A Chapel, A Castle and a Holey Rock! 02/08/2008

Paddling out from Stackpole Quay, a small picturesque harbour built by Lord Cawdor in the late 1700s inside an old limestone quarry. The limestone was exported by sailing vessels and coal was imported for the heating of Stackpole Court. The quay is an ideal launching site with car park and tea room close by.

The wind was a bit stronger than I had been hoping for, which raised a few doubts whether my planned trip would be practical. Rounding Stackpole Head I decided to paddle straight across to St Govan's Head.

Approaching Stackpole Head

Paddling on there was a large swell and my doubts were increasing. I decided to at least paddle to St Govan's Chapel before conditions got any worse, as the tide was increasing and with it being against the wind, could create difficult paddling conditions.

The cliffs around St Govan's Chapel

St Govan's Chapel is a tiny cell measuring 18 by 12 feet. Most of it dates from the thirteenth century, but parts of it - the altar and a seat cut in the rock may be much earlier, possibly even as early as the sixth century, when the saint reputedly established a hermitage here after miraculously escaping pursuit by pirates. The rock itself, so the story goes, opened and closed around him, keeping him hidden until his pursuers had gone.

Another story connects Sir Gawain - King Arthur's nephew, with the site. According to local legend, he is buried here, having retired to live out his days as a hermit after Arthur's death. This conflicts with other stories which place Gawain's death before the final battle in which Arthur met his end.

Large swell before St Govan's Head

On reaching St Govan's Chapel it was quite difficult taking photos and it was then I decided to abort my planned trip as further along the coast there are numerous caves and inlets which today would be inaccessible due to the wind and swell, still it will keep for another day.

Rounding St Govan's Head the sea was a lot calmer so I decided to stay close into the cliffs and explore the impressive coastline.

Calmer water past St Govan's Head

Passing the large expanse of sand at Broad Haven South and out to the aptly named Church Rock I then paddled back in passing numerous small bays nearly all being only accessible from the sea.

Broad Haven South

Church Rock

By now I was starting to feel a little peckish so finding a large beach just before Stackpole Head which appears to be unnamed, I landed on an almost lunar landscape with a large cave with 2 entrances and a collapsed section of the roof.

Again the beach seemed only accessible from the sea. What a rareity having such a large beach all to myself on a sunny August Saturday.

Leaving my private beach it was on to Stackpole Head with its 2 massive arches going through the headland. Today the tide was too low to pass through them.

With the tide being so low I decided it would not be worth going to Barafundle Bay as it is better to explore the caves when the tide is further in so I opted to paddle straight across to Manorbier. This was an easy paddle with the wind behind me.

Manorbier Castle was originally built as a wooden hall with earthwork defences at the end of the 11th centruy by the Normans. Work began on the stone castle in the first half of the 12th century by William de Barri, father of Gerald of Wales, who was born here in 1146. Parts of the original castle are still standing today.

It was now a long hard drag back to Barafundle with the wind against me all the way passing Swanlake Bay, the large sandy beach at Freshwater East and even at Trewent Point there was no shelter from the wind. It was not until Greenala Point where I finally managed to get some respite from the relentless wind.

At Greenala Point there are the remains of an iron age fort which made use of the natural contours of the land to make it an impregnable fortress. Here the cliffs are the same old red sandstone as Skokholm Island, it is not until I reach Stackpole that the limestone cliffs return.

Passing Stackpole Quay it is just a short paddle to Barafundle bay which in 2006 was named the Uk's top picnic spot and in 2004 was named as the best beach in Britain.

It's rock formations are really amazing with plenty of caves to explore.

It is then back to Stackpole Quay dodging the numerous fishermen who, if I didn't know better, were deliberately trying to hit me when they cast out!

This was not my intended paddle but still plenty of fantastic coastine to explore covering a distance of nearly 15 nautical miles (17m or nearly 28km).

7 Metre Tide 01/08/2008

Arriving at a much busier Pencarnan than when I left less than a fortnight ago, my paddling options were limited. It was quite windy and with there being 7 metre spring tides, Ramsey Sound would be flowing at a fair old speed.

Headland of Penrhyn Dalar

Looking out into Ramsey Sound

I paddled out from Porthsele and round to St John's Point and then to the next point along Penrhyn Dalar. Here the north flowing ebb tide runs very close to the cliffs with a bit of slack water in the small cove between the two headlands.

St John's Point

Penrhyn Dalar

Sheltering in the slack water by Penrhyn Dalar I paddled straight out into the main tide flow and let it take me out to Carreg Gafeilliog where large overfalls, as usual, were forming.

Approaching the overfalls at Carreg Gafeilliog

I could then break out of the tide flow and into the slack water at the NE side of Carreg Gafeilliog. With a paddle back to Penrhyn Dalar I could do a circuit which I did several times.

In the overfalls at Carreg Gafeilliog

Also from Carreg Gafeilliog I could paddle southwards against the flow and using the standing waves could surf them, actually making progress against the fast flowing tide.

Heading southwards against the tide

This was only a short paddle but really good practice of paddling in fast flowing tide streams and the rough water of overfalls, great fun.

Skomer & Skokholm - With Company! 26/07/2008

This was a last minute, totally unplanned trip back down West. Following a few emails back and forth I found myself paddling out from Martin's Haven at 8 o'clock on a glorious Saturday morning with Eurion and co., the first time I have paddled with company for many years!

There was little or no tide flow as we paddled across the north end of Jack Sound. Whilst the other five made a bee line for the Garland Stone on the Northern tip of Skomer, Eurion and I paddled across to the Neck where large numbers of Puffins were floating on the flat calm water.

Paddling between Rye Rocks and the mainland of the island there were a few seals basking out on the rocks.

It was then catch up time as while we had been sightseeing the others had passed the Garland Stone and were now paddling along the Western side of Skomer.

We caught them up by the Pig Stone and we all made our way into The Basin and then into the Wick, where there are still large numbers of birds nesting on the steep North facing cliffs and numerous jellyfish in the water.

After a brief rest here it was onto the Island of Skokholm across a very calm Broad Sound. Skokholm is totally different to Skomer with dark red sandstone cliffs and dark green vegetation.

Skokholm Lighthouse is situated on the SW corner of the island, it was built in 1916 and forms the landward corner of a triangle of lights, the others being South Bishop and the Smalls, guiding ships clear of this treacherous piece of coastline en route to Milford Haven and the Bristol Channel.

We stopped for a lunch break at the small jetty in Hog Bay. Before the lighthouse was built this jetty had to be constructed in order that building materials could be landed safely; after the station had been completed, this jetty was used for landing stores and supplies, these being carried the mile to the lighthouse on two small trucks running on a narrow gauge railway.

The trucks were originally pulled by a donkey which somehow always seemed to know when a relief day was due because he would deliberately hide often standing motionless under an overhanging rock. The colour of the rock blended perfectly with the donkey's grey coat, and he would just stand there while the keepers walked for miles seeking him. On any other day the donkey would come at a call.

The pony which replaced him apparently soon learnt the tricks because he did his best to cause upsets every time he was called upon to pull the trucks, scattering coal and stores all over the place. A tractor was subsequently used for haulage, when relief was by boat from Holyhead, but nowadays a helicopter is used.

It was then across Broad Sound and back to Skomer. This was a very quick crossing as the North flowing ebb tide was starting to pick up its speed. By now Jack Sound was at full flow but with no wind was just right to have a bit of a play.

Eurion joined me and together, keeping close to Midlands Isle we paddled against the tide flow and explored a few caves.

With the best one going right through the Neck with 2 other caves coming off it at right angles to the main cave. It was in one of these caves that I came across a seal sleeping in the dark. I don't know who was started the most, me or the unsuspecting seal!

Passing through the cave we were now back on the North side of Skomer. It was now back across the rough water at the North end of Jack Sound and back to Martin's Haven.

A very enjoyable impromptu paddle covering a distance of just over 13 nautical miles (approx. 15.5m or 24.5km) with a top speed of 7.5 knots.

It made a change to have someone else to talk to other than myself, thanks to Eurion and co. for the invite.

Ramsey Island - A Bit of Rough 19/07/2008

With the wind still quite strong and there being spring tides I decided to finish my week down West the way I started, with a trip around Ramsey Island, but in the opposite direction.



I left Porthsele just as the north flowing flood tide was starting to flow. I paddled straight through the sound to Pen Dal-aderyn and then across to the island with very little resistance from the tide. It was sheltered from the wind as I paddled southwards towards the Devil's Hole.




As soon as I rounded the southern end of Ynys Cantwr the wind hit me and the sea conditions changed drastically. As is often the case here there were large standing waves through the Devil's Hole but with the tide with me it was just a matter of pointing the kayak and enjoying the ride.


There were similar conditions all the way to Abermawr but with the tide aiding me it was a fast, wet and enjoyable paddling.

A Fulmar also enjoying the sheltered water

I had a brief rest stop in the sheltered water of the bay then it was onto the next rough water of Trwyn-drain-du where the tide flow runs close into the cliffs at this point and again creates overfalls.


On reaching Bay Ogof Hen at the northern end of Ramsey it was decision time, whether to return back to Porthsele or try yet again to get some decent pictures of the Manx Shearwaters. I decided on the latter but it was still too early so decided to paddle down to the Bitches which should be flowing quite fast now.

There was a bit of adverse tide at Trwyn Ogof Hen but a quick sprint and I was into the south flowing counter eddy that took me nicely down to the Bitches.



After a good half an hour playing on the wave and in the surrounding water it was back off northwards through the sound in search of the Manx Shearwater yet again.

I paddled out past the northern tip of the island and out into the main tide stream. Unlike yesterday the main mass of Shearwaters were a lot further out and with the tide flowing very fast and getting rougher the further out I went I decided not to risk going out any further and made do with photos of the odd few birds that were closer towards land, maybe another day, but soon they will be heading off to South America for the winter so it will be probably next year.

Still it was a good way to end my week with differing sea conditions covering a distance of 11 nautical miles (12.75 miles or 20.5 km) attaining a maximum speed of 10 knots.

In Search of the Manx Shearwater and A Sunset 18/07/2008

Today the wife and boys returned as the boys have now finished for their 6 week break. Nothing major was planned so I decided to leave it till early evening to paddle out into the tide stream on the other side of Ramsey Island and St David's Head to try and film the elusive Manx Shearwater.

The only thing I had overlooked was that to get out there I would have to cross Ramsey Sound with the tide against me at it's strongest, still it would be good exercise and practice.

I paddled out of Porthsele and everything went ok until I reached the point of Penrhyn Dalar. The tide flow runs right close up to the rock so it was a bit of a sprint to get round the point against the tide, but I could use the waves which build up here to aid me.

I carried on staying close to the cliff until I reached St Justinian and then paddled out into the Sound. I made good progress for a while with North Bishop starting to disappear behind Ramsey Island but soon as I got further out the tide flow against me increased, North Bishop began to reappear and soon Carreg Rhoson appeared!


Although I was going backwards, I was also going sidewards towards Ramsey Island, and I knew that near the Island there is a south flowing counter eddy which would start to take me back the other way, but it wasn't coming soon enough, my arms were starting to feel as if they were going to explode, and all this to try and take some photos of some birds and the feathered variety as well.

As last I hit the south flowing tide stream and started moving forward again and before I knew it I was in the sheltered waters of Bay Ogof Hen at the north end of Ramsey Island and had a well deserved break.

Paddling past Trwyn-Sion-Owen and out into the northerly flowing stream towards St David's Head I caught my first glimpses of the Manx Shearwaters heading southward towards their burrows on Skomer and Skokholm where they make up about a third of the world's population.

I now let the tide take me past Gwahan with the numbers ever increasing.

It was an amazing experience with the Shearwater's gliding just above the waves coming from all angles at great speed, sometimes only just missing the front of the kayak.

The only problem was that there was a large swell and also the speed of the birds made photo taking almost impossible, all that effort for pictures that don't really do justice to the spectacle.

With the tide taking me very quickly I decided to start paddling back in towards the mainland, stopping just behind Carreg Gafeilliog to take some photos of the sunset.





Not a very long paddle but quite strenuous with the unforgettable experience of the daily migration of the Manx Shearwater.