Rowing with the CASPA runners and meeting the man who built the Queen's barge

3rd May 2014

I had now joined the CASPA runners and we had set up a base camp of three motor cruisers at the beautiful Harleyford Estate near Marlow.

Our thanks to Mark who runs the marina  and  who was so helpful making us at feel at home and for Philip who made sure everything ran smoothly.

I would now be trying to keep up with the CASPA runners for two days as I rowed the forty miles to Richmond, my orange flag advertising the charity event. A quick wave and I was off.

I  passed Bisham Abbey near where the English football team used to train before world cup events.

 And then through Marlow Town.

Through Cookham, Maidenhead and then past Windsor Castle, rowing hard to keep with the runners

Finally I reached Dachett. Some of the runners, including one of our group, a 400 metre Olympic medalist, were completely exhausted as we sat reminiscing in the pub. 

4th May 2014

The next day another send off, this time the CASPA runners psyching themselves up for their marathon whilst they watched me go. We photographed each other.

Paul from Kris Cruiser (see front person top) had helped us with one of the motor cruisers and also kindly stored PicoMicroYacht for the night.

To start with I tried not to row too fast, realising I had to last the 23 miles to Richmond. At one point I was rowing in tandem with a skiff for many miles; they were first to go through the lock. Two middle aged sons double sculled with their father coxing and occasionally rowing. One of the sons had ran/rowed/cycled from London to Paris and was enjoying the day out.

Different craft passed us on the way

Along the river bank I could see groups of runner through the trees as I was able to keep pace with them

The runners stopped for a break and would wave if they had the energy

A highlight was going through the huge Teddington lock and rowing down the lock to exit - runners were jogging along the lock on the right

Eventually I arrived in Richmond my destination,  which seemed packed with people. This is where PicoMicroYacht had been built (well the wooden bit) by Bill Colley. I reflected on the fact that PicoMicroYacht was visiting it's birth place.

Mark Edwards MBE from Richmond Bridge Boat Houses very kindly let me leave the boat on his pontoon for the night. Mark is boat builder, having built the Gloriana, a 94 foot rowing barge that was the lead ship in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pagent in 2012. Mark said 'my wife saw you out there and remarked isn't that the funny boat that Bill Colley worked on a few years ago?' When I told him that the 'funny boat' had crossed the English Channel he said in his drole voice 'If you do it once I forgive you, but not if you do it again.' 

The Queen on Gloriana

Monet, World War 2, rowing trials and being 'in the groove' at Henley

19th April

I set off again and quickly came to Pangbourne, where a bridge was completely demolished to be rebuilt.

I couldn't help thinking Monet could have painted this scene, including the cranes and the clouds, a mixture of modernity and nature.

When I got to my next lock, Mapledurham, I was kept hearing a series of bang noises, like small arms fire or semi-automatic rifles. Rounding a bend in the river looking through the trees I could see some soldiers in World War 2 uniform.

I had stumbled across the Mapledurham at War event in which visitors were invited to 'taste the atmosphere of army and civilian life as war rages across Europe.' 

Further down an amphibious vehicle was making it's way upstream

I reflected on the contrasting peacefulness of the Thames as it meandered through the pastoral landscape.

After Reading I took a break in what I thought was a little inlet with swans.

But looking over the bank I saw stretching into the distance an Olympic size 2000 metre size course -  I was at the start. Under 23 rowers were being trialing for the national squads and shot off the start at three times PicoMicoYachts maximum speed.

21st April

After some more Monet like scenes,  the river seemed to pick up pace.

 Magnificent Henley came into view.

I was glad to stop at the Angel Inn for Lunch. 

PicoMicroYacht rested whilst I visited my favourite vinyl store 'In the groove' and bought (sorry it is cheesy) a recording of La Mer, which I had to protect from the rain for the rest of the trip to Marlow.

Four days rowing down the Thames

12th April 2014:

It would take nine days to row down the Thames and I was doing the first four days, starting at Lechlade. 

My uncle, a retired  Royal Navy lieutenant  commander and World War 2 veteran, was there to send me off.

I have to admit it was my first time using a lock since the 1970s and the first for PicoMicoYacht.  I had to learn the etiquette again.  It said  'self service,' so I got out and opened the gates. Before I could get back in  a motor boat swept past me into the lock and blocked the steps, so when I entered the lock I would be trapped in the boat. Then I thought ....  relax and  remember what Old Father Thames had said - 'in this world of rush and hurry it matters neither here nor there.' I stayed put whilst he did the lock.

I was then getting into the groove, pulling hard one side and then the other as I negotiated the kinks in the river. 

The scenery passed by as a kaleidoscope of water colour paintings, with beautiful trees and picturesque boats.

Eventually I got to Newbridge and found a Jetty opposite the Rose Revived, the stone bridge build by monks in the 14th Century.

 13th April 2014:

It was a short trip to Pinkhill Lock, about eight miles from Oxford, an idyllic spot.

But in my last but five strokes my rowing seat disintegrated. One of the spindles had broken.

Early the next day  I went to ES Rowing Services. They were really helpful,  attaching  new wheels to my wooden seat in a jiffy. 'That one you had there had single flanges - that's dangerous.'  Well it would have been last year half way round Land's End.

E Sim's seem to know what they are doing and mend boats, this one having an argument with a barge. 

14th April 2014:

The sun  kept shining and the animal life continued, a mother duck leading her brood to safety, geese cackling by the lock and horses grazing in Port Meadow near Oxford.

The dreaming spires of Oxford drew closer and soon I was opposite the Christ Church meadows, glimpsing through the trees the college building where I had lived for a year.

Another way to see Oxford is to arrive in large white fibreglass boxes with powerful motors and all modern luxuries.

It's a myth that all Oxford undergraduates waste their time partying -  some just hang out down at their boat club houses, chatting away on their concept rowing machines.

Nearing  Abingdon with the light was fading and PicoMicroYacht passed the Radley School boathouse.

15th April 2014:

An early start and the sheep were curious about PicoMicroYacht.

At the Days Lock the divers were checking the gates. One diver was taking it easy whilst his mate was down in the lock, soon to emerge.

The gaffer, an older man in red with an Australian accent, was friendly and halted the diving operation to let me past, also offering to sponsor me.

Further down the river the effects of the flooding were evident.

Eventually I reached the sailing club at Goring and they let me leave my boat there for the evening.

60 miles - another 103 to go.

Picomicroyacht to row down the river Thames

Crossing the English Channel in a rowing boat is still off limits and Picomicroyacht has decided instead to row down the river Thames from the source to the Thames Estuary. Talking of sources a great mystery in life is how the source of a river is chosen. Here is the source of the Thames - yes the exact  location and definitely not the spring in the other valley.

Trewsbury Meadow in Gloucesterhire  - the source

But even Picomicroyacht is too big to start here, so will begin the voyage near Lechlade, where the statue of Old Father Thames marks the start of navigational water.

Old Father Thames

A different style of rowing is called for, a more leisurely approach...

'There are some folk who always worry

and some folk who never care

but in this world of rush and hurry

it matters neither here or there

be steady and realistic

don't hanker for gold or gems

be carefree and optimistic 

like Old Father Thames'

Peter Dawson - Old Father Thames - Recorded Abbey Road Studios 1933

This year I am again collecting money for CASPA - which helps young people on the autistic spectrum and their families - I shall be steady and realistic, carefree and optimistic - not hankering after gold or gems, but I am hoping for some sponsorship.

A damn close run thing crossing the English Channel

L'amiral Nielly prend ses fonctions de préfet maritime de la Manche et de la mer du Nord

In late June 2013 the newly appointed Admiral Nielly moved decisively to ban all self powered craft from entering French territorial waters in the English Channel. Many organised charity rows were caught out having trained for months in advance. One crew set off on 1st July but were turned back by a French vessel. It appears that the French authorities came to this decision when a cross Channel row was attempted overnight and went wrong, requiring rescue. The authorities are worried about safety issues and frustrated by such occurrences.

Talks are underway to persuade the French authorities to change their mind and in the meantime the charity rows have been done by rowing halfway across the Channel and turning round.

PicoMicroYacht was so fortunate to attempt the row last year and not delay a year. This was because Full Throttle Boat Charters were able to provide a safety boat at a reasonable price, which convinced me to do it then... It was a damn close run thing.

PicoMicroYacht's Land's End

It is nearly a year since PicoMicroyacht crossed the English Channel. This blog is about PicoMicroYacht rounding Land's End on the 5th May 2013. The voyage was done anticlockwise, starting off from a small cove called Sennen Cover, rounding the most westerly tip of England arriving at the quintessentially picturesque St Michael's Mount. Large waves batter this coast, rolling in from across the Atlantic with no significant land mass between England and the USA and Canada.

Chart showing route from Sennen Cove (just north of Land's End) to St Michael's Mount.
1 - The route took PicoMicroYacht inbetween Land's End and the Longships rocks, very close to Kettle's Rocks as semi-submerged reef that has sunk many ships. The atlantic waves are coming from the west (left) and will criss-cross any local waves. Adding to this, the loss of depth as the waves close in on the shore and the tides bifurcating as they traverse round the tip of Cornwall means there can be a very confused sea even with slight winds. 2 - It is necessary to go round the Runnel Stone buoy to avoid both a reef (The Runnel Stone) and rough water or a race off the most southerly tip of Cornwall. After that things get easier  (3-4) as the coastline gets closer you entered the more sheltered water of Penanze bay to reach St Michael's Mount. On this trip, PicoMicroYacht did not stop off at Mousehole.

The night before in the hotel overlooking Sennen Cove I could hear the surf pounding on the beach. But by the morning it had calmed down. I knew it was going to possible to do the voyage. Nevertheless, as the day wore on the wind and surf increased.

           A calm start to the day off Sennen Cove - the rocky foreshore is covered at high tide
                                                    and the waves break on these rocks

When launching PicoMicroYacht I was helped by a group of funder raisers and supporters who were running round the Cornish Coastal Path in aid of a local UK charity called CASPA which helps children with autism and their families. 

I chatted to my helpers and then went down to the beach and several people helped me drag the boat off the sand into the water. We bantered.'You must be mad - I have looked at the sea and it is rough out there.' 'no it isn't.. it's quite calm really' I replied, knowing it was not.

Inside the harbour it was calm and I was able to get PicoMicroYacht completely ready for the voyage.

I called up the Falmouth Coastguard on the radio. They asked whether I had a shore party. I hesitated in my reply because I thought they might not believe me if I said "well there are about 20 people running along the cliff tops looking out for me and my wife is on the mobile phone"

There was time to take photographs of the people seeing me off.

I had been studying the sea carefully and saw there was only white water where it broke against the rocks. There was a commotion but not enough to upset PicoMicroYacht.

Quickly I was off, rowing down the Tribbens, a narrow channel between some rocks and the shore, feeling my way along trying to find the right line to avoid the worse of the turbulence. I had chosen the best time to use the channel, high tide.

PicoMicroYacht was pushed upwards by the oncoming waves and bouncing down the other side, but no water broke over the boat and I felt in control.

As I pulled away from the land the waves became considerably larger, with smaller cross waves, but I was struck by how little wind there was given the commotion of the sea.

I was looking to position myself between the Longships lighthouse and the shore, enough out to sea to avoid any overfalls but trying to avoid two treacherous rocks, known as Kettle's Bottom. Everything was going to plan, and I moved forward gingerly looking out for rough patches.

                                                               Longships Lighthouse

As I neared Land's End I could see the gothic like architecture of the cliffs with houses perched on the top. The people sending me off had disappeared from view. I had to force myself to stop and take some photographs because the temptation was to keep moving forwards.

                                                          Land's End with confused sea


I became aware of the noise of a ship and looked round to see a large catamaran motoring towards me with sails up. I altered course to signal I was manoeuvring out of the way, following collision regulations. But the catamaran kept alterning course as if not seeing me. So I turned 90 degrees and rowed hard to make sure I was clear and in doing so I was seen.

    The catamaran heading off past Land's End on the right with Cape Cornwall in the distance,

I headed the for the Runnel Stone buoy, which marks the passage avoiding a hazardous rock pinacle off Gwennap Head. As I drew near I heard a bell clanging and a moaning noise. The buoy is fitted with a bell that sounds with wave movement and also with a whistle set in a tube, which makes the moaning noise whenever there is a good swell. The doleful atmosphere it created contrasted with the bright blue sky.

The Runnel Stone buoy - just inside this buoy is the hazardous rock pinnacle that used to show above the sea until a ship struck it in 1923

Soon I could just see the Minack Theatre and the two beaches of Porthcurno. At this point I was 1.5 miles out and the shore party could just see me, my rowing blades catching the sun and flickering.

The sea became calmer and the wind dropped off near to nothing and I was joined by two small fishing boats, one of which seemed to keep station about 100 metres away but then continued fishing.

Eventually PicoMicoYacht was rounding the headland into Mounts Bay and St Michael's Mount could be seen in the distance. Mousehole was on the left and I was reeling in the miles.

I arrived on the hard sandy beach at Marazion be met by two friends who helped me take the boat out of the water.

I checked the distance - it was 19 nautical miles and had taken five hours.