Having not Sea kayaked since May due to illness, I decided there was only one way to find out if I was now fit enough to return to sea kayaking...
Meeting up with my paddle buddy at Four Mile Bridge and leaving a car behind, we set off to Porth Dafarch. The plan was to paddle back to Four Mile Bridge, which would mean using two phases of the tide. One to get us down to the Cymyran Straights and another to allow us to paddle back up to Four Mile Bridge. It also meant that the start of the trip would be near to high tide and the finish, at a bridge. So as far as I was concerned, reduced walking. I assured my paddle budy all would be fine with my tidal planning, so long as we arrived at the straits no sooner than 16:00, at the earliest. We would have plenty of time to play and explore the coastline.
With swift efficiency we were on the water for just before 11:00am, half an hour after the south-easterly stream started running. Porth Dafarch was busy with groups of raft builders and groups coasteering, having lots of fun.
Luckily, it clouded over just enough, so as not to fry us or become too cold either. We made very rapid progress towards Rhoscolyn helped by the tide. And unusually, for once we were not paddling into the wind. Perhaps I had not taken this into account with my tidal planning. After all, I cannot remember a paddle with my paddle buddy where we haven't had to battle into the wind. I commented to my paddle buddy on the absence of any pressure on our faces... most odd!
It was a glorious day
We spent a good deal of time exploring the various caves, gullies and stone arches around Rhoscolyn head
On emerging from one gully a nosey seal came to see what we were up to.
All too quickly we were at Rhoscolyn Beacon
Watching the seals on the rocks
With time to kill, we stopped for lunch, did some cave exploring and took some pictures of the jellyfish. I even did a spot of fishing but didn't catch anything (as per usual).
A Moon Jellyfish below
Blue Jellyfish
A Blue Jellyfish appearing to eat a Moon Jellyfish
Luckily I didn't get stung!And even after all this messing about we still arrived at the straits an hour too early at 15:00.
So we paddled up against the flow, eddy hopping into the Cymyran straights. It was still flowing well and was hard going. After about a mile of battling upstream against the current, My paddle buddy decided it would be quicker walking, towing the boat in the shallows behind him. I carried on paddling. There was no way I was going to try to walk it. I had a good work out!
We were soon loaded up on the car and travelling back to Porth Dafarch to collect the other car.
Best Days paddling ever.
