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
+
4 star leader refresher

Magic moments ... with stacks of fun

I was due to meet up with a client at the end of the day on Holy Island, to talk through a plan for the next two days.  It was mainly my day off and I was ahead of the game by mid morning and the forecast was just so good.  Enough swell, a very light wind and a neap tide, plus some sunshine....  pretty perfect ...

Catching time for me in July is a rare thing, so 2 hours plus,  at Penrhyn Mawr was magic ... a couple of Gannets cruised on by, checking me out and the big old seal kept an eye on me.  I arrived just before the main push, which allowed me to settle into the lift and fall of the swell, and the speed of the current.  The light was great .... it was fairly regular and then an occasional ofset chunky swell forced its way through ...

I'm a big believer in time for self and keeping a balance, with out and input ... today was all about input and sharpening the saw .. ;)

It was great to be able to respond to the moment.  I got back to Porth Dafach early evening and the guys Im working with were just getting off the water.  Fantastic ...



Roger

north wales sea kayaking
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rough water paddling

Wind and Waves - Intermediate sea kayaking

Steve, David, Gerald and Ian met me at Porth Daniel boatyard and we talk the short walk to a local cafe, were we considered the forecast and work through a tidal plan.  Dave was also on his 3 star training and assessment, so i was blending the course into the weekend.

Cemais Bay on the North coast would give us some protection from the swell and also allow us to feel some wind, with coves that we could pull into for protection.  

Working with the 3 star syllabus, my emphasis to begin with was on effective use of BODY, Boat and blade.  Outside edged turns and then inside, and getting an understanding and feel of what the lower body can do to help.  Then as we moved down wind the use of stern rudders ...

Steve below working with a low angled stern rudder ...

Gerald below getting more swell and playing with blade angle ...

Ian and Dave as we leave the bay and head East along the coast with a steady F4 on our backs ..

We then turned into wind, using our turns practiced earlier and worked back into the bay, for another run ... Steve enjoying the swell ...

We then headed to a small bay for lunch before moving out into the ebb tide, which now was creating wind against tide and a chunky ride back.  Back in the bay I had to see Dave do a roll and a self rescue and an assisted rescue which also provided Gerald an opportunity to go back over previous skills and techniques and something new for Steve.

Sunday and a F4/5 westerly forecast and Puffin Island was our destination and in particular Puffin Sound.  We drove to the headland, talked through the tide and launched from the rocky shelf.  Working on small circuits in current and swell, that was wrapping round from the North.

Steve getting a better feeling for it ...

Dave working for a surf ...

As the day went on the sun came out and the gust began to drop ...

We crossed to Puffin Island and stayed on the South side, saw a couple of seals but they were taking it easy mainly some wear else!

After lunch and some towing practice and discussion of its various uses, we headed back round into the sound as the tide had now turned and was ebbing into the wind ... time to push our play ...

Dave and Steve did a couple of runs and due to our location, could easily get off and take the walk to the van and change.  Gerald fancied some bigger swell ...

It was a great day and the sunshine as we sat at Penmon cafe warmed out worked bodies.

Roger

intermediate sea kayaking course
+
rough water handling

A grey day on the out side ....

what a super day despite the weather it was great to see and hear what Elaine had been up to and what a truly inspirational woman who makes the most of her time ... Elaine was back up for a private bespoke 1:2:1 day before the weekends sea kayaking course.

After a coffee and some tidal planning and refection on recent paddles, we set off for Newbrough beach, mainly as elaine wanted to work on forward paddling (theres good open sections of water) and understand better edge/lean and whats best (?) in different conditions ... and if we saw birds seals etc along the way, well they would be a bonus!

Well an egret, many oyster catchers, razor bill, 40 or so manx shearwaters, a couple of gannets  and two seals added more to the day ... but don't forget the Coughs!

Despite the drizzle, the day was atmospheric and we made the most of conditions. Notable was the low brace action in swell, that Elaine really grasped.

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

north wales sea kayaking
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sea kayak courses anglesey