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 :)

Crossing Borders...

A Channel crossing has been on the cards for some time now but me & Stuart always seem to find a reason not to do it?

I had planned a nice paddle out to Flat Holm today & Stuart was up for it too & arrangements made. then Stuart messaged me back to say that Eurion fancied crossing the channel & it would involve an overnight camp. It sounded good, game on :D

We met up on Saturday at the inshore lifeboat station at St Donats, Eurion is a member of the shore team & got permission for us to launch from here.

 Not a bad place to start from :)

 I think Stuart is excited.

 Not Eurion & Stuarts best side.

 Boat envy, this is Eurion's maiden voyage in his new Cetus.

 A little warm up.

 And we're off.

 The weather is perfect.

 But its a long way to go & not much to see in the middle.

 Finally, England ahoy :D

 Time for some pictures as we approach Porlock.

 We follow Eurion as he knows the way.

 This portage is really gonna suck & its absolutely bloody freezing!

 Home for the night, unsurprisingly Eurions chose a pitch next to a pub.

Sunday morning & after a big bowl of porridge & a cup of coffee I'm ready for the paddle back.

 Leaving Porlock behind.

We're past the halfway point by now & passing a North & South cardinal markers that aren't on the chart? They indicate a wreck.

 Woohoo, made it.

I'm so looking forward to my warm, dry clothes, brrrrr.

The route looked something like this. Eurion planned for us to hit mid channel for slack water so it would cancel out our tidal drift over the first half & put us back on course. We followed a bearing out of 200° & retuned on a bearing of 20°, the crossing was 11.5 Nautical Miles, (13.2 statute miles).

Right, I'm gonna go put my feet up & Stuarts not allowed out to play next week (LOL). Anyone else fancy a paddle?

No Destination

Today was supposed to be a mega challenge, Barry Dock to Brean Down via Steep Holm. To add to the challenge we were to leave two hours before sunrise & ferry glide across a huge 14.2 metre tide to our destination. Stuart however didn't fancy being up at 4AM after a hard week in work, which was kinda a relief & I slept a lot better knowing a less committing paddle was on instead...

We met up at Llantwit Major with no real plans other than to follow the tide & explore the stunning Heritage Coastline. As we set off we had no idea of the exciting challenges & changeable weather ahead...

Flat calm on the way to Nash Buoy, too calm. The dramatic landscape blanketed in mist & low cloud...

Nash Sandbar is somewhere new for me & on this exceptionally low spring tide went on for miles...

                                    
Time for some posing...

Big ass waves off the tip of the sandbar, I went for a play. Images by Stuart...

                                       

Shall I, Shan't I? Hmmmm, I shan't...

The next beach was a much easier landing though still exciting enough. And another twist in the weather gave us a taste of the summer months ahead...

Paddling out through the waves...

The calm before the storm. On approaching Nash the waves really picked up as the swell felt the sandbar. The swell picked up to about 8 feet & the tide was ripping past Nash Buoy. It was all getting very exciting as Stuart kept vanishing behind the rising sea. I couldn't help but think that this is what my sea kayak was for. I'll have to get a camera mount so I can Paddle & take pictures as I wasn't letting go of my paddle when it was this exciting...

I kept my camera away till the sea calmed down, though the swell stayed with us till the finish. How very different from the conditions we set off in...

Approaching St Donats a sea mist roll's in & we're contemplating landing in big surf as the swell feels the bottom of the beach. Arriving at Llantwit I notice the really big waves were followed by a period of smaller ones & tentatively I make my move, paddling hard for the shore. Surfing with style on a wave, leaning on the paddle, I'm gonna make it, I thought I had made it, then(bugger) the wave reared up & spat me out.
I look back & see Stuart looking for a quieter landing spot, not a bad idea.
An exhilarating day's paddle though I really need to practice my Surfing!