The weekend was aimed at Improve - Xplore, as I new Keith, Chris and Richard and Ian was new ...
With a mixed a wind forecast I was pleased that Saturday was due to be gentler f3 winds and that both days were due to be sunny!!
After some initial circuits in the bay as Rhoscolyn and refreshing skills such as edging and stern rudders, we moved on the small island at the edge of the bay which had a gentle flow pushing past, and provide a super opportunity to work with eddy turns and ferry glides. Emphasis was on driving the boat, eyes up ...
Ian and his 1st time in a sea kayak ... were his good white water experience has seemed to fast track his learning effectively to a sea kayak ... well done
Chris, in red and moving up against the flow ...
We moved on along the coast towards Silver Bay, enjoy the rocky gullies and channels that we came across ...
Chris above ...
After a break at Silver Bay we paddled on to the entrance to the Cymyran Strait ( between Holy Island and Anglesey) and used the opportunity to work with longer ferry glides and eddy turns ...
To finish off the day and with the last hour of the flood we paddled out to the Beacon and did a couple of runs on the outer race .. Richard above with the mountains of the Lleyn in the back ground.
To wrap up the day, Rich was feeling particularly adventurous and so we did ... I mean, he did 3 different balances, very well and then a back deck self rescue.
Sunday -
f4/5 and gusting up to f6/7 SW ... well after such a good day I was confident a down wind run from the sea salt place on Anglesey to Menai Bridge would be a good run and the tides were perfect ...
Keith leading out ... in f3/4 winds
Chris working with a following sea ... f4
Well the wind really did pick up and to be fair this photo doesn't give it justice ... were just beyond Y Felinheli, which was really interesting .... lots of small sailing dinghies doing amazingly well and I guess due to the gusts, lots of capsizes ... we took a couple of short breaks to let the safety boats collect the dinghies and once they were out of the way, paddled on. That is until the swell and wind was pushing hard against the mainland shore and I decided some aqua rambling was more appropriate and safer!!
From this break we then crossed to the Anglesey side, cutting across the wind, until gaining some shelter and then turning and running with it, passed Plas Newydd. So as to avoid getting pinned in by Admiral Lord Nelsons Statue, we crossed back to the main land side and the guys produced some super paddling, with great positioning and awareness of each other.
It was now well passed lunch, and I felt we had made some important investments and now could make a withdrawal ... we were now only a few kilometres to the boat yard and the wind was more f4 with a occasional punchy f5 gusts, and the flow although more significant between the bridges was now much slower. We kept to the mainland side and I could see Ian keen to explore the eddies and the rougher water ... another day for that ... we were soon at the boatyard and thanks to Ian for giving Keith a lift back to his car and for Keith helping with the shuttle in the first place ... wow, what a weekend!
Roger
roger chandler
north wales sea kayaking
&
sea kayak anglesey
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