Lost confidence but a paddle at last

The weather might be utterly predictable at the moment but the sea has been quite different. It has been glorious sunshine for weeks now but every time I check the coastal forecast it has been force 4, 5 and sometimes 6. It seems it drops to a force 2/3 when ever I can't get out! I attempted a short paddle from Llantwit Major at low tide.

Forecast was a force 4 and there were plenty of 'white horses' and waves breaking all over the place. Since my swim in The Bitches quite a few weeks ago now I have been more aware of the danger of paddling alone and completely lost any confidence I had. I didn't get anywhere this day.

Next were a few evenings at my local bay next to Aberthaw power station. One evening was once again force 4 and there was a bit of a swell. So I practiced paddling with a following tide and picked up a bit of speed. I chickened out of a performing a role though.

Next was a short paddle out from Aberthaw to Llantwit Major in much better conditions. After a long walk through the mud and seaweed at Aberthaw I headed out to the water intake tower for the power station. A race forms off here as the current rushes around the tower. I paddled up an 's' shaped eddy that formed behind the tower.

The other purpose of the paddle was to try out my new dry trousers that I bought after nearly getting hypothermia during my swim at The Bitches. They are brilliant at keeping the water out but in this weather I was socked from the inside, sweating buckets!

Thursday night I went for a paddle out from Llantwit Major again this time at high tide. I only had an hour before picking up the kids so it was just a confidence booster in some rough sea. I headed over toward the caves toward Tresilian bay. Upon reaching the caves it was clear I wasn't getting anywhere close. The waves were breaking quite far out.

Heading back once again feeling uneasy an orange rescue helicopter flys overhead. He doubles back and hovers overhead, seemed to be checking my condition. Once again there were plenty of white horses and it was a bit difficult to lift my paddle toward the wind.

I got in early from work this afternoon and checked out the forecast for the weekend. Force 2/3 this afternoon and tomorrow morning then back up to 4. That's it I'm going. It was mid way between a flooding tide which made Aberthaw a perfect place to launch from.

Heading east from aberthaw the conditions were almost perfect. In fact only a mill pond could beat this. Heading once again toward the tower off Aberthaw I paddle directly into the race. I glanced down at my GPS and I was doing 8.1kts!

Passing Rhoose I noticed a stone circle has been recently built just off the coastal path, well I've never noticed it before. That's one way to baffle the archaeologists of future millennia. Maybe neolithic man had the same idea.

When I reached these cliffs off Rhoose I could here loud screeching from what I guess was a nest of Peregrine Falcons. I was buggered if I could find it though. Typically as I looked back after paddling away one was hovering in the up drafts above the cliffs.

Paddling past Porthkerry viaduct and into The Knap bay there was a pretty strong back eddy occurring. So much in fact it slowed me down to a 2kt slog.

Flying past the fixed buoy at Barry docks I paddle around in to the eddy behind the rocks off the headland. The fast tidal flow around the headland was kicking up a bit of rough water so I had a play about to gain some more confidence.

Waiting in the bay of Barry Island for the Mrs to pick me up on her way home from work the conditions were perfect. Another kayaker paddles out in the bay with Steepholm in the distance.

I practiced a few good roles and some handling maneuvers in the race off the headland before landing on a very busy beach. Not far but good to feel comfortable in my boat again. Fishguard next weekend for a week can't wait! Fingers crossed for the weather holding out.

Porth Clais to Solva 05/06/10

My mum was on her way down to look after the kids for the night and the Mrs was off to work so I left for Pembrokeshire for the afternoon. I headed straight for Caerfai Bay in St Davids to Caerfai Farm Campsite. This camp site is literally on top of the cliff. There was some good surf down on the bay so I headed on down the road to Porth Clais harbour for an easier launch.

Out of the bay I turned left and headed for the islands of Green and Black Scar. There was a slight Westerly wind and a fair bit of a swell.


The first bay I paddle into is St Non's Bay. It is apparently the birth place of St David and is named after his mother. I made my way into this cave cautiously and just as I was at the entrance the water receded steeply exposing the rocks on the bed. I knew what was about to happen so I frantically paddled backward. The wave passed under me, broke and smashed through the cave. That was a close one!

Next I paddle around into Caerfai bay where my tent is perched up on the cliff to the left.

This stretch of coast is littered with caves and rock hoping opportunities but frustratingly I couldn't get anywhere near them. The swell wasn't all that big but every now and then two huge waves crashed in completely submerging the rocks up to the high water mark.

I found shelter around Penpleidiau outcrop into Caer Bwdy Bay where the swell had little effect. This bay has a disused quarry which once provided the stone for St David's cathedral.

I was even able to explore this cave.

There are also some amazing rock formations which look as if the rock has simply melted and rolled into the sea.

There were plenty of climbers all along this coast.

Somewhere around here there was a small narrow bay with an impressive arch at the end. I tried to paddle down but as it narrowed the swell was breaking and flushing a torrent of white water into the cliffs.

Around the headland and past Black Rock which marks the entrance to Solva Harbour I was glad to get into some calmer water.

Looking back out of the harbour (left to right) The Mare, Black Rock, Green Scar and Black Scar.

I only noticed the Tango can spoiling the picture when I got home. I stopped here for a bite to eat. The water here in the harbour was only a foot or so deep so I had a little play about with the wavelets coming in before heading back out. Even with these tiny waves you can pick up a bit of speed.

Leaving the harbour I paddle directly into the sun which seemed to come out from behind the dark clouds that lingered on the way here. The water seemed to look like a mirror.

I like this picture, I looks more like the west coast of Scotland at a distance. It is of course the peaks of Ramsey Island and the islands that reach out off every headland.

Turning back the sun really lit up the cliffs now and the swell seemed to have almost vanished.

Still a bit to much movement in the sea though to risk paddling through here.

It was about 8pm when I got back to Porth Clais and with low water at 8:30 I had a long carry back to the van. It's an easy walk mind compared to some. I played in the shallows for a bit putting off the long walk to practice my turning and paddle strokes after purchasing Gordon Brown's DVD last week.

I got in the van and took a drive up to St Justinian's where there is a life boat station and of course a fantastic view of Ramsey Island. The water in the sound looked deceptively calm.

I highly recommend this camp site if you need somewhere in the area close to the sea. The walk down to the beach isn't all that bad as long as you don't mind punching your way through the surf to get out.

Not a huge paddle only 9nm or 17km. Disappointed I had to view the cliffs from a distance, some off those caves look brilliant. I woke the next morning to a cloudy start which turned into rain and a bit of fog. The swell seemed to have dropped but the wind had picked up a bit. I'll be back in a month!

Port Eynon to Mumbles Head

With a giant high pressure covering the UK this weekend and minimal wind I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to do the Worms Head trip from the Welsh Sea Kayaking guide book. I've wanted to do it for ages but have been waiting for perfect conditions as this area of the south east coast of Wales can become quite exposed.

Little stow away

Up at 6am, kids already up! Don't they sleep. Aim to get down to Llangennith beach for the start of the south east flowing current. All the beaches in this area of the Gower are known for surf and as I catch the morning weather report there was a mention of a good swell today for surfers. I arrive at Llangenith and take a trek down to the beach (I mean trek it is miles away over sand dunes!) and the surfers are dwarfed by the waves. I head around to Broughton Bay and it's pretty much the same storey. It didn't look like I was going to find a bay west of Worms Head so I flick through the guide book and head down to Port Eynon.

Great no surf and not to far to walk to the sea. £4 parking mind! I think I'll do the Worms Head trip backward if I come here again and launch from here and take the north west current.

I go west anyway around Port Eynon Point to test the current and arrive at East Helwick buoy. The current is flowing about 1.5kts which is about right and will only get stronger in the next hour.

It was very hazy and I could just make out my intended destination in the distance. I double back out of the eddy behind the buoy and rocket off at 5kts heading east.

No I have not landed, this is foam. There were miles of this stuff stretched right out along the coast in long streams. If anyone knows what causes this can you let me know. I always thought foam was caused in rough conditions.

I make a bee line from the buoy to Oxwich Point.

There are hundreds of these common moon jelly fish just floating bellow the surface. These jelly fish are not dangerous to humans, they have a sting but it can't penetrate our skin.

I sail across Oxwich Bay for Pwlldu Head past Three Cliffs Bay. As I reach Pwlldu Head I am greeted by a Porpoise. Porpoise are a lot shyer than dolphins and have a rounder beak. It was happily surfacing just ahead of me, I tried a few shots but every time he surfaced the swell got in the way. I have a blurred shot but not worth up loading.

Around the headland I decide to take a break to stretch my legs. Pwlldu Bay is just around the corner but as with all the beaches around here it was pretty packed. Another pair of kayakers pinch a small beach just around the headland. As I make my way to the bay I notice a very small beach behind a rock completely deserted, that was until a family had the same idea. I land here for a stretch.

I got to be honest the Gower hasn't really appealed to me, it's very beautiful from the shore but out at sea it's not very eventful. There are not many dramatic cliffs and caves to explore, it has loads of long sandy open bays and the wildlife doesn't match what you get out west.

Today completely put me off the area for kayaking. If your idea of sea kayaking is dodging speed boats, the smell of diesel from noisy big yachts, cans, bags and anything else you can find floating in the water, and rammed beaches with barely any room to land then this is the place for you. I much prefer paddling out into a quite clear blue sea with no sign of life apart from the odd ship on the horizon and deserted bays apart from the odd seal or sea bird cut off from the hustle and bustle of sun seekers.

I usually pick out any litter I see floating about in the sea, but I would have had to have a trailer in tow with the amount of rubbish out there today. And as for the close calls with yachts, speed boats and jet ski's, it was like all the boy racers and BMW drivers had all descended on the sea.
Enough of me moaning I head on past Caswell and Langland Bay in to the watchful eye of the coast guard station and light house at Mumbles head.

At the Pier the beach was packed so I head off around the small islands off the head for a quieter landing spot. At high tide there wasn't really any place to land so I head back to land just off the Pier.

A quick bite to eat and the blood flowing again in my legs I make my way back. I realise the difference in speed as I sail effortlessly past kayak after kayak. There were loads of sit-on-tops but I didn't see any sea kayaks about. I make a steady 4-5kts all the way back, keeping well out from the coast line in to the main flow.

At last I arrive back at Port Eynon, much busier than it was this morning. Landing on the beach my legs cease to work. I don't know if it was the distance or the fact it was in the mid 20's but I was knackered. It was a heavy carry up the beach as I had loaded my kayak this morning in an attempt to improve the handling. I also had to side steep sun bathers and kids as I almost decapitated a few with my stern. A round trip of 20.51 nautical miles or 38km or 23.6 miles and paddling time of 5hours 20mins.

Quick tip: if your going to put sun tan lotion on do it before you get in your boat. Getting a grip on your paddle otherwise is a nightmare!