InterMediate sea kayaking - Bespoke

Sea kayaking over the last few weeks along the Anglesey, North wales coastline and out to the various islands has been magic with this settled and super sunny conditions.  Kath and Douglas were back for a 3 day Bespoke sea kayaking course with an InterMediate focus.

The Stacks just had to be done, with a super forecast ... caves, arches, tall clifts and some gentle swell and tide races.  Porth Dafach to Parliament House cave and then back, allowed us to play on the start of the flood at Penrhyn Mawr at the end of the day.  

Both Kath and Douglas did eddy turns and ferry glides creatively ... its all about stretching that comfort zone .. ;)

After Kath had achieved an extended paddle roll, (thanks to Sonja), the previous day.  So a shorter paddle form Cable Bay out and South, then back, would work well.  The clarity and sea colour was very Mediterranean  ... and we even saw 5 seals and had some small gentle rolling surf on one of the golden sandy beaches ...

The last day was forecast F3 NW and despite an ebbing tide (not quite on springs), it all looked good.  Douglas kindly provided the shuttle and we headed out from Cemlyn Bay for the first Cardinal Mark.  We were soon on the Skerries and paused for a surf in the flow ...  The terns were stunning and creating quite a display for us.

Room at the top of the world and one of my favourite lunch spots ...

Tern and chick looking pretty good and i guess close to really taking to the air!!

The other inhabitants watched us leave ... as we passed rafts of Puffins ... magic ...

All in all it had been a magic 3 days, with it being Kath's first time to the island and Douglas second and a pretty good wildlife display.  A good focused and relaxed time was had and Kath's gone away with her roll .. whoop, whoop ... Now that cant be bad!!

The next InterMediate sea kayaking course is 25-29th August and 2-5 days can be chosen, then its the 6/7th September.  Details can be found here

Roger

www.phseakayaks.com
www.kokatat.com
www.chilcheater.com
www.mitchellblades.com

north wales sea kayaking courses
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sea kayaking anglesey

  

Advanced Sea Kayaking Course - Anglesey, UK.

It seemed that Anglesey escaped the weekends downpour, and with a forecast of light winds we on to the Stacks.  Work on Eddy turns, ferry glides, catching that wave and rescues made up the bulk of the day.  With the main emphasis on use of body.

Penrhyn Mawr remain fairly calm and as the main push passed we headed on for some lunch and then on to South Stack and some rock hoping and exploring.  Saw about 20 Puffins, the most ive seen in the area and then jumped on an eddy stream to assist us on the way back.  Penrhyn Mawr was still working fairly well and according to Phil of sea kayak anglesey, it had got bigger after lunch and the faster period.  Thats the sea for you!!

Katie, Amanda and Mark, made up the team with Zoe assisting in support/observation, for the day. 

David joined the team today and we headed out to Carmel Head on the Sunday, to be greeted with a bank of Fog.  This stretch for about 1km, so we did some limited visibility navigation and then it really closed in to 50-60 mt visibility, so we headed back to Carmel Head and worked on the race.  Self-rescue and incident management, was the theme for the day ...

The fog kindly lifted although briefly and provided us with a good sunny lunch break ...

The cafe at Church Bay, as we arrived just after 5pm kindly provided us with take aways so we sat in the sun reflecting on the day and weekend, ensuring clarity and any questions could be reflected upon and answered before heading back to Menai Bridge.   We had some good conditions, over the weekend, although gentler than expected.  This was made use of and can help to get skills tighter and more polished.  Well done all.

Roger
www.coastalspirit.com

rough water handling
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4 star leader refresher

Day 26 Ireland June 6th 2013

Light winds assisted us at the start of the day and time past. Saw and heard a few more calls from Divers today. Last two hours were into a F4 headwind and we had nowhere to go. It was a long day but a good 34 nm and a 500nm in total!!!


Camping at Portacloy

Back with Jane and Andy Morton

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 18 Ireland Wednesday 29th May 2013

Today we were up and out checking out the conditions with Noels van and based on what we saw decided we would have a rest day! The swell is due to drop by one metre, it will be another day after a big Spring tide and with hopefully lighter winds!

So were being tourists and going to cook a roast chicken dinner!

Dingle is a super town! A couple of great galleries with brilliant art and the people are lovely too. Weve had top fish and chips (first time Ive ever had battered Monkfish!), and Sea salt and brown bread ice cream!! Were having a good day!!!

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 17 Ireland Circumnavigation

Were off the sea today as the forecast of a northwesterly F5 and 6 is here! Noel O Leary from Irish Adventures found us and offered us a bed for the night last night so we took the tents down...how could we refuse?!! Thank you so much Noel. Were here again tonight...awesome!

My new friend...!


This evening Noel kindly took us out to find Fungie the local resident Dolphin. It was blowing out of Dingle Harbour F5/6 and we were borrowing paddles, kit and kayaks. The kayaks were 1 metre shorter than what we had been paddling which proved great for surfing! It was on the way back that Fungi made a brief appearance!!

Looking for Fungie


Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

3 star training

Keith, Ann, Diana and Steven had book on a weekends 3 star sea training, so the start of the day saw us working through the syllabus over a coffee, and clarifying terms such as a moderate tidal environment.  Forecast was F4/5 and from the NW, so Rhoscolyn was our chosen location.

Diana above working with crossing the wind, which was funnelling out of the bay.  This provided a useful channel of wind, which we could move in and out of, while setting a course with a buddy, using transits and towing into, across and down wind.

Sunday was a gentler day, with F3/4 SW winds and much brighter.  After some initial tidal planning and a shuttle run (thanks Steven), we were doing a one way trip, from Cemais Bay to Bull Bay.

Conditions were good, with a  gentle 1ft swell, surfing on to the beach and the group explored stern rudders and edge, briefly before heading out of the bay.  We were on Neaps but I was still keen to get round the most Northerly headland before the current picked up.  Ann above in the swell as we left the bay.

Diana and Steven, having left the main flow (white capped area) and now in the eddy, with middle mouse in the back ground.

The edge of Hells Mouth had an eddy stream which was opposing the incoming swell and provided a good following sea.  We stopped for some lunch on the small rocky beach, before continuing our journey. Steven above ...

Keith and Ann at the back of Hells Mouth ...

The brick works ... we paddled on pass ...

Ann reversing into the main cave and demonstrating good, boat positioning and reversing skills.

Once round at Bull Bay, I demonstrated a deep water rescue and Keith put me back into my kayak.  We looked at bracing strokes and had a 10 minute recap and summary before getting off the water.

The Trecastle Inn, happy been happy for me to leave my van and trailer, so following picking up Stevens car a drink and a look at action plans, completed a busy weekend.

Roger

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

3 star training sea
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intermediate sea kayak courses