Caravans' Sea Phew!!!

I have to admit I can't take full recognition for the title, I pinched it from the Sun newspaper, where else?

I spent all day yesterday on my boat project.  I have received a few needed bits and pieces and spent the day planing, sanding and filling and cutting the cockpit.  (The cockpit above is cardboard for size).  I spent this morning cutting the cockpit recess and could easily have spent another day whittling away but decided it was about time I actually did some paddling...

I left my local Gilestone beach a couple of hours before high water and sunset.  The plan was a short paddle to investigate the landslip at Porthkerry caravan park that fell last Monday.

It had been surf all the way up but luckily Rhoose point had provided the shelter needed to get up close to the shore.

 All the caravans have since been taken back except this one that still looks rather too close for comfort.  Looks like other people had the same idea, scrambling the narrow slither of beach to see the cliff fall.  The water comes right into the cliffs along here but still people are marching along as the tide rises.  I've got a feeling there may be some rescues over the next few weeks.

Much of the cliff still looked like it was only just clinging on and I'm sure parts will continue to fall over the next few winter months.

Here is an aerial shot from one of the news sites, in the process of moving the caravans.

What remains of someone's patio area.  The whole Glamorgan coastline is made of sediments of Jurassic Limestone, all very loose and in danger of collapsing without warning.

I carry on a short while along the golden cliffs, all showing evidence of previous landslides.  It's still another hour before the turn of the tide but I turn back anyway not wanting to paddle home in the dark.  The long eddy in this bay provides a good push in the right direction.

 The low Autumn sun highlights the golden cliffs beautifully at Rhoose Point. 

I took my new piece of handy work for it's first soaking, not used it yet though, think I'll try it out in the pool first.

On the way here the water was a bit random but with the turn of tide the conditions become glassy and flat.

I stop off just before Aberthaw power station, these nice sandy beaches are a hidden gem far beyond the beach access.

As the sun dips lower it become blinding.  During the summer the sun would be setting just beyond Nash Point but with the turn of the seasons it's now jumped over to the English side of the border to set.

I land just as the sun is about to dip bellow the horizon.

Not happy with the colours in this shot.  I lost my picture editing software when my computer was serviced recently, not happy!

More boat building to follow shortly and hopefully some more paddling too...