Bespoke is tailor made for you, set at your pace and mainly during the week. Its a private course and weekends can be done if more than 4 people make up the booking. Days and weekend range from an Introduction to sea kayaking, rescue skills and incident management, improving performance and effectiveness, 4 and 5 star leader preparation, expedition preparation, open crossings and for kayak clubs, that mainly do river white water kayaking an opportunity to get out on the sea.
Sadly my compact waterproof camera has broken and has gone back to Pentax and I hope I will have it back soon. Photos that I have are from clients cameras or my phone, when conditions are quieter and I'm not jumping in and out of the water!!
Last weekend I was working with Jon's kayak club, who having no to little sea kayak experience but a fair amount of white water kayaking was perfect. Rhoscolyn on the Saturday with a flooding tide and a light wind, made the race perfect and brought out the smiles and comments like 'wow, I just didn't know the sea could be like this ...'
And it would be rude not to include a cave, gully or arch at some time over the weekend!!
Sunday and F4/5 saw us head for the Straits and take eddies in this white water world in sea kayaks!! We got the flood tide up to Menai Bridge, had lunch and then caught the ebb tide back. Delaying a little, so that the tide could build and create some waves under the A55 bridge, with wind against tide ...
The team above and BIG thanks to Jon below for organising the weekend ... ;)
A Bespoke Introduction to sea kayaking as a birthday gift to Alan, form Yvonne was another one of the days. And with a f4 SW forecast and Alan's first day on a sea kayak we looked for the shelter of the lagoons on the Straits. Alan has paddled a sit on top for a number of years and enjoyed the sleek and smooth feel of the sea kayak cutting through the water.
And we were even treated to a seal which was hauled out in the shallows. This was a first one for me in the Straits and just perfect. I've seen from time to time a bull seal either end of the Swellies, although more commonly the A55 end, but never one resting up on the edge of a bay. Lets hope thats a new beginning!!
we worked on outside edge, forward paddling and stern rudders, with a journey to the Gazelle Inn and after lunch Alan transferred to the Romany surf a composite sea kayak, lighter and more responsive. Inside leaned turns under the bridge arches and as the Swellies were close to slack we entered and watched the Herons and Egrets. Or were they watching us!!
Alan finished off with a controlled capsize and talk of doing more ....
Keith was out for 2 days and was looking for rough water and with a F4/5 SW forecast, Trearddur Bay, was our location. That was after a coffee!!
Into wind, a down wind circuit, with a good few runs and then around Ravens Point and a good 2ft confused swell. Lunch at Porth y Garan, and it was then time to head back to the bay. There was the occasional good set of waves that pushed into the bay and we enjoyed a surf, before finishing up for the day. It had been a cool drizzle type day and my phone just didn't want to unlock its self, what with my cold wet fingers ... so only the one shot, from the day
The following day was much better. Well it was dry, brighter and despite a F4/5 off shore wind, we gained alot of protection. Cough's seemed to be abundant and a brief porpoise was spotted.
Lunch looking out to Middle Mouse and the birds, zipping back and forth ...
We kept close to the coastline working our way in and out of the gullies and the main cave on this section of the coast.
Back in Bull Bay and Keith was keen to try a re-entry and roll, paddle float self rescue and a few of these completed the day.
Apologies to Allan, Frank and Tracy, that I have no photos ... doing rescues and the risk of leaving my phone in my dry suit pocket, was just to risky!!
Further information on Bespoke days can be found here and remember a Bespoke Intro sea kayaking course gets £20 off any further Coastal Spirit course, and is valid for 1 year. If you want specific information on a day or more then, just email me.
Roger
Roger Chandler
www.coastalspirit.com
roger@coastalspirit.com
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