A bit of seal watching and tide-race surfing at the Farnes

• Distance: 18.4 km

A chilly start at Seahouses, but eight of us were soon on the water, paddling out through the surf. Every wave seemed to break straight in my face on the way out, and I managed to lose my map twice. Excellent start!

As soon as we got on the water, it started raining, covering the sea in tiny droplet marks. It soon brightened up and stayed lovely for the rest of the paddle, with beautiful winter sunshine against some wonderfully dark, stormy-looking skies. We even spotted a little rainbow on the horizon.

We crossed to Inner Farne, with a bit of surf in Wideopen Gut, then paddled across to the Outer Farnes. Lots of seals around, including two big bulls having a proper teeth-baring scrap on the rocks. We found a spot to land for lunch at Longstone without disturbing them. (It’s pupping time so we were extra cautious).

After lunch, a lovely little tide race at Craford’s Gut provided some fun waves and I caught a couple of surfs. Then down past the Pinnacles, with some good swell breaking against them.

We snuck up the north side of Staple Island to avoid the south-going flood when crossing Staple Sound, before making our way back to Seahouses in beautiful light, about an hour before dusk.

And, of course, compulsory chips at Lewis’s with Kirstie to finish the day.

With Paul, Sarah, Mark, Cath, Clare, Kane & Kirstie.