Bespoke Sea Kayaking - North Wales, Anglesey

Bespoke sea kayaking is for you and set at your pace.  Its specific based on what you want and need to achieve your goals.  Its a great way to fast track your skill, ability, confidence, knowledge and understanding.  For example, Andrew started sea kayaking on a Bespoke Intro course, last August 2014 and after only four Bespoke sea kayaking days, he's really getting to grips with it all.  Having recently bought a sea kayak that works really well for him and he's comfortable with.  He's now looking forward to spending more time on the water

Puffin Island seemed the right and best location, with some wind (but also protected), gentle swell, 3.5-4 knots of current, bird life and not to forget the seals!

Eddy turns, ferry glides and stern rudders ... 

We saw over a dozen Puffins and these 3 got close enough for a photo ....

Bespoke can also be for a small group of friends or a club. This can be a general social activity or it can have a specific focus.  Mandy organised a weekend for her kayak club and booked some super sunny weather too ...  this has been a fairly regular year event.  This year, due to calmer seas and a sunny blue sky, more current and flow could be experienced.

Rhoscolyn the first day and eddy turns, with keeping momentum ... Mandy below, enjoying the moment ...

Cliff moving down through the gentle race ... and after 3 years of not being in a sea kayak!

Denzil ....

Simon working his way towards the eddy, at Rhoscolyn Beacon ...

Then on to caves, gullies and arches ...

After a reflection on the day and a ponder of Sundays forecast.  Puffin Island seemed like a super location.  NW wind Bf 3/4 and the current flooding for best part of the day - wind with tide ... seals and lots of birds zooming about ...

A big flock of Oyster Catchers, were just stunning to watch.  With there red beaks bobbing up and down ...

It had been a super weekend and there's even talk of a weeks sea kayaking in Scotland for next year ... Happy days .. ;)

Currently I have a few mid week days which are available for Bespoke sea kayak coaching in June.  Contact me for more information or to find a suitable day.

Thanks,
Roger

www.coastalspirit.com
info@coastalspirit.com

1st June, Day 21 Ireland Circumnavigation and Happy Birthday to me!

It was a struggle getting out of my sleeping bag this morning and there was a cold wind funnelling up our valley. The entrance to our cove had surf blocking the exit and the wind was stronger than yesterday. 2-3 metres of swell rolled through as we passed another arch or cave from a distance. We landed on Mutton Island for a break unsure if we would get another. We noticed two people on the beach and then a kayak. It was Jane and Andy Morton who are paddling around the UK. They are camping on the island and invited us over for a brew. After lunch and a good lemon cake from Justine and Barry we talked through our options. With it also being a Bank Holiday places were likely to be busy plus the cliffs of Moher could be very exciting! We stayed!

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 11/12 Around Ireland Cicumnavigation

Barry managed to get a bowl of porridge down but still felt sick. The West Cork Hotel would give us a significantly reduced cost second night so we chose to stay! Following morning we all met at breakfast and had delicious eggy bread with Maple syrup, bananas and roasted almonds. Barry was also looking much better! Jim picked us up and dropped us back at our boats and soon we were off again with Barry leading and setting a fair old pace!! The flood tide had begun and could be felt at the headland off of Toe Head, the wind was blowing offshore with a few strong gusts. At 1pm we took a lunch break and shortly after found a camp spot, super small but grassy and flat. 12nm and 4 hours on the water.

Is it a boat, is it SOT, is it a kayak...? NO its a bath!!!

And a fantastic one too courtesy of the West Cork Hotel

Sonja

www.coastalspirit.com

Around Ireland 2013 Day 1 on the water at last!

After a late night, showers and a good breakfast of porridge, toast and honey and eggs (Thanks Sonja, Ireland!) kit was loaded into the deep blue sea kayaking van and we drove to pick up our kayaks and pack them a short distance away. Packing went smoothly and just at the right time a team of paddlers arrived to help us carry them to the waters edge! It was a super send off and the guys paddled with us for 10km. We crossed to Dalkey Island and crossed the bay into a F4 headwind. A welcome headland provided shelter from the wind and a super lunch stop in a small rocky cove. Thanks to Sonja, Wales! for the surprise yummy smoked cheese! Back on the water and Justine's GPS showed 5knots which was much better than the previous 2.7 knots! We realised at this point that we could make it round the point and our first significant lighthouse, here we reached 6knots!! Now all keen for a camp we landed just before Ardmore Point. With boats to move and arrival at low water Barry was on the case and soon had the kayak trolley set up! 45km or so in the bag today and our position will help us tomorrow morning, which is looking like the wind will be stronger and the weather wet!!!


Sonja WALES
www.coastalspirit.com

Sea, sunshine, sand and cookies - discover sea kayaking

This was our first weekend Taster and Discover Sea kayaking course, and what a super group of people, bring some good weather with them, despite the cold wind!

We headed to Rhosneigr, to make the most of the rocky islands, sandy shore and to avoid the wind... with Murray & George, Laura & James, Becky & Jason, who all had done of a mixture of being in boats in the past.

One at the beach we spent some time going through dry land drills ... from some paddle work, to what happens if you end up in the water (Becky & Jason above) and going through a dry land how to get back in your kayak and then demos on the sand of looking the way you want to go to create a good and effective edge.

We spent a good hour or so, working  with using edge, across the bay, down wind and back round into wind.  And then looked at using edge to keep the kayak moving in the right direction with less paddle work ... and some skeg down breeze work ...  a break out of what was a cold wind and then on to our destination, with the aim of putting the strokes into practice and a new context.

There was enough wind to keep people focused and at the same time provide something to work with and consider ...

The mountains on the Lleyn, looked super, climbing right out of the sea ... this photo just dosent really tell the picture ...

Worth mentioning this was a gift  for Murray from his partner, Christine nice one! and also that it was the first day out for the Mitchell Blades!

After a super hot spot out of the wind and in full sun... it was important to move on .... we explored the various rocky inlets and channels experiencing more of the wind and aiming to reduce the use of the skeg ...

We crossed the bay heading back to the start, and after a few carries boats were back on the trailer and we were driving of to the village of Rhosneigr, to find a suitable spot for a drink and an opportunity to reflect on the day!

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com
intro sea kayaking courses
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north wales sea kayaking