Porthgain to Strumble Head 14/07/2008

Today was a much different day to yesterday with a sea mist threatening to envelope everything as I drove up to the small harbour of Porthgain.


I paddled out of Porthgain and headed north east. I decided to paddle straight across the bays to get to Strumble head at slack water and leave the exploring until the paddle back.

The coastline to Strumble head is very rugged with high sea cliffs and numerous inlets. Today a lot of the high cliffs were shrouded in the sea mist which the sun was trying to burn off.

Garn Fawr shrouded in mist

The paddle was quite an easy one even heading against the tide which is only relatively strong at the headlands. Strumble Head came into view with its light cutting through the mist.

On approaching, the mist lifted and my timing was perfect as there was no tide flow, it can sometimes get very rough here.

I rounded Ynys Meicel and the tide was just high enough to pass through the gap underneath the access bridge to the lighthouse where numerous jellyfish had gathered in the relatively sheltered water.


On leaving Strumble Head the mist again began to fight back against the sun and looking back the lighthouse disappeared into it.

Rounding the headland of Pen Brush I entered Pwll Deri, a bay in the shadow of Garn Fawr, which rises 700ft (213m) to its summit, but today it is still shrouded in mist along with the cliffs on the south side of Pwll Deri towards Penbwchdy which are over 450ft high, quite impressive when you can see them!

Cliffs at Penbwchdy

Pwll Deri with Garn Fawr still shrouded in mist

Passing through the small overfalls at the headland of Penbwchdy I was starting to feel a bit peckish so I stopped on the small beach of Pwllcrochan, yet another plus of sea kayaking, being able to access these inaccessible places.

On leaving Pwllcrochan I have good view of the headland of Penmorfa and the island of Ynys Denllyn. On my left are the beaches of Aber Bach and Aber Mawr. Of Aber Bach there is a legend that a fisherman caught a mermaid here and took her to his cottage where she escaped and cursed the cottage that no child would be born in the house which was not broken till 1960!

Paddling on further I reached the small harbour of Abercastle.

Passing through the gap between Ynys Deullyn and the mainland I notice an arch going through Pen Castle Coch. After paddling through and looking back there were actually 2 arches going through the headland.

Further along the coast towards Porthgain I came across another long cave through the headland of Trwyn Llwyd. There were rocks in the middle but timing the swell I was able to pass right through the headland only adding a few more scratches to the hull of my Nordkapp LV.



On my outward paddle I noticed another cave going through Ynys-fach but this I could only get half was through as the tide was still not high enough.

Ynys-fach was still joined to the mainland so there was no shortcut.

It was only a short paddle from here back to the harbour of Porthgain. Yet another brilliant paddle covering a distance of 17 nautical miles (approx 19.5 miles or 31.5 km).

After getting changed and strapping the Nordkapp to the roof of the Land Rover it seemed rude to drive past the Sloop Inn, whose roots can be traced back to 1743, without stopping for a cool well deserved Guinness.

South Bishop 13/07/2008

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to me, seeing as today is my 21st birthday, (again), I thought I would treat myself to something, and what better than a trip out to South Bishop lighthouse. I have wanted to do this trip ever since I started sea kayaking. Today the tides were neaps, very little wind, no swell and perfect weather.

Although I had missed the south flowing ebb tide which is the preferred route, I decided to paddle south of Ramsey Island and let the north flowing flood tide take me up to South Bishop.... hopefully.

I left Porthsele and paddled down to the bottom of Ramsey Sound. Whilst having a breather before the assault on South Bishop a sailing boat came the other way.

Peace and Tranquility

Peace and Tranquility....shattered!

Peace and Tranquility resumes

By now the north flowing tide was just starting to flood into Ramsey Sound so I decided once I had broken across the main flow I would head for Ynys Eilun and paddle out past Ynys Bery and Meini Dud, the most southern rock of Ramsey Island.

Looking northwards from Ynys Eilun

I paddle in a south westerly direction heading for Grassholm Island, a tiny speck on the horizon, continually looking backwards using Ynys Eilun as a transit with houses on the mainland to check if the current was taking me. As yet there was no appreciatable current and as I paddle out, the Puffin population increased.

A lone Puffin for company

After paddling for quite a distance parallel to South Bishop, I decided to, hopefully, let the tide take me down to the Island.

This seemed to be working well until about ½ a mile from the light, the tide suddenly picked up and for a horrible moment I thought it would take me past South Bishop, but increasing my paddling speed I was finally there.

I can imagine this could be a very bleak lonely place especially in the winter. I had a well deserved rest and took some photos, hope the camera doesn’t pack up now or no one will believe I made it.

South Bishop Lighthouse is situated on an outcrop of rock in St George's Channel 4¾ miles south west of St David's Head. The lighthouse acts primarily as a waymark for vessels navigating offshore and secondly to assist vessels navigating around the Bishops and Clerks.

An application was first made to Trinity House for a light at South Bishop in 1831 on behalf of shipping trading to Cardigan and again in 1834 on behalf of those using the Bristol and St George's Channels. Eventually a lighthouse designed by James Walker was built and lit in 1839.

