The winds here!

Monday 25th October 2010

A bit of a battle & then a free ride!

Having been into town this morning, we arrived back at Porthsele to find the wind had picked up somewhat.
I quickly got my gear on and headed for the deserted beach.

Connor was gagging to go out in his boat, looking out at the sea it looked as though he could have.

Launching from the beach, I didn't really know where to go, but figured that as there was less than 1 hour until low water I could go around St Johns point into Ramsey Sound and see if I could get down to Porthlysgi.

Hardly any swell, and just little ripples on the surface, the forecast for later this week is not looking very favourable.

Approaching Carreg Gareiliog, with the sun in my eyes, I pick out Richard heading toward me.

We stopped for a quick chat, Richard had had similar thoughts on where to head today, but had only got as far as the Bitches, the wind in the sound was a relentless South Westerly.  

We went our seperate ways, and I soon discovered what Richard had ment! Heading toward St Johns Point the wind hit me head on.

After a bit of a slog down to St Justinians Harbour I decided to stop and have a coffee and a bite to eat, the wind was howling in toward the slipway though, and it just blew me towards the shore

Whilst two boat loads of passengers from a day on Ramsey Island disembarked, found the only shelter under the Lifeboat slip.

I headed South a little farther and passed in and out of the rocks that offered a little shelter from the wind.

Looking out toward Ramsey, the sun and wind in my face, I knew I would be in a constant battle if I tried to go any further, so I decided to head back.

The Gower Ranger made two trips to Ramsey whilst I was at St Justinians.

Looking North where I'll be heading in a moment, it looks perfect, but head out a little into the sound and the wind just carried me North against the still South flowing Ebb tide.

I wizzing along toward St Johns point, I didn't have to paddle at all to maintain forward motion.

The water around Carreg Garfeiliog looked flat calm, not like yesterday.

The wind carried me most of the way to Porthsele, just needed to paddle the last little bit. I had a quick look in a cave I've not been in for a while, and then headed back.

A short paddle in the beginings of what turned out to be very strong winds for the rest of the week, preventing any more sea paddling. Althought there was time for a bit of surfing in the microbat.

Chasing Rainbows

Sunday 24th October

Better get a trip in, the weathers changing

After arriving back down in South West Wales on Saturday, today was looking good for a paddle somewhere. The weather was forecast to change for the week ahead, showers and big winds.
Meeting up with Richard down on the beach, we left to who knows where...

Now heres an angle you don't see very often, later in the week, there would be no sea kayaking, luanching would have been interesting.

Over at Porth Lleuog, the water was flat, the sun was shining and just a slight breeze in the air. 

Paddling a little further on, just in the mouth of Porth Melgan I felt the wind pick up. Looking back, there was obviously a bit of rain in the air, and what a perfect sight, the rainbow seemingly projecting from the top of Carn Llidi

At St Davids Head, the swell was, as usual - fairly big.

Heading out into the Ebb tide, we paddled towards Ramsey island via Gwahan.

I mentioned to Richard that I didn't feel as though I was being carried much by the tide. He though that we were, and as he rightly said, when I got nearer to Gwahan I could tell we were motoring on. 

on the West side of Gwahan the ebb flow carried us quickly toward Ramsey. 

Instead of passing through the Sound, we crossed over to St Justinians.

The rain started here and again the rainbows were spectacular. 

At St Justinians we had a quick bite to eat & a drink, then left and paddled back up toward St Johns point. The tide had changed and the Notherly flood was pretty strong.

 

Passing around St Johns point was fine, the overfalls hadn't really produced much yet, but with a bit of a swell the water was choppy.

Richard was expaining that when the flood tide is running past Carreg-garfeiliog, there

can be exiting play-waves produced on the Western corner. I thought rude not to go and have a look!

Richard disapearing in a trough at the backof one of the standing waves.

My turn to have a play, it felt good to surf down the standing waves, it was possible to sit in the flow and wait for the swell to come and then race down the face.

I had forgotten about this until Richard gave me the pics he had tasken. I remember thinking "that was close" I dont know how I ended up at this angle to the wave-crest, but it looks as though I only just made it.

Richard allowed the tide to carry him through the standing waves, and I passed through, and we met for the short paddle back to Porthsele.

A nice little trip in lively conditions, and mixed weather.

