17^th April 2014

Well the following morning was slightly better. I had to wait till midday before I could attempt a crossing to harwich. The sun was out and the wind behind me.. the sea was calm and everything seemed favourable. I called the coast guard to let them know I would be making the crossing after I had got Hoolley ready. With Hoolley on the shore and backpack stowed I waited for high tide. I had to wait two hours before I was to make the attempt. As I waited the wind speed increased but only slightly and the sea was getting slightly choppier but I wasn't phased and had made worse crossings in the past. I climbed into Hoolley and fitted my spray deck. As I did the waves started to take me out. Now for some reason the spray deck was being stubborn and would fit properly. I grabbed the paddles to adjust my self whilst still struggling to get the spray deck fitted. I was being drawn out into open water and not entirely ready for the crossing. My boat had now turned parallel to the waves and not a good position to be in, then from out of nowhere a double break hit me the first smaller one drew me into a much larger break that broadsided the boat flipping it over. I was only about 60 yards from the shore but unable to right myself I had to bail myself out of Hoolley and take a swim in the cold water I scrabbled for shallower water and turned Hoolley back upright. I was wet from head to toe but with adrenaline pumping through my viens I hadn't noticed the cold. I pulled Hoolley ashore and made a call to let the coastguard know that the sea had spoken and I was abandoning the attempt. Then I realised I was in severe danger of hyperthermia the wind whipping across my wet clothes. I unpacked my sleeping bag stripped off and climbed in in an attempt to raise my core body temperature.

After a few minutes I was feeling much warmer and decided that I would need to find an alternative way across. I packed Hoolley away to discover I had lost my walking poles to davey Jones locker. A little gutted I was pleased I wasn't in more severe trouble and hadn't joined them at the bottom of the ocean but simply a little damp and cold. I checked my backpack which was still dry after being placed inside a dry bag for the crossing. I put my clothes back on,, which are quick drying and setboff back to the mainland and the shelter of the sea defenses and the woodland I had hiked through the day before.

I was getting warmer and the act of hiking was in turn drying most of my clothes although my boots were extremely wet. I head off in to walton on the naze where ki met mark and nici. This was a meeting that I now believe was always meant to have happened. Nici kindly washed my clothes and I had a lovely shower which I can tell you I really needed after my encounter with the sea. Feeling a little down and maybe a bit shook up it was lovely listening to their stories, of which they should make into a book. In the evening they ordered me a chinese takeaway which was delicious and I settled down for a good nights rest.

The following day I woke feeling clean and rested ready to make another attempt at getting to harwich. I discussed a potentially different crossing place from the adjacent horsey island. An island inhabited by one man and only accessible by foot during low tide. We said our goodbyes and mark and nici sent me on my way with a bag of coffee and some long life milk , sugar sachets and a tube of concentrated tomato soup. I was going to have a three course meal that night 

I headed off on free roam to try and locate the island based on their directions stopping off to get a small freshly baked baguette to accompany my starter. Along the way I was greeted by mark and nici in their car who had tracked me down to give me the rest of my chinese I had forgotten to collect before I had left. Such a wonderful couple  I do hope to visit them again sometime in the future after the trek.

Eventually I found the track leading out to horsey island and sure enough it stretched across the estuary bed. I was gonna get wet and muddy again! Oh well at least I had felt normal again if only for a short time.

The track was about half a mile long, narrow, muddy and wet. The tide was still going out so I felt confident I would make it across safely. About half way across I stopped to take a couple of photos and continued on my way. As I did I saw a tractor heading my way. This was going to be eithet I interesting or very mucky. As the tractor approached it slowed and pulled up along side me. The driver, an elderly very well spoken man opened the door and asked me what I thought I was doing so I explained the challenge and what had happened the day before and that I was hoping to cross from the far side of the island. His reaction was to only do it if my wife had left me and my business was bankrupt. Well he wasn't that far from the truth so he wished me good luck and said it was a dangerous crossing and not to call the rnli unless I was already dead lol. I headed for the far side where large barges were being used to protect the shore got Hoolley ready and looked for somewhere to land the other side. The tide was still going out but the sea was calm and there was a slight breeze in the air. I figured I would cross at the shortest point and then hug the coast round as fae as I could in search of a nice beach to get out on. Once again two seals joined me for the trip!

I paddled out away from the shore across to the other side, the tide still receeding. I had realised how shallow it would get and found myself grounding out several times each time freeing myself and heading further away from the shore I wanted to head for. Well this short journey turned out to be a monster. At one point I thought to myself "well this is how its going to end" never under estimate the sea! I had to be fully aware of my position and small breakers all the way ferry gliding the waves and surfing the breaks. I was starting to wonder if I would ever get back to shore the was of speed boats causing me concern and no land in sight. After a while though I spotted some beach huts and a beach I could possibly land on. I headed for it the breaks becoming larger and more frequent. As I approached the landing site I found myself blocked by large rocks with no apparent way passed. Luckily I spotted a small yet shallow opening so I turned Hoolley round face on and caught the breaks surfing her in through this tiny gap. It took alot of control and concentration but we hit it dead centre and through to protected lagoon of calm water. I was grounding regularly on rocks and concerned for the fragile hull but eventually the water shallowed out to the point I was able to get out of Hoolley and make my way by foot to shore. Yes my feet were getting soaking wet but at least I was out of open water and at my destination. I had expected I would have to walk to harwich but I had found myself in harwich. I was starting to get cold and you tend to notice it more when the adrenaline subsides. My priority now was to find somewhere to camp and build a fire to dry my socks and get warm. I headed to a nearby sandy shore, scavenged for fire wood and removed my wet socks and sodden boots. After warming myself up and staving hyperthermia for the second time in as many days I set up camp and climbed into my sleeping bag thankful to have successfully crossed from horsey island all the way to harwich.