Monday 24 August 2009

A Mixture of Weather 24/08/2009

With the rain from yesterday finally stopping and the wind dropping to a force 5 or 6 I was able to get back on the water although my options were limited due to the wind and big spring tides.

I decided to paddle across Ramsey Sound to the north end of Ramsey Island and hopefully get some shelter from the south westerly wind.

After crossing the Sound I stop for a breather in Ogof Velvet where I am joined by a large bull seal who keeps a watchful eye on me and follows as I paddle around Trwyn Ogof Hen and into the sheltered Bay Ogof Hen.

At the entrance to one of the numerous caves in the bay I get a good soaking from the remnants of yesterday's rainwater draining into the sea through the roof of the cave.

I was hoping to maybe see the friendly seals from Saturday, but the bull seal was still following me around so I paddled back around Trwyn Ogof Hen and into Ramsey Sound.

On the headland there are numerous Gulls and a few Shags also trying to get some shelter from the continuous wind.
I paddle out into the main southerly tide flow and I let it take me southward for a short while before I break out of the main flow and head towards the Bitches.

As I get nearer to the Bitches the sky darkens and it starts to rain very quickly getting heavier and heavier. I feel sorry for Tracy and the boys sat on the beach.

The rain soon eased off as I pass a group of Fulmars also trying to dry out after the sudden squall.

Arriving at the Bitches the tide is flowing pretty fast through the gaps between the jagged rocks and with it being a very low spring tide a lot of the normally submerged kelp is exposed.

Paddling along the line of rocks that jut out at right angles from Ramsey Island into Ramsey Sound I have to be careful not to be dragged down through the Bitches as it will be a long wait for the tide to ease off enough to paddle back through.

As I paddle away from the Bitches I pass a boat which apparantly has been around over the last week and might be doing some survey work on harnessing the power of the tides in Ramsey Sound.

I paddle northwards against the tide but I am aided by a counter eddy back up to Trwyn Ogof Hen.

It is now a long ferry glide back across Ramsey Sound to St John's Point and then back to Porthsele.

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