lympstone in the inflatable and the Triumph single seater kayak.
Work cycle ride 2017-08-15 Work and back
Second Wayfarer sail of the year 2017-04-14 A short sail in the Wayfarer. Sail somewhat shortened as replacing the forestay with a new one took longer than expected - the mousing line was shorter than the mast so we ended up with no stay or mousing line in the mast! Light winds so we practiced some on water reefing.
Work cycle ride 2017-07-25 Work and back
Round to Exmouth 2017-08-14 Round to Maer Rocks at Exmouth. Started raining just as I got to Exmouth. The last seven miles straight into the wind and the rain were hard work.
First cycle ride in months 2016-10-10 First bike ride in a very long time. Only as far as the Countess Wear swing bridges over the Exeter Canal. Work is about half way through the 14 month schedule of work on the swing bridge / roads. As per the pictures, one of the bridges was open because of the work. The swing bridges are being retained but re-aligned during the work. The bridges have history - there's a plaque on them that reads "In May 1944, these bridges played an important part in the preparations for D-Day. They were used over a period of three days and nights, for rehearsals of the famous and crucial glider borne attack on the bridge over the Canal de Caen (Pegasus Bridge) and the River Orne (Horsa Bridge), by the Second Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, on the night 5/6 June 1944"
Bike ride to Exeter 2016-10-18 Start of a possible attempt to maybe get a little fitter. A twenty mile round trip ride into Exeter (Mill on the Exe area) and back again. The final climb back up Cockwood Hill nearly killed me.
Another twenty miles 2016-10-19 Another ride into Exeter and back. Hard work!
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