I just thought I'd treat myself!

Saturday 6th March 2010

Anglesey

Having not managed to get out anywhere with the kayak since the promising New Year's Day paddle, I thought I was well due some action.
After loading up the car with the boat and kit, I set the alarm for 330am, must be mad.

When I arrived the tide was at it's lowest and I knew I'd have a long carry at the beggining or the end of the day, I drove the kayak down to the waters edge on the car roof.

The old Rhoscolyn lifeboat station, closed in 1929

I exited the bay-mouth and had a look around the West corner, the overfalls had really got going here on the now flooding tide, I figured I'd better go East today!

My reward for going East was an amazing little jagged coastline of caves, inlets and little beaches.

Looking back where I'd come from, Rhoscolyn Beacon stands out very well.

Looking forward to my ultimate destination, Rhosneigr.

RAF Valley is tucked behind the sand dunes on my left, there's no flying with today being Saturday, but normally they fly BAE Hawk training aircraft, and Rescue 122-123. I thought I saw the SEA KING leave early this morning when I was still driving.

The Lleyn Peninsula rising out of the sea, and going right up toward Snowdonia.

Sorry about the up-nostril shot!

I wonder if there is any beer left in this barrel, its wedged solid at low tide.

I tried to find this inlet on my return journey to sea how it had changed with a high tide.

HAS Hardened Aircraft shelter at Western end of RAF Valley airfield.

Aproaching Rhosniegr I could sea a few people with their kids on the beach, a good sign, I'd be able to haul out and have lunch in the sun

Actually it was freezing, plenty of families kept arriving on the sand and then quickly disapearing as they realised how could it really was!

Eventually I had to leave (I had to get warm) my plan was to go out over these islets, and then go directly West to Rhoscolyn on the last of the flood tide.

Only when I set off, there was no flow left, I had to paddle all the way. It was a gorgeous day, I could have sat basking in the sun forever.

I was correct, the SAR helicopter was out, it landed not far from the HAS.

Finally, the cloud lifted from Snowdonia, and I think i managed to pick out Mount Snowdon amongst this lot

I'd love to have seen this rock fall into this position, I bet it went with a bang.

Arriving back at Borthwen I wished I could stay for another day, I was feeling rather fatigued though, so maybe another day. Some of you may note that my spare paddle is now on the fore-deck. I did this so that if I have to self rescue alone, then I won't snag any of my dry gear on the paddle shaft as I climb in.

I do think however the deck is looking untidy and cluttered!

Spot the sea kayakers! There were at least two or three other groups out today, it is Anglesey after all.

Very happy I made the last minute decision to go, will have to do this more often

8.35 miles. 7.25 Nautical miles

All set for VHF

27th Febuary 2010

No kayaking for a while, and if I'm honest, my back feels rubbish so who knows if I'll get out soon.

Phill Hickson from Sheffield canoe club had kindly organised a VHF radio course run in Sheffield, and just 5 mins from our house!
I arrived to find 2 large and daunting looking full DSC VHF radios on tables at opposite sides of the room.
After everyone had arrived, we ran through some basics, and then set to reading through some printed sheets and conversing with the other team, acting out scenarios on the sets.
The biggest challenge really was being able to speak clearly and consisely, and remebering the order and content of information required to pass on succsesfully.
The one thing I brought from this course was that if you think about what is you are wanting to say, then it makes the actuall conversation much easier. The course tutor recomended that we practice when ever possible, and use the radio as often as practical. Not easy when you live in the centre of the country!
I just have to post off my pass card and a photo to the RYA and I will be fully legal for radio use at sea.
Many Thanks again to Phill for organising us all, and to Bill for providing the course.

Of course I now need to look for a radio set, and get out in the kayak!  OUT!

1st paddle of the year!

Friday 1st January 2010

Weather-wise......A bit of everything!

So after a cold swim, we all went to the farm house and had a nice hot coffee, some made to to the jacuzzi! Very civilised, but not for me and Richard, we planned to get a kayak trip in somewhere.


The weather was glorious, and after a fairly rough couple of days prior, we were glad to have such cracking seas and skies to explore.

How wrong we were to be, it still felt quite good as we pulled on the spray decks and slipped away from the Porthsele beach.

Snow! It just appeared from nowhere.

It seemed to pass quite quickly, you can see it heading for the Porthsele beach.

I have been trying this setting on my camera now for a month or so, and have had some really nice results.

We thought we'd get some shelter in this cave from the now Sleety stuff that was bombarding us,
I needed to look down to protect my face, but it was bouncing up from the deck and going in my eyes, so with head down and eyes shut we paddle on.

