Surf & Tide-race Course

This is the type of course that comes up on the various sea kayak festivals and for the last year Coastal Spirit has been offering two focused days paddling in the Surf and Tide-races of Anglesey, North Wales.  This is through open courses, ass advertised below and  weekends also for clubs were this has been a specific focus.

Experience the thrill of catching a wave, developing greater control and stretch your comfort zone, with support and guidance - good 3* skills as a minimum and the ability to roll at the Intermediate level. If windy we go beach surfing or a down wind run on the classic Menai Straits or if calm surf one or more of Anglesey's classic tide-race's.  Learn how best to use your body, gain an insight into Performance Psychology, hear the rush of the waves and feel the salt on your face.

With a maximum of four paddlers you get more from this exciting opportunity and can really develop.

To enlarge the photo click on one of them.

This could be you, just imagine that!  

If your fit, keen, motivated to learn and want a focused time in the waves and surf of Anglesey, this course is for you.  How does it work?  Who ever first books on begins to influence the weekend.  For example, If an Intermediate (3*) paddler books on then the course will be Intermediate to Intermediate Plus (4* trained).  While if on another weekend an Advanced (5* trained) paddler books on then its Intermediate Plus to Advanced.  

Due to small personal group size, individual needs are more easily managed, so you get more from the weekend.  Keep in mind, due to only 4 places available, course's book up fast.  Cost £160 for the 2 days and current availability is as follows:

10/11th June: Intermediate to Intermediate Plus, with 2 places left.

8/9th July: Intermediate Plus (could go either way) 3 places left.

23/24th September: Intermediate Plus to Advanced, 1 place left.

If one of these dates works for you and you want to move this forward then either email me or follow this link to complete an online booking form 

More dates may be added, so keep an eye on my website or contact me if you have a specific date in mind - roger@coastalspirit.com

Thanks Roger

Advanced Winter Sea Kayaking

Last weekend the winds settled down and the sun came out, just enough and as I had a Bespoke days sea kayaking and a weekends advanced course, all was looking good.

Friday I worked with Zoe out form Trearddur Bay in a chunky swell, but a light bf 4.  Manoeuvring and some work in the surf.  The Bay has changed in the storms, with the last 10 meters, or so of the beach being much steeper now.  This means either side of high water, about an hour, the surf is much bigger. By the time we came back the surf had settled down and allowed some work on leaving a wave, to be practised.  Great day out.

On Saturday Jon, Tracy and Andy were up for pushing there skills and Gethin was along to observe me coaching.  Plan was an A-B trip for Moelfre on the East, to Ynis Dulas and then round Point Lynas and making the most of a forecasted SE wind ....

We did a run through the race at Point Lynas, and Jon took a good hit and shook it off casually ...

 

And as the winds picked up we worked more out of the race, attempting to catch the fast swells that pushed through ...  Andy and Tracy below.

Sunday saw a beautiful blue sky and we decided after coffees, to go for the Stacks, form Soldiers Point.

North Stack was playful, although at times a little messy.  Parliament House cave had to much swell, crashing down on the rocks to make an easy landing, so we paddle on round to the bay of Abrahams Bosom, to find a more sheltered bay to land and have some lunch in.

The sun was beautiful and just lighted up the rock face ....  It was a great weekend with each person working hard.

Monday was one of those rare days, that I love during the Winter.  Light winds, sunshine and 2ft swell.  Time to find a buddy to paddle with and get out to play! Steve was up for getting out and Penrhyn Mawr, was active, despite being an hour to slack water. We both kept away from the front wave which would rear up a steep 2 mts or so and was pretty explosive.  The boys at 22 squadron RAF where also out ..

We headed on to Parliament House cave and had some lunch in the sun and then on to North stack race ...

As we left the light was fantastic and the troughs and wave faces, surprisingly deep and steep.  South Stack light house can be seen in the distance and as we approach South Stack race we played briefly, before turning and getting back on the conveyor belt to catch out ride back to Porth Dafach.  Thanks Steve, you were good company and it was a top day and I haven't told Barry about the start!!

