My name is Sam Chaplin (aged 13, just!) and I am raising money for the RNLI by cycling from my home in Marlow to Wareham (almost 130 miles), then kayaking from Wareham to Swanage lifeboat station (20 miles).  I am doing this over 3 days between the 27^th and 29^th May this year (2018).  I really enjoy both cycling and kayaking and this will be my longest adventure yet!

The RNLI

Why the RNLI – I have always loved being on and in the water and have visited a number of RNLI stations. I am amazed at how they can go out in all weathers, despite the risk to their own lives in order to help others. I row with my school rowing club (Great Marlow School), am a Sea Cadet with aspirations to join the Royal Navy, my Great Grandfather was in the Navy and my parents grew up by the sea!!  Cycling to Swanage to raise money for the RNLI came about after friends of my parents who live in Swanage visited us and told me about crewing part time for Swanage Lifeboat Station.

As you will probably know, the RNLI is a charity and relies on donations and public support to continue their vital work saving lives at sea. They operate 24hrs a day, 365 days per year from 238 lifeboat stations across the UK and Ireland. Their volunteer lifeboat crews rescue an average of 24 people every single day and RNLI lifeguards patrol over 240 beaches helping over 20,000 people in difficulty last year.  

My Challenge

I am cycling from my home in Marlow to Wareham over 2 days and then kayaking from Wareham to Swanage Lifeboat Station on day 3.  I have planned the route to keep me off road or on minor roads as much as possible as well as avoiding as many hills as possible!  My Dad is coming with me and has promised plenty of rest breaks and ice cream stops – I suspect this is not just for me!

Day 1. 100 – 115km.   We leave Marlow at 6.30am, cycling from Marlow to Henley, Reading and then onto the Avon and Kennet canal path. Depending on how busy the path is we will choose where to cut off and head southwest towards Andover, staying overnight in Stockbridge.

Day 2. 90 – 100km.  We will leave Stockbridge after a BIG breakfast and cycle onto Salisbury, Fordingbridge and finish in Wareham where we meet Mum and Jamie with the Kayaks ready for Day 3 – the Big Paddle!

Day 3.  30km.  We leave Wareham, paddling down the River Frome and into Poole Harbour where we stay on the west side past Brownsea Island and out to sea past Sandbanks, hopefully avoiding the big ferries!  We then paddle round the coast across Studland Bay, past Swanage and onto Swanage Lifeboat Station having covered almost 240km or 150 miles since leaving Marlow!!!

Between now and the trip I know I’m going to have to do a lot of cycle and kayaking training. My aim is to build up to be able to do 2 x a hilly25 mile cycle loop between Marlow and Henley on my bike. We will also be doing some long paddles on the River Thames although I know sea kayaking is going to be much harder.

Supporting the RNLI (and me!!)

It would be fantastic if you would like to donate some money to the RNLI. Every little helps so it really doesn’t matter how much, even if it’s just £1.  As importantly though, please cheer me on my way and think of the RNLI as they go about their daily job helping people in trouble.  THANK YOU!!