Grade: A

1

• Grade A
• Suitable for 2 star equivalent or above
• Easy landing, numerous escape routes available

TYPEA to A i.e. circumnavigation

• DURATION DISTANCE 1000 to 1600
• 11km
• 6 hours easy paddling

DESCRIPTIONThis is a scenic trip following the
contours of the cliffs and tumbling rock
promontories of the Torquay peninsula. There is a
variety of marine life along the way, including
porpoises, seals (common and grey) and sometimes
Bottlenose Dolphin. It is also possible to catch
mackerel using a surface line. There are various
rocks/stacks/islands on the route. Oddicombe
beach has a funicular railway and odd claim to
fame. In 1884, local girl Emma Keys was murdered
in a beach hut. Joan 'Babbacombe' Lee, her
murderer, is remembered as 'the man the couldn't
hang' after three attempts inexplicably
failed. Along the way there are a number of
coves and caves to explore
MEETING POINT / PARKING Meadfoot Beach pay
display car park, where there is also some free
roadside verge parking. Start / Finish
Times Start 1000 Lunch 1245 (1 hour) Finish 1645

• TRIP PREREQUISITES
• Wind speed no more than F2 for trip duration
• Visibility good/moderate
• Sea state calm
• Minimum three competent paddlers
• Ratio competent paddlers to novices 1 to 3
• Maximum novices 9

RISK ASSESSMENT Water temperature 1 point for
each degree below 72F Wind speed - 1 point per
mph Wave height 2 points per vertical wave
height Swim distance 1 point per 100
metres Surf zone 30 points if waves break Rock
gardens 20 points if rocks present Sea cave
20 points if entering caves Visibility 10
points
2
Coast guard Brixham tel [phone]

• MAX RATE SP
• Around Hope's Nose tides reach 2 knots.
• Streams between Dawlish Warren and Torquay reach
  less than 1 knot.
• Tidal streams within Tor Bay are very weak, less
  than 1 knot

HW/LW Standard Port Plymouth Secondary Port
Torquay
TIDE TIMES (Near Teignmouth) SSW going (ebb)
stream begins 0510 after HW Plymouth NNE going
(flood) stream begins -0135 before HW Plymouth

• WIND DIRECTION
• SE - worst, creates some swell in Torbay Harbour
• SW most likely, cause some difficulty out to Hope
  Nose
• SW - most likely, can make trip to Hope Nose a
  bit uncomfortable but leaves everything to the
  north quite calm
• N - almost any wind from N leaves the whole area
  flat calm
• WEATHER - BBC Inshore waters forecast
• (http//www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/coastalforecas
  t/)

• ESCAPE POINTS (grid ref for OS110)
• Hopes Nose (947633)
• Brandy Cove (944637)
• Ansteys Cove (936646)
• Babbacombe Beach (930654)
• Oddiscombe Beach (926655)

DATE SPECIFIC DATA
DATE Saturday 11 April 2009
Lunar Phase SPRING TIDE
HW/LW HW Torbay HWP0741 0045 0826
NAVIGATION Head out of harbour and turn left to
follow coast East direction towards Babbacombe,
which is approx 7.5k, making 15k round trip.
WEATHER (example) 2009-01-09 0000 - 0559Pressure
- 1027 mB FTemp max/min - 6/-2 degrees CWind
speed - F2-4Wind direction - EMax gust in knots
- 17 becoming 18Sea state - SlightVisibility -
Moderate becoming PoorSig weather - cloudy
3
NNE -0135 HWP
SSE 0510 HWP
HWP 0741 BST
1251 BST
0606 BST
1245
1200
Coast guard Brixham 01803 882704 Weather 09068
9696 4581 (Exmouth)
ESCAPE
ESCAPE
ESCAPE
ESCAPE
1100
1000
HWT 0826 LWT 1310
4

• PHYSICAL ACTIVITY READINESS QUESTIONNAIRE
  (PAR-Q)
• Before the trip, participants should disclose any
  medical conditions, including allergies,
  injuries, anything that may impair paddling
  performance.
• If they carry treatments eg Epipens, inhalers,
  etc, ensure the group and their buddies know
  where they are kept and how they are used.

• Checklist
• Are logistics arrangements made?
• BEFORE TRIP STARTS
• Environment
• Is weather and sea conditions known for trip
  duration?
• Is it within parameters for trip
• Will weather be monitored for trip and how
• Are access permissions known eg launch fees,
  licences
• Equipment
• Do participants all have correct kit
• Do leader and assistants have maps and compass
• Group
• Are strengths ability of group for trip known?
• Any injuries or medical needs disclosed and
  acceptable?
• Control incident management
• Have leader assistant roles been assigned
• Have group been paired into buddies and know
  responsibilities
• Do the group understand group control and
  incident routines

• UNDER 18 PARTICIPANTS
• All persons under the age of 18 years will
  require parental/guardian consent before being
  allowed to participate on a trip.
• We will not accept responsibility for under 18s
  until the trip start time and they must be picked
  up promptly at the course finish time

5

• GROUP CONTROL
• 1 leader, has map and compass
• 1-2 assistants, paddle front and rear
• Group divided into pairs of buddies. Each buddy
  has a responsibility to whole group and to buddy
  so if buddy stop the other buddy notifies the
  group

• INCIDENT MANAGEMENT
• Continuous short whistle blasts Im in trouble
• One long blast, repeated after short pause
  group on me (leader and backups only)
• If an incident occurs, such as a capsize
• Ideally the assistants will deal with the
  incident leaving the leader to maintain control
  and monitor incident resolution
• Paddlers should turn and face oncoming waves,
  holding position close to the action but avoid
  knocking into each other or impeding those
  dealing with the incident
• Paddlers should not paddle off and should remain
  together
• Rafting up is not desirable practice. A raft will
  drift more quickly than an individual canoeist or
  someone in the water holding on the their
  capsized boat. It will be difficult to maintain a
  raft in waves and danger of capsize on splitting
  up. If a raft must be formed, keep it heading
  into wind by means of an anchor-man on a tow line
• If an incident deteriorates so individual
  paddlers may capsize then raft in pairs facing
  one another until help arrives.
• In breezy conditions, paddlers will be blown in
  the wind direction whereas swimmers and
  waterlogged kayaks will be carried in the tidal
  direction.

BASIC EQUIPMENT Cag Buoyancy aid Spray
deck Paddle Sponge (for emptying water from
cockpit) Helmet (for cave exploring or rock
hopping) Sun/warm hat (depending on
conditions) Water Hot drink (in cold
conditions) Whistle First aid kit Sun cream
(depending on conditions) Lunch
NAV / RESCUE EQUIPMENT Map compass Spare
paddles Pump Tow line Exposure bag Repair
kit Mobile phone Optional VHF radio Flares
All paddlers should aim to gain knowledge and
experience to be responsible for their own safety
at sea i.e. self-sufficient
6

• Grade A
• Easy landing, numerous escape routes available
• Suitable for 2 star equivalent
• Grade B
• Awkward landings
• Longish sections of coast with no escape
• Exposed to weather and conditions
• Tidal movements, swells and surf