Happy days!!

Roger
www.coastalspirit.com

north wales sea kayaking
+
advanced sea kayaking

Surf's Up ...

With a forecast of 4-5ft surf, a 15 sec interval between waves, a light off shore wind and sunshine.  It just had to be done and Broad Beach, Rhosneigr, Anglesey was the destination.  It it been about 5 weeks since our last magic day out sea kayak surfing and I was keen to work some moves and explore others.  It had just had 4 super clients over from Dublin for the last 3 days, so this weather window was perfect for my play time.  Whats more both Justine and Barry where on for a surf.  

Justine headed off with her surf kayak to look for steeper waves, where most of the other short and long board suffers, SUP boards, surf ski and surf kayaker's were.  I was pleased that I could avoid all of that and for a good hour Barry and myself had open water.

The morning was spectacular, with warm sunshine (while paddling and active), stunning views and quality waves.

This is Barry below aiming for the 'green room' and these are the photos which follow the original facebook shot ... I'll let the photos tell the tale ...

I had decided to leave the 'green room' for another day ...and maybe another life!  It was the third day that I was back paddling the Tiderace Xtra and I was keen to refresh my skills.  I like to think about what i want to achieve, from a personal session.  Today I was working with changing direction while on the run, through using inside edge, high angle stern rudder and looking where I wanted to go (with my shoulders) ...

After a super 2/3 hours sea kayak surfing, all that was needed now was a big mug of hot chocolate ... perfect!

Roger

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

Thanks to Barry for the photos of me.

A super sunny Spring weekend ...

The advanced sea kayaking weekend, called Perform was back and so was some super sunny blue sky weather.  Zoe, Gary and Andy were on for the weekend and we were soon sat down planning the day and having a coffee.

Rhoscolyn was the original plan for some swell, wind and current.  But with a F4/5 S/SW forecast I wasn't sure it would really work and particularly for the first day. We headed for Porth Dafach, to have a good look before committing to our original plan and we were pleased we did.  It certainly was the forecast and a good  2 ft of surf in the bay and confused water.  We headed North for Cemais Bay

Zoe on the left and Andy working in the flow off Middle Mouse ... and Gary below ...

We paddled on to the brick works had the best sunny lunch shot of the year so far and then worked our way back into the bay of Hells Mouth, to catch the beginning of the early ebb and some lovely gentle and playful current ...

The weather was so lovely that another paddle out to Middle Mouse, just had to be done, before heading back into the sunshine and Cemais Bay.

Forecasts were mainly saying F3/4 S/SE, although one was still F4/5 and we were keen for some surf and swell.  A journey back to Porth Dafach, had to be done, to see if Rhoscolyn could work or we would pick to working between the bays.  

There was a good ground swell running and a mix of 2-3ft surf was channelling into the bay... but the wind was F2.  We decided to get on and work our way to Trearddur Bay and then back.

Zoe and Gary ... I was trying to capture the rise and fall of the swell,  which is all ways difficult, but an impression can be gained form this shot, above.

We stopped at at Porth Gain for early lunch and to soak up some sunshine ... before heading into Trearddur Bay to see if there was any surf ....

Andy above ... and then two of Gary and Zoe on the last couple ...

There was some good mixed surf and good runs in and I found my self saying just another 10 minutes and then another 10 mins would be OK...

We headed back to Porth Dafach, with a gentle breeze on our back's and at the entrance of the bay, I briefly parked the group close to a buoy as I paddled in to watch the surf.  Rather than settle down it had increased in size with an occasional HUGE bank of swell pushing through.  Thankfully this just had a very gentle curling top ...

We were soon at the beach and on for more surfing ... what a weekend as we packed the van and drove back to Menai Bridge and a real feeling of Spring.

Roger

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

sea kayak surfing
+
north wales sea kayaking