After the Lulworth range had finished firing for the day, I paddled the last five miles onto Lulworth cove. Now going against the tide, progress was slow. Visibility was very poor, and it was easy to drift off course if I didn’t keep an eye on the compass. By the time I arrived at Lulworth, it was so foggy I couldn’t see even see both sides of the entrance as I entered the cove. A helpful local (fisherman ?) showed me a patch of grass to pitch my tent, and told me I could get a signal on O2 if I walked to the top of the hill.
The mist soon cleared, and the cove looked beautiful in the moonlight. Exhausted, I fell asleep while planning the crossing for the next day.
I overslept a bit and was late leaving for Portland. I paused in a sheltered patch in the lee of the lighthouse for a drink and some food, which was good as it was pretty choppy on the other side. The strong headwind meant I was frequently getting drenched.
The (clear) range on chesil beach was firing, so I had to wait while the ranger warden stopped firing to let me pass. The headwind was relentless, and when the tide turned, my SOG dropped to under 1 knot, so I gave up trying to reach West Bay, and I landed on the beach as soon as I found a slightly less steep section. I’m now camped on the beach near Abbotsbury.
