Monday 1 September 2014

Intermediate sea kayaking - 5 day course, Anglesey, North Wales

This was the 2nd 5 day InterMediate sea kayaking courses this year and Keith was booked on for the whole week, while I had Alice, Erin and Paul on for the first two days and then Craig and David were joining Keith on the last 3 days.

The last time I'd seen both Alice and Erin together was about two years ago when we crossed the English Channel and they both went on to achieve their goal of paddling to Finland within 3 months.  

It was a windy forecast for Anglesey, so we went to the North coast, Cemais Bay to have some protection form the wind and pick up some tidal flow at the same time.  Assisted rescues and surfing made up the day ...





With the wind still F4 SE and due to increase, we went from Gallows Point to Y Felinheli and back to Menai Bridge were Paul gave me a shuttle back to the van.  It was a good down wind run and every one did super well ...





A real sign of the change of months is the oyster catchers collecting and flocking in the Straits.  I also counted 12 egrets in the trees ...


Keith was happy to go back to the North coast as Craig and David joined and we worked on leadership positioning, some rock hoping and rescues and incident management ...




Thursday was a top day, with F5-6 and some super swell in Trearddur Bay, for down wind runs, surfing, rolls, self and assisted rescues ... and more surfing .... It was just so warm and super sunny .. ;)







The final day was forecasted F5-7 SW, so to be honest I wasn't shore what to expect at the Mermaid Inn at the West end of the Menai Straits.  But it was blowing a F4 and every one was happy to get on and make the most of it ... a couple of leadership legs, rolls in the wind, current and swell and a couple of assisted rescues, saw us at Britannia Bridge for lunch.


As the current began to ebb we worked with ferry glides, and eddy turns and moving up against the flow, until we decided it was time to go while we could!  Back at Menai Bridge and the flooded car park.


The course before an Intermediate is an IntroMediate and the last 5 day course this year is in a few weeks time: 15-19th September.

The next interMediate is 20/21st September and currently has a couple of places available.

Thanks,
Roger


north wales sea kayak courses
+ sea kayaking anglesey

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