Tracy, Andy, Tavi and Pat were on for this weekends Advanced sea kayaking course and my job was to find the best, workable conditions. Two of the team also have the 4 star leader sea assessment coming up, so I was also keen to get them into 'out of remit' conditions, stretch comfort zone's so that when it came to their assessments all felt much more comfortable!
In away the forecast was pretty kind to us. With an increasing wind and sea state on Saturday and then the wild one on Sunday!! After coffees, a discussion and loading of vans we set off for Trearddur Bay (TB), for some work in wind and surfing ...
It was a super bright day but the wind was already up and with the tide on the make, i felt some wind work and then some surf would be best. As it the tide moves towards high water and with a much steeper top section, surf size increases. So we will leave that to latter!!
We did a number of circuits, getting a feel for the kayaks and settling in to the mood of the day ...
The surf was great, and mainly 1-2ft with an occasional 3ft one making an appearance! lunch part one and then back further out for a few more circuits and contact tows, facing each other and the same way, bow, stern, down wind and up wind and really grooving this in.
As the wind picks up, the swell begins to get really chunky ...
Sunday was fairly obvious for us. Inland to Llyn Padarn and more wind work!! There was a few stiff gusts, firing off from a different angle, but all worked really well with the conditions.
Tracy and Pat bracing on a contact tow as a very strong gust hits them ... and a rafted tow which Andy managed, very well with sterling paddling from Tracy and Tavi as another strong gust hit the team ...
and then a mellow explore of a couple of the lagoons ...
A few more down wind runs, with an awareness of how much skeg was actually need, and how the skeg can also assist with turning more into wind as its lifted ...
We finished probably with one of the strongest gusts of the day and retreated to Pete's Eats for big brews and a reflection on the weekend. Well done all and all the very best to Andy and Tavi with their forthcoming assessments ...
Roger
advanced sea kayaking
+
4 star leader development training
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