Wet Way Round finishes on target
T
he generosity of the Cornish people kept a team of three local kayakers going throughout difficult conditions whilst they attempted to complete a 300 mile challenge around the Cornish coast for charity. Shortly after setting off the weather turned against The Wet Way Round team and they were forced to take shelter. A local holiday cottage company offered them the use of a cottage in Port Isaac whilst they were stranded there for several days due to rough seas.
In many places where the team stopped overnight they were overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers. Residents in villages around the coast offered them hot showers, meals and warm places to sleep after a long day’s paddle. Their fundraising was given a fantastic boost when a lady wrote them a cheque for £300 after meeting them on the beach at Sennen.
Team member Kyle Abrahams said “It was so disheartening to see the bad weather developing in the days before we were due to set off, but the encouragement and support we received from the local villages was incredible. Without them we may not have been able to complete the challenge and we cannot thank everyone enough.”
They paddled for 8 hours a day, covering distances of around 50km per day. Blistered hands, sore wrists and extreme tiredness had to be overcome every day as they bravely kept going against the odds to raise money for their chosen charities; Shelterbox, the RNLI and Help For Heroes.
Darren Pascoe comments “By the time we reached Land’s End my wrist was very sore which made it difficult to paddle. After paddling 50kms a day for over a week were we all extremely tired but having the new Sennen lifeboat escort us around Land’s End was a real boost. The team were so determined to finish the challenge that we kept going through everything – high waves, rain, wind, injuries and exhaustion.”
There were some difficult moments on the trip, being tipped out of kayaks into the cold surf, days when they couldn’t paddle due to bad weather and moments when all seemed lost. However these were outweighed by some gorgeous sunny days, being escorted into St Ives by a pod of dolphins who played around the boats and jumped into the air right in front of them, and of course the amazing feeling of crossing the finish line.
Paul Beckinsale said “The sheer elation of crossing the finish line underneath the Tamar Bridge was something I will never forget. Against all the odds we completed the challenge, and it really was the challenge of a lifetime. It was amazing to see all our friends, family and supporters there to welcome us in. We are all looking forward to a hot shower and warm bed – as well as a few celebratory pints! We would like to thank everyone who helped us along the way, especially our sponsors Richfords Fire & Flood and Pyranha, without whom the trip wouldn’t have been possible.”
The team still have some way to go to reach their fundraising target of £30,000. If you would like to make a donation please visit www.thewetwayround.org
