A top day at The Races

This was day 3 for Anita, who's from Switzerland and the first day for Nick from Belgium, on our Xplore sea kayaking course, which is at Intermediate level.  It was was also great to meet Nick again, after 4 years! 

The Stacks is always a super trip, that demands respect and with more super light winds the plan was to do an a-a trip, from Poryh Dafarch to Parliament House cave and back, so after some planning over a coffee we were off ...

The silky calm start just had a small swell running, but 0.7 that was forecast??

That is until our angle changed and the swells ... this was the action before the race, on the small rock/island headland ... never know what this ones called ... and Nick throwing down good timing and speed ...

and catching some air in the mean time ... mmmm Penrhyn Mawr was likely to be big, despite a neap tide and now the 0.7 metre swell forecast was looking

We worked wide and close eddy turns and coming into the same eddy and then crossing in an S to the other side ... It was good to see Nick looking comfortable and really getting into it ....Olly Sanders joined us with two of his clients and they were on the main race ...

Anita, working well in new conditions for here and to be honest the top end of Xplore ... with surging eddies and pulsing swell ...

I set Nick off on the main race to catch a few waves, closer to the top .... notice I say close the top, as the top 6-8 mt was really curling, very steep and unpredictable ...

It was super to be out in short sleeves and we stayed with the race for about 1 hour before moving out from the shore to get on the flood to round South Stack ...

Once round we continued out from the shore, to avoid the eddy stream and headed towards parliament house cave ... the bay was a little confused, with eddy streams, flow, swell and reflective waves, as we got closer in.  It soon became clear that landing was going to be very difficult ... and not for today ...

We headed back towards South Stack but this time much closer in, really feeling the ground swell and pulled into a small sunny cove and joined Olly and his team for lunch.  He was heading on to Soldiers Point, having drop off his bike earlier to then cycle back to collect his vehicle ... while we were going to rest up for an hour and allow the flood to settle and then sneak back via Annie s Arch (the gap/bridge crossing to South Stack island) and use the eddy stream to push us across the bay ...

It was a great quick return journey, the arch was very gentle, the raft of sea birds were quite stunning and we soon back at Penryhn Mawr (headland in the distance) ... in fact earlier than expected and the flow was still VERY evident.  In parked the group and went for a look, all of the inner channels now had a good ground swell thumping through, so were out of the question ... so we sat for 30/40 minutes and chatted about the day.

Aiming for Rhoscolyn Beacon we took a wide angle out into the bay and soon were out of the last of the flood and paddling back into the bay and closing on our start.  What a top day!

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com
north wales sea kayak
&
anglesey sea kayaking

Sunny sea kayaking & sparkling seas!

What a super sunny weekend, with temperatures well into the 20c for our Improve sea kayaking course, also known as an Intro-mediate.  With winds forecast f4-6 East, Y Felinheli on the Straits provided enough shelter plus exciting conditions, when we wanted them.   We had wind against tide, and as we crossed to Anglesey the rougher it got, while closer to the main land the calmer it was, so perfect conditions to work with. Turning in swell, use of skeg and stern rudders was the main emphasis of the day ...

Ewan on an early down wind run ...

Bill moving out into the bigger stuff and choosing his moment to turn ...

Dave feeling the force of the wind ... and as the current slowed down we worked on ferry glides, using transits, to provide a visual on our track.

Sunday morning after a short session on tidal planning it was off from Trearddur Bay to Rhoscolyn and then back.

On the way out we looked for channels to paddle through, working edge and leaned turns ...

Lesley with Ewan in the back ground

Anita on a narrower gully ...

 Then at Rhoscolyn head, enjoying the coolness of a cave!

Frank joined us for today in his nice new kayak ...

Took lunch opposite the Beacon, and talked through a plan for after lunch.  The plan was to cross to the islands on a ferry glide and then look for some channels of water to work on eddy turns ...

