29 | June | 2021 | Lakeland Canoe Club

Searching for a group of strangers … with kayaks. Found at Arnside for ‘Lunch on the Sands’: a sea/social trip on Sunday 27^th June.

With introductions done and feeling trepidation at a range of 10 sea kayaks dwarfing (in length) my lonely river boat, we set off in sunshine and dancing clouds.

Rhythmic arms and core rotation had us following a low tide channel out across the bay almost to Grange, meandering round a rocky island, inadvertently alarming the odd seagull and egret, and proceeding out into the estuary. Sometimes using the lesser-known paddling technique of hands either side of the boat to push it across sands, we avoided having to get out and pull boats … or in my imagination sink in quicksand and flounder in mud!

In deeper water we had a lovely paddle along an eroding sand bank until we found a place to stop and ‘disembark’ for brunch. There is a surreal wonder at being in the middle of Morecambe Bay: a sandy expanse across to Heysham Power Station and Blackpool, the distant twee tents along Grange promenade and a sense of spaciousness all the way to a horizon of shape-shifting clouds.

At a more prosaic level chatter abounded, and with no obvious public toilets squatting on the sand had to suffice. Mike’s pep talk for the way back instilled a sense of seriousness to negotiating with the power of the incoming tide: we waited on the water for the bore which looked impressive as it raced across the sands but actually arrived with us as a rippling murmur. I was amazed at the speed with which it gathered us up and carried us back. Some impressive surfing on the wave by some.

A decisive line to navigate the sand banks and channels back, a little bouncy turbulence round the island and a strong right across the bay bringing us back along the Arnside shoreline.

There is freedom and a certain sense of privilege in moving on and with the water while Sunday strollers crowd the shoreline. Yet, all too soon we joined them on shore and most of us carried boats back to roof bars (three went on up the river) and returned home to more earth bound pursuits.