I really like this phot, it captures the mood, and takes me right back to the moment, cold wet but fresh and still exciting.

Then the snow came in again, brought a bit of a chilly wind this time to boot.

Looking back and up as we passed Porthmelgan bay, I could see a very white Carn Lliddi

Having now passed around St Davids Head for my 1st time, we were in a mixture of choppiness from the sea, some overfalls as the Ebb tide ran past the submerged headland, and clapotis ( the effect of the waves having bounced back from the rocks hitting the ones still coming in), it was 'lively' but in the Valley Aquanuat I felt totally at ease.

Looking down into Ramsey Sound it could have been a summers day, the Bitches ( jagged rocks) looked very menacing. They were really stuck up out of the water due to the big tides, and this being a Blue Moon. Taken from Wiki:
Recent popular usage defined a blue moon as the second full moon in a calendar month, stemming from an interpretation error made in 1946 that was discovered in 1999. For example, December 31, 2009 was a blue moon according to this usage
Also: A blue moon is the "extra" full moon in years that have thirteen full moons. Most years have twelve full moons which occur approximately monthly, but in addition to those twelve full lunar cycles, each solar calendar year contains an excess of roughly eleven days compared to the lunar year. The extra days accumulate, so every two or three years (7 times in the 19-year metonic cycle), there is an extra full moon. The extra moon is called a "blue moon." Different definitions place the "extra" moon at different times.



We joined what was left of the South flowing ebb tide, and had a fairly easy ride to the North end of the island of Ramsey, we stopped here in the shelter of the bay and had a mince pie and a drink. As usual the sheep were defying death up on the cliff edges licking the salt.
Whilst we sat here Richard noticed the lifeboat out in St Justinians bay across the sound.
We were interested to see what it was up to, having noticed a couple of sit-on-top kayaks earlier in the snow storm, we hoped it wasn't out for them.

When we got over to the boat having passed over or very near to Horse rock, we discovered it to be an RNLI Relief boat the 'Lord Saltoun' a 47 foot Tyne class all weather boat.
I have absolutely no clues as to why it is there! Maybe Richard has been more succsesfull!
Note the wonderfull blue skies as we look over the Lifeboat.

5 mins later we started off the short 20min or so paddle around to the Porthsele beach, suddenly there was a massive rumbling of thunder out at sea, in the distance looking over in the direction of Southern Ireland.

A very sudden change in the weather and the sea happened now, firstly it went a fair bit darker, then wind, gusting at first then becoming relentless.

Wavelets appeared on the sea's surface, and then hail.

I hadn't replaced my paddle leash since it had fallen apart in my hand at home. I now seemed to be gripping the paddle shaft, and having to really battle the wind to keep moving forward. I did consider if it would be more sensible to go back to the Lifeboat station, and walk to the campsite for the car.

Rounding the last corner into Porthsele, the weather changed again, now the hail turned back into snow, the wind stayed, and I wonder if landing on the beach would be difficult.


After a safe landing it really snowed now, just to make sure we were definately wet. We hauled everything up to the field and I loaded up for the 300 mile journey home.

Whilst it looks very nice I'm hoping the snow won't be here next time I visit.
I had a long hot shower, and cooked a hot meal on the Trangia stove, and set off home.
I only just made it up past the cathederal of St Davids, and in the Square decided that due to the desperately icy roads, I'd be better off on the motorway.
The roads were completly snow bound all the way to Newport, and I was desperately fighting sleepiness from then on. I did manae to be in the house by 0100am so not too bad.
A cracking 36hours really, well worth the journey and the cold.

New Years Day SWIM in the SEA!!!

Friday 1st January 2010

If only I'd slept in a bit longer

After the quite surprisingly comfortable night in the car, I found the only bit of me to be cold was.... the end of my nose! That would soon change though.

