Magic moments ... with stacks of fun

I was due to meet up with a client at the end of the day on Holy Island, to talk through a plan for the next two days.  It was mainly my day off and I was ahead of the game by mid morning and the forecast was just so good.  Enough swell, a very light wind and a neap tide, plus some sunshine....  pretty perfect ...

Catching time for me in July is a rare thing, so 2 hours plus,  at Penrhyn Mawr was magic ... a couple of Gannets cruised on by, checking me out and the big old seal kept an eye on me.  I arrived just before the main push, which allowed me to settle into the lift and fall of the swell, and the speed of the current.  The light was great .... it was fairly regular and then an occasional ofset chunky swell forced its way through ...

I'm a big believer in time for self and keeping a balance, with out and input ... today was all about input and sharpening the saw .. ;)

It was great to be able to respond to the moment.  I got back to Porth Dafach early evening and the guys Im working with were just getting off the water.  Fantastic ...



Roger

north wales sea kayaking
+
rough water paddling

4 star leader training - sea

Point Lynas on the first day after a couple of hours tidal planning and after moments of being on we saw two small pods of Dolphins 200mt out, slowly feeding in the last of the flood tide.  We moved past the point and work on contact tows, single in line, rafted tandem and rafted assisted.  before landing for some lunch.  

As the current had now turned we headed back talking about leadership positioning and a few set tasks in the flow were set.  Nubu, above having ago with a balance exercise, round the world before executing a smooth a re-entry and roll.

Tidal planning home work was given and the Sunday saw us driving to Porth Dafach to paddle the Stacks.  It could have been a good day in the summer ... a little fresher but a magic day.  We worked the central channel with eddy turns, rolling, self rescue and assisted rescues.  Then introduced towing someone out of the flow before assisting as an anchor, in holding an assisted rescue, from travelling further down the flow.

Bryan above paddling down the flow ...

Worked a fair bit about using the body to assist the turn, looking where you want to go, and not just with your head, using your shoulders as well.

Each person was then given a short navigation and leadership leg and some lovely rock hoping/close quartering was had ...

There was a super amount of razor bills and guillemot's, back on the rocks.  5 days previous there had only been a few, now they were rammed!

We ended up in Wen Zawn, a climbers paradise with a 90 mt slab, with classic rock climbs, such as the traverse called Dream of White Horses.  We did some arch and cave exploring and easy gully extraction tasks (paddler stuck at the back and needing to be contact towed or towed out) and then a rocky landing.   We were soon back on the water and  heading up to North Stack, for a couple of eddy turns and then jumping on the ebbing tide, our conveyor belt, to assist us back to our starting point.

Jon above and South Stack lighthouse ...

Monday was due to be a little windier and so Rhoscolyn was our location.  Again a couple of short leadership sections and this time each with a scenario to manage.  One of the main points was the aim of keeping out of the task and using other group members, where possible.

The race at the end was on max flow, with the top being clearly 5 star conditions (2mt steep and explosive).  But further down the race we had solid 4 star conditions,  as seen with Nubu below

Jon on his leadership section and managing the end of a ferry glide (flow from left to right).

Nubu above in the 5 star conditions, enjoying himself and setting up for a successful roll ... very well done!

Bryan in the one above moving out into the flow ...  we then paddled towards Rhoscolyn Head to look for a rocky landing.  Each paddler managed them selves and as seen below, having now left the rocky island and self rescuing ...  The White Eagle was open and the day finished off with some chart work and a journey plan before individual action planning ...

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com
info@coastalspirit.com

More South Stack Magic ...

With the winds dropping off to F2 and from various westerly direction The Stacks was the plan.  From Porth Dafarch to North Stack and back was about 20k, and with the hop of catching South Stack race just right ...

ladder assisted rescues, can work really well in rough water, although it does mean the swimmer needs to know what their doing and not much good if an anchored tow is needed.  But great to have another style of rescue ...  Zoe and Gary above

Tavi on the last of the flood form Pen Rhyn Mawr ...

Gary and some working in the rocky channels ...

Andy and just before Lighthouse Arete and South Stack lighthouse ....

Gary making the most from his hood  ... after some lunch and then on to North Stack.

Zoe showing super fine balance at North Stack, with a few steep and confused waves

Leaving North Stack and looking back ...

Approaching South Stack ... with a F2/3 southerly breeze and some wind against tide ...

Zoe getting power, speed and timing spot on ... with South Stack lighthouse in the background

Tavi descending a wave with Parliament House cave and North stack in view ...

With the wind now blowing more F3 and due to increase it made sense to paddle on towards our start point, another porpoise popped up and we were soon back at the beach having used the ebbing conveyor belt, to assist us.

