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Welcome To The Go Sea Kayak Blog...
This Blog is A Record Of My Personal Adventures And Wonderful Kayaking Lifestyle. It Is Also A Taster Of What You Can Expect If You're Adventurous Enough To Tag Along. Why Not Get In Touch And Join One Of Go Sea Kayaks Guided Trips On The Beautiful Mediterranean Island Of Sardinia, You Won't Regret it!

Saturday 15 December 2012

The Severn Bore...

I Think its fair to say I've had a wonderfully intimate experience with Mother Nature today & some good mates too though it does make you dwell on the weirdness of your life when sat in a kayak waiting to be mown down by a tidal wave seems perfectly normal?

The Severn Bore is a Tidal wave that occurs near Gloucestershire on tides over 13 metres at the tidal port of Avonmouth in the Bristol Channel. A place famous for the second highest tidal range in the World!

It was still pretty dark when we got on the water, twilight, not full dark as the photo above suggests.
Jules assuming the toilet position after Jay mentioned that the Bore could get upto 7 feet in places today & run at 14 knots :oS
Jay & Jules hiding from the flow as we wait for the Wave.
I think this is nervous laughter as I play with the camera!
Getting Brighter as we here the distinct rumble from the horizon. I wasn't that nervous now, just keen to play.
If I knew then though what I know now I'd have been more concerned. Its may be a wave but its also a bloody wide stopper that keeps you pinned if you broach your kayak!
I'll let the video take over :)


After the madness of the wave we were left with a 10 mile paddle to the cars we left at the other end. It was a really easy paddle though as the tide really rips here!
The beautiful scenery & sunrise was the icing on the cake, we were all having an awesome day.
Though I was glad I had a sea boat for the milage, not that the short boats slowed the others down in the flood tide. Kates GPS showed a top speed of 11 knots.











We were all grinning like idiots at the end, especially me & Jules who were giggling like school kids who just saw the teachers knickers :D
Time to get dry, get fed & swap stories. I wont forget this paddle ever & I will most definately be back.
Another tick off the "bucket list".

Sunday 9 December 2012

Sully Surf Session...

I was a bit of a lazy git yesterday, the conditions at sea were perfect for a big paddle but with the part time van driving job I'm doing at the moment, with regular 12 hour plus shifts I was content to sit on my arse & chill.

Today though I had to do something as I haven't paddled for a couple of weeks & that just sucks!
I decided to paddle from Sully & decide what to do whence there. After discussing the conditions with Gareth, my chaperone for the day, it was decided to go play in the race off Sully Island & just see what happens.
Nice & calm crossing the causeway but there was quite a bit of tide to ferry through.
Then straight out into the race for some fun. We're still on neap tides but can expect two knots of current & an F4-6 wind following the tide.
The waves are fab here, they rear up suddenly & cross each other frequently. Its a great place to practice some rough water skill's.
 Gareth riding high on a crest.
Enjoying the bumps heading out for another run. We both caught nice rides heading back in & I buried the front a couple of times on the steep waves, Gareth thought I was trying a new move I was leaning back so much (LOL) :D
I finished the day with a roll on both sides & a clamber on deck self rescue.
Was great paddling with Ga again. Wish I didn't have to wait till next weekend before I'm free to paddle again, Pembrokeshire maybe???

Sunday 18 November 2012

Breaking Dawn...

Breaking Dawn At Sully again but with bigger aspirations than normal. today we had our sites on Brean Down, England, a paddle I've only done once before. This is a pretty committing paddle, its big spring tides combined with the second highest tidal range in the World, I hope my vectors work!
Conditions are perfect for the trip. I'm paddling with my regular group of misfits, Stuart, Jules & Eurion, all bloggers too so this trip will be having some good media coverage ;D
It's pretty nippy as we get ready to leave but I reckon it'll warm up soon as the Earths Star lifts above the horizon so I opt for my shorty wetsuit & cag.
After a good warm up ferrying across the fast tide on Sully causeway I head straight for the race off the West tip of Sully Island. I want some playtime :)
The waves look pretty small here, in fact their not huge, head height at very most but their steep & short & surging & very, very good fun.
 I turn back in for a surf, loving the playfulness of Poseidon this morning.
From shore to midway the Earths Star put on one hell of a show as the hues of deep blue & dark orange gave way to the gentler pastel shades of dawn.
 It was bringing out the photographer in all of us.

 Next stop Steep Holm in the distance.
We were all pretty far spread out by now, Stuart & Eurion seem to be doing there own thing, maybe my vector is wrong but I'm sticking with it.
I arrived at Steep Holm about a hundred metres short & had to retrace my steps to Rudder Rock. The faffing earlier in the paddle must of put me off course a touch as we did drift a little whilst grouping up so I reckon my vector was good. Too good in fact, I think next time I'll aim off & plot my estimated position a little further upstream to give some leeway.
We arrived at Steep Holm 40 minutes late as we were late getting on the water at Sully so my other vectors I'd done at home would be out so me & Eurion settled on a guesstimate to reach Brean Down, 150° or straight into the Sun.
 A sea mist came & went.
 Rements shrouding the summit of Steep Holm.
Flat Holm behind us, that'll soon change. We decide that we're cutting it a bit fine to reach Brean Down as we'd be paddling back on the ebb so we decide to turn about just a mile & a half from our destination.
I think this was a good decision though I do wonder if all this 5 star, incident avoidance stuff has started to sink in?
 Jules is sporting an early form of on deck navigation, Ducky'poos, the Wigeon.
 The race is picking up at Flat Holm, more playtime :)
 Now you see Jules,
 Now you dont!
Eurion & Stuart landed before me & Jules & went up yonder to find Hywel, who's boat was at our landing spot. The mischievous Ducky'poos found a  hiding spot in Eurions boat :oS
The Coastguard were out training. Stuarts familiar with the big boat, ain't that right Stu ;D
Hywel joins us for the paddle back to the mainland. Sociable sport this sea kayaking :)
 Shooting the gap at Church Rock.

Passing the Wolves North Cardinal Buoy in a not insignificant amount of tide.
We make Sully with no problems & were definitely a touch conservative with our guesstimate angle on the way back.
I'm not too disappointed we turned around short of England, we all got back safe & had a great paddle which is kinda the point we do this stuff.
Happy days :)