Ive just changed jobs and my new location is at Dartmouth, which has great access to some fantastic paddling - Start Point and Berry Head tide races, overfalls on the bar off Teignmouth and the stunning scenery of the Dart and Salcombe estuaries. On Saturday this weekend I took advantage of a break in the weather to explore the Dart between Dartmouth and Totnes. Needing to use the tidal window, I launched at first light with the pink glow of a cloudless sky reflecting off the heavy frost in the fields. Paddling upstream before the world started to stir and the day started to get busy, the curlew and oystercatcher calls mixed in the still air and I was lucky enough to see the iridescent blue bullet of a kingfisher shoot across in front of me, perfectly matched by its reflection in the still water. Passing sleepy Dittisham and sleepier Stoke Gabriel I followed the river upstream and, as the estuary opened up into a wide expanse of water, the first rays of the rising sun touched me and the slight warmth suggested that the pain in my cold soaked fingers wasnt going to be a permanent feature of the trip. I passed an optimistic fisherman chasing flounder from the shore and the rows of the well tended vines at Sharpham vineyard. Expecting to enjoy more isolation as I worked my way upstream I was surprised to see a large number of rowing boats - Totnes rowing club obviously enjoys training on a Saturday morning. The Explorer was no match for a coxed eight, or even a single scull, and they soon left me far behind to enjoy the peace once more. I arrived at Totnes at high tide and enjoyed hot chocolate and a pork pie in the company of a posse of optimistic dogs whose owners were powerless to distract them from a potential share of my snack (the dogs were disappointed). Looking into the Dart the amount of leaves, branches and other organic material was symptomatic of the weeks heavy rain and I suspect that the higher Dart was in spate. The tide drops quickly at Totnes and the accelerating flow suggested that I needed to start my return trip earlier rather than later. The Dart is much more tidal than the Fal or Helford estuaries and I enjoyed a much quicker return trip, although I am clearly not currently as paddle fit as during last years odyssey. The weak winter sun was barely touching the frost and my billowing breath made a good impression of the Dart Valley steam train. Close to Dartmouth I passed a number of seals on pontoons, some looked cold and miserable but most just looked asleep. I arrived back at Dartmouth some 4 hours after my launch and after 25km of winter bliss - could there be a more perfect way to spend a Saturday morning?
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 21:12:41 +0000
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