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These diaries are made
from information received either by SMS (short
updates), or email if more detailed. It all
depends on when the team gets a chance to
transmit
something. This
is of course opposed to the messages, where
the content is from friends
to the
team. There is also some preliminary
trip information on the team's blog
pages.
 Dec
2008 |
JANUARY
2009
|
Feb
2008
|
| Date |
Message |
| 4th |
I wrote this yesterday on a
glorious afternoon in Stanley
whilst the 'boatless one '
paddled my Kayak in the harbour
with dolphins and penguins
sited see new photos.
Essentially we are packing 2
boats whilst waiting for the
ship, putting 40 days rations
into 24 hr type bags. About 3rd
of them taking with us , the
rest being packed into two
packages to be air freighted
into two settlements
strategically sited to allow
approximately two extra legs.
The 'fisherman' of the party
are confident they will be
supplementing the rations with
fresh grilled fish, the less
confident are looking to eke
out the food appropriately !!!!
We have had two very
informative meets with 'Pat' a
skipper of the now withdrawn
Island supply vessel 'Tamar' he
has been delivering over many
years and could give us lots on
tadal races, etc and have now
met Liev Poncief the local
paddler who had a wealth of
photos and journey info.It
looked amazing out West and we
cant wait to start. We are
attempting to contact all
'Coastline' owning land owners.
The system down here is that
you may not land/camp etc
without permission. We have
received a warm welcome, and a
positive response so far but
there are in the region of 50
people we are trying to get
this from. So far only one
refusal, due to conservation
work which we fully understand.
You should have more photos
soon if Richies bit works!!
{Ed: Indeed, more
photos available}
A big Thank you to all
Family and friends messages of
support its nice to see them.
The other team are setting off
today to go Clockwise. we wish
them luck ! We are a little
envious to see them go and for
us still to be here. Marcus the
solo American paddler has also
arrived and it has been a
pleasant social group. Will
update you on arrival of
boat.Thanks once again
[Tim]
|
| 5th |
Good Morning!!
Today the Team has heard the
'Ship' is in - Hurrah! The Team
cannot collect until 14.00 Tues
however, but that is still
great news. We have arranged
local collection of the Kayak
and the Air company FIGAS will
have our boxes including
'Christmas cake' to go out on
Wednesday morning after which
we will be off !!!!!!!!! Will
send photos of RED boat arrival
ASAP. Lots of Love [Tim] |
| 7th |
We are off at
12:00 noon (15:00 GMT).
Hopefully photos of our
departure will be sent on in a
short while! We have also got a
link person, Trudi, Marvin's
wife, to relay information we
supply using the sat-phone, so
news should be relatively well
scheduled. Thanks, and much
love to family and friends. See
you all soon !!!!
[Tim/Ritchie/Chris] |
| 9th |
Relay: Chris
Tim and Ritchie phoned at 21.00
local 8 Jan everything is going
well, they stayed on Kidney
Island on Wednesday night (7
Jan). Thursday night (8 Jan).
21.00 local, Volunteer Point
(with the King Penguins). The
weather forecast for Friday is
not looking to bad, wind from
the North West 15 knots
increasing 20-25 later in the
day. [Trudi and Marvin]
|
| 13th |
Relay: They
have had a slow start due to
the Northerly winds with some
very short days on the water.
However things picked up on
Monday 12th Jan where they
travelled a distance of 23k.
They spent the night in Campa
Menta Bay. To let all the
families know that they are all
well and everything is fine.
[Trudi and Marvin]
|
| 16th |
Falkland Local News:
C&W kayakers make slow
progress in high
winds - The Cable and
Wireless sponsored, anti-clockwise
kayakers Richy Simpson, Tim Carter,
and Chris Millington are being
hampered by strong winds in their
quest to circumnavigate the
Islands. Camped at Smiley's Black
Point on Thursday afternoon, Richy
said they were anticipating
northerly gales and had to come off
the water. They had enjoyed two
days of light winds since their
departure last Wednesday, but high
wind on other days had meant a few
hours paddling in the morning,
before being forced off the water.
Although Richy says they have now
run out of Christmas cake, all
three are well, if a little sun
burnt and anticipate that they are
three days from Pebble Island.
