Tuesday 21st Feb
A colourful collection of ten sea kayaks and one plastic racing surf ski brightened a dull and misty Ravenglass beach as people gathered to explore the estuary under the expert eye of our guide for the day, Annette Morris. Annette organised the annual Ravenglass SeaQuest orienteering challenge for a number of years and so has an intimate knowledge of every twist and turn of the of the lower Esk, Mite and Irt rivers that feed into the lagoon.
The curlews were calling as we set off on a rapidly rising spring tide from Ravenglass towards the Esk estuary. Knots and oystercatchers were spotted in flight and a seal-shaped piece of flotsam even caused some momentary excitement. The speed of the incoming tide could be felt as we were swept under Eskmeals viaduct and a few of us paused to practice our ferry gliding. Despite the grey conditions, we had good views of Muncaster Castle, perched high on the wooded escarpment and St John’s Church sitting low on the opposite bank at Waberthwaite. The river narrowed as we wove our way upstream and under the A595 as far as Hinning House Farm bridge, where a convenient lunch stop was found on the golf course. The water continued to rise around us but the berm around the green kept us and our craft dry until we ‘putt’ to sea again. Several boats tried to cut across the now flooded meanders but ended up beached (or is it grassed, Nicola?) and dragging their boats to deeper water. Progress was fast on the ebbing tide, however, and we soon found ourselves back in the open lagoon where the wind had freshened and the mist had turned to rain.
There was just time for a short paddle up the Mite to the mini-lagoon beyond the railway bridge before heading back to Ravenglass and the delights of the La’al Ratty railway café. We had the place to ourselves until the steam train pulled in with its load of half-term families and we beat a hasty retreat! Looking out from the road to the two catamarans we had cheekily paddled under less than an hour before sitting high and dry on the mud, it was easy to appreciate the nine-metre tidal range we had enjoyed today.
Thanks again to Annette Morris for planning the trip and overall organiser Mike Sunderland for another fun and sociable mid-week paddle where destinations range from sea to lake, estuary to river, and now a not-so-tropical lagoon!
Gary
Lakeland Canoe Club 