The first of the new ‘Discover Your Estuary’ canoe trails which aim to introduce the wonders of the Medway Estuary will be launched with a Free Guided Paddle on Saturday 11th February, 2012.
The paddle, which is being organised by the art group ‘Dilute To Taste’, will begin at Riverside Country Park in Rainham, Kent at 1pm and will be led by River Medway enthusiast Dave Wise.
‘The trail is suitable for complete beginners as well as being of interest to more experienced paddlers,’ explains Dave, Dilute To Taste spokesman and keen canoeist who has been exploring the Medway Estuary regularly for the past 5 years. ‘We’ll head out at first to Nor Marsh and paddle halfway around that before crossing a creek to take a closer look at Darnet Island. After this we’ll go back to Nor, by which time it’ll be high tide and it’ll be possible to paddle right across the top of the island, past Bronze Age burial sites, back to Riverside.’
‘You don’t need to have your own canoe to take part, as there’ll be several of us with large canoes that have plenty of space for others,’ says Dave. ‘And if you fancy coming along and have space free in your own canoe, please do let us know so we can pair you up with others.’
As well as pointing out the historical sites of Nor and Darnet, including the grand Victorian Fort and remnants of military piers, Dave will also reveal how to paddle the estuary safely, making use of the tides and winds to avoid the thick black mud, currents and wrecks that make the area potentially hazardous.
The trail is one of four canoe trails that will be unveiled this year, and films showing the routes and what you can expect to see whilst you are out there can be seen on a website created by the art group, called ‘www.DiscoverYourEstuary.com’.
‘We’ve also created four walking trails that’ll help people discover the footpaths bordering the estuary, the details of which will be posted online soon,’ says Dave. ‘The website also contains much more information for those wanting to explore, enjoy and learn more about the Medway estuary, including art, poetry and photographs created by many North Kent artists. The estuary is a much under-used recreational resource, we’re aiming to change that and help people enjoy the peace, the quiet, the huge horizons and the health benefits that’ll come with getting out there and having great adventures, on their own doorstep.’
The canoe trail is free. Anybody wanting to attend the event, or to be kept in touch about the Discover Your Estuary project, can register their interest by emailing info@discoveryourestuary.com.
The canoe trails and the website project itself are funded by the Big Lottery Fund. The Big Lottery Fund distributes half of the National Lottery good cause funding across the UK. The Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need.