A 25.3 mile headache

Who ever thought 25.3 miles of home waters would be my stumbling block..... I've had so much support and appreciation as to my efforts so far but the truth is I've barely traveled an 8th of my distance and time is no longer a disposable comodity of which I can play im going to try and cross yet again on sunday southerly f4 may catapult me across the bay on a nice downwind run and theni can try and clear the estuary get onto the canals and hopefully bash out some higher milage and race down  my own demons and maybe drown the monkey on my back! But until the Bristol channel gives me permission I'm stuck (in total luxury) at home. I'm so desperate to clear the southwest west and see things I've never seen but currently I'm trying to learn patience. .....still!
I may brush the sand off my kit tomorrow but other than that I'll just be keeping an eye on the weather.

Its what we sea kayakers do.

Day7 a time to hide

I'm not religious in that ghost stories and burning bushes don't really lead me to Rapture but I do often love religions poetry, in that I can say I am a fan of religion, but probably only in that.

The Book of Ecclesiastes - A Time For Everything  is a poem that always echoes in my skull and for me today the words a time to run and a time to hide were the verse of choice.  The actual poem is beneath  I had a good run today only 7 miles but it was 7 in a solid force 5 with waves breaking over my beam, running swell carrying me from aft and wind chop over my Bow it was hectic, hectic and fast but ultimately fun however today was meant to adjoin the two tideraces/overfalls at Hartland point and Morte point... Hartland has claimed many a ship over the centuries and wasnt taking mine today and a place gets a name like Morte for a reason so those and the 17 miles in between were reason enough to envoke poetry :
There's a time to Kayak and a time to Surf A time to Run and a time to Hide..... so thats where I'm at today: hiding at home.

The kayak is performing beautifully the p&h scorpio really is great in all conditions.  My Greenland paddles are so enjoyable to eat up miles but I'm not yet there as a rough water paddle, my flat earth sail earnt its place on the voyage today pulling me about 5 of my 7miles my waterproof camera is lost at sea but was taking good pictures,  my dirty dog polarised sunglasses were awesome until I lost them in my swim the other day. All the kit I've chosen has been superb really. At the end of this trip I will do a full inventory .
Thank you so much to everyone that has donated towards the care of our oceans. But really at this stage thank you to every single one of you that has offered a word of encouragement or support it really makes a tremendous difference to me keep it up for another 3 weeks please!!

Thanks to Glyn Brackenbury for his steadfast approach to life. There isn't anyone on this earth that comes close to him (happy birthday)

I'll now wait rest recover then get to some proper paddling 

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

The Bible, King James Version

Days 5 and 6.....a visit from a kayaking Jedi

So after throwing all my toys into the sea on the previous morning Glyn came down to once again (for the millionth time in 13 years) sort my life out,resulting in a solid 2 days paddling albeit 10 miles short of my intended Hartand finish instead ending up at the fickle surf spot of Duckpool near bude.
Day 5 was a beast I felt pretty strong after 2 weather days and we made excellent ground I had a real bash of confidence in the rather sporty Trevose head tide race with some funky wind keeping me on my toes but got through unscathed, havng a couple of hours rest in a cove by the lifeboat slip before pushing on to lundy bay near port Quin.
Day 6 was a first for me a ( if I do say so myself) flawless 20+mile crossing to Morwenstow following a NE bearing past port Issac tintagel and eventually bude. The highlight of the two days were the pod of Common dolphins that rather playfully breached all around us at the time I was recounting the story of Dawn Brancheau's death at sea world by the Orca Tilikum (I am vehemently against cetacean captivity) when a Dolphin breached centimetres from me on a collision course (I only pooped a little bit)  Glyn of course found the Irony of a "defender of dolphins" being harassed byvthem hysterical.  The rest of the trip was uneventful and by the end I was totally void of strength I'm home tonight aiming to get a big day tomorrow hopefully getting onto the north coast.... weather and strength permitting! !

Day 4 looking forward not down!

Wow I was LOW this morning! The trip isnt so much a circumnavigation of the south, more a circumnavigation of my emotions and resolution.  I went this morning when I probably shouldn't of, as an experienced surfer the surf looked really manageable.  But that was through the eyes of a surfer as a kayaker in a very heavy boat I should have thought differently, I genuinely thought about quitting today but the truth is force 6 westerlies on north cornish surf beaches arent easy. If I'd been a mountaineer it would have been a tent bound day,but I went anyway and got bitten, fortunately I recovered most of my kit.
  The trip isnt really a solo unsupported circumnavigation anymore.....not in a purist sense anyway. I will meet with other paddlers where possible to help keep me on track I will phone friends and seek advice and encouragement and if theres a way to do things thats better than mine then thats what I shall do.
  Having 2 weather days so early was hard to accept and it seems like an uphill struggle but based on how well day 1 went in marginal conditions I have no doubt I can redouble my efforts and soar... After all its not just about me its about my friends my family my oceans my planet.
I wont rule out the possibility of having to return to work with an incomplete trip but I will be completing the route wether its this attempt or in the future. Hard days aren't nice but they're a necessary evil, they're what make the good days great.

COURTING FAILURE DAY 4?

Day 3 was a weather day I got some rest which was great due to force 6 winds.  Today. Day 4 has started with much the same weather and 3-4 foot onshore surf I've been feeling incredibly vulnerable in the build up to the trip with lots of people telling me about my will power and stubbornness and how I'll succeed at all costs......I think thats  who I used to be maybe 5 years ago. But the person writing this couldn't feel more frightened weak and alone.
There were times on day one where I was really scared but today has been different I've just taken a heavy beating in a fully laden expedition boat in heavy surf followed by a long swim and the loss of some kit including my maps for the next 50 miles im sat on a beach cold and alone I just want to go home and back to my job!