Crazy offshore wind!
As it was Cerys' birthday today, we spent the morning together, and then I arranged to meet the family at Solva harbour for a birthday tea in the pub.
Connor got Cerys a new doll's pram for her birthday.
She had some Lego, which Connor built into the tallest tower!
Then mum went running.
With the wind blowing constantly onto the beach at Porthsele, I left at low tide.
After passing Point St johns, I made my way towards the lifeboat station at St Justinians, the wind was not so bad here as it seemed to be coming North Easterly.
In one of the inlets this massive rockfall has happened since I last paddled past in the summer last year.
Just at the side of the Lifeboat station, this little inlet was flat calm, a great place for a coffee.
Paddling on down past the boat moorings, and down to the bottom of the sound, the wind was really pushing me along, I knew now there was no going back. This was really hammered home when sitting in the last back eddy at Pen Dal-aderyn, I watched the ebbing tide flowing past at an alarming rate.
It made me a little aprehensive, I didn't fancy another swim after Sunday's fun & and games.
I passed through with the flow easily, and then around the corner it just seemed like a different world. The far cave is usually just next to the water line, but as its spring tides there is not much water today.
Looking out towards Ramsey I can see and hear the sound of pleasure trips taking out more fun seekers.
At Porthtaflod, I look back at the Souther end of Ramsey Island Ynys Eilun is the last rock in the picture centre, and deceptively the water looks like you could just paddle straight across!
As I make my way into Porthlysgi, the wind hits me hard, it is coming straight off the land and blowing me out toward sea. I have to paddle in toward the beach and then back out to get around Carreg Esgob, and then try to pass through Carreg Fran to avoid the wind.
Looking back at Carreg Esgob, Thousand Islands??
It looks as though I won't get through Carreg Fran, but I persisted, it payed off!
I managed to find this little passage with enough water to float through. I had to reverse though!
Paddling past the entrance to Porth Clais, the wind was again driving me away from land.
This little beach is just East of the harbour entrance and was all mine for a coffee and a stretch.
St Non's bay, Don't think I've seen these rocks so exposed before.
This Arch looked like it went through, it didn't at this tide state.
I paddled in backwards and found that maybe in 1 hour I'd get through if I ducked!
Round the other end
Looking back where I'd come from it looks a lot further then I felt I'd paddled, then wind still kept on at me though.
At high tide I imagine this spikey rock looks to be nothing, here it looks amazing!
The rock 'stack' can be seen from afar, I want to go back and find this at high tide and get some pictures to compare.
When I rounded the corner and spotted this, it made say out loud Wow!
I just had to go through.
Inside was massive and well lit, I took a video through, and this is a capture.
At the exit, the wind was howling down the inlet from my left. It was so powerfull I only just managed to turn around without being blown into the rocks.
Passing towards Porth Rhaw, I passed the wrecked tugs, and this time I found the engine of the one I'd missed last time.
It is a little un-nerving passing amongst these wrecks at low tide. I was worried I might pass over some jagged peice stuck up from the bottom.
From here I was going to go out around Green Scar before paddling up into Solva harbour, but with the pesky wind still hindering my day I figured I'd save that one for later.
A welcome sight, a pint of cider was waiting for me up there somewhere.
But first I had to get there, the wind was blowing me back out of the harbour.
I waited for ten mins. and whilst I sat I could see the water rising over the river bed around me.
I paddled up the last bit of the river, and made it to within 10m or so of the slipway.
With the kayak on the car roof, it was time for a well earned meal and a pint.
The birthday girl and Mum waiting for their food.
Cerys amazed at the longest candles in the world! Connor helped her blow them out.
Well that was a cracking trip, hampered at times by the wind, but I'm glad I did it. When I was leaving Porthsele beach I had considered not going. Its unusual for me to think like this, but I think I was still suffering the effects of having fallen in on Sunday.
3 comments:
That looked like a really nice trip, I might try that route next time I head out that way. We had a NE wind as well and it really blows across the bay by Carreg yr Esgob doesn't it. The caves look great, especially that one within the video capture.
Just looking back at your old posts and I noticed you used to have an Easky as well. You said you changed it because of the handling in a tide race.
I was thinking back as to why I went for a swim in the Bitches last week and woundered if I could have handled it better in a better boat. I had a go in a Nordkapp a couple of weeks ago and it edged like a dream. One day!
Well there's a thing!
What I actually found was that my Easky, whilst it was a good stable platform seemed to dive off in an unpredictable direction when it was effected by any sort of flow in the water.
I realised that it had too much volume for my weight, (it wasn't an LV like yours) I tested the theory by cramming a load of extra gear in one day, and it was better.
Like you though I tested a Valley (aquanuat LV) and yes - it edged brilliantly, I think they edge better as they have a bit more 'rocker' on them. The Easkys are fairly flat bottomed in comparison.
I managed to buy the demo boat from Desperate Measures(Nottingham) so saved a bit, but was well used.
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