Looe to Portwrinkle

This trip was preceded by a night of camping on a beach about a mile West of Looe after Paul and I had paddled up from Fowey on the previous day. We kayaked to Marine Drive (Looe) in the morning to find Kevin who had driven 40 miles to meet us for the next stage to Portwrinkle. Unfortunately the weather had taken for the worse and although there was little wind at the start, there was a heavy mist on the coast and a force 3/4 SW forecast for later.

After leaving Looe the coast progressively got more interesting with many jagged rocks, high, sloping and wooded cliffs and Longstone stack between Downderry and Portwrinkle. The shoreline is very rocky at low tide with particularly jagged and dangerous reefs.

Portwrinkle has a tiny stone harbour and just a few houses, it does however have outstanding views across Whitsand Bay to Rame Head

I also got to use my P&H Quest sea kayak for the second time and I am pleased to report that this is a very fine boat indeed that fits me like comfy shoes and it handles in a predictable and pleasing manner. I have to remind myself that I have now got a thin skin of carbon/kevlar between me and sharp reefs and not my tough and forgiving Corelite Scorpio.

Wildlife Observed: Great northern diver (1), Gannet (5+), Peregrine (1), Mediterranean gull (4), Oystercatcher (5+), Rock pipit, Grey seal (1)

Look For:
Looe Island
Millendreath Beach
Seaton Beach
Downderry
Longstone Stack
Portwrinkle

Hazards:
Busy around harbour and entrance to river at Looe
No landing on Looe Island
Rocky but achievable launch and landing at Marine Drive (Looe) beach at low tide. (look for sand path)
Particularly sharp and hazardous rocks and reefs soon as you approach Portwrinkle
Rocky but achievable launch and landing at Portwrinkle at low tide (look for sand path)

Details:
Paddle No: 29
Date: 12/07/2014
Wind: Force 0 - 3 SW
Temperature: 19 degrees
Weather: Overcast, cloud and mist on the clifftops
Distance Covered: 13 miles
Duration: 4.5 hrs
Access: Rocky launch from Marine Drive at Looe (OK at high tide)
Sea state: Smooth to Chop - Small Swell
Kayaks: Nigel Dennis Romany, P&H Quest and P&H Scorpio







    Looe to
    Portwrinkle

Click map to enlarge

Fowey to Looe via Polperro

What a great piece of coastline and a kayak trip well worth considering when in Cornwall. Kevin and I were joined by Guy, now fully fit and very active after a three months recovery from having a knee replacement (oh the joy of getting old). So much to see with sandy beaches scenic cliffs, an island and three classic Cornish towns. We had the wind behind us a lot of the time and the tide was also in our favour so the travelling was easy sometimes exciting as the wind accelerated us around the headlands. Care has to be taken when close inshore as the rocks are particularly sharp and pointy for most of the coast.

There are logistics to consider on this trip if you do it one way as we did. You will need to take two vehicles on the Fowey ferry and drive up the coast to Looe and park one either at the beach or the river car park if landing at high tide. This adds to the cost and time of this journey but it remains a highly recommended trip.

The wildlife was a bit thin on the ground and sea! Not much considering the amount of cliff's we went past, Kevin suggests that diversity was low as it is early in the season.

Wildlife Observed: Fulmar, Grey heron, Oystercatcher, Grey wagtail (1), Rock pipit, Raven

Look For:
Bodinnick Car Ferry
Polruan
Lantic Bay
Pencarrow Head
Lantivet Bay
Polperro
Talland Bay
Hore Stone
Looe Island
Hannfore Point
Banjo Pier (Looe)

Hazards: 
Fowey Ferry
Many sharp rock reefs and pinnacles.
Busy harbour area around Fowey, Looe and Polperro
Check that the tide is flowing in your direction if on one way trip
No landing on Looe Island (Hmm Guy)
River currents at Fowey and Looe

Details: 

Paddle No: 24
Date: 15/3/2014
Wind: Force 2 - 4 North Westerly
Temperature: 11 degrees
Weather: Sunny and clear
Distance Covered: 12.9 miles
Duration: 4.5 hrs
Access: Easy launch and land from Fowey Polperro and Looe
Sea state: Smooth to small chop
Kayaks: Nigel Dennis Romany, P&H Scorpio and North Shore Atlantic

    Fowey to Looe
    via Polperro

Click map to enlarge