South West Sea Kayaking Meet 2011 - Day 1 09-07-2011

Arriving yesterday afternoon at the 4th South West Sea Kayaking Meet organised by Mark Rainsley our hopes of a paddle were curtailed by gale force winds.

This year's event was in the new location of Corfe Castle in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset so we decided to check out some of the village's drinking establishments. Eurion and myself doubled the clientelle of the Fox before settling in the Greyhound.

With everyone gathering for the morning's briefing and with reasonably high winds forecast a convoy of vehicles loaded with sea kayaks descended on Studland Bay.

Splitting into groups we set off in various directions across a surprisingly breezy Studland Bay to  Handfast Point and Old Harry Rocks.

The tide was too low to paddle through the numerous holes in the chalk stacks so everyone had to paddle around Old Harry Rocks.

Rounding Old Harry the white chalk cliffs grow in size with caves and more stacks to paddle past   en route.

Paddling toward Ballard Point the wind seems to have picked up and the general consensus of the group was to turn round and look for somewhere to have our lunch where we nearly lose our kayaks due to the wake of a passing Fast Cat ferry.

Reaching the Old Harry Rocks the tide is high enough to paddle through some of the gaps into more sheltered water.

On the paddle back across Studland Bay Eurion does an impression of an Eskimo with a borrowed Greenland Stick.

 

Arriving back at Studland Bay Eurion, Heather, Jim and myself leave the rest of the group and paddle into the entrance of a rather windy Poole Harbour.

We turn round when we reach the chain ferry to complete our first days paddle. We are soon back at South Studland Bay for a bbq before returning to the Greyhound to once again enjoy a few beers and plan tomorrow's paddling.

Some Of The Caves Of Ramsey Island 03-06-2011

As has been the case all week the forecast once again wasn't too promising, so with no plan as such I paddled out from Porthsele out toward St David's Head and see what occurs.

I was in two minds whether to paddle around Ramsey but was a bit concerned about wind against tide in Ramsey Sound on my paddle back so I aired on the side of caution and paddled into Bay Ogof Hen at the North of Ramsey and explore some of the caves.

The cave above must be one of the longest on Ramsey and runs right through the headland of Trwyn-Sion-Owen.

I couldn't get right through the cave so I started to paddle round the headland to the other entrance bumping into Tim and Arnold of Venture Jet. Tim always seems to take great pleasure in tearing up to me pretending he hasn't seen me and then doing an emergency stop soaking everyone on the boat.

After having a quick chat with the two of them I paddle to the other entrance of the cave, I think it would be a bit of a struggle to paddle through it.

I decided to paddle around the next headland of Trwyn-drain-du where there are a few more caves to explore, a large Bull seal decides to tag along with me

I paddle into Ogof Organ which is full of foam caused from the occasional sets of largish waves that are funnelled into the cave.

Leaving Ogof Organ I am rejoined by the Bull seal, I am obviously encroaching on his manor.

The next cave I paddle into is Ogof Tywod which has a large main entrance and a smaller one off to the side.

I paddle back along the North of Ramsey and then Southward along the Eastern side of the Island where I come across a small cave I have not noticed before.

Close by the cave there is a small channel which comes to a dead end with a small arch in the middle which again I have not noticed before.

Paddling South the tide looks just right to paddle through the cave that pierces the headland between Rhod Uchaf and Rhod Isaf.

It is an easy paddle through the cave and I am soon at the Bitches which are starting to build up speed.

I have a bit of a play in the white water before starting my paddle Northward back up through Ramsey Sound.

Just like in Ogof Organ there are large patches of foam as I speed along effortlessly aided by the flooding tide.

Again not a paddle of much distance but I found a new cave and small arch, Ramsey Island always seems to throw something up, I guess that is why I enjoy paddling here so much.