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.