The PaddlerUK magazine March 2015 issue 1 | Page 92

ThePaddlerUK 92

Circumnavigating the
Isle of Wight
My original introduction to sea kayaking came with a
project to complete five challenges for charity called The
Big 5 Kayak Challenge.The challenge included 1,000 miles
of sea kayaking from Vancouver to Alaska on the Inside
Passage; a 32 NM (nautical miles) from Lands End to the
Scilly Isles and circumnavigating the Isle of Wight. Despite
paddling for what seems like a century, I didn’t even own a
sea kayak, something of a late developer you might think!
The diversity of coastline around the Isle of Wight is extraordinary
from winding estuaries near Cowes and mud flats to dodging
hovercrafts near Ryde. The southern side also offers more changes
in scenery with chalky cliffs, shallow reefs, sandy beaches at Ventnor
and the exposed St Catherine’s Point before eventually approaching
Freshwater Bay and Needles. It is famous for sailing with Cowes
Festival and the ‘Round the Island Race’ but is equally brilliant for
smaller craft like kayaks.
Our trip back in 2009 was defining in so many ways, leaving
Southampton Boat Show and paddling past the massive refinery at
Fawley and then crossing to the island. We were so tentative

Big 5 kayak challenge
team at the Needles,
Isle of Wight.
L to R:
Dean Buckingham,
Rob Bates,
Richard Harpham,
Aisling Ni Chuinn,
Helen Reeves,
David Gordon,
Aaron Buckingham,
Geoff Tilford,
David McCarthy
Sea kayaking up Southampton Water