Somewhere Under The Rainbow 24/10/2010

With half term finally arriving and the weather improving since yesterday it was great to get back in the Nordkapp and with Martyn also down for the week, I was to be paddling with company.

We paddled across Whitesands Bay and over towards Porth Melgan with a very dark menacing rain cloud lurking to our right.

Exploring one of the caves before reaching Porth Melgan  we hoped the rain cloud might pass us by.

No such luck as we started to paddle across Porth Melgan the wind increased and the rain started, one plus though was the 1st rainbow of today's paddle.

Paddling out to St Davids Head we then headed Southward towards Ramsey Island before sheltering from the wind at Gwahan where we saw our 2nd rainbow of the day.

After a brief stop we broke back into the Southerly flowing ebb tide and let it take us down to Ramsey Island.

As we begin our paddle the rainbow completes a full semi circle which is something that doesn't happen very often, only thing was it was too big for the viewfinder and it was too windy to mess about with the camera's settings.

There was no pot of gold under this particular rainbow today only Martyn and a Ramsey Island boat trip RIB, so I guess I will have to stick with the job for a little while longer!

After watching the rainbow for a while it was back to the slog of crossing the Sound before we were taken too far South.

Reaching St Justinian it was good to get out of the wind and enjoy a hot drink and some chocolate covered Kendal Mint Cake.

After our rest we started on our paddle back to Porthsele making a small detour out to Carreg Gafeilliog to have a play in the standing waves.

We stayed for a while enjoying the waves with Martyn seeming to be enjoying himself and a good opportunity for some action photos.

A paddle of just over 6 nautical miles (just over 7 miles or 11.5 kms) to start the week though I don't know how much paddling we will do as the forecast isn't looking too good.

In Memory Of The Lifeboat Gem 13/10/2010

Today was the centenary of the wrecking of the St Davids Lifeboat Gem and the loss of 3 of her crew. The Gem had been launched in the early hours of October 13th 1910 following the sighting of distress flares in Ramsey Sound.

The 12 man crew of the Gem took an hour to row the mile across the Sound in a NE gale and very rough seas to the Ketch Democrat. With great effort the 3 man crew of the Democrat were taken on board the Gem.

The crew of the Gem were unable to row against the wind and tide  as a result the lifeboat was subsequently swept onto the Bitches and wrecked. Fifteen men managed to clamber onto the Bitches where they clung on for 12 hours before being rescued by 2 local boats. Sadly 3 of the lifeboat crew Henry Rowlands, James Price and the Coxswain John Stephens were drowned.

There were a number of events to mark the anniversary with both St Davids Lifeboats laying a wreath at the bitches reef, a service was held at St Davids Cathedral and the above plaque being unveiled in the Cross Square.

A very poignant reminder of the tremendous work that the RNLI have done and still do today.

Nordkapp Hard Astern! 04/09/2010

With the wind increasing overnight and the forecast not looking too good I decided to stay close to the mainland cliffs through Ramsey Sound and see how things go.

The coast between Porthsele and St Justinian I usually paddle straight past but today I am exploring every cave and inlet.

There are a few bays with very crumbly cliffs and then areas of harder more statuesque rocks which withstand the constant pounding of waves and the weather.

Knowing very little about geology I have no idea what the different rocks are called but there are a huge variety of colours and shapes in this short stretch of coast.

The tide is just right to take the short cut into St Justinian through the narrow channel between Ynys Dinas and the mainland.

I paddle past the existing St David's Lifeboat Station and into the adjoining cove which is the proposed site of the new boathouse, though I don't know when work is due to commence.

There are the remains of some of the test drilling equipment left from last year and as I paddle out of the cove I sample the view the lifeboat will have when it is launched.

Paddling on I pass more signs of cliff erosion and then paddle over towards the entrance of Ogof Mary.

Just as I am about to paddle into the cave a large bull seal comes steaming out of the cave to greet me and he doesn't look too happy, slamming the Nordkapp into reverse I make a very hasty retreat.

Turning the kayak rapidly I carry on paddling Southward expecting the irate bull seal to be following me but I think he is more concerned with having his wicked way with a female seal who was probably in the cave.

I stop for a rest at the old jetty complete with the now disused winching gear at Carn ar Wig which were used for the boats belonging to the Ramsey Island Farm.

At Pen Dal-adeyrn the Southerly tip of the mainland of Ramsey Sound I pass the remains of a 19th Century copper mine which was closed after a fatal accident in 1883.

Breaking into the tide race I let the tide take me Northwards back into Ramsey Sound while I watch the sun's rays trying to break through the cloud.

As I am swept past the Bitches the sun is still battling to break through the cloud creating quite good photo opportunities.

It is then an easy paddle back to Porthsele passing a bit of turbulence caused by the pinnacle of Horse Rock just below the surface.

Reaching Porthsele I am greeted by Bobby and Harry making the most of the last day of their 3 week Summer break and for me an interesting paddle to end my weeks' break.