The River Arun is tidal for many miles inland, and was once navigable for large cargo barges to Pallingham Quay. Above Arundel it is a lovely river, largely unspoiled, but the upper reaches are deteriorating as a navigation. In the past members have reached Pallingham under sail in seagoing boats, but now at neap tides debris from fallen trees makes it difficult even for canoes to get through.

The ’96 rally launched at Pulborough public ramp which is suitable for light manhandlable boats. We had planned to take the flood tide up to Pallingham Quay, a mile or so above the tidal limit, have lunch and return on the ebb. Despite discouraging weather and absences due to fitting out, eight members turned up: Richard and Lenka Stokes in a GRP double kayak, Liz Baker with Mark Tingley in Liz’s double GRP, Peter Francis with friend Toby in a 17 foot Coleman Canadian, myself in a fabric kayak and Bob Lomas came to see us off. We found the river so low that launching and navigating with anything larger than a canoe would have been impractical. We did a circuit of the large Pulborough island while waiting for the flood current to set in, but in the event there was little more than an easing of the river current, and I found the last stretch up to Pallingham ‘quay’ very tiring. However in my view, for lonely romantic beauty this stretch of the river is unsurpassed, even by the River Wye. Try it!

Note: The quay itself has now disappeared, but there were a couple of seagoing dinghies by the manor house.