Saturday, 12 July 2014

Tide Races, Cave's Sunshine and 12 from Denmark

What a fantastic few days and the feeling that this is what summers are about.  This group form Denmark was new to tide race work and fast flow, but were keen to experience what Anglesey could offer.  Id say the youngest was mid 50's and up to early 70's ... its never to late!

Photos have come out back to front, so the last 3rd actual day is first below.

Day 3 - the good weather forecast had  held and a day at the Stacks was looking good.  The Stacks is an advanced sea kayaking journey with, a committing and spectacular rocky coastline, with tall rock walls, strong tidal streams and significant back eddies.

It was a great day and in some ways what the two days previously was all about, developing the skills and abilities to paddle a trip like the Stacks.





Day 2 started with a windier forecast and as eddy line work was needed time in the Menai Straits, made sense.  We began with the last of the ebb, so the current was slow and as we reached slack water we did various rescues and had lunch.  As the flood picked up we did a few reverse eddy turns, ones with eyes closed and then some fun and balance eddy turns and ferry glides.

We finished with some good runs back to Menai Bridge an din the sunshine ...





Day 1 - Rhoscolyn.  As it was on the ebb, all was gentle to begin with and turning and stern rudders were focused on.  These were then put into various contexts, such as down wind runs and narrow channels and blending into a turn ...

The wind picked up at one point and soon passed through, as we sat down for lunch to allow the flood current to pick up.  The flood was into a F3 so it was soon, providing what we wanted ...











Thanks to Steve Miles for his help and it was great to share a few days with a super bunch of people, with great conditions and some Anglesey, North wales sunshine ...

Roger

north wales sea kayaking
+
anglesey sea kayak course

Monday, 7 July 2014

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




Sunday, 6 July 2014

InterMediate Sea Kayaking Course - North Wales, Anglesey.


This weekends InterMediate sea kayaking and what a super forecast of F3/4 we had.  More sun than expected and less wind - providing some super gentle wind against tide conditions.  Pretty perfect for the weekends course.  Keith, Steve, Phil and Karen made up the group with Jon assisting as part of my commitment to 4 star trained leaders.

Rhoscolyn on the flood, from Trearddur Bay and back gave us lots of variety with conditions, eddy streams, main current, rock hoping, arches, caves and super sunshine ...




The main race with Keith leading us through ... the eddy was super calm and stable so it provided a great platform for individuals to watch and take a break before working on eddy turns or moving out into the flow ..



Karen and Phil below, rough water handling ...


Heaing back in for some lunch and the Llyn in the background ...



Closer to high water we kept in close on the way back and explored as we went ....


Sunday and the Stacks, with a similar gentle forecast ... just had to be done...




Jon below having led, Steve, Karen and Keith down through the Inner race ...


After some lunch we headed on to Gogarth Bay, Steve below ...


One of the big arches ....


It had a been a super weekend with great conditions.  The next InterMediate sea kayaking course is on the weekend of the 26/27th July and mid week on the 25-29th August. Both currently have places, email me for further information at info@coastalspirit.com.

Roger

north wales sea kayaking
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sea kayaking anglesey 

5 Star Leader Training - South Devon

A couple of months back, I had an invite to provide and work with Lee Pooley, providing a 5 star leader training and open water navigation and tidal planning course.  This was down in South Devon and the Salcombe area.  Its an area I know fairly well and have paddled a lot, but never worked in - I was looking forward to it.  We just needed the right conditions...

The first day was out to Start Point a race that flows at about 4knots.  It was a calm wind forecast and to be honest, it was ideal for the group to get a feel for conditions and learning new skills.





It was a beautiful location, with a beach close by and some super rock hoping, which provided great leadership sections.

Some fun and balance below and eddying into the flow .... before a self rescue ..
 

The second day was out form South Sands, with a good F4/5 wind.  Focus was on longer leadership sections, scenarios and putting into place, previous learnt skills.  A lot of time was also spent on incident management and gully/rock rescues and rocky landings ... Derrick below being a super active swimmer ...






We chose a super sheltered beach to cook up our food, had a snooze ... ;) ... in preparation for the night navigation ...


All in all it was a super course, with up for it students, some super sunshine, appropriate conditions and in a new location for me.

Im running two further 5 star leader training courses later in the year - Anglesey based and currently places are available.  Email me for further information at info@coastalspirit.com

Roger

5 star leader training
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sea kayaking courses uk

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

Sea Kayaking Course's currently with space's on ...


With all of this super blue sky sunshine sea kayaking courses have been filing up and only the following currently, have places.

Introduction to sea kayaking weekend of 12/13th July at £130 - 2 places left
Mid week Intro to sea kayaking 18-21st August - 3 places left and choose 2-4 days.  Details are here 




Expedition around Anglesey 10- 14th August only 2 places left at £430 and for Intermediate paddlers.  More details are here



Advanced sea kayaking and rough water handling - 19/20th July - 1 place and 30/31st August - 3 places at £160.  Details are here


InterMediate sea kayaking 26/27th July 3 places left at £140 and 25-29th August with 2 or 5 days option.  Details are here



IntroMediate sea kayaking course 2/3rd July at £140



Make something more from your summer and extended those skills, or take some time out in a wonderful salty restorative environment.  

Email me at info@coastalspirit.com for more information.

Roger

sea kayaking courses north wales
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Anglesey sea kayaking course's summer 2014