Here we have Dave coming in ... in his new kayak and Frank in the back ground ... we did a couple of circuits and then paddled towards the main island and worked our way through the channels, spotted a lone grey seal sunning its self and then Ewan led us back across the open water to Rhoscolyn headland.

As we were now close to high water slack more channels and arches were possible, which we made the most of.  Back close to our starting point a couple more rolls were attempted and were successful!

Great sea kayaking weekend and I wish you all well with continued paddling & adventures.  Be safe & have fun.

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com
intro-mediate sea kayaking
&
north wales sea kayak courses

Lighthouses, Puffins and Rolling

This was the third day of a Bespoke sea kayak course for Rich and Franks first day although I had paddle with both of them before.  In fact one year ago, with their respective partners they had done a Discover sea kayaking course and one year on they can both roll!! 

The third lighthouse for Rich, was at Penmon Point, just across from Puffin Island and with Frank joining us today, it was the perfect trip.  Penmon Sound would provide current, eddies, eddy streams, bird life and seals in a stunning situation.  It was also the first time out there for Frank. 

Frank above crossing a gentle left -right flow and about to move into an eddy.  We did a few circuits and then crossed to the red central channel beacon and began our journey round the island.

Saw a fox in the distance wondering along a beach and quite a few Eider ducks, a male one above ... ever wondered where your eider down feathers came from!!

and we saw some of these little fellows, in fact more Puffins than Seals!

We then landed on the island for lunch and waited for the sound to build.  We had crossed about 1 hour before high water slack, and now it was beginning to ebb.  Because of the reef extending from Puffin Island, the first couple of hours after high water tend to provide rougher water.  This was what we were waiting for!  We did a run across to the red central beacon and used the eddy, with Rich working on ferry glides, holding position and using speed to gently surf his kayak forwards, while Frank worked left and right eddy turns ... both to great success.

The photo above I posted on facebook, as Rich had learnt to roll with Cheri & Turner, of "this is the roll fame", over the weekend and my job was to put him into a more dynamic context ... well

as you can see, first time up and nice and smooth he does it ... no dramas!

BIG thanks to Rich for pulling the dates together for this bespoke sea kayaking course and I look forward to paddling with the four of you at some point in the future.

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com
bespoke sea kayaking course
sea kayaking north wales

Moody and Misty ... Island in the tides

It had to Bardsey Island for the 2nd day on this bespoke sea kayaking course with another day of f1/2 winds forecast!   Its only the 2nd time ive taken a group out here, so that gives you an idea what it takes for it all to come together for the journey to be on.

And what an exciting Moody & Misty ... heavy foggy actually ... start it was, but with calm oily seas and loads of shearwaters, we saw a raft of around 50 at one point. For 15 minutes we lost sight of land totally, and with a gentle swell running it was very atmospheric. I was on a rough bearing and we were paddling out on the last of the flood.

And then out of the gloom she appeared and as we paddled closer we could hear the chattering of the birds ...

After lunch we took a walk up to the top of the island, and the mist was clearing. We looked back across to the light house, the 2nd one in our two days ...

On the way down we were greeted by a couple of the locals and great to meet Steve again and Jo his wife, for the first time.  They both live and work on Bardsey,  BIG thanks to you both for the pot of tea!

Time to work the tide ... The ebb was at a good flow, so we hugged the coast, using the eddy streams were possible, before paddling hard across the eddy line into the flow and on our way back to main land.  After about 30 minutes we could change angle and settle down into a more gentle rhythm ...

The boys with the "Island in the Tides" in  the background.  A top day and some good paddling from both Rich and Douglas and super conditions made it all possible.  We met Frank on the beach, a great surprise ... and another storey and he kindly bought us all a cream tea ... fantastic and thanks, it really hit the spot!

So what about Thursday ... another lighthouse may be?

roger chandler
sea kayaking north wales
www.coastalspirit.com

Lighthouses, gullies and flow

Tuesday and what a super sea kayaking day it was ... have a guess were we went!