{Trudi adds that it is hoped
some photos and other diary
material might be available
then, as Pebble Island is a
food replenishment stop for the
team - Ed} |
| 17th |
Memo:
{Stormbound, the team has
been replenished with food this
weekend thanks to Trudi and
Marvin .. Ed}, quote: It
has been quite along day we had
a six hour drive out and back
to see the guys. Anyway they
were in good spirits when we
got there. We stayed for about
three hours so they could sort
out the food, water and bits.
My oldest son
Jeremy and daughter Felicity
& their partners also came
out for the trip so we had a
couple of vehicles as I had no
idea what the camp was going to
be like and the last thing I
needed was to get bogged and
not get there, so they had
someone else to talk to and
catch up on what is going on in
the world over the last few
days. [Trudi &
Marvin]
|
| |
Hi all its Tim here we have
just been visited by the lovely
Trudi and family who have
kindly brought out extra food
and welfare messages. It’s
amazing how its picked us all
up. We have been stormbound for
nearly three days and we were
beginning to think that we
would have to go hungry for a
short time!! As you can imagine
the very thought of that was
not appealing !!!All the team
are well, we are as you can see
more bearded and skinnier! A
paddling day starts with the
alarm going off at 4 a decision
based on the wind as to whether
to go or not ! Cable and
\wireless have kindly lent us a
sat phone which does give us a
forecast facility but the
weather changes are fast and
furious! It takes about an hour
and a half to eat pack and
depart we then paddle for a
couple of hours either raft up
or land depending on whether we
can land or not !!Soup and
Christmas cake and then off
again! As a general rule the
wind by midday is too fierce to
continue and we then land and
camp and snooze eat etc .Thanks
to Pete and Jac for the
Thermals they are amazing,
Thanks to Footy for the cake
and Energy bars, it’s just a
shame that Chris and Richie
both enjoy cake!!! Thanks to
Spirit for the Cagoule / Spot
and water sterilisers they have
all proved excellent. Thanks to
Steve and Lesley of the Manor
House for the sponsorship and
more importantly the 'Montane
'jacket which has proved a
lifesaver when one initially
gets off the water, my
'sculling for support' is also
improving !!!All the messages
from you all have kindly been
brought out by Trudi and they
are lovely though it makes us a
little emotional!!! Colin you
are doing a great job Thank you
the site is proving to be
really important for all
parties to enjoy We are going
to sign off now, apologies for
the typos but I am sitting in
the back of a Land rover in
bright sunshine without my
'specs’! Love to all of you, we
are having a tremendous time
though the 'stormbound days'
are slow the countryside and
the people when we see them are
amazing. It’s just like a
Dartmoor that goes down to the
sea with the most amazing
beaches and inlets. The
wildlife has been awesome many
Sea lions, Dolphins, Fur seals,
Elephant seals, a huge number
of Birds including for Foggies
benefit some 'Shearwaters' The
Albatrosses and Petrels are
fantastic in flight and swoop
really low over us, The Kelp is
both a challenge and a joy it
smooths the swell but
frustrates the paddling stroke!
But hey this is why we are
here!! Thinking of you all will
try again at Pebble Island.
[Tim / Richie / Chris]
|
| 22nd |
We are at Pebble and are
staying in the delightful
Farm House of Arena and
Raymond who have kindly
invited us to stay with
them and feed us too!
Fantastic day of contrasts
! This morning we were
camped at the mouth of
Tamar Pass awaiting the
flood tide, its a narrow
passage and the 'tide race'
was known to be a
little 'character forming'.
Pat who had helped us (he
was the supply boat skipper
) said only go
through on a flooding
tide and not with a
Northerly wind. so this
mornings tide at 04.30 the
wind was a mere Force 6/7
from the NW so we just
rolled over and went back
to sleep ! By lunch time
the wind a mere Force 5/6
now from the West and the
rising tide we set off at 2
pm and 'barrelled through'
. Technical speak would be
'choppy' !! Luckily my
'Anglesey Tide race
training paid off !! Then
along the West coast of
Pebble Island and to the
Settlement.
Amazingly whilst at the
mouth of Tamar Pass we were
visited by the Outward
Bound Team who have changed
their route plans and had
worked their way up through
the Sound from the South.
Whilst travelling along the
West Coast we also saw
Marcus who was zooming
along at great speed and
was making great progress
with the Tail wind. A
lovely Guy and we wish him
well. So we have now met
the whole of the Paddling
people that we know about
in one day !!
Thanks for all the messages
they have been great and
are a real boost
to us. Sorry you Guys
have had such appalling
weather especially as we
are predominantly in sun
shine!!
