Welcome To Go Sea Kayak

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!

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Day 2, (My First Clients)...

Day 2 & I'm leading my very first clients all by myself :)
It wasnt all plain sailing as one of them soon capsized in the small following sea that the tailwind was creating. four rescues later, two of those by Ann, one of the clients & it was a quick rafted tow to the beach & a call to the boss on the phone to come collect a couple of the clients :S

Instead the boss suggested a different location more favourable for the wind so it was a quick drive & a re-launch in much more favourable sea's.
Morning Rainbow At My Camp Spot :) 

Ann rescuing...

Re-launch Location...

Lunch...

Ann Doing Balance Tricks...






Rest Time on a Small Lake Island...


Cheesy :)

Ann Rolling,...

Group Hug With My First Clients :D

First Day In Sardinia...


Just had a fab first day working for Clark at Sea Kayak Sardinia, well I say working but I took a back seat as I wanted to see how Clark runs things over here. I’ll be leading a group of clients tomorrow & looking forward to it :D

The trip over from the UK was was tough! I left on the Thursday night at midnight to catch the early morning ferry from Dover, checking in at 05:45. I managed an hours sleep waiting to board & got an hour on the ferry before continuing to drive through France. I did take another hours sleeop in the afternoon but generally just kept going :S
I finally called it a night at 20:30 at one of the many fab service areas.

Day two & up at 05:00. The Sat Nav hinted at an arrival time at the ferry port of Genova of 14:00 & boarding was at 18:30, I was leaving a good time buffer just in case.
Turns out I needed it, I finally found the port at 18:00 after a knightmare doing circles around Genova. After a restless night sleeping on the floor of a hallway on the ferry I finally arrived at Sardinia at 09:30 on Saterday & was feeling pretty smug. Bloody hot too :O
Time to go meet my new boss. This wasnt going to be easy as my phone didnt work over here 7 I had no adress, just a rough idea. Naturally I headed to where he suggested meeting which I managed to get wrong but luckily Clark just happened to see my van & came to say hi. Lucky result J

I spent my first night at a gorgous remote spot that Clark showed me & generally just chilled after my big journey, ready for work (can you call it work?) the next day.

We had four fab clients for my first days work, Olaf & Judith from Denmark & Matt & Desiree from the USA.
It was just a gentle paddle along an area of coast I know well from a previous visit here though I was cycling that time.

It was a great day out & I’m looking forward to leading tomorrows group, strange looking forward to work???
























Tuesday 10 July 2012

The Last Paddle...

With a free weekend my mind naturally turned to paddling & with my trip to Sardinia immanent it was likely to be my last paddle in the UK for some time.

I was racking my brains, (men have two you know) for idea's when I got a message off Eurion who had something planned. OK, I'm in I guess :)

Eurions friends Barbera & Ian & two others (sorry, forgot your names) were paddling over from Weston on the other side of the channel & heading for West Wales. Our trip was to meet them at Sully & paddle with them to Llantwit Major. Stuart was gonna tag along too :)
A wee bit late but forgivable given the head wind the group arrive at Sully.
And swell our numbers somewhat.
After an R&R stop & some fuel we were all underway & not a moment too late. The causeway was a foot deep, any later & we'd be portaging or going the long way around.
We head straight across Sully Bay aiming for Nells Point in Barry. There was a good headwind so I stayed well offshore to catch some tide & was in a World of my own, each stroke squeezing out the stress of my hectic life at the moment. I was enjoying myself & enjoying the headwind too.
A passing airship was fascinating me as it leaned in the wind, crossing back & fore over Barry.
Approaching Barry dock the Pilot boat crashes through the waves.
Eurion passing the dock entrance.
I glance back to see the others bobbing around in the race off Nells Point.

Looking back at Nells Point
Looking back at Nells Point
Barry Island


Stuart, looking for an ice cream van I think?

Passing Friars Point I again stay well out in the tide. I wonder if I'm being antisocial but I've been here before on a headwind & I know to avoid the back eddies.
Stuart doing Wheelies at Rhoose Point
Picture Courtesy of Eurion...

Me Passing Aberthaw Cooling Tower.
Finally back on land at Aberthaw. We left the others just the other side of the power station. It made sense for them to camp there in the nature reserve as the camping options at Llantwit, after all the rain we've had were limited.

we were supposed to carry on to Llantwit but we were pooped battling an ever increasing headwind & our later than planned start meant the last three miles would be against tide. At 2-2½ knots we were looking at another hour & a half so Stu blagged a lift to his van from his very understanding misses.
which then left us with  one bitch of a portage to the car park.