Nice Day For A Surf...

I've been itching to get out & have a paddle all week & with my new ever-growing obsession with following the surf forecasts there was only one place to go, Aberavon.

Stuart & Gareth have come along too & seem to be up for some silliness :)

Not sure why he's showing his arse? At least his dry pants are to tricky for a full moon.

Didn't look too bad from the beach?

Hmmm, looks a little livelier out here.

Paddling hard to get out back.

And taking a few in the face :)

Before shooting back in.

This one got a little too steep with my bow digging in.

It could only end one way. I held on for ages trying to get my paddle to the surface to roll but had to admit defeat in the end.

At least I think I redeemed myself,

With a re-entry & roll.

Before heading back out for another play :)

Image By Stuart...

We all had an fecking awesome day & I was practically jumping up & down at the end. In fact I'd of gladly given another half hour.

The highlight for me was some fab clean runs from outback all the way to the shore & an offside roll in the surf.

I think Stuarts highlight was getting a shot of me swimming :P

Grin & Bear It...

A bit of a Roll's & Rescues practice with Gareth last weekend in the old harbour at Barry.
Gonna do some more of this soon as its bloody good fun :)

Snub Nosed Boats...

I had a text of Andy, the head coach of the Glam Boaters the other night asking me If I'd help out with an outdoors junior session on Saturday. He was trying to keep a good number of adults to juniors just to keep us from accidentally drowning one of the rugrats :)

They were actually a nice group of kids & not the the juvenile anarchists I was expecting. Would be nice to get them out into some moving water or evan the sea next...

Keep The Beach Clean...

This isn't a post about the laziness not to mention disrespect of people who drop litter. Its more of a shared sentiment with whoever took the trouble to makes a wonderful knitted post cover to grace the prom railings at Penarth seafront. Definitely worth a blog-up.

As for the paddle, well I met Noel in Penarth & we headed to Sully in his car leaving mine where it was. There was a stiff South easterly blowing so a one way from Sully to Penarth would miss at least some of the headwind.

Leaving Sully I excitedly paddle out into the rather tasty looking race off the Western extremity of Sully Island.
Noel opted for a 'Walk of Shame' & carried his boat over the still uncovered causeway to meet me at the other side. Probably a wise choice.

I was having fun paddling out & surfing back in. I totally buried the front at one point & Noel said the arse was pretty high :)

 Back at the East side it was much calmer. Time to go find Noel.

 Tiny Clapotis :)

 Here's the foot soldier ;D

 Back on the water & we make our way to penarth. First landmark is ball rock.

 Then Lavernock where I'm hoping the Rannie Race is in fine voice.

 I do believe Noel is contemplating Flat Holm?

 Looking at Noel. Walk of Shame number 2 :D

I think this put him off, The infamous Rannies. A couple of years back I did a 'Walk of Shame' here too so I know how Noels feels. If you got any doubt, look for a safer route.

 It was certainly entertaining out there, I was having fun!

 Shank's pony makes his way along the beach.

 One small step for man, one giant leap for Noel :P

 I pull in to for a wee break, yes you can take that literally.

Before making our bouncy way to Penarth, fighting our boats urges to turn seaward. Skeg & edge all the way.
I was buzzing at the end, a sketchy victory roll & some surfing before packing up & dropping Noel to his car :)

Going Nowhere...

Going nowhere, hmmm, seems to sum it up well. I had nothing on today & the weather was perfect so it would be rude not to go for a paddle.

I'm housesitting for my parents at the mo & my Mums Skoda was winking at me from outside, seductively suggesting she had enough fuel to get to the beach.

For a change of scenery I headed for Southerndown. I've always avoided launching here before as the surf is scary but with a gentle forecast just how bad could it be?

There was some usably surf to play on but not much. I decided I was going to follow the tide in & head, where? Hmmm, not really sure. Llantwit, Nash, I'll work it out on the water.

 With only 2 hours to HW the carry to the water wasn't far at all.

 I leave Southerndown still pondering over my destination.

I can see Nash in the far distance & decide to head for there as a starting point.
I was half way to Nash when I realised my destination was really just putting miles on the clock. With the Ireland crossing looming I was content just to paddle & make sure I'm in good shape when the big day comes, if I evan go at all. I could happily give that trip a miss :)

 I arrive at an unusually calm Nash Buoy.

 But the trinity house bell inside is still chiming.

 I push on having decided on St Donats as my destination.

 leaving Llantwit, in the middle distance of this image for another day.

St Donats

As I started back it was pretty uneventful. I was losing myself to the strokes of the paddle & making good speed to Witches Point, evan catching the odd swell.

 Arriving back at Witches Point, Time to go surfing :)

Hmmm, ok, its gone a little flat but as I look over my shoulder I see a decent enough wave & paddle like shit to catch it evan though I knew the waves were dumping onto the boulders on the beach.

 I surfed good & straight before getting turned & dumped on.

Theres a Taran in there somewhere (LOL). Another fab day out :)