Footy in answer to your Qs
yes I think the clothing
qty is about right, the
other teams are in Dry
suits wher we have opted
for the cooler approach ith
Bare feet, Salopettes and
Cags with an under layer of
Merino thermals. Sorry to
be missing the Grease
production but I am sure it
will go well for you
Hamish. Phoebe please to
cut Richies hair on his
return as he is starting to
look a little shaggy for a
'Butler'. Jackie and
Sue sorry to have their
undivided company for these
few weeks but I will return
them as only a little worn
out !!! Tis hard
you know being the only
Pensioner on the trip, but
between the
'Military' Chris and
the H&S officer of
Richie I am being superbly
looked after and not being
left behind too much
!
We are busy restocking
boats and repairing some
items of kit and
boats before heading
south and west
tomorrow towards
Keppel then Saunders before
our next resupply at Fox
Bay in about 15 days
! So a
rest day where Arena is
trying to fill us upwith
amazing home made
bread and has
wonderfully washed all our
'smelly' kit. Will sign off
now but hope to get another
off before we go. [Richie,
Tim and
Chris]
|
| |
A great day, we have
Eaten for
England re
supplied, repaired and
have generally rested !
A strong gale today
meant that we had to
stay without feeling
any pressure to go !
Richie has fed the
lamb, Chris and I have
done the decent thing
and discovered that
Alan and Jackie the
other great couple on
the island have a
fridge full of cold
Guinness !! so all in
all we have been proper
holiday makers!
Tomorrow we head off
for Saunders Island
with a forecast of a
reasonable couple of
days, the names of some
of the places we will
be passing, Anxious
Passage, Cape Terrible
and Deaths Head have a
certain worrying trait
about them. However to
have negotiated the
North Coast and got
here we are feeling
chuffed indeed.
Am conscious that we
are not keeping you
amused with some of the
'events' of the trip
for example Chris's
fire lighting skills
have caused both raised
and fringed eye brows
from our Health and
Safety Fire officer
(Apparently Petrol is
not cheating !)
Richies near
'Pink arm band' event
of a superb series of
High and low braces in
lumpy water off Cape
Dolphin was both funny
post event and very
skilful too ! A lot of
the humour is obviously
having to be here but
those of you who know
us and our antics will
imagine the clash of
cultures between the
military / Fire and
Police sense of humour
!!
Chris is as always very
much a natural leader
and has made excellent
decisions throughout,
Richie is like a human
dynamo never resting on
the rest days/ periods
always fixing /
adjusting / fishing
(Unsuccessfully) and
has displayed excellent
'Butler' type skills,
Simon look out as he
could be after your job
! Me being the elder
statesman always trying
to sneak a quick 'forty
winks' whilst trying to
look busy obviously !!
A great couple of guys
to be out with and even
if we dont make Stanley
in the time allotted an
amazing time is being
had by
all !! Will
hopefully be able to
contact you all again
in next few days !
Thinking of you all and
looking forward to
being back, honest !!
[Tim /
Richie / Chris]
|
| 25th |
Relay: The
weather has been very kind to
them since making it across
Falkland Sound and they are
making good progress since
leaving Pebble Island. They
visited Saunders Island
briefly, then spent Saturday
night at Dunbar and were kindly
invited to have a meal with the
family who run Dunbar Farm then
spent the night in the comfort
of the spare house. Spoke
earlier this evening (Sunday
night) and they are at Long
Creek north of Byron
Heights.
All well
and in good spirits. [Trudi and
Marvin]
|
| 26th |
Relay:
{Phone call between
Colin and Tim} -
Everyone is well and currently
being fed by a fine lady called
Jeanette, on West Point Island.
That, after the good people of
Pebble Is., Saunders Is., and
Hugo and Marie, the French
couple at Dunbar, having done
likewise over the past few
days. Mentioned to the team
that Footy was asking
(Messages, 23rd Jan)
if this could in fact be
classed as an expedition under
such a feeding/sheltering
regime, but Tim seemed to imply
that Chris had an air of "Do I
look bovvered?" on his
face, as he and Rich were about
to attack Tim's portion as
well as their own! For
some reason the phone call
didn't last much longer after
that! All is very well indeed.
