Well that was rather hard work! :)

Really pleased with the outcome and what I managed to do

I did end up having to cut the Selsey leg short as padding against the current in really choppy seas was meaning I was making very slow progress and after 3.5 hrs paddling away from the IOW at Ventour in a NE direction there was still no sign of land ahead of me, so I had to make an executive decision and turn and head back to the IOW before the tide turned. I landed at Bembridge, composed myself, sorted some food out, then worked my way round the coast to East Cowes and landed there at 23.45. After more food at 00.45 I made a move again, the plan being to head across the channel to W.Cowes and then carry on hugging the coast, as I knew I was still going to be against the tidal current until 02.30, but a slight error on my part meant I ended up crossing the Solent and into Fawley Docks and it wasn't until I reached the end of the docks that one of the workers pointed out to me that this wasn't actually the way to the Needles! So after paddling back to the Solent I made a quick stop just to check I was heading in the right direction this time! all in all my little detour took 2hrs :) From here I had a good run with the current heading back towards the Needles and the welcome return of daylight

After another quick stop at Milford Spit, the end was in sight, with just 13 miles left until my journey was complete

So all in all things went prerty well I didn't manage to do the full 100 miles, because I had to cut the Selsey leg short, but with my unplanned detour of Fawley Docks my total distance was 96 miles, which I did in under 24hrs (I had 1 minute to spare!), I did end up making 4 stops on land in total, but I did still do it totally unsupported only using food and water I took with me

So I must say a massive thank you for all your donations and support and a massive thank you to my sponsors, K - 66, Fanatic, ION and QuickBlade UK, as without the use of their fantastic equipment this adventure would not have been possible Cheers Mark

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

My challenge is to Stand up Paddleboard 100 miles solo, non stop and unsupported in open water

I plan to set off from Boscombe Pier, in Bournemouth, Dorset Saturday 13th July at 8.30am, then head East passing the Southern tip of the Isle of Wight and on to the pier at Selsey Bill in Sussex, I will then turn round and head back West, this time passing the Northern side of the Isle of Wight and back to Boscombe Pier

This means I will not only be the first to do a non stop, solo and unsupported 100 mile paddle in the UK, but also be the first to circumnavigate the IOW  starting and finishing from the mainland on a Stand up Paddleboard

I hope to finish mid morning on Sunday, so I will have been paddling in excess of 24hrs

If you did feel the urge to donate a little money, it would be most appriciated as it is a great charity I am doing this for

What is Stand up Paddleboarding?

Basically it is an elongated surfboard you stand on with a long shafted paddle, with which you make similar strokes as you would in a canoe to propell yourself forward

It is a fantastic sport and you are able to participate on any body of water, be it lake, river or open ocean, the principles are all the same and it not only gives your entire body a workout, but is also excellent way to detatch yourself from the stresses and strains of everyday life too

I would also like to thank my sponsors for all their support

Fanatic for their fantastic paddleboards

ION Essentials for their cool clothing, wetsuits and accessories

QuickBlade for their amazing paddles

The Bag Shop for fabulous luggage and use of van for transport

Cheers

Mark

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.