The water in Cawsand was calm under light south-westerlies, sheltered from the wind. I set off toward the mouth of the Sound, curious to see how things looked beyond Penlee Point. Sure enough, as soon as I cleared the point, the wind and swell picked up, and the further I went, the bigger it grew. Eddystone sat on the horizon, teasing me, but the slow progress told me all I needed to know – today was not an Eddystone day.
I spun the Taran around and enjoyed some glorious downwind runs, hitting over 8 knots on the surfs. The Taran really is a speed machine, and it handles following seas beautifully. I made for the breakwater, enjoying the calm water in its lee, and cruised along the town side, watching the boats and harbour life drift past.
Without a set plan, I considered heading towards Fort Bovisand for a big loop back to Cawsand. But at the far end of the breakwater, I spotted a group of kayakers coming my way. They turned out to be from the Port of Plymouth Canoeing Association (PPCA) – a friendly bunch who welcomed me to join their paddle back to Cawsand.
Crossing from the breakwater, we were back in the wind, but conversation made the miles fly by. Midway across, we witnessed what looked like a Border Patrol exercise: a black RIB chasing down a motor launch that refused to stop. Definitely added some drama to the day.
Once back at Cawsand, the group stopped for lunch and asked if I was done for the day. “Not a chance!” I laughed, and tagged along again – this time all the way to Drake’s Island. After saying my goodbyes, I paddled back out to the breakwater for a circuit around the outside before returning to Cawsand.
By the time I landed, I’d clocked 14.3 nautical miles (16.5 miles) in just under five hours – a superb day out on the Taran, made even better by the company of the PPCA.
Many thanks to them for letting me tag along.
