Chasing Horizons - Paddling North Pembrokeshire

FRIDAY 23rd MARCH 2012

A trip to Pembrokshire has been well overdue so it would seem silly not to take advantage of the unusually hot weather for the time of year.  I had arranged to meet Taran at Dale, Milford Haven in south Pembrokeshire, the plan was to drive the one van up north to Fishguard and paddle back over the two days. 

I couldn't wait to get on my way and arrived about two hours before Taran.  I made use of the time and took to the water.

There was a little swell entering the huge port of Milford Haven so I had a little play rock hoping along some of the cliffs.

Heading back toward the beach I could see Taran hadn't arrived yet so I set off again exploring the surrounding waters.

SATURDAY 24th MARCH 2012

It was dark by the time we arrived at Pwllgwaelod on Dinas Head so spent the night in Tarans camper.

Morning arrived and the conditions looked promising.  The forecast came over the radio before we left, force 3-5, 6 at times, moderate seas.  Time of departure 8am, three hours before the turn of the tide, which meant we would have to round Strumble Head against the flow.  

The south easterly wind certainly became evident when we left the shelter of the bay.  We crossed straight over Fishguard Bay arriving on the other side flying along over 7 knots into a fast flowing counter eddy that runs along Pen Anglas head. 

Dramatic steep cliffs and rugged headlands finally give way to a view of Strumble Head lighthouse.  We pass through the inner island under the lighthouse access bridge and come across our first taste of rough water for the trip.

Looking back on Strumble Head.

Rounding Strumble Head our destined targets came into view on the horizon revealing the scale of our trip today.

After linking successive headlands with a mix of calm and rough water we take our first stop at Abercastle, a small sheltered fishing harbor.

Leaving the harbor we take a brief moment to explore some of the caves at the harbor entrance...

 ...before setting off again, chasing the horizon.

Each headland brings it's own dramatic natural architecture.

On the open water between headlands we were often joined by Fulmars, beautiful birds and experts on the wing, gliding effortlessly inches off the water around our boats. 

Huge swells role in from the Irish Sea, ramping high up the cliffs.  

Passing the old quarry building atop of Abereiddi one of the towering swells randomly breaks way off shore on our line of pass.  That was enough to intimidate me in this unknown territory.  Amusing as it was it would have cleanly wiped us out had we been ahead of ourselves.

We study the maps and take advantage of a last possible landing before rounding St Davids Head.  After all the tide was at full flow and it can get absolutely huge off the head, especially as it was wind on tide.

Taran taking a moment to bask in the unusually hot sun.

The scenery along this stretch is dramatic to say the least.  Huge cliffs rise steeply out of the water, my pictures don't do it justice.

Our speed picks up as we near St Davids Head.  I'm sure I spot a fin some distance up ahead, but then put it down to my imagination, must have been a wave.

Then alongside a Porpoise (relative of the Dolphin) breaks the surface breathing out a spray of air.  Then another and another, a pod of Porpoise, wow.  This poor effort was the best I could capture on camera.

Picture by Taran
We round St Davids head, the water spikes up a bit but on known territory now we feel at ease it wasn't big today.

After a brief meeting with another group of kayakers we take advantage of another safe landing at Porthmelgan.

Time presses on and we need to get through Ramsey sound before the tide turns at 16:00.  We head straight across Whitesnds Bay, past the jagged rocks of Carreg-gafeiliog and into Ramsey Sound.

We enjoy the calm waters sheltered in the narrow sound.

Rounding the end of the sound we paddle out into the exposed south facing side of St Brides Bay.  Swell and wind create some confused water along this stretch and we hope to take a short cut through the island of  Carreg yr Esgob.  Moments after this picture above a huge swell smashes side on through this small gap forcing us to take the long route around the island.

Exposed to the huge swells we paddle through some of the roughest water of the trip.

We were both glad to finally make it through to the sheltered waters of Porth Clais on the northern end of St Brides Bay, our camp for the night.

We were both looking forward to setting camp and getting out of our wet kit and into some clean dry clothes.  Sadly my dry bag with my clothes in had let in the small amount of water that had come through my hatch , but was enough to completely soak all of my clothes.  I tried to dry what I could with my gas stove to no avail and ending up spending the night in my damp clothes I wore under my dry suite.

Camp at Porth Clais

26.10 nautical miles (48km/30miles)

Total time 8:43:22

Moving time 07:40:32

Stopped time 01:02:50

Moving average 3.4 kts

Max speed 8 kts

Petrel Build #9 - Cockpit Recess

After a long break in the build over the winter the materials have arrived for the next stage of the process...

The Petrel's cockpit is recessed to give it a lower profile, which makers Eskimo rolls easier.  The forms are temporally glued to the boat and cockpit area is cut. 

The recess is made of two pieces assembled using stitch and glue techniques.  The recess back lowers the cockpit below the level of the deck.  I made the recess out of 3mm marine ply wood.

I then brushed on some epoxy resin and sanded to finish.

The finished recess...

The recess and the deck are then chiseled, planed and sanded to get a neat fit.

The recess is then glued into place ready for the next stage.

I will be sanding and filling this week and hopefully laying on the glass and epoxy over the next week or two.

Kayakers In The Mist

I reluctantly had to turn down a an invite for a trip around the Isle of Wight with Eurion and company.  But with the weather looking so promising I had to make an effort to get out on the water locally.  Practically no wind, minimal swell and the early morning mist forecast to clear up into a bright sunny day.

I meet up with Jules and Taran around four hours before low water, springs.  The plan is simply to head west with the ebb.  I had it in mind that I wanted to get out to some of the off shore buoys when the mist clears.

We make the most of the tide being high and explore the caves around Tressilian Bay.

Back out on the water we handrail the shore, the mist showing no sign of clearing, if anything it got worse.

Witches Point, Porthcawl rises out of the white mist.  I think we were all anticipating a bit of surf.

We were disappointed to find barely a couple of feet of surf so we make a landing and have lunch.  Visibility is becoming worse, if it wasn't for the GPS we wouldn't know what beach we were on.

I wanted to get us out to Tucker Rock some two and half nautical miles off shore from our current location, so I take a bearing and lead the way into the white out. 

Half hour later the sound of waves washing up on shore becomes clearer but it's not until we were about 100m off Tusker that a dark line comes into view.  

First landing for Jules so we take some time out to explore the wreckage.

Normally there would be a great view out here from Porthcawl to Nash Point, today however the other side of the rock was out of sight.

Jules contemplating a leap to the boiler.  

Not soon as we were back on the water a bull grey seal pops up behind Taran.  We sit in silence for a few minutes as curiosity gets the better of him.  It's quite rare to see a seal out this far east.

We take another bearing and head for the sound of crashing waves offshore to Nash Sand Bar. 

It's always a pleasure to land in this surreal place.  It's not every day you get to walk along the sea bed on freshly laid golden sand so far offshore.  

We follow the sands until they come to an abrupt end.  There's no barrier stopping the waves now and the fast flowing tide creates a strong current sucking us back toward them.  Quite unnerving when you can't see land!  Nash East Cardinal Buoy comes in to view so we decide to make a dash for it.  Unknowing to us we make a circle around the buoy paddling into the flow.  This mist is so disorientating.  

We follow the route taken on the way out via our GPS track.  Large waves come into view signaling Llantwit reef.  We land on the sands not entirely sure how far up the beach we are.  We ask a couple of fishers just to make sure before hauling the boats up the beach.

16.21 nautical miles in total (30km) and the mist did clear....when we were loading the kayaks!  Not what I expected from today but it goes to show one trip is never the same twice.  Great practice for the navigation in good conditions and in all a good day on the water.