I needed some rough water to provide a suitable moderate water environment for Zoe and her 3 star sea assessment.  I was particularly happy for the 2nd time this year, to set off in a pair of shorts, rash vest and sandals ... feeling that summer had arrived!  We went out against the ebb and Zoe led lines using the eddy streams, to make effective progress against the flow.

The back of the first big bay allowed us to get in fairly close and go through some super channels, gullies and caves, putting those turning strokes into practise  ... Rich below creating a new style!!

Guessed where yet?  we paddled up and on through Annie's arch, with the flow stronger and channelling against us, using the micro eddies to pause and set our angle, before powering out.  Douglas below having a ponder ...

Crossed Gogarth Bay, and paddled into Wen Zawn, watching  climbers on "Dream of White Horses" with South Stack lighthouse in the back ground.

Sneaked up to North Stack race and then worked a load of eddy turns, close and wide ones and then  crossing out into the flow holding position and then back into the eddy.  The speed was there, but only small waves ...

Back to parliament house cave for a break and some lunch before jumping on the conveyor belt and catching the ride back to the main race at South Stack and then round to our start at Porth Dafarch.

Back in the bay and some assisted/self rescues and some great rolling ... here Douglas pulled off his first successful roll and Rich following his successful weekend with Cheri & Turner, from "this is the roll" fame, pulled off left and right handed rolls and as for Zoe ... well she passed her 3 star so I guess that says it all!!

Zoe was only out for the day, but Douglas and Rich were on for a 2nd day ... so were next with this super silky sea forecast!

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com
sea kayak anglesey

Dolphins, Puffins and Rough Water ... Perfect Ingredients!

I'm going to keep it brief and allow the photos to paint a picture of the last 4 days of a Bespoke sea kayaking course.  Aimed at Intro-mediate to Inter-mediate paddlers, this was the 3rd year I had provided a sea kayaking course, for Beat and Michaelas group from Switzerland.

Puffin Island was the first days destination ... the seals much easier to catch on camera the puffins were more elusive, but always great to see ... we worked on eddy turns, ferry glides and maintaining dynamic posture ...

Day two and with a NE forecast F4/5 and increasing, a down wind run from Beaumaris to Menai Bridge and with some work in the Swellies at the end of the ebb was the plan.  The journey provided good stern rudder work and channelling speed ...

Day three was down on the Lleyn and a paddle out to the Tudwall Islands, F3 to begin and the settling.  Some small wind blown surf in the bay, provide a great circuit and warmed people into the journey out, with some exciting reflection on the far end of one of the islands.  We then headed on to Porth Ceriad, for some lunch and a break.  Within moments of landing we were greeted by 3 Dolphins, who looked like they were hunting fish they had directed into the shallows of the bay, a super moment.

Day four and our final day was the Stacks with a F2/3 NE forecast and approaching springs all looked good for a spectacular finish.  North stack was into the 2nd hour of the ebb and provided some good sport, with all remaining dry ... well no capsizes anyway!!

Some caves and arches explored and a break in parliament house cave, before on to South Stack, which as the speed of the current picked up interestingly got flatter ... the wind was also pushing it down, then on to some great close quartering, in and out of the rocky channels ...

Well the air temperature ranged from 8c - 18c over the four days and the winds allowed a mixture of venues to be paddled, great the sun came out ... now im off to the Stacks with another smaller group ... happy days!!

roger chandler
sea kayaking courses
www.coastalspirit.com

taking a moment ...

Its all about to get a little hectic ... so home along boys went for walk and a stroll.  Sonja is up in Scotland on the Isle of Arran, working with Di Lee and team ... more of that latter ...

In about 1 hour 10 keen Swiss, guys and girls arrive at Bangor train station to experience more of the North Wales, Lleyn and Anglesey coastline.  I say more as its there third year and 8 out of the 10 have been before!

Forecast looks varied ... that will be a change (!) but a calmer forecast for Thursday, which is their first paddle day ... time to sort the van out and then go and collect

Roger

roger chandler
sea kayak north wales
&
specialist sea kayaking