A super weekends paddling ...

Roger

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

north wales sea kayaking
+
advanced sea kayaking

Sporty and Frisky - Puffin Sound

The Perform winter skills is my advanced sea kayaking course which aims to support paddlers working towards 4 star leader sea, through addressing their personal action plans and placing them in progressively more challenging situations.  Hence group size is only four people.

After coffee and working in pairs the groups discussed the various options for the day.  With the winds F5/6 NW and a gentle start was put forward, beginning on the top end of the Straits, dropping through Puffin Sound and working the swell and current, with the option of a paddle round the island and back to the shelter of the Straits, fitted the bill.

From left to right ... Zoe, Tavi and Andy .. We approached the sound and did a run through towards the light house and then worked our way back, focusing on stern rudders, posture and generating speed ...

In the sound and Andy getting focused ...

Tavi on the way back up ...

Zoe setting up form a run back ...

Andy on the left and Gary up front ... working as buddies and this run involved doing a 360 degree turn and then continuing the run ...

The next four shots were taken one after the other and help to give perspective and the size of the swell which was 2-2.5 metres and very broad ...

 Yep and Barry Shaw said ..."I'm sure they spilt their g&t's" in that lot ...

Zoe and Penmon Point lighthouse ... As the day was now nearing its end, a couple of rolls and rescues in the gentler rough water, were done and some tandem rafted towing and then we headed back to our start point ...

Roger

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

rough water handling
+
sea kayak surfing

South Stack Magic ...

The night before we were at Pizza and a Pint and talking with Barry, about getting out on the water during the week.  Barry had some commitments, and I had my accounts to begin :(  thankfully a day out of the water one!

We headed out from Porth Dafarch, rock hoping and in no rush, as the aim was to allow South Stack to build.  Its so easy with a few of the bays to head across, focused on the destination and missing out some real gems in the back of the bays.  Super channels, small sea stacks, gullies and caves ...

At Parliament House cave, with north Stack on good flow, to have a paddle and a play before stopping for some lunch.  North Stack was a little messy and confused ... or was that me!!

There was two seal pups that eagle eyed Barry spotted so we choose to land on the rocks, to the left and had a top sunny and warm lunch spot ...

As it often is in the Winter the light was amazing and we were both soon heading for South Stack tide race and over falls ...

It was totally magic, no wind, enough swell, steep enough and wave after wave ..it was only my body that said "the pleasure had to come to an end" ...

We headed back on the ebbing conveyor belt, with the prospect of hot chocolates reflecting back on a super magic day ...

Roger

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

rough water handling
+
tide race paddling

What a view ... from the Skerries

With another super forecast, the plan was a paddle out to the Skerries, of the NW tip of Anglesey, which is an advanced journey, due to tides/currents, exposure and commitment.  Both Anita and Nick had done some great planning the night before, so after a coffee, it was clear they both had a plan.  It was Nicks task to get us out there!

We saw Olly and his team on the beach at Church Bay as we arrived and we were soon on the water heading out towards a cardinal mark, which we couldn't see to begin with, so a compass bearing was used and a gentle vector to allow for drift.  We soon spotted it, way off in the distance (2.5nm) and once South and North Stack were in alignment, he took angle towards the Skerries, but with the aim of bringing Langdon Ridge cardinal in alignment with N + S Stack.  As we got closer it was the small roof of the white building below that we needed to keep insight so we could come round to the left of the lighthouse ...

Nick did a super job and Anita, was working very well with a gentle following sea and getting more used to keeping her vision up and taking in the big picture, rather than just her bow!

It was great to be here, and the first time this year (?) and even more so because the terns were in true spirit ... fantastic.  We also passed many rafts of Puffins on the way in ...  

Olly had reserved us a space on the roof top terrace and what a top spot ... even more so as they had a car at Cemais and could give me a lift back to the van!

The terns were fantastic and we could watch a couple of seals lounging in the shallows ...

We set off and crossed a couple of gentle eddy streams, and talked about anticipation, "what would you expect to potentially be happening here?" so that we can be better prepared and then entered the main silky flood.  Did some in line towing and a rafted tow for practise and then each led a spot on leg to a buoy ...

Victoria Bank cardinal mark and then on to Harry Furlongs ... we were soon in the bay, changed and I was on my way back to the van.  BIG thanks for this, Olly.

So with another top forecast, both have the task of looking and planning a trip to Bardsey Island ... Island in the Tides  ... must go goes I have Flood tide to catch!

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com
sea kayak courses
&
sea kayaking north wales