Royal Weddings

With an end in sight of the settled weather and an extra day off, cheers Will n Kate, it was another day of paddling in 2 parts...

Lower Fishguard - the morning trip was a tag along with some Mike's clients. Conditions were lively but everyone enjoyed













Afon Teifi - after giving the Teifi time to refill it was time to explore up from Patch and see some of the rotting hulks - or ambitious DIY projects!?











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To a Pub by Kayak.

Sometimes it's not until you do something that the enormity fully hits home! A true sea kayak needs move throu the water efficiently - that means a long water length hull which in reality means a kayak that is at least 16 ft long. That doesn't sound like much till it's on the roof of your car...


So having relieved The Bread Bin of a Capella 166 it was time to go try it out. The chosen voyage was paddle around Milford Haven. A further incentive was The Old Point House @ Angle


Dale was the chosen 'put in' - well to be precise a free lay-by near by. After much faffing, I was good to go...


Well almost... When checked the position of the foot pegs, the RHS was completely off the track - no worries, just click it back on... 20 mins later i was hot & sweaty, the pegs was still hanging free and tide was well past us!? Time to drag the kayak 20m back and think!? The answer was to remove the track - which reqd an Allen Key - of the size normal found on a MTB tool which own but it was 40 miles away. Time for some tywrap bodging!?


With the peg fixed, we were off...








After a pleasant paddle inc some ferry gliding I rock up at the The Point House


After a pint it was time press on...








Eventually it was head down paddle back towards Dale into the west wind - despite the be assurances of the Milford CG, that the wind would would be Easterly?!?

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Down in Dale

St Ann's Head is one part of the Pembroke Coast Park that eluded me so it was time for a look see.























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Quality over Quantity

The plan for the day was was about brains not brawn - finessing (or just plain learning in my case!) techniques. The Parrog was busy - a walking club, complete with red sox, regulation map cases and matching Rucsacs were meeting up prior to some derring doo! Meanwhile, Mayberry's Merry Men headed off towards Cwm yr Eglwys... A fairly simple paddle in calm conditions was livened up by yours truly following Andy down a seeming simple gulch... The last time I followed Andy, it got a bit messy as got stranded & baled out. This time it wasn't quite as messy but just as wet...

Lunch was taken on some shady spot - just right for a chilly day!?!



The paddle back was uneventful save for the sea mist which descended very quickly - no drama, keep the land on RHS, if you bagpipes you've gone too far...!?

Newport was reminiscent of Weston super Mud - not in the tacky stakes, just the dist the tide had gone out... The soln to a long carry was a drag up the river - bit like a Amazonian exped 'cept the lack of rain forest!?!


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Pembroke Sounds

The time has come the Walrus said to go see what all the fuss about Ramsay Sound and The Bitches was about...My paddling isn't quite up to a solo trip so I resorted to a tourist trip. The booking was simple - well parting with the readies was simple - trying to get a decision as to if and when was a little harder! Eventually I rocked at at St Justs to find a rib waiting:-)






After the oblig safety brief it was off to The Bitches. Now it may have been the calm day, the overcast sky, the tide or just my luck but frankly I couldn't see what the fuss was about..


After a quick chat we were off for a tour - the seals on the beach ~60 + was impressive - even more impressive IMHO was the rock architecture on the south end


And the bird colonies



We even sighted the earless, trunkless Pembroke Heffalump...


The geology change from metamorphic to sedimentary with impressive folding - not impressive enough for a pic thou!!! After a brief visit to a sea cave it was back to St Justs.


The question was what to do with the rest of the day... A quick skegness @ the map and I thought I'd check out the southern end of St Brides and Jack Sound...

Yet again, Pembroke blew away my expectations - it truly is a beautiful place






The tide was running well in the Sound - more impressive than Ramsay but maybe that was because the sun was out?


A quick drop into Martin Haven to recce a put in for another day... :-)


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Kayaking and Camping... Day 2

I woke up Sunday morning to sun & a slug on the bivi roof 2 inches from my head!? After the usual faff - including making offerings to the Ra


And battling with the kit - surely having drunk the beer and eaten the food the packing should be easier????

Eventually we departed and floated across a mirror...


Strumble eventually hove'd into view


The paddle to Fishguard was straight fwd if warm in the uncharacteristic warm early April Sun. Eventually we arrived at Pwllgealodd - a total from 10 hrs and 40 Km from Whitesands.


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Kayaking n Camping... Day 1

The plan was simple - a 2 day kayaking trip camping en-route. Original start at Abereddie was deemed not far enough so Whitesands was the new start! After the usual car faffing that is sea kayaking we finally rocked up at Whitesands - let the packing begin...



After much it will fit, it won't fit, what can be left behind we finally departed! Within 5 mins the confused waters off St David's Head were an interesting challenge for your Blogger! Despite a couple of wobbles, I remained above the waves!!! Once round the Head, the sea flattened and conditions improved save for the wind. Wind is seldom bad in a yacht and is a very good thing on washing day however in a sea kayak it's never good & like cycling always head on :-( Today it wasn't 4cast to blow much but that didn't stop it... The day turned into a major endurance exercise - and yes it is possible to almost fall asleep while paddling!?! Yawn, eventually we arrived at AberMawr our des res for the night!



After a tough day it was time to reflect with a choc-o-brandy!?


The rest of the night was sorting out a bivi and making use of the firewood Mike 'found' in the hedge!!!


The day had been long and hard, sleep came easy with a few beers inside me!



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