Venue: Shoebury Common Beach (SS3 9QR) to Chalkwell (SS0 8JH) one-way
Arrive: by 6.55pm (and/or kit drop c.6pm if shuffling vehicles pre-launch?)
Launch: after 7.10pm briefing
Finish: c.9pm
Level: Strong, experienced coastal paddlers only

As this heatwave breaks down (and yes, we will have to keep a weather eye out tonight as we are on the edge of a thunderstorm warning…) the tides and wind are setting up perfectly for one of our favourites: the down-tide / downwinder! But yet again this season, we’ll need to start off with yet another warning (!?!) that this week could turn out pretty ‘hardcore’ as we’re going to embrace a stiff north-easterly breeze for a potentially choppy downwider. It’s not looking crazy windy and forecast solidly cross-offshore enough to stay good and flat on the flood tide with a cross-tailwind the whole way … but inevitably it still tends to get choppy under the pier and near the casino. And with any sea breeze effect potentially making things a little stronger and a little more easterly, there are never any guarantees how it pans out. It could be absolutely lovely if the forecasts come good, although it won’t take much of a wind-shift for things to turn challenging for some. So please, unless you’re totally confident in your abilities, tonight’s really not the night to ‘give it a go’. Speed is of the essence too, as we will only go as fast as our slowest paddler – yet going too slowly isn’t so easy on longer, narrower boards. So if you’re of a nervous disposition or not yet keeping up with the pack at standard SUP Clubs we would ask that you please sit this one out as we’d like to keep a reasonable pace. The vast majority of our regular paddlers should be good for this though – and we do want to be as inclusive as possible, so if in any doubt, just drop us a quick email or message us and we can advise. Anyway…

In short, we’re going to ride the flood tide up the estuary for a downwinder from Shoebury Common Beach (SS3 9QR / https://w3w.co/scared.acting.earth) to Chalkwell (www.supsect.com/thorpe-bay-downwinder-7k) – this is a one-way route, so be ready (and suitably patient) for the inherent logistical complications!

We all need to be prepared to launch straight after a 7.10pm briefing from Shoebury Common Beach (SS3 9QR / https://w3w.co/scared.acting.earth). But we’ll make sure someone’s there by 6pm to keep an eye on any kit people want to leave. So one option might be to pump up / drop off boards there nice and early, then drive to Chalkwell (SS0 8JH) and arrange a lift (cab or any other wacky races strategy; but against the wind, remember) back to Shoebury Common in good time for the 7.10pm briefing and launch. Or alternatively buddy up and arrange to drop vehicles at Chalkwell on the way? Or an equally viable plan is to simply get yourself straight to the launch on time (ie; arrive comfortably before 7pm), leave your vehicle there and grab a lift back at the end with someone. This really won’t be a problem (cabs being the fallback option at c.£5 a head if necessary) and we will all hang at Chalkwell for as long as we need to get everyone happily sorted and packed away before heading off for late dinner and drinks (we’d assume at the Leigh ‘spoons, but sometimes it makes better sense to go to Shoebury… Depends where the majority of vehicles end up.)