Exeter Canoe Club
›

Lundy Island

Darren_PDarren_P
in General

Has the club ever organised a paddle to Lundy Island? I have been reading up on it. It looks like a great paddle, which given the right planning and conditions can be a lot of fun using thew tide to do m most of the work.

I can see there has been some chat about peer paddles, but I have not sen anything official.

Comments

  • JaneEvansJaneEvans

    Hi Darren
    Paddling to Lundy requires a flexible group who can go when there is a weather window, and when space can be booked at the campsite. I am not aware of any club trips there in the last 20 years, but there have been several peer paddles. Try chatting to Nigel Sharp or Richard Knott. I have done it once from Hartland Quay.

  • Darren_PDarren_P

    Thanks Jane. I have be reading. a lot about it - looks like a great trip to do one day.

  • Darren_PDarren_P

    I believe doing it from Hartland Quay is shorter but more difficult. Did you also circumnavigate the island and come back the next day?

  • Nigel_SharpeNigel_Sharpe
    edited May 2023

    I have dug out my summary of our Lundy trip done in September 2014... Three of us paddled over there...slept in Lee Bay carpark on Friday night to get away early on Saturday. 3 of us were on the water by 05.45am so a bit dark. Dead flat and no wind. Visibility not good so we paddled on compass bearings. The wind raised a little and so there was a bit of swell, but not much. Arrived on Lundy at 10.30am after paddling 22 miles.
    One hour rest, and then went off to paddle clockwise around Lundy Island. This was really spectacular. Masses of seals. Tide not behaving so the expected tidal assistance failed. We got to play in the Hen and Chicken tide race. Returned to the landing ramp after paddling another 11 miles.
    Campsite was after a long, steep walk with wet kit . We got a bit of a telling off for not booking (apparently, visitor numbers are controlled due to limited water supply) - Then to th Pub - it truns out that beer isn't rationed in the same way as water!
    Sunday - very clear, sunny weather BUT, there was a f4+ headwind direct from the east. We were on the water by 11.15am to catch the start of the tide but there was headwind pretty much all of the way. The result was a hard slog and interesting water conditions, with next to no tidal assistance. After 4 hours, the wind dropped a bit and we started to make progress. However, the tide turned against us at Bull Point. The final 45 minutes were against the tide, and the usual rock hopping into Lee Bay turned into a series of overfalls against the tide. Good fun although hard at the end of a 21 mile slog. Finally landed at about 5 pm at high tide - the sea was on the concrete ramp at Lee Bay.
    Total paddling distance = 54 miles



  • Darren_PDarren_P

    Thanks Nigel - that sounds like quite the slog! You seem to have some nice boats for the trip though. I would definitely like to do it one day, though hopefully with better conditions and full tidal assistance:) I have been told not to attempt the crossing if wind above f3.

  • Maggie_WatsonMaggie_Watson
    It's on my list too
  • Nigel_SharpeNigel_Sharpe

    I would do it again. However, in an ideal world, I would like to spend longer there to look around, but tides make that difficult.

  • Richard_KnottRichard_Knott

    I'd also love to do it again. A stunning destination. Jane and I crossed from Hartland Quay in near perfect weather window, and camped overnight. I certainly did not have the energy to circumnavigate the island after the crossing, but staying a second night could have made that possible. At least we had time to explore on the island. As Nigel says, they are rightly strict about limiting numbers camping given the importance of the island for wildlife.

Sign In or Register to comment.