Tower Hamlets Canoe Club

i'll come if I'm back from Brittany by then. have own boat (or hope to) and transport so should be Ok from this point of view.

For the campers on this trip Toms Field Campsite looks like the closest to where we want to be. I have left them a message so say we are coming. I said call me if there is a problem and I have heard nothing so I think we are ok to just turn up. The drivers may want to take note of these directions. I still have room in my van for two or three more passengers. Could you all think about how you and your boats will get there. If we need the trailer I would like to book it soon. As Nick said, lets meet next Tuesday in the pub to hatch our plan.

The campsite is at the end of Toms Field Road.
Coming from Wareham go through Corfe Castle village and take the B3069 on the right at the end of the village. Continue up the winding road and bear left at the top opposite the Public House called the Scott Arms. Continue along the B3069 for about 2 + miles until you reach the village of Langton Matravers you will see Toms Field Road on the right hand side

Go to google maps and enter this post code
BH19 3HN

http://www.tomsfieldcamping.co.uk

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Jon Eeles

Thanks for this Jon,

Joanna and I will be camping as well.

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Dimitris

can't make this trip now , so i'm out....

Hello tide racers.

This is the response I got today from Swanage coast guard. As we are all taking turns on the safety watch, please make a note of the phone number for Portland Coastguard. I spoke to Portland and they asked that we call them half an hour before we go on the water with details of the number of boats colour etc, and of course when we are all off it.

Jonathan The watchers in the lookout at Peveril Point are not Coastguards but volunteers of the National Coast Watch, they report direct to HM Coastguard in an emergency. The Coastguards at Swanage are on call 24 hours a day and controlled by our Operations Room down in Weymouth (Known as Portland Coastguard). The Operations Room in manned 24 hours a day and this would be your point of contact, their non emergency number is 01305 760439. I have passed a copy of your email to the Operations Room for them to put in the diary for the 11th and 12th, I would also ask that you call Portland Coastguard on the day before you start , Portland Coastguard monitor channel 16 as well for information. It may also be worth while popping into the lookout and telling them what you are planning, this way all bases will be covered. I will also advise my team for the day what you are planning so if there is a patrol on the day they may pop over and monitor some of the exercise. I hope the above is useful to you and wish you a safe visit to Swanage. Regards Ian Brown Station Officer HM Coastguard Swanage

----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Sunday, September 21, 2008 12:44 PM Subject: Message from the website Message from: Jonathan Eeles Reply to: jonathaneeles@yahoo.com Message: On the 11th and 12th of October a group from Tower Hamlets Canoe Club will be kayaking in the tide race off Perevil Point. We will be practising capsize rescues which could draw the attention of passers-by. We will be keeping our own shore based safety watch and communicating by vhf radio. We would like to keep the local coastguard watch aware of our activities so that unnecessary emergency calls are avoided and so you can communicate with our group. Could you give me a phone number for the coastguard officers on duty at Perevil Point on the weekend of 11th and 12th October? My phone nubmers are 07831886708 mobile and 02074035369 Home. Thank you Jonathan Eeles

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Jon Eeles

Another message from Portland coastguard.

If you also wish to contact the National Coastwatch Institution which mans the lookout at Peveril Point, please call them on 01929 422596 between 1000-1700.

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Jon Eeles

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Nick the Younger

Hi everyone I'm really sorry but m not going to be able to make it to this trip, which is a real shame. have a great time, i'm hoping there'll be plenty more trips like it in future. btw I had said I would sort food so could someone else do this. susi

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Nick the Younger

may i come to play, please?

BTW, Toms Field does not accept bookings, it is first-come-first-served. In high summer it would be full by time we made it from london. But this time of year there should be no problems.  But there are several camp sites around.  Only one pub in the village now, the food is acceptable.  Better pub couple of miles away but it limits itself to homemade pasties, which are rather good.

Toms Field also has a bunkhouse, which could be a nice option later in year.

8 of us made this trip: Nick, Steve, Jon, Dimitris, Pete, Liz, Gavin and Sean

Sat was a trip from Swanage to Chapman's Pool, via some tide races. We enjoyed the choppy conditions. We also managed to sun bathe at Chapman's Pool beach. This is sun bathing without clothes. Amazing. We were not nude!

On Sun we played in the tide race just outside Swanage Bay. Lots of fun, capsizes and practices. Actually quite tiring. Several of us tried to leave the tide race by paddling hard against the tide ... and failed. You are moving but you are not. Great to be in highly unsettled and unpredictable water.

We returned to the "South of France" coastal region of Swanage for a fish and chip lunch. Again, the weather was just as we would have wanted it.

A glorious trip.

Thanks to Nick for leading and organising, and thanks to all who went. It was fun, even if it was cold at night.

 

My thanks to all of you for contributing to this trip, but especially to Steve for his invaluable support on the water, and the drivers Jon and Sean; a great trip and a measure of how the club's sea kayaking section is not just growing but progressing.

I'll write and post a blog this week -

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Nick the Younger

Brilliant trip! Rough waters and sun shine made perfect conditions for playing!

Lots of surfing, rolling, self-rescues and rescues parctise on the race.

Thanks to Nick for organising and everyone for contributing!

Looking forward to the pics!

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Dimitris

Thanks to everyone for a jolly good weekend. I have uploaded some snaps of Swanage and the Thames triangle trip. The petrol for Swanage works out at £16 each. would Nick and Dimitris pay Sean and Gavin Steve and Pete pay Jon (me)

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Jon Eeles

Sitting here thinking last weekend we were paddling in Swanage ,what a weekend!!  Can`t wait for the next trip and once again thanks to Nick and everyone.

Pete.