WAITING FOR YOUR WIND 48 HOURS IN THE AREA

To the north of Ramsgate is the Thames Estuary and North Sea; to the south is the English Channel and – eventually – the Atlantic. Ramsgate is the doorway between the two spaces. Imagine the Channel as a long corridor and the North Sea as a large, open room; these two spaces have very different characters, and when you go from one to the other you would expect a change. Anyone passing between these two environments would be sensible to take a breather in Ramsgate – there’s plenty to do locally too.

When you go kitesurfing in Pegwell Bay with the Kite Pirates, you may notice a wide rivermouth tapering to the west, its deep channel marked by red cans and green cones. This is the River Stour, which has been used as a sea-road for thousands of years; the Romans rowed its waters to reach their port at Richborough near modern-day Sandwich. In World War I, it was a secret base for sending supplies to the Western Front. But today the Stour is a quiet and sleepy river – except for one incredible highlight; a colony of seals. You are not allowed to go ashore here, but if you find yourself heading from Ramsgate into Pegwell Bay with a kayak or SUP, a paddle up the river is a memorable adventure and perfectly legal.

I’ll warn you, it can be unnerving when drifting past on a paddleboard and trying to keep your balance. My legs often go to jelly at this point; whatever you do, don’t fall in! The water is a chocolateybrown and you can’t see even a few inches under, so it’s a shock when seals suddenly pop up with their big heads right beside the board. Talk about being immersed in nature! Usually they bask on the riverbank, but when they see a paddler they often slide down into the water for a closer inspection. As you drift past, it’s eerie to know there are 30 seals swimming all around you, but you can’t see them. That is, until you hear a sudden splash and catch a glimpse of their sea-dog flappers behind you.

While it is tempting to hang around, time and tide waits for no man and you must make the most of the flood to push you the several miles up to Sandwich.

The best launch and recovery spot is by the quayside in this pretty town, where a slipway just before the bridge helps you get in and out the water. I usually organise to be picked up from here, but if you’re solo and have an inflatable board, one option is to deflate it and get the train back to Ramsgate – it takes only 15 minutes. Back in the bustling port town it’ll be surreal to think you just paddled with a colony of seals in what feels like a remote wilderness, but that’s the magic of the River Stour. Just don’t tell anyone!