Advanced sea kayaking course, Anglesey, North Wales.

W f6/7 with one forecast gusting up to f8!  Each person arrived with a potential idea of where to paddle and then over coffee we worked through them and came up with a plan for the North coast, Bull Bay out and back.  We did a couple of runs on the small headland that sets up an eddy stream and then paddled on into wind ...  after about 45 minutes, we turned and gained the assistance of the wind back into the bay.  The gusts had been getting stronger, clouds much darker and the swell was messier.

We chatted about staying and working the area or relocating a car and doing a down wind run to Porth Eilian only 5km away.  We decided on the later with some skills work along the way.

We crossed the big eddy stream with some good deep troughs, as they flowed into the wind, on our way to Eat Mouse ...

And a couple of contact tows along the way ...

We had lunch in Amlwch Harbour, in some brief sunshine and then headed on.  The closest headland going East,  clearly had a fair ebbing current and good chunky wind against tide.  Some super surfing rides were taken and good paddling skills, as we left that headland behind we got out of the flow and gained more shelter form the conditions ...

The light was fantastic and we were soon at our destination and going through a couple of rescues ...

With the wind going NW and f5/6 to begin with, we headed for the Straits.  Talking with Tavi and Andy they both were keen to work on a couple of leadership legs and Jon and Tracy were happy to be involved and then work on technique.  I was looking for a smooth eddy, so we could work on eddy turns, using more body, through committing to edge and lean ... and removing the low brace 

The sun was super  ...

 Photo below taken by Tavi.

Photo below taken by Tavi.

Some more towing and looking particularly at rafted tows and how to converting into and assisted rafted tow.  Andy wanted to do a self rescue, and went for a re entry and roll and Tavi wanted to finish of with releasing a tow line under tension, while capsized and then rolling back up ... all good, we headed to Menai Bridge, to collect vehicles and hot drinks in Dylan's, to wrap up the day.

Roger

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