St David's Head and Ramsey Island viewed from South Bishop

The lighthouse was converted to electric operation in 1959, and in 1971 a helipad was constructed although care had to be taken since on occasions the pad was wave-swept when the wind whipped up the high tide.

With the tide flow ever increasing it was time for the long paddle against the current back over to Ramsey. I basically pointed the kayak in a south easterly direction almost parallel to Ramsey and paddled (a ferry glide) I made little progress forwards, just sidewards.

I encountered quite a few sections of overfalls on the crossing as the fast flowing water hits shallower rocky ledges causing standing waves which are great fun.

On reaching the island it was a decision whether to turn left or right or should I say port or starboard, I opted for the latter as instead of another ferry glide across Ramsey Sound I would only have a short sprint through the ‘Devils Hole’ and I could then have a leisurely paddle up through the sound using the North flowing flood tide to aid me.

On passing through the Devils Hole I just had enough time to have a last look at South Bishop before the tide took me up to the Bitches where there was time for a little play in the last remnants of the rough water.

Going through the top wave with rocks below

Confused water after the wave

Leisurely paddle through Ramsey Sound

Then it was onto Porthsele and a couple of nicely chilled cans of celebratory Guinness.

This was a great paddle with a great feeling of achievement covering 14 nautical miles (approx. 16 miles) with a top speed of just over 7 knots in a time of 5 hours.

Around the Head 12/07/2008

I hope yesterday was not a one off, as today things were back to normal with winds force 4-5 occasionally 6.

With the tide starting to flow southward I decided to paddle around St David’s Head against the tide and see how things went.

On rounding the Head the sea was very confused with waves bouncing back off the cliffs and hitting the waves coming in.


Progress was very slow and challenging but good practice all the same .

For about a mile from St David’s Head there are numerous small inlets but as can be seen from the photos, not much room to land,

which is a shame as this cave looks worth exploring, though I wouldn’t fancy the climb down!

On reaching the point at Penllechwen the usual overfalls were already building to a fair side, but even though the tide flow was against me, I could surf the standing waves and was soon into the calmer waters of the small beach of Gesail-fawr where I had a well deserved drink and munch of an energy bar!



From here I was able to see right along the North East facing coast of Pembrokeshire with the lighthouse of Strumble Head just visible in the distance.

I decided to head back which should be a lot easier as the tide will be in my favour. The overfalls at Penllechwen were great fun and got quite a soaking.



I made rapid progress back to the head with Ramsey Island coming into view and then disappearing as I dropped into the troughs between the waves.



After rounding the Head it was then a leisurely paddle through the sheltered water back to Porthsele with Pencarnan caravan site above. This was a relatively short paddle of only 5 ½ nautical miles but quite a challenging one and great fun in the rough water.

Pencarnan from the sea

Ramsey Island - The Long Route 11/07/2008

Arrived at Pencarnan late afternoon for, hopefully, 9 or 10 days of some good sea kayaking. I was surprised as there was very little wind, the journey down had been quite blowy.



I unpacked quickly and left Porthsele at about 6.30pm and headed out towards St David’s Head.
Paddling past the head on a course for North Bishop I would let the South flowing ebb tide take me down towards Ramsey Island.

Within a couple of hundred yards, I caught my first glimpse of many Manx Shearwaters returning to Skomer, gliding over the swell.

Even though it was a neap tide the flow was taking me at quite a speed and I soon passed Carreg Trai, all the time in the presence of ever increasing numbers of Manx Shearwater, Gannets and the occasional Puffin. Unfortunately there was quite a swell out there making picture taking not too easy. See my effort of North Bishop.

Missed it this time

There it is!

With the tide aiding my progress I quickly passed Carreg Rhoson and decided to make my way back across to Ramsey Island.

Carreg Rhoson

As I approached the rocks of Llech Uchaf and Llech Isaf I encountered a large area of overfalls or standing waves which was a shame as the air was now a mass of Manx Shearwaters gracefully gliding over the waves, picture taking was a bit too precarious.

No Shearwaters, just Gannets

Nearing Ramsey the bird traffic subsided with just Guillemots and Razorbills. There was a bit of adverse tide flow through the ‘Devil’s Hole’ between Ynys Cantwr and Ynys Bery at the South end of Ramsey, but I could surf the swell through the gap into the unusually glassy waters of Ramsey Sound. It was then a leisurely paddle up to the Bitches with the last of the south flowing ebb tide aiding me.

Looking North from the bottom of the Sound

St David's Head from the Bitches

Last of the wave on the ebb tide at the Bitches

Calm waters through the Sound

The sun was starting to set but unfortunately as I got to Trwyn Ogof Hen it disappeared behind a bank of cloud so no pictures of that either.

When I got to St John’s point I finally got to try my storm cag as the heavens opened. It was excellent as it can be put on straight over my buoyancy aid.

This heavy shower did not put a dampener on a pleasant paddle of just over 3 hours covering a distance of nearly 10 nautical miles, lets hope the rest of the week is as good.