2018-07-07 PM and Stacks with Owain

This Saturday saw me paddling with Owain, a friend I've known for some time from paddling the white water course at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham. Owain was in Anglesey with Nottingham Kayak Club, although most of the NKC group had signed up to paddle with Roger Chandler of Coastal Spirit for the day.
Owain and I went out from Porth Dafarch in the early morning mist, to Penhryn Mawr (PM) for a play in the start of the tide race. Their were some lovely views of the mist rolling over the cliffs whilst we played in and around the tide race. After about an hour, we set off to South Stack. Near to South Stack we pulled out onto some rocks for lunch, followed by some leaping into the sea (see video). We then rock hopped our way back to PM.
Back at PM we found Wenders paddling all alone. Just as Owain was on a wave I noticed Wenders was out of her boat and well on her way to Ireland. Desperately, I managed to get Owain's attention before we both set off for Ireland in pursuit of Wenders. Luckily we got to Wenders before arriving in Ireland (I hadn't after all packed my passport) and I swiftly emptied and put Wenders back in her boat. Back at PM we continued to play for a bit mostly in the middle race. Another swim from Wenders soon followed (Ooh goody, two swim beers...) before we set off back to Porth Dafarch. At Mini Mawr we did some rescue practice, each taking it in turns to be the victim and rescuer. I even got to play with my tow line as Wenders and Owain were getting a little too close to the rocks. This was soon followed by re-entry roll practice and I demonstrated how I find the set up to be all important in a successful re-entry roll. I have to say the sea seemed surprisingly cold with the weather being so hot. And there were so many jellyfish!

Back at Anglesey Outdoors Owain invited me to the Nottingham Kayak Club BBQ. Yummy! Before we all headed back down to the beach at Porth Dafarch for some evening larking about in the setting sun. Just after I left the group on the beach to head back to my van, three Risso Dolphins were spotted just offshore at Porth Dafarch. Shame, I missed that!

A fabulous days paddling all the same.

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