Sun, Wind and 10 knots

Tuesday 10th August 2010

A very high heartrate

As the kayaks were already up by the caravan today, we hitched a lift with Adele to Solva by car. The sun was hot, I knew there was going to be a headwind until we turned up Ramsey Sound later, what I didn't expect was the sun in our eyes all the way West

Leaving Solva, we turned West and immediately had the sun straight in our faces.

With the sun beating down, it was shirts but no cags again today.

I love this bit of rock, it looks as though it melted in the sun and cooled as it touched the water.

The wrecks were almost submerged when we reached them. High water was 2 hours away, and there would only be one slightly higher this week.

Paddling on, the sun started to get lower and gave lovely reflections on the water

We hugged the coast, the water so flat and calm it would be a shame to pass by without taking it all in.

Looking toward Carreg y Barcud, we started to feel the effects of the constant head wind. The sun was also starting to give me a headache as well, even with sun glasses on.

I must say again though, it was producing some good photographic conditions.

Passing around the point and into Caer Bwdy Bay, we really needed a leg stretch, but with no beaches here due to high tide, I suggested we went around the next point into Caerfai Bay. It would be crowded on such a hot day, but we'd get our rest.

Caerfai Bay beach, or lack of it! I wasn't expecting that! No rest, so we sat in the boats instead.

And then on past St Nons and toward Porth Clais.

At Porth Clais the water was high, very high. I 've never seen it like this, it had drawn the crowds that should have been on Cairfai bay beach. They were crab lining, and lining up for a bit of diving.

It was tempting to dive in for a cool down. I didn't as we really needed to press on.

I checked my tide predictions, and found that if we left now we would be heading through the sound at exactly high water, mid-flow and all this the night before HWS.

Bad planning.

 Expecting to get some spray or worse, we put on our cags for this final leg. I didn't speak out at the time, but I was seriously considering turning back to Porth Clais at this time and walking over land for the car.

Passing through Carreg Fran, and into Porthlysgi, the skys had lost the blue, clouds had decended and the whole atmosphere seemed to have changed. I was still worrying over the ride we were going to get around the corner into the Sound.

Passing Carreg Yr Esgob, the arch looked do-able today, but with the wind, it probably would be a bit bumpy around the other side. My mind switched bak to the Soung again.

I have been around the corner a few times at various states of tide and flow, but today was going to be er.....well, interesting to say the least. Dad hadn't been through with much flow. Today there was a swell, wind whipping up crests, tired arms and nervous paddlers.

As we approached the point of no return, we had a safety breifing. I was flapping a bit actually. normally quite relaxed I found myself running through possible scenarios in my head. 'Fasten your neck seals up', 'attach the paddle leash'

What really struck home was the fact that if we both ended up in the water, could we get each other back in, (or one of us at least, in order to tow the otheraway from danger) before we got anywhere near the swirling torrent that was Horse Rock?

I let Dad go first, and sorry, but I had to put the camera away!

This photo was taken at 19:35, we paddled in.

Dad seemed to go straight into the big stuff, the standing waves were massive, and with the swell coming through quite regulary they made a real turbulant ride. The speed was immense, I had said to Dad that we didn't want to be going down the eddy line, rather we should aim at the end Bitch, and go with the flow.

My heart was really beating now.

Wow! We really rattled along, both of us still upright, the surface was flat enough to get

this quick snap of Horse rock to our right. 18:37 hrs

18:38 we were flying, I had to call out to Dad that we needed to head over now to St Johns Point. I remember doing this with Richard once before when the flow was a lot less. He said if you miss the point and stay in the flow, you can be at Carreg Garfeiliog before you know it.

We set off crossing the flow, I think we left it just a tad too late, we really had to paddle to get across. We did it, just arriving at St Johns as the overfalls were flattening off.

The time on this phot was 18:46hrs. I reckon we had travelled down the sound, and around St Johns Point to here in well under 10 mins. I've not been using the Gps recently as it seems to eat up batteries.

My rough calculations have us at over 10 knots, the distance in blue on the map below is 1.65 nautical miles.

A really good paddle, and as it happened the last of the week. I'm glad I didn't get us to turn back at Porth Clais. It was good to go through in these conditions, I will of course try and avoid them in future though. Still one of my favorite paddles, need to avoid the wind next time though.
A cracking time had I Pembrokshire again.