Ramsey Circumnavigation - West Wales Day 2

It's Bank Holiday Monday, and a wonderful hot sunny day is promised. While we wait for the tides to come into alignment with out intended circumnavigation of Ramsey Island, Claire, Ian and I head off to the Blue Lagoon at Abereiddu. Claire and Ian swim around to the abandoned quarry, while I take the easy option and paddle around.

Ian takes to the water in the Blue Lagoon

The lagoon isn't quite the sun trap we had hoped for, with still quite a breeze blowing in.
This young chap seems to have found a little sheltered spot though.

Bank Holiday's are made for for lazing in the sunshine!

Returning to Porthsele to launch, Richard takes us around Saint John's point towards Ramsey Sound. The north going flow causes a big back eddy that starts near St Justinin, which we utilize to take us down to the southern most tip of the mainland. It is quite strange to be paddling easily with the back eddy going south and seeing the main flow moving rapidly north just a few feet away from you. Water flow is seriously on a grand scale here as the water flowing in from the Atlantic is constricted through the Sound as it begins filling St Georges Channel between Wales and Ireland.

At Pen Dal-aderyn we begin a ferry glide across the sound, losing ground rapidly and watching The Bitches getting closer as if sucking us in for a good tossing over. We make it of course over to the east side of Ramsey without incident.

Looking back across Ramsey Sound to the mainland

Here we explore the caves and arches and get followed by numerous seals. 

Approaching Ynys Cantwr and the Midland gap - this is our point of no return, as once entering the gap there there is no returning and we are committed to going up around the island's west coast. 

Continuing up along the west coast we get to explore various caves, cracks and play with a little bit of the swell.

South Bishop lighthouse - though not today's destination . . .

South Bishop lighthouse appears below the clouds

Looking out westward toward Grassholm on the horizon

It really was quite a mellow evenings paddle. The tide now taking us fairly swiftly north.

Rounding the northern tip of the island we continue paddling now against the tide using the back eddy to take us some way into the sound. This gained ground we've "banked" in order to lose as we cross over the main flow, heading back to the mainland.

Thanks to Richard for the "Introduction to Ramsey Sound Back Eddies - easy conveyor belt seakayaking".

Circumnavigation of Ramsey Island

Chick'n Bitchin' - West Wales Day 1

Long weekend paddling pass - rare has hens teeth and rocking horse dung - but I GOT ONE. The tides are on BIG springs so there should be fun to be had somewhere.

All the usual suspects seem tied up doing other stuff, but Richard is "Down West" and I hope to catch up with Claire for a paddle too.

As the weather is blowing quite a hoolie I'm in no mad rush to make it down to West Wales, so take it easy and arrive late Friday afternoon. Richard and I go for an evening surf just south of Whitesands and are treated with a fantastic sunset. Let's hope the wind dies down for some decent sea paddling.

Sunset over St Brides Bay towards St David's- after a good surf, does it get any better than this?

The next morning isn't so brilliant initially with respect to wind, but having taken a walk along the cliff top and looked down onto Ramsey Sound it's looking a bit sheltered from the wind, so we decide on a little jaunt to the Bitches. The sun however is out, lovely.

Leaving Porthsele beach we head out towards St David's head crossing Whitesands beach - which seems absolutely packed with holiday makers.

Cliff top walkers enjoying the Bank Holiday sunshine near Porthsele

Packed out Whitesands

From Saint David's Head we drop down with the tide to the little rocky Gwahan on our way to Bae Ogof Hen at the northern tip of Ramsey Island.

Approaching Bae Ogof Hen (Old Cave Bay) - North Ramsey Island

The tide in the sound has just started moving north so we use the back eddy on the eastern Ramsey shore to take us towards The Bitches.

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 We pass through the cave that burrows through one of the outcrops approaching Aberfelin.

At The Bitches the wave is beginning to build and I watch as Richard has a great time playing .

Richard with a big smile on his face

This is only the beginning of the build up of the wave, and for some odd reason I just don't fancy jumping into it. I just sit back and watch for a while and chicken out before going to play on the waves that emerge from the cave that is under the cliff near the Ramsey jetty.

Ramsey Sound building up nicely

We cross into the main flow of the tide which will take us up north through the sound. Massive, I mean, massive, boils are here 50 feet wide at least and confused water (with dragons and sea beasts and everything living in the submerged caves below), I'm not concentrating and lack of experience crossing one of these massive (did I say that before) eddy lines I err capsize rather embarrassingly. Glad to say my roll was fine.

We speed along at some ridiculous 10 knots passing Horse Rock before sweeping up to Carreg Gafeiliog to play on some of the rather big waves that are forming there.

We return to Pothsele glad to have been able to get out on the water.

Thanks to Richard for my induction to the Bitches. Hope to get back sometime to play on it properly :)

Caves, Cliffs and Kayaks

Newton is a sandy beach sitting just east along the coast from Porthcawl. At this time of year you can park right close to the slipway that takes you down to the sand, and access to the water is easy. Paddling here there always seems to be a little bit of agitated water near the point. I'm paddling with Adrian today with the intention of going up the Bristol Channel with the flood tide through Nash and to finish up at St Donat's.

We make a beeline over the bay towards Ogmore and paddle up along the coast to east of Black Rocks. The tide is not too high yet, but high enough to get access to get to explore some of the caves.

Some of the rocks at the base of the cliffs provide a playground for a bit of rock hopping.

This section of coast between Ogmore and Southerndown always offers something different depending on the state of the tide and swell.

There is a tiny bit of swell and I get rock hopped onto a ledge when caught by the rogue wave in a set.

There is a definable pattern of surf sets building up, this is a pleasant surprise as we thought it would be fairly flat today. Gradually we make our way towards Southerndown at every opportunity looking in every available nook and cranny.

We stop for a bite to eat on the exposed sandy beach at Southerndwn. Follow this up with a bit of surfing. We have the surf all to ourselves as the unexpected sets haven't attracted any of the regular boardies.

Traeth Mawr towards Nash Point

Continuing along Traeth Bach and Traeth Mawr (the Welsh for little and big beach).
Just before we round Nash Point to play, it's nice to spot a seal in the water off Cwm Marcross. After giving us a few stares, he doesn't follow us as I guess he's busy feeding in the shallower waters.

Nash Lighthouse

We have a bit of excitement on the lively waters around the point and head on towards St Donat's under the shadow of the two lighthouses at Nash Point.

Great afternoon paddle.

(9.4Nm just over 17km)

Boys heading out to the buoys

Jim, Neil and self head out with the ebbing tide from Llantwit Major beach. There is a little surf breaking on the spit as we launch from the plateaux to the east. The sun is out in a cloudless blue sky, a little bit of swell, this looks like a superb paddling day.

Reynard's Cave at Tresilian beach

To begin we tucking in and follow the shore westward, pop in for a visit to Reynard's Cave at Tresilian. Passing Nash Point lighthouse and move on out to East Nash buoy to pick up the Nash passage rush.

Approaching Nash Point lighthouse

East Nash cardinal buoy

From here we head on over Nash Sand Bar and out to the channel. With the following sea we get a few nice pick me up surfs on our way out to the Mid Nash buoy. We are now about 6km offshore, and it is just fantastic being out here.

Mid Nash Cardinal buoy about 6km offshore

Journey continues towards Tusker Rock which is fully submerged, marked close by with the red danger buoy.

Tusker danger buoy

We are joined at Tusker Rock for a short while by a seal who popped up and followed us for a bit towards Porthcawl.



Yes indeed. A very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

10.6Nm (a shade under 20km) trip with a nice 6.5 knot kick through Nash Sound.