Head west (turn right!) up Hadleigh Ray into Benfleet from the top of the slipway at Two Tree Island (Leigh-on-Sea) towards high tide. Follow the main channel all the way to Benfleet, past the moored boats and yacht clubs, under the two bridges into East Haven Creek, past the station, stay right where the creek splits at the battered old houseboats and keep going beyond the Canvey Way road bridge, then head south c.1.5km until the creek takes a sharp right (towards the container port cranes). Turn here and paddle back the way you came, with the building ebb tide…