Fuel for sea kayakers who like camping

Its the day before your first sea kayaking trip: You've got all the kit ready, you've sorted out a lift with a friend and you know your boat has been arranged by the adventure centre. You've even laid everything you need out neatly and taken a cool photo of it to show your friends. Then, you remember that you've got no food for the weekend.

A rare treat, we can't always rely on beach shops for food!

This is something most kayakers struggle with while camping and always end up stopping for sandwiches at the local supermarket on the way to the beach. If you like supermarket sandwiches that are often just dry bread, well done! You don't need to read any further.

I'm not a big food person, but I like a nice meal when I'm out kayaking. If I have extra time and its a chilly day, I even try to carry hot food. Since I am almost always camping while kayaking, the options can be limited. I have learnt over the years that planning is key here and that with the right ingredients, you can have some delicious meals at the campsite and during your lunch break at the beach or on the rocks.

Here are the things to consider before planning your meals:

*Access to fridge

*Time of year and average daily temperature

*Proximity to supermarket and/or local pub

*Space in your bag

*Money in the bank (just kidding)

As you can imagine, there are a number of factors at play when you are out for a kayaking weekend. If you have access to a fridge at the campsite, your life will be easier, since you can carry perishable items without any worry and use them when you need them. This is however a rare situation and alternatives do need to be considered. That being said, one thing I have learnt over the years is how long perishable foods last without being in the fridge.

I am very rarely in the mood to go shopping for food after a long day on the water and almost always prioritise sleep before starting paddling so I usually carry all food with me before I go on a trip. This often excludes evening meals as we try to find a nice pub instead of sitting in the rain and attempting to cook dinner. I use a small backpacking stove so meals tend to be on the less elaborate end. If you end up investing in a Trangia, you may have more options. Here is what I carry on a weekend trip:

For Breakfast (at campsite)

Instant porridge (just add hot water)

Instant coffee

Tea bags

Milk (Fresh milk if chilly, UHT milk is safer)

Red/Black seedless grapes to make porridge taste better

Breakfast by the sea. The gold pots are condensed milk (Thanks Greece!)

For Lunch (on the beach)

Sandwich thins

Cheese slices

Chutney

Chorizo/Prosciutto slices

Crisps

Apples

Homemade quesadillas (works in mild weather only)

Chickpeas and chorizo cooked the night before (great for the winter)

Couscous/bulgur wheat and lentil salads (vacuum packed, great for hot summer days)

For Dinner (at campsite)

Pasta and a sauce of your liking

Dried Tortellini (great for hot days)

Instant soup (great for winter)

Eggs (work in mild weather)

Crispbread/breadsticks

Wine (an essential!)

Chocolate

Wine by the sea. Need I say more?

In most cases and most days in the UK, you will be OK without a fridge for two days and food will not spoil. I had to reinvent the wheel a little bit this summer, as it stayed over 20C even at night on most nights we were out kayaking in the UK and well over 25C during the day. No food will keep in that weather, which is why my list now includes dried pasta and vacuum packed grains. You can't have too many cereal bars on a kayaking trip and fruits/nuts will be your friends when you need that extra bit of energy. Blocks of cheese are also great kayaking snacks, if the weather allows ;) xx