Introduction to Sea Kayaking Anglesey

Introductory sea kayaking with Cherry (her 4th year and great to see her again), Clare, Rich and Phil and Annie.  The Menai Straits for the first day, looking for calm waters as strong winds were forecast.  Clare below ...

Richard below ...

Annie below ...

Philip below ... and the rain or Mizle ..

Cherry and Britannia Bridge lurking out of the gloom ...  Outside edge and forward paddling was the main focus of the days technical skills ...

and a cormorant demonstrating special powers!!

The 2nd day saw us over to the Little Orme, with lighter winds and escaping the ground swell, due to Anglesey and the Great Orme's protection.  Stern rudders, forward paddling and an introduction to small swell and gently reflected waves as we rounded the Little Orme,   I'll let the photos tell the story ...

The third day was on Llyn Padarn due to another strong wind forecast and a group that was a little tired!  Clare and Annie had finished their two days, while Cherry, Philip and Richard continued and Glynis joined us.  It was good to see Glynis who I hadn't seen for a couple of years.

Misty start soon cleared, summits came into view and a magic sunny day was had ...

Rich with jacket off, arms out, sun shinning and the summit of Snowdon on the right ....

Big thanks to Cherry for contacting me early in the year to get the course on the calendar and for organising the group.

Next weekend Intro or discover sea kayak course is the 24/25th August and during the week of the 28/29th August and the 8-11th October.  Contact info@coastalspirit.com for further details.

Roger

Intro sea kayaking
+
discover sea kayak course

Day 36 Ireland Circumnavigation Sunday 16th June 2013

A bacon butty is a good way to start my day and John had a pot of coffee going..happy days!
It is nice to slow down, the first time since my allergic reaction earlier in the week. I still woke at 6am but snoozed until 8am!
John kindly dropped us into town to shop while Andy started on a major repair to the Aleut. John took our food back in his car and some lunch for Andy.
A good lunch of fish and chips, and ice cream and a walk to look for a pub. A Guinness later we walked back to Johns, it felt good to stretch my legs.  A group prepared Shepherds Pie is for dinner before an early night for me.
John having been a postman has offered to go in early to collect my tent pole. This will be a great help as we can then make the most of the day. At the moment the plan is to out to Rathlin Island and ideally go around the outside on our way to Fairhead and our paddle South.

Sonja

www.coastalspirit.com

Day 32 Ireland

Toast just tastes so good! We had a leisurely start after our later night. 24nm and camped West of Melmore Head. We had 2 hours into a headwind this morning and then the wind eased. We landed on Inishbofin for lunch and even found a table to use! The island though was very quiet and it had an uneasy feeling about it. We've tended to have current against us and by late afternoon I was feeling sluggish. Andy used their 1:50000 to locate a narrow channel which had good level grass close to the beach. We've just repacked the boats for a 0530 start to attempt to get around Malin Head just after midday ahead of the bad weather.

Thursday night and close to our camp

Sonja

www.coastalspirit.com

Day 24 Ireland (4th June)

We woke to a beautiful sunrise and the chatter of terns and skylarks. We paddled out with a gentle breeze on our backs and a significant swell running. We headed out to Inishbofin and landed on Inishturk Island for lunch. As we were having lunch a lady called Mary Jo offered us mugs of tea and brought out some chocolate biscuits.......magic!!! She's also given us 9 eggs, what a star!
Once in camp we took a short walk to a pub, the first time since we've been wild camping! It was a good evening and as seems the norm here we were made very welcome.
We are now at the entrance to Achill Sound on the Corraun Peninsula, 30nm and a later start tomorrow to catch the tide.

Our provider of chocolate biscuits, tea and eggs, thanks Mary Jo!!

Sonja

www.coastalspirit.com 

Day 20 Ireland

After a super evening and night cap with Harold, Betty was up cooking us an Irish breakfast to set us up for the day. Big thanks for looking after us so well. We were on the water after 9am and started our first crossing to Kerry Head. We had a F4 against us and an ebbing tide.........oh hum.......! Sometimes that's just how it is. We took a longer break at the headland before crossing the Snannon. There was a good swell running as we crossed and much steeper waves as we got closer to Loop Head. The cliffs, rock formations and birds were stunning. At 4pm we came across a potential landing and camp but we now had tide with us! We paddled on..................It wasn't until after 7pm that we found another suitable site! 3.5 hours of paddling in reflected waves and clapotis today. Very tiring and the longest Ive paddled in before. Wind is supossed to be going west tomorrow so this could help us up to the cliffs of Moher.

Leaving our hosts Harold and Betty Whelan at Fahamore













Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 15 Ireland Circumnavigation

On the water at 6.30 to start our 12 nm crossing to the Skelligs. The approach was stunning with alpine mountain tops poking out of the sea and 30,000 pairs of Gannets. A hundred or so soared above us...magic. Justine managed thirty minutes on the island in between the tourist boats arriving and saw the bee hive huts and thousands of Puffins only a metre away!

(We then had a 20nm crossing to the north east tip of Great Blasket.) One of the tourist boats mentioned a gale warning..time for us to go. the wind was mainly on our backs F3/4 and then James who had chosen to join us pointed at the sea and on cue 15 Risso's Dolphins surged forwards..fantastic.what a day!

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

6th day of paddling around Ireland

After breakfast with Mick's whole family and various admin tasks we were on the water by 11.30. Winds were generally ok apart from when a squall came crashing through. As with earlier in the week we had another  heavy hail shower. Paddled on until 8pm, making up our time and camping at a cove just west of Mine Head. A light tea of salami, couscous and red pepper, washed down with a nice mug of tea..............

Sonja

www.coastalspirit.com

Ireland Day 5

Super day today, weve been put up by a paddler that previously held the record and have a chicken casserole with spuds!

Sky blue calm day today, kept close to the shore as the tide was against us at the start and made our way to Kilmore Quay and with an hours wait the "chippy" was open!! Beer battered haddock and top chips!!! Back on the water and heading for the "Saltees" and the Gannets colony. Amazing..! We paddled to the large Saltee, got on the tide and headed across to Hook Head, our first bigger open crossing.

Justine had a call earlier in the week from Mick O Meara about picking us up and the offer of showers and a floor to sleep on. Justine gave him a bell whilst we were on the water and we aimed for Ballymacaw 5 nautical miles away. Got there just before 21.00 and Mick soon arrived. Fab evening and so welcoming...big thanks Mick.

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 4 Ireland Circumnavigation

Relaxed start to the day, crossing was super with gannets soaring in the wind and over 100 seals bathing on a sandbar. Landed just round from Carnsore Point covering the 12 miles in 2hrs 10 due to a gentle  F3 and a following sea. Staying put here for a bit, Justine's not feeling too hot and Ive developed a rub. Time for a mug of tea..................



Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Coastal Spirit Rapid Development Expedition Skye Thursday 18th April

Following the earlier tent epics Gary, Zoe and Roger relocated to a nice cosy hostel to escape the incessant wind and rain!

Thursday had a relaxed start to the day, with a good breakfast, sorting of kit in the drying room, book reading and out by 11. Plan was to find some surf, due to more strong winds (and more rain ..). The first potential venue had more wind than surf so the group headed off to Glen Brittle Bay, a long shot but the swell might just have reflected round the coast. 

They got lucky! Around 2ft and with a small bar, which increased and steepened a wave.

 A super day made out of the bad weather. 
Their aim is to be out early tomorrow and get a paddle out to Soay Island and Loch Corursk. 

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Sunny seas ...discover sea kayaking

This weekends course had been organised by Sarah back in February, and it was mainly a social gathering were previous sea kayaking experience was limited. The plan was to run a Discover sea kayaking course, as an introduction and then modify and adapt as appropriate.  We meet at Waitrose, Meani Bridge to grab a coffee and talk through the day, before driving over to the west coast to access Trearddur Bay.  On the beach I went through a land based assisted rescue, so this was clear in peoples minds, and they could have a go and then ....

Foot peg adjustment ....

Allen and Karen above ....

It was a magic, sunny day and just what you want for a first day ... and even got a cave, but the swell was a little confused from time to time, so one at a time to the entrance.

On the way back we came across a group of lads that i think were as just as surprised to see us ....

The following day was colder and the winds were due to increase, so Cemais bay on the North coast of Anglesey was the destination and putting the previous days skills into a new context ...

Sam focused after swopping into a different sea kayak ....

We paddled on towards the left hand side of the headland, picking up more swell as we did ...

At the main break and all wrapped up .... and from left to right ... Allen, Karen, Julie (who was observing/assisting), Laura, Sarah, Sam and Tom.

Sarah and Tom as we head back after a variety of weather and good spirited people.  My thanks to Julie for helping out and I wish you all the best with your future assessment.

A couple of hours after saying good buy I got a great text of Sarah - Just wanted to say thank you so much for a great weekend. We've all really enjoyed it and learnt loads, and fingers crossed will be back next year! 

Happy days ....

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

discover sea kayaking
and introduction to sea kayaking