A Bit of Everything 03/04/2010

Today brought more sunshine, but also a stronger wind, so with the high tide in the morning it was ideal to take Bobby to Solva for a paddle.

We were there just in time for Bobby to have a play on the River Solva before the tide started to go out.

Solva, as is often the case, was sheltered from the wind and with most of the boats still out of the water there was plenty of room for Bobby to paddle around.

After well over an enjoyable hour's paddling we returned back to the now jammed car park before the tide went out too far and with Bobby suitably tired out, well for an hour or two anyway!

Paddling out of Porthsele later, there were a few reasonable sized waves rolling in, which were good fun and a chance to check my roll was still ok!

I wouldn't be going too far today again and like yesterday I paddled over to Carreg Gafeilliog and paddled through the narrow channels between the rocks.
There was a much larger swell today with waves breaking over the rocks so I had to keep my wits about me.Ramsey Sound seemed to be sheltered from the wind so I decided to take advantage of the ebbing tide and paddle down to the Bitches.

Reaching the Bitches the tide was still flowing pretty fast but at least it was sheltered from the wind allowing a Cormorant to dry out it's feathers.

I found a good stretch of water between two of the Bitches to have a bit of a play, with the swell making it a bit more interesting.

On my paddle back I used the eddy near the island which is flowing the other way to the main flow up as far as Trwyn Ogof Hen where I then ferry glide back across to the mainland.

Reaching Fisherman's Point the swell is causing the blowhole to work well spraying large amounts of water into the air. Not a bad day again with a bit of everything - a paddle for Bobby, some surf, a bit of rockhopping and tide streams.

British Summertime !!!! 02/04/2010

Ever since British Summertime officially started last Sunday the weather has gone downhill and today was no exception.

Paddling out of Porthsele and towards Whitesand's Bay I was luckily just on the edge of one of the frequent heavy showers so I didn't get too much of a soaking.
Reaching St David's Head the sea was pretty confused with the strong wind against the big Spring tide whipping up some interesting conditions.

I tried paddling Northward for a bit but I was making very slow progress against the tide even with the wind behind me, so turning round I let the tide do the work and take me Southward towards Ramsey Island.

Even with the wind against me I was averaging between 5.5 knots and 6.5 knots with little effort and was pretty surprised to see a couple of Porpoise going in the other direction with ease.

After speeding past Gwahan I stop and look out to sea at North Bishop and back at the St David's Peninsula with a large area of blue sky above which makes a pleasant change.

Reaching the North end of Ramsey I am finally sheltered, slightly, from the cold wind and with the tide still low it gives me a good chance to explore the caves in Bay Ogof Hen.

Entering the largest cave in the bay I have to dodge a deluge of water running off the cliffs above, a sure sign of the quantity of rain we have had over the last few days.

It was reasonably dry inside the cave but on the paddle back out I had to run the gauntlet of the dripping cold water.

On the cliffs above the caves I spot a couple of the first of Ramsey's newborn lambs trying to shelter from the rather inclement weather.

Rounding Trwyn Ogof Hen I was going to paddle down to the Bitches but the sky was darkening again and I felt the first drops of another approaching rainstorm so cutting my losses I started my ferry glide back across Ramsey Sound.

The rain passed over as quick as it came so I took a slight detour over to the rocky outcrop of Carreg Gafeilliog and have a paddle between the numerous jagged rocks.

It is only a short paddle back into Porthsele completing a circuit of just over 6 nautical miles (11.5kms), not too bad considering the changeable conditions and the big tides. I wonder what the rest of the Easter weekend has in store.