A SPOT transmission will
confirm arrival later on, and
they send all their love
to family and
friends back
home. [Colin]
Alison Thorogood [C&W] adds
{email, after updating them
with weather info}
- They are enjoying the
sights of the Albatross colony
on West Point while they wait
for a tide change (not
really there for the food at
all -see? Ed.), when
they will set off this afteroon
for Split Island, for the
night. They should have a
few days of light winds to look
forward to as they head
south.
|
| 29th |
We are now at Weddell
Island and have met Martin
who manages the Lodge and
Farm with the help of
Denzil. A top host all
round we knocked on his
door having paddled
from Second Passage Island
some 40 ks away. He handed
us a cup of tea and a 'Bud'
with a couple of oat
cookies that he had just
cooked. He then insisted we
stay the night and I have
had my First Shower !!!
Followed by roast lamb with
loads of vegetables !!!
Life does not get much
better.
We have had a lovely few
days from Pebble
Island we travelled through
the Islands to Saunders
Island stayed overnight
there then had our first
reasonable crossing since
Falkland Sound when we
headed across some
12 ks to
West Point Headland under
neath Byron Heights. This
was for us quite a
'character building '
crossing as it was a force
6/7 tail wind and I dare
not look behind us as the
following waves were too
big. A great
overnight with the
delightful French family
who kindly allowed us to
use a spare cottage and fed
us roast beef. Lief Poncief
was also visiting and other
friends from the British
Antartic Survey so a few
wines were put away as well
as loads of food !!
We then headed west towards
West Point but another day
of headwinds reduced us to
a crawl ! An overnight Bivi
was called(We tend to bivi
if we have an early start
!) The next day we zoomed
around Hope Point head and
to the West Point Island.
This was my idea
of heaven. A beautiful
island with a sheep farm, a
mountain that Richie and I
climbed. An Albatross
colony with some amazing
chicks and cliffs that went
upto over a 1000 feet high.
Some New route potential
methinks. Jeanette the
managers wife fed us a
lovely lunch with loads of
tea and biscuits
(Expeditioning is tough !!)
We left there at 4 with a
view to catching the tide
to get through 'Woolly
Gut '. A
woolly here is a
localised wind that zooms
off the land onto the sea
with speeds upto 70/ 80
mph, not good for
kayakers!!! However once
more the head wind halted
the progress and we had a
night on a huge Penguin
beach, where we were
introduced to the 'Jonny
Rook' a quite unpleasant
bird of prey that scavenges
in gangs. They pick on the
lame Penguins and take
their eyes out to disable
them further. A quite
unsettled night for us as
we settled into our bivi
bags whilst encircled by
these.
In the morning we were off
early and across to Split
island another wildlife
paradise and a crossing of
about 12 ks. Escorted in by
sea lions and Dolphins we
lunched there and then set
off across to
Second Passage Island.
We camped overnight on this
Island exploring the old
shepherds hut and other
work sheds. Then today we
came to Weddell Island and
had this amazing
welcome. All is well
Thank you for all your
messages, Phoebe how is
the driving coming on,
I am sorry not to be
sharing that delight with
your Ma !! Hamish keep
practising for 'Grease' no
doubt you will be recorded
and i will buy the DVD !!
Footy we are over half way
and because of all the
amazing hospitality I am no
longer disappearing !!!
Loads of love and Richie
will be down loading some
photos tomorrow hopefully
!!! [Tim
Richie and Chris]
|
| 30th |
Another update
from Weddell. We have
had a lovely day off
staying with Martin at the
Weddell Inn. Great
hospitality and lots of
vegetables !!! I had a
morning climbing
Weddell Mountain, whilst
the men went fishing
!! Richie has caught
his first Mullet thanks to
the careful teaching of
Martin ! We then were taken
on the Weddell tour seeing
Foxes, Reindeer, Sea Lions
and of course loads of
Magellanic Penguins or
'jackass' . Martin kindly
drove us in the Rover
around some of the
Island and we were
suitably impressed.
We are now drinking beer
and awaiting loads of Beef
and vegetables all home
grown !!
Tomorrow Smylies Channel a
wicked little Tidal
race that should be in
Chris's words a bit of fun
! For me it could be
Pink Arm bands !! All is
good and we are well, fit
and rested. Tomorrow back
in the tent Boo ! Thanks
again for all your thoughts
OB hope the skiing was
good, in the glorious
sunshine here it seems a
world away. Amy thank you
for your Christmas goodies
have yet to use the Hand
warmers but there is still
time !!
Next update will
realistically be Fox Bay
our next re supply !!
[Tim /
Chris / Richie]
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