Dartmouth Yacht Club (UK) - Canoe Section

Tryggevælde stream is a nature reserve in Eastern Zealand, 30 km south of Copenhagen. The sluggish river is covered with yellow water lilies. The banks are mainly reed, with very few flowering plants. The damp meadows beside the stream are invisible, and our group didn’t think to get out to look at the reportedly rich flora, being mainly concerned with completing the 11 km to the sea.

The rain turned to thunderstorm. We took a cool windswept lunch in a park near the mouth of the river.

Much praise to the driver of the 20 kayak trailer. It took a while to load and unload the trailer and about an hour from clubhouse to the starting point. So there was much logistics for slender reward.

Choppy water round the corner of Froward Point persuaded us that a relaxed tour of the beach in Newfoundland cove would be a good way to enjoy the spring sunshine, and it gave us an opportunity to sample the spring crop of wild food - Rock Samphire (Crithmum maritimum, not to be confused with marsh Samphire) at the back of the beach, wild cabbage, whose yellow flowers colour the lower slope, interspersed with pink Valerian further up.

Under the high and jagged cliffs west of Dartmouth a small memorial is set into the rock, only reachable by kayaks and swimmers.

The inscription reads:

Erected by friends of Reginald Colebrooke Reade, of Torquay, architect, M.A. to mark the spot where he fell and lay dying in the prime of health and strength, 28 June 1891, aged 37. He was heard to say “It’s all right”.

We were greeted by the seals, more than usually curious. Maybe they missed us. No wind but sufficient swell to make some white water.

Low tide and a sunny evening make even the lower depths of the Kingswear railway station look romantic.

And it’s the last season for the higher ferry and the gentle surfing waves generated by its paddles. The paddles have been painted for the season but the rest of the boat reveals its soon to be scrapped status. Or was it always like that?

A cheerful group enjoyed the warm air and muted sunshine. Kingswear castle in the background.

Bow bridge is where the Harbourne river meets the tidal water of the Dart estuary. The lowest of the many watermills on the river is just visible to the right behind the bridge. On the left is the terrace of the Waterman’s Arms pub and in the foreground is the pair of swans whose nest is just beyond the bridge on the left bank. Behind the camera stretches the three km of Bow Creek, a quiet stretch of water, expansive but shallow, with rocky south shore and a sinuous deep water channel, which discourages keel boats and speedboats and so the creek is rich in aquatic birds.