St Brides Bay

Some nice weather arrived early spring for a gathering at St Brides Bay Pembrokeshire.  After meeting up with Andrew, Tori and Mo at Martins Haven we leave a couple of cars there and head on up the coast to Newgale to meet the rest of the gang, Paul, Sean, Katie and Gareth.  

We push off from the fossilised remains of an ancient forest, recently resurrected by the harsh winter storms at Newgale.  Ice cold surf breaking over the bow refreshes the senses and reminds that despite the sunshine it's still early in the year.

We paddle on south blinded by the sun keeping a relatively safe distance from the crumbling millstone grit  and shale cliffs where rogue waves catch us off guard.

Above, Sean paddling past the huge sandstone Monoclinal fold formation known as Sleek Rock just before Broad Haven bellow.

We land through the shallow waves at Little Haven finding a seat in the sun for lunch.

 Above left to right, Katie, Me, Paul and Gareth and bellow, Me Paul Tori and Gareth.

 Bellow all the gang sat around for lunch from left to right, Gareth, Andrew, Sean, Paul Tori and Katie.

Today I had the pleasure in borrowing Mike Bells (Cedar Boats Europe) carbon fibre Greenland splits.  In the slightly choppy conditions they remained on the deck after my first taster near Newgale, but from here on in I stuck with them and finally gained a fondness for the Greenland ways.  As for build quality, Mike's attention to detail make these paddles structurally and aesthetically pleasing.  

From Little Haven we take a slight de-tore off shore to Stack Rocks.

 Katie having a quick go of Mike's paddles and a chance for me to take a photo of them in use.

Back closer to shore we stay close to the Old Red Sandstone cliffs where the shallows provide a playground of gullies and obstacles to paddle around.

We take another brief stop at St Brides Haven where we get the chance to rummage through Sean and Mo's repair kits to make best of what we could of my broken footrest.

Cable ties and duck tape are a kayakers best tools, job done.

Back on the water we leave the security of the shore once more to cross directly over to Martins Haven.  I decide to pick up the pace here to see what these Greenland paddles are capable of and soon find myself and Andrew had quickly left the remainder of the group behind.

We settle in at our final destination at Martins Haven and wait for the rest of the group to arrive.  A bull seal plays hide and seek close to shore whenever I lifted a finger on the camera shutter.

Katie, Tori and Paul paddle into the beach and Gareth, Sean and Mo set off around the corner for a quick adrenaline fix on the Jack Sound tidal race.  

We pack up the two vehicles and head back up the road north to Newgale where our day began for the remaining cars.  The sun sets over the not to distant Ramsey Island in the west bringing a close to yet another great day on the water, thanks for the company all.

St Brides Bay, A Journey Back In Time

St Brides Haven
I leave St Brides Haven with the aim to bridge a section of the Pembrokeshire coast I have yet to complete from here to Solva, otherwise known as St Brides Bay.

Stack Rocks from Halfway Rock (the Camel formation is clear to the left of Stack Rocks)
Forecast wasn't the best but with five kids currently over my house I take my chances and escape the madness. Force 4-5 possible 6 North Easterly, sea state moderate, showers. I figured this section of the coast should be mostly sheltered from the worst of the winds.
Syncline fold in the Old Red Sandstone
The geology either side of St Brides Haven is mainly Old Red Sandstone, which make the cliffs really stand out.

Nearing Mill Haven you can clearly see where the Old Red Sandstone ends and is replaced with the Grey Igneous Rock of the Pre-Cambrian period. It was a really dull miserable day, not good for taking photo's.

Through Howney Stone opposite Stack Rocks the sea state picked up with brisk wind causing waves to break. A lone Razor Bill was bobbing about in the waves, most have now migrated for the winter.

The grey igneous rocks are now distinctively different to the deep red cliffs near St Brides. This irregular belt between Mill Haven and Little Haven is known as the Johnston Series and are the oldest rocks in Pembrokeshire (well over 1,000 million years).

The old igneous headlands are more typical in the north of Pembrokeshire, Dinas Head, Stumble for instance. South Pembrokeshire is mainly made up of sediments which are much younger.

From Musselwick just before Little Haven the geology turns to 'coal measures' made up of Sandstone and Shales, Millstone Grit and thin Anthracite Coal Seams. These are the youngest rocks in Pembrokshire (280 million years old).

I got very close to an Otter in this cove, I don't think he saw me. Although by the time I removed my gloves to get my camera out he disappeared beneath the water.

Layers of alternating stone can clearly be seen here up on the cliff. Black Mudstone collected on the sea floor then as they shallowed a thin layer of fine sandstone sits on top. Thick layers of Sandstone lay on top of that from delta deposits, bleached due to leaching in a tropical environment.

Extreme folds in the sediment can be seen at either ends of the bays at Little and Broad Haven.

Shag Rock with Broad Haven in background

It's now easy to understand how St Brides Bay has been formed. The brittle softer rock has given way to the ongoing pounding of the sea forming shallow bays cut into the coal measures leaving harder sandstones at the headlands.

Sleek Stone
At the end of Broad Haven beach is an impressive Monocline formation (asymmetrical up-fold in the strata) known as Sleek Stone. The rock resembles a huge beached whale with a big bite out of it!

Following the coast toward Druidston, named after a 12th century knight who settled here, the cliffs show more evidence of the erosion that continues to eat away at the cliffs.

Haroldston Bridge
It is now low tide so I am unable to pass under Haroldston Bridge, a natural arch linking a small rocky outcrop to the main cliff.

I stop off at a small inaccessible bay just prior to Druidston Haven but it's too cold to stop for long. I don't know why maybe it's the miserable weather but I didn't have the motivation in me to carry on any further. So I continue on a little further with Rickets Head south of Newgale in view before turning back.

I paddle into the small sheltered lagoon under Haroldston Bridge on the way back for a cuppa to warm me up.

Whilst having a cuppa I caught a sight of a Peregrine leaving the cliff with what looked like a small bloodied rodent in it's talons.

Passing Broad Haven the surf which was more evident earlier had ceased so I landed at Small Haven in front of this impressive looking cave.

Continuing my journey the sea state got worse the further south I went. I decide not to make the small detour out to Stack Rocks.

I chased this Curlew most of the way back, every time I got within shooting distance he flew off. I finally managed to get this shot.

It made for some good rock-hopping opportunities amongst the red stones with the tide being so low. It also kept me out of the wind.

Typically the sun decided to show it's face when I got back to St Brides Haven so I took a short walk up the coastal path to The Nab Head.

St Brides Bay and Stack Rocks

Ramsey Island basking in the sun

There was a Kestrel hovering above the cliff who didn't seem bothered about my presence. A bit further along two pigeons flew down amongst the cliffs at break neck speed quickly followed by another Peregrine. Good day for wildlife!

So I didn't get to my intended destination but I had an enjoyable paddle none the less. I saw my first otter and got a few glimpses of some fascinating birds that occupy this coast. Please correct any of my geological jargon if I'm wrong, I'm learning.