Day 13 Around Ireland

14 nautical miles today and having done two short days seems to have worked well as Barry is feeling better! We woke to light winds and navigated our way through the islands. In to the last couple of hours of paddling, winds increased to a Force 4 offshore. Were now at a beautiful beach, East of Barley Cove but its a little public, so we wont put the tents up till later!
Were now well placed for getting round Mizen Head in the morning...

 Friday morning start...

Thursday nights camp in beautiful sunshine...


Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Surf, sunshine and a windy day - Bespoke sea kayak

With Sundays forecast at F6-8 and heavy rain id cancelled the day. Saturday was F4/5, NW and Keith was on for a bespoke day of 1:2:1 coaching and doing some work in wind, swell and surf, made so much sense.

Trearddour Bay was perfect, enough shelter as the wind was more F3/4 and some good steep waves, that were a good working with size. 

Once out through the surf we did a couple of runs across the bay, allowing the wind to assist on our turns and running down wind with the swell.  We did this a couple of times.

As Keith began to feel more comfortable in his new kayak, I then moved to the beach and got a bigger lens out ... we talked through leaning forward as you approach a wave with speed (to anchor the bow) and punch through, while also reaching forward and planting the paddle to gain a grip, with forward momentum.

Keith certainly had some good opportunities to feel what his kayak was like ....

Getting a fast diagonal run in ...

Top day and a couple of really good runs, with one in particular (shot above).  Good control was demonstrated with time taken on the wave, to make minor adjustments.

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

anglesey sea kayaking
+
sea kayak surfing

Bespoke sea kayaking

After a wet, windy and wintery Saturday on the Straits, the thought of some sunshine, and gentle winds was appealing.  A journey out to Puffin Island was the plan.  No photos from Sat due to losing my compact water proof camera, the rest I took on my SLR.  It was great to See both Steve and Craig who had come with Jon 3 or so years ago and great to see that the boys had remembered a fair amount.

Not sure what this orange "stuff" is? looked like a soft coral .... we headed out carefully ... 

Towards the small boat shaped island ... which was at a super low level and sponges, while and orange ones could be seen inside the hull of the boat.  The sea was super silky and lovely start to the day.

Steve, Craig and Jon above watching the birds and seals ... while a seal watched us and then Craig ferry gliding back to the red channel beacon, with the Great Orme in the background.  We landed on the beach had some lunch and then headed back to the beacon for further ferry glides, eddy turns and maintain position, in the flow.

Jon making an eddy turn, looking back to puffin island ...

The seals were really enjoying the warmth of the day, and casually watched us from time to time and then carried on with their snoozing.

We headed back to our start and soon were loading kayaks and off to Beaumaris for ice creams!

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

sea kayak courses
&
north wales sea kayaking 

caves & arches - Bespoke sea kayaking

I met Sally & Frank last year so it was great to be out paddling with them both again, particularly in there new sea kayaks.  The forecast was some what mixed NE f2/3 then increasing to f3/4 and with gusts of f5 also forecast.  So some shelter from the wind and journey along a new piece of coast for them both, would hit the mark.

Sandy bay to Church Bay, on the west coast of Anglesey was our destination ...  

Sally manoeuvring her Rockpool sea kayak, through one of the slimmer and early arches  ...one of the benefits of getting on an hour or so before high water ...

Frank discovering how long his Anglesey stick measures!!

Having a good break at church bay ..

We then decided to paddle on round the next two small headlands, towards Carmel Head, and discovered a couple of super gullies and caves ...

Looking across at North Stack (to the right off Frank).  We then began our paddle back with the assistance of a f3 stern wind and with occasional eddy stream flow against us, provided something more to work with.

Just before our bay we had noticed a huge boat on the headland and then as we approached this super bench ... the small blue flowers were a type of bluebell ... not sure if this was on private land or what ...but I want one!!

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

sea kayaking anglesey
&
north wales sea kayaking