Last Summer my mother and I sailed up to the Isle of Man from Fowey. Rested in a friend’s garden at Anglesey we stumbled across one of the prototypes of Pete Braes Atlantic Sea Kayak attempt. I later read that he had sunk only 24 hours in to his first attempt and had endured some time in a half submerged life raft in iceberg chilled water before being rescued; not daunted by this he successfully completed the crossing the next year-quite a feat!
This had certainly made an impression on me and with no research or real knowledge on the subject I convinced myself that I would paddle around the U.K next summer. The idea was little more than fantasy until March 09 when I decided that a bit of planning might be sensible. I was horribly inexperienced and had only sat in a sea kayak once before and hadn’t exactly mastered the art. I rang some experienced voices and researched kit/past expeditions. On my side was a background of summer sailing holidays, some marathon paddling and a bit of surf/river play boating that gave me what I felt were all the ingredients!
I took a fair gamble at Easter and invested in a very smart Carbon Kevlar/fiberglass P and H Quest. I had revised my route because to complete a circumnavigation would require me to be pushing the 80-day record to make it back in time for uni. I didn’t want any time pressure because that can force you into silly decisions so I decided to leave from my doorstep, 18 miles up the river Tamar, and arrive at my university a little while later. I was concerned that my legs might start to rot with all that sitting down so included the ‘Three peaks’ from sea level in my itinerary.
On the 10 of June I set off, I spent my first ever ‘kayak camping experience’ on the Tamar. Two months of illness had not helped my training plans! I was a little apprehensive at this stage over the whole idea. My mother planned on sailing up with me but we were well aware that the practicalities of combining two very different craft would mean I would be spending the majority of my time alone (she and friends crewing proved to be brilliant support). Four days after leaving I found myself negotiating the Lizard, a headland I had grown up hearing chilling tales about. With Kester, mother’s yacht, a good 2 miles offshore, I felt rather isolated and very small.
With over a knot of tide pushing me onto what I thought to be overfalls but turned out to be the large Atlantic swell breaking on the line of rocks that extends from the headland. Turning back into the tide to change routes proved to not be the only time I would feel uncomfortable on my trip but it did make me a little more meticulous with safety!
Anyway a month and a half of paddling took me to the Isle of Arran, SW of Glasgow and that’s where ‘Odyssey’ is waiting for me. I have been home for the last week for a few reasons and am traveling back today to finish my journey.
Part of my plan is to raise money and awareness for the Marine Conservation Society. They are a great organisation that is doing a lot of work to preserve our sea’s marine life by reducing pollution and managing our fishing industry. Without activism like this we would find our fish stocks depleted beyond repair and our beaches public health risks.
I would really appreciate any contribution you feel you can make, I think the minimum the site allows is two pounds, if people were just to give this we could raise a huge amount of money for a cause that will benefit all of us.
I plan to push through the rest of my expedition fairly hard if the weather allows, I think I have around 380 miles left on a route that will take me through the Western Isles, up Ben Nevis across Loch Ness and around Fraserburgh on to the home straight. I will update this site properly when I have more time at the end!
I hope this finds you all well,
All the best,James Killingbeck
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