Cliffs Galore

It's a while since I've been sea-kayaking but a holiday on Skye in late June and early July gave a good opportunity to get on the water. The north-east coast of Trotternish has some excellent cliff scenery. Launching from the beach at Staffin, the small sandy promontory on the right of the picture, we paddled past  low lying Staffin Island. This picture is a view from The Quiraing 

The more interesting features of Eilean Flodigarry a couple of kilometers in front of us lured us on.

Here you can see some of the basalt columns that have broken from and slipped to a rest at the foot of the cliff, but have also remained more or less intact.

Lying east of Eilean Flodiggary is the low lying Sgeir na Eireann, a haul-out for many common seals, a few of which followed us as we passed through the narrow channel between the islands. The eye was drawn to the cliffs lying north towards Rubha n h-Aiseag.

 The cliff scenery became really spectacular, with many caves, arches, caves you could paddle through..... we did rather dawdle as we rock hopped our way up the coast.

We even managed to land on a boulder beach tucked in behind Galta Mor, although the launch as the tide retreated was very challenging given the bouldery nature of the sea floor, shallowness of the bay and the way the swell was breaking on the boulder reefs. Not recommended except in emergencies!

WHB part3a

The Sound of Iona proved to be an enjoyable day trip.

                                                 

Launching from Kintra (preferably at or near high tide), you paddle out in to the northern end of the Sound of Iona.....

.....through a delightful maze of rocks, skerries, reefs and headlands...

to Fionnphort, where the ferry to Iona departs. The first ferry of the day was pretty full.

We stopped for some food and drink, regarded the view across the Sound to the Abbey and watched our kayaks slide gracefully (almost!) away up the beach in a rising wind!

Rather than heading south down the Sound and across to Iona, we retreated north, passing through the sheltered anchorage of Bull Hole, between Eilean nam Ban and the Ross, and back to Kintra. A briefer paddle than intended but still a really good warm up for the next few days.

                                                           Top 2 pics by Angela Smith

Where's he been (part 2)

Of course paddling featured in my escapades, although maybe not quite as much as it should have been. A trip near Rhoscolyn on a dead calm day.....

It's always a satisfying sea kayaking venue.

Where's he been (part 1)

Hello. I'm back.

Where have you been for the last two years?

Well, I was fed up of blogging and had plenty of other things to do like...

I was only watching, guv....

Oh yes, then there was the royal barge...

Ah yes, we were also there THAT evening - 3 gold medals for Rutherford, Ennis and Farah...

All brilliant.

It all seems so long ago now.

Olympic Dreams - C1 Winners

Women's C1 - Unfortunately not an Olympic event

Mallory Franklin from Shepperton took the honours. 

These shots were taken in the warm up area, thus the lack of white on the water!

Men's C1 - an Olympic event. Don't ask me why the men get in and the ladies don't!

Dave Florence took the men's title. 

He didn't even look too knackered!

Olympic Dreams - K1 Winners

There is only one slot available at the Olympics in each competition category for each nation.

The Men's K1

 Richard Hounslow was the winner in a very hard fought and close race.  

.

  Women's K1 

 The winner was Lizzie Neave from our local club, Stafford and Stone.

Both will now be nominated to the British Olympic Association to compete in their respective disciplines.

Well done both!

Olympic Dreams Part 1

This weekend has seen the British Olympic selection event for slalom take place at Lea Valley near Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire.

The event took place on the same facility that will be used for the Olympics.

It's big water!

and it's a long course.

Complete with a kayak lift to take you from the lake up to the start.

Add some commentators........... (Andy and Kevin)

Cymyran Strait

 I've been sea kayaking around the Anglesey coast for several years but had never made the detour in to Cymyran, despite passing the entrance several times. From Rhoscolyn you head south, passing some interesting rock hopping territory where the swell and angle of the rocks on this day would have been unforgiving to any boat in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

After the broad arc and surf of Silver Bay you pass the old block-house and then turn in to Cymyran. 

 Immediately you notice the sheltering affect of the topography and it is quieter - no more booming as the unpredictable swell hits an exposed coastline. Left shore is Holy Island and the right  is Anglesey.

 What looks like an old trawler lies abandoned up a wide side bay

 and a fisherman's hut huddles close up the low cliff.

 To the south you can see the dunes that lie between the beach and RAF Valley. Paddling further up there are some small islands before reaching Four Mile Bridge but all too soon the ebb tidal flow turns you, accelerates and spits you out back in to the sea.

 Some small south facing bays close to the rip provide nice shelter for a lunch stop and an easy exit route to the open sea avoiding the surf.

 With plenty of time left I paddled north to Rhoscolyn Head and its cave. The ebb tidal flow had picked up and at times I paddled to a standstill in confused water against the flow in the inside passage,

before breaking out to the more predictable outside flow further offshore. Although the sea seemed reasonably calm, every  now and again massive swells would build and occasionally break in front of me, so it was important to stay focused. I passed around the outside of beacon rocks, then weaved my way through the numerous passages between them, sometimes pushed by a big swell set being funnelled in to them and breaking on the rocks to the side. Very noisy and best not to look back in those circumstances!

Back in the shelter of Borthwen the old lifeboat station emphasises the dangers of the coast hereabouts, although I wouldn't like to launch below high tide these days on the shortened ramp!