Porth Clais 11/04/2009

Using the last of the southerly flowing ebb tide to take me through Ramsey Sound on another glorious April day, I have an effortless paddle and before I know it I am passing out of the Sound and by Shoe Rock which is well out of the water.

It is clear why this causes quite a bit of turbulence when the tide is higher and is also a bit of a hazard to shipping leaving and entering the sound.

A solitary Great Black Backed Gull (I think) stands on guard not bothered at all by my presence.

Paddling eastwards I enter Porthlysgi Bay which is protected from the prevailing SW swells by the rocky outcrop of Carreg yr Esgob.

There is an arch which passes through one of the rocks.

Leaving Porthlysgi Bay I notice Half Tide Rock which is situated about half a mile south of Porth Clais. Again, like Shoe Rock, Half Tide Rock is only visible at low tide and due to its position is another hazard to shipping.

I had intended to paddle into Porth Clais but with it being a Holy weekend I decided to paddle NE to St Non's Bay, named after the mother of St David. He was born here in AD462 during a great storm. The present St Non's Chapel was built in 1934 and is currently surrounded by scaffolding.

I now paddle eastward to Porth Clais, the small sheltered harbour which dates back to possibly Norman times. Entering the harbour it was a bit of a surprise to see 2 JCB's busily shifting sand from the entrance.

Leaving Porth Clais there was still a bit of swell left over from yesterday which was again evident as I rounded Carreg Fran and back into Porthlysgi Bay which takes it name from an Irish raider Lysgi.

Paddling north of Carreg yr Esgob, this time the arch is more visible. I soon pick up the first of the flood tide and let it take me over to the Bitches which are just starting to build up.

I then paddle back into the main tidal flow and let it take me northwards.

A leisurely paddle of just over 11 nautical miles (almost 13 miles or 21km).

A Very Very Good - Good Friday 10/04/2009

With last night's wind and rain finally stopping, I decided to let the last of the south flowing ebb tide take me down through Ramsey Sound and to the south of Ramsey Island, then see how the sea conditions were as to whether I carried on around the island.

Heading through the centre of the sound I make a slight detour to Horse Rock which is just visible. After a quick battle against the tide to take some photos I carry on down to the Bitches.

The Bitches are just coming to the end of their southerly flow and the water is very sedate at the moment, in a couple of hours it will be a totally different story with it being a 7 metre spring tide.

Still paddling southward I reach the arch through Penrhyn Twll, but today I can't pass through as the tide is still too low. Rounding Penrhyn Twll, the so called Batchelor Beach, is crammed with numerous seals hauled out on the steep pebbled beach. It is called this as during the pupping season this beach is frequented by single bull seals.

At Twyll y Dillyn (The Devil's Hole), the gap between Midland Isle and Ynys Cantwr I decided to carry on around the island as although the conditions were a bit lumpy I would have the tide in my favour.

It was a pretty bumpy wet ride up until reaching the shelter of Abermawr with the conditions not really right for any exploring of the numerous caves and inlets but ideal conditions to test out the new Reed Aquatherm Spraydeck which did the job, and I must apologise for the water on the camera but there wasn't much time to stop and wipe it.

Crossing Abermawr the sea roughened up at Trwyn-drain du at the NW corner of Ramsey and it was not until reaching Bay Ogof Hen at the North of Ramsey that the conditions again calmed.

Instead of paddling back across the sound I decided to head southwards again back to the Bitches and see how they were building up.

Reaching them there was a large group of playboaters already on the wave but the swell was causing the wave to rise and fall making it difficult to stay on. After stopping for a while in the calm water behind one of the Bitches I then paddled across and out into the main tidal flow enjoying the express train ride back northwards reaching a top speed of 9.5 knots on the way back to Porthsele.

After my paddle of nearly 11.5 nautical miles (approx. 13 miles or 21km) I had worked up quite an appetite and could have eaten a horse, but after an invite up the farmhouse I guess a pig will do!

Thanks to Adrian and Helen for providing the unfortunate little blighter for the scaffold pole and to Sian and Alan for their hospitality once again.

Freshwater Weekend 29/03/2009

Yesterday at the crack of dawn my son and I left for Nottingham for the Paddlefest. We were a bit disappointed on arrival as we thought it would have been a bit bigger and more similar to the Canoe Expo that we attended last year.

After having a good look around we walked over to the whitewater course where there was plenty to entertain us. We spent a good couple of hours watching all that was going on with Bobby thoroughly enjoying numerous kayak acrobatics and capsizes, and coming away with some very big ideas for an 8 year old!

Today, with Bobby still full of enthusiasm, we ventured on a much more sedate River Taff, under the watchful eyes of my wife, the father in law and my youngest son Harry.

A Leisurely Sunday Morning Paddle 22/03/2009

With it being Mother's Day I didn't want to take the proverbial, so it was a quick paddle before I headed back.
I paddled north westerly until I reached the main tidal flow, although today it was quite sedate. Whilst letting the tide take me in a south west direction it was ideal to take photos. The first is looking back at St David's Head and the second looking down Ramsey Sound and Ramsey Island.

Like Friday evening I paddled with the tide down to Gwahan where the tide is a little stronger causing a bit of rougher water to play about in.

I decided to let the tide take me into Ramsey Sound taking the above photo of the north side of Ramsey Island. Letting the tide do the work I again experiment with different camera angles.

With very little effort I paddle over to the disturbed water around Horse Rock which today is quite placid. The rock is not visible but the brown kelp on the rock is just visible under the surface swirling around in the current.

I then ferry glide across to St Justinian where, just as I am paddling off, a Ramsey Island boat trip returns dropping off some punters with another group waiting on the slipway, summer is definately on the way.

I now follow the coast back around to Porthsele through some small overfalls by Carreg Gafeilliog.

A nice leisurely paddle to end a great weekend of paddling, lets hope this is a sign of things to come.