I climbed out of the sleeping bags, and opened a door, it was cold out.
When I was younger, I learned a valuable lesson from my freind and neighbour Steve. The lesson began with me organising a 'survival course' were we were to take, very minimal kit and go out in to the Peak District, build a shelter or go to a cave, and spend the night there. I took a survival bag to sleep in, (Steve took a sleeping bag, and mat). I took a box of matches, a tin of beans with no can opener. (Steve took sandwiches, biscuits and a personal stereo).
I had a sleepless and shivery night, listening to the tinnie music drifting from Steve's stereo, Steve had a warm cushioned night munching on his packed lunch.
It was the morning though that I learned my lesson, I was cold and with no enthusiasm for movement, getting colder.
So, I set a fire! Yes, I gathered the pine needles from as far as I could reach around me, piled them up and lit them with a match. Whoosh! They gave tremeandous heat, for a second or so, so I repeated the process, soon I ran out of needles, and I sat shivering and wet in the plastic bag.
Steve came into his own at this point, he jumped out of his cosy bag, ran around the near area gathering fallen branches, and he set a fire right in front of me, the heat was amazing, and so was Steve.
So, what did I learn? Lots of things really, for one, always be prepared, take food, clothing even entertainment! But most of all, I learned to get up and get moving, on the odd occasion I've found myself in Steve's situation I've run around and set the fire. I'd like to think that was the last time I'll reach that sort of low-down feeling, but if I ever end up there again...........


Anyway, back at the campsite, I busied myself with making coffee and boiled up some milk for porridge, phoned home to wish everyone 'Happy New Year'.
I soon realised though, that there was alot of movement toward the beach for the traditional New Years 'swim' in the sea.
I wished I was in bed, I wasn't and looking at my watch found I only had 5 mins to make a decision, swim or......... or what? Make an excuse, get back in the car and pretend to be asleep, or suffer eternal abuse and finger pointing from 'wimping' out.
I quickly chaged into shorts, legged it to the beach to find a large crowd of fancy-dressed people.



Some real good costumes, big effort to all.

Its a distant photo I know, but were all in I assure you, it was cold, I only dived through a wave but it was enough to knock the wind out of me!
Here's to next year, I'll be there, and I'll make an effort to get dressed up.

New Years Eve Drive!

Thursday 31st December 2009

300 miles and a big fire!

With my wife Adele having tonsillitis since Christmas day, and Connor not being well either, I faced the prospect of everyone being in bed by 930pm on New Years, so I made a hasty trip down to St Davids to join the New Year celebrations on the beach. I of course took the sea kayak with me and hoped the Metcheck weather forecasts were going to be accurate.

The drive down was boring, alone, and as I decided to take the motorway route to avoid any lingering snow and ice across Mid-wales.



I arrived in St davids to see their Christmas lights down the main Street

Arriving at the campsite 11:27pm meant a quick dash to the beach having got a few layers of fleece and some extra trousers on.


The very hot fire was masive, as was the welcome by the guys who were either in their caravans or camping etc. I managed to drink both the beers I had taken down, well before midnight so ended up filling up the bottles with bubbly!

The kids ( some old some young) had sparklers and made for a good photo, the fireworks display was one of the best I've seen for a while - well done guys!



Eventually I had to retreat to the car for some sleep. I had put one sleeping bag inside another and layed out the camping mat diagonally across the estate boot. I climbed in, hat on fleece trousers, fleece boots and zipped up. I think I might have awoken once or twice during the night, but I didn't truly wake up until about 0930am!

A cracking night, brilliant party, great people and all in the best place in the world.

A cold slippery ride

Sunday 27th December

Slippy broken road

I havn't been biking myself since September, the old back being my main reason, but I've also felt a bit off it anyway.

I was asked if I was coming and I thought 'last ride of 2009, better get out'.
I soon wished I hadn't bothered though, when on the way over to George's to catch a lift in the van, I had to stop and call the lads to say: 'wait for me, I'm on my way but I can't ride the bike its too icy'!

When we arrived at Castleton the car park was either frozen solid, or a very deep wet mush where the cars had driven.

Everyone seemed to be dressed for the arctic, and we soon found out why.

Even assembling bikes was difficult with the cold wind biting our faces and fingers.

I hoped there would be no mechanical dramas today.

Now it proceeded to snow and sleet, and as we climbed

up the old Mam Tor road it got more and more dangerous under the wheels.
Phill had stopped up ahead, I could see some sort of chain related problem, it turned out the rear derailer mount had snapped off the frame - no drive!



When we reached the gate where the last bit of undamaged road ends, it was freezing, the surface was mostly icy snow and my lungs were screaming with the cold air.
I suddenly realised that I have not actually had a cold or the usual nasty chest infection this year.
So I made the decision to turn back, I really can't afford anymore time off with illness or injury.





It was extremely cold on the way back down, and I new I'd have a fair wait back at the van, so I had a quick look around Castleton, and then had a coffee and a Hotdog.




Looking back down the hill you can make out the hairpin on the road, this is where the intact section ends, and has literally given way to the mountain.

My performance was rubbish to say the least, but I'm glad I went back, the resultant chesty cough wouldn't have been very good over New Year really.