But I worry most about my wrists, there's a definite hint of tendon soreness there, no surprise after the large paddling workload. Problems here could end the game, there's a need to put emphasis on the technique and be even more aware of a smooth, relaxed paddling stroke. An effective stroke isn't just about efficiency, power, speed and all that other stuff - today it's ALL about getting to the line. Look after the body - no more, no less. No finish - and all the hassle was for nothing.
Down at Sharpness the sun is out but the wind is up, 13-14mph blowing up the river. Add in forward momentum, along with the tide and I'm looking at paddling into an effective wind of 20mph+ for the day - nice (well not really). I wander over to the Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) building and have a chat with the Station Manager. He's working on a trailer, but takes time to chat and suggest a few things about the tide and the flow. I'm not in a great hurry. We have an hour until the tide changes (I think) and watching the flow, there's not a lot of point in trying to bag any 'foul miles' - it will be a lot of effort, wasted effort. So we sit...and wait.
The SARA people are friendly and helpful once again, thanks to Dave for his help too with the launch.
However time and tide wait for no man, and eventually it's time to slip out into the silty river. It's close to slack as I turn down towards the bridge and head off. The headwind makes things a little splashy and the tide takes a short while to pick up. But as I head further downstream, the tide has already started to move further down and the speed picks up. It never quite reaches the assistance I was hoping for but I'm not ungrateful. I wind my way around the choppier bits and try to keep whatever flow I can find. It's breezy but no great hassle.
I slide under the impressive Severn Bridge and then not too much later under the newer Severn Crossing. This one is even more impressive and the water is shifting here, with boils, eddies and waves below - all given a slightly chaotic edge by the wind. It's not really a day for wandering minds and random pontifications. Today things are going to be rather singularly orientated towards the job-in-hand it seems.
Downstream I close on Denny Island (?) and get a little spooked when I see signs of the drying Bedwin Sands - I was still hoping for a little more water here. Suddenly the speed drops dramatically, I can't see an eddy, the chart doesn't give any real clues either. If the tide has gone against already then I'm in a bit of a pickle. I'm not going to get into the Welsh side with all the sand/mud, I'm not going to make enough headway to any realistic landing spot further down that coast either. How do you fancy a trip to visit Portishead fatboy?
I phone The Boss, to point out the appeal of a sightseeing trip Bristol-way. She suggests I calm down, think about it, and head off to catch the flow on the 'English-side'. She's right. The wind is kicking up enough wind-over-tide that I can make out the flow-stream over that way, along with a few yachts. That'll do. I turn counter-intuitively south. I find the flow and soon things are back close to 6 kts, I like that. Good advice: sometimes you need saving from yourself.
The wind is strengthening and the sun has disappeared, my warm hat is now in use. Things go from splashy, to choppy and then to hard work. With sands to my right and the wind on my nose, I'm not sure how I can have such a sloppy, wallowing 3-way chop, but I do. I can live with this though. Hard work but not the end of the world.
Then the tide does change.
Aah.
I was hoping for a little longer.
Now things are not too good.
As the tide turns to flood it allows the swell in, adding to the picture. I'm bordered by sand and mud so I can't even really head in, not to the north anyway. Let's slog a little further and see what happens I suppose.
Well it gets slower, shittier and harder work. Eventually I clear enough of the mud that I can head into Penarth, or perhaps I'll take the the muddy steps at Cardiff Barrage at a pinch.
It takes an hour and a half to ferry in to Penarth, paddling at 3.5 kts - the long miles from yesterday are catching up with me now. I'm ball-bagged.
Finally I make it. It's not quite what I had hoped for, not really what I had in mind. However I'm on solid ground, safe, and nearer to the end than when I set out. I guess that'll do.
As I paddled in I was aware of the scruffy headland E of Cardiff where we ended the same section in 2003, it's only a couple of miles that way. I have to say I was hoping for a bit more this time - now I have a faster boat, more miles in me and don't have the other two to drag along.
Perhaps it's me that's the weakest link? Goodnight.
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