Party: SUP Club – The Other Way Down

Party: SUP Club – The Other Way Down

So after much deliberation, we've decided to go for it this week – yep, we're going down again! This time a downwinder / down-tider the opposite way from last week, and a little further: c. 10km from the Shorehouse in Thorpe Bay (www.supsect.com/thorpe-bay/) to the Crooked Billet in Old Leigh. It's another one-way ticket, we're expecting it to take at least 90 minutes at a reasonable pace and it's a late tide (23.12!), so we'll finish after sunset and with an ESE breeze we are risking a much choppier time of it than last week, hence we need to be more confident than ever that everyone coming tonight is a strong paddler and can definitely cope with potentially challenging conditions – most of our regulars should fine, but from experience a couple might get wet and this really isn't one for newer / weaker / less tenacious paddlers... (Although of course, all that said, conditions may well turn out perfect if the breeze stays easterly enough!) So for the launch itself, we're convening outside the Shorehouse pub (SS3 9HQ) at 7.30pm, ahead of a quick 7.45 briefing, then a 7.50pm start for the shortest boards / slowest paddlers through to 8pm for the fastest. With such a late launch we really want to sort out all the vehicle logistics up front this week though – so, if we can meet outside the Shorehouse at 6.30pm (please be earlier if you need to pump up!) we can leave everyone's boards and paddles supervised and pre-order taxis while we all drive to Old Leigh (there are carparks either side of Belton Bridge, SS9 1EJ, so there should be plenty of space) and then jump into the cabs at 7pm to ferry back to the start for 7.30pm. Then, with the vehicles already sorted, after we can relax and grab a beer at the Crooked Billet, and then we should still have time to make it to a curryhouse (please comment if you want to eat so we can book a table at Leigh Tandoori!)