Paddling along the Walton Channel in an inflatable kayak fully laden with camping equipment and kayak accessories is hard going in tidal water.

The sit on top kayak being paddled by Matt was easier to paddle as it quite happily bounced off the waves. Joels Perception kayak was the easiest by far to paddle in these waters.

Approximately one third of the way round Horsey Island is a head of land called Stone Point. It has a charming sandy beach and is situated right at the point where the Walton Channel meets the sea. After paddling the kayaks for about an hour we had reached Stone Point which was our first resting point. We stopped for a quick bite to eat and a drink. At Stone Point you can clearly see the port of Harwich and just across the channel four or five disused and rusting barges have been deliberately run aground in an effort to, one assumes, act as tide breakers and sea defences. We stretched our legs for five minutes and walked round the head of stone point to take in the sea views.

At this point we were making very good progress and although it was 7:00pm there was plenty of light left in the day. We agreed to keep paddling around the island until 8.00pm and then stop wherever we were at that time and make a camp.

I got back into my inflatable kayak and started to paddle off with the rest of the group.

As we rounded the top of the island and into Hamford Water we were conscious of the need to stay as close as possible to the shore line in order to avoid any river traffic entering and exiting the channel.

This meant we had to paddle our way through the derelict barges and as the tide was well on its way out I was concerned my inflatable kayak may sustain a puncture on a piece of broken off metal. Thankfully all the kayaks zig zagged through the boats and both the inflatable kayaks were unscathed.

We had been paddling for some time along the Hamford Water which runs along the top of the island when we came to a fork. We could not be absolutely sure if this was the left side of Horsey Island leading to Kirby Creek or just a large creek cutting into the centre.

Our original plan was to paddle clockwise around the island so we would not have had to make this decision coming out of the creek if it was in fact the left side of Horsey Island. Up ahead the channel appeared to bear to the left after about a mile or so, indicating this also could be the correct way.

We stopped and braced our paddles across our kayaks while a debate ensued as to whether or not to continue ahead or turn off at the creek in the hope it would eventually take us back to the harbour.

I could remember there being a large creek on the aerial map I had studied beforehand but to be honest I was unsure if this was it. The decision was made to carry on ahead. We continued to paddle and as the sun hung low in the sky and it was now 8.00pm we started to look for a suitable place to camp.

As the tide was almost out it exposed mud banks about eight to ten feet high on both sides of the channel. There was no sign of anywhere suitable to stop and camp for the night. We continued to paddle.

From the aerial photographs we had viewed before our journey it showed Horsey Island to have many sandy beaches however we soon realised these were in fact mudflats ending in high mud banks and not golden sand. It would be impossible to climb and get my inflatable kayak up.