11 January 2025
We met at the club early at 6:30 AM on a very cold morning. My car’s thermometer read -4°C, and it was still dark with sunrise over an hour away. It was a bit of an effort to get up so early, but the fantastically clear, star-filled sky and invigorating cold air made it worthwhile. The forecast predicted a light northerly wind, and the sea was flat apart from a gentle rolling swell. With high water still two hours away, the plan was to use the last of the flood tide and paddle east to the Harbour Arm.

Richard gave us a briefing, and then we set off. The frosty shingle made for an excellent seal launch. I was glad to have pogies and gloves on, and my dry suit kept me perfectly warm. Since this was billed as a fitness paddle, I didn’t wear too many layers. Although the sun hadn’t risen above the horizon yet, the light was magical, illuminating St. Leonards and Hastings’ beautiful seafront architecture. A northerly breeze pushed us slightly offshore, offering a great vantage point.

We practiced time and distance estimations, guessing how long it would take to reach the harbour arm from our current location. Impressively, we arrived within a minute of our consensus. Alan identified a flat section of beach just east of the harbour arm for us to land, carefully avoiding the fishing boats returning with their catch. However, when we reached the spot, it turned out to be quite a precipice! It made for an exciting and slightly challenging landing, but we managed it without any issues.
As we landed, we encountered a group of swimmers exiting the water. Despite the -4°C air temperature, they told us how much they enjoyed their cold water dips. Incredible! Richard kindly bought us hot drinks from the East Hastings Sea Angling Club, which was also serving a fantastic fry-up. Next time, we’ll stay longer to enjoy it.

There was a shared sense of hope and anticipation among the group that we might spot the humpback whale that had been seen swimming just off the coast of Hastings last week. I was especially excited, as I’d been lucky enough to see the whale myself—a truly breathtaking moment. Its enormous graceful movement had captivated me, and I couldn’t help but scan the horizon, hoping for another glimpse. Unfortunately, the whale didn’t make an appearance this time, but the possibility of seeing it added an extra layer of excitement to the paddle.
After warming up and refreshing ourselves, we set off for the return journey to get back in time for the maintenance day. The return paddle was faster, aided by a north-easterly breeze and the ebbing tide. Along the way, we spotted more cold-water swimmers and a lone bull seal not quite the whale we had been hoping for. The view of the town, bathed in the beautiful low morning sunlight, was breathtaking.
When we returned, we learned that the bright morning sunlight had picked us out clearly on the sea. Several people later approached us to say, “I saw a group of paddlers out this morning—was that you?” It was a great reminder of how visible and eye-catching our group is, especially in such beautiful conditions.

Back at the clubhouse, the maintenance day was in full swing. The clubhouse and containers were bustling with activity—boats were being checked and worked on, floors were swept and cleaned, faults were noted for future repairs, and an inventory catalogue was updated. Amidst all the activity, Steve brought out his powerful jet wash and tackled the graffiti that had been sprayed on the Marshal container last month. Watching him blast away the offending paintwork was both satisfying and a bit mesmerizing—nothing stands a chance against that jet wash!
It was marvellous to see the camaraderie and team spirit as everyone pitched in to keep the club running smoothly.
Jon Miles (Photos Alan Vidler)