Unfortunately, some silly twit deleted the photos from today's paddle and the stupid GoPro wouldn't work either so I have for once no pictures from the day! The picture of me and the Etain above is courtesy of Kris. Thanks Kris!
Paddled with Si, Kris, Ashley , Diane , Helen and Amanda. Conditions in Trearddur Bay looked very flat, but were anything but flat once we escaped the shelter of the bay. We got as far as Porth y grain (Caravan park) before the girls decided to head back toward Trearddur, leaving just me, Si and Kris to continue on to Rhoscolyn. Whilst we were sorting out what we were doing in Porth y Grain, Kris decided to practice his self rescue technique. All I can say is I am glad my legs are a lot shorter than Kris's!
The big sets of swell were still about from the day before and if anything the wind was much stronger causing a great deal of clapotis on the sea, especially with the waves rebounding off the cliffs. We hand railed it around the coast rock hoping and trying to surf the swell, eventually going into Porth y Corgwl for a spot of lunch. After lunch we popped into Borth Wen in the hope of finding some play waves in the entrance, but nothing was really doing. In Borthwen I said to Kris and Si how, for some reason, it reminded me of when I first met Gareth Jones on a coaching day we did together and we had to practice bow turns. I started to demonstrate a bow turn and I think Kris said "all bow turns are good for are for making you fall in". At which point I capsized. I did roll up (after a fashion). Not my best roll, but at least I rolled up! What struck me was I didn't really notice the cold water when I was capsized.
After Borthwen, we did a trip around the Beacon, which was to say rather lively. I think we remarked how unusual it was for the paddler paddling along next to you to completely disappear from view only to appear several feet above you a few seconds later. It was a lumpy bumpy rodeo ride that's for sure! After that, with grins on our faces, we headed back to Trearddur Bay, once again hand railing the coastline and trying to surf anything happened to come our way. We arrived back at Trearddur Bay not that long after the girls, who had had a good days paddle in and around Trearddur Up to Porth y post and back.
What a fun day.
9.7 nm 3 hr 22 min. Small neaps, LW (3.78 m) Liverpool 1300 (a 6.8 m tide). Wind F4 S. Swell 0.5 m 7s from SW but was definitely bigger in places.
