A last minute arrangement to paddle took us to Dove Point on the Wirral with a plan to kayak to New Brighton and back. High tide was 12:20 so we met at 10am and waited for the channel to fill up. A small fishing boat and a sail boat were waiting also.
After a brief chat with the RNLI coastguard crew watching the goings on along that stretch of coast we were off. The fishing boat chugged along in front of us and soon the sailing boat went past with a friendly wave from her captain.
We had two hours each way if we wanted to arrive back at the slipway before it became void of water so we maintained a steady pace soon passing the 110ft Leasowe lighthouse first constructed in 1763.
It was operational up until July 1908 with the only known female lighthouse keeper in those days, a Mrs Williams.
The weather was warm attracting lots of visitors along the shoreline. Approaching Moreton beach we again met a RNLI crew member but this time lying on his surfboard just ahead of us.
Another brief chat ended with some advice to stay out a little to avoid the water covered groins that stretched out from the shore into the sea. One of those groins could easily rip the hull of a kayak if hit.
Two hours soon pass when your engaged in conversation and it became clear that we were not going to reach the lighthouse today.
It was high tide which gave us another two hours to get back or we would be punished with a walk through the wet sand dragging our kayaks behind. Probably much to the amusement of the residents watching out of their windows along the promenade.
Unfortunately due to too much chatting and not enough navigating we went back a little too far out resulting in a walk of shame across the sand banks to the deeper channel we had taken on the outward journey.
As this trip was Julie’s idea I promptly asked to be removed from her mailing list.
Anyway we made it to the slipway finishing the trip with our dignity intact. All we had to do now was enjoy Julie’s usual supply of sausage rolls, cakes and biscuits.
A great paddle with good company.
Report by John Fay