Porthgain And The Blue Lagoon 24-04-2011

With yesterday's paddle cancelled due to the wind increasing, a crabbing excursion to Solva and a visit from Eurion and the youngest 2 of his clan, I was back on the water paddling NE along the North Pembrokeshire coast.

As is often the case paddling around St David's Head was a little lumpy but on reaching the headland at Penllechwen conditions calmed.

The coastline is very rugged with high cliffs and few places to land with the 500' summit of Penberry still visible from sea level.

At Porth Tre-wen the geology changes from the hard igneous rock to the softer black slate and shale.

There are numerous channels and caves created from erosion by the sea and in places slate quarrying.

In 15 or so minutes I am paddling into Abereiddy and toward the entrance of the Blue Lagoon, an old slate quarry that is now flooded.

I paddle past the remains of part of the wall that used to keep the sea out of the quarry and into the calm bluey green water of the Blue Lagoon.

Paddling out of the Blue Lagoon and round the headland of Trwyncastell I encounter the first adverse tide of my paddle which slows my progress to the small harbour of Porthgain.

Porthgain was once a busy harbour from th 1830's till the 1930's exporting stone, slates and bricks but now it is home to a few small fishing boats.

On my return paddle I head out away from the cliffs to make the most of the increasing ebbing tide passing quite close to Monkey Rocks which are about half a mile out from the mainland causing a hazard to passing boats.

I make very good progress back aided by the tide and I am soon back at St David's Head with Ramsey Island coming into view.

Rounding St David's Head it is only a short paddle to Porthsele completing a round trip of 15 nautical miles.