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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!

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 :)

Friday 9 November 2012

No Farther South...

OK, So I'm in Cornwall to prepare for my 5 star assessment next Wednesday & Thursday with Sea Kayak Cornwall. I'm paddling most days but not blogging as I'm too busy with 'Speed, Time Distance' calculations to be bothered with taking images, but when my Mate Mike (below) got in touch to arrange a paddle, I was naturally, well up for it :)
 Very cheesy Mike ;D
Also coming was Rick (left) & Chris (middle). We were setting off from Kennack sands on the East of the Lizard Peninsular & heading to Kynance Cove on the West & paddling back.
 The weather was lovely & we were all pretty chuffy.
 A very quick stop at the picture postcard Cadwith.
Before entering the Devils Frying Pan, a big collapsed cave.


 Another nice big arch, love this place :)
Image By Mike...
Me pissing about as usual!

 Rick scoping a gnarly gap, which he got through (Grrrr!).
Image By Mike...
My turn, to contemplate my mortality? the water was coming from three directions, swirly me about, If I screw this up I'll have to swim for it! After a few tense moments I decide to let Poseidon win this one & I beat a hasty retreat.
The swells were getting bigger as we approached the Lizard & the lighthouse came into view.

Shooting a small gap that is the most Southerly point of mainland UK, pretty cool huh?
Really feeling the swells & tide here, not huge but good fun after the calm of the East coast.
Kynance Cove & an eventful landing for me. It looked fine paddling in so I didn't bother looking over my shoulder then I heard Rick shout "theres a big one coming!". I thought he might have been teasing till I felt the back of the kayak lift :oS
It wasn't huge, but dumpy & I bongoed into a rock, just & jumped out pretty quick before the next one (LOL).
This beach is actually a sand spit that uncovers at low tide & give access to the two Islands, Gull Rock & Asparagus Island & theres some really cool caves & a fab blow hole too.
Leaving the beach Mike & Rick scope the gap between the Islands. The swells are huge & the gap small, it was an easy decision for me to bottle out :)
Mike finally came to the same conclusion too saying, "it looked scary when I was looking down on the gap", I bet.
Paddling a little more gently on the way back with tired arms, I'm still watching my speedo on the GPS though as I'm still in (Time, Speed, Distance) mode.
 The swells were more gentle passing the edge of the land on our way back.
 And the light was gorgous.
One last cave before heading back after a very special day on the water. Great to be paddling with Mike again & making new friends too :)