Crossing:
North Sea

Route Distance: ~50 nm / 92.6 km
Prevailing direction: E >> W
Record: 2024 - 09:43:50
Solo: 3
Team: 9

Records

Billy Butler
K1M09:43:502024
Dimitri Vandepoele
K1M17:36:002015
Ian Castro
Simon Worsley
K217:53:002009
Rod Cooke
Simon Worsley
K220:07:001997
Kevin Danforth
Franco Ferrero
K227:10:001989
Tom Caskey
Derek Hutchinson
Dave Hellawell?
Team31:00:00?1976
Image
Image: East Goodwin Lightship - D. Vandepoele

There are a number of opinions on which route defines a North Sea Crossing. It has to be said that some routes seem to be nearer to the Dover Strait than the North Sea on my map.
And so, the PSK definition is a route that launches/lands north of the French/Belgium border is classed as a North Sea Crossing, south of this border we view it as an English Channel Crossing. It also should be noted that there appear to be two different routings which vary the distances involved significantly, depending on a U.K. side start/finish either North or South of the Thames Estuary. Whatever the route it is still a major and committing undertaking and it has to be appreciated that a number of these crossings demand more than 24 hours in a boat.

If you find any omissions in our records then please let us know!

Send your GPS file (as .gpx or .tcx) to:

PSK FAQs

Crossing: North Sea

Solo

Click column header to sort.
Posn.K1WCatPaddlerElapsedDateStartFinishBoatVerifiedNoteLink1
1K1MBilly Butler09:43:5029-Dec-24RamsgateDe PanneEpic V8 GT
Yes
2K1MDimitri Vandepoele17:36:0031-Jul-15NieuwpoortRamsgateP+H Scorpio LV
YesArticle
3K1MDimitri Vandepoele17:49:0001-Aug-18NieuwpoortRamsgateP+H Cetus MV
YesArticle

3 solo paddlers

Teams

Click column header to sort.
Posn.CatPaddlerElapsedDateStartFinishBoatVerifiedNoteLink1
1K2Ian Castro /
Simon Worsley		17:53:004-Jul-09SouthwoldZeebruggeDouble

--
2K2Rod Cooke /
Simon Worsley		20:07:0017-Aug-97Southwold HarbourZeebrugge HarbourDouble

--
3TeamSimon Hobert
Bart Pauwels
C. Pillen
T. Pillen		22:40:0031-Aug-05RamsgateNieuwpoortSKUK Explorer
SKUK Explorer
Double

--
4TeamIan Castro
Rod Cooke
Simon Worsley		24:20:0028-Aug-05AldeburghZeebruggeKirton ?
Kirton

--
5TeamJens Fenne
Edmund Hinz		25:26:0002-Aug-18NieuwpoortRamsgateP+H Cetus MV

YesYouTube
6K2Kevin Danforth /
Franco Ferrero		27:10:001989

--
7TeamTom Caskey
Derek Hutchinson
Dave Hellawell?		31:00:00?03-Jun-76FelixstoweOstend?P+H Baidarka?
P+H Baidarka?

--
8Team K2Chiel Van Bakel /
Ben Stoel
Olly Hicks		40:00:00?24-Aug-11Katwijk
Holland		SizewellKlepper Double

--
9TeamRik Duijn
Hans Mullock Houwer		28 hrs?20-Aug-89WestkapelleFelixstoweValley Nordkapp
Kirton Meridian
--News pg 5

9 Teams -- 23 Paddlers

Notes

Ian Castro / Rod Cooke / Simon Worsley (28-Aug-05)
Escort Boat
Rod Cooke / Simon Worsley (17-Aug-97)
Escort Boat
Rik Duijn / Hans Mullock Houwer (20-Aug-89)
Google translation of De Telegraaf newspaper article page 5:
"EGMOND, Wednesday Rik Duijn (25) and Hans Mullock Houwer (40) can steal the show at any party by telling a true Native American story. Duijn: 'Who can say that he has watched the sun set from his canoe in the middle of the North Sea, a 12-hour paddle from Walcheren and Eastern England?'
The two North Hollanders returned yesterday from a special adventure: they succeeded in paddling two expedition canoes from the Netherlands to England. Nonstop, without a support boat or escort! Covering 180 kilometers in precisely 28 hours, following the starry course at night, following the compass during the day. 'We wanted to try it,' Duijn says, 'because we're both in excellent shape and are experienced sea and surf canoeists. And because no one has ever paddled from the Netherlands to England by canoe before.'
The duo had no frightening moments, not even when they had to cross the dangerous waterway of the world's busiest inland sea. Duijn: 'That is called the highway of the North Sea, the driver of the sun colossus can't see the sun from his high bridge, let alone that man could avoid you. But don't worry, when you hear the roar of the engines, you know you have to wait for the ship to pass.'
Duijn, a physical geography student at the University of Amsterdam, had calculated in advance that the journey would take 26 hours with favorable winds. The wind was favorable—force three from the southeast, tailwind—the journey ultimately took two hours longer.
Because Duijn fell asleep several times during the night of Saturday and Sunday. "That sounds more dangerous than it is,' he says. 'Because if you sink into the canoe with your head down, you'll suddenly wake up again! And because we were sailing side by side, it could never really go wrong. I also had hallucinations because of the fatigue. Suddenly I saw a woman with long hair next to me in the sea... In the end, it turned out to be just Hans.'
The adventurers had not announced their attempt to England to the coastguard or police. Duijn: 'Then you get all the opposition you can get. We went to Westkapelle very early on Saturday, loaded canoes with food, drinks, and an SOS transmitter, and set out to sea.'
Halfway, two canoeists met twelve Belgian fishermen. They were sailing alongside with their cutters, listened in astonishment to the Dutchmen's account, wished them luck, and set course for Ostend. Early Sunday morning, Rik Duijn thought he saw land. 'Lights everywhere. But it was too early, I knew it couldn't be Felixstowe.'
At eleven o'clock Sunday morning, Rik Duijn and Hans Mullock Houwer finally felt the safe English beach under their feet. They were welcomed by Mariëtte Brand, Rik's girlfriend."
Chiel Van Bakel / Ben Stoel / Olly Hicks (24-Aug-11)
Escort Boat
Dimitri Vandepoele (01-Aug-18)
From Dimitri: "I did it solo and unsupported, again.... but I started together with a two man German team (they paddled at different speed). They also succeeded."

Summary:

Crossing: North Sea

Solo paddlers: 3
Team paddlers: 23
Teams: 9

Recorded Start Points:
    • Aldeburgh (1)
    • Felixstowe (1)
    • Katwijk, Holland (1)
    • Nieuwpoort (3)
    • Ramsgate (2)
    • Southwold (1)
    • Southwold Harbour (1)
    • Westkapelle (1)

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