Private and Individualised Sea Kayaking

The last week has been busy with individual Bespoke sea kayaking days and below is a brief insight on three different days.

Kamala is in the first two photos and as it was a windy day we launched from Menai Bridge slipway.  Kamala has been marathon racing for 15 years or so and it was clear from her forward paddling, she had carried this across into her sea kayaking. Yep I had to work to keep up with her .... 

A journey with elements of coaching interspersed throughout the day and with a brief time in the Swellies, working on eddy turns made up the day.  This also provided Kamala with some home work with flat water out side and inside turns.  Committing more to edge and maintaining it ... and as Kamala mentioned she had also found two new locations for hot chocolate!

I hadn't seen Erin for a year, so it was good to catch up. Some rough water and a journey was on the wish list.  Point lynas looked like it could provide us with some exciting and gentle tidal flow, due to less swell and we were getting close to high water slack.  Plus a journey to Ynis Dulas and the seals ....

We headed out during the last two hours of the flood, and there was enough to have a gentle play and as the current slowed 4 porpoises showed them selves .... happy days ...

Ynis Dulas was great and a few seals came out and greeted us.  We choose not to land as we were close to high water and its close to the seals having there pups ...  We headed back across to Anglesey for some lunch and to allow the ebb to build.

Sue was over from Ireland and was very clear about what she wanted. Sue had been over in March on a mid week group Bespoke with 3 other friends and when I paddled around Ireland she invited us for a meal.

Sue wanted to be able to cross eddy lines and in particular ferry glides, without a wobble.  The day was very atmospheric, with thick fog and then bright patches of sunshine.

We started on out side edged turns and then inside and Sue's commitment to edge was great and a big improvement on March.  Time in her boat with purposeful practise had paid off.  She was soon doing eddy turns and it all began to make sense to her ... keeping the low brace out for 7-10 seconds, meant she held her edge for longer, speed meant she could carry this through the turn ....

We moved from eddy to eddy and soon Sue was leading.  Menai Bridge provided the best smooth flow i'd seen for along time .. it was perfect.  With specific tasks set  Sues confidence and belief was clearly growing ... now to move it up a notch ... now do it with your eyes closed.  With understandable hesitancy Sue paddled out of the eddy into the flow, eyes closed and with a couple of strokes, she was in the opposite eddy with a beaming smile ....

We had some lunch and reflected on the morning and about 30 mins into the ebb we paddle back on through the arches with Sue leading all the way back to the van on the far side of Britannia Bridge.  We headed off to a cafe to reflect further on the video clips I had taken and capture her learning from the day.  Before she headed off to Holyhead for the fast ferry back home.  Sues account of her day can be seen here.

Bespoke and private sea kayaking can move a person on leaps and bounds.  There's no hiding and its all about you.  My job is to pace the day with progressions, find the best venue for you to work in and set you tasks for when you go away.  The more you know what you want, the easier it will be for me to consider what you may also need and get the best from you. Individualised coaching is just like that tailored suit or designer dress, made to measure and individualised.  Available during the week at £170 per day.

Roger

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north wale sea kayaking

Bespoke .. sea kayaking as you want it

Peter and Helen had booked two days bespoke sea kayaking, with the aim of assisting Helen who had only been in one once before, to cover rescues form towing, deep water assisted and self rescue, tidal planning and to ensure what Peter was doing was right as he had mainly been self taught.  He had a strong white water back ground, while Helen had dived for many years, was an adventure racer and rock climber.

After meeting, chatting over a coffee and some tidal planning we set off for Llyn Padarn, my local lake, in stunning settings, so that we had a gentler introduction as the west coast of Anglesey was forecast blowing at f6-8 ... while the lake was f4/5

Both were soon picking up the skills, and Helen was doing remarkable well.  So I started setting them courses, so Peter could think off positioning and provide Helen with clear instructions ...
 

We did a lot of work on forward paddling and I used the analogy of plate spinning ... we have many elements that make up an effective forward stroke and these can be difficult to manage all at the same time ... focus on one element and work it... then another ...

I love this photo ...yep it was just like that ... using edge, skeg sweeps and stern rudders, while paddling across the wind and using the wind to assist in turning down wind ...

In one of the lagoons, which was much calmer Peter did some fun and balance, so he could get a feel for the kayak and so we could go through assisted rescues.  I also jumped in the windier stuff so both could practise their newly learnt skills in a realistic context.  Both did exceptionally well and we finished off the day with a couple of good down wind rides, with the sea kayaks almost surfing.  Despite the rain it had been a top day!

Tuesday was looking much better and after going through some tidal planning home work we were off on to the Menai Straits, to work on flow.

After setting both different circuits, with varying difficulty with ferry gliding the flow, we moved off towards The Swellies (the area between the two bridges), to work on eddy turns.

We were enjoying the sunshine ....

Britannia Bridge provided a useful circuit of crossing flow and some wind against tide ...

As slack water approached I went through the fun and balance ... nice one Helen ... and the three self rescues, back deck crawl/cowboy, paddle float and re-entry and roll.  Both had a go at the back deck crawl self rescue with great success ....
 

And while Peter was having a go at the re entry and roll Helen had a go at the paddle float self rescue.  Both again had great success.

To warm up we then spent 30 minutes paddling up and out of small eddies, against the new flood and a couple of ferry glides before turning and catching the tide back to our start point.

Boats back in the boat yard and then into Dylan's for hot chocolates, a reflection on the two days and then whats next.

Roger
roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

sea kayaking north wales
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