13-Apr-08 Kayaking in UK

Today I went kayaking on the Stour River, starting near the town centre of Christchurch. There is a nice park area along the river, with parking (as usual, you have to pay), with access to a public slipway (where you can put your boat in). I only had to step in ankle-deep water to get in the kayak, but that was more than enough to tell that I better not fall in, I would freeze!

There weren't many people around at 10am, as many spend Sunday mornings taking it easy (usually for the late pub night before) or to go to church. In this area, the Stour River joins the Avon River (Stratford-upon-Avon, or the town of Stratford on the Avon River, to the far north is where William Shakespeare lived), and they both dump into Christchurch Bay, and then into the English Channel.

Paddling up the Stour River, there was a decent current but was rather calm (probably only 1/2 the size of the Chicago River). I paddled past the backyards (gardens) of some very nice houses. The weather was sunny, chilly, and a little windy. With my wetsuit and windbreaker, I was actually keeping warm while I was paddling, until I would splash the water a little and get wet. There are a lot of boats tethered there in the Christchurch area, similar to what you would find in Belmont or Diversey Harbor in Chicago.

In researching the rules of kayaking in UK, apparently you are not just able to paddle up any river, as unless there are specific exceptions, most of the rivers are "owned" by the landowners surrounding it, and there may be limits to water access. On the major rivers, such as Stour, Avon, Thames, there are fewer restrictions, but they do have "obstacles" in the way, such as locks, sluices, and weirs (not sure what that is), where you have to "portage" (get out and carry the boat on land past the obstacle).

Paddling in the English Channel and the bigger harbors is free rein (unless wildlife protected), but you have to be wary of boats and ferries, many of which carry people and cars over to France, Ireland, or other areas of Britain. And of course, it basically is the sea, but not as rough as the coastal waves in California.