Needles

Circumnavigations: Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is another UK island that seems to have been created to give a perfect one day circumnavigation challenge. It also brings into play interesting tides and scenery, at the same time all this is complicated by some of the busiest waterways found along the UK coastline. A good combination of planning, stamina and paddling skills are required for this one but also an especial awareness for all those others afloat.


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Isle of Wight

Route Distance: ~48 nm / 89 km
Prevailing direction: CCW

Solo


Click column header to sort.
Posn.K1WCatPaddlerElapsedDateBoatVerifiedNoteLink1Dir
1K1MJohn Willacy07:02:2409-Oct-21Rockpool TaranYestbcCCW
2K1MJohn Willacy07:19:4623-Mar-15Rockpool TaranYesCCW
3K1MRhys Hunt07:20:5708-Oct-21Valley NordkappYesCCW
4K1MRhys Hunt07:31:2530-Mar-21Valley NordkappYesCCW
5K1MRhys Hunt07:31:5027-Apr-21Valley NordkappYesCCW
6K1MGiles Hudson07:50:5708-Oct-21Rockpool TaranYesCCW
7K1MMichal Madera07:57:1027-May-21Tiderace Pace 17 TourYesCCW
8K1MBrendan Reese07:59:0028-Jul-11Nelo InukYesPhotosCCW
9K1MMartin Scott08:21:0030-Aug-11Epic 18xYesCCW
10K1MVictor Copeland08:22:1422-Sep-13P+H Bahiya--CCW
11K1MMichal Madera08:25:5722-Jul-20Tiderace Pace 17 TourYesCCW
12K1MRhys Hunt08:30:5815-Jan-21Valley NordkappYesCCW
13K1MVictor Copeland09:00:00Jul-13P+H Bahiya--CCW
14K1MJames Doherty09:02:0727-Apr-21Rockpool TaranYesCCW
15K1MAndy Hiscock09:27:0013-Sep-14Epic 18YesCCW
16K1MMark Rainsley09:28:0031-May-14Zegul Velocity--BlogCCW
17K1MJohn Aberdein09:49:0009-Sep-80Valley Anas Acuta--ArticleCCW
18K1MJon Needham09:51:2310-Jun-20Rockpool TaranYesCCW
19K1MJames Doherty10:05:3916-Sep-20Cape Falcon F1YesYouTubeCCW
20K1MGiles Hudson10:08:4706-Sep-20Rockpool TaranYesCCW
21(1)K1WSharon Miller10:20:0004-Jul-1987P+H Umnak--CCW
22K1M_SkiPetr Major10:58:5811-Aug-21Petr M F9 skiYesCCW
23K1MJames Doherty11:02:1931-Aug-20Cape Falcon F1YesArticleCW
24K1MRob Tew11:03:2104-Sep-12Tiderace XciteYesCCW
25K1M_SkiRichi Oliver11:21:41 21-Sep-13Stealth Splash 550--CCW
26K1MMichal Madera11:55:0031-Dec-10Plastex Sea MasterYesPhotosCCW
27K1MGlyn Brackenbury12:03:1405-Jan-13Mega SovereignYesSailCCW
28K1MMichal Madera12:21:5428-May-21Tiderace Pace 17 TourYesCCW
29(2)K1WKate Duffus12:50:0017-Feb-10P+H Cetus LV--BlogCCW
30SUP_MPhilip Plume14:25:5213-Jul-1914' Fanatic BlitzYesBlogCCW
31K1MPeter Mansell23:00:0016-Apr-10--WebsiteCCW

31 solo paddlers.
CW = clockwise, CCW = counter-clockwise








Teams

Click column header to sort.
Posn.CatPaddlerElapsedDateBoatVerifiedNoteLink1Dir
1TeamSimon Alderdice
Joe Langham		07:25:4118-Oct-20Rockpool Taran

YesCCW
2TeamGiles Hudson
Matt Parton		08:22:5221-Sep-20Rockpool Taran

YesCCW
3Team_SkiChloe Bunnett
Ivan Lawler
Peter Molnar		08:36:24 18-Aug-10Epic V10L
Epic V10L

YesNewsCCW
4TeamAndy Hiscock
Martin Scott		09:24:0014-Jun-10Valley Avocet RM

YesCCW
5TeamRich Holt
Matt Parton		09:42:4018-May-18SKUK Romany Surf

YesCCW
6TeamVictor Copeland
Vivien Nicholls		11:10:0013-Jul-13P+H Bahiya

--CCW
7TeamRich Holt
Matt Parton		11:27:0002-Apr-17SKUK Romany Surf

--CCW
8TeamJames Forward
Julian Haines		11:42:1502-Apr-17Nordkapp Jubilee M

YesImagesCCW
9TeamJon Needham
Dave Phillips		11:46:0027-Aug-16Valley Aquanaut RM

--CCW
10K2Andy Morton /
Jane Morton		11:50:0002-Mar-13

--WebsiteCCW
11Team_SkiChris Buckton
Barry Robson
Ian Smith		12:22:45 16-May-14Stealth Splash 550
Epic V6

YesBlogCCW
12TeamPhil Smith
Simon Waller		12:23:1311-Aug-21Perception Essence
Rockpool GT
YesCCW
13TeamClaire Cheong-Leen
Simon Edwards		13:50:0017-Apr-10Rockpool Alaw

--ArticleCCW
14TeamRhys Hunt
Neil Lutas		14:59:4408-Apr-21Valley Nordkapp

YesCCW
15TeamGraham Beckram
Roger Hiley
Roger Wiltshire
M. Scott		17:30:0019-Jun-04P+H Bahiya



--CCW
16TeamPhil Smith
Ben Cowans		20:57:5507-Aug-21Perception Essence

YestbcCCW

36 team paddlers in 16 teams


Various


Click column header to sort.
CatPaddlerElapsedDateBoatVerifiedNoteLink1Dir
K1MTim Wiggins11:53:0227-Jul-19Valley Etain RM
--EscortLocal NewsCW
K2Richie Couzens /
Hari Budha Magar		10:25:5911-Jun-16

--EscortWebsiteCCW


3 paddlers in 2 teams
Notes

Comments

John Aberdein :   (09-Sep-80)
Though it was eventually overhauled, John's record should be noted for the its long standing reign. To this day, over 30 years later, it is still an impressively quick time.
Simon Alderdice  / Joe Langham et al.  (18-Oct-20)
The fastest Team time, 1hr clear of the next nearest.
Glyn Brackenbury :   (05-Jan-13)
 From Glyn: "I hadn't considered entering a time as I was just trying out some stuff, I should of tried harder!"
Chloe Bunnett  / Ivan Lawler et al.  (18-Aug-10)
An excellent time from Chloe, Ivan and Peter. From Ivan: "We were very lucky with tides and weather but am pretty sure it could be done in around 7 hrs if you pushed on a bit." - bearing in mind that Ivan holds 6 World Championship titles this is not a suggestion to be taken lightly! Undertaken on skis. 
Richie Couzens  / Hari Budha Magar et al.  (11-Jun-16)
Paddled as part of an escorted team K2 attempt. From the Pilgrim Bandits Blog: "The weather was perfect on Saturday. The record of 10 hours 25 mins was set by ex-Ghurkha Hari Budha Magar, a double leg amputee partnered in his kayak by veteran Richie Couzens. Jimmy (Wilson) and Tyler (Christopher) and their partners came close behind."
James Doherty :   (27-Apr-21)
James' 3rd lap in 6 months, 1hr faster each time.
Andy Hiscock  / Martin Scott et al.  (14-Jun-10)
A fast time from Andy and Martin, though Martin thinks he can beat it with better weather.
Rhys Hunt :   (27-Apr-21)
This is the 4th lap of the IOW for Rhys so far in 2021
Michal Madera :   (31-Dec-10)
Michal's attempt was undertaken on the last day of the year; winter times are always hard to make quick - temperature, weather and short daylight hours make life more difficult.
Michal Madera :   (27-May-21)
Lap 1 of 2 laps within 24 hrs.
Michal Madera :   (28-May-21)
Michal completes 2 laps of the IOW within 24hrs with this one.
Petr Major :   (11-Aug-21)
Petr paddled this lap of the IOW on a ski he designed and built himself.
Peter Mansell :   (16-Apr-10)
From Peter: “This section was more mentally and physically demanding, trying to stay alert, avoid rocks and not drift too far out where the tide race might form. At 1am when I reached Sandown Bay I just wanted to land”. Peter also raised funds for the Martin Booth Memorial Fund, which aims to build a new clubhouse at Basingstoke and Deane Canoe Club. 
Andy Morton  / Jane Morton et al.  (02-Mar-13)
Andy and Jane paddled this trip as part of their preparation for their 2013 UK Circumnavigation attempt.
Richi Oliver :   (21-Sep-13)
This is Richi's 4th Circumnavigation of the I.O.W; using a new route and paddling his new Stealth Splash 550 he knocked 2 hrs off his previous best time. From Richi:" Having completed the IOW circumnavigation 3 times previously in a 15ft plastic fishing kayak and managed a quickest time of 13hrs 25 minutes the arrival of a new 5.5metre fibreglass boat and it's extra speed soon gave a new lease of life to my paddling and I felt I could better my time considerably. I didn't get the best build up to the challenge this year losing important training time through a back injury,to be honest I got more rest in than I did training.

I had began all previous attempts from the mainland launching at Sowley,Lepe and Calshot but this time I wanted to try something very different and took the ferry from Southampton to Cowes and drove to Bembridge to launch at the lifeboat station.

I called in my trip to Solent Coastguard and for once I was ready and prepped well before my set off time,the minutes were clicking away. 2330 and time to set off. 
 
I only saw two boats during my trip to Cowes,a small container ship and a small motor vessel. It was great paddling along in the twilight of the full moon with my points to head for easy to spot,as I approached Cowes the increase in tidal flow was noticeable and it seemed the Cowes Yarmouth stretch was soon over,in fact I got to the Needles before my expected time and suffered on the Needles to St.Catherines leg(I always find this stretch the hardest).

As I approached St.Catherines so daylight approached and with it my second wind.I did from St.Catherines to Ventnor in an hour. And then from Ventnor back to Bembridge in an hour 40 

I know I can take an hour of this and will be going again for sure,but I think my 5th time will be my last then I'll be looking at other challenges." We like that Richi reckons he still has an hour that he can shave off and that after his 5th circumavigation he'll be looking for new challenges - nice one.
Rob Tew :   (04-Sep-12)
Rob is also planning a UK Circumnavigation attempt for 2013, paddling with Rachel Cooper.
Tim Wiggins :   (27-Jul-19)
Escort Boat


 Isle of Wight
49 completions -- 31 solo + 16 team + 2 escorted
70 paddlers in total (31 solo / 36 team / 3 escorted

Route Distance: ~48 nm / 89 km
Prevailing direction: CCW
Recorded Start Points:
    • ?? (1)
    • Alum Bay (2)
    • Bembridge (3)
    • Brambles Chine (1)
    • Calshot Slip (1)
    • Calshot Spit (1)
    • Colwell Bay (1)
    • East Cowes (1)
    • East Haven (1)
    • Egypt Point (1)
    • Fishbourne (1)
    • Freshwater Bay (3)
    • Hurst Castle (3)
    • Hurst Point (3)
    • Keyhaven (2)
    • Lee-on-Solent (1)
    • Lepe Country Park (2)
    • Milford on Sea (3)
    • Milford-On-Sea (1)
    • Stansore Point (1)
    • Stokes Bay (2)
    • The Needles (13)
    • Totland (1)


    

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