Continuing The Jurrasic Coast: Seaton to Sidmouth

I gingerly exited the Axmouth Harbour, situated next to Seaton, the tide sweeping me out through the narrow entrance. I used the oars only to direct the PicoMicroYacht into the river centre. Although wary of a confused sea at the entrance, I found it all comparatively docile.

As the light improved, I went a mile off shore, looking inland at the Seaton front.

The next major landmark was Beer Head, a last hurrah of chalk as I journeyed west, the striking cliffs formed much later than the surrounding red mudstone and sandstone that dominate the coast for miles around.

From Beer to Sidmouth takes you past the Branscombe beach.

This was made famous in 2007, when a container ship, the 62,000 ton MSC Napoli, was holed in a January storm and had to be grounded there.

The stricken MSC Napoli

A further storm washed many containers off the ship and onto the beach, precipating hoards of scavengers to descend on Brancombe to try and remove the goods, including high end motocycles and barrels of wine. 

A BMW bike on Branscombe

As I completed the voyage, the sea remained glassy, with a good view of the crumbling cliffs, including the Salcombe Hill cliff close to Sidmouth. Not a good place to explore the beach.

At Sidmouth, a kindly club member from the sailing club offered to help hawl PicoMicroYacht up the beach, the offer gladly accepted as I was fatigued from the row.

The friendly Sidmouth